Sixth Realm

by Michael Chatfield

  She nodded and Gu Chen left the room.

  “Cordero!” He yelled out as he walked into the main courtyard of the building they were staying in.

  A few moments later his assistant appeared.

  “Branch head?” The man asked, looking apprehensive.

  “What order did you give to our fighters?”

  Cordero looked around and then moved forward.

  “I passed on your order to remove them from the fighting, if they had a chance.”

  “Why would I do that?”

  “Well, Chonglu greeted him right away, Elise looked to be close with him and Klaus was showing interest. It is just a new guild and you should be getting that attention. If we can defeat them, then we can show those people we are stronger and that will give us more opportunities in the future to develop.”

  “So you saw those things and thought that I would want to step on them, instead of taking my time and gathering information on them?” Gu Chen’s anger creeped into his voice.

  “They’re just people from the lower realms,” Cordero said.

  “Just people from the lower realms that are currently blazing through the competition. Blaze must have a secondary relationship with Chonglu and Elise. Did you see how close he was with Elise, that is an intimate relationship. How he talked to the guards and higher ups of the Battle Arena, he was familiar with them and they respected him.”

  Gu Chen took a step forward, his anger growing.

  “I wanted to know more about them, when have I ever issued an order to maim or kill someone? That’s what guilds and sects do, but not my Silver Dragons. If I am right, then the Adventurer’s Guild is not just some upstart but it has deep links to Vuzgal and its mysterious leadership. Which means they could be an arm of Vuzgal, that we have openly attacked!”

  Cordero had unconsciously walked backward, not willing to meet his eyes as the air around Gu Chen was thick with mana as his anger had reached the top.

  “Get a carriage ready we will head over immediately and see if we can apologize to them for this misunderstanding and hope that they are forgiving. Even if they are not a limb of Vuzgal, I do not want our adventurer group being known as using nasty tactics in order to win our fights!”

  ***

  On their way back to the guild hall, people were cheering and yelling as the members of the Adventurer’s Guild passed.

  Blaze had sent a message through Alvan channels to the lower realms. While the competition was going on, more people from the lower realms were allowed to visit Vuzgal.

  Jasper had sent up administrators and people to assist Blaze with any negotiations that happened.

  When reaching the guild hall there was already a line out the front of the guild. They brightened as they saw the group entering the guild hall and releasing their mounts to the stables.

  Blaze hurried inside, an administrator moved to him as he walked in the doors.

  “There are three different people that are looking to talk to you personally. I have checked with our records and I believe it would be worth your time talking to them.”

  “Very well,” Kim Cheol caught his eye, the big man was standing off to the side, waiting for him.

  “Make sure that they are comfortable. I just have to talk to Cheol for a second. Once I’m done then, have them sent up to my office.”

  “Yes, Guild leader.”

  Blaze walked over to Kim Cheol.

  “What’s up? I’ve been meaning to ask you about your fight,” Blaze said. He knew that Cheol wouldn’t get serious like that unless there was a good reason.

  “It's about that, shall we talk somewhere more private?”

  They headed up to Blaze’s office. Kim Cheol told Blaze everything that happened.

  “So you beat her up to send a message and stop her from being able to fight our people for some time,” Blaze said.

  “Yes,” Kim Cheol who was larger than Blaze looked like a kid that had done wrong.

  “Good job,” Blaze said and smacked him on the shoulder. Cheol looked up.

  “We stand up for one another, I would’ve done the same as well. You did well.”

  “Thank you, Guild leader,” Kim Cheol relaxed. “What about the Silver Dragons though?”

  “With that-,” Blaze was interrupted as his sound communication device went off.

  “Guild leader, Branch manager Gu Chen is here,” Emilia informed him.

  “Alright, I’ll be down in a minute,” The air around Blaze chilled as he sat there.

  I had to bear with it when the Willful Institute attacked our people, but I will not stand by this time

  “Cheol, it seems that Gu Chen has appeared here, could you tell him that I am too busy to meet with him and say that we will see one another at the arena tomorrow?”

  “Yes guild leader,” Kim Cheol cupped his fists and headed out of the room.

  ***

  Gu Chen got a carriage with the shivering Cordero, they headed across the city.

  Just where are they staying? He thought as he looked around as they headed closer to the castle district and association circle.

  They took a turn down a familiar road.

  This route, are we heading towards the Guild Hall Sector?

  His thoughts were confirmed as they reached the Adventurer's Guild Hall, there was a line of people outside. While there were carriages coming and going with powerful figures within the trading and crafting community appearing.

  Gu Chen felt his stomach twisting as he got out of the carriage, Cordero was like a man going for execution as he followed behind Gu Chen.

  He got to the entrance where there was a secretary.

  “How can I help you today?” She asked.

  “I would like to talk to Blaze, I am Gu Chen from the Silver Dragon’s Adventurer Group. We met this morning.”

  “Okay, please take a seat in the lobby and I will send him a message,” The woman smiled.

  Gu Chen nodded and passed her. There was a large lounge area where guests could rest.

  A door opened and Gu Chen saw the end of the application line at the back of the guild hall as people were quickly processed and sent for testing.

  It took a few minutes with people being guided into the hall and off to meet with different people before the doors opened and a familiar face appeared.

  Gu Chen felt a sinking sensation as he saw Kim Cheol step into the lobby. Everyone looked over as he locked eyes with Gu Chen. He was unaffected meeting the Branch leader as he walked over.

  Gu Chen and Cordero stood to greet him.

  “I am sorry, but the guild leader is too busy right now. He told me to tell you that he’ll see you at the arena tomorrow,” Kim Cheol, having finished what he had come to say, he turned and left.

  Gu Chen didn’t even get a chance to speak. He looked at Cordero with murder in his eyes.

  “Isn’t that the branch leader of the Silver Dragons?”

  “To get turned away like that, do they have a problem with the Adventurer’s Guild?”

  “Didn’t you see how their star was embedded in the stage, it looks like the Silver Dragon’s ability is decreasing.”

  Gu Chen left the lobby, feeling ashamed. He got into the carriage, when Cordero made to get up he pushed him, sending him sprawling in the dirt.

  “Never appear before me again and don’t wear that crest again. I’m showing mercy by just kicking you out,” Gu Chen looked down on his ex-assistant and slammed the door shut.

  The carriage quickly disappeared, heading back in the direction it had come, causing people to talk as rumors spread of the tensions between the Silver Dragons and the Adventurer's Guild.

  Chapter: Second Qualifying Round.

  The night came and went, the next day there were even more spectators and people that were coming in from all across the realm to see the match. Merchants had rushed over in the dead of night, setting up and getting ready for these people.

  Everywhere one looked there were weapons, armor and
aids that would benefit any fighter-style person.

  Hearing about the competition there were more people from the Fighter's Association that had come down.

  Through the streets one could see people from all different kinds of sects that were walking the street.

  They were large powers where they came from but the competition had quickly turned into one where experts clashed. Even if they didn't have people in the competition it was an opportunity to see the strength of their allies, enemies and possibly scout a few fighters for their own ranks.

  Gu Chen and the Silver Dragons departed their residence, all of them wearing their guild symbols embossed cloaks as they rode on Silver Lizards that snapped at people that got too close to the procession.

  People cheered and talked to one another as they passed.

  "Are they that big of a threat?" Yi Yin asked Gu Chen as they were riding.

  Gu Chen sat up and looked around.

  "They have connections to a lot of people and their base in Vuzgal is only growing, if we want to develop here, then we will need to deal with them day in and out, if we need to watch our backs from the beginning then our progress will be slower than if we have an amicable relationship. In that time more people will enter Vuzgal and we will lose some of our advantage."

  "What shall we do?" Yi Yin asked.

  "We must place well within the competition and show off our combat power. I will try to talk to Blaze today and try to prove that this was an accident and not intentional."

  "Lowering our head to some guild from the lower realms doesn't feel right."

  "We are a small adventuring group, we have powerful members, but against the sea of people that sects can call up we aren't much. It is not a loss of honor to bow one's head when we were in the wrong."

  They reached the arena as the fighters headed down into the waiting area and Gu Chen stored his mount before heading through the VVIP doors.

  ***

  Once again the group hiding in the lounge were reconvened. They had watched the matches from yesterday with some interest, taking time to review the different special team applicants and commenting on the fighters from the Adventurer's Guild and other dark horses that had caught their eyes.

  On the other side of the glass window people were flooding into the arena and filling up the seats quickly as they got ready for the upcoming match.

  "I heard that there was some commotion at the Guild last night?" Roska asked Niemm and Elan.

  "Nothing serious, Blaze refused to see the leader of the Silver Dragon's team," Niemm said.

  "About that fight?" Roska asked.

  "Yes, it seems that someone took his orders the wrong way, most likely his assistant as he was kicked out of his carriage and was spotted leaving Vuzgal late last night. I am still reviewing information on the Silver Dragons before I take anything to Blaze though," Elan said.

  "Nothing happens in Vuzgal without you knowing," Roska said.

  "And I look to keep it that way," Elan smiled. "The new recruits are looking good, but what if they're eliminated before the qualifiers are complete? Will that mean they can't advance?"

  "Well, we might have hidden that from them. We haven't explicitly said what this counts for. We've seen them succeed so far, but what if they can't? We get to see how they react."

  "So what do they think right now?" Niemm asked.

  "They think that if they fail out too low then they will not be allowed to continue the training and become a member of the special teams."

  "So it pushes them to surpass their limits and put it all on the line and deal with losses," Elan said.

  "Yeah, there are plenty of powerful people in the Fourth Realm, experts from all over. I don't think that our people will be in the top twenty, maybe even thirty, though we should have some people in the top one hundred I think," Roska said.

  "That sounds realistic," Elan said.

  "I wish that we could rank higher, but there are people with a lot more combat experience, or have learned more powerful techniques and have a higher cultivation of their mana or their body. Trying to win against them all is unrealistic," Niemm sighed.

  "In later competitions our people should be stronger," Roska said.

  "Yes, but once this gets out and the rewards are passed on, do you think that even the powerful sects will continue to look away?" Elan said.

  "What are the rewards?" Niemm asked.

  "A six month long pass for one of the tier four facilities, an expert level weapon crafted for the fighter as well as one piece of armor, both enchanted. As well as two of the combined healing and stamina recovery potions of the mid Journeyman grade and a Sky Grade mana stone for the person in first place alone."

  "That's impressive," Roska said, feeling interested by the prizes herself.

  "The prizes for the top ten are extravagant and should motivate others to come over," Elan said.

  "Why didn't we tell the competitors about the prizes?"

  "We will once the qualifiers are over. There were two parts, if we had said what the prizes were ahead of time, we would have people from those powerful groups coming over here and dominating the competition. We don't have the people or the facilities to deal with that many strong people. Think of what would happen in a match if our referees were rendered useless?"

  The other two nodded their heads.

  "Wouldn't be the best image," Niemm said.

  "This way we have a smaller group we can see how this all operates with, we can learn a lot of information from them all. See who is interested in Vuzgal and not.

  "These yearly large competitions will draw people from across the realm, while the semi-annual and monthly competitions are a good way for local fighters and smaller groups within or associated with Vuzgal to make a name for themselves and gain rewards," Elan said.

  "Who came up with this plan?" Roska asked.

  "Chonglu," Elan said.

  "Smart," Niemm said.

  Time passed quickly and it wasn't long until fighters entered the different arenas and walked up to their assigned stages.

  Referees checked on the fighters and the first of the second round fights began.

  Those in the lounge talked to one another, commenting on the match.

  "Look at him, damn, he's quick," Tully said, pointing to one of the special team applicants..

  He was moving around the stage with ease, he had a sword and shield but he advanced forward at a run, dodging the arrows as he moved.

  "That kind of control is impressive, he needs to predict where the arrows will be, then cast a spell to hit them and make sure that they don't deflect into him," Simms said.

  "One only needs a sword and a shield, it is the mark of a true fighter," Davos said.

  "You're just saying that because you prefer your sword and shield combo, a bit prejudiced," Tully said dryly.

  The man reached his opponent, they didn’t hesitate and used their bow as a weapon and drew a short sword. Their face was pale as they let out a yell, their sword blazed with fire as they brought it across.

  The man’s shield was like an iron wall, the archer took a step back from his strike. The man lowered his shield and his sword darted out.

  The man was standing on his toes, feeling the blade underneath his neck as the man had used his shield to cover his lower body.

  When the referee declared the special team applicant as the winner, he let out a breath and retracted his sword. He nodded to his opponent and left the stage as his opponent checked his neck with a pale face, shaking slightly.

  It was clear to everyone that the archer’s opponent could've killed the man easily if he had wished to.

  "Damn, for one of the first fights of the day, hah! My blood is boiling already!" Han Wu said.

  "That doesn't sound healthy, should I heal you?" Yang Zan asked.

  "Get away with your sobering hands!" Han Wu yelled in a panic.

  "Come on, you can just drink more!" Yang Zan's smile was chilly as Han Wu drew the gou
rd in his hands, filled with alcohol, closer to himself.

  "I'm fine, fine! Just a slip of the tongue!"

  The others snorted or shook their heads at the two's antics.

  "I swear I spend more time healing you than Gong Jin and he's our tanker," Yang Zan muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

  ***

  "That, isn't that Shadow Sword?" One in the crowd asked.

  "Shadow Sword? Isn't that the famous swordsman whose speed is on another level?"

  "Yeah, it's said that before you see his shadow his blade is already at your neck. He's got crazy speed. I heard that someone from the Purple Cloud Sect challenged him, they had just become an inner disciple and they wanted to see their strength. Shadow Sword was able to defeat them in just two moves."

  "Who are they fighting against?"

  “Derrick? He’s from that dark horse group, the Adventurer’s guild.”

  Shadow Sword smiled underneath his mask that covered the lower part of his face.

  A man wearing two thin swords on his hips stepped up to the stage.

  Shadow Sword became serious as he looked at the man. The way he moved, how he could feel hints of an aura but it was retracted to a degree that he couldn't match.

  Shadow Sword's eyes widened as he smiled like a predator.

  It has been sometime since I faced someone this strong. He should be on the same level as me in overall levels and cultivation. Looks like the Adventurer's Guild is impressive to raise someone's body cultivation to half-step Body like Iron.

  The two men eyed one another from across the stage and gripped their weapons, sizing up their opponent.

  They drew their weapons as the referee looked at them both.

  "Begin!" He yelled and stepped backward.

  Derrick charged towards Shadow Sword.

  You want to challenge me in speed? Has he not heard of who I am?

  Shadow Sword had been excited, but now he felt that he had underestimated his opponent.

  Strong but foolish. He silently sighed as he moved, he was nearly twice the speed of Derrick. The two of them lifted up the wind around them as they ran.