Realm Lord
Chapter 161: Days on Ship

Chapter 161: Days on Ship

"Aziel!" The name rang out clear and strong.

"Aziel!" More voices joined the chorus.

"Aziel! Aziel! Aziel!" The chant grew until it seemed to shake the very planks beneath their feet.

Aziel looked up from his position on the ground, his bloodied face a mask of confusion and wonder as he took in the incredible scene around him. Hundreds of faces looked back at him, not with pity or disappointment, but with genuine admiration and respect. The crowd’s energy was infectious, and despite his physical pain, Aziel felt something warm and unexpected bloom in his chest.

Slowly, the confusion on his face began to part like morning clouds, making way for a sly grin that developed into a full, genuine smile. He awkwardly pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly as he found his balance, and reached up to scratch the back of his head in a gesture that was both humble and endearing.

Grey’s smile, however, had completely vanished from his face like smoke in a strong wind. His expression darkened as his face flushed an angry red, the color spreading from his neck to his hairline. For the first time since meeting him, Aziel and Arthur witnessed Grey’s carefully maintained composure crack and crumble entirely.

"Are you all completely stupid!?" Grey’s voice rose to a near shriek, cracking with the strain of his fury. "I won! I beat the crap out of that kid!" He gestured frantically between himself and Aziel, as if the physical evidence of his victory should be obvious to anyone with eyes.

Aziel looked at Grey’s increasingly agitated state and couldn’t help but grin wider. The expression on his bruised and bloodied face was one of genuine amusement, which only served to fuel Grey’s rage further.

Grey’s hands balled into tight fists, his whole body trembling with barely contained anger. "You little shit," he snarled through gritted teeth, taking a menacing step toward the still-grinning Aziel.

But before Grey could close the distance, his attention was suddenly drawn to movement on his left. Arthur had emerged from the crowd and was climbing the platform steps with deliberate, measured movements. There was a look in his eyes that could have melted steel—a glaring intensity that seemed to bore holes right through Grey’s skull.

"The spar is over," Arthur stated with calm authority as he reached the top of the platform. His voice carried a quiet menace that was far more threatening than any shout could have been. "Anything you do now won’t be a spar... and you’ll be fighting both of us."

As if to emphasize his point, Arthur’s shadow began to move and writhe around him. Responding to his emotions and intent.

Grey’s frustration had reached a boiling point, but even in his rage, he wasn’t completely reckless. Arthur joining the situation forced him to reluctantly halt his angry advance toward Aziel. His whole body shook with the effort of restraining himself.

Arthur turned his attention to his friend, his expression softening with genuine concern. "Let’s get you to the infirmary," he said, his voice gentler now. "You look like shit."

Aziel recoiled in mock offense for a moment, his eyebrows rising in exaggerated indignation before he completely lost the battle against his own amusement. Laughter bubbled up from deep in his chest, clear and genuine despite his injuries.

"Alright, let’s go," Aziel agreed, still chuckling as he wiped blood from his nose with the back of his hand.

Arthur nodded, and together they began to walk toward the platform steps. But Aziel paused after just a few paces, turning back to look at Grey, who appeared to be on the verge of an explosive outburst.

"Thank you for the spar," Aziel said with complete sincerity, his voice carrying across the platform despite the crowd noise. "I learned a lot."

Before Grey could formulate any kind of response to this unexpected display of grace, Aziel and Arthur began to make their way down from the platform and into the crowd.

The throng of spectators immediately swarmed around Aziel, voices overlapping as people called out praise and congratulations. Hands reached out to pat him on the back or shoulder, and faces beamed with admiration for his performance. It took several minutes for the two friends to navigate through the sea of well-wishers, but eventually, they managed to extract themselves and make their way to the ship’s infirmary.

The medical bay was a small but well-equipped space staffed by a young woman whose healing abilities were renowned throughout the vessel. She took one look at Aziel’s battered condition and immediately set to work, her hands glowing with soft, warm light as she channeled her power into repairing his injuries. Within minutes, his broken nose had been reset and healed, the blood cleaned away, and the various cuts and bruises faded to nothing more than memories.

After leaving the infirmary, Aziel and Arthur went about the rest of their day with a lightness in their steps that hadn’t been there before. The afternoon passed in a blur of normal activities and casual conversation, but underneath it all ran an undercurrent of anticipation for what lay ahead.

As evening fell and the ship’s passengers began to settle in for the night, Aziel and Arthur found their way to their small shared cabin.

Soon, the days began to merge and blur together as they passed in rapid succession, and before they knew it, it was their final night before arriving in District 3. The atmosphere aboard the ship was electric with nervous energy—most passengers were having trouble sleeping, their minds racing with thoughts of what awaited them in the morning.

But strangely enough, not Aziel and Arthur. Neither of them could explain why, but for some inexplicable reason, both young men experienced some of the best, most restful sleep they’d had in years. Their dreams were peaceful and untroubled, filled with images of success and triumph rather than the anxieties that plagued their fellow travelers.

Unfortunately for them both, this would prove to be the last good night’s sleep they would enjoy for a very, very long time.