City of Fallen Souls: A LitRPG Adventure (UnderVerse Book 3) by Jez Cajiao (fb2 epub reader .txt) 📕

start to search for the end, hoping to unravel it, he’d yank me again, making me gasp and fight for every breath as I was jerked around the arena.

I fought against the panic of not being able to breathe, and the increasing pain. The rising anger that filled me over being tricked, amplified by Oracle’s panic, was not helping my chances at all, and I forced myself to remain calm.

I kicked out with a foot, spinning, then digging both feet into the sand, forcing myself to use the pressure against the whip to jump to my feet. I landed hard, staggering, as he frantically tried to wind the whip in. Refusing to give him the chance to tighten it further, I rushed forward, feeling lightheaded as I started to black out… a dozen feet… seven… three… I leapt into the air and shoulder-charged him back against the door that stood behind him, causing him to bounce off it. I took the opportunity to drop myself atop him as he fell, and I pinned him, my fingers grabbing at the whip around my throat and searching…

After another few seconds, long enough that I nearly passed out, I found it! I yanked at the end, feeling it resist for a second before coming free, and I frantically unraveled it, gasping in huge lungful’s of air as I threw the whip aside. Heaving, I glared down at the man trapped below me as he stared up with angry, hate-filled eyes.

The fucker was slightly built, wiry, but slim, while I was huge, and wearing a metric fuck ton of armor. He managed to get his left hand free and stabbed out, his dirk bouncing off my armor without doing any damage.

His eyes widened, and I punched him in the face with my right fist, pinning his left arm and yanking the dirk free of his hand.

“I surrender!” he snarled, his eyes still full of hatred, although fear was strongly evident as well now. I snorted, frowning down at him in disgust. He’d obviously seen the last fight and thought I was some ‘white knight’ who’d rather take prisoners.

I flipped the dirk in the air, then caught it in my right hand. Pressing down on his forehead, I pinned him back and exposed his throat, as I lifted the dirk.

“What are you doing!” he snarled, fear and anger staining his voice. “I surrendered!”

“And I don’t give a shit,” I said, driving the dirk up under his chin to punch clean through the roof of his mouth and into his brain.

I stood up, bracing my foot on his forehead and yanking the blade free of the bone with a crunch. I shook it, flicking the blood off it as I scanned the crowds that watched in stunned silence.

“You think the Legion is stupid? You think that if our positions were reversed, he’d have taken me as a prisoner? Nigret was an honorable fighter. He deserved a chance.” I turned and spat on the corpse, then set off across the arena to retrieve my sword and shield. “That scumbag got what he deserved!”

Grizz opened the door for me as I walked from the arena, and I nodded my thanks as I passed him, throwing myself into a chair when the door slammed shut.

“Are you okay?” Augustus asked me, his words stark in the suddenly quiet room.

“Not really,” I admitted. “That guy was a snake; I saw it in his eyes. If I let him swear to me, he’d have spent all his time trying to fuck me over. He’d have been a threat, every fucking second of the day, but still…”

“But you executed him, and now you regret it?” he asked, and I shrugged, then shook my head.

“No, no… I don’t regret it. I could see it in his eyes; there was nothing but malice and hatred there. He deserved to die, but…”

“But you didn’t hesitate, and that’s what bothers you,” Augustus surmised, and I nodded.

“You are our Lord,” he said firmly, taking a seat across from me. “You are now the sole source of law on the continent of Dravith, Jax. If you had decided you were killing him because you didn’t like his dress sense, we would accept it, but you didn’t. You killed him because he was a criminal who openly opposed you. It doesn’t matter that he didn’t know who he was facing; he didn’t care. Saying a few words and expecting to be given a chance to escape or betray you is ludicrous.”

“I know…” I scrubbed my hands over my face, feeling weary. “It just doesn’t mix with what I was taught as a kid, you know? I grew up knowing the hero always gives the benefit of the doubt, and all that.”

“Sounds a bit daft,” Grizz interjected, frowning. “How often does the hero get stabbed in the back in those tales?”

“All the damn time,” I admitted gloomily.

“Well, in that case, it’s obvious, isn’t it?” Augustus said, straightening up.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Whoever told you the stories was a villain. They were trying to make sure they’d always be given a chance to escape.”

“I… I don’t think so, but damn, that makes a scary amount of sense…”

“Well, regardless, look on the bright side.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Only one fight to go, and this is a damn nice whip.” Augustus hefted the whip, which one of the Legionnaires had passed to him.

“Hah!” I said, smiling. “You have fun with it, mate. Take it home for the missus!”

“I’m serious, Jax. Take a closer look,” he said, offering it to me. Curious, I took it and used my ‘Examine’ spell.

Corseiga Whip

Further Description Yes/No

Damage:

15-45 dps

Details:

This is a whip made from the metal Cobalt, treated and layered according to a method known only to the Corseiga people of the Southern Isles. It is both flexible and extremely strong. The whip is tipped with a clip that, when closed correctly, forms a tight seal with pressure, preventing the whip’s release by those who are unfamiliar with its secrets…

Rarity

Magical

Durability

Charge:

Highly Rare

Yes

87/100

N/A