Chapter 286: Osrick and Vhul.

After a long, long swim, when the sun was about to set behind the countless pyramids of the District, Lee finally climbed back onto the beach. Most of the day he had spent floating on waves, letting them sway him around. The past years have been full of fighting, running and struggling across multiple worlds, and this was the first time he could actually fully relax.Lee knew it wasn’t as easy to get rid of the mountain of stress that had piled up in his consciousness, but if he was allowed to live here, it was just a matter of time. He understood that it was much more prestigious to have a residence in the center of the District, but he couldn’t care less. Even if he didn’t have spatial treasures, he could carry groceries for miles just to be able to live on the beach.

"You’ll depart the day after tomorrow. I strongly suggest for you to meet your new squad members beforehand." Sery said, and to Lee the floating drone suddenly felt as a nagging old wife.

"Can you say the same thing in a more cheery fashion?" He asked, putting his shirt on.

"Overseer Augustus assigned you to join Vhul Vreshar and Osrick Afrenel. Neither of them are affiliated with any factions and could be your first recruits." Sery said.

"You seem to be to obsessed with recruiting members." Lee said, "Do you get any bonuses for that, or something?"

"It’s your job and I’m here to help." Sery plainly said.

"Sure, but let’s go slow, otherwise the faction might grow too fast." Lee said.

"A reasonable decision. As a leader, you want to recruit worthy candidates to represent Overlord of Whispers." Seri said.

"Yea ... that’s why ... is there a way to call the two guys you named? Do they have phones?" Lee asked.

"There are no technological means for distant communications in Myrios. It’s the policy set by Overlord Luminarch." Sery said, "I suggest you meet them in person to leave a better impression."

"Do you know where to find them?" Lee asked. He already regretted agreeing to the floating piece of metal following him, but as a source of information it was still useful.

"Yes, I can locate them through their tokens. Let’s go!" Sery said and floated away, but Lee stared at the drone, confused whether there was someone piloting it. The thing sometimes acted too human-like.

***

"Which one of them is my squad member?" Lee asked, staring at the crowd of giggling girls.

They seemed to be in their late teens, maybe early twenties, but he didn’t have any illusions of them being harmless butterflies. From what he understood, one could become a citizen of Myrios only by an overlord’s invitation, like in his case, or by passing some kind of selection. And while most of the young women in front of him were more or less pretty, to him they felt like a bunch of dangerous snakes.

"Osrick Afrenel is from krellin race, isn’t it obvious?" Sery said.

’Fuck you!’ Lee thought to himself, but out loud he shouted, "Osrick! Dinner is ready!"

The crowd of girls froze, but then left, loudly laughing, leaving behind a five-foot-tall boy with wispy mustache, and an incredibly annoyed expression.

"Damn you!" He cursed at Lee, shocking the latter with surprisingly deep voice, "I almost had three of them! Three! Have you had three women at the same time! Idiot! Because of you I lost three artifacts ..."

"I see you’re not good at making friends." Sery stated, while Lee gawked at his new squad member. Then it floated over to the shorty, and said, "His name is Lee. He’s the new member of your squad. He’s also a prefect of faction, so ..."

"Not joining!" The shorty immediately said, "I’ll only join a faction with my girl!"

"Sure, Osrick!" Lee said, finally realizing what the guy was talking about, "You can join a whole harem if you want to – I don’t need members. Let’s go find Vhul!"

"The brute is probably at the Dueling Terrace." Osrick said, "And call me Aphrodisiac!"

"What?" Lee almost stumbled on the spot.

"Aphrodisiac! That’s my nickname!" Osrick said, then glanced around, and winked at Lee, "To be more popular with the ladies, if you know what I mean!"

"Aphro ... I can call you Zac." Lee said, "Take it or leave it!"

Osrick hissed something that sounded like a curse, but Sery already flew around the corner, in the direction of Vhul’s token.

"Do you have a wife? Or a girlfriend?" Osrick asked after they walked a couple hundred yards. His foul mood was suddenly gone, and eyes shone with curiosity looking at his new companion.

"I had." Lee said.

"Really?! Was she good in the sack? Come on, tell me!" Osrick said, but then vanished from the spot, evading Lee’s smack.

The guy turned out to be wind elemental master. His reaction was so quick, it left Lee shocked for a brief moment. He had never reached the speed the guy casually displayed just now.

"Don’t tell me you’re also a brute!" Osrick pouted, theatrically combing his hair with his fingers.

"How are you still alive?" Lee asked, genuinely surprised.

"Heh! Because everyone loves me! I’m a real ladies-man!" Osrick proudly said.

"Ok ... how old are you?" Lee asked.

"Twenty six!" Osrick proudly stated, "And don’t look down on me only because you’re taller! We, krellins, are well known for our sexual prowess!"

"Sure, sure ... what the fuck?!" Their conversation was interrupted by a person flying into the side of the nearby pyramid, heavily slamming into it’s wall.

"I told you – brute!" Osrick said, shaking his head.

Around a hundred yards ahead stood an elevated platform – apparently the so-called Dueling Terrace. At its center was a figure shrouded in crimson flames. Each of its four hands held a dark sword, unmoving, resembling a statue of a god or a demon rather a living person.

"Damn gharzu. The whole race are brutes!" Osrick complained, "I should’ve come earlier. His win was a sure thing from the start ..."

Lee didn’t hear his mumbling, but stared at the four-armed guy in shock. He looked exactly the same as the one they met in the underground pyramid in his first life. Back then the guy crushed his opponents and basically won the competition, except the Smirnoff’s men showed up and probably killed him, while Lisa stole the seal.

It took few moments for the guy on the platform to realize he had won the duel. When the flames died down, he sheathed his swords across his back, and stepped to the side. There, he picked up a large gourd and began to drink, greedily, as if he’d been wandering a desert for days.

"Damn alcoholic!" Osrick cursed, walked up to the man, and said, "Vhul, we got a new squad member!"

"Did you place the bet?" Vhul asked.

"No, I was held back." Osrick said, "But it wasn’t my fault! The girls took ..."

Then his eyes lit up, and he pointed at Lee, saying, "It’s his fault. I lost my whole allowance because of him! I didn’t have anything left to bet!"

Lee stared at the shorty in disbelief, not being able to process his words. The sight of the four and a half feet gnome standing next to the four-armed giant, two heads taller than Lee, was already shocking enough. But Osrick casually backstabbing him was something Lee wasn’t prepared for.

"Good!" Vhul said, pulling out his swords, "Let’s fight!"