The day of the Tournament Trials arrived.
The sun had barely crested the hills, but the Saint Morrow Sect was already wide awake—some for glory, most for gossip, and a few to witness Arin Valkar finally get what the Heavens had apparently been saving up.
A good old-fashioned public beating.
---
The Grand Outer Sect Arena was filled to the brim with disciples, elders, and enough flying spirit beasts to block the sun.
Arin stood in line with the other combatants, yawning loudly.
"You slept?" Boji blinked.
"Only after screaming into a pillow about the meaninglessness of life," Arin replied, cracking his neck. "So yeah. Pretty rested."
Yui held her bunny like a talisman. "You're... you're going to be okay, right?"
"Yui. I'm statistically not. But it's okay. My plan depends on it."
---
The matches were randomized.
Elder Roga stood on the elevated platform, shouting over the crowd. "FIRST MATCH—#21 vs. #57!"
Murmurs spread.
"That's Arin!"
"Who's the other guy?"
A boy stepped into the arena. Robes clean. Muscles tighter than sect funding. Face sculpted by a very biased Dao.
A cheer exploded: "IT'S XU MIN, THE LOTUS PALM PRODIGY!"
Xu Min smiled modestly. "I will do my best."
Arin waved. "Hi. You look like a magazine cover. Just thought I'd say."
Xu Min bowed. "I won't hurt you too much."
Arin's grin widened. "Thanks. I bruise where it hurts most—my pride."
---
The bell rang.
Xu Min dashed forward with a clean palm strike that glowed with internal lotus qi. It hit Arin square in the chest.
Bones cracked. Arin flew back ten meters, rolled, and groaned.
Ding. +18 EXP. [Bone-Iron Constitution – Level 3 (2525 / 3000)]
"Haahh... nice," Arin coughed. "Can you do that, like... seven more times?"
Xu Min blinked. "What?"
Arin rushed forward. Not to attack, but to get hit again.
Palm strike. Flying kick. Rib jab.
Ding. +21 EXP. [2546 / 3000]
Blood in his mouth, stars in his eyes, Arin whispered, "I've never felt so alive."
From the stands:
"Is he... thanking him?!"
"Why does he look like he's enjoying it?!"
"Did he just wink while bleeding?!"
Xu Min backed away. "You're insane."
Arin laughed. "I'm resource-efficient."
---
In the shadows, Mira scribbled notes violently.
Observation 94: Positive pain feedback loop. Possibly insane. Still logical.
Her eyes narrowed. This wasn't just masochism.
This was tactical.
---
Xu Min raised his palm. "You're... not even fighting."
"I'm winning a different kind of war," Arin said, spitting blood and grinning.
And then he collapsed.
Elder Roga shouted, "#57 is unable to continue! Xu Min wins!"
---
Boji rushed to the field. "You okay?"
Arin blinked up. "Boji... tell Mira... he hits like a shy princess."
Ding. +20 EXP. [2566 / 3000]
---
Aftermath: Sect Infirmary
Arin lay on the bed. Bandaged. Bruised. Smiling.
Yui brought soup. It was bubbling. "Boji helped."
"Is it edible?"
"No."
Arin drank it anyway.
Ding. +2 EXP. [2568 / 3000]
---
Later that day, Arin returned to the arena.
Elder Roga squinted. "You again?"
"I'm not done until I cough up my pancreas."
Roga shrugged. "Next match."
---
Opponent: Jiang Mei. Female. Hot. Deadly. Cultivation: Fire Serpent Physique.
She raised a brow. "You look like a walking bruise."
Arin smiled. "I do cardio by crawling out of hospital beds."
She ignited flames along her arm. "I won't go easy."
Arin cracked his neck. "Don't worry. I won't either. By which I mean, I will definitely cry."
---
The duel began.
Jiang Mei threw flames. Arin danced through them, barely dodging.
A strike caught his leg. Burned clean through cloth.
Ding. +16 EXP. [2584 / 3000]
He whistled. "Hot. In every sense."
She blushed. Then kicked him in the jaw.
Ding. +12 EXP. [2596 / 3000]
Tooth flew. Crowd gasped.
Jiang Mei paused. "Sorry! That looked like it hurt."
Arin spat a molar. "Don't worry. I collect those."
---
Mira stood behind the crowd, expression unreadable.
She watched Jiang Mei pause, flustered. Saw the crowd laugh. Saw Arin wink.
Observation 102: Charm resistance bypassed via stupidity? Or intent?
---
Jiang Mei turned, flustered. Arin stumbled.
Then he whispered, "Your left foot pivots before you punch."
She blinked. "What?"
He dodged.
She missed. Lost balance.
Arin caught her wrist gently. "Told ya."
Ding. +20 EXP. [2616 / 3000]
Elder Roga: "Victory to #57!"
The crowd exploded.
"HE WON?!"
"Was that flirting?"
"DID HE COUNTER HER USING PICK-UP LINES?!"
Jiang Mei, red-faced, stormed off.
Arin bowed. "Thanks for the dental work."
---
Backstage, Arin sat cross-legged.
Yui patched his face. Again.
"Why do girls keep kicking you?"
"It's how I know they care."
Ding. +10 EXP. [2626 / 3000]
---
Next match? A guy with four arms.
He lasted five seconds. Arin distracted him by shouting "Nice abs!" and rolling into his knees.
Victory by accident.
Ding. +14 EXP. [2640 / 3000]
---
That night:
Arin sat alone, overlooking the arena.
Bruised. Tired. Smiling.
A system notification blinked.
[Passive Unlocked: Bone Memory Layer I – Muscle memory of pain applied to dodge and recovery reflexes.]
+50 EXP
[Bone-Iron Constitution – Level 3 (2690 / 3000)]
And somewhere, deep inside that growing stat window:
New Trait Detected: Idiot Aura – Attracts attention, chaos, and strange luck. Cannot be removed.