-What were you laughing about a moment ago?- One of Austin's mages approached, he was clearly human, appearing Asian with black hair and yellow skin, his face marked by disfigurement.
Ringo stopped, a little confused by the situation.
Aesop had already turned away from Ringo at some point, his eyes clearly appreciative, finding the situation interesting.
The other forbidden sorcerers also did not intervene, clearly appreciating that someone had stood out first..
Ringo didn't know what to say for a moment. Could he say that he was thinking about what his "friend" was feeling right now because he had completely infuriated him? Probably no one would believe him.
Even though he felt that random laughter didn't justify so much hostility, he knew he was in unfamiliar territory, and a territory full of mages at that.
-Sorry, I was laughing at something I remembered earlier, I didn't mean to offend anyone.- Ringo explained calmly.
Unfortunately, this did not satisfy the Mage, he snorted slightly, disbelieving, and said. -Our leaders went to train against each other, why don't we train too?
Ringo frowned, he wasn't Han Xiao, who randomly received missions when someone challenged him. He wouldn't receive anything from that. However, he then considered another perspective: this is a mage, and a mage who's a member of Austin's forbidden sorcerers. He's probably not weak.
That means... he probably has some good things in his "pockets", right?
Thoughtfully, he activated his future vision and began to see some possibilities before smiling and speaking. - Okay, that sounds like a good idea, but...
The Mage was clearly excited by Ringo's words, but hearing his pause afterward, he narrowed his eyes.
-But what? You want to chicken out?- He asked angrily.
-No, far from it, but I really don't see any reason to fight, how about... we add a small wager?
The mages began whispering amongst themselves, clearly curious about how the event was unfolding, until Aesop seemed to grow increasingly excited, he hadn't foreseen anything going wrong, so he wouldn't stop the situation. Instead, he wanted to see a show.
The Mage stopped, narrowing his eyes, thinking that this was getting increasingly strange, how had a challenge turned into a wager?
-What do you want to bet?- he asked. In the end, he didn't back down, he didn't think he would lose to this nameless fellow. He just greatly admired Austin and thought Ringo was mocking his master, so he wasn't going to stand idly by.
A bet was just a bonus for him.
Ringo didn't say anything, he simply pulled out the Grade A ice core he'd acquired the last time he was here, twirled it between his fingers, and presented his wager.
The Mage paused, slightly surprised. As a Mage, he could see the quality of the core, so he frowned slightly, even for him, an equivalent wager would still sting a little.
Ringo could have removed Maktru, but he had already seen the future enough to know that the Mage didn't have many things that interested him, except...
The Mage pulled a rock from his own space pouch, the rock was completely black as coal, with fiery veins running through it. It had an extremely high temperature, but it was contained by runes.
The Mage didn't explain what it was, but Ringo knew exactly what it was through his vision of the future, a dragon's heart, more specifically, a Volcanic Dragon's heart.
Even though it looked like just a rock the size of a baseball, for a mineral being with a body made of hot rocks, having such a heart was perfectly plausible.
The heart of a dragon so strong it reached the peak of Grade A was something highly enviable among mages, even the ice core in his hand paled, but for the mage, he never thought he would lose.
-I accept your bet.- Ringo agreed, putting away the ice core. -Where should we fight?
The Mage pursed his lips, guarded the heart, and began to walk away. Ringo said nothing and followed him with the rest of the forbidden sorcerers, and Aesop close behind them.
Ringo was then led to a training room, the entire room surrounded by glowing blue crystals with energy flowing within them, likely strong enough to handle a peak Grade A fight, though hardly durable enough for Austin to use.
The room was enormous, a football stadium could easily fit inside it.
Only the Mage and Ringo entered, the Mages and Aesop went to a private area overlooking the arena, their figures visible through one of the crystals highest above the arena.
-My name is Huang Ming, remember that name.- The man said with a haughty look, already holding an obsidian staff with one sharp point and the other with a purple crystal on it.
-Ringo Jones. - Ringo introduced himself briefly, his hand waving to the side, and from his space pouch, Umbra Alba appeared. She didn't appear silently, but a thunderous dragon roar echoed through the room for a few seconds.
Huang Ming narrowed his eyes at the weapon, curious. -A Soul Weapon, a rarity indeed, too bad you didn't gamble it away.
Ringo shrugged, he wasn't going to gamble Umbra Alba. First, because he really liked the weapon and would be devastated if he lost it, and second, because, as Huang Ming said, she has a soul and wouldn't be happy to be used as a bargaining chip.
Spinning the spear easily in his hand, Ringo assumed a fighting stance, spreading his legs and pointing the tip of the spear towards the ground.
Huang Ming's scepter also began to release a deep purple energy.
The next moment, without any warning, they both moved.