Shades of the New World

Chapter 144: Advertising

Evin was never the emotional type, and would always scoff at Arza's hot-headedness. Usually, he would hate this kind of prolonged fight the most. If Evin sparred, he would always have an objective in doing so, be it testing new spells or moves, or just for revisiting old techniques. 

But this spar, Evin did none of that. He purposefully slowed down his attacks and even went on to continue the spar for 30 minutes, so Arza could get a grasp on Evin's technique. It was almost like Evin was instructing Arza. 

'Perhaps this is his objective?' Arza wondered with some appreciation. 

But there was still another thing that bothered him: 

"Then why does he want me to struggle against him?" 

Since Evin decided to go serious, it meant that he was done with this weird form of training, at least for the time being. As long as he didn't forget something and wanted to retrain Arza, there was no reason for him to continue the fight. Unless of course, he had something else in mind. 

Arza didn't know what it was, but he didn't mind playing along. He exited the World of Thoughts and was met again with Evin's scornful glare.

'Dammit, he somehow knows when I enter the World of Thoughts' Arza thought guiltily. 

But the boy didn't linger on this thought for long and began to invigorate his body with Life energy once more. He slowly pulled himself up from the barrier and fell down to the ground with a grunt. Slowly, pink electricity began to spark around his body. Hopeful murmurs began to appear from the crowd.

"Not bad," Evin smirked. 

"Why not pummel me till I'm unconscious?" 

"I wanted to try out a few more spells. Who could guess that you would end up like that after a single serious attack from me?" Evin said casually.

His words caused the crowd to become silent and glare at him with vehemence. 

But although he didn't know why, Arza knew that Evin was acting at this point, so he didn't take these insults personally. On the contrary, Arza was genuinely worried about Evin's reputation, while the latter didn't seem to notice or care about the subject at all.

'I really envy that uncaring attitude of his,' Arza couldn't help but think.

"You know what? Since I know you're like a cockroach who will get up no matter how many times you fall, I'll just forfeit. It's not like we've bet anything, anyway," Evin shrugged.

The rest of the children started booing, and calling him a coward, but Evin's ears were impervious to such attacks. Arza also wanted to protest, but a look from Evin stopped him from doing so.

'Play along, idiot! I'll seriously kill you if you don't!' Evin's eyes seemed to say.

"Then, we'll meet again in the Battle for the Horn," Arza declared confidently. Evin seemed confused by the term, as he cocked his in puzzlement.

"What's that?"

"It's a tournament where the winner will get to pray to Selat directly and receive their Horn of Choice," Arza explained.

"Oh," Evin grinned maliciously.

'You already have two choices, and you want a third one?' Evin's mocking gaze seemed to ask.

"Whatever, it'll depend on other stuff, mostly my mood," Evin declared and prepared to leave. Just before he left, he glanced at a spot in the crowd and grinned, like his plan was accomplished.

Thirty minutes after the fight, Evin was hiding in the shadows of Arza's room, listening to Arza, Bardom, Koya and Rantz badmouthing him. 

"Just get out and talk to them, why do you have to stalk them like this?" Rith asked, sitting beside Evin in his shadow.

Enri and Runa were happily playing around with the other World Sprites nearby. 

"But I'm too lazy to explain and this is entertaining enough," Evin sat with a tired expression.

"But we've been sitting here for twenty minutes! Just go out there and explain. Then you can go back and sleep," Rith said. 

"Ugh, fine"

Koya was still checking on Arza's body to see whether there were any problems, despite Arza's insistence that it was okay.

At this point, Arza was so good at the World of Life, that he could reattach a cut off limb if he had enough time. 

"Is he always an asshole like that?" Rantz was asking with a cookie in her mouth.

"No, he was trying to do something, but I don't know what it was. It seemed to be a success, judging from how he acted in the end," Arza replied.

"He seems really meddlesome"

"That he is" Arza was saying, before he noticed a swirl in the shadows in one corner of the room. The others also noticed that something was amiss as well.

"Eek!" Rantz exclaimed and jumped behind Arza.

"It's just Evin," Arza comforted her.

"It's not nice to badmouth someone behind their backs," Evin uttered as his features became more apparent.

"Isn't it worse to eavesdrop when you're not invited?" Koya answered with a scoff.

"Okay, whatever," Evin was truly tired. 

He had just finished a grueling twenty day training program of him perfecting his set of gestures and right after he was finished, he had to play an act with the unknowing Arza. Not to mention the fact that Arza didn't know that he was in an act for the most part.

"So, what was that all about?" Arza asked.

"Oh, that I was hoping to get a bigshot to take notice of you, like how Nasst became my sponsor," Evin answered shortly.

"What?" 

"Did you notice Elder Deminte in the crowd while we were fighting?" Evin asked.

"What? No. Why would she even bother to come watch a fight between children?" Arza was doubtful.

"Well, she was there, concealed behind a layer of illusions. Maybe she was bored, or maybe that Ellar was someone close to her. In any case, she was sitting there, so I thought that maybe I could get her to notice you," Evin explained.

"And how would you fighting with me grasp her attention?" Arza asked doubtfully.

"Well, I had my ideas... But I'm too tired to bother explaining them to you. But at the end of the fight, I saw Deminte saying something to her attendant while looking at you, so I'm pretty sure you will be invited to her place very soon," Evin said.

Arza wanted to scoff, but he also held some hope in his heart. He knew exactly how much stronger Evin had become under the tutelage of Nasst. If he could have someone strong like that backing him, then his future would be bright.

"Anyway, when you're negotiating the terms, make sure you ask for a similar treatment to mine. Don't sell your life short," Evin reminded and then explained some parts of his contract with Nasst. 

"But in the end, it's your choice. If you want to dedicate your life in service to the old lady, I won't stop you," Evin reminded and continued: "Oh and also, seriously stop loitering in the World of Thoughts. I don't want to die under Aran's spell for not taking care of you properly" 

As he finished speaking, a knock came to the door. Evin instantly scurried into his shadows under Arza's bed.