Beast Evolution Forge

Chapter 105 Tournament 1

"Who do you think is going to win this year's tournament? I bet Rana is going to win again, she has been undefeated for 3 years now."

"True, but you never know, so I will much the new competitors, maybe one will be worth it."

"Are you thinking of recruiting again? You know your guild is small, you tried before and no one joined, not to mention it has not grown since then either."

"Yeah...thanks for the vote of confidence. I won't give up though, I am sure someone with potential will join eventually."

"Sure man, sure. Anyways, I have to go, meeting with the boss."

"Cool, see you at the arena later." He watched as his friend disappeared into the crowed and sighed. "dammit, at this rate I will die before we even crack the top 30." He walked to his favorite bar, going in with a fake smile.

"Oh, Henry, you are early today." A cute beast girl said, offering him a cup of beer. He took it and sat down, looking around the bar.

"Full as always huh?" He took a sip, taking a look at the girl, 'I am not sure where she came from but ever since she arrived, this place has been booming. She is so pretty and charming that even big guild members visit this place. Just who is she?' They made eye contact and she smiled at him, making him blush.@@@@

"So uh, who will you be betting on?" He asked, trying to avoid eye contact.

She pondered, looking at him before smiling, "I think I will bet on the new guy, i believe his name is Vell."

'Vell? Isn't he the guy that lost every match last month? why is she betting on someone so weak? she will lose all her money.' He tried not to look judgemental, "uh, can I ask why?"

She gave him one last look and began walking away, "let's just call it instinct." The man was left with many questions, why does she seem so sure this Vell person would win when he lost all his matches, he just couldn't understand it.

"I guess I should keep an eye on him... hahh, how annoying." He continued drinking his beer while going over the list of all the players participating. 'There he is, Vell, nothing else is know about him, no background or anything, he just showed up out of nowhere. He uses a sword but seems to be an amateur. 15 fights... 15 loses. Yeah, this guy is a nobody, I am not wasting my time on this.'

The girl watched him from afar, seeing his expression, 'hmph, you are all in for a big surprise.'

A few hours later, people were already gathering in the arena and above, with a special view, where the players that stood at the peak of power sat. They can easily get anyone they have their eyes on, they can also ruin their lives just as easily.

This tournament is held in order for players to test their strength against each other, it also serves as a career opener. If your performance is high, you have a high chance of being recruited by a good guild.

The fight went on, and every time Vell moved, it looked like luck was on his side. He dodged attacks by "tripping" or leaning the wrong way, but somehow it always worked. His swings looked sloppy, but they hit just the right spots. Finally, he knocked Goruk's warhammer out of his hands and landed a blow that sent him to the ground.

The gong rang, and the announcer's voice echoed through the arena. "V-Vell the Swordsman wins! Against all odds, he's defeated Goruk the Crusher!"

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Vell gave an awkward bow and walked off, looking humble and nervous, like he couldn't believe he'd won.

Henry stared at the arena, frowning. 'That wasn't luck. That was skill. He's pretending to be weak. Hehehe, how interesting.' The air around him changed, as though he was itching to challenge him.

He glanced toward the low-tier section and saw the beast girl from the bar. She was watching him again, smiling like she knew a secret.

Henry smirked. "Looks like there's more to this guy than I thought," he said. 'I'm going to find out what he's hiding.'

As the crowd buzzed with the aftermath of Vell's unexpected victory, Henry couldn't shake the unease growing in his chest. His instincts screamed that something about him didn't add up, and his experience told him to trust that feeling.

He made his way down to the lower levels of the arena, weaving through the excited spectators. It didn't take long before he spotted Vell slipping out of the fighters' exit, his head low, avoiding attention. Henry followed at a distance, careful to remain unnoticed.

The rookie swordsman moved quickly through the winding alleys behind the arena, finally stopping near a quiet fountain. He leaned against the stone edge, exhaling heavily, as though releasing all the tension he'd been holding during the fight.

Henry observed from the shadows. 'He doesn't look like someone who just had a lucky break. He looks like someone who pulled off exactly what he planned.'

Just then, a figure emerged from the opposite side of the square. It was the beast girl from the bar. Her expression was calm, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. She approached Vell without hesitation.

"Well done," she said softly, her voice carrying just enough for Henry to hear. "You made it look convincing."

He flinched, looking up at her with wide eyes. "I-I don't know what you mean," he stammered, though his tone lacked conviction.

She chuckled and crouched down beside him, her tail swishing lazily. "Relax. No one else noticed, and Goruk was too angry to figure it out. But you should be careful—there are people who can see through your act."

Henry's hand tightened on his dagger hilt. 'So it was an act.'

"Yeah and about that," he vanished, appearing right behind Henry, placing a sword at his throat, "who might you be."

'Shit.'