Desolate World

"Are you sure you want to do it?" Sampson asked. He was in the center of the tutorial arena.

Ace who was standing at the edge of the arena sneer, "Are you want to give up? You know, I don't have a hobby to bully an elder."

"You know, you sounded like a villain. And your job as Joker also likes one. And it's a duty for a hero to defeat you. Come!" Sampson then made a stand. He pointed his spearhead to Ace horizontally.

Ace was dumbfounded, 'Are he taking it seriously?'

"Okay, here I come," Ace shouted.

Ace then ran towards Sampson. As he reached 10 meters, he started to throw 2 cards. 

Sampson, who saw the two cards coming, rolled sideways. The two cards flew without touching Sampson.

Ace's expression didn't change, he then turned sideways and used his shoes' effect, 'glide'.

He then gilded fast and made a crescent route. But because he still wasn't used to it, he was somewhat stiff and couldn't attack while gliding. However, he still did the maneuver to train. He realized this move would really help him in the fight, as he could have more alternatives of attack postures if he mastered it.

Ace went around Sampson with a fast speed, and when he was behind Sampson, he took ace of heart from his belt and threw it.

Sampson, who was turning his body, saw a card was flying to him. He then rolled sideways. But, outside of his expectation, the card exploded right on top of his rear.

*Boom*

76

"F…," As Sampson wanted to complain, he saw 2 cards come to him. 

"Yeah!" Ace smiled as he saw Sampson was trying to avoid one of them, however, it was impossible for Sampson to avoid the other one. But the results made him frown.

Sampson's body glowed a dim brown light.

36

It shouldn't be like that. What Ace threw were 5 of diamond and 9 of spade. And the last one that hit Sampson was 9 of spade. It should deal more than 60 damage because the AoE of Ace of heart dealt more than 70 damage, so Sampson should have around 20 magic defenses.

'It might be the chest guard's effect,' Ace said in his heart.

Ace then was drawing and shuffling his card while running around Sampson. He was looking for the other ace cards. In his opinion, attacking with ordinary cards was only wasting his mana. As an experienced soldier, Sampson must have a good instinct. Avoiding his attacks that have a straight line and slower than bullets had been proven to be an easy thing.

However, Ace actually thought of some means, but he didn't dare to use them, before knowing Sampson's other skills. Moreover, they needed multiple cards to be done. In Ace's opinion, attacking with ace card that dealt an AoE attack was more efficient. 

He also didn't dare to be too close to Sampson, as he feared his brother had a skill that could turn the table.

Sampson who lost more than half of his HP seemed to still have a cool head. Ace couldn't see anxiety in his expression.

'It seems slowly boiling him is the right choice,' Ace concluded in his heart.

The sparring didn't have any surprises. Ace almost defeated his brother with continuous ace card attacks. However, He felt his win would be tasteless. What really made him unsatisfied was although his HP was only less than 10%, Sampson still looked calm. 

'Wanna looks cool until the last moment, huh? Okay, brother! I gave you a stage,' Ace decided to do something different to empty his brother's HP bar.

Ace decided to close his distance to about 7 meters from his brother and started barraging him with ordinary card attacks. In his opinion, the reason his ordinary card attacks didn't work was because he gave his brother time to dodge. By reducing his distance, he thought it would make his brother unable to dodge the attacks. 

However, his optimism crumbled in just a second after he reached 7 meters, no! 6 meters from his brother. As he realized that his brother also dashed to him after he saw him coming.

'What the…, are you waiting for this moment from the very beginning?" Ace was surprised. 

Ace then saw something on his brother's finger shone in a purple hue. The spear in his hands also shone in purple. Then, Ace felt he lost control of his body and his body was pulled over towards the point of the spear.

50

The spearhead pierced his clothes and dealt damage to him. After Ace regained control of his body, he jumped backward immediately, but he then saw his brother grinned and took a breath.

Ace was panicked, instinctively, he threw a king of heart from his belt to the front of him. That was the right thing to do, as his body became stiff after doing that.

*Roar*

'That was so dangerous," Ace said in his heart.

Knowing a transparent barrier was formed between him and Ace, Sampson frowned. He then tried to go around the barrier. 

From behind a barrier, Ace could see his brother's anxiety for the first time. Actually, he was also worried his body's stiffness would last long, as he could only see his brother go around the barrier.

'If I didn't become arrogant. It would be a perfect victory,' Seeing that he was at the end of his rope, Ace gritted his teeth. He then heard his son's voice.

"Daddy! Don't give up!"

***

"Daddy is the best!" Geo watched the caution Ace throw a card to Sampson. Sampson could only avoid the attack sideways. But like before, it still dealt damage to him.

"But, don't you think your Daddy is treating your uncle harshly? He didn't give him a chance to attack," Cloud said.

Geo with his eyes then looked at her weirdly, "Don't they suppose to fight seriously."

"...."

"Well, if you put it that way. What you said is right," Cloud couldn't explain that she was only joking.

Sofia could only smile watching them. Then she glanced at the arena, and she was shocked, "Oh! What is he doing?!"

Geo and Cloud turned their head to the arena and saw Ace was in a pinch.

"No, Daddy! You can't lose!" Geo said worriedly.

Couldn't hold back his feelings anymore, Geo shouted, "Daddy! Don't give up!"

***

'Right! It is not time to give up. Must move!" Ace said in his heart. He then tried to move backward. At first, he couldn't do it. Then he saw Sampson finally could go around the barrier and started to point the spear toward Ace.

'Must move! My son watches me," Ace gritted his teeth, and then his left foot could move backward.

Sampson seemed to be surprised seeing Ace was able to move. He then moved his spear to pierce Ace's chest hurriedly. However, it was too late. His spear couldn't touch Ace at all, as he had already moved backward fast.

Ace, who was safe, saw the amazed Sampson. He then took 10 of heart from his belt and then threw it while grinning, "It's my win! Brother!"

Seeing the card was coming to him, Sampson could only curse, "Damn you!"

*Bam*

76

Sampson's body then turned radiant and he teleported outside the arena.

***

"The villain seemed to get lucky today. He could defeat a hero 10 times a row," Alex said while taking broccoli with his fork.

"Yeah… Yeah… Yeah… Mock me as you like. Next time I will get you, and you will become fireflies," Frank said before eating a spoonful of mashed potatoes.

"Fireflies?" Alex asked. That was the first time he heard the term.

Knowing that Alex was confused, Frank explained, "I just got it from Desolate World forum. You know, when you are defeated, the light show is just like fireflies."

"Oh~, that! Okay…," Alex answered.

"Dad! What are fireflies?" Suddenly Alex heard George's voice.

Alex then thought for a while. He recollected all he had heard and known, "They lived before the nuclear war occurred. They were little fly-like bugs that could shine. They were just like stars."

"Could I see them?" Little George asked.

Before Alex could answer, Nicole said, "Sure. Let me show you. I had many videos you could see."

George then ran around the table towards Nicole.

"George! What does mom usually say? No running in the house," Vira shouted.

"Sorry mom~...," George said. But he had already arrived beside Nicole.

After that, Nicole was explaining about fireflies and showed him many videos about them.

"Geez… this kid!" Vira shook her head.

Alex could only chuckle. He then asked her, "So, what did you buy from your shop?"

Vira looked at him with resentment, she then answered, "I saw some good stuff. But because my dearest wallet was busy sparring. I couldn't buy them"

Alex scratched his head while laughing awkwardly, "Hahaha… Sorry about that. So, what did you find?"

"I found a magic scroll holder that could produce 10 pieces of low-level magic papers and 3 pieces of medium-level magic papers everyday, a magic pen with unlimited medium-level ink, and some useful consumables in a pack. But it is pretty expensive. It cost 50,000 credits. So, should I buy them?" 

'Damn you Union! How greedy can you be?' Alex cursed in his heart.

***