“There was no issue with the weapon delivery, I am conducting an investigation. And my findings brought me here. Would I be able to look over your ledger? I want to make sure if the perpetrators came to your store six days ago.” She assumed that the kidnappers could have bought a large supply of weapons. But there could also be a possibility that they could have bought a few weapons. When she was given the ledger from the blacksmith, she started looking over the contents. Looking for any large purchases in the last six days.

There was also the possibility that the kidnappers didn’t visit the blacksmith, if that was the case then she would visit the general store and the inn after this. Flipping through the pages of anything that sticks out to her. The large knight was silently going through the ledger, speaking only a few moments later. "Is there a man called Birk living around here? What is he like?"

Everything didn't look very good for the Wigerjurgen crew. One of their heavies was killed and one was dying in such a short period of time. Chonan intended to finish the wobbling butcher-knight by lunging forward, delivering a mighty thrust on the burly man's bare chest. And there was no resistance when he shove his blade into the man's left chest.

Except for the ribcage and hardened muscle. Chonan soon found that his blade was stuck in his victim's abdomen. And being this close, he can feel the giant heart beating and the breathing movement. Looking up again, the butcher-knights holds his sword with his injured hand, and his grin could only mean one thing.



Over the years, they only taught one thing. To fight, not to think. To fight, not to talk. And lastly, to fight, not to care. Work with the little men and fight bravely, and so they will triumph.

That was the only mantra the Slavemaster Ugad expected his gladiator to follow to their death. But the fat master overlooked one thing, many years together in peril would form camaraderie, and so when the last butcher-knight rushed to aid his dying brother, he could only watch in awe.

The little nobleman redied her flanged mace, in position to give a nasty counterattack against the rushing knight, but she only went as far as that Standing in the way, expecting the knight to go all out with her, but the giant human was not interested.
He rushed passed that noblewoman as if she was just a thorny twig. The noblewoman welcomed and attacked him in return. It was a heavy one, landed square, and could possibly rip his abdominal wall. But the woman was strong so did her opponent and the size advantage was apparent. It didn't matter, he reached his brother in time and swung his halberd down with all of his might. And like a damned monkey that puny swordsman leaped away, leaving his sword embedded in his comrade's chest. The butcher-knight's eyes were set on Chounan and sought to attack him at every opportunity.

What the- bastard just ignored her. The sheer fucking audacity in that. And even worse, that's exactly the right thing to do. Yvonne's not very much blessed in the vertical department, and consequently she had very limited mobility.

Clicking her tongue as her inner strength bled out unused, the mercenary pivot and pursued the slave-knight. Thankfully they're not too far away. In small scale like this, getting flanked was very dangerous and she'd be a fool not to take the chance.

A small prime and a sideway strike on the knee of the big bastard. Let's see how he like that.

[GM Post]

The blacksmith complied, turning over the ledger though without any other record or prior knowledge to compare with it's nearly impossible to tell if it's accurate. Still, better than nothing. The last shipment was sent three days ago, a veritable wagonload of speartips and basic armor requisitioned by the army. The transaction before that was a number of farm equipment shipped to various villages in the area, two entire months of gap between the two records.

"Birk? There's the hunter that goes by that, live on the outskirt with some other hunters. A bit reclusive, but it's quite a walk from his place to the village. I think he's fancying old Gerhard's daughter? But then again so are half the young men in this village." The blacksmith side-eyed the apprentices, who somehow suddenly found extra vigor to throw at their tasks. "If he haven't moved away he should be living at east side. There's another Birk before, but old fella passed away around... eight years ago? That one's buried in the village's grave."

"And the tale keeps twisting! They are both spent! Who would have thought we had a very unusual creature in our little squabbles and game of blood? Did you see what I see? ladies and gents? Did you all—!? Barely minute and two Wigerjurgen fighters are flattened! And I am afraid soon we will see the other one!"

Yvonne barely finished with her power strikes. With the giant human still on his warpath to get Chounan, she had all the chances in the world to inflict any debilitating attack she wished. And she did, the mace swung with great force against the side of the butcher knight's knee, dislocating it and causing the burly attacker to lose his balance. As his broad body toppled and landed adrift on the gravel, his mighty weapon hurled as the last resort, hitting Chonan in the process, but luckily he was struck by the hilt.

The Butcher-Knight! He! Gives! No! Quarter! A relentless rush! Not letting the sneaky guy catch his breath! But now, look at the black-haired lady! She taunts! She taunts, over and over! A look of disdain and victory in one, aimed square at his opponent! So Graceful, so Deadly it makes your blood run cold! Terrific! Marvelous! This gives a new meaning to the proverb small chilies are the spiciest!

Three down, five left. The midgets dropped their last net in horror when one of their brethren suddenly jostled by an impaling arrow, then the one beside him met the same fate. Three left. Two took refuge behind the pillar while the unfortunate one got an arrow on his head when trying to reach for the dropped net.

They thought they were safe there, and their plan was to wait. Daggers in hand, obviously outmatched by those heavy weapons, but theirs were coated with poison, so potent it could kill the knight-butcher in one sneak attack and grueling hours after. And that was how they maintained their mutual respect over the years. The butcher was big but they were numerous, and not afraid to die if it meant bringing a single enemy down with them.

An arrow landed at the wall behind him, lodging itself in a small gap between the trap doors. The violet luster on its head was the last thing those goblin-humans saw before a fiery explosion claimed them.

Downed the bastard, and he decided to throw his weapon in a last ditch effort to take down one of them. Yvonne winced at how it impacted the foreign warrior, thankfully not the bladed part. It's so gonna bruise. But anyway, the big guy ain't looking so hot now. It was surprising that he shrugged off the empowered mace blow earlier, but now that he's downed the bruise was very much visible. Well, time to put him out of his misery.

Swapping back to her sword, Yvonne stepped on the giant's back to keep him downed as she half knelt to reach the neck. Then, in a single motion, she ran the blade through and ripped it outward to completely open the throat. A quick death was all the mercy she would spare.

Tch, that commentator really irked her for some reason. Was there any way to reach the upper level? She'll make sure he had the worst death.

Chounan quickly reacted thanks to Ki, he off with his wakizashi for a while and able to blocked his full shoulder guard to received minimal blunt damage and to prevent him getting of balance. He sensed danger again as the dying Knight-butcher who attacked the party, commenced an attack towards him for the last time. He evaded the several reckless and weaken swung and performed a side ways kicked onto the side of the handle to create a cutting force. Once it loosen from getting stucked, he grabbed the katana with all might and release strong pressure of blood of the Big man as he pulled off his katana with his two hand.

Retrieving his scabbards to sheathed two blades, finally picked up his bow again and start shooting the rest of the midgets. He deactivated his Ki since the target enemies are from the other side of the arena. He crouched and elevated his bow, releasing arrows upward. Dropping arrows from above made those midgets unable to react as the velocity went faster with the bigger mass of Ya, descending onto the target foes one by one and inflicting a heavy piercing damage.

With a couple of arrows and a mighty kick from Chounan the spectacle came to a close. It still surprised the fox how much punishment these butcher-knights endured. With his achilles tendons cut he was still standing, with his wrists cut and a sword through his chest the guy was still attacking. It was as if they did not feel any pain at all.

With the fight over Kaito swept the blood off his blade and put it back into its sheet with one swift and graceful motion. This combat was a rather sad and disheartening affair. They where forced to kill people who had been sold into slavery from a young age only to be twisted and abused till the point that they had become mindless fighters for the perverse entertainment of a group of wealthy degenerates.

With most danger gone for now the kitsune switched his attention towards Jazdia. She was their leader and the one that got slammed into a stone pillar with considerable force. ”I know you’re one hell of a tough girl so I am totally not checking up on you to see if you’re ok.” Spoke Kaito joyously as he was doing exactly the opposite thing of what he was saying.

”Do you know who that guy over there is?” Asked the fox as he pointed over his shoulder to the man near the entrance who looked rather banged up. ”He just came out of nowhere as if he was tracking us.”

The explosion left a very noticeable crater on the surface, revealing a tiny bit of metal that seemed to be the hinge of the door. Like any of her trademark crystal arrows, the explosion should have been loud and flashy, but it all drowned in a deluge of clamor and bombastic commentary as the final butcher-knight met its final fate.

"We've just had—the shortest duel of this entire season—! And the one who fell was none other than Wigerjurgen Crews! Completely unreal! Who could've seen this coming—! I ask you! Who could've seen this coming?!"

Certainly not that short slavemaster. He stomped his feet and pushed one of his girls, angrily making his way toward the sitting guild master. A few henchmen stopped him, but Ulgad's followers were equally numerous. "You cheating, insufferable lout, a stinking snake is what you are! This is staged! You killed my crew!"

Whatever the man Gerrald said was unintelligible, but the stubby slavemaster backed down when one of the guild master's henchmen came in between with a sword drawn.

"That won't do! Master Ulgad! Nobody is cheating our arena!~ (Hey! This stage's for commentators! Get off!)"

"Silence you clown!" Ulgad was as angry and red as a roasted pig, he stormed toward the elevated podium and pushed the announcer aside. "I paid Gerrald a hefty sum of money, but if you lots want to see him send his best you must pay!"

There was a loud booings, and the announcer persuaded the angry slavemaster to step aside. He was a lean and physically unimpressive man, and his style was ridiculously flamboyant; Mohawk red hair, baggy pants, and a shirt with excessive accessories. A clown was an understatement, but this clown this time came with armed henchmen and carrying Gerrald's will.

"With all due respect sir, but you are a lousy talker. Let me handle this!" "Ahem! We had a little interlude just now, but both sides have regained their composure! Master Ulgad had some words with management and we're back on track—Hang on!"

The announcer cleared his throat. "Interesting match we've got in this early morning, but you want more?! of course you are! If you don't have your own fighter (like Master Ulgad) to put your money on yet, then let me introduce to you once again— The Savage Crusher of the Black Serpent! Ladies and Gents! Gives applause to the Black Roarer! Grond the Mutilator!!!"

The trap door opened with a shriek. Inside that tunnel, behind another portcullis gate, stood a very large wolf. His rear leg was thin but muscular, and the rear ones, not much different from the former, were two efficient slashing weapons in a form of elongated arms with razor-sharp claws. Eagerly he peered from the gate. Presenting this nasty muzzle with a grin.

"Now the interesting part. Of course, we are not sending our first ranker to be ganged up by those newbies! Yea! Yea! They are newbies so what? Gotta give em proper respect by arranging a proper match. Ladies and Gents! The offer is still open! Your champion with our best champion! The winner takes all! You know the rules!"

There were myriads of voices responding to that offer, but the announcer only noticed one requested by a classy middle-aged woman at the other side of the arena. Like any noble, she was sitting on her own throne. And judging from the number of men voicing her request, she seemed to have her own faction in this guild. It was a very surreal display considering the hag was so ugly she tried to mask her face with heavy makeup, but it only made her appearance becoming more disfigured. She pointed at Kaito, and if one could look closer, it looked like she was drooling.

A well-dressed man, her personal butler stepped forward from his lady's side. "The lady wishes to appoint her champion for fifty thousand gold coins. Kill all. But leave the... ahem 'fluffy and manly fox boy alive'."

Whatever it was, her involvement had brought liveliness back to the crowd. People began crying a name in unison. Grond! Grond! Grond! countered by the other audiences who sponsored another name Ted! Ted! Ted! You all will be dead"

As if projecting the same expression of his boss, the announcer smiled. Seemed delighted with the prospect. He then peered at the arena before addressing the audience.

"Well well! If it's not lady Stritzel herself. Everyone! Please calm down! I know how excited you all are right now, but please calm down a little! Try to give the newbies a little space, ya!? If they get stage fright and call it quits, the Guild won't be issuing any refunds. Hahahaha! --That's right! Support your champion with the cash in your wallets, not your voices! There's nothing more exciting than seeing your favorite fighter reign victorious with gibs and entrails on their neck, thanks to your support, especially the monetary kind! Yes, I can hear you complaining! I've got to get a word in for our sponsors. That's no less important than the events themselves! And so— Now hold your horses, we're getting there. Our newbies will soon be facing the judgment of the fiercest storm of their lives! give Applause to our second ranker! The Furred Manace from meche! The champion of Stritzel clan! No further introduction! Ted The Executor!!!"

Joining with the wolf was a bear, and like him, he was standing in two. The portcullis gate raised, and the two beasts sprang to the open with the werebear taking point. Unlike his agile brethren, he wears iron chest armor, leather shin guards, and knee protectors. A kite shield was strapped on his right shoulder, overreaching some part of his back.

Jazdia nocked an arrow on her bow, and engulf it with magic that instructs heat and solidification. The shot fired and hit werebear's plated chest, soldering through but it did not make him flinch. Now charging in all four, he speeded up for Kaito to fulfill his master's wish, but the next arrow, the explosive one landed on his shoulder, shattering the shield and throwing him off track.

"Behold! Ted's starting his hunt-- wait. The elf lady is shooting at him and it hits! Hold your breath, dear audiences, and don't blink! Here comes another arrow. But Ted was not slowing! Is he going to take that hit straight on like last time?! A flash! The arena is suddenly filled with a blinding light—Let's take this opportunity to look at what happened!!!"

While the Bear took a straight beeline, the wolf opted for the left route and rushed straight to the recovering Henri. Maybe he should brace for another impact...

The next wave arrived already. Yvonne glared with narrowed eyes at the opposite portcullis, if they could communicate so quickly there's gotta be some path to the stage from beyond. The only issue was actually getting there after dealing with these latest wave of monstrosities. Where did they found these things?

Standard mace ain't gonna cut it, no. Polearm would be best, and incidentally there's one on the ground nearby, dropped by the butcher taken down by Foxxie and Edgy. The thing was scaled well to the original wielder's height and was heavier than standard issue, that's perfect to deal with a rampaging behemoth like the rapidly approaching werebear.

"Stay behind me, Foxxie. Not too close."

Deep breath. Long, open stance, slightly bent knee, all the weight on the front. On top of it, Yvonne charged her inner strength to near-maximum as she fully commit to the incoming clash. Her muscles burned, pushed far beyond its natural limit, but for a very short period the mercenary likely have eclipsed even the werebear in raw strength.

As her foe arrived, Yvonne greeted him with a violent blur of steel.

Henri had slowly been moving toward the tattered remains of the ruined net that had been dropped on him, and the steel helm and pauldrons his assailant had been wearing, after stuffing his dislodged eye into his mouth for safe keeping. With only one arm, and barely functioning legs, movement toward the much needed raw materials had been tedious, slow, and beyond enraging.

If he somehow remained "alive" after this, he would have the singularly most corrosive discourse with that elf woman she had ever had, he guaranteed it.

He had just closed in on the head of the fallen lout, when the gates opened, the announcers barked even more bullshit, then released yet more attackers into the ring.

Would they have to exhaust the entire gladiatorial compliment to get out of this? No-- An acidic discussion would not be sufficient. He would send her the repair bills too. The costs to restore his shell to proper function after this much abuse, just for the raw materials alone, would not be cheap. "Wreckless endangerment of a royal courtier" seemed a suitable charge to make the demand hold bite.

He did not have long to consider just how exactly, he would get the elf woman to pay for the damages her mad scheming had caused him before a large hairy oaf with shaggy fur came barreling toward him.

Working with a little more expediency, he melted the steel off the corpse of the fallen freak of nature, burning the face to an unrecognizable charred husk in the process as the steel turned white-orange and liquid, then swirled up into his broken shell, taking new shape as more make-shift replacements for the shattered ceramic of his face, shoulder and arm. His torso was still damaged, so he fused the shield on his back to himself for added reinforcement, before the remaining bits of his clothes burst into flames.

He could not really fight in this condition, but he could make it very unpleasant for this fool to try and grapple him at least-- He heated his body up to a searing high temperature, but not enough to soften his structures. With any luck, it would buy him time while he continued his crawl toward more raw materials.

Kaito had barely asked his questions to the elf or the announcer started to speak again. Looking up, the fox noticed a most hideous creature sitting on one of the thrones. The tick layers of paint could not hide the ugliness of this hag, her drooling face promised little good. It somehow made him feel that what would happen next would have something to do with the perverse fantasies of the hideous hag on her throne.

What came from the trap door on the other side terrified the kitsune to his core. It was a huge canine creature, standing on his hind legs with razor sharp claws and a grim grin on his nasty muzzle full of sharp teeth. Kaito had never felt comfortable around dogs but this werewolf was on an entirely different level. It made all the hairs on his tail stand up in sheer terror.

However the werewolf was not the champion of hideous hag Stritzel. Another werecreature entered the arena and set his sights on the fox. The hag’s champion was a freaking werebear clad in armor. Instinctively Kaito set a few steps backwards while looking over his shoulder to the gate where they came from. Every hair on his body told him to run but there was nowhere to go. The gate was closed. The only option was to stand and fight so he drew his sword.

For a moment Kaito looked at Jazdia, they should strategize about how to deal with this new threat. However before he could say anything, the creatures made their move. The bear dashed forward with his eyes fixated on the fox and the elf started immediately to fire arrows at the creature. The first did not seem to have much impact but the second, explosive arrow rocked the werebear.

For a moment the Kitsune contemplated if he should attack the creature. But what good could he do with just a shortsword against such a large bear clad in armor. But before he could come to a conclusion Yvonne dashed forward with one of the fallen poleaxes while commanding Kaito to stay in the back. I.. I think I will Spoke the fox as he positioned himself behind his comrade.

---

Hdur, settled within the lowlands between a bog and a forest. The lands were fertile and easy for crop and livestock. It had access to plenty of resources through metal, wood, agriculture, and game. It was a shame that despite how prosperous it was, its location within the low lands made it easy for criminals to hide out and for some to take advantage of their position for exploitation. Hdur was like a coin with success on one surface, and nefarious notoriety on the other. A calm place, but not a private one.

Solomon dismounted the horse by the stables as they got into town. Anderson was left back at the royal forest, either to pack up or continue whatever their investigation, thought the likelihood of them finding anything else was dismal at best. At the center of the village, Matilda thought it best to split up. She walked down one way, leaving Cedar and Solomon alone. With a few glances, it was not hard to see that more than a few people were glancing back. The people were probably not prepared to see a dressed bear leaning on a staff today.

“Well then. I suppose we should try to find out what we can.” said Solomon paying no more mind to the spectators. Solomon turned to face Cedar. “We appear to be getting close to uncovering suspects. I have names and you, faces. Birk mentioned his colleagues lived on the eastern side of the village, close to Aldebert’s farm. Let us see if those of Birk match the descriptions the crows provided you. It is a deals walk’s away from the village. If I can recall, Aldebert raises livestock as well as standard crop, perhaps he can spare some of his stock for you, as well. I do not imagine us being on the move so often has been good on your appetite.”

The farther the from the village they walked, the more scarce the buildings became. The roads devolved form placed stones, to gravel to dirt and for large distances would be fields for cattle, or rows of grain and vegetables. Clusters of farm building would be seen in the distance. The road forked several times, the main path rarely being the one that was straight. At one such fork, the narrower path led to a two story farm building, with a barn, and a smaller unassuming building closer to the main road. Off in the distance were several other houses, all within a short walking distance of each other, at the horizon was the canopy of the forest. Those distant houses probably belonged to the hunters of the Hdur, where they had easy access to the forest and its inhabitants. Some of them were likely the ones Birk mentioned.

Solomon walked up towards the farm house. Near the barn was a wooden stall with a bar of hanging dried meat. Atop the table were a wooden boxes, some nailed shut, and one open half empty of produce. Just inside the barn was a man tossing a cup of salt from a barrel into a crate. Perhaps a farm hand or a relative of Aldebert, he seemed focus on his work. The man then unhooked the flesh of a butchered animal off another bar, placed it into the crate and started tossing it and rubbing in salt. When he was done he placed it into another barrel. He stopped what he was doing as Solomon and Cedar approached.

“Good morning, I was wondering if you would have any fresh meat or produce for sale to which my friend here can eat? I also ask if you know where I can find some of the hunters, whether they are in still in town. They would be Reinhold, Ingmar, and Bertolf. I have some business to discuss with them, and I would rather not have to go door to door to find them.” The way Birk spoke of them, these were the three Solomon suspected Birk worked with most out in the fields. Gerrard sounded like another farmer, however, by specifying his age, perhaps not one he speaks with often. At least if it was not for Hilda, probably another resident of his house, who caught Birk’s interest. She was either the man’s daughter or wife, but more likely the former. Given the potential they had as conspirators to the prince’s capture, it didn’t seem likely they were involved. However, they were not out of the question, yet. First these three, and hopefully the farmer here could help.

"Kaito-san, can you able to charm that bear? Probably it's one of our bear friend's relative... Also I must make haste, Sir Henri needs a help." Without Kaito reply Chounan started to dash. His movement speed is bit faster from Kaito's speed due to his stronger quads. Ki was activated and he will dodge the unexpected attack from the bear upon encounter. The sound of the approaching Shinobi semi-suppressed due to him being a light footed. He grabbed the nearby net and hurled with full body strength onto the scavenging Werewolf at Sir Henri's location. Countermeasure will trigger since Ki is on active. Upon catching the Werewolf with the net, he leaped away from safe distance and impaled the Werewolf by shooting with a Yumi straight it's Weak-spot.

[GM Post]

"Why, 'ello there! Never seen y'all round here before." The young man greeted back, patting his hands on his pants to clear out most of the salt. He was momentarily taken aback by Cedar's presence but did nothing beyond a few curious glances afterward. "Whoa, yer' a big fella ain'tcha? You've come at the right time friends! It's been a good year, got good harvest and fat cattles. Say, how much can ya eat big guy? We've got just 'bout everything for cheap."

The stench of blood was rather thick in the stall, where a rather sizeable pig had been recently butchered. It didn't looks like a one-man job, but the rest probably have left the compound to do other things once the heavywork was done. The smell wasn't exactly for everyone, even if the man looked used to it.

"Eh? Ya know our hunter friends!" He glanced a bit worryingly at Cedar again. "They didn't shot one of yer relatives or nothing like that, I hope? Dont think they've bagged a bear in recent times... 'nyway, just walk further down the dirt trail. Their huts are visible from here already, that's all them places. Ain't no one else would live near the tanning stench."

A bit ironic coming from someone working at the farm that raised pigs, but there didn't seems to be any malice in the man. He looked earnest for business, in fact.

Cedar's stomach rumbled furiously at him. He actually felt rather drained, from not eating much of anything over the past week. In all honesty, the smell of blood and intrails was actually welcome, in terms of appetite-- not so much in terms of the instinctual impulses it was causing to throb in the back of his head. He was finding it very difficult to avoid just straight up stealing one of the bins the man had there, and running off with it.

"heh--- Ya could says I is--" he mused, trying to diffuse his internal tensions with light humor. "--Big AN' Hungry. Long walk from Rascade ya know. --Whatcha got for sale tuday?"

His stomach made a loud gurgle, and he was glad to be leaning on his walking stick.

"Dun suppose ya gots an 'all yer can eats' special tuday does ya?"

@A5G
As her foe arrived, Yvonne greeted him with a violent blur of steel.

But to her annoyance, the opponent did not storm at her as planned. This time because Jazdia's explosive arrow scored a hit on the Werebear's right side. The beast stopped on his track, grunting in pain as it returned to his bipedal stance, clutching his lower jaw before revealing the burned furs and charred skin beneath. While the beast was busy feeling his wound, Yvonne performed a series of jabs and slashes against the standing bear. One attack grazed his chest armor, one struck him right on the forearm, and the third attack never managed to deal any meaningful damage as the werebear parried it aside and angrily bring his whole body down to maul the nobleman.

@wierdw@Remuri
With no hesitation, the werewolf snatched Henri's mangled leg and was ready to lift-and-claw him to shreds. But his bravado was rewarded with piercing burns as the golem rapidly heated himself. The werewolf roared, almost humanely so. The pain brought back a flash of ugly memories. How he was branded with red irons by those humans, humiliated, and stripped of his pride. He clutched the heavy man's limb tighter, embracing the pain, and with all of his might, slammed him to the stone pillar nearby.

He howled. A curse to the humans who laughed at his misfortune, to those who were entertained by his plight, and to whoever stood in his way. A net suddenly entrapped him, and it brought back the day when those humans captured him as a cub. His eyes glared at the short human male with sheer malice. Not wasting a growl, he was so angry that all in his mind was to get there and exact vengeance.

No armor ever survived his razor-sharp claws, but the Wigerjurgen's net was unusually tough, even after years of competing with them, he knew escaping it couldn't be done easily.

That one shortie started to aim his bow at him. Seeing no quick way out, Grond rolled his body forward, ensnared be damned, and felt the arrow stuck on his back. He saw that Gerald was looking down on him, and he remembered that advice of his, to temper his rage and think clearly. He hated him with passion even more than that obnoxious announcer, but the bastard had a point. Finally using his brain, Grond held the net at one point to keep it taut and then tear it in a single line. With his head unraveled first, then hand and torso, he broke free, and in no time chased the short bastard with a bow.

Oh wow, oh wowser! We've seen Grond the Champion toying with his prey many times, but today the roles are reversed! We've got a circus show going on here! Clever move from our newbie! But oh watch it! He better think as quickly as his legs!



Where was Jazdia amidst the chaos? After hurting the Bear, the elf relocated to the left and realign herself with the gaps she aimed before. The result of the previous explosion was unsatisfactory. The wall was the real deal.

Seeing that there was no way she could help her allies by shooting her most devastating attack while they wrestled with the enemy, the elf opted for the more pragmatic approach and enchanted her arrows. The environment was against her, so she imbued the delayed command with a prolonged time to trigger and shot two of her arrows at the same gap, two meters higher than the first.

Aw, fuck. The momentary stagger messed with Yvonne's timing and her strength sapped away by the time the werebear closed in. The sore hadn't set it yet, but the moment she stopped moving it'll all come at once. Bugger, but that's for future her to worry about. Now she had an angry armored bear trying to eat her face and she's running out of options.

So, let's go back to the old adage - when in doubt, go for the nuts.

Utilizing the momentum, the parried poleaxe was spun before sent thrusting into the unarmored crotch. Not like the dangly bits was visible, but it should be there still. Yvonne wasn't actually sure if the bear was male, but fun fact: low blows like this wasn't actually gender-specific.

If this fails, well, she's likely screwed six ways from Sunday. But that's for future Yvonne to worry about.

Henri grimaced from the impact. It wasn't like he felt pain-- More, his jaw was jammed into the top of his head from the impact, causing him to make a face that resembled a grimace, before he fell to the ground with a thud.

Thankfully that overdressed fool of a samurai was taking the heat off him. He'd be thankful, if he felt it would do any good.

Instead, he started crawling as fast as he could toward the next bit of armor he could absorb, while repairing himself as best he could. The short noble woman was busy playing tag with an enormous bear-man that could well have been cedar's angrier, (and probably stupider, despite initial appearances of the young bear he had met the day before) and more physical older brother. The shimmer of a lovely steel breastplate caught his eye, and he decided he wanted it.

Yvonne switched her tactic into a full on crotch-assault-- a thing that he was glad he was no longer vulnerable to in any capacity, given the intensity with which the woman went for it-- while he closed in on the dead giant, and his extremely useful steel helmet and pauldron...

@A5G
The attack deflected with a twang, for normal humans that recoil alone would have shattered the bone, but the noblewoman, either she was above normal or just due to sheer of ingenuity used the push to feed her own momentum and swing the poleaxe back to the bear's unarmored crotch.

Nasty burns he had there! Holly shit! —Hold on! Something's happening here! The small lady is at it again! The two of them are at a standoff, but she is using the weapon thrice longer than her size! What is happening here?! Is she hoping to take on Ted's gigantic bulk with that?! Unbelievable if you see how enormous the difference in both size and power!
I can't emphasize this enough—! The balls! Right onto the balls! We have witnessed many nuts busted in this sorry arena but the bear's nut! Holly hell! What an ugly sight! But we all must bear it together!"

It was Stritzel turn to rush from her throne. Despite her butler attentively ushering her, the old hag outpaced him. As she arrived at the edge, she watched in horror as the small lady from the newbie team castrated her occasional nightly comfort with a nasty-looking halberd. "NOOOOO!!! MY TEDDY BEAR NOO!!" angry and sad, she turned to Gerrald! "Forfeit this match, now! Gerrald! Don't you see these newbies are not ordinary people?!



The bear did not howl, did not growl, nothing. The pain was so immense he was not even registering his master's cry. But when he did, he had already made his stance, and when fully woke up, he held the polearm with his injured arm and let his body fall, giving the little lady tough choices; either abandon her weapon or get mauled.

The noblewoman failed to make her call in time and the bear's paw swatted her aside. Sending Yvonne flying and tumbling across the arena. It was due to pure sheer luck that she didn't move from her original position and get the paw instead. Had she tried to dodge backward, she would have faced the full wrath of the bear's claw, and the result would have been much more grisly.

Still, she took the full brunt. Some broken ribs and dislocations were in order.