Hex looked slack-jawed at the market plaza as soon as they entered the gate. Endless streams of people walked around the wide area. Hawkers and vendors shouted, promoting their wares. The noise made Hex’s ears buzz.
The first stands promoted grain, fruits, and vegetables. But as Hex followed Althea through the maze of stands, the products gradually increased in rarity and popularity. Hex saw shops selling Knight-grade armor, weapons, pills, and techniques.
The shops didn’t seem to bar anyone from entering or trading. It was open to all. As long as soone had the ans, they could acquire whatever they needed in these stalls. But Hex didn’t hear the shop assistants talk about coins. He heard the term Sterren more than anything else. Confused, he asked Althea.
"Sterren are higher denominations of coins. The current king believed that having a term specific to the kingdom would increase the bond between users and the nation. According to him the term coin is too general and doesn’t add value to the kingdom’s prestige.
One Ster is equivalent to a hundred coins. But being equivalent doesn’t an you will get the sa exchange rate. To promote the use of Sterren as currency, most places will charge more if you pay in coins. And so shops and rchants even refuse to accept coins as paynt."
Once again Hex realized how isolated Grindeston was from the rest of the world. The coins they were fighting for were not even accepted as currency in the kingdom they lived in.
’Was this the change Clannad was fighting for? Did he realize we were destined to be imprisoned in the north and wished to escape such a fate?’
Although he would never agree with the thods Conrad and Clannad employed, he did agree with their goal to change the treatnt Grindeston received from the kingdom.
’The first step to bringing change is to retain the title and land as the baron. A noble has more power to influence the court. Sadly, the baron never held interest in such things.’
Lost in thought, Hex didn’t realize they had exited the market district and reached the general district, housing the temples and the barracks. Only when he heard the commotion in front did he raise his head.
"What do you an they can’t enter?" Althea asked coldly. In front of her stood a few young n, clad in Northern Hawk’s clothes, sweating profusely being stared at by the beautiful girl who was known to be rciless when provoked.
"S-Sorry Ma’am. That...That is our order," one of the braver n stamred, standing his ground. Hex saw more and more mbers of the Hawks gathering around them in a semi-circle.
"Oh?" Althea sounded calm but her gaze turned even colder. "And who ordered such a thing?"
"I did!"
A muscular man, probably in his twenties, squeezed through the crowd. He was tall and broad with a chiseled face. His hair was cut extrely short and brown. His skin was tanned and his eyes were light brown.
"Bret," Althea called, seemingly a bit confused. "Last I checked you and I were of the sa rank. Since when can you override my orders?"
"We are still at the sa rank but the Commander made in charge of the camp safety. You can enter as you please but outsiders are barred entry."
Hex nodded. He wasn’t a pushover but didn’t see a reason to fight a guy doing his work. He gestured to Althea he would wait outside. But Althea shook her head.
"If I vouch and take them as my responsibility then you can’t stop , Bret," Althea snapped at her colleague.
"True but I have a better proposal," Bret said. "Let that skinny guy fight . If he wins, he will be accepted with respect. You know us. We rather fight than discuss."
’What kind of moronic thinking is that? What will my beating his ass achieve? If anything, wouldn’t it just prove I am a bigger threat than he can handle?’ Hex stared blankly at the man flexing his muscles. Seeing the people around them break into cheers and shout fight, fight, fight at them, Hex realized the others were equally idiotic. Shaking his head, he looked at Althea, waiting for her to make a sane call.
"That would make things easier." Althea, however, seed affected by her people. "Beat him up. Just don’t kill him." She then moved to the side with Hestia behind her, joining the chant of the people around.
’Maybe idiocy is contagious,’ Hex thought warily. His body was still sore and aching but he stepped up. His fights had boosted his confidence enough. It wasn’t simple for a Knight to beat him. Not even Althea could if he went all out.
"Are you ready?" Bret asked, removing his shirt and flexing his muscular body. The sunlight made his sweaty body glisten. Apparently, so females liked it, as Hex heard them make catcalls.
"Boo."
The crowd jeered when they saw Hex nod without removing his clothes. They believed a display of strength between two hot-blooded n should be done half-naked and by a show of muscles. Hex wasn’t hot-blooded though. He had veins of ice.
The mark on Bret’s hand flashed. His muscles seed to increase and he beca bulkier. His curly chest chair grew more, making him seem like a fur-covered beast. With a growl, Bret lurched toward Hex.
Blessed cloak.
Hex covered his fist with energy and t Bret’s incoming fists.
Bang!
Their fists t but to Hex’s surprise, Bret’s physical prowess exceeded his. He was thrown back. Hex quickly stabilized himself after taking four steps back. The initial clash made Bret seem stronger, eliciting stronger cheers from the crowd.
’My body is still weak due to the berserker state.’ Hex realized at once where the problem lay. But he didn’t panic. Bret was already at his throat.
Hex increased the energy covering his fists and t each of Bret’s punches. His opponent was an excellent fistfighter. His footing was great, skirting around Hex and overwhelming him with punch after punch.
But Hex wasn’t outdone. He saw Bret co at him again. Hex used Flex Step to dodge and get past him. Just as Bret turned, Hex already stepped against the ground and executed the second step. He barreled at Bret and punched with his cloak-covered fist, using the montum of his step to increase the power.
In a blink, the balance of the fight shifted in Hex’s favor. Hex used his Flex Step with great precision, dodging Bret in mid-air and unleashing his counter-attacks. Bret failed to get a single punch in whereas Hex managed to land each hit. Even when Bret knew where Hex would punch and tried to evade, Hex would change his trajectory. And if he tried to set up Hex then Hex would dodge at the last mont, making him punch empty air.
At last, overwheld by fatigue, Bret failed to put up his guard in ti. Hex didn’t miss the opportunity. He hit Bret’s jaws with his complete energy gathered in his fist. Bret’s eyes went blank and slumped to the ground like a deflated balloon.
The crowd stopped cheering and jeering.
"Pick him up and bring him to the infirmary," Althea stepped forward and ordered the young n who had stopped them from entering. With their superior out cold, they didn’t dare to disobey Althea. They rushed and picked the man up, running toward the dicine camp.
"Anyone else who wants to test him?" Althea asked, looking around. No one volunteered. Hex heaved a breath of relief. ’I can’t lift my arms anymore.’ He of course didn’t show his weakness to the people around.
They didn’t notice a man hovering high in the air, looking down at the fight with a hawk-like gaze.
"Weak body. Easily tired. Only his control his good," the man muttered, narrowing his sharp eyes. "You really didn’t train him in your ways, old friend. What a sha."
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