Surviving in my Own Unpublished Failed Novel

Fourth Day of the Emergence Event Remembrance, and also the last day of the Ranking of Exchange.

A man with short black hair, brown eyes, and a good build was standing in the middle of the arena in the Obelisk Grand Stadium that was filled with some students from the first year to the third year, media workers from different media companies, guild Scouters from various guilds — known or in the process of making themselves known.

It was the referee that presided from day one of the Ranking of Exchange.

"This will be the twelfth match for today! We will witness a very rare case in this battle because the Rank difference is massive. And without further ado. Here I call...

"The defender and Rank 40, Bailey Clarkson of the first year, and the challenger from the same year... Rank 393, Russell Moon!"

Confused faces were painted on everyone as if their different emotions were snatched away from them except for some exceptional people such as the Student Council President, Reinhardt, and Ruina who came to watch the suspected culprit about Kevin's disappearance. There was also the presence of the known seniors, the Disciplinary Committee President, Azalea Vermillion; Student Council Secretary, Victoria Angelica Rasputin, and the Disciplinary Committee Secretary, Aisha Whispercrest. Their presence garnered so much attention, but Guild Scouters knew or just thought that they might already have affiliations, thus the Guild Scouters were avoiding them because it's not their job to make connections but rather just scout.

After an unknown period of time, the battle between Bailey Clarkson and Russell Moon started.

...

"Why are you here Azalea? I didn't think you'd be interested in this kind of fight."

Arthur Wolfson asked casually, wearing his public image aura.

Azalea Vermillion chuckled before answering while looking at the two in the arena, sizing each other up.

"Well, what can I say? I might want to see someone get beat up."

Arthur laughed softly as he didn't make any response, focusing on what was happening in the arena, but at that moment, he heard Azalea's voice from a few seats away from him.

"Arthur, want to make a bet with me on who will win?"

"Ha... what's this now? You're really tripping, aren't you?"

A bet between the Number 1 and Number 2 in the third year was something very interesting in the eyes of the spectators, especially their classmates.

"No, I'm not, see, that Bailey Clarkson from the first year is still talking. None of them has any injury or showing signs of fatigue because they're sizing each other. Do you want to hear more?"

Arthur nodded at Azalea's words said with a mild provocative tone.

"Let's bet on who will win. One wish for the winner under a Mana Contract. How about it? Heh heh."

'This woman is being crazy.'

Arthur thought as he heard the word Mana Contract which reduced their Mana Power stat by 75% permanently and will stagnate one's growth if they broke the conditions.

"That's not fair, you're going to bet on the sure one."

Arthur asked Ruina earlier to do a Status Appraisal of the participants this time, specifically of Russell Moon, the suspected culprit regarding Kevin's disappearance.

'He's an F rank, a plain warrior-type profession. It's also confirmed that he has a unique acupuncture skill... He must have used some artifact against Kevin to win.'

"Haha, I'll bet to Rank 393, Russell Moon. How about it? One wish for the winner under a Mana Contract... You see, I know what you want."

Azalea said with a cheeky smile on her face.

'This f*cking b*tch!'

Arthur's emotions suddenly turned a hundred eighty degrees while keeping his public image straight with Azalea's words because he needed something that will strengthen his power, an artifact that complement his profession, Puppet Controller, and Azalea, for some reason have access to a such artifact which she showed him through a photo, and was later verified by pulling some strings from behind.

'I don't know how'd you get ahold of it, but I really need it.'

"You better remember your words."

Arthur said in agreement. Azalea then took out a Mana Contract scroll inside her Dimensional Inventory, causing the students in the surroundings to slightly gasped as they came to know about the bet.

After some time, they listed in the Mana Contract the conditions as the System messages appeared in their eyes.

[You have signed a Mana Contract with the Party named...]

[The Contract Condition is listed as the following.]

[Condition: Arthur Wolfson or Azalea Vermillion will grant one wish if one of either party loses the bet they made for themselves.]

[The wishes are as follows:

1. If Arthur Wolfson wins the bet, he will receive an artifact according to his wish.

2. If Azalea Vermillion wins the bet, she wanted for Arthur Wolfson to let the woman named Victoria Angelica Rasputin leave the Student Council.]

[Not fulfilling one's wish will permanently reduce the Mana Power of the loser party by 75% percent.]

...

"I was thinking about how to get back with Freya after ruining our fun previously, you know I can't lay a hand or even say a word against her because of the d*mn 'Protection Mark' that Disciplinary Committee member receives, but here we are, her brother came to get beat up. Haha!"

Bailey Clarkson said with a grin painted on his lips as he found the situation amusing.

Russell Moon — standing on the other side of the arena — was only listening to his opponent's babbling as he only said one sentence in his mind.

'This is the brat that indirectly called Freya a prostitute.'

He knew from before, by visiting Freya's classroom sometimes, what the bullies that Freya told him about previously looked like.

"Oi. Oi, what's with that shabby sword you're holding? Haha! But you are shabbier than it, I see."

Russell was holding a Crude Shortsword (Normal) which he bought from the Thorn of Rose Black Market earlier, but it has a name which is 'Sword of Shad' with only one Intrinsic Effect called Weight Pressure that came from the Monster Core of a particular type of Golem. The more Mana he injected into it, the more the sword's weight will be increased, and its cutting potential will be greatly reduced, turning it into a blunt weapon.

It is a crude version of the Elderwood Training Sword he occasionally uses in the Chaos Training Grounds.

It was transferred through a small portal instantly before his scheduled fight. His Crude Shortsword which he bought from the Player General Store was previously destroyed in the Chaos Training Grounds after a period of time as its durability reached its limit.

'Well, it's shabby from the looks of it, but this guy sure talks a lot.'

Whoosh-!

Bam-!

Suddenly, Russell vanished from his spot, appearing in front of Bailey, who didn't finish processing what just happened as the Sword of Shad that was injected with Mana, becoming a blunt weapon, smashed into his right shoulder which caused him to fall into his knee.

"Argh-!"

As a semi-tanker who was holding a small shield and a long sword, his health and stamina were certainly high.

'That just makes you a punching bug with high durability.'

Russell thought as he smashed the Sword of Shad again, not giving Bailey any time to react.

Bam-!

This time, he hit him from the left shoulder, causing his other knee to completely fall to the ground.

"W-wh-"

Boom-!

"Argh-!"

Without waiting for him to finish whatever he was about to say, the impact that was delivered this time was stronger as if a bomb exploded. He tried to lift his small shield, but, alas, it was to no avail as his small shield which Russell didn't even bother to think about started to crack and then shattered into pieces because Russell combined Strength and then Agility which was multiplied by 5 times with the additional effect of his skill Cull and Cut, the exclusive skill under his profession. He recalled the effects of the upgraded version of Weapon Mastery as he looked at the Sword of Shad on his hand before cleaving it again to Bailey's head which almost pass out.

Cut

- When using a Sword weapon, your agility increased by five times (capped at 4,999 agility)

- Cutting is not limited to the physical realm.

His original Agility stat after some training in the Chaos Training Grounds; giving his younger sister and Amery the Chaos Trait with his Unique Skill: Chaos Buff which gave him a total additional overall stat of 150, and by consuming a fourth of the Fruit of Chaos, giving him additional overall stat of 100...

Agility: 420 (+135)

And while holding a Sword weapon, Agility: 555 (5)... A staggering 2,755 Agility, a stat at the realm of A rank.

'Well, it won't hold a candle to some people whose stats are 5 digits.'

Russell thought as he looked at Bailey, slumping on the ground, his armor tattered, almost broken. Bailey's expression has of that disbelief and horror.

"I-I surren-"

Pa-!

His trembling lips attempted to surrender quickly, but at that moment his voice won't come out and his body won't move.

"Sorry, not right now."

Russell said, his deep blue eyes seeming to have a luster that emitted pure coldness. The rule to win the battle is for the opponent to surrender by saying the words 'Surrender' itself, or by knocking out the opponent, but by blocking Bailey's ability to speak by using the Void Acupuncture (EX) skill, he won't be able to surrender unless he's knock out.

"Thank the rules, we've given three chances to use Mid-Grade Health Potion."

Russell heaved a sigh of relief at this situation as he took out a Mid-Grade Health Potion from his Dimensional Inventory, but at that moment, instead of chugging the Mid-Grade Health Potion for himself, he squatted down and force into Bailey's mouth the lidless potion. Bailey's tattered body from blunt smashes gradually recovered, but he can't move his body or speak.

Pa-! Pa-! Pa-!

After using the Void Acupuncture again, hitting Bailey's acupuncture points for him to be able to move his limbs aside from his mouth, Russell spoke with a provocative tone.

"Stand up, we have 10 minutes left."

It was only four minutes had passed since the beginning of the battle.

...

'This f*cker!!! I'm gonna kill you!

'I was just caught off guard... That's right... Die!'

Bailey Clarkson's thoughts were a mess as he heard what his opponent just said before he lunged forward, holding the longsword he didn't manage to use before while his small shield was longer of value. His speed was remarkably well for being an A-1 student, but unfortunately for him, his opponent's Agility exceeded his by a great margin.

Boom-!

Thus, the beating continues.

...

"Heh heh. Look at that, it looks like the winner is already decided Mister Student Council President."

Azalea Vermillion — who was a few seats away, watching the spectacle in the arena — said cheekily, but her thoughts and emotions were of shock because the Artifact that the Student Council President greatly desired didn't hold a value to her and she just did a bet for fun. Who could have thought that the demanding F rank would beat one-sidedly his opponent.

'I'm sure he's an F rank, but he's definitely not normal.

'Is that his last Mid-Grade Health Potion, what a brutal move as if he has a deep grudge against his opponent.'

Azalea thought before she heard Arthur's voice — a woman with red hair and red eyes, and a man with short blonde hair and deep blue eyes were sitting beside him.

"You win. I don't know the reason for your wish, but I have no choice, but to fulfill it."

Arthur said with a smile on his face, not to maintain his public image with the prying eyes of others, but he confirmed one thing.

That Bailey's opponent was the one they were looking for.

...

"Oops, come back here, I'm not done yet, you f*cker."

Russell pulled Bailey by his hair as he attempted to jump outside the arena which was equivalent to knock out, but with his speed, Bailey didn't manage to do so.

Bam-! Bam-!

Russell slammed Bailey to the ground like a baseball bat being swung to the hardball.

"What a tenacious brat."

Slap-! Slap-!

He slapped him hard a few times before kicking him out of the arena, ending the match.