The Player's System

Enemy? 

Team members were curios however they could not ignore the suggestion. It was better to sneak the activity of the retainer first. "I can relate the words of the book of detection are somehow unreliable or confusing. It happened in the first level. We cannot directly meet the retainers." Ahram sided with Jake. 

After spending enough of time he understood that the young player was cautious and his behavior most of the time helped them positively. Till this day no one could refute the favorability of the suggestions. 

Junan was thinking the same after the suggestion. They were players and the retainers could create trouble for them. "We should immediately hide to see who are retainers?" Junan gestured them to spread and sneak. 

He gestured Jake to stand beside him. They separated in pairs and searched hiding the spot. The retainer crossed the near square. He was wearing the clothing of various animal skins. 

The bastard sword was shining in his hand. Half of the facial skin was burnt red and the long brown beard shook with his shouts. Team members were able to hide in the various trading shops or behind the street. 

Junan was short of time and entered in the near shop. The shopkeeper got frightened. He tried to shout and capture the attention of the retainer. "If you need your neck do not shout." Junan placed dagger on his neck and whispered in his ears. 

The way retainer was looking around and the bastard sword thirsty for the blood it was apparent that he was not some friendly buddy. "I found that the Arena Runners were seen in this area. Plainly tell the direction where did they left or else I will capture every trader and then they themselves will be responsible for the circumstances." He spoke out loud as if ordering. 

Albert and Clark were also hiding in a shop. They glared the shopkeeper to keep shut. "What if he started searching?" Clark saw the retainer and understood that they should never get acquainted in true sense. 

"We will send this shopkeeper to give a false direction. This would send him away for some time and we will be able to decide what should we do about it. After all team head must have seen this retainer too." Albert whispered. 

"Indeed we might be battling with them in future. Perhaps they are enemies. I doubt whether he is calling us Arena Runners?" Clark was confused. It had only been ten minutes that they came in this city and they were already wanted as 'Arena Runners' 

"There is no doubt for me that the retainers are meant to stop us as for the reason I don't know. They might be related with the task." Albert looked at the shopkeeper and slightly forced the tip of the dagger on his neck. 

"You will go out and tell that the Arena Runners has left." Albert whispered in his ears. The shopkeeper was all tears. He was afraid that the retainer would burn down his shop after knowing that the Arena runner was hiding in his shop. 

"I would not do this. You are Arena Runner and he is here to capture you." He refused straightway. Albert was shocked to see the loyalty of the shopkeeper. It also cleared their doubts about the retainers. He forced the dagger slightly again. This time it injured small part of the neck and a drop of blood rolled. 

Shopkeeper felt the bitterness. He got scared that perhaps the arena runner would definitely kill. He stood up trembling. Retainer was about to barge in the near shop when he saw the shopkeeper. 

"Majestic Retainer they were indeed here but as soon as they heard about you they left in that direction." The man lifted his arm to point false direction. 

Retainer scrutinized him from head to toe and ignored the covered neck. The retainer ran toward the pointed direction. Sashi and Ahram were looking from the part of street. 

They were shocked that they were standing where the direction walked past the same street. They jumped in the trash bins barely hiding from the keen eyes of the retainer. 

He looked like bigger ruffian. They were clueless why they were wanted all of sudden. However they were able to get some time. It will help them decide their steps whether to come in front to ask what trouble they caused or otherwise battle. 

The retainer left in hurry. They immediately changed their present location. The shopkeepers would not stay silent for long. It was best to leave the area. 

They jumped from the shops and the left in the opposite direction. Now they were not walking openly instead in the empty street. "No more trust this book of detection." Clark spoke annoyed. 

He might have ended up in front of the retainer if not the team members decided otherwise. "The clue was plain. It did not say that either Retainer is friendly or enemy. Probably we are now acquainted that the retainers are actually dangerous." Albert spoke up. 

"Sooner or later he will come back. Are we going to battle?" Orin asked to confirm. "There is no option because none of us would want to become their hostage." Albert spoke what the shopkeeper told. 

They looked at him unsure whether to believe it or not. "Why would retainer want us to send in prison? What did we do?" Orin asked confused. 

"I do not know either. The shopkeeper said that we are Arena Runners and the retainer would throw us in the prison." Albert explained. They were shocked to hear this. Junan was surprised too. 

"We will kill them for sure else they are going to chase us for eternity. The way he ran toward same direction points out that he would not let us go easily. We can ask around what is going in the city but perhaps our appearance match with expected criminals." Junan explained. 

It was what he understood from the present circumstances.. The retainers were sent to eliminate Arena Runner at any cost.