"Here too?" Chen Ce asked, somewhat surprised.
"Yeah, but they aren't Noxian soldiers—or, well, they used to be, but they aren't anymore."
"That's rather unusual... Even during wartime, there are Noxians here who aren't soldiers?"
"Of course. There are quite a few, actually." The innkeeper smiled, his voice growing louder, as if he were talking about something he was proud of. "They come here to make or spend money. You could say it's one of our town's distinctive features."
"Make money?"
"You don't seem to know much about this... Where are you from?"
"The north." Chen Ce deliberately avoided mentioning Placidium. "I'm a traveler. I came south all the way from the north."
"Oh, a traveler." The innkeeper nodded thoughtfully, then gave him a rather lecherous look. "No wonder your female companion is so beautiful—I've heard beautiful women like travelers. Especially the women among us Vastaya. Heh."
Chen Ce neither confirmed nor denied it.
After a brief pause, the innkeeper continued, "As for making money, that would naturally mean the Underground Fighting Pit. Well, perhaps I shouldn't be telling you about this, but these are troubled times. I doubt anyone has the time to bother with it, heh."
"The Underground Fighting Pit?" At the name, an image of a half-human, half-Vastaya figure suddenly flashed through Chen Ce's mind.
"That's right, the fighting pit." The innkeeper lowered his voice again, though he still couldn't hide the pride in it. "Anyone can go in. You can fight, or you can bet on the matches. Those Noxians are fond of that sort of thing."
"Was the Underground Fighting Pit built by the Noxians?"
"No, it wasn't. The Underground Fighting Pit has been around for a long time. As for who founded it... honestly, that's hard to trace. Anyway, the owner everyone knows about nowadays is an Ionian."
"I see..." Chen Ce thought for a moment, then took another gold coin from his pouch. "Could I ask you about someone?"
Seeing a chance to earn more, the innkeeper's smile widened. "Of course, my esteemed guest."
"Sett. Have you heard that name?" Chen Ce asked outright, getting straight to the question that mattered most to him.
Sett, the Boss, Ionia's biggest mama's boy—and its strongest fighter.
Oh, and he was a one-punch man in the Rift, too.
"Sett... Hmm..." The innkeeper stroked his beard and thought for a long while, but in the end he shook his head regretfully. "Sorry, I haven't heard that name."
He drew his hand back from the coin. He knew the rules.
But Chen Ce didn't mind doing him a good turn.
"Then please keep an eye out for him for me." He tossed the gold coin onto the table. The beautiful arc it traced made the innkeeper's eyes go wide.
After that, he was going to head straight back to his room and rest. Since the innkeeper hadn't heard of Sett, that meant Sett hadn't yet become Ionia's "underground emperor" at this point in time. Finding him among the countless people around would be too difficult.
Besides... even if he found him, it might not do much good.
For one thing, Sett's abilities weren't particularly suited to fighting on a battlefield. For another, he cared about nothing and no one except his mother, so getting him to join the Resistance Army would be difficult.
Rather than spend time on him, Chen Ce might as well prepare more and try to awaken Syndra and befriend her. She was the "superweapon" who could turn the tide of a war between two nations all by herself.
Chen Ce picked up half a crate of rations and prepared to head back to his room.
But just as he stepped onto the stairs, the innkeeper suddenly called after him:
"Wait, sir... I can't just take your money without giving you something in return."
The innkeeper hurried over, then lowered his voice as if he were sharing a secret.
"I heard there's a major fighting match tomorrow night... The prize is a pair of Imero Stones by the great sculptor Imelo. Tomorrow's match should be quite a spectacle. Lots of wealthy and influential people will be there. Maybe you can ask around about that... what was the name? Sett?"
Hearing this, Chen Ce stopped in his tracks.
Not because he might be able to learn Sett's whereabouts from the wealthy and influential people tomorrow, but because...
Of the prize.
The Imero Stones by the sculptor Imelo.
Those were... another name for the Twin Gemstones Ahri carried.
Of course, the stones themselves held no magic. Ahri's magic was what gave them power, but...
They were connected to the mystery of Ahri's origins.
Ahri had been searching for them to solve the mystery of her origins—how she came into being, what her people were called, and where they were.
All she knew was that she had carried the pair of Twin Gemstones with her for as long as she could remember.
"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind," Chen Ce replied with a smile.
At the same time, upstairs in their room, Ahri was taking a bath when her fluffy fox ears suddenly twitched.
She had heard it... Imero Stone.
"Boss!"
Chapter 42: Ko no Sett da!
"Imelo... the Imero Stones!"
"Look, look! The gemstones I have are called Imero Stones too! A woman named Xirun told me that! She's a merchant! I saw them in her memories!"
"She didn't lie to me. These really are Imero Stones—the work of the sculptor Imelo!"
"If I can find the sculptor Imelo... the man with the butterfly mustache... maybe he can tell me about my origins!"
"Boss, will you take me to that fighting pit?"
"You don't have to fight or anything. I won't trouble you... I... I can do it myself!"
"If it comes to it... I'll ask for directions and find my way there! You only have to wait for me!"
"Boss~~~!"
In the cramped inn room, Ahri had just finished bathing, and her hair was still a little damp. She clutched Chen Ce's hand and shook it like a spoiled child.
Since she had just bathed, she wasn't wearing her usual red-and-white outer garment. She had on only a sleeveless, form-fitting undershirt—the one she usually wore beneath her clothes. Every time her body swayed, her full breasts bounced along with it...
She was wearing only something like a pair of safety shorts below, leaving her long, fair thighs completely exposed. Together with her nine swishing fox tails, the sight was utterly bewitching.
"Ahem... Mm..." Chen Ce cleared his throat. As he pulled his hand away, he also turned his gaze aside. "It's not like I said I wouldn't take you..."
"You said yes!" Ahri looked so delighted that her eyes seemed to glow, and her fluffy pointed ears sprang upright.
"It's only a day out of our way. We might as well take the chance to rest," Chen Ce said. "But in return, I expect you to work even harder for me from now on."
"Of course!"
"Once we reach Fae'lor Island, you'll have to follow my instructions at all times... We might even run into danger."
"No problem!"
"Fine, then. I'll help you this once."
"Hehe~ You're the best, Boss~ Mwah~" Ahri blew him a kiss, then wrapped her nine tails around Chen Ce where he sat in the chair and pulled him over.
Now they were both sitting on the bed.
"...What are you doing?" Chen Ce instinctively tried to wriggle free, but he had to admit that those big tails were quite strong.
"As a thank-you, I'll lend you my tails tonight~" Ahri smiled sweetly, her pretty, bewitching face full of innocence. "My tails are really soft. You can use one as a pillow, or you can pull them over yourself like a blanket~"
"...But I rented another room next door."
"Come on, don't waste your money. This bed is big enough for two."
"..."
"Then I'll go to sleep first. You should get some rest too. We'll need plenty of energy tomorrow if we're going to get the Imero Stones~"
With that, Ahri flopped down to sleep, not minding at all that so much of her body was exposed.
Chen Ce was a little helpless, but he stopped struggling.
He lay on his side on the other half of the bed, letting the nine fluffy fox tails settle gently over him. Oh, and he pulled one up to use as a pillow.
It really was... quite comfortable.
Much softer than a blanket...
After a day and a night of rest, Chen Ce's earlier exhaustion had completely vanished. When he went to see the innkeeper, the man exclaimed, "Young people sure have energy. You spent the whole day fighting in your room, and somehow you've come out even livelier."
Ahri stared at him in confusion, unable to understand what he meant. Fighting? What fighting? She would never fight with her boss.
Chen Ce couldn't be bothered to explain. He took out another gold coin, and the innkeeper readily agreed to show them the way.
The two coins he'd received, counting the one from yesterday, were worth several days' earnings for him. He had no reason to refuse such a small favor as showing them the way. Besides, the Underground Fighting Pit was no secret around here. Anyone could get in if they were willing to pay.
The innkeeper was a regular at the Underground Fighting Pit himself. After taking them through several remote, filthy alleys, he led them to their destination—a place that looked like an ordinary tavern from the outside.
After they passed through several hidden doors, a vast, circular arena came into view.
"Admission is three silver coins per person. I'll pay for you." The innkeeper eyed the pouch at Chen Ce's waist and rubbed his hands together. His meaning was clear. "Since this is your first time here, you'll have to sit in the back row. You can walk around if you like, but be careful not to let anyone take your seats. You know, starting a fight with someone in a place like this isn't a wise choice."
"Thanks." Chen Ce handed him six silver coins, then led Ahri, hidden from head to toe beneath a coat and hood, to sit in a secluded corner.
"It... smells awful here." Ahri pinched her nose in disgust as soon as she sat down.
The air in the Underground Fighting Pit was thick with the smell of nicotine and alcohol. The men's sweat and spit had been left to ferment on the rarely cleaned floor, making the place stink horribly.
And her sense of smell was far better than an ordinary person's, which only made it more revolting.
"Bear with it." Chen Ce answered casually, his eyes already on the ring at the center of the arena.
The ring looked a little like the "octagon" from later times, only bigger. Its floor was covered in blood. If you looked closely, you might even find... bits of tissue.
Before long, the first match of the night began. Two Ionians fought, both muscular brutes, each holding a weapon.
Yes, despite its name, the Underground Fighting Pit didn't limit the fighters to their fists. It was perhaps more like an "underground arena" or an "underground deathmatch."
The first match was fierce. Both fighters' weapons left the other bloodied and mangled, spraying blood everywhere. The audience erupted in cheers again and again, everyone giving free rein to their desire for violence.
But Chen Ce noticed that the wealthy and influential people in the VIP seats above the audience didn't seem very interested. They weren't cheering or celebrating, either. It seemed the first match wasn't what they had come to see.
They were waiting for the final "championship defense."
In other words, the final match, with the Imero Stones as its prize.
"Boss, when do we get to fight?" Ahri liked watching shows, but she had little interest in this kind of brutal combat. If anything, it disgusted her. "I only want the Imero Stones. I don't want to watch this."
"Don't rush," Chen Ce said. "We heard about this too late to qualify for the competition. If we want the Imero Stones, we'll have to use some... special means."
"What special means?"
"Challenge the champion directly."
"...Huh?" Ahri blinked, still not quite understanding.
But Chen Ce couldn't be bothered to explain further. He focused on watching the ring. He first needed to gauge the fighters' general level before deciding what to do.
The innkeeper had said that according to the rules of the Underground Fighting Pit, once all the matches were over, anyone who hadn't competed could challenge the champion directly. The restrictions on the challenger depended on the champion's condition at the time. Once the match began, neither side could surrender; it went on until one of them died or the victor chose to end it.
So... it was a fight to the death.
He didn't like gambling when it came to anything that wasn't absolutely necessary.
"Avase! Avase!"
After the first three matches ended, the audience suddenly erupted into a deafening roar. They were chanting one man's name.
"Invincible Avase!"
"Kill your opponent in the most brutal way possible!"
"Break his neck! Then pull his guts out through his mouth!"
"Avase! Avase!"
The cheers grew louder and louder, and at last the wealthy and influential people in the VIP seats began to show some interest.
Chen Ce knew that the fourth match might not be the last, but it was definitely a crucial one for determining the champion—especially for the fighter named Avase. He was probably already the champion in the minds of most of the spectators.
For once, Chen Ce felt a little excited, too.
But what excited him even more... was Avase's opponent.
In a shadowy corner where no one else stood, he saw the figure of a half-Vastaya man... someone he recognized...
No one cheered for that fighter. Not a single person believed in him.
But he still walked into the ring with his head held high.
Before you continue