26 GOA (1/2)
After Burton left the room, both Sariyu and Lirzod looked at each other and laughed their hearts off.
A few minutes later.
Sariyu had finished picking up all the banana peels and cleaning the dirt marks on the floor. ”It's not like you to throw the waste around like this.”
”I didn't do that. The men who brought me here did,” Lirzod was irked a bit, ”those bastards took some of my stuff. And I could do nothing. I'll pay them back soon.”
”Some loss now and then wouldn't hurt,” Sariyu said and smiled.
”Easy for you to say,” Lirzod harrumphed, ”Can you say the same if your favorite dress was stolen?”
Sariyu's mood suddenly changed, and her eyes emitted piercing light. ”I'd chase that thief down and force him to drink three ponds empty.”
”Yeah, thought so.”
”Good clothing makes us feel comfortable after all. Anway, I will take my leave as well,” Sariyu stood as she tucked her hair behind the ears and began to walk away. ”But you better not stand out too often. As for Geragorn, just forget about him.”
After she left, Lirzod was a bit displeased. ”... What is she so busy with? Can't she stay here and help me a bit? How can I freely move around with this pain in my ribs?” He looked around and grabbed one of the few phoenix fruits that were on the table. It was a strange fruit that seemed similar to that of a pineapple, but more colorful and lively. ”The best fruit of my clan that helps quicken the natural healing process. Luckily, I packed enough of them.” He cut it in half and the whitish insides were exposed. It had varied edible seeds that added texture and depth of color to the fruit. Using his hand, he pulled all of it and stuffed it into his mouth and enjoyed its taste. ”This taste never gets old.”
”You are eating some strange fruits,” A person entered the room. ”Wait, aren't those phoenix fruits?”
”Triple Seven, what brought you here?”
777 rubbed the back of his head for a few seconds before speaking, ”Heard about your incident with Geragorn,” he spoke in a scratchy throat. ”At first, I didn't think it was you.” His eyes shifted to Lirzod's wound. ”How are you feeling now?”
”There's pain, but nothing big to bother about.”
”Oh, that's good news,” he took a lasting breath and then looked at the phoenix fruits. ”I've heard about those but didn't think I'd get to see them on this ship.”
”Oh, really?”
”Yeah,” he picked up one of the fruits. ”My... grandma told me that these fruits have the strange power to bring back a person even from the death's door. I used to believe it when I was a kid, but thinking about that now makes me feel silly.”
”Ha-ha, you don't have to. These are named that way because of their efficient and fast healing abilities.”
”Mm, I did hear about their prowess in healing capabilities. Where did you buy these?”
”Didn't buy these. Uncle Sinario produced these,” His voice contained lack of empathy.
”Uncle Sinario?” 777 blinked twice. ”Who's that?”
”One of my clan heads.”
”You mean,” 777's eyes enlarged, ”your clan produces these fruits?”
”Not really,” Lirzod stared at the fruit in his hands, but his thoughts drifted elsewhere. ”These fruits are just an imitation of the original fruits. These are private to the important families of my clan. As for the real phoenix fruits, we buy them often for both researching and eating.”
”You are from Helenia, aren't you?” 777 didn't take a breath in the last minute. ”What's your clan name?”
”Faceless.”
777 never heard of it but he was still surprised. Given that Lirzod was eating such a thing, it meant that the phoenix fruit was duplicated to some extent. And more importantly, it looked exactly like the original one from the outside. After pressing his lips hard for a few seconds, he hesitantly asked, ”Can I have one? If you are alright with it.”
Lirzod looked up at him and the corners of his lips curled up a bit. ”Sure, is what I would have said if you had come to see me early.”
777's smile subsided, and he slowly put down the fruit back on the desk.
”Just kidding,” Lirzod chortled. ”You can have it.”
”Really?”
”Yeah.”
777 forced out a smile. ”Thanks.” He picked up a fruit and sat on the bed before realizing that Lirzod was staring at him, without blinking at all. ”I… I'll eat it afterward.”
”Fine.”
Seeing how Lirzod was still staring at him, 777 didn't know what to think of his actions. (Is he joking or is he being serious? Should I take this fruit or not? For a kid, he's surprisingly complex to read.)
”Hey,” Lirzod's voice sounded a bit demanding, ”when you gave me the guidebook, you should have also told me about that pig or at least warned me of the existence of such threat.”
777's shoulders jerked and the fruit almost fell out of his hands. ”Y-Yeah, that was bad on my part. I didn't think you would just jump into the race like that. Nowadays, not many new Entries have that urgency in them. By staying in these lower decks that are filled with people who don't really care to climb the decks, I must confess that I myself got a bit corrupted by them. For what happened to you, I'm truly sorry.”
”I don't keep it in mind if you help me smack that pig's head.”
”Haha,” 777 initially chuckled, but after seeing the frozen look on Lirzod's visage, his face stiffened. ”You serious?”
”Don't I look serious?”
777's eyes squinted. ”You must be out of your mind. That Geragorn just acts like he's slow to make newbies fall into his trap. However, not only his strength but his speed also has to be feared. We won't stand a chance against him.”
”Then..” Lirzod made a solid eye contact and said in a flat tone, ”you can leave my room, and forget we ever met each other.”
”What?”
Lirzod said nothing.
”Are you serious?”
Lirzod didn't say anything, but his eyes revealed what was necessary.
”I was thinking of becoming your Offsider,” 777 raised his voice.
”Then help me beat the guy.”
”I can't do that. I'm not even capable of doing that.”
”Then what's the use of having you as an Offsider? You can go and look for someone else who doesn't fight back.”
”You, you are too rash,” 777 stood and began to walk away. ”There are many ways an Offsider can help than just fight alongside.”
”I can be more rash.”
”Hmph, if you act like this and attack him, it won't end well for you. Don't regret afterward. I warned you,” Saying that he left.
After finishing the fruit, Lirzod stood and wore a shirt but didn't button it, so the bandage over his ribs was visible. He came out of the room, and without even closing the door, he left somewhere.
On the afternoon of the same day.
In the Hall of Fame of the tenth deck.
Geragorn was talking with one of the Entries. ”So, why do you want to climb the decks?”
”I, I want to become a Martial like everybody else,” the man with a long chin hesitantly replied.
”Yeah. I know,” Geragorn said in a flat voice, ”but you don't have to climb the decks to become a Martial. You can just stay here and enjoy the free bread.”
”U-Uh,” the long-chinned man didn't know what to say. ”I can increase my knowledge and strength by climbing these deck. So…”
”That's what everyone says. People nowadays are becoming the knowledge hoarding, power hungry,and warmongering morons,” His voice turned colder. ”If you can prove to me that you won't become such a moron, I will give you permission.”
”How, how can I prove myself?”
”I'm a man who finds beauty in simplicity. Simple things are enough to satisfy me. like being honest, respecting the seniors, keeping one's word and such. And now, I want you to keep your word too.”
”What is that?”
”Nothing much. Before every time you eat, say these words out loud, ”I thank Geragorn and his men for letting me climb the decks.”
The long-chinned man frowned.
”He-he-he,” Geragorn's men began to snicker as they looked at each other's faces.
”What's wrong?” Geragorn continued. ”If you can't even do this much, then forget about climbing.”
”I… I will do it,” the man said, his face turned solemn.
”Mm,” Geragorn glanced at his men who put a tattoo on the long-chinned guy's forearm. It was the tattoo of a canine tooth. ”I have eyes in the upper decks as well. If you don't keep your word, then expect me to keep my word. Men will come for your tongue.”
The long-chinned man nodded and began to walk away, his body visibly shaking.
”Hehe,” one of Geragorn's men sneered, ”another one added to our free publicity group.”
At that moment, Lirzod entered the hall.