A/N: Sorry for the late update. I had half this chapter done ages ago(as in... around 8 moths ago?)but I just forgot about it XD. Here's chapter 4~ enjoy!
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"Well what do we have here... it's the shouting contest" Tison said. He approched the crowd and watch challengers shout their lungs out. "This looks interesting."
"Can we watch?" Nan asked. She walked beside Tison and saw the competetion. It did seem interesting. Nan looked at Clint for approval
"Hmph." Clint just nodded and stood there. The current champion was the manager of the inn. Clint thought it was still a weak shout, but no one seemed to be able to defeat him. He looked to the side and saw another group approach. It was that tough kid with the long hair and the guild hopper. He looked at Nan. Looks like she didn't notice them yet.
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"Eh? What's with this crowd...?" Yuri said as he saw the group in the middle of Dhangrest Square. The commentator noticed him and answered his question.
"Young man, would you like to take the challenge? This is Dahngrest's annual "Big Voice Contest!". Anyone can participate! Woever yells the loudest is declared the winner!" He said. Yuri's group still seemed a bit confused.
"And of course, our winner will receive a fantastic prize!" He added.
"It seems... that it's a yelling contest." Estelle guessed.
" ...How lame can you get.." Rita said. Not seeing the logic in the contest.
"Our current champion is the manager of the local inn, Shiva, with his earth-shaking bellow at 765 points!" the commentator announced. Shiva steps up to show off.
"Eishrrraaaaah!" He screamed, but the crowd doesn't seem to be impressed. It wasn't that loud... really. Judith seemed interested and took up the challenge.
"Hey, this looks fun. Maybe I'll give it a go?" Judith said. The rest just looked at her, shocked.
"Ju- judith...?!" Karol muttered.
"What... Are you for real?" Rita continued.
The announcer acknowledged her. "What is this?! It appears we have a new challenger, and a female, at that!" Judith makes her way to the middle and prepared a battle cry.
"Sheeeeyaaaaaa!!" She shouted. Everyone was in a daze. Now that's not a sight you always see... or sound you always hear.
"! ... A, amazing! A new record! 1192 points!! The commentator was taken back. The crowd was amazed. Finally, some real entertainment.
"I-impossible..." Shiva won't believe it. He lost to a woman! A Kritryan one at that!
"... W-wow..." Even Yuri was amazed. "C-cool..." Estelle said with sparkles in her eyes.
"And now, with this amazing record, has our contest been decided?!" the announcer asked. He was about to close the contest when he heard a voice amongst the crowd.
"Count us in, too" Surprised Karol looked towards the direction of that voice... "Nan!"
Yuri looked at where Karol was looking. "I didn't think we'd see you in a place like this... Don't you guys specialize in hunting monsters?" he said with a hint of sarcasm.
"Aye! But we also love a good competetion!" Tison replied and decided to join in.
"Here I go! Urrrraaaaaaaaargh!" Well that was loud...
"!...Y-yet another amazing performance! A stunning 1180 points!"but not loud enough...The crowd cheers in amazement. Now that's competetion!
"A formidable showing, and yet, it's barely beaten by the score of out previous competitorm Miss Judith!"
"Arrrrgh!" Tison grumbled. So close.
"Heh heh." Judith giggled at her victory. Though the Hunting Blades have no plans in losing. Clint steps up to the middle. "My turn."
"Ch-chief...!" Nan said in shock. She didn't really want him to embarass Karol's group...
Yuri is amused. "... Breaking out the big guns, huh? This is getting serious..." Clint takes a deep breath and...
"Gyaaaaaaoooo!!!" Clint yelled. It was just like there was a mammoth in there. The crowd was silent.
"! L-ladies and gentlemen, I've never seen anything like this! An amazing ...1300 points!" He said. The crowd roared and cheered.
"Just when we thought Miss Judith had clinched the competition with her powerful voice, this is even higher still!"
"Aw..." Judith said. It was fun while it lasted.
"That's our Chief..." Tison said. Nan just stayed silent.
"He's got a hulking voice to match his hulking stature huh..." Yuri commented
"He's almost like a monster, himself..." Raven added. Oh the irony.
Seeing as there doesn't seem to be anyone who would try to beat Clint, the announcer decided to close the contest."Folks, it looks like our contest has been decided! The winner of this year's Big Voice Contest is..."
"W-wait!" But Karol woud take none of that. "I, I'm going to do it, too!"
"Eh?" Yuri was surprised. Even HE wouldn't go up against that monster.
"......" Clint looked at the kid. Well he's got some guts.
"Heh... That makes sense, with that girl here and all." Judith looked at Karol, and then at Nan. She can imagine Estelle saying 'That's so cute...' already.
"Karol..." Nan whispered. 'What in the world is he thinking? Don't embarass yourself you idiot!!' she thought.
"Amazing! Just when it all seemed decided, the voice of a new challenger rises from the crowds, and that voice belongs to... a young boy!" It wouldn't hurt to let the shrimp try right?
Karol stepped up to the middle and looked at Nan. He decided on what to say. Something that would be a sure win. 'I'll show you how much I've grown. You... You gave me strenght!!' he thought. He took a deep breath and...
"Rending... DROP!!" He yelled with all his might.
"......!!" Nan wasn't expecting that. It's not that loudness that shocked her, it his choice of words.
Just when the announcer thought he'd lose..."F-f-fantastic!! A whopping 1322 points! Who would have thought such a colossal voice would come from such a small boy?!"
The crowd cheered him on. The little guild hopper actually had it in him.
"This beats the record of our previous competitor, Clint!" More cheers could be heard from the crowd.
"Hmph..." Clint stayed indifferent. If he was surprised, then he did a good job at hiding it. Knowing that the competetion is over, Clint and Tison decided to leave. Nan on the other hand, looked at Karol "Karol..." She muttered. There were still things she wanted to ask him, but it seemed like the Chief and Tison wouldn't be waiting for her.
Karol was so happy that he won, and was also glad that Nan witnessed it. "Ah.. Nan..." He wanted to tell her something, but it was too late. She already left. Before he could follow her, the announcer started talking again.
"What an unbelievable day we've had here, folks...One record after another! A heated battle the likes of which even history itself seldom sees! And what's more! The victor of this battle is none other than the prepubescent powerhouse, the miniature mammoth, the one, the only... Karol!"
"I, I did it!" Karol said. He saw that Nan was alright and he'd talk to her later, he still has his group to celebrate with.
"For our winner, we have a powerful weapon made by Dahngrest's most skilled artisans!" The commentator said and handed Karol a strangley shaped axe.
"Oh... thanks!" Karol said as he recieved the weapon. He looked at the gang. Judith was the first one to congratulate him.
"You were really great, Karol." She said kindly.
"Th-thanks..."
The others approched him and congratulated him as well. It seemed like it was only Yuri and Judith that knew what his motivation was. Judith found out first, and Yuri caught on. Rita might have a clue, but she never really bothered. They were just a bunch of kids after all.
When all was over, they all stayed at the inn for the night. Raven decided to go around and fool with the women of Dhangrest while Judith and Rita went to have drinks in the Travern. Yuri and Estelle were in the easter bridge of Dhangrest. That leaves Karol. Karol was wandering around town, looking for the Hunting Blades. He asked the townspeople if they were still there, and that seems to be the case.
Finally, he decided that it was about time he checked the Hunting Blades' HQ. As he was about to knock on the door, someone opened it.
"T-tison!" Karol squeeked. Not exactly the person he wanted to see...
"What do you want, kid? I'm in a hurry." Tison said.
"Um... is Nan still there?" He asked, a bit went in and called for Nan then left. Mere seconds later, Nan was at the door.
"Karol... " Nan said.
"Hey there..." Karol replied. They both looked down on the floor in awkward silence until finally, Karol decided to speak up. "Would you like to go for a walk?"
"Sure..." Nan nodded. She closed the door and headed for the streets with Karol.
"Are you feeling better now?" Karol asked.
"Yeah, I was able to rest longer than expected. We were supposed to leave this morning but due to circumstances, we'll be leaving tonight instead."
"...Tonight?" Karol half-whispered. 'I thought I'd get to spend more time with her tommorow...'
"Yeah, anything wrong with that?" She stated.
"Um... not really. I just thought that we could... you know, spend some time together tommorow" Karol managed to say.
" Oh..." Nan said, a hint of pink apparent on her cheeks. Nan was silent, thinking again. 'You can do this, Nan. You won't meet him in a while again, so it's now or never' She thought. On the other hand, Karol was just thinking of what to say to her.
"Karol..." She started.
"Yes?" he said, in a rather happy mood.
"What did you mean by...'the most imporant thing' to you?" Nan finally asked. Karol just smiled. He knew what dangers he was about to go to and he definately knows that there won't be time to regret. He took Nan's hand and pulled her closer to his side, and he continued walking.
"The most important thing to me..." He just said as he squeezed her hand. Nan looked at him, blushing. She still can't believe what's happening.
"I'll tell you what's going on next time we meet again because... It's gonna be a long story. Right now, you still have a job to do" Karol said while still holding her hand. She doesn't seem to resist so he thought it was ok.
Nan was still confused but before she could ask anymore questions, she noticed that she was back at the HQ. Karol bid her goodnight and was about to leave when she suddenly grabbed his wrist. Karol looked back.
"Please... please explain it all next time" Nan said. Karol nodded and headed back for the inn.
"Be safe..." said as she looked at him. She then recalled him shouting "Rending Drop" and forgot to ask him why. 'I guess that'll have to wait' she thought then headed back in.
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A/N: Sorry if Karol and Nan got a bit OOC but... well, it's been forever since i touched this fic XD. Hope I didn't ruin anything. Also, just so you guys know, I plan for there to be 2 more chapters before I finish this. Another head's up is that I don't think I'll be updating soon. I'm not really in the mood to write. (though once I work on the next chapter, the last chapter will soon follow) Sooo, with that, hope to see you next time! (is anyone still reading this?)