Chapter 73: Take heart
Riven ran fast and hard. He made Big Guy run faster and harder. He did not care about being discreet again as he crashed against trees and snapped branches, the monster’s steps shaking the ground.
Before long, he reached the clearing where he felt the strips.
It was as if they had been waiting for him. The trees had been cleared, and they were sitting on tree stumps. Ten of them, and on each of their hands, encircling their wrist, was a strip of cloth.
Big Guy towered over them as it entered the clearing, but none of them flinched. They simply watched him.
Jasper smiled. "You sure took your time in coming here, my points."
Riven sighed in return. "Good. You’re all gathered here. One of you can just give me their strip, and I will make sure not to take your points. I don’t need anyone anyway."
Jasper sneered and laughed together with the other ten. "Are you this stupid? We are the top ten of Rank Two. Do you think a barbarian like you can defeat us?"
Riven frowned. "I defeated you just fine."
Jasper’s face flushed with anger, and his eyes flashed. "You..."
"Don’t worry yourself about him, Jasper. I, Lucien, will take care of him for you. I saw his fight earlier with you, and he’s totally useless without his summons. We’ll kill him before he has the time to summon any." The guy named Lucien was a bulky guy. He carried a hooked blade in his hand, the end fitted with a long chain.