Mo's Calculations and Victories

In the village head's office, Gordon listened intently to William's report. "Unusual movements?" he echoed, his brow furrowed. "And you suspect they're connected to Randy's death?"

"Yes, Head," William affirmed. "Several shops have inexplicably changed hands in the past few days – the flower shop, the weapon shop, even the bakery and restaurant. It's all very suspicious."

Nodding grimly, Gordon issued his orders. "Continue investigating these shops, William. Be discreet, and don't let their new owners suspect anything. Also, bring my sons to me immediately."

"Yes, Head!" William saluted and swiftly departed.

Meanwhile, at the Duel Ring, the atmosphere crackled with anticipation. The referee's booming voice announced the challenger, "From the Blue corner, the challenger, a Gray Branded 1st Marked Warrior, Mo Hardinger!"

A roar of excitement erupted from the crowd as Mo stepped into the ring, his calm demeanor contrasting starkly with his opponent's boasting.

"And in the Red corner, the champion, undefeated with 8 wins, a Gray Branded 3rd Marked Warrior, Ben Zangu!"

The crowd erupted once again, their voices a cacophony of anticipation and wagering. Mo, however, remained focused, his mind racing with calculations. "I need to end this quickly," he thought, "I can't afford to waste TP if I want to fight again."

As the betting frenzy reached its peak, the referee raised his voice, "Let the duel commence!"

Zangu, fueled by arrogance and the cheering crowd, lumbered towards Mo, his fist cracking with the power of his "Kraken's Fist" skill.

"Brat, come and meet your doom!" he roared.

Mo, seemingly unfazed, uttered a single word, "Devil's Rage." A chilling white mask materialized on his hand, its demonic grin sending shivers down the spines of those watching.

Zangu, enraged by the insult, charged recklessly, his fist poised to strike. "Knuckle Buster!" he bellowed, unleashing his second skill.

But Mo was faster. With an almost imperceptible movement, he activated his "Devil's Grin," his speed multiplying by two and a half times. Zangu watched in disbelief as the boy vanished before his eyes, only to reappear behind him in an instant.

-1 TP

Before Zangu could react, Mo struck with lightning speed, delivering a precise punch to his right jaw.

-16 HP

Zangu's eyes rolled back in his head as he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

The crowd roared, stunned by the swift and decisive victory. Mo, calm and collected, deactivated his skills and returned to his corner.

+40TExp (Defeating a Gray-Branded 3rd-Marked Warrior)

TExp: 43/200

The referee, still reeling from the spectacle, stammered, "Match Over! Blue corner wins!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, their voices echoing through the air. Some celebrated their unexpected winnings, while others bemoaned their losses.

"Mo, do you wish to continue fighting?" the referee inquired, his voice barely audible over the clamor. "Remember, you can keep your winnings, but once you lose, you forfeit everything."

Mo, his eyes gleaming with determination, replied, "I'll keep fighting."

A hush fell over the crowd as all eyes turned to the young warrior. The stage was set for another thrilling duel, and the anticipation in the air was palpable.

##

Mo, still catching his breath from his previous fight, pondered on the outcome. He was able to accurately calculate the damage he had dealt and the health points of his opponent, Zangu. Mo estimated that Zangu's HP was at 17, with an innate HP of 11, and possibly an additional 2 Stat Points on HP, bringing the total to 17 HP.

Mo's attack inflicted -16 DMG, leaving Zangu with only 1 HP. In this game, striking someone until they have 1 HP remaining knocks them out, while 0 HP results in death. Mo's calculations were a result of his extensive experience in RPG gaming.

As the referee finished selecting the next challenger, he announced, "Let the match begin!"

Mo's next opponent was of the same level as Zangu, and he easily defeated him.

+40TExp

TExp: 83/200

3rd Match!

+40Exp

TExp: 123/200

4th Match!

+40TExp

TExp: 163/200

"Mo Hardinger Wins!!" the referee shouted, met with a wave of cheers from the crowd.

Mo, panting and covered in sweat, checked his TPoints. He had used 4 TP in the previous 4 matches, leaving him with only 1 TP remaining.

"Do you want to continue, Mo?" asked the referee.

"No, I'm done for today," Mo calmly replied, taking a deep breath.

"What? You want to run, brat? Fight! I need to get my money back!"

"Young master, please fight one more match. I'm still rooting for you."

"Come on, Brother Mo, I'm on a winning streak!"

Before the referee could respond, the crowd erupted. Some were angry and cursing, while others pleaded for one more match.

"Silence!!!" the referee bellowed, quieting the crowd.

"Are you sure, Mo?" the referee glanced at him.

"Yes," Mo replied. "I'm out of TP."

The referee suddenly understood what Mo meant. He was amazed that a Gray Branded Warrior like Mo could accurately calculate his TP usage without relying on the legendary "system".

If Mo knew what the referee was thinking, he would be amused by it.

"Alright," the referee responded.

"I will also take a break. See if someone wants to be the referee for the next match!" the referee declared loudly as he jumped off the ring.

Mo left the ring and headed towards the betting stand to claim the money he had earned. He spotted a Gray Branded Warrior staff member using his tattoo skill to calculate. The staff member was using a calculating apparatus similar to an "abacus".

"Mo Hardinger?" the staff lazily asked.

"Yes," Mo responded.

"A total of 50 gamblers. 28,360 Tats coins in total. Your 5% would be 1,418 Tats coins. Here," the staff said, handing Mo a heavy pouch of coins.

"Thanks!" Mo replied, walking away from the greedy eyes of the crowd. He was about to enter a restaurant to eat when someone called out his name.

"Mo! Wait up!" the voice called.

Mo turned around and saw the referee waving his hand and running towards him. Mo calmly waited for him.

"Hey! My name is Shao Tan. Where are you going? Can I join you for a meal? You're rich now, let's eat together!" Shao Tan talked non-stop without giving Mo a chance to answer.

Amused, Mo remembered someone like Shao Tan from a popular novel. Surprisingly, Shao Tan's name sounded similar to that character.

"Sure! Let's go," Mo replied with a smirk, not minding Shao Tan's talkative nature.

- Savage Beast Forest -

In the middle of the lush forest, just outside Sea Breeze Village, several tents could be seen. Among them was a large tent where five people were having a discussion.

"Kana, is everyone ready? We need to initiate the plan in 3 days," a burly man with a scar on his left cheek said.

"Of course, Fred. I have no problems on my end. The flower shop, weapon shop, armor shop, bakery, and the restaurant are already under my control," Kana casually answered. She was a middle-aged woman with green hair and a gentle smile.

"We need to acquire the treasure to ensure our tribe's prosperity. These obstacles are preventing our freedom!" a thin middle-aged man with a sly and greedy smile added.

"Yeah, and I need more skulls for my collection," a quiet teenage boy said with his head lowered, his words sending chills down the others' spines.

"Girls!" an ugly, old, and lustful thin man shouted. Lust filled his eyes, causing Kana to look at him with disgust.

"Okay! Everyone, prepare your men. We will take down that dwarf guardian and show those humans the power of the Boa Tribe in 3 days," Fred concluded the meeting.

If someone had overheard their discussion, they would have been terrified by the information of what seemed to be a grand scheme.