BXBX NOVEL Chapter 55: An Example I
He observed the crowd reacting with so much passion on the matches as he headed towards the Registration booth.
After waiting in the not so long line, it finally got to Kyle\'s turn.
The boy manning the booth this time was different. He didn\'t seem particularly interested in Kyle, though his eyes widened slightly at the sight of the mask.
It wasn\'t every day someone came to fight while hiding their face.
"Name?" the boy asked without looking up fully, still scribbling down notes on a match roster.
Kyle stood still for a moment, considering his options. He had already planned on making a new identity, and with that came a new name.
He thought hard before deciding, opening his mouth to provide his name.
"..."
\'Oh. I can\'t speak,\' Kyle remembered, forming a wry smile on his face that was visible to no one.
He used his hand to imitate a writing aid for the boy, making him pass a paper and pen to him.
He clearly wrote the name he had choose on the paper, handing it back to him.
Abyss.
He had chose the name for many reason. An Abyss was infinite as well as silent— that would be his name.
A name like that could have been chosen before, but here in the arena. Nobody owns a name. Achievements would determine the true name bearer, and Kyle was determined to stand out.
"Abyss?" the boy said, writing it down somewhere. "You\'re new?"
Kyle nodded his head in approval.
"We\'ll need your ID. It\'s a new rule."
Kyle shook his head in refusal.
The boy raised an eyebrow at him. "You\'re refusing?"
Kyle nodded.
"It\'s for your own good, man. You get into trouble, they\'ll be on you..." He paused, then shrugged. He wasn\'t one of the first to have refused, there was no reason trying to convince him.
"Well, alright. Just know you\'re on your own if things get serious."
The boy scribbled down a few more notes on his book, then handed Kyle a small metal token after Kyle made a match request.
"Here\'s your match token. You\'re registered for an elemental match. Wait for your number to be called."
Kyle gave a slow nod in acknowledgment and tucked the token into his cloth before turning away, allowing for others to use the booth.
Soon, he found himself standing before the gambling booth. A neon light flickered overhead, its lights casting shadows across the faces of the anxious gamblers.
Some were shouting from placing last-minute bets, while others checked their remaining credits, thinking how to spend for the next matches.
Kyle stepped forward, sliding his match token across the counter along with a note:
Bet: 50 credits. On myself. Match #22.
The attendant behind the counter blinked, clearly confused by the use of notes.
The attendant scribbled down the bet after Kyle transferred the credits and handed Kyle a slip with his wager printed on it.
As Kyle turned to leave, another figure stepped up, holding a device that resembled a portable scanner. The attendant gestured toward Kyle\'s mask.
"Standard procedure," he said, his voice cautious. "Need to check for any illegal enchantments and magic equipments. Can\'t have you cheating in there."
\'Ah, I forgot external equipment aren\'t allowed.\' Kyle thought before composing himself to stay still as the scanner hovered near his face, its faint light pulsing as it attempted to read the magic in the mask.
A few moments passed before the device beeped, and the screen flashed with the word *Null*.
"Null?" the attendant muttered. "Just a normal mask. You\'re clear."
Kyle smiled within the mask before walking away. H wondered if they couldn\'t scan the mask because of the [Unknown] enchantment or because it\'s too advanced.
\'Welp... It could be both.\'
**"
It wasn\'t long before the arena speakers crackled to life once again, this time the announcer\'s voice calling Kyle\'s match.
"Next up, we\'ve got a special treat! A new face stepping into the arena for the first time—ABYSSS!"
Kyle stepped forward, walking slowly into the light of the elemental pit.
"And his opponent!" the announcer\'s voice continued, bringing back the crowd\'s excitement once more. "Ranked No. 9! Give it up for Vance Renlor!"
The arena exploded in cheers, their sound echoing off the pit walls.
Vance Renlor was a well-known third year. He was very strong, a dual elementalist of Fire and Earth.
This was expected to be an easy match.
Kyle stood in his corner, watching as Vance entered the arena, his posture was relaxed and his face cocky.
He wore a confident grin, already certain of his victory. His eyes scanned Kyle, and his grin widened more.
"A masked newbie?" He called out with a laugh. "Hiding your face won\'t help you, you know? Especially not against me."
The crowd cheered louder, excited by Vance\'s bravado. Someone even shouted, "Free money!" and others laughed in agreement. All the attention was on Vance, the academy\'s star.
Vance was the strongest student in his year, as well as the only Third year on the Top-10 arena rankings.
That didn\'t make him one of the Academy\'s Elite 10 though, because they were many students, fourth years and others alike, that didn\'t bother to fight in the arena.
They had access to something better, as per what Nate said.
That didn\'t mean Vance was weak, he was strong, very strong and Kyle was confident that most if not all of the student would have placed their bets on Vance to win. But that was perfect.
His eyes glinted with mischief:
\'It\'s all part of it, brother. The more the merrier. \'
Kyle responded with a laugh of his own under his mask. There was no hell way he would stake all his borrowed money, if he wasn\'t certain of a win.
\'I\'ll use you as an example. An example that will make a statement for me!\'
[ New Quest: Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can say is nothing at all. Silence the Crowd by defeating the opponent before you! ]
[ Reward: 5 skill points! ]
Kyle widened his lips for a smile upon seeing the quest. "A bonus for completing what he was going to do. Let\'s do this"
As the announcer\'s voice boomed one last time, the match was set to begin.
"Begin!"