Ren followed the shouting toward the open practice yard beside the western gate. A loose crowd had formed around one of the dirt rings.
A Level 2 Swordsman stood inside wearing reinforced leather gloves and carrying a plain iron sword.
"Five copper if you beat me!" he called. "I just need one more sanctioned win!"
A player outside the ring frowned.
"So you want someone to lose to you."
"I tried that. The quest didn’t count it."
"Your friend threw the fight?"
"Very convincingly, I thought."
"Apparently not."
The Swordsman raised five copper between two fingers.
"Fight normally. You win, you get five. I win, my class quest finally moves."
Ren stopped at the edge of the ring.
"What happens if you lose?"
"I find another volunteer and become progressively poorer."
Ren considered his remaining six copper. Then the Swordsman’s iron sword. Then his harvesting knife.
The Swordsman followed his gaze.
"You fighting with that?"
"Do you have a spare sword for me?"
"No, but that’s a harvesting knife."
"Very observant. You should’ve picked Ranger."
Several people around the ring laughed.
The Swordsman pointed his blade at him.
"Five copper."
Ren stepped into the ring.
"Five copper."
A duel request appeared.
Sanctioned Spar Request
Opponent: Stonebird
Level: 2
Class: Swordsman
Victory Conditions:
Opponent reduced below 10% HP
Opponent surrenders
Death Penalty: Disabled
Wager: 5 Copper paid by challenger on defeat
Accept?
[YES]/[ NO]
Ren selected [YES].
A translucent barrier rose around the practice ring.
Stonebird adjusted his grip.
Ren drew the harvesting knife. The difference in equipment was embarrassing. The difference in reach was worse.
Stonebird looked at the knife again.
"You sure?"
"No."
The countdown appeared.
3
2
1
BEGIN
Vagrant — HP: 110/110
Stonebird — HP: 105/105
Stonebird moved first.
His body snapped forward much faster than Ren expected.
A skill notification flashed.
Lunge F
The sword crossed the distance in an instant.
Ren twisted.
Too late. The blade cut across his side.
-18 HP
Vagrant — HP: 92/110
Ren retreated.
Stonebird grinned.
"Class skill."
"So I’ve noticed."
Stonebird advanced again. Ren watched his feet this time. The forward burst was fast, but it was straight. Very straight.
Ren waited until Stonebird planted his lead foot. Then he tried to activate Burrow...
Nothing happened.
He had Keen Bite equipped. Ren stared at the ground for half a second. A slash across his left shoulder snapped him back.
-14 HP
Vagrant — HP: 78/110
The crowd laughed.
Ren backed away quickly.
That had been educational. Also stupid. He wasn’t getting a ten-second swap with Stonebird on him. Burrow was staying in the Vault until the duel ended.
Stonebird chased after him.
Ren changed his grip on the knife.
Fine.
Keen Bite it was.
The next Lunge came from farther away. Ren moved before Stonebird committed.
The sword passed his shoulder.
Ren stepped inside the longer weapon and slashed across the exposed inside of Stonebird’s elbow.
Keen Bite F activated.
-16 HP
Stonebird — HP: 89/105
Stonebird jerked his arm back.
His grin disappeared.
Ren followed.
Stonebird’s sword hilt slammed into his shoulder.
-8 HP
Vagrant — HP: 70/110
Ren groaned as he caught the sword arm with his left hand.
Stonebird pulled. Ren went with him. The movement brought them chest to chest. At that distance, the iron sword was almost useless.
The shorter harvesting knife was not.
Ren drove it into the gap beneath Stonebird’s raised arm.
Keen Bite F activated.
-18 HP
Stonebird — HP: 71/105
Stonebird shoved him away.
"Okay. That’s not a normal knife skill."
"It isn’t a knife skill."
"That’s worse."
Stonebird stopped rushing him. He kept Ren at the end of his sword’s reach and started using it properly.
Ren tried to step inside.
Stonebird pulled the blade back and cut across his forearm before he could close.
-16 HP
Vagrant — HP: 54/110
Ren backed off.
Stonebird followed, but did not use Lunge.
The next horizontal cut forced Ren toward the edge of the ring. Another came from the opposite side. He ducked under it and moved in.
Too early.
The return stroke clipped his shoulder.
-12 HP
Vagrant — HP: 42/110
But Ren was finally inside the sword’s reach. He drove the harvesting knife above Stonebird’s knee, just past the top of his boot.
Keen Bite F activated.
-17 HP
Stonebird — HP: 54/105
Stonebird stumbled back.
Ren followed before Stonebird could recover his sword.
Stonebird pivoted and swung back toward him.
Ren slipped inside the swing and cut across the exposed side of his ribs.
Keen Bite F activated.
-18 HP
Stonebird — HP: 36/105
Stonebird backed off, and Ren let him. Ren used the distance to check their health.
42/110.
36/105.
Much closer than he would have preferred.
Stonebird tightened his grip on the sword and Ren adjusted his hold on the knife.
The next clean hit probably decided the duel.
Stonebird planted his lead foot.
Ren recognized the movement now.
Lunge.
Ren watched his shoulders. The skill accelerated the attack. It did not hide the direction.
He stepped aside at the last moment. Stonebird’s sword cleaved the air an inch from his face. Ren instantly hooked one foot behind the Swordsman’s ankle and shoved him in the chest.
Stonebird hit the dirt.
Ren dropped with him and slashed across the exposed side of his neck.
Critical Hit
Keen Bite F activated.
-28 HP
Stonebird — HP: 8/105
Opponent HP below 10%.
Victory: Vagrant
The barrier disappeared.
Stonebird rolled onto his back.
"Five copper."
Ren held out a hand.
Stonebird stared at it.
"You could at least help me up first."
"That sounds like a separate service."
Stonebird slapped five copper into his palm.
Ren helped him up. Then the black window appeared.
Ren froze.
────────
[PLUNDER]
Victory condition satisfied.
Eligible player target detected.
Stonebird · Level 2 · Swordsman
Available ability candidates: 3
────────
Player. Not a monster. A player.
A smile started to spread across Ren’s face as he opened the first option.
Lunge — F
Type: Active Combat Skill
MP Cost: 4
Explode forward over a short distance with increased acceleration.
Distance and speed scale with Agility.
Weapon attacks performed during Lunge gain additional force based on Strength.
The second option appeared.
Guard — F
Type: Active Combat Skill
MP Cost: 3
Brace your equipped weapon against an incoming attack.
Reduces physical impact when the guard is correctly positioned.
Effect scales with Strength and Vitality.
Then the third.
Sword Familiarity — F
Type: Combat Passive
Improves basic handling and control of sword-type weapons.
Effect improves through continued sword use.
Ren stared at the options.
Three skills. All from a Swordsman. The same kind of class package Pantheon had refused to give him.
He selected Lunge.
Plunder selected: Lunge F
Plunder successful.
Lunge F acquired.
Plunder Skill Slots: 1/1
Lunge F stored in Vault.
Another notification followed.
Target Effect: Sundered
Stonebird’s Lunge F has been temporarily disabled.
Duration: 24 in-game hours.
Ren’s smile faded.
Stonebird was staring at his own menu.
He tapped something. Then again.
"What the hell?"
A player beside the ring leaned closer.
"What?"
"My Lunge is greyed out."
"Cooldown?"
"No."
Stonebird tried again.
Nothing happened.
"Did the duel bug it?"
"How would I know?"
"Try reopening your Skills menu."
"I’ve reopened it three times."
The crowd immediately began offering increasingly confident advice.
"Unequip your sword."
"It’s a class skill."
"Then equip a different class."
"That’s not how classes work."
"Have you tried dying?"
Stonebird looked at him.
"No."
"Just troubleshooting."
Ren said nothing. His own window had already explained exactly what happened. Stonebird’s skill would return. More importantly, Plunder worked on players.
Ren opened his Vault again.
Lunge F was waiting for him.