Martial Online.

Moriarty covered his face with a mask to conceal his real identity.

"You're hiding your face?" Ambrose asked curiously.

"Yeah, I am famous." Moriarty said, looking at him through the mask's eye holes. "Your face is also quite popular. I would think a wanted man like yourself would want to stay hidden."

"Well, this is enough for me." Ambrose equipped himself with a hooded cloak and pulled it over his head, casting a shadow over his face.

Moriarty nodded and saw players moving about in Amaterasu's market place.

Most of them moved in groups of two, clearly spending the last day before the tournament with their teammates.

However, there were also players with signs looking for a teammate. Some players who were looking for a teammate grouped up with another player in a similar situation, while a few others wanted to look for a teammate of stronger caliber.

Based on the player's clothing, they could tell whether they were weak or strong. If anyone wore beginner players' clothes, they would be ignored, as it was assumed that they were new players.

However, when they saw players like Moriarty and Ambrose, who clearly looked like very experienced players, they commanded respect and were seen as perfect potential teammates.

But, since they were talking with each other, everyone already assumed that they were teammates.

Moriarty leaned against a stall that sold delicious-looking apples, bought one, and took a big bite out of it.

"You're going to meet someone now?" He asked as he took another bite.

"Yeah, what about you?" Ambrose asked. "You're going to sleep?"

"Yeah, I have some videos I need to upload before, though." Moriarty said, and swallowed the rest of the apple. "Let's meet here an hour before the tournament."

"Sounds like a plan." Ambrose slipped his hands inside his pocket and disappeared into the crowd, leaving like a shadow.

Moriarty tossed away the remnants of the apple and wiped his hands on his pants. He then looked around for a secluded place to log off.

However, as he moved past a few of the stalls, he heard a voice calling towards him.

"Hello, young man behind the mask." A wrinkly-faced woman sat behind one of the stalls, shuffling a worn-out card deck. "Interested in a game of fortune-telling?"

Moriarty looked at her silently and took a seat across from her.

"I don't mind indulging in a little bit of fun," Moriarty replied while stroking his chin.

"What do you wish to know?" The wrinkly-faced fortune teller shuffled the deck one more time. "How do you die? Who'll you marry? Or perhaps something from the near future."

"I would like to know my future for the following few weeks." Moriarty crossed his legs with an intrigued smile.

"Heh, that's fine as well." She cackled and put down three cards, all facing down on the table.

"Ready, young man?" She asked. "Also, remember, the future is not set in stone. It can always change depending on your actions."

'Sounds like a scam to me.' Moriarty crossed his legs and lazily waved his hand. "Go on."

The fortune teller smiled knowningly, and flipped over the first card.

The first card revealed a picture of a raging storm, symbolizing the immense challenges and obstacles ahead.

"The following weeks will hold the biggest challenges you've faced in your life yet." She said.

Moriarty nodded, expecting as much. 'The tournament won't be smooth sailing; I never expected it to be.'

The fortune teller then flipped up the second card.

The second card showed a picture of two hands reaching for each other, symbolizing the need for cooperation and unity during this time.

"However, you are not alone in those challenges." She said with an intrigued look. "Cooperation is the key to overcoming them."

"Hmm, what about the last one?" Moriarty asked.

She flipped up the final card, and it showed a picture of a puzzle with two weapons crossed over it.

"That's a difficult one to decipher." She furrowed her brows in deep concentration and said, "There will be a clash of two opposing wills. The outcome will be unpredictable and potentially dangerous."

"What does that mean?" Moriarty asked with a frown.

"It's a puzzle." She said. "Anomaly of the puzzles. It has many solutions, but each solution leads to a different outcome. From what I can tell, the clash between these two wills could have various potential outcomes, making it impossible to determine the exact result.

"You can waltz to glory and victory, or get overshadowed and defeated. It all depends on how you'll unravel the puzzle."

"Can I get the card?" Moriarty opened his palm and asked with a serious expression on his face.

The fortune teller picked up the puzzle card, nodded with a kind smile, and handed it over to him.

"Don't try to think too much about your future, or it will ruin you."

Moriarty pocketed the card, paid roughly five silver coins, and left the stall with a sense of curiosity and unease swirling in his mind.

He then took the card out and looked at it one last time before tucking it safely into his pocket.

Little did he know that this simple card would be the catalyst for a chain of events that would change his life forever.

…

Creak—a window opened to a dark room, and a cloaked figure entered the room through it.

A beautiful body was lying motionless in the bed, and as the figure approached, the blanket slowly slid off to reveal it.

She was breathing calmly, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

Ambrose sat on the bed, but before he could even let another breath in, the beautiful young woman opened her red eyes, pulled out the knife, and placed it on his neck.

"T-that was pretty nice." Ambrose managed to stammer out, and he let out a chuckle. "Your speed has increased. You've leveled up?"

"You little creep," Bella whispered in his ear. "Sneaking to women's rooms in the middle of the night."

"Hmm?" Ambrose smiled in surprise. "You sound different."

Bella blushed and moved the knife away. "Lottie taught me how to speak naughtily; was it good?"

"Who is Lottie?" Ambrose asked curiously.

"She is your student." Bella said. "She is nice. She is only a white belt, but she is still way better than me."

"Oh, I am still not familiar with each one of my students." Ambrose smiled and looked over his shoulder at her. "You're all right? The update went smoothly?"

"Yeah, it was dark as before, and I only floated in that dark void." Bella then showed a sweet smile and cheerfully said, "But it wasn't as bad as last time!"

"Good." Ambrose smiled. "Have you read the patch notes?"

"Yup." Bella nodded. "I went to search for the Bath of Spiritual Animal yesterday and found it. I'll probably go there tomorrow."

Ambrose nodded and said, "About the tournament, you probably expected it, but I am joining it. It might take another few weeks before we meet again."

"I expected as much…" Bella's voice trailed off with a hint of sadness, and she hugged her blanket. "Who are you teaming up with?"

"A guy called Moriarty." Ambrose said. "You don't know him, but he sought me out, and I think we can go very far. He is very powerful."

"Nn." Bella nodded. "I cheer for you. I hope it's possible to watch the tournament from here."

Ambrose nodded and then hesitated for a moment before saying. "Did you know that the tournament's finals happen in Loch City?"

"It does?" Bella's voice turned high with surprise.

"Yeah, and if I qualify for the tournament…" Ambrose looked at her. "I would like to visit you at the hospital."

Bella's voice stopped, and she hugged her legs tight to her chest. "I… am not too sure. The car crash might've disfigured me or something… I don't want you to see me in that state."

"Your avatar takes on the appearance of your real-life self." Ambrose pinched her cheek and said, "You're as beautiful in there as you are in here."

"All right." Bella smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. "I am at Loch City's Martial Hospital. As the name suggests, it's owned by the Martial Company.

"After the incident, my father created his own hospital, hired all the top-of-the-line doctors from all around the globe, and built state-of-the-art facilities to provide the best medical care possible.

"They were never able to do what they were hired to do, though: cure me and my mother, but it's still one of the best hospitals in the world."

"I suppose visiting you won't be as easy as just walking and signing in?" Ambrose wryly smiled.

Bella giggled and shook her head. "I am guarded and visited by doctors all around the clock. Good luck."

She kissed him on the cheek and laid down on the bed.

Ambrose laid beside her, placed his arm under his head, and closed his eyes with calm breathing.

Tomorrow was perhaps his most important day so far. The start of the tournament.