While the Red Fangs were hunting for a lead to the terrorists who had attacked the Greendale Highschool students at the Bayena Plain, the fifth and final day of the Silver Fig Trade Convention drew closer until it arrived.
Similar to the fourth day, there was a gigantic crowd in attendance for the event today. Being the last day of the convention right before the auction, it was only natural that everyone in the industry would try as much as possible to be in attendance today.
"You guys heard about what happened yesterday?" Juán looked at his teammates as they arrived at the public square.
"You an the 'masterpiece killer'? Yeah. It's been awhile since the convention has been this eventful." Crimson Fang said with interest.
"The 'masterpiece killer'?" Nathan asked.
"Hmm. It's the title given to so new fellow representing a vestige-smith. Apparently, it's his first ti in the convention, but he's defeated sixteen other participants -six of whom were based in the mid tier region. One of them was at the eighteenth place from last year, Toman's Workshop. They had contended with the sa vestige, Aquilo's Sword, but lost the duel.
Fifteenth place from last year was also in attendance, but even after using their masterpiece, they similarly lost." Juán enthusiastically explained.
"That's impressive, but I don't see why he should be nicknad 'masterpiece killer'. The only notable opponents were one party that barely qualified for last year's auction and another that didn't even make the mark." Nathan dismissed. Although the record was astonishing, he felt that people were overreacting.
"If that was all, then yeah, you're right. However, it isn't." Juán mysteriously said.
Nathan raised an eyebrow, waiting for the latter to continue, but he didn't. After a bit of hesitation, curiosity got the best of him and Nathan asked,
"What else? Did he beat soone more impressive?"
Juán smiled seeing that he was hooked.
"It's not that. Rather, it's how he beat his opponents. The 'masterpiece killer' had challenged the six opponents from the mid tier region to a vestige duel using the sa grade vestiges. The win condition was for the challenged side to win just one test out of all seven, yet they all failed to do so. What's more, the 'masterpiece killer' won using a shield."
Nathan was imdiately stunned, halting at the spot. In fact, he wasn't the only one shocked by this as Lisa and Anna reacted the sa. It was clear that the duo similarly didn't know much about the 'masterpiece killer'.
"He won such a contest?" Anna dazedly questioned.
"That's exactly why he's making rounds and why we should go check him out today." said Juán.
"He's currently on a sixteen win streak and has been challenging from the lowest level up. Speculations suggest that he would still challenge more people today, maybe up to twenty. It's also believed he would soon aim for the top ten since his vestige us quite powerful." Leno, who was a fan of vestiges, replied.
"Well, I guess we can go check it out together then." Crimson Fang decided.
"However, if any of you have a different opinion, feel free to go with it."
The others didn't say anything contrary as they were actually all interested, including Nathan. A vestige capable of beating masterpieces at the sa grade without losing a single bout was definitely sothing rare, even if it ca from the hands of vestige-smiths of the top ten companies. Maybe only those old fellows in the Central Prefecture could do better.
It was common sense that a sword would be sharper than a shield, an axe stronger than a dagger and so on. However, this 'masterpiece killer' had defied such logic as the vestige fielded for the fuel was actually a shield. A shield that was sharper than a sword was sothing no one would have ever thought to be possible.
"So where should we go?"
"There's only one answer." Juán took it upon himself to answer the question.
"I heard that he was dissed a while ago by a certain vestige-smith in the mid tier region, ranked eleventh place. However, he hasn't challenged them yet. Let's go over there and wait."
"Alright then." The group agreed and made their way over.
The Autumn's Gate guild wasn't the only group making their way there as well. Many other freelancers and drama-lovers who had heard the news were also heading towards the building.
The silver haired vestige-smith who had insulated Lucas -calling him a frog in a well- had already caught onto the news. He couldn't believe that this frog was actually so deadly, but that didn't change the man's mind. At best, Lucas' store was okay and has corrected his earlier prejudice, but it didn't an that he was scared that he would lose.
"Unlike his opponents, we've appeared in the auction for seven years now. The Silver Fig Trade Convention auction only began ten years ago. I can confidently say that I'm not worried about anything. He might be worthy to gaze at our masterpiece, but if he thinks he would win, then he's being delusional."
When those words were spread around the convention, the guests and spectators were pumped. They could sense an intense rivalry brewing and many expected this vestige duel to be the highlight of the convention.
Eleventh place ranking might be out of the top ten, but it was the closest one could co towards it. At the sa ti, the silver haired vestige-smith had once made a vestige that appeared in the top ten rankings, about three years ago.
While his next two works failed to get the qualification, rumours had it that the man was confident of usurping the top ten rankings this year. The vestige duel against Seven Sparks Forge was said to be the first step towards this. Winning it would raise the prestige of his creation which could also influence the judgent of the secret appraisers sent by the organisers.
At the sa ti, this was seen as another difficult challenge for the Seven Sparks Forge stall.
Compared to previous opponents, the current target was soone who had previously made it to the top ten and confident to do so this year. Defeating the opponent in the sa style as the previous duels would imply that the brown shield vestige was very capable of getting a top ten spot; as for the top fifteen, many already believed that the brown shield was more than qualified for that.
Due to the stakes, many had begun to term this as the first battle for top ten. As for the current top ten, they held no opinion nor displayed any reaction to this. However, rumours had it that they were secretly spectating this duel. After all, the winner of this vestige duel would be their opponent for the ranking. This was especially so for the tenth, ninth and eighth places.
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