Chapter 32: Not Bad For A Pacifist
Orion's bracelet vibrated against his wrist. The midway ranking update.
He flicked his gaze to the holographic interface, scanning the names as he adjusted his grip on the sword. Kieran's techniques were fluid but demanding—small adjustments made all the difference.
He scrolled through the rankings while casually shifting through footwork drills. Top 1000 names. He memorized them in under seven minutes.
Some names stood out.
Renji Carridan (#6) and Elle Vorst (#7) – Commoners outperforming nobles. That was unexpected.
Ares Petrosyan (#19) – The second-highest-ranked Confederate. Decent, but not a threat.
Aurelia Velstrane (#1) – Still untouched at the top.
Orion's own placement?
2nd place. 540 points. Casually keeping up with the Dominion's best.
He let the numbers settle in his mind. More than rankings, he analyzed fighting styles. These names represented future encounters—potential allies or enemies.
Aurelia was predictable. Her swordplay was refined but lacked unpredictability. Darian Kairon (#3), however, was a wildcard. The way he fought suggested he wasn't burning all his cards yet. Erasmus Alvarix (#4) was another one to watch—aggressive, but reckless.