After the cultivation session, Desper went into a deep sleep until the next morning.
When he woke up, he noticed Eland and Zen cultivating on their beds with closed eyes. He looked around and didn't find the others.
He went to the bathroom to empty his stomach, then ate some dried meat before leaving the Beacon.
Booooooph….
Just as he opened the door, a body was slammed onto the ground near him.
Desper was stunned. For a second, he thought that there was a monsters' attack, but he dismissed that as he didn't hear any alarming sound from the arrays.
"Arkan? What happened?" he recognized the blond man and asked.
Arkan had lost all of his handsome features. His hair was messy, and his face was covered with dirt.
"HAHAHAH….. why are you so weak today?" laughter came from the front.
Desper looked and saw the giant man: Taros.
Arkan ignored Desper and got up. Tightening his hands over his spear, he charged at Taros, a big smile on his face. "Your children will become orphans today!"
Desper was utterly confused. "What is going on here?"
"They are sparring," a voice answered from the side.
Desper turned and was surprised to see Bron sitting on a rock, his body still injured, but much better than yesterday.
A cultivator's body healed much faster than a normal person's. Together with the effect of the Healing Pills, it was enough for most wounds to heal in one day, like Desper's and Arkan's wounds, but Bron's were severe and would need more time.
"Huh? Sparring? Is that even possible?"
Desper was puzzled. A fight between an Organ Cultivator and a Muscle Cultivator was just a joke as it would be one-sided.
"It is possible," Bron answered with a smile, "just watch them."
Desper watched as Arkan rushed at Taros. He tried to stab him with the spear, but it was stopped by Taros' large mace. Arkan twisted his body and swung his spear again. Taros didn't block it and just stepped back, dodging the spear.
Arkan tried to attack him again and again, but every time, Taros parried or dodged his attacks.
Desper narrowed his eyes. "Where is his tower shield, and why are his eyes almost closed?"
"It is to make the fight fair." Bron smiled and explained, "Arkan is training normally, while Taros is training to adapt to different situations."
"Oh…. I see." Desper nodded and watched their fight for a while.
He realized that both of them were grinning as they enjoyed it. Sometimes Taros would send Arkan flying with one swing of his mace, but he would still get up and launch himself at him again and again.
Desper looked at Bron and asked, "How are your wounds?"
Bron was slightly surprised. "Don't worry about them. I'm used to it."
Desper shivered after hearing that. 'Getting used to almost dying? Will I get used to it as well?'
He didn't know why, but his eyes were suddenly drawn to the roof of the Beacon. There, he saw Silas staring at him with a deep, unreadable gaze.
He thanked Bron and climbed the roof. Silas' eyes didn't leave him the whole time.
Desper stood before him and didn't say a word.
"What do you want?" Silas inquired.
"I don't know," Desper shook his head. "You were staring at me as if I had killed your parents or something."
Silas kept his cold face. "How did you kill those monsters yesterday?"
"Huh?!" Desper's body tensed. He tried to keep a normal face. "What do you mean?"
Silas narrowed his eyes. "Maybe Zen helped you, but most of the arrows didn't hit the monsters in critical spots that would allow a Third-Stage Muscle Cultivator like you to kill M-7 monsters."
A weird look appeared on Desper's face as if he didn't understand him, but deep inside, he was nervous.
The arrows needed to hit the arms and legs of the M-7 monsters to let a weak cultivator like him kill them. Desper was afraid that it would draw a lot of suspicion if he implanted all the arrows in these areas, so he shoved most of them into their backs, hoping no one would think about that. Unfortunately, Silas did.
'That is really annoying.'
Desper tried to think of an excuse, but he felt that if he tried, that would make him more suspicious.
Suddenly, he smiled as he thought of something. "Okay, okay, you got me."
"Hmm?" Silas raised an eyebrow.
Desper sighed and stated, "When I saw these monsters rushing at me, I was too afraid, and I thought I was dead. However, I gathered my courage and drew my swords to face them like a man."
He shrugged and added, "At that point, the monsters realized how great I was, so they gave up and let me kill them."
Silas was stunned for a moment. He gave Desper a deep frown.
Desper ignored it and kept his smiling face.
He watched as Silas stood and jumped from the roof and landed smoothly on the ground.
Holding his daggers, Silas raised his head to look at Desper and said, "Come and show me how great you are."
Desper's mouth slightly dropped in surprise.
He wanted to get closer to the team members since he would stay with them for a while, but he didn't expect that the situation would escalate to this.
'What should I do now?'
He thought for a while and, in the end, decided to do what the other wanted.
The Beacon was 10 meters tall; he didn't think that he could jump directly from it, so he climbed down. Desper unsheathed his swords and stood five meters away from Silas.
That drew the attention of Taros, Arkan, and Bron.
Desper and Silas stood there, neither moving.
"Won't you attack?" Silas uttered in a cold tone.
Desper shook his head. "I will give you the honor of the first move."
"Pfff…" on the other side, Arkan couldn't resist his laughter. "I can't believe he just said that to Silas."
Beside him, Taros grinned. "This is really a funny fellow."
However, Silas actually didn't get angry. He tightened his hands over the daggers and, in the blink of an eye, he disappeared.
Desper's eyes widened and quickly raised his swords to intercept.
Cling…
A clash gave out a loud metallic sound.
'Too strong.'
Desper knew that Silas was using only a small amount of his strength, but he still felt that his arms were about to break.
Silas spoke in a low voice, "You have a really good reaction, but…."
Desper tried to retreat as he noticed Silas' leg move, but he was too slow.
Arghhhh…
Silas' foot smashed into his stomach and sent him flying six meters back.
Desper groaned in pain, holding his stomach.
Silas sneered. "You know that you are much weaker than me, and you still dared to provoke me."
Desper used one of the swords to stand and looked him in the eyes. "I didn't know that… cough… my opponent is a crazy man."
Silas ignored his note and said, "Will you attack, or will you give me the honor of the second move?"
Desper stared at him in silence. He actually considered giving up and leaving the fight, as it didn't make any sense: Desper was in the Third Stage of Muscle Cultivation, while his opponent was in the Seventh Stage of Organ Cultivation. That was a fourteen-level gap.
He looked around and saw that everyone was watching; even Zen had left the Beacon and was standing next to Taros and Arkan.
Desper adjusted his position. Resting his right sword on his shoulder, he looked at Silas and said, "I don't know why you're doing that, and I also don't care, but I'm not here to get bullied."
He continued with a firm face, "If you want to test me, just do it, but there is a limit."
"Hmm?" Silas narrowed his eyes. "And what if I just want to bully you?"
Desper replied, "I know the way to the sect."
He could just take a horse and go back to the sect. He would be punished if he did that for no reason. However, if it was proved that Silas bullied him, Silas would be harshly punished. Even though he was more valuable than Desper, the sect couldn't allow any corruption. Only the monsters and Zlodei would benefit from that.
Silas remained silent for a second, then he repeated, "Will you attack, or should I make the second move?"
Desper inhaled deeply. He resisted the urge to provoke him again and lunged at him.
Silas didn't move and waited for him.
Desper slashed both of his swords downward diagonally. Unbothered, Silas raised his daggers and blocked them.
Desper had already expected that and tried to copy his previous move. He snapped his right foot, driving it toward Silas' stomach.
Silas took a sidestep, dodging the kick, then he attacked with his daggers, one to cut the neck and the other to stab the chest.
Desper couldn't retreat as his leg was still in the air, so he rolled his body on the ground.
He was still on one knee when Silas jumped at him, striking with his daggers. In the last moment, Desper managed to lift his swords and parried them. This time, Silas didn't use brutal force, but Desper's arms still ached.
Silas pressed his daggers against the swords, pushing them back.
Desper knew that he couldn't stop them. He suddenly released the swords and lowered his head to evade the daggers. He flicked his arms, and two daggers appeared from his sleeves into his hands. He didn't hesitate and lashed out at Silas, one toward the face and the other toward his leg.
Silas' eyes widened. He took a quick step back. Desper took the chance to stand and lunged at him again.
Suddenly, Silas' speed increased and deflected Desper's daggers. The impact was too much, and Desper's daggers flew from his hands.
Silas didn't attack again. He turned his back to Desper, saying, "Welcome to the team, Desper."
'That is it?' Desper was stunned. Their fight ended too quick; He thought Silas would go on for much longer.
He didn't snap out of his thoughts until someone grabbed his head in his arm.
"That was amazing, man," Arkan acted as if they were friends for years. "We should spar sometime."
"Hahahaha…. You are very interesting," Taros came from the other side and patted Desper's shoulder with brutal force.
'That is a very weird team,' Desper scoffed in his mind, but he was still happy that he had a chance to get closer to them.