Reborn: Gambler's Game

By D.W. Jackson

After nearly a quarter a year in the game-like world Ash has flourished. His training is going well when he learns news about a person he has been looking for and sets off to retrieve her. Upon arriving at his destination he his faced with a hard choice. He must either turn back or play a game that could have dire consequences.

• Language: English
• Publisher: D.W. Jackson
• Release date: Jul 14, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311161352

Book preview

Reborn: Gambler’s Game

Written by D.W. Jackson

Copyright © D.W. Jackson

Smashwords Edition.

Names, characters, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual event, organizations, or persons, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author

3-1

Two months passed as ash trained with Zelan. From morning to night all Ash did was work through a series of movements. After he got the foot patterns down, standard attacks were added. Every few days Zelan would add a new movement, but no matter how much time passed Ash never was allowed to forget the basics.

Every night Ash was so tired that he had to crawl into his bed. To add to his troubles, Yuki would sneak into his room and crawl into his bed. In the morning Ash always got onto the young fox girl, but in truth there wasn’t much conviction in his voice. Still the little girl’s ears would drop and she would stay away for a few days. At the same time, Emelia also seemed to call him to her study more often during his short rest periods. At first he complained, but when the maids started to bring in refreshing drinks while he sat on the soft sofa, it started to become the highlight of his day.

Just like any other day, Ash woke and happily found himself alone in his bed. Every part of his body screamed as he started to get up from the bed. Ash held back the moan that wanted to spring from his mouth and started to stretch his muscles. The first few days of training Ash had risen early, but once Zelan had noticed that, he had started the training earlier. Thinking back, Ash wished he had just used that time to sleep in for a few moments longer.

As Ash left the manor, he was surprised that he didn’t see the stack of swords and spears laid out that Zelan often used to train him. What awaited him instead was his instructor, standing with a small pack slung over his shoulder. Today we start the second phase of your training. We will enter the labyrinth and you will fight.

Smiling, Ash turned to go back into the manor, but Zelan’s cold voice stopped him in his tracks. Where are you going?

To get my sword and armor Master, Ash answered as the smile faded from his face.

No need. You have relied on the strength of your gear instead of skill. Today all you will need is this, Zelan replied, tossing a copper sword to Ash.

Yes master, Ash said as he deftly caught the sword with his right hand.

Don’t sound so disappointed, Zelan said, slapping him on the back as they walked toward the manor gate. I thought that it would take you half a year before we started practical training.

Feeling slightly better, Ash let a small smile spread across his face as he followed behind Zelan. Which floor are we going to? Ash asked when they neared that entrance of the labyrinth.

The first floor of course, Zelan replied as if the question was asked by a child.

Ash let out a sigh but didn’t voice any complaints as he followed behind Zelan. Just like his first time on the first floor, it was crowded with youth fighting the weak slimes. Moving away from the large crowds, Zelan brought Ash to a small corner of the floor where they found a lone slime. Today you will fight without using any skills.

Ash nearly laughed out loud. Even with a copper sword, that didn’t change the fact that the slime was the weakest creature in nature. It was slow and gave a small shake as a warning of its attack. Stepping forward Ash started to attack when something struck the side of his head. Looking on the ground Ash noticed a small stone lying not far away. Pay attention to your surroundings. Letting your guard down will only mean your death in a real battle.

Rubbing the side of his head Ash turned his attention back to the slime which had started to jiggle slightly. Stepping back Ash dodged the attack and struck with his sword and the slime withered. Turning around Ash expected a happy Zelan, but instead he got one who looked as if Ash had just kicked his pet. Why did you retreat? What advantage other than dodging the attack did that movement give you? First lesson of the day is that you should never retreat unless it gives you an advantage or there is no other choice, and when there is no other choice, it just means you haven’t trained enough.

Understood master, Ash said as he picked up the iron penny the slime had dropped along with the slime core.

What is that? Zelan asked as he stared at the iron penny is Ash’s hand.

Crap, Ash said to himself as he quickly thought of an excuse. It is a unique ability of mine…I…Don’t really understand it myself.

Humm…Well no reason to worry about it, Zelan replied. Let us continue.

Ash was forced to fight another ten slimes while Zelan threw stones at him. When it was clear that the slimes posed no threat to Ash, they moved to the boss room.

Unlike the first time when Ash had fought the king slime, he found its movements easy to escape due to the movements that Zelan had taught him. Ash thought that he had improved greatly, but Zelan still was able to strike him with three stones during his fight, but not once was the slime able to hit him.

Not bad, but you still need to pay more attention to your surroundings, Zelan said as they moved to the second floor. Right now because you have fought here before, you know nothing else will come, but if you don’t train yourself to stay vigilant, it will come to haunt you in the future.

Yes master, Ash said rubbing a small knot on the side of his head where one of the stones had struck. Ash wanted to retort, but he understood what Zelan was saying. When he was fighting the lizards, Ash had trouble keeping up with the movements of two enemies at the same time. If he had been trained better maybe he would have fared better during the fights.

The more time he spent with Zelan, the more Ash came to appreciate the man’s teachings. He was strict and unyielding, but he didn’t care about things that didn’t relate to training. Zelan said nothing about Ash absorbing the monsters after he had killed them. The slimes didn’t have any more skills for him, but they increased his skill level by .01 percent with each one he absorbed. It wasn’t much, but he wanted to know what happened when the skill reached a higher level.

Zelan made Ash fight the saber bunnies on the second floor, just as he did the slimes. Unlike the slimes, the bunnies were faster and attacked more frequently. Since they were the first monster he had ever fought, he knew their attacks by heart, so it was not hard for him to fight them while dodging their attacks. After Ash had killed over a dozen of the saber rabbits, Zelan decided it was time for them to move to the next floor. Since the lightening rabbit movements were almost the same as the saber bunnies, it was easy to beat, even while dodging Zelan’s attacks.

Ash ran into his first real trouble on the third floor when fighting the kobolds. Unlike the past floors, the kobolds liked to travel in groups. When he had fought here in the past, Ash had moved carefully and only fought when he found a group of three or less, but Zelan made him fight against the groups of kobolds no matter how many of them there were present.

After fighting the fifth group of kobolds, Zelan allowed Ash to rest. What part of the body do you watch to predict an enemy’s attack? Zelan asked as he handed Ash a canteen full of cold water.

I watch the whole body, Ash said between gulps.

Foolish, Zelan said shaking his head. When fighting a humanoid, watch the shoulders. Any movement involving a weapon has to come from the shoulders. When fighting monsters it changes, but the eyes tend to be the best choice most of the time. If you can predict how the enemy will attack, then it will increase your ability to dodge. I also want you to start trying to feel the air when you fight. It doesn’t matter if its human, or monster, they will release an increased amount of bloodlust when attacking. You need to learn how to sense it.

After a short rest Ash was forced to continue fighting until he could fight six kobolds at once without receiving a single hit from either the monsters or Zelan’s random stones. After he had accomplished this feat three times, Zelan notified him that it was time to return to the manor. Not once in his life had Ash remembered being so happy.

Ash, Emelia’s voice rang out loudly as he staggered into the manor. What happened to you?

Huh, Ash responded