A tiny amount of my remaining Karma dissipates and I can feel my [Prayer] and [Healing Touch] skills improve a little each. Not enough for a level up, but that's quite alright right now. The healing taking effect is what really matters at this very moment.

I wince slightly in sympathy, as I can feel a rib straighten itself back out under my hand. The young woman almost passes out too. I take it as a good sign though that she can actually suck in a sharp breath after the fact without coughing up blood.

"Oh, goodness gracious."

Her voice is weak and her gaze still unsteady just like her breathing in general, thus I turn to her accomplice.

"Let's get her out of the way. The rib should be fine now, but if you want I can give it another try. Oh, and you owe me by the way."

"I … what …"

That is as far as her protest goes, before she grabs her still aching comrade's other arm, slinging it over her shoulder just like I do on my side, so we can haul the defeated fighter out of the ring to make room for the next contestants.

Sylwia is already in the ring and making a show of stretching and limbering up. A show that is highly appreciated by the crowd. A glance over to the bookies lets me know that her alias is already up on the wall too. And the odds are heavily in her favor as well, even though her opponent hasn't been revealed yet.

As we reach one of the wooden beams supporting the upper floor the gal I'm supporting leans heavily against it. She at least manages not to slide down onto the ground, but she really looks like she could use a little more attention.

I shake my head in disapproval.

"Ts, whatever did you do to that guy, to make him to work you over like that? Seriously, you look like he hates your guts. It's a good thing you didn't manage to get back up then and there."

She looks like she wants to actually answer, but then something else catches her attention. Something behind me, in the ring. She isn't the only one to take note either. Countless soft whispers coming from the suddenly rather quiet and subdued crowd blend together into an ominous murmur.

I risk a quick glance over my shoulder to check what is going on. What I see doesn't come as much of a surprise. Not to me anyway. I should have made a bet with Matylda and Sylwia.

It's the big tattooed guy, the official leader of the ring. The supposed big boss himself, who has entered the ring through the corner opposite from Sylph. His name is up on the boards behind the bookies now too. It's Gebhard. One of the two names the dreamstone dust dealers provided.

It's really all coming together. The odds who were heavily in favor of Sylph so far go down a little, but not by much. Not even when the man hands his supposed second in command, the announcer, a bag of coin to place it all on himself. Well, of course that doesn't influence the crowd much. It would be too weird after all, if he weren't putting it all down on his victory. It's an easy enough to understand ploy. After all that is money he very much expects to win back anyway, after totally destroying his opponent. As far as the raccoons are concerned that really isn't money that's on the line at all.

I simply snort in amusement before I turn my attention back to my current patient.

"Well, like I said, you owe me. A penny for the healing back there, you know? Another if you want me to do it again, so you can actually walk home on your own. Without puking out your soul every other step, you know?"

Behind me the heavily tattooed announcer lady is officiating the fight once again. She is not down in the ring this time though. No she is up on the second floor, leaning out over the parapet as she introduces the fighters. I decide to block her out, to focus on the young duo in front of me instead. It seems the announcer's words certainly have their attention, so I have to draw it back to me first.

"So, what will it be?"

It's actually the hurt gal who pulls two pennies out of a pocket of her pants, handing them to me. Getting out the following words actually takes her considerable effort.

"Go ahead … please."

I accept the coin and nod, while the big fight of the night gets officially started somewhere behind me. And judging by what I hear alone, Sylwia is not playing games this time around. I take that as a sign. First I focus on the injured woman once more though. I'm not quite sure what other injuries she may be suffering from, thus I place my hand right over her heart this time around. And, as I speak my prayer this time around, I make no more efforts to hide anything.

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"Fox, divine guardian of many masks, god of making mischief and goddess of having fun, I beg of you, heal this young fool and ease her pain."

A tiny amount of my remaining Karma drains away again and I can feel my [Prayer] and [Healing Touch] skills improve a little each. In fact I actually earn a level up notice this time around for my [Prayer] skill.

[*Ding!* Your skill Prayer has leveled up to level 6!]

This one is a save level up notice though, not one I have been trying to avoid. It's a class skill after all which directly contributes to the progress of my masked mediator class. No risk of an accidental level up of my hedge witch class this time around. Even better though, my spirit attribute, magic power and Mana reserves all improve as a result too.

The breathing of the recipient of my healing evens out too, becoming much less labored. Gratitude mixes with curiosity in her eyes. Before she can say anything though someone else close by speaks up. It's a youngster, someone from around here by the looks, but he sports a few tattoos, even if not many, typical for the gang.

"You … you aren't …"

That's as far as he gets. He must have overheard me praying. It's pretty much what I intended to happen, but I almost feel bad anyway. He really doesn't look like much of a fighter. I don't hold back, as I send him flying with a lightning fast jab. Well, I don't hold back much. I don't aim for a critical hit at least, as one of those would probably end him on the spot.

[*Ding!* Hit! Arkady's Health reduced by 20!]

Yep, that's pretty solid damage considering that I'm not using a weapon. And my [Brawling] skill makes some more progress too, although that's not terribly important right now. What's important is, that the youngster is down on the floor, holding his bleeding nose like he still isn't quite sure what just transpired. No one around really pays him any mind either, which is good.

I flash him a grin and decide to add a little insult to injury, related to the observation he couldn't quite voice in the end.

"Never have been."

Curiously enough it's that silly, little quip that earns me some progress for my [Syld] language skill. Thankfully not enough for an actual level up though. It makes me chuckle. Me and my problems. Ha!

I turn back to the woman I just healed and her companion. They are both staring at me wide eyed. I flash them a cocky grin too.

"You still look a little shaky. Might want to wait until after the thugs from outside have come in, once things heat up here and get out then ahead of the rest of the crowd. If you can. If you can't, hide in a corner."

With those parting words I'm off. The fight in the ring is still going on as if nothing had transpired too, with Sylwia pummeling her opponent hard. A glance up to the upper level suggests that my little act of violence has not raised any alarm bells there either. Good. Very good.

My steps lead me through the outer fringe of the crowd around the ring in the direction of the narrow stairs leading up to the second floor. And while I head there I come across another fresh member of the raccoon gang sporting barely any tattoos. One of the serving girls. I flip her one of the coins I received from the fighter I just healed and grab one of the mugs she is carrying.

I take a sip and grimace. It's the same watered down swill as last time. Before the girl can protest I'm already stepping past her. I don't ignore her though. Far from it. In fact, as I pass her I bring the still full mug, a decent improvised weapon, down hard against the back of her head. My much used [Brawling] skill improves another bit and, surprisingly enough, so does my [Melee Weapon] skill.

[*Ding!* Hit! Jolanta's Health reduced by 33!]

She stumbles and goes down with a gasp, spilling more cheap booze on the people ahead of her. Two down, Fox only knows how many to go. This time though my actions do not go unnoticed. Not by the people who are drenched in cheap beer now and certainly not by the two more experienced thugs lounging by the bottom stairs either. The people complaining about their unwanted beer shower should be a decent enough signal for Matylda too, if she even needs one.

I just keep sauntering over to the two thugs by the stairs as if I didn't have a care, flashing them a toothy grin in the process. Both my [Bluff] and my [Intimidate] skill benefit.

Of course the duo doesn't just wait for me. No, they decide to confront me well before I can reach the stairs. The one in front scowls at me, as he calls me out.

"Hey! You stupid harlot! You can't just go about …"

I shut him up mid sentence, surging forward with surprising speed once again. This guy sports the tattoos of someone who has been part of this outfit for years. I show no restraint with him. The brass knuckles I spot on his hand help squash any last reservations I might still have felt. I'm still holding a now mostly empty mug and I drive it into his nose with every ounce of force I can muster. My [Brawl] skill edges another little bit closer to the next level up as his nose, and possibly something else too, breaks and the bloodied mug shatters.

[*Ding!* Critical Hit! Vitomir's Health reduced by 92!]

His eyes bulge briefly, as shards of bone are driven all the way into his brain, then he collapses like a wet noodle. It seems that was total overkill.

[*Ding!* You have defeated Vitomir!]

Well, judging by the notification, that one won't be getting back up for sure. Not unless the raccoons have a necromancer on payroll.

That seems to give the other one pause. Well, of course it does. He'd have to be an especially dense idiot if he just kept going as if nothing happened after I dropped his accomplice dead with one hit. He too sports brass knuckles, but he abandons them and tries to go for his knife instead. It's quite understandable, but it's also too late.

In a way he is lucky that I don't want him dead right away and have other plans for him. The two punches I throw sure are painful anyway, but far from as deadly as the one his comrade stopped with his face. One sends a few teeth flying anyway, while the other, aimed at his exposed lower side, is the one that actually makes him hunch over and retch.

[*Ding!* Hit! Mateusz's Health reduced by 15!]

[*Ding!* Hit! Mateusz's Health reduced by 15!]

My [Brawling] skill keeps improving step by step too. Very good. I ignore the retching man for now, as he crawls away in the direction of the door leading outside. He'll alert the guards there, but that will take a while, just as intended. As far as I'm concerned all is good.

I ignore the commotion behind me too, as the crowd catches on to the fact that something serious beyond the fight in the ring is going down. There are the bookies of course, which are part of the gang too, but a quick glance reassures me that they aren't coming after me. Of course, they can't just leave the bags of coin at their back alone. Priorities. It's enough to put another big grin on my face as I saunter up the stairs to confront the actual big boss of the operation.

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