Zectas Book II: Heraldic City of Coatl (4 page)

 

 

"Okay, okay. I get it but if you ever need my help again just look for me. Most NPCs here should know my name."

 

 

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

 

 

"Do you want to add me as a friend?"

 

 

"No, no, that won't be necessary. You've already helped me enough."

 

 

"Alright, see you around then."

 

 

 

Mitleid told them that he didn't exactly know how to get into the labyrinth. He considered himself to be very  fortunate that he escaped.

 

 

Searching through the forums, Smoke found that there was a series quest given to the famous Knights of Coatl. They could either be recommended by the city officials or from the head of the Order of Coatl Knights.

 

 

The start of the series quest was said to be beneath Coatl City. Smoke thought that this would most likely be his way to enter the labyrinth. He would explore the city and gain favor from the Knights or the city officials.

 

 

The breathtaking scene of Coatl City was enough to make Smoke forget his own itinerary. Finally, he had made it into a main city. His game life in Zectas was a complete opposite to everybody else's.

 

 

When everyone else wanted to quickly start exploring the outer walls, Smoke wanted to wander through the insides of a main city.

 

 

Smoke and his party proceeded towards second layer of the city, the Archer academia. He planned on visiting the place, just in case Macher was discreetly watching them.

 

 

He found the Archer academia to be really fascinating. The Novices lining up to take the Archer job quest were curious to see a Swordsman inside the establishment.

 

 

It took all of his self-control not to pick up the exam bow and hit the required targets to pass the Archer job. It looked so easy and fun. The first ten targets were stationary. While the next ten targets were moving and were sometimes blocked by a random shield.

 

 

After visiting the Archer academia, Smoke decided to visit the NPC auction center. He originally wanted to auction off the lucky bunny ears since it gave no benefits to him what so ever.

 

 

But now that it would help in his disguise he could no longer sell it. All he had left to auction off were four pieces of the double bladed mantis sword that Darius crafted.

 

 

Basing the current prices of other swords already in the auction list, Smoke placed the double bladed mantis sword at a starting bid of $50.

 

 

With all his items submitted to the auction, the next place he went to was weapons and armory shop. The shops in Coatl city specialized in Knight equipments but they still had the stock items for the other jobs as well.

 

 

He was shocked when he saw how much everything costs. The most expensive Knight set was prized at 500 million zecs, with a level requirement of 600.

 

 

Smoke knew that the prices in the NPC shops were outrageously high but he didn't think that it would be this much.

 

 

The Knight set with a level requirement of 80 was priced at 50 million zecs. He wanted to buy it but he thought it was too expensive.

 

 

While exploring the shop, Smoke noticed a public notice. It was for the Bi-Annual 'Swordsman to Knight' Tournament. The prizes in the contest were Knight equipments.

 

 

The categories and their prizes in the tournament were as follows:

 

 

 

 

They were currently located in the south district. He asked the shop attendant if she knew where to register for the Swordsman to Knight tournament.

 

 

She told them that they would need to go to south district's Knight academia located about ten blocks from the shop. She also told them that although the tournament was open to all swordsmen there will still be an entrance exam at the Knight academia.

 

 

On their way to the Knight academia, Smoke and the Lioumereans came across the city's only library. Smoke asked if Gandiva and Laernea wanted to visit anyone in Coatl. They told him that they did want to say hello to a couple of friends they made here.

 

 

Smoke told them that they would meet up in about an hour while he searches for some clues inside the library. The library was not that big. He thought that Darius had more books than this whole library.

 

 

Although it was a library it was mostly adorned with knight armors and weapons. There was only a single librarian inside. There were no other players who decided to visit the library.

 

 

He skimmed through the books. Now, that his Wisdom stat was at 40, most of the books in the library only required him about ten minutes to acquire their knowledge.

 

 

After thirty minutes Laernea and Gandiva came inside. They asked him if they could help out with anything. Smoke told them that he may need to acquire a mount of his own soon but first he needs the 'Mount Mastery' ability.

 

 

Laernea and Gandiva told him that they might know a couple of people who could help them out. They asked permission to leave.

 

 

 

 

Smoke went to the south district's Knight academia alone. The Knights on guard at the entrance stared at him intently. He didn't make any eye contact with them and just went straight in.

 

 

His Beggar job was really troubling against some NPCs. He was afraid that the examiner would be the same. Regardless he still had to take the exam if he wanted to compete in the tournament.

 

 

Smoke asked one of the NPCs inside, where he should sign up for the tournament. He was told to fall in line behind more than a thousand swordsmen.

 

 

The exam was simple. The examinee and a Guard Knight would fight on top of a square platform of about ten meters. All the examinee had to do was to push the Guard Knight off the platform.

 

 

Examinees who passed were displayed on the screen above. So far there were only five examinees who made it. There were eight platforms in order to accommodate the overwhelming number of examiners.

 

 

The ones waiting in line could watch the examinee's fight before them. Most swordsmen used the same attack pattern and launched a frontal attack.

 

 

Guard Knights having a strong defense would just block the attack and push examinee off the platform with their shield bash, thereby disqualifying them.

 

 

Smoke was waiting in line for about fifteen minutes. There a few swordsmen and swordswomen who would try to attack from the side but they were still pushed off the ring before even getting a chance to strike the Guard Knight.

 

 

Finally, a new Swordsman with the name of Blastar was added into the list of passers. A replay of the swordsman attack was displayed on the main screen.

 

 

The middle aged Lioumerean Swordsman that had a face that looked like a lion, was carrying a bastard sword. The biggest sword that a Swordsman could carry. He attacked head on and used his 'Sword Smite' ability. The Guard Knight stabilized his footing and braced himself for the attack.

 

 

The damage inflected was for 8,834 points. The Guard Knight's defense was overpowered and was knocked off the square ring.

 

 

Smoke thought that the damage was pretty high for a Swordsman especially if you consider that he was up against a Guard Knight, one of the strong defensive Knight variations.

 

 

Considering that the middle aged Swordsman used a bastard sword and the 'Sword Smite' ability, Smoke's estimate on the passing Swordsman's Strength was around 700. Which would mean that the he would have to be at least level 90.

 

 

As Smoke was nearing his turn. There was a beautiful Human Swordswoman with blond hair, who was three persons ahead of him. She was carrying a long saber. She noticed Smoke's glances. She smiled and gave him a flying kiss.

 

 

Smoke's eyebrows furrowed as he was bewildered by what just happened. The Swordswoman stepped unto her square ring as Smoke's undercover name was called out.

 

 

"Examinee Ilad, please step into the ring."

 

 

This would be Smoke's first time that he would use his gladius sword. Its damage was only slightly higher than his green dual knives but its attack speed was much lower.

 

 

He readied his armored armadillo shield and gladius. As he looked on the face of the Guard Knight, he couldn't believe that it was the same one who stopped him at the entrance.

 

 

"Hahahaha! Well, well well, I knew the fates would not allow such a pathetic excuse of Swordsman like you to enter this city. You may have gotten around me with the help of Lord Macher, but now its just you and me. I'll kick your sorry ass off this ring in under a minute."

 

 

"You know what? I was thinking exactly the same thing. Except I was thinking that I'd blow you away in under thirty seconds."

 

 

The Guard Knight was infuriated. The bell was rung and Smoke's entrance exam officially begun. He dashed towards the Guard Knight following the same movements he saw from the middle aged Swordsman earlier.

 

 

Letting out a smirk, the Guard Knight burrowed his feet into the ground and awaited Smoke's attack. Smoke was only inches away when the Guard Knight suddenly lost his footing.

 

 

Losing his balance, the Guard Knight was forced to raise his sword and shield up into the air giving Smoke a clear shot at his body. Smoke mimicked the slash of the 'Sword Smite' ability and managed to deal a critical hit at 2516 damage points.

 

 

The Guard Knight was then thrown off the ring as if the stage suddenly turned into a backward moving walkway. Smoke was declared the winner at an elapsed time of only 20 seconds. He stepped off the ring and went to where the Guard Knight had fallen.

 

 

"Oh, I guess I was wrong. It took less than thirty seconds after all."

 

 

"You cheater! What did you do? You didn't knock me off the stage with your sword! Judge?! Judge, I demand a review of the exam?! This Swordsman was cheating."

 

 

Two other Guard Knights swiftly came and took the defeated Guard Knight away. They apologized to Smoke for his unsportsmanlike conduct and assured him that he will be reprimanded by their commander.

 

 

Smoke looked at the main screen and saw the name Ilad added to the passers' list. He also saw that another name was added as well. It was the Swordswoman, Cudny.

 

 

A replay of her battle appeared. Cudny started out with a fast dash to the front and quickly took a side step to the left.

 

 

The Guard Knight responded well and slashed his glaive at the charging Swordswoman. She should have been knocked off the stage but instead of moving forward she took another step back.

 

 

With the Guard Knight's glaive missing its target. The blond Swordswoman ran towards him and used her ability 'Quadruple Lunge', the Guard Knight was pushed off the ring. Each attack inflicted around 2120 damage points.

 

 

Smoke was still staring at the screen and didn't notice that the Swordswoman on the screen was standing beside him.

 

 

"That was quite an interesting fight. How did you manage to push him back and only inflict 2516 damage points?"

 

 

Blastar also came nearer in order to hear their conversation. Smoke knew that they were fishing for his techniques, he was also confused on how to answer them. He only thought that they would ask about his critical hit.

 

 

"What do you mean, How? Of course, I used 'Sword Smite'. How else could have I done it?"

 

 

Blastar couldn't control himself and had to join in on their conversation.

 

 

"You're joking right? That wasn't 'Sword Smite', if it was you should have inflicted at least 4000 damage points, even with your puny gladius."

 

 

"I think that Guard Knight just had an unusually high defense. Well, if you'll all excuse me. I have somewhere else to be."

 

 

Quickly walking away from the them and heading outside the Knight academia but Smoke couldn't leave without hearing Blastar's last words.

 

 

"Ilad! We'll see what you really used when we fight in the district championships!"

 

 

 

 

Smoke followed the directions that Laernea and Gandiva gave him. After thirty minutes of walking. He was out of the second layer and in the farmlands of the first layer.

 

 

He wondered why they brought him there when there were many decent and affordable lodging places in the second layer of the city.

 

 

Laernea and Gandiva greeted him as they were waiting for him outside a farm. They asked him if he could follow them to the back, to meet the owner of the farm.

 

 

She was one of their benefactors when they were abandoned by their parents when they were still children. She also helped all eight of Smoke's private army when they came their to got the basic job of an Archer.

 

 

"Excuse me, Madam Dawny, we would like you to meet our leader, Smoke."