Hello, I'm writing a story called "Ping Pong King", you can also read this story at http://royalroadl.com/fiction/8421 Synopsis: Wan XiYang bet his happiness on winning the Ping Pong King tournament. But, at a crucial moment, he lost. In a state of sadness, he was given a chance to change that fate. Complete a task given to him by the White God and his wish will be granted. Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy Table of Contents: Prologue - Loss Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16
Prologue - Loss "The year is 2038 and the sport commonly known as Ping Pong has become the number one sport in the entire world." A TV announcer stated as the news was broadcasted throughout Beijing, China. .......... "The chairman of the Ping Pong International Association also known as PPIA has declared the first Ping Pong event coined as Ping Pong King. Ping Pong athletes from all over the world will have the opportunity to participate in this worldwide event...." .......... "...Japan has won the first Ping Pong King tournament - Genzaki Ren dubbed National Treasure Musashi has taken first place in the Ping Pong King event. Take a look here at the crowning of mister Genzaki Ren as the first Ping Pong King...." .......... "It is the year 2049 and the undefeated Japan's winning streak had just been broken by America's Joseph Franz...." .......... "Dark horse from China - Long ZiWang defeats opponents left and right. He is now in the finals facing off previous year's king - Joseph Franz.... Oh! Long ZiWang loses by one point. The deciding rally lasted for thirty minutes...it seemed Long ZiWang lost out in stamina...." .......... "China's candidate for this year's Ping Pong King - Long ZiWang - had suffered a severe wrist injury and regrettably will not be able to hold the paddle ever again...." .......... "Ever since the loss of Long ZiWang, China has never had a candidate reach the top 100...." .......... "This is the year 2063, China has finally produced a talent. His name is Wan XiYang. He is 25 years old and the only disciple of Long ZiWang...." .......... "Wan XiYang has finally reached the top 100 - the first since Long ZiWang!...." .......... "Wan XiYang has just won against favored American candidate Carl Anderson and has moved on to the semi-finals!...." .......... "Wan XiYang has beaten Japan's Hojo Maki and moved on to the finals to face of Korea's previous champion - Choi Sujong...will he bring the victory that China has always dreamed of obtaining?" A news reporter stated as the cameraman zoomed in on Wan XiYang's face. Wan XiYang is an average looking young man with piercing eyes and a high nose. He stood straight at a height of five feet ten inches. He wore the red uniform of China. The pressure of the final match for Ping Pong King caused Wan XiYang to feel a bit nervous. He reached over and stroked his paddle - a habit he had developed to calm his nerves. The paddle he used was both a symbol of good luck and his weapon of choice in this match. The paddle used to be his master Long ZiWang's paddle when he attended his first and last Ping Pong King tournament. His master presented the paddle to him to use for his matches in the Ping Pong King tournament. As the two competitors waited, Wan XiYang had a flashback. He thought about his childhood...when he had watched his first Ping Pong King event. He was enthralled at the intense competition...of all the special moves that were used. When he was old enough, he pleaded for his father to buy him a paddle and a ball. He would practice every single day before and after school. Because he came from a poor family, he was only able to afford a paddle and one ball. After the ball broke from wear and constant use, XiYang started using other round objects - stones, fruit, nuts, etc. He became so proficient in Ping Pong that by the time he reached 12, he was caught by the eye of Long ZiWang who viewed him as a talent...a genius of the ages. XiYang was taken in as Long ZiWang's disciple and under his master's tutelage, he was able to invent many special moves as well as further perfect his skills and reflexes. XiYang was a quick learner and once he mastered all there was too learn from his master, he set out to win some local tournaments as well as provincial and national tournaments. He acquired the title Speed Demon for his fast and powerful playing style. It was at his first national tournament where he met the love of his life - Li MeiGe, a fellow competitor. They fell in love and after a few years, he proposed. Li MeiGe agreed...however, her parents set a condition - win the upcoming Ping Pong King event. Now, back to the present...Wan XiYang looked at his opponent. Korea's Choi Sujong was a powerful and cunning player with many feints and tricks up his sleeve. This upcoming match will be his toughest. Wan XiYang prayed to the gods above...to the Ping Pong god...and to his ancestors for help and guidance. If he wins this competition, his life will be set. Money, love, happiness...everything will be in his grasp. The whistle sounded...it was time to begin the final match. Wan XiYang got into position. It was his serve. He held the ball and took a deep breath. As the crowd quiets down, XiYang threw the ball into the air. "Splitting the Heavens!" XiYang yelled out one of his special serve moves. The paddle like a large blade splitting the Heavens smashed at the ball sending it flying over the net and to the other side of the table. Usually, he was able to score immediately with this serve, however his opponent was able to receive the shot. "Cradle Spin!" Choi Sujong roared as he received the ball with a lob coupled with a backspin. "Skim the Waters!" XiYang cried out as he chopped the ball. Seeing XiYang chop, Choi Sujong grinned. Something was up.... Choi Sujong received the ball with a sideways spin and exclaimed. "Twister!" The ball flew towards XiYang and as he reached over to receive the ball, he found that the ball did not bounce but instead continued to spin on the table. XiYang's heart sank as the first point went to his opponent. Not good! XiYang thought. The first point went to Choi Sujong. This is disadvantageous to me. The match continue on. However, XiYang was psychologically affected by the loss of the first point and kept losing more points than gaining until finally...it was the last game. They already played two games. One game was won by Choi Sujong while the other game was won by XiYang. The score for the last game was currently 23-24, Choi Sujong's match point. It was Choi Sujong's serve as well. Wan XiYang positioned himself in preparation for the serve. This was a critical moment for him and he did not want to lose it. Choi Sujong tossed the ball in the air and smashed down with a mixture of a backspin plus sidespin. The ball smashed into the table and swerved to the right. XiYang was expecting this and lunged to the right side. Just as his paddle was going to connect with the ball, the ball suddenly changed directions again and turned to the left. However, XiYang had studied Choi Sujong's moves from previous videos and expected it. This move was Choi Sujong's famous move - the Sidewinder. XiYang smiled as he reacted towards the ball. However, just as he was about to hit the ball, the ball moved once more. It lifted itself up just a fraction. This fraction caused XiYang to hit the ball with the top part of his paddle, sending the ball flying out of bounds. "H-how!" XiYang muttered in disbelief. As if he heard XiYang's disbelief, Choi Sujong sneered and said, "That was my newest move - Rising Sidewinder. You lose!" Korea cheered at Choi Sujong's victory, while China sighed in disappointment. Wan XiYang was stunned by his loss and he refused to believe it. It looked as if he would go insane at any moment. He lifted his head up and cried. "NOOOOOOOO!!! GOD WHY DID YOU FORSAKE ME!! WHY!!" He collapsed onto the floor. "Why...why...if only I could turn back time...if only...." Suddenly, he noticed something strange. Everyone had stopped moving...like they were stuck in time. He looked around and saw a white man with pure white hair and eyes in a white toga. The man beckoned to him. Words magically appeared in his mind. Do you want to win! The white man also known as the White God spoke. "Yes! Can you make it happen?" On one condition. You need to help me with a task. Complete it and I will grant you your wish. "Anything!" Good. Then, step into that portal. A portal appeared in front of XiYang. He hesitated a little but recalling his loss, he gritted his teeth and stepped in.
Chapter 1 - Request "Praise the White God! Our prayers have finally been answered!" A voice cheered. This was the first words Wan XiYang heard since he walked out of the portal. Surprisingly enough, he was able to understand the language...as if the people that stood in front of him were all speaking in Chinese. The man who spoke just now stood in front of him, arms raised and a jovial expression plastered on his face. He looked to be in his late forties with blond hair and a well-groomed full beard. The man was dressed in a white robe with a red sash and he wore a white hat that looked kind of like a mitre. The man said something about prayers being answered...could this be the task he needed to complete? "I am High Priest Grandine. Young man, are you the hero that the White God has sent us in our time of need?" The man asked. "I...I do not know of this hero stuff...or what your wish is about...but it is true that I was sent here by a man with white hair, white eyes, and a white toga." XiYang replied. "That is the White God! Then you are truly our Hero. I know this is selfish of us, but please help us with our request." "Sure. Your White God has already promised me a wish if I complete the task you give me. Tell me, what is it that you want me to do?" "Since thirty years ago, our country experienced the rise of a new Demon King. Now, in the olden days, we were able to handle each Demon King that rose to prominence. The previous Demon Kings were all monstrously strong but they were considered muscle-brained. However, this new Demon King was completely different from the others. This new Demon King, Kraal, was a devious and cunning demon. Unlike the previous Demon Kings, he specialized in speed. We were unable to defeat him. It has been thirty years since his rise and although we were able to defeat most of his generals and warriors, he still has a few personal elites and a few hundred demons left. However, we on the other hand...we lost our last elite two days ago." XiYang could infer what these people want him to do...but he still wanted to hear it from their mouth. "What is it you want me to do?" "Please, young Hero, save our land...defeat the Demon King and wipe out the remaining demon forces." "By myself?" "Oh...no, though we don't have our best, we were still able to save a few younger talents. They will accompany you on your journey." "And they are?" High Priest Grandine motioned with his hand and three young people walked out from within the crowd. There was two females and one male. The male had pointed ears and long silver hair...he must be an elf! XiYang had some knowledge of elves from his early manga reading years. The elf dressed in green with a dark green hood. He carried a long bow slung over his back and a quiver of arrows strapped on the right side of his waist. A few small knives were placed on the sheaths attached to his belt. One of the females was tall...taller than XiYang. She wore heavy armor and carried a large shield. Strapped to her waist is a one-handed hammer. The female had green eyes and brown hair however, most of her other features were covered by her armor. The last female had short purple hair with red eyes. There were freckles on her cheeks and a playful smile on her lips. She wore a cloak that did not cover her voluptuous body. "This is Janet Cortkins, she is a Guardian...one of the few who was able to graduate from the School of Combat this year." Grandine introduced as he pointed at the heavy armored female. Then, he pointed towards the elf, "This is Pine Moonoak, prince of the Moon Elves of the Moon Oak Kingdom. As you can see, he is a ranger well versed in scouting, traps, and hunting." "And lastly, this is Risa Jaral - a rising Mage. Her firepower is considered one of the best in our long history. She was the only surviving child of Duke Jaral." Grandine finished. "These three will help you on your journey. May they be of use to you." "I see." "Pray tell, young Hero, how do we call you?" Pine asked. "My name is Wan XiYang, you may call me XiYang."
Chapter 2 - Class "Alright. You guys can familiarize with each other more later on. For now, let's test our young Hero to see what class he will get." Grandine replied as he clapped his hands, signaling a priest to bring out the Testing Tablet. When the priest brought out the Testing Tablet and hand it over to XiYang, he looked at the tablet and asked curiously, "What is this?" "This is the Testing Tablet. Place your hand on the tablet and it will determine what class you have and what level you are at currently." "Okay." XiYang replied as he placed his hand on the tablet. He too wanted to know what kind of class he will have. The tablet shone a few seconds after XiYang placed his hand on the tablet. When the light disappeared, words appeared on the tablet. Name: Wan XiYang Title: Speed Berserker Class: Ping Pong Master Level: 100 "This...Ping Pong Master? What type of unique class is this?" Grandine said as he looked at the tablet. "Ah...Ping Pong is a sport that I'm good at. It involves hitting a ball with a paddle at fast and powerful speeds towards your opponent in order to defeat them." XiYang embarrassingly replied while he scratched his temple. Why Ping Pong Master? Can he really defeat a demon with this class? Sounds implausible.... Grandine misunderstood XiYang and thought that Ping Pong was a powerful weapon technique. "Wow, sounds powerful. Speed Berserker is your title...and your level is 100?! That's terrific! You must be really strong. If given the chance, maybe you can demonstrate your ability and let us open our eyes." "Haha...maybe some other time." "Awww...why not now. Please?!" Risa said as she grabbed XiYang's arm. XiYang blushed and tried to get Risa to let go. However, she refused to let go until he displays some of his prowess. Finally, XiYang agreed. XiYang took out his paddle and saw a note attached to his paddle. He looked at the note and realized it was from the White God. The note basically said that the White God gave him a few gifts to help him with his mission. The White God made it possible for him to bypass the language barrier. In addition, he made the paddle unbreakable with a special skill of increasing the power of an attack the faster he strikes an object with the paddle. XiYang smiled...at least he won't be entirely powerless.... He rummaged through his bag and pulled out a ball. He held it up for everyone to see before motioning the crowd to make some room. After the crowd gave way, XiYang looked around for a target. He saw a nearby tree. "I will aim at that tree." XiYang replied as he pointed to the tree. The crowd looked over expectantly and waited patiently for his demonstration. XiYang threw the ball into the air and waited for the ball to fall. At the moment where the ball fell to the ideal height, he whipped out his paddle and smashed the ball towards the ground. The ball hit the ground and bounced towards the tree...or not. Contrary to his expectations, the ball drilled into the ground instead and disappeared. Seconds later, a poof sounded out and the ball emerged from the ground a few feet away. The ball smashed into the tree and embedded itself into the tree. Everyone gasped in astonishment...including XiYang. "Wow! What is the name of that move?" Janet asked in interest. "Uh...that was...uh...the Tunneling Shot." XiYang said as he made up the name. The move he did was supposed to be a regular smash but because of the paddle's special ability, the move caused the ball to drill into the earth instead and became something like a special move. "And you have more special moves like that? Amazing!" Risa praised. "Ah...seeing that move, my worries are settled." Grandine replied. "Come, have a good rest and set out on your journey tomorrow." "Tomorrow? So soon? What about preparations?" XiYang inquired. "All have been taken care of...money...supplies...everything. "Haha, so all that was missing was me." "You are correct." "I see...then...rest? I'm sure you have a feast prepared as well am I right?" "Haha! Naturally, come this way." Grandine replied as he guided XiYang to the dining hall.
Chapter 3 - Polaris "So...where should we head for first?" XiYang asked his party. "To the north of here, in a small city called Polaris, there is a beast-type demon that proclaimed himself as the city lord. Reports indicated that this demon has about 30 subordinates." Janet answered "Beast-type demon? There are other types? How many types are there?" "There are four types of demons - beast-type, humanoid, monster-type, and regular demons." "Oh? Humans can become demons?" "Yes, in order for a demon to be born, the original creature must incur a certain number of Sin in order to demonize. The easiest way to obtain Sin is by killing the followers of the White God." Pine replied. "Ah...I see. So, what kind of beast is the demon that had taken over Polaris?" "He is a tiger-type beast. He's name is Tor the Slaughterer." "A tiger eh...any weaknesses? What abilities does he have? Any of his subordinates I need to look out for?" "If it's weaknesses...well, the little tiger has one eye so he's basically blind on one side. But his other senses are heightened and compensate for the loss of the eye. The tiger carries around two cleavers and can use a special move called Tiger's Roar. Anyone who listens to the roar gets stunned no matter friend or foe. As for any subordinates to look out for...there is none I think." Risa responded. "No, there is one. Her name is Nile, a snake-type demon. She's very cunning and has a large repertoire of Water Magic." Pine interjected. "Nile is still at Polaris? I thought with her capabilities, she would be transferred to the main army instead of holed up in a place far from battle." Risa spoke, her face showed a slight astonishment. "Could there be a reason this Nile stayed behind?" XiYang asked. "That...I'm not sure." Pine shook his head. "Okay. Let's worry about that when we get there. How long will we reach Polaris?" "At the pace we're going...about an hour." .......... An hour later.... .......... "Finally we're here." Risa muttered. She felt tired from walking. As a mage, her body isn't as fit as say warriors like Janet who didn't even break a sweat even with her heavy armor. "Pine, you think you can scout the perimeter? Look for a way, if available, to sneak in past the city walls." XiYang pointed out. "Okay. I'll be back in a few minutes." Pine nodded as he snuck towards the castle. He circled around the castle without being detected by the city guards before coming back to where the party set up camp. "So what's the situation? Is it favorable for us?" Janet asked. Pine looked at the group and nodded. "The security is pretty lax. There are four guards guarding the front gate and only two guards in the back gate. I overheard from the guards in the back gate that Tor loves drinking every night and he won't go to bed before becoming drunk." "Hmm...that means he'll be drinking tonight. Let's rest for now and infiltrate Polaris tonight." XiYang replied.
Chapter 4 - Night Raid Part 1 "Harhar...come! Let's drink some more! Harharhar." Tor chortled as he raised a large cup of alcohol to his mouth. With one huge swill, he guzzled down the liquor. "Boss...you've had too much. You need to rest. You need to be in your peak condition. Otherwise, what if we get attacked? How will you help defend our territory?" A snake-type demon urged. "Hmph! Who would dare attack me? I am Tor the Slaughterer! I'll cut down one as I see one!" "Yes, yes, you are the strongest. Please Boss, consider your health." "Fine...fine, after this barrel...and then, I'll head to bed. Fucker, you nag way too much. Men don't nag! That's a woman's job! You understand Nile?" "Ah...I am female...." "Oh? Harhar...I forgot. That makes more sense now." Tor said as he chugged the barrel of alcohol dry. As he tried to reach for another barrel, Nile scolded him angrily. With a crestfallen look, Tor replied. "Alright, alright. Let's go to bed then." Minutes later, Tor clambered on his bed and soon fell asleep. Most of the other demon subordinates serving under Tor had gone to bed as well. After about an hour, XiYang looked at the night sky. Clouds covered the full moon...it was a perfect time to attack. "Guys, get up...it's time to move." XiYang said as he woke up his party. After everyone refreshed themselves, they headed towards the back gate. As what Pine had reported, there were two guards guarding at the top of the gate. From the looks of it, they seemed to be on the verge of dozing off. XiYang motioned for Janet to cause some small noise below the gate. Janet walked towards the gate and knocked on the wooden doors. *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!* The two guards jerked alert at the noise and peered over the castle walls to the ground below. At the sight of the two guards leaning their heads out, XiYang took out a small round stone and tossed it into the air. He bend his knees and positioned his paddle to his left side kind of like an Iai stance and then smashed his paddle into the stone from the left side to the right. The stone, while spinning, flew towards the guard on the left. The stone smashed into the guard, knocking him out in an instant without a grunt. The stone ricocheted off from the guard's face and into the other guard, sending him flying and over the city walls. Janet hurried over and caught the guard in order to prevent any noise. With a twist and squeeze of her arm, she wrung the demon guard's neck off. "Wow!" Risa marveled. "What is that move called?" That shot was just a basic sidespin move...however, he couldn't just say that. "Uh...that was my special move - Iai Stance: Ricochet Shot." "Wow." "Enough talking...let's finish this mission first. Pine, can you scale the walls?" "Yes." Pine nodded. "Good, open the doors for us. Make sure you to clear out any nearby guards in order avoid suspicion." "Okay." "Oh, make sure you just open the doors a crack...big enough for us to sneak in. Close the doors once we pass through." "Will do."
Chapter 5 - Night Raid Part 2 *CREAK!* The doors cracked open slightly...large enough for Janet to squeeze through with her heavy armor. When they entered, they saw two more demon guards on the ground dead - arrows pierced through their hearts and their throats. "I've also killed the guard above the city walls and positioned him so that he appeared to be sleeping in the eyes of the others." Pine replied. "Most of the demons are sleeping. Let's split up. Janet and Risa, you go kill the demons who are sleeping. Make sure to avoid Tor and Nile. Do this quietly. Pine and I will take out the remaining guards and patrol groups." XiYang explained his plan. "How should I kill them?" Risa asked. "I don't know...drown them?" "Ah...I could do that." The four split up into their two teams and headed their separate ways. Janet and Risa snuck into tent after tent, house after house and killed the demons sleeping there. Pine and XiYang scoured the walls and shot down the few that patrolled the city walls. As for the patrols on the ground, XiYang used Ricochet Shot to knock the demon guards unconscious, while Pine knifed the ones he missed. Then, they both slit the throats of the knocked out guards. Suddenly, an alarm sounded. Pine and XiYang looked up startled...did someone spot them? Unlikely...unless.... Pine looked around and pointed. XiYang looked in the direction Pine was pointed at. Janet and Risa was rushing towards them, a number of demon forces pursuing close behind. "What happened?" XiYang asked. "Someone was awake when we walked in." Janet grimaced. "Can't be helped. Let's regroup." The four person party retreated back. After being chased a few times, XiYang suddenly turned around and tossed a handful of rocks into the air. The move he intended to do was originally used for one ball. It was a powerful and fast topspin that he named "Meteor Strike" however, with this many rocks, he changed the name to something else. "Meteor Shower!" XiYang roared as he fiercely smashed his paddle into the rocks. The rocks sped towards the approaching demons. The rocks accelerated due to the topspin and smashed heavily towards the frontlines of the charging demons. Those demons were knocked backwards and flying into the demons behind, slowing them down. With this diversion, the party of four successfully retreated to another spot. "How many demons did you kill?" XiYang asked Janet and Risa once they found a place to rest and hide. "We were only able to kill about nine of them." Janet shook her head in embarrassment. "There's nothing wrong with that number. We've only killed off eight of them." "Nine plus eight...plus the four we killed earlier...that's twenty-one demon guards. There's still ten more left including Tor and Nile." Pine calculated. "Okay, let's try to kill the rest of the demon guards." XiYang replied as he looked around at his surroundings. "Pine, you are quick on your feet, go lure some towards that alley over there. That narrow pathway will be disadvantageous to the demons." "Okay." Pine answered as he rushed out. XiYang and the rest headed towards the alley and laid in wait. Minutes later, Pine rushed over with about four demons chasing after him.
Chapter 6 - Night Raid Part 3 "Here he comes, get ready." XiYang said as he grabbed a round stone. Janet hefted her one-handed hammer and brought up her shield. Risa aimed her staff in front of her and prepared to cast some spells as soon as the demon guards were in range. Pine rushed into the alley and dove to the side to avoid his party's incoming attacks. XiYang switched into Iai Stance and smashed the stone with a topspin-sidespin combo. The topspin increased the speed of the shot and the sidespin indicated a ricochet shot. Back in his own world, this move would at best ricochet two times. However, here...coupled with his paddle's special attributes, he was able to do more than two times. "Iai Stance: Chain Lightning!" XiYang roared as the stone blasted towards the demon guard in the front. The stone smashed into the demon guard's head, stunning him, before bouncing towards the next demon guard. *BAP!* *BAP!* *BAP!* *BAP!* Four sounds...four hits...and four demon guards stunned. Seeing the guards stunned, Janet took advantage of this situation and rammed her shield into the guards, sending them all crashing into the ground. Risa shot water needles into the guards piercing their throats and silencing them. Pine rolled to his feet and in one smooth motion, shot four arrows into the demon guards' hearts. "Four down, six more to go...Pine, you think you can lure some more here?" Janet asked. "Sure. I ca-." Pine started but was interrupted by XiYang. "No, not here. We need to move to another location." "Okay." The four left the premises and snuck around in the shadows. XiYang looked around, "It's strange how there are no humans here. Did the demons eat them all?" "No...they're probably locked up in the dungeon below the castle over there." Pine reasoned. "Dungeon eh...how many demons are left? Six more right? With all this noise we have caused, I'm sure Tor and Nile had also woken up." "It's likely. What should we do next?" "Let's go to the castle." "The castle? That's dangerous." Risa interjected. "Haha, where are the demons now? They're outside searching for us of course. The safest place is naturally the place they won't suspect us of going...in this case, the castle." "Hmm...that makes sense." Upon reaching the castle, they found the door unlocked. Pushing the door open, they crept inside. "Where do you think the dungeon is? Is there a trapdoor or something?" XiYang asked. "Hmm, no trapdoor. I've been here before this place was overrun by demons and I remember there was a stairway that leads to the dungeons below." Pine mused. "Then, let's hurry and get there before the other demons come back." As XiYang and his party walked towards a hallway, Pine suddenly let out a warning. He had sensed something moving in the shadows and lunged at XiYang. "Look out!" Pine pushed XiYang out of the way and was stabbed by a demon. The demon was Nile. Janet rushed towards her fallen comrade and swung her hammer towards Nile. Nile jumped backwards and raised her dagger up in a defensive stance. "Risa, hurry and heal Pine. Check for poison as well." XiYang exclaimed.
Chapter 7 - Night Raid Part 4 "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be out there with the other demons?" XiYang directed his question towards the snake demon. "At first I was...but then I realized that this was all a distraction. I mean, why would the enemy be so stupid as to stay out there running and fighting? Your purpose was to lure us out and then come here to rescue the hostages." Nile explained. XiYang and his party scratched their heads in embarrassment...if not for the sudden change in plans, they would have stayed outside as well. When Nile so their hesitation and their embarrassed looks, she couldn't help but exclaim in shock, "Don't tell me...you guys...well, I'm dealing with idiots...this won't take long." "Who are you calling idiots?" Janet roared as she charged in with her shield raised. She intended to use Shield Bash to stun the demon. However, Nile jumped out of the way and slashed with her dagger. Unfortunately for her, Janet's heavy armor blocked her attack. "Cheh." Nile spat as she rolled behind Janet and tried to aim at any spaces in her armor. However, Janet seemed to realize what was happening and dove forward before scrambling to a kneeling position. "Don't forget about me!" XiYang roared as he used Meteor Strike. The stone smashed into the ground where Nile used to be. Nile had dodged sideways when she sensed the incoming danger. She spat out a glob of acidic poison at Janet. The acid melted some of the armor at her left shoulder off, leaving a vulnerable spot. XiYang wanted to attack Nile, but the slippery snake demon kept rolling around and hiding behind Janet, while spitting acid at Janet's armor and weakening it. Knowing what was being done, Janet rolled towards XiYang and swerved around. She crouched with her shield raised and positioned herself so that her back was facing XiYang. XiYang bent his knees to form the basic stance. He switched his grip style from shakehand to penholder. XiYang observed the snake demon to see what her next move will be. He casually glanced to his right where Risa was busily casting Recovery on Pine. At this moment, Nile charged in a zig-zag motion. XiYang took out a metal ball. Now a metal ball had more penetrating power and more damaging power than the round stones he had used before. It was time to end this. Watching the zig-zagging demon, XiYang decided on his next move. He tossed the metal ball into the air and with a fierce and quick sidespin swipe, he shot the ball towards Nile. The ball flew to the far left. Nile smirked thinking that XiYang missed and continued forward. However, she heard a whistling sound to her right. She turned her eyes to look...and *BAP!* The metal ball that shot to the left somehow came back and smashed into her head, piercing through. Blood gushed out from her wound as she collapsed on the ground. The snake demon trembled a few times before she stopped moving. At this point, XiYang let out a sigh before walking towards Pine to check up on his condition. Janet, too, relaxed herself as she stood up and walked towards Pine as well. "How's he doing?" XiYang asked. "I've managed to remove the poison. He should heal soon." Risa answered as she continued casting recovery spells. XiYang nodded. He turned towards Janet and asked her to check the doors to see if the demons are still searching or if they had come back already. As Janet got up and left for the door, XiYang casually glanced around. He turned back when he heard a groan. Pine had recovered. XiYang was just about to say something when he turned around quickly, a look of horror in his eyes. Nile's body was gone.
Chapter 8 - Night Raid Part 5 "Shit! Where's Nile's body?" XiYang cursed as he frantically searched. "What? You're right! Could Nile still be alive?" Janet gasped. "Can't be...I pierced her head. She should be dead." "N-no...." Pine muttered tiredly, "Nile has a special ability, she could shed her skin very quickly." "So the head I had pierced was actually the skin!" XiYang exclaimed. "What about the blood we saw?" Janet asked. "Must have grazed the top of her head or something." "Dammit! So close. You think she escaped to warn the others?" "Most likely. Alright, let's ready ourselves. Risa, how much mana do you have left?" "Um...about half left." Risa pondered a bit before saying. "Okay. Let's set up a trap for them when they enter." .......... Nile woke up from her shock. She just escaped death by using her ability to shed skin quickly. It's a good thing she didn't shed her skin earlier since she could only use this ability once a day. Though she dodged a fatal move, she was still hurt and blood flowed from her head. When Nile woke up, she stared groggily at her surroundings. She saw the humans looking over their fallen comrade, their backs turned towards her. Taking advantage of this, she quietly snuck away. She needed to notify Tor and the others. After exiting via a secret backdoor, she immediately rushed towards Tor. When Tor saw her, he roared at her asking why she didn't help find the intruders. However, when he saw Nile injured and bleeding from her head, he asked what had happened. "I found the intruders! They're in the castle. They're too strong especially the human who uses a strangely shaped board and metal balls." Nile reported. "The castle! Men! Follow me!" Tor urged as he rushed towards the castle. The two remaining subordinates followed close behind. "Wait! You need to form a plan. With just you guys, you won't be able to defeat them!" Nile shouted, however, she was ignored. "Bitch, only cowards waste time forming plans. We need to strike them while they're still in the castle. Charge! Hurry men!" The three demons continued rushing towards the castle. Nile, however, did not follow. She frowned at Tor's stupidity and rashness. There's no hope for this idiot...only death awaits them. Guess it's time for her to leave this wretched place. Nile turned her back and left the castle. .......... Tor rushed into the castle, kicking both doors wide open. Suddenly, Tor sensed some danger from below and jumped back. However, his two subordinates did not notice soon enough. The floor was frozen and slippery causing the two demons to slip. Ten arrows flew towards them. Though four arrows missed, the other six pierced through their targets. The two demons died instantly. Tor growled at the sight of the trap and looked around. The room was dark...it seems the intruders had put out the candles. Tor circled around the slippery floor and crept in. "Come out you cowards! Fight me face to face!" Tor roared.
Chapter 9 - Night Raid Final Part But his response was several arrows flying towards his head. Tor rolled to his side and scrambled up. He seethed with anger and was about to charge forward when a rock smacked into his chest, exploding in the process. The power of the rock forced him back a few steps, his chest still stung from the damage. Tor rubbed his chest and growled. Nile was right, these intruders were strong. "Nile! Help me out here!" Tor shouted as he looked behind him...but Nile was not there. "Nile! Bitch! You dare to abandon me! I'll skin you alive and make boots out of you!" "Is it alright for you to look elsewhere?" Janet roared as she charged from the shadows and smashed her shield into Tor. Tor grunted from the charge as he was knocked flying back and out of the castle. Janet positioned herself in front of the doors and held her shield and hammer up in a defensive stance. Tor looked at the armored woman, observing her every movement. Suddenly, water missiles shot from behind Janet. Tor jerked back at the sight of the water missiles. He was lucky enough to dodge the projectiles, but what he did not expect was that arrows were hiding behind the water missiles. Although the water missiles missed their target, the arrows however were able to penetrate Tor's legs and thighs. Tor grunted as he tried to stand, his legs trembling violently as his strength seeped out from under him. Blood trickled out from his wounds. He knew that he can't pull the arrows out for fear of faster blood loss. Bearing through the pain, Tor tried to walk forward. But, unexpectedly, his legs went numb and he collapsed. He couldn't feel his legs...this sensation...poison! "Cowards! Using poison...kuh!" Tor shouted in frustration and pain. "That's right. Pine here can use poison, but it's not like he isn't allowed to use them. After all, there is no cowardly moves in battle only cunning strategies." XiYang replied as he walked out from the shadows and towards the fallen demon. Pine, Risa, and Janet followed close behind. Tor eyed the approaching XiYang. He hoped this human would continue walking towards him...after all, he had a trump card up his sleeve. To be defeated like this, it seemed he was investigated thoroughly. However, no matter how thorough, these intruders definitely do not know of his most secret skill that he did not show anyone even in the demon army. Tor continued to stare intensely at the human...until finally, he looked straight into the eyes of the human and smirked. When XiYang was approaching the collapsed demon leader, he noticed the demon was staring hard at him...could he have something up his sleeve? Or was he scared? As he continued walking towards the demon, the demon suddenly looked straight at him...a sneer appeared on his face. Not good! This demon must have a trick up his sleeve. XiYang reached for his paddle and prepared for an incoming attack of some sort. A fireball shot out from Tor's mouth. This was Tor's secret move...and most dangerous move. The fireball uses the flames of his life...in other words, it uses his life force to power up and form the fireball. The fireball blasted towards the human. Tor grinned in victory as he saw the other intruders' panicked eyes...but when he saw the human in front of him...he frowned. XiYang was calm...there was no panic or shock...as if he expected Tor to do something. What XiYang did next caused Tor to grimace in resignation. As the fireball flew towards XiYang, his party all tried to warn him but they were not fast enough. However, XiYang anticipated this surprised attack and swung his paddle at the fireball. Given his paddle's special attributes, he was able to smash the fireball back towards Tor. The fireball smashed into Tor, sending him in flames and pain. Soon, the fire subsided, leaving a burnt corpse "Wow! Didn't know you could do that." Pine said in shock and wonder. "Me neither." XiYang replied in agreement.
Chapter 10 - Rescue "Okay guys. Let's go rescue those hostages." XiYang clapped his hands to get the attention of his fellow party members. "Ah yes. Let's go." Risa agreed. The four-member party headed back into the castle and walked down the long hallway where they soon found a doorway that led to a set of stairs, which led to the dungeons below. The group headed down the stairs with Pine in the lead as scout...and because he was holding the torch. Upon nearing the dungeons, a strong stench of human excretions and disease permeated the four's senses. Everyone gagged...especially XiYang who was not used to such terrible scenarios. The four covered their noses with cloth fused with purification water from Risa before continuing downwards. Upon arriving, XiYang nodded towards Risa who immediately understood his intentions. Risa walked forward and started casting a number of purification spells and recovery spells on the imprisoned townspeople. Initially, the prisoners cowered in fright at the appearance of the four, but when they realized that the group were not demons, they became dazed for a few seconds as if to not believe what was happening. One cheer erupted followed by many others...soon everyone was happy and crying with joy. They were rescued...they were finally freed from their captivity. It was all thanks to these four...these Heroes...their saviors. .......... "Congratulations for saving the townspeople of Polaris and for killing the demon elite Tor the Slaughterer. We have a feast in preparation for your success. Please do attend." High Priest Grandine exclaimed in excitement. "Thank you very much. I couldn't have done it without the help of my fellow party members." XiYang replied as he nodded towards Pine, Janet, and Risa who were all smiling with pride. It was near noon when they arrived from their mission to Polaris. "Oh, by the way, we've notified the king of your presence and that you were able to successfully kill a strong demon elite. The king was joyous when he heard the news and would like to meet you. His Majesty will also be attending the feast as well, so be sure to be on your best behavior. Pine will teach you the necessary etiquette so learn well." "The king eh...okay, I understand." "Okay, go prepare now. You may even have some time to rest if you need it. The feast will start in five hours." XiYang and the rest of his party bowed one more time before leaving the hall. Outside the hall, XiYang glanced towards Pine, "How many more demon elites are left?" "About ten more I believe." Pine replied after thinking for a bit. "You should be careful of one demon though...this demon elite is called Talia. She's the older sister of Tor and it's believed that she's stronger and faster than Tor." "Really? Hmm...that's troubling. Any weaknesses?" "I heard she was rash and extremely reckless...does that count as weaknesses?" "Yea...if she's rash...do you think she would attack us here once she heard we killed her brother?" "That's...likely." .......... "Boss! Boss! Boss!" A messenger smacked open the doors to a large room and rushed inside before kneeling in front of a chair. A female demon elite sat on the chair with her back turned. This was Talia...the older sister of Tor the Slaughterer. She was busily wolfing down all the food placed on the table in front of her. The messenger dared not to speak given the Boss's attitude towards people disturbing her meal. When Talia paused from her food, she slightly turned her head back and growled, "Speak!" "Boss...it's your brother...he was killed." "WHAT!?" Talia roared as she smashed her fists on the table, crushing it to pieces. Talia stood up and furiously looked at the messenger, her killing intent suffocating the messenger. "WHO KILLED TOR!?" "It was a human...a human that used a strange board with round stones and metal balls." "H...U...M...A...N!!!"
Chapter 11 - The King and the Princess "So you are the Heroes that defeated Tor the Slaughterer, eh?" A middle-aged man with golden hair and a bushy moustache replied. "Yes your Majesty. I am XiYang and these are my party - Pine, Janet, and Risa." XiYang replied as he continued to kneel on one leg out of courtesy. "Good...that's good. I will pray for your success in defeating the Demon Lord. " "Thank you." "Rise...this feast is for you. Go and enjoy the food and the dancing." The king replied as he waved at the party to dismiss them. XiYang and his group bowed once more before blending in with the crowd. The feast continued. Everyone was enjoying themselves. Suddenly...it got quiet. Whispers could be heard behind XiYang, his friends all showed astonished faces. XiYang looked at them curiously before sensing that something was occurring from behind him. He turned and saw...a beautiful woman with long golden hair and a playful smile on her lips. Her bright hazel eyes stared at XiYang as she approached him. The people around him started kneeling. Who was this? But then, his question was answered by the murmurs nearby...Princess Pearl?...the princess! XiYang quickly knelt before the princess and greeted her. "Please rise. I just wanted to see the Hero who saved the people of Polaris." Princess Pearl replied. "It wasn't only me your Highness, my party also played a big part in rescuing the people of Polaris." XiYang replied as he stood up and introduced his party to the princess. "Haha, modest like they say. I was wondering if you would grant me the pleasure of having tea with me?" Is...is this the classic case of 'princess falling in love with hero'? I need to avoid this flag or it'll get dangerous. XiYang thought. "Sure. It will be my pleasure your Highness...as friends." "F-friends...." The princess stammered, clear disappointment appearing on her face. She turned around with a humph and stamped away. "Why did you do that? That was Princess Pearl!" Janet asked. "Haha...it felt like she was falling in love with me." "Isn't that a good thing?" Risa asked curiously. "Sure...for some people. But I got a fiancee." "Oh...." Awkward silence ensued. Suddenly, the doors smashed open and a guard rushed in. The guard looked around and saw the king. He rushed to the king and reported, "Your Majesty! Terrible news! Three demon elites and about two hundred demons are attacking our castle!" "WHAT?!"
Chapter 12 - Talia the Insane "COME OUT!!" A roar echoed as XiYang and his party rushed towards the castle walls. When Talia saw XiYang and his party, she sneered, "Are you the bastards who killed my younger brother?" "Yes, so? He deserved it." Risa argued. "Very good...very good. Then, go die!" Talia roared as she lunged at Risa, her claws out and aiming at Risa's neck. "Oh no you don't!" Janet roared as she blocked the attack with her shield and rammed her shield into Talia, sending her flying. "Haha, Talia...aren't you too weak?" One of the demon elites snickered. This demon elite was a tall scorpion humanoid with a human upper body and a scorpion lower body. He had red hair and pointy ears with black tribal tattoos all over his body. "Shut up Kairo!" Talia roared as she scrambled back to her feet. "What are you demons doing? I'm the leader and I say attack!" "Hmph! Fine, I just thought that since you were always proclaiming about how strong you were, you would be able to handle a group of humans." Kairo snorted. "Kairo, don't provoke her anymore." The third demon elite replied. This demon elite had a horse head and a humanoid body. He wore leather armor and carried a mace. "You don't have to tell me Stallo. Warriors, attack!" The demons all charged forward towards XiYang and his party. Immediately, XiYang rushed forward and reached for his pouch in his backpack. Pulling out a handful of round stones, he threw them up into the air before him. With a few quick smashes of his paddle, the stones were launched into the cluster of demons. "UUUWWWAAAAHHH!!" Screams of death erupted from the demons. Each stone that XiYang had smashed at the demons found its target. Some stones were launched so fast that they even pierced through the first row of demons and embedded into the demons behind them. "Haha! As expected from the killers of my little brother! Good...good.... Kill!" Talia laughed hysterically as she charged in with her claws out. "As expected of the one called Talia the Insane...truly fits the name perfectly." Pine grimaced as he shot a few arrows at the rampaging tiger demon. Talia dodged the arrows and continued charging, the arrows did not slow her down. XiYang grabbed another handful of stones and launched them high into the air. Talia laughed and asked where he was aiming at. But XiYang's smile caused her to pause. Screams from behind her erupted causing her to turn and look back. The stones that XiYang launched into the air all fell at increased speeds into the demons behind her. With this attack, more than three-fourths of the demons she had brought with her to battle had perished. She spun around and glared at XiYang. "Pine, Risa, Janet! You three deal with those two demon elites and the rest of the demons. I'll handle this kitten first and come help you as soon as I'm done." "Kitten! Looking down on me! Motherfucker! I'll kill you and use your skull as a wine cup!"
Chapter 13 - Defeat Pine, Risa, and Janet split from the group and flanked the demons in the back. Talia tried to sneak attack Pine but was intercepted by XiYang. "Where are you attacking? I'm your opponent!" "If you want to die so badly, then I'll fulfill it!" Talia roared as she slashed towards XiYang. XiYang swung his paddle and deflected the attack, "Risa! Fireball now!" "Got it!" Risa affirmed as she fired a fireball towards Talia. The fireball flew towards the female demon who smirked and jumped high into the air, avoiding the magic attack. However, that was a bad move on her part. While in the air, it was near impossible for Talia to defend against a ranged attack. And that's what XiYang was hoping for. The fireball missed Talia and headed straight for XiYang. XiYang crouched into a stance and lobbed at the fireball, sending it flying high and straight for Talia. Talia squinted at the attack and smirked. These weaklings were underestimating her abilities. She raised her claw and prepared to slash down but suddenly, a stabbing pain erupted from her right shoulder and disrupting her attack. She winced in pain as she looked to see an arrow sticking out of her shoulder, green liquid trickling into the wound...poison! This moment of distraction cost her greatly as she remembered the incoming fireball. Talia quickly raised her left arm in an half-hearted guard. *BAM!* The tiger demoness screamed in pain as she fell from the sky and cratered into the ground below. Moments later a hand extended from the smoking crater as Talia struggled to pull herself out of the hole. Once she managed to stand on her feet, she roared at some of the demon warriors to back her up. However, when there was no demon warriors coming to her aid, she turned and saw that all of the warriors were killed off. All that's left were the two demon elites - Stallo and Kairo who were busy fighting against Pine, Janet, and Risa. Talia paled as she realized she had underestimated XiYang and his party. She should have brought more help but her arrogance had dissuaded her. The tiger demoness glared at the weird looking human before her with his equally weird weapon. "Still not dead yet?" XiYang sneered as he stood up from his crouch, his guard relaxed and full of openings. "If you think you can defeat me with a weak attack like that, then you're sorely mistaken!" Talia snarled as she struggled to charge towards the unguarded human. However, she was only able to take a few steps before her legs gave way and she fell to the ground. "Shit! I forgot about the poison! How cowardly!" "Haha! Like brother like sister. You both say the same things. Well, let me explain it to you like how I explained to your brother. Using poison isn't cowardly...it's strategy." "You...you demon!" "Haha! If I'm a demon, then what are you? Hmm, this had dragged on for too long. Time to finish it." XiYang reached into his bag and pulled out a specially made metal ball. He threw it into the air and speedily chipped the ball at the side. The speed of the smack, caused the ball to disappear as it flew towards the tiger demoness. Talia used all of her strength to roll to the side however, she realized too late her mistake. The ball did not shoot towards her straight on, but instead swerved from the side. The ball smashed into Talia's neck and pierced through it. Blood flowed continuously out of her wound as she struggled to cover it up with her hands. With regrets in her eyes, she coughed a few times before dying. Once she had died, the other two demon elites retreated with fear. Their strength was leagues away from Talia and if she was able to be killed without much effort, then they would not stand a chance either. Pine and Risa tried to fire some attacks at the quickly fleeing demon elites but their attacks could not reach. Janet looked towards XiYang and asked what they could do. Should they let them go? Or should they give chase? "Let me handle them." XiYang replied as he reached into his bag and pulled out another metal ball. "One ball? Shouldn't you use two?" Risa asked as she saw the ball in XiYang's hand. "One's enough." XiYang closed his eyes for a bit and concentrated. Then, with his eyes opened, he threw the ball into the air. Shouting "Sword of Destruction", XiYang waited for the ball to fall to shoulder height and swung the paddle down like a sword. The edge of the paddle chopped at the ball with such force that the ball split into two as it launched into the distance. The two halves shot towards the retreating demon elites, catching up to them in a matter of seconds. The metal pieces pierced into the skulls of the demons, instantly killing them. As the two demon elites died, the observing people within the castle cheered as they praised XiYang and his party for their success.
Chapter 14 - Crimson Cliffs "So, what will we do now?" Pine asked XiYang as the four friends sat down for the celebratory feast the king had hosted after their successful defense against the demon attack. XiYang reached across the table for a drumstick and took a bite, "How many demon elites are left?" "Only a couple more. The Demon King should know by now that we had killed another three of his demon elites. It's likely he had called back his warriors to his main fortress in preparation for an all out assault." Janet replied between bites of food. "So why don't we take the war to them? They're probably thinking we're going to hole up in our own fortress in preparation for a siege. They won't expect us to go to them." "That's a good idea...but does anyone know where the Demon King's fortress is?" Risa exclaimed as she glanced at the three people before her. "I actually have a guess." A voice came from behind them. XiYang and his friends turned to look and saw the king walk up towards them. They prepared to stand, but the king raised his hands and told them to sit as this was a party to honor them...they did not need to be formal. "Your Majesty, do you truly know where the Demon King resides?" Pine asked expectantly. "I'm not 100% sure but according to reports of my intelligence group, we've calculated a location that the Demon King will most likely appear at." "What location is that?" XiYang asked. "Crimson Cliffs." "Crimson Cliffs!" Janet yelped but quickly lowered her voice as she noticed some curious heads turning towards her exclamation. "You sure?!" "That's the problem. We're not 100% sure." "How sure are you...exactly?" Risa inquired. "Only 70% chance." "Well, that's good enough for me. Let's gather the troops and lay waste to their castle." Janet exclaimed. She prepared to stand in order to leave but XiYang placed his hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Now, hold on a minute," XiYang interjected, "we're only 70% sure. That's not a good percentage to work with. What if the castle isn't at Crimson Cliffs? And with the troops gone, who's going to defend the castle when the demons attack?" XiYang turned to the king and asked, "Have you had anyone go check for sure that it's the Crimson Cliffs?" "Yes, I had sent my fastest scout to check. He should be back anytime today." "Okay. For now, have the soldiers prepare themselves. Our troops need to be ready no matter if it's a raid or a siege. As soon as the scout comes back, we can determine our next course of action." "Okay, I'll do that. You guys get ready too." .......... "Its been five hours. The sun is about to set. Where is that scout?" The king muttered as he paced around in his study room. The soldiers have all been accounted for and prepared for battle. Even the hero and his party were well equipped and ready...and that was two hours ago. Where is that scout? As he finally gave up pacing and decided to go look for his Chief of Intelligence, a few short knocks emitted from his door. The king opened the door to reveal an old man with a bent back and graying hair. "Ah, Chief Getton! Just the guy I was looking for. Is there something you need?" "Yes, your Majesty. It's about the scout we sent to Crimson Cliffs." Chief Getton replied nervously as he rubbed his hands. "Is he back?" The king exclaimed as he peered behind the Chief of Intelligence. "I don't see him. Why isn't he here?" "The scout...didn't make it." "What do you mean?" "He...he died." "What?! What happened?" "We don't know...but the magic shard connecting to his soul shattered." "Which very well means he's dead." The king mumbled, a dejected expression displayed on his face. "But don't fret. The scout did complete his mission. Before he died, he had confirmed that the demons are all situated at the Crimson Cliffs. We were able to monitor and record his last moments." "How did he die? Did the demons find him?" "Fortunately, no. It was truly unlucky the way he died. During his scouting, he tried to approach closer but his presence was somehow sensed by one of the demon elites. To avoid being detected and bringing jeopardy to the mission, he sacrificed himself by jumping off the cliff." "A valiant man. Make sure to award his family and give him a proper funeral." "Yes your Majesty!" Chief Getton bowed as he scurried off. The king left his room and pointed to a nearby knight. "Alert the men, prepare to move out. Our destination - Crimson Cliffs!"
Chapter 15 - Battle Start "There it is. Crimson Cliffs. Men! Bring out the siege weapons! Prepare for battle!" The king ordered as soon as the Demon King's fortress was in sight. The soldiers were all brought to a halt. Some set down their bags and others helped unload the carriages that carried large pieces of unassembled siege machines. After unloading everything, the soldiers began to quickly and expertly assembled the pieces until finally, two battering rams and three catapults were constructed. This seems meager but it can't be helped. These five siege weapons are the only functioning ones left. As a group of soldiers pushed the siege weapons to the frontlines, XiYang and his party approached the king. "What are your plans?" The king asked as he noticed the hero and his party. "We plan to have Pine infiltrate the castle while the demons are focusing on us and open the gates from within." XiYang replied. "It's a dangerous task for one person. Why not bring a few more brave men with you?" "No, too risky. Too many people will attract unwanted attention. It will be much safer if Pine went alone. But don't worry, Risa will cast a spell of invisibility on Pine as well as some buffs to help him get through this mission." "Still sounds dangerous. I have confirmation on a demon elite with the ability to detect presences. I don't think a mere invisibility spell would work." "Is that so? Hmmm...nevertheless, I have confidence in Pine. Besides, he isn't weak. He can take care of a demon elite or two on his own." "Is there a better option?" "There may be...but I haven't thought of any good ones yet. We don't have time to think of other options so we need to go through with this one." Pine firmly replied, his fighting spirit blazing to the brim. Seeing the courage in Pine's eyes, the king finally gave in with a sigh. "Fine. But you must stay alive. That's an order." "Yes your Majesty!" Pine bowed before leaving with Risa. The king turned to XiYang and Janet. "As for us? What should we do?" "We fight. I'll be vanguard and Janet will fight off any demons that get close to me. As soon as the first explosion sounds, fire the catapults and the long-ranged troops. When the gates open, have the infantry and cavalry charge in." XiYang replied after a momentary pause. "And if the gates don't open?" "I'll find a way." The king stared at XiYang who did not back down and instead, met his stare with full self-confidence. "Alright. I'll trust you." The king looked to his flagbearer and ordered him to indicate the start of the battle. With a few swift movements, the flagbearer signaled to the soldiers below to get into positions. The flagbearer looked to the king who nodded his head. With a raise of the flag, the flagbearer pulled out a horn from his belt and blew it. The sound of the war began. The soldiers raised their voices and marched forward. The siege weapons rolled slowly and steadily towards the entrance of the castle. Many people from the frontlines could see the demons scurrying about on top of the castle walls. Archers and mages were lined up and aiming. Not waiting for them to shoot, XiYang withdrew a stone from his pouch and smashed the stone with his paddle. The stone flew like an arrow and pierced the skull of one of the demon mages. The demon mage standing beside the victim was frightened by the sudden death of his demon brethren. The demon mage, like other demons, had assumed that the humans wouldn't be able to attack from the distance they were currently at. But to think the humans could actually accurately attack from so far away. Forgetting his superior's order to wait and coupled with his shock, the demon mage hastily fired a large fireball towards the human army. Seeing the incoming fireball, XiYang lunged forward ahead of the other soldiers and brought his paddle to his waist. He brought out his right foot and bent down, turning his waist so that his right shoulder faces the incoming fireball. Just as the fireball entered his range, he retaliated. "Iai Stance: Splitting the Heavens!" XiYang roared as he slashed his paddle upwards like a blade, splitting the fireball in half. The air pressure of the counterattack pushed the fireball halves back, each diverging towards opposite ends of the front gate. BOOM! "That's the signal! Men! Catapults! Fire!" The king roared as soon as he saw the explosion.
Okay, dude. No need to post every dingle chapter from RRL here. It will just substract from your views on the site. Second, is this story actually about ping pong?