n

n

n

"Their top mistake was to take a part in those illegal gambles about the end result of the apocalypses in the first place,

" she added, adding more light to things I didn't know before about the angels.

n

"Speaking when you are one of the organisations running down such illegal gambles,

" the dragon race snorted, and I had to admit he had a point here.

n

"We are running legal ones, but we don't control the people taking part in this thing,

" yet the answer came swiftly, and without any signs of shaking in her voice,

"it is not our fault that some dirty people are misusing the rules, manipulating things and doing this illegal gambling.

"

n

"Your race didn't get over the bitter loss you suffered in that apocalypse,

" another soft, yet filled with immense sinister and evil intentions, came from the front to respond over the one on the stage.

n

"Despite our differences,

" the one of the stage answered in almost a blink of an eye,

"that doesn't negate the bad dealings of you in every newbie apocalypse you control.

"

n

"Humph,

" the dragon race spoke again,

"that also doesn't negate the facts of the big gulf between our kids' strength and those weak humans. I bet that one is a human from the fierce backing you are showing just now.

"

nI didn't know how, but he guessed this right. I was a human who came here. But why is that race girl on the stage backing me up for being a human? Wait a minute… Were there humans in the vast universe aside from us?

n

"I bet he is so weak to even speak for himself right now,

" that dragon race showed how deep the arrogance ran inside the blood of dragons,

"I bet he isn't even better than our boys. The ones who came here were all ranked as bronze members, not a white grade nameless kid from such a nameless race!

"

nAt this point I couldn't hold back anymore! That damn bastard! Didn't he know I already killed a bunch of his so-called treasured and special kids? Didn't he know I turned them into my lackeys?

nDuring this debate, I came to a conclusion. The smoke covering the silhouettes here were in different colours, each representing the position of each one inside the impact.

nFor example my smoke was silver, indicating I was a silver grade member. But that dragon one was dark gold, meaning he was a dark gold member.

n

"I bet he is better than your so-called treasured kids!

" At this point, I couldn't hold myself anymore. I raised my voice, spoke up, and to my surprise my voice wasn't the same.

nIt came like the voice of a middle aged man, deep and resounding. Impressive! They even changed the voice so no one would recognise anyone here.

nI had to give a high five to those higher ups of the impact. Good arrangement folks, well done!

n

"I dare you to back these words up!

"

nI didn't understand his point. What did he want to do? Fight to death or what?

nBut the next message cleared everything for me.

nHe wants to place a bet over what you just said > Bringold help

nI didn't know why but when I got that message, I looked up to the stage, specifically over the pitch-blacked silhouette who spoke up for me before.

n

"I accept your challenge,

" if it was a bet, then no matter what or how it was done, it was my victory here.

n

"Let's do it,

" he said in a laugh before pointing at me with his arm covered in golden scales,

"see? A greenhorn coming from god knows where an underground pit wants to make a challenge against one of the mightiest archlords of the dragons, hahaha!

"

nI heard many laughs echoing alongside him. I didn't know what was funny in the first place, or what even an archlord of the dragons even meant!

nBut dude… You were digging your own grave with your own claws!

nAs you are the one to determine the subject of the bet, you are asked to start first > Bringold help

nRaise your voice and call for help. Then I'll discuss things with you > Bringold help

nWow! That lady is really caring for me!

n

"Bringold help!

" I did as she asked, and again I found myself vanishing from the place and appearing in a narrower hall.

nThe hall had few seats in there, walls lined with paintings describing a mighty battle between races I didn't know, and a big green emblem resembling the small statues in my inventory with broad golden words underneath it: The Bringold Impact.

n

"Welcome to the negotiation room,

" as I was busy looking around, the soft musical voice from before came from above.

nJust like an angel descending from heaven, she was nothing lesser than that! She didn't have a normal body like myself, and at this moment I realised I lost all the smoke covering up my body and face.

nShe was as tall as my Bulltors, naked upper half, while her lower half was in the form of a big fin!

nShe was a nymph! But not like any normal nymph one might have heard about! She had two pairs of semi-translucent and broad, butterfly-like, wings behind her back.

nA winged nymph! Yes, she was a winged nymph.

nHer eyes were pure green, giving me the impression that they were the most beautiful eyes in the world. Her fin was covered with faint rounded and soft looking pale green scales, shifting in each second forth and go, revealing two smooth skinned and perfectly aligned legs.

nFrom her fin at the torso, two thin lines of dark green fabric that looked like it was made from scales extended to cover up the front part of her boobs, extending for her neck before having a small knot behind.

n

"Sorry for the trouble,

" I couldn't help but say these apologetic words. Such a goddess was vouching for me and my human race, and in front of the mighty arrogant dragons and the dirty angels.

nI had to thank her for her trouble as well. But I didn't know why I started apologising first.

n

"It's nothing,

" she waved her hand before standing on the ground. Her fin vanished and only two perfect legs appeared, covered obliquely and partially by the same thin dark green fabric that stopped slightly over her knees.

n

"They deserve to be taught a lesson anyway,

" she said and she seemed to see through my intentions to ask,

"Shush, we can't discuss anything here outside the bet you two have. Or else you'll be kicked out from here and won't come here until the auction is finished.

"

n

"A… Alright,

" I had no other choice but to nod in agreement. I didn't know the rules, she did.

"What shall we do now?

"

n

"The bet here is simple,

" she sat over one of the seats, putting one leg over the other in a graceful and tempting way before adding,

"you have to give me something for the bet. I evaluate it then I'll ask for the same calibre and type of thing from him…

"

nShe paused for a brief moment before laughing in an honest way,

"What? Do you like what you see here?

" she pointed at her perfect curves and smooth skin, adding more temptation to her already fiery figure.

n

"I just feel something is missing here,

" as she dared to say this, I dared to add,

"a cigarette, slim and long cigarette in your lips would suit that burning hot lipstick you have.

"

n

"Hahaha, I always knew your race is funny, hahaha,

" for unknown reason, she seemed to enjoy my little flirt here.

nDamn! I suck at flirting with explosively beautiful and sexy girls like her!

nBut she just mentioned my race. I almost was about to ask her before I held my tongue at the last moment.

n

"So you want something precious from me for the bet?

" I asked and she nodded while giving me such a gaze that made me feel more uncomfortable.

n

"But I have to warn you,

" she stopped me from taking something from my inventory,

"that jerk back there is a tycoon! It would be a loss if you just took something common from your pockets.

"

n

"How come I know if something is worthy or not?

" I asked in pure puzzlement,

"I came from a newbie world as you know.

"

n

"Let me check it first and give you my opinion about it,

" she expressed her intention to help,

"but you have to pay one thousand souls from your pocket for me.

"

n

"One thousand souls…

" I frowned,

"why are you so interested in my soul anyway?

"

nThis was the second time the impact asked for my soul. At first I thought it was just an assessment procedure, but this explosive nymph here asked for it as well.

nAnd that smelled fishy.

n

"You have something special,

" she mysteriously said and I noticed a gleam in her eyes when she stated that,

"one day you'll know about it. Now, bring forth what you want to bet and let me check it. But only one item is allowed.

"

n

"Alright, I agree,

" I said before a message popped up instantly without any delay.

nOne thousand soul points are deducted for the account of lady green nymph

nWow! She was so impatient to take my souls away!!

n

"What about this?

" I took out my most precious item inside my inventory, my giant ballista. As I took it out, the ballista didn't expand to its huge size, but kept in the small iconic shape like it was inside my inventory.

nI was proud when I took it out, but when I saw the disappointed gaze on her face, I felt I overestimated this ballista or something.

n

"This one was sold here in the last newbie auction,

" she elaborated,

"taking it won't only expose your identity to everyone, but also won't get you anything better in return. You need to know despite it's a pale gold ranked item, this little toy here isn't worthy to be estimated for anything good at all. At most you'll get a useless thing graded between green and silver from him… Even silver graded good items won't be batted at all!

"

n

"Oh,

" I didn't know the value of an item wasn't only in its grade,

"so the value is determined by things other than the grading system?

"

n

"Of course,

" she firmly nodded, and added while wearing a serious business deal look on her face,

"rarity is most appreciated here. The rarer the item, the better. Hmm… Let me give you advice for free,

" she said before adding,

"Bring something related to your class. After all, amidst everything you have, your class is considered your best option here.

"

nMy class related items?! I paused for a long moment before I thought,

"Will this do?

"

n

"This…!!!

"

nYet unlike my lack of confidence, just from the reaction on her face I could tell it was really precious.

nWhat I took was a white grade bone. My inventory had many of such useless bones for me. What I planned to use was the golden grade bones, at least the silver graded ones.

nBut the moment I took it out, she instantly jolted standing while her eyes went perfectly circular out of shock.

n

"Will this work?

" I asked, and she extended her two arms, urging me to give this bone to her.

n

"Let me see it, I won't steal anything from you under the regulations of the impact.

"

nGirl! Just saying this in such a drooling face made me doubt your intentions here. But I gave it to her. It was a piece of useless white bone after all.

n

"Damn me! It's a strange relic but it's worth a ton of the wealth of that jerk, hahaha!

" she held her in her hand before she emitted a green smoke that covered my bone.

nWhat I took was a normal white graded bone that I took from the kracken kids before. It was considered lesser than the bones I took from the dragon kids, but it seemed to be worth a treasure.

n

"Can I get something good from him?

" I asked in expectation.

n