184 The Challenger.

Arad looked at Nina, “Are you sure? I can understand Abel. But not Merida.” He shook his head.

“I doubt you find anyone better than her. Except for the old ones like Alcott, he isn’t here. Look at the guild, does anyone look better than her?” Nina smiled.

Arad looked back, and then back at Nina. “Someone who looks better is standing in front of me.”

Nina giggled, “Me?”

Thud! Abel grabbed Arad’s shoulder, “Hoi? Do you want her on the team? You would have to beat her for that.”

“Abel is right. As a barbarian, I fight at my best when I don’t need to think. And I hate thinking when fighting, I only smash things with my axe.” Nina walked from behind the counter. “You don’t have what it takes to lead me. Even Alcott can’t.”

CRACK! As stood, the ground beneath her feet cracked and all the adventurers shivered. They could feel her gaze change, that woman wasn’t the happy Nina. It wasn’t the angry one as well.

Nina stood with her arms slightly parted. Arad could see the veins bulge on her arms as he heard her spine crack. She seemed to get a bit taller, just a fingernail worth as her eyes emitted a faint golden glow.

“You aren’t strong enough to fight with me. And end up dead like most people.” She looked a bit sad.

Abel noticed Arad about to speak so he closed his mouth. “Come with me. We need to discuss our future plans.” He tried to move him away, but Arad was like a mountain, erect in place.

“Who’s dead?” Arad asked and everyone in the guild backed off. “She’s about to snap.”

Nina sighed. “I did go to parties before. But most of them died as they jumped in trying to help me in a fight. ” She scratched her, “Like, don’t jump in when I’m raging. I will only see you as an extra target.”

“So you lose control when raging.”

“Yeah. Nina turned around. It’s always one of two. They either jump to help and I end up killing them with the enemy. Or they stay back watching as I do all the job. In the second case, there is no need for me to go to a party.” She walked back to her desk.

“Fine. You will join my party if I beat you while you’re raging?” Arad stared at her.

Nina looked at him and started talking.

“No one invades this kingdom from this direction, even though it doesn’t have that large of a military, or a fort.” She smiled. “The thing they fear is me. Even if they amassed enough might to take me down. The damage I will deal to their army is enough to cripple their whole invasion.”

Arad looked at her with a smile. “So, if we went with sheer strength. You own the place?”

Nina blinked. “I’m surprised to hear that from a non-barbarian. Is it your red bloodlines boiling?” She tilted her head. “You’re right, if we went the rules of the wild. I’m the strongest monster around.”

Arad scratched his head, looking confused and tilting his head. “Strange. The last time I asked the ground, it said I own the place.”

~Yes this is my back, and I’m saying it’s your territory~ Loci spoke in his head.

~But she’s far stronger than you. Let her be~

Arad, drop it. I have a feeling she could tell you aren’t human if you two fought now.

Nina looked at Arad. “Strangely enough. I don’t sense boasting in your voice.” She smiled, “Like I’m facing the arrogance of a ruling monster in the forest. A true red bloodline.” She pointed back at Abel and Merida.

“Reach S-rank, and I can consider fighting you once. You need to be at least that so you won’t die. Keep in mind that even Alcott doesn’t dare fight me.” She took a deep breath, relaxing her limbs.

Arad approached the counter. “I will keep that in mind.”

Arad, she can’t bear eggs. That’s a waste of time and effort.

^But she’s strong. I need someone like her around if I wanted to remain free and move around.^

I guess you’re right. I shouldn’t be comparing you directly to your mother. She is a woman and had to carry and birth the eggs. But you can get one woman pregnant and move to the second. So having someone strong to protect them when you out make sense.

“So, are we going to register a new party?” Arad looked at the papers.

Nina smiled like usual. “No, it’s a temporary party. Like the one Jack and Lydia formed when you were out.”𝚍ｎ𝚘ｖ𝚕.𝚝

Nina helped Arad get his party’s paper down, and then he walked out with two awkwardly trailing behind him. Some of the adventurers walked out as well.

CLACK! As soon as the guild’s door closed, the adventurers outside looked at Arad.

“HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” They shouted, cheering and rushing at him. “We never saw someone talk to Nina like that and live! Even Alcott curls into a ball and barely speaks.”

“Look at me! I’m shaking in your stead!” One adventurer showed Arad his sweaty shaking arms like that of an old man.

One woman mage approached Arad. “Let me tell you something. I’m sure she liked you, otherwise, you would be dead.”

“I was waiting for her to punch you in the face. Or for you to make a move.” Another came panting.

“How could you even speak? Just seeing her stand there with all that aura and might have made us back off. And you just questioned if she was the strongest?” Another one came smiling.

“You came out of nowhere. You made Amber question her skills. Brawled with werewolves. Faced Alcott in a spar. Killed a dragon, and now challenged Nina? What next?” Another one laughing.

“Tell you what?” A bard hit the string on his lyre. DRING! He started singing.

“There was once a dragon mage named Arad.”

“He beat the wolves, challenged the slayer and what he slay.”

“After a while, he became the lord and everyone said hooray.”

“Except Abel, ’cause his sister is the one marrying Arad.” **ACK! Abel smacked the bard on the face, sending him rolling on the ground. “I hear another word.”

“Calm down.” Arad patted Abel’s shoulder. “He’s joking,”

CRACK! Abel glared at Arad, “You’re the last one I want to hear that from.”

Merida remained silent at the edge, unable to speak up each time she saw Arad. She can’t look at him straight in the face after what she did last time.