Chapter 200
A New Passion
“Right away.” The Cultivating guard stated, dropping his ornamental spear to the ground as he began running away at speed.
Watching the Cultivating guard run, the solitary Mage guard who remained as the last line of defense to enter the Tournament grounds could only grit his teeth tightly. Then taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he gestured with one slightly trembling hand for Zero and me to enter the area so the Harvest Tournament could officially begin.
Only once we were past the still slightly trembling mage did Zero ask, “mind telling me what that was all about?”
“Oh that’s right, you were asleep when the whole interview process began.”
“Interview?”
“Yeah, you could call it that,” I state, before continuing “well, let’s just say there was a bit of resistance about my qualifications to be here. After a minor demonstration of my capabilities it was determined that my participation in the Tournament was not entirely needed.”
“Minor?”
“Yeah, they are both still alive, right? Also, I got the position I wanted as a Healer.” I respond.
“Right, so again, how exactly did you get the previously non-existent role of Healer for this Tournament?”
“Oh, I am so much more than a Healer for this tournament.”
“You are?”
“Yeah, surprisingly it wasn’t that hard to get hired on as the Tournament’s official healer. In fact, all it took was a minor demonstration of both my magical and cultivation powers, where I not only explained what I was doing, but how I countered different defensive measures placed by the examiners for me to have my role as primary healer expanded.
“See, in addition to being the only Healer who was willing to work for free, I was also hired on as the official referee for both the Magical and Cultivation based duels, along with being the play-by-play commentator.
“In fact, after seeing my skills in action, the length of the rounds were expanded. No longer were they single elimination bouts, but at least for the first round, a winner would need to win two of three matches.
“Honestly, the whole thing seemed to be a lot of fun and I ended up earning three different but synergistic quests that could be turned in individually if I failed any part, or combined to be turned in for one larger reward.” I begin to state, as I think back on receiving my first ever multiplier quests.
***
I had heard about these so-called multiplier quests but had never received one until now.
Hidden Quest Found (Part A): Healing the Boom: You have been tasked with being the primary healer for the Harvest Tournament. Your task is to keep all sixty-four contestants alive, or revive them before their souls fully separate from the spirit realm. Status (64 / 64). Rewards: Variable, can be turned in with other quests of the series to obtain greater benefits. Hidden Quest Found (Part B): Judging the Boom: You have been tasked with deciding who wins and loses each match. Additionally, you have at your discretion the ability to disqualify contestants for any of the following criteria: cheating, collusion, faking injuries, or blatantly not putting for their maximum effort. Status (Round 1 0 / 32), (Round 2 0 / 16), (Round 3 0 / 8), (Round 4 0 / 4), (Round 5 0 / 2), (Final Round 0 / 1). Rewards Variable, can be turned in with other quests of the series to obtain greater benefits. Hidden Quest Found (Part C): Calling a good Match: You have been tasked with providing play by play commentary for the matches as they evolve, this quest revolves entirely around viewer participation. Rewards determined by number of new viewers brought to the matches as a result of your personal involvement. Rewards: %n of increased viewership will go to improving the quality of rewards received for Parts A and B of this quest line.
It was the last one that was the most blatant about breaking the fourth wall if I ever saw a quest. Basically, if I wanted to increase my overall rewards for turning in Parts A and B of this quest, I would need to increase outside viewership and get more people than usual to watch these matches that I was explaining. Nothing too tough, in fact I already had a few commentator voices that I was ready to try out to sell this. There would be the Male and Female experts, one for Cultivation, the other for Magic, a sideline reporter and an announcer voice.
Actually, since I totally dropped reading Rahul and the Maiden, I have desperately wanted something fun to sink my teeth into from a voice acting perspective and this seems to be the best way for me to meet that need.
In a way, coming back here at this absurdly high level compared to the zone I was in, was the equivalent of End Game Caching. Basically, End Game Caching is where you go complete the main story line, have a maxed-out character and then start going around completing all the seemingly impossible quests at first that become remarkably easy when you are overpowered.
I had never heard the term, until I heard a few of my guild members talking about it, stating how the wastelands were so high that completing minor daily quests was more than major quests would reward at the major inhabited areas of the world. Basically, making it so everyone in the Midnight Hunters was being power leveled.
A fact that I really couldn’t refute, considering the fact that I have grown in terms of powers by leaps and bounds. Not as much as some of the more adventurous Midnight Hunters, but enough that I could stay relevant.
While I am not maxed-out, my power output and level of where I am now, to where I was a few months ago when I originally left the Arcanarus Tower are on completely different spectrums. This meant that from a personal growth perspective I would have gained little by beating up what equated to hungry and starving mages and cultivators.
Though as always, the system had its way of taking an idea and spinning it so that it was a lot more complex than your initial plans. Thus how my quest to become a Healer, morphed into me proving that I could survive backlash from an errant magical attack, or devastating strike. From there I had to prove my own combat prowess, and ended up inadvertently showing that I could Resurrect both magicians and cultivators to peak conditions.
As we approached the sold-out venue, it was clear that both the Mage and Cultivation guards who had been set to monitor applicants were sort of on edge, as I approached.
This was near where we began, as all that happened next was a brief question about Zero not being able to register, and then we are right where this whole thing began.
***
“Um, sorry to bother you, but it is too late to have any more contestants.” The Mage guard said, directing his attention to Zero.
Zero just stopped and hovered in mid-air staring at the guard.
“Zero is my familiar and also a fully capable healer.” I state.
“You have a pet spirit dragon familiar that heals?” The Mage guard asked a note of fear filling his voice at the end.
“Yes, is that so hard to imagine?” I asked.
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“Uh, no. I mean who wouldn’t teach their insanely powerful spirit dragon familiar to be a healer.” The Cultivating guard stated with a bit of snark to his voice.
All it took was a slight glance from me to get him to instantly close his mouth, and tremble slightly while standing in place. Fortunately, his friend the Mage guard chose that moment to save him.
“In that case, know that everyone is signed up and ready to begin when you are.” The Mage guard cut in, ending the awkward tension that was filling the air.
That’s when I saw it, they were both now tense and slightly trembling while looking at me.
“Relax, we are all here for the same reasons, everyone here is on the same exact page.” I state.
“Right.”
“Absolutely.”
Hearing them, I realize that now is likely the best time to get going.
“Well, I’ll be going to my position. Go ahead and let everyone know that the first matches are about to begin.”
“Right away.” The Cultivating guard stated, and the rest as they say was history.
With our minor conversation over, where I brought Zero up to speed on everything that happened while he was sleeping for the two of us, I began assuming the role of the announcer that I had envisioned.
Using a minor form of Voice Amplification magic, an offshoot of Illusion Magic, I projected my voice into a booming auto-tuned assisted voice of a powerful announcer.
“Any idea who the final Cultivator and Magic user were?” Zero asks.
“Oddly enough, I think my joining the Tournament allowed a full bracket to be formed for each side. The last Mage was the previous healer whom I replaced.” I state.
“And the Cultivator?”
“He was the previous referee of the matches. With both of them being out of a position, they had no choice but to join the tournament in order to win food for their families.”
“Taking food from the starving, have you no shame.” Zero says mockingly.
I shake my head, as he and I both don’t eat or drink thanks to both of use Spirit Sustenance, a class specific spell that has honestly been a life saver for me. I could only imagine what would happen if I randomly got irritable from lack of proper blood sugar levels. By now, I should be able to mimic this spell with my Cultivation path, but I haven’t really had the need. Though with so many starving cultivators here, it might be a good idea to learn the ability and then teach it to others, while we heal the great tree Yggdraspisrit, that all of the spirits here use to provide for their daily lives.
Still, those are future plans. For now, I have a job to do. Well, three.
Taking a deep breath, I steady myself and then let the role I wish to perform come out of me, as I begin my first acting job in such a long time.
In front of me are all sixty-four participants in the tournament this year. To my right are the thirty-two Mages that have joined the Tournament. Then on my left are the thirty-two Cultivators that have joined the Tournament. From what it seems like the audience here is evenly split down the middle, though the participants on the Cultivator’s side look slightly healthier than those on the Mage side. Even the mages that are competing look slightly emaciated. All except for those that are clear favorites of the Mage’s section.
Seeing the states of everyone involved, I feel slightly sick to my stomach as I mentally vow to correct this depravity as quickly as possible. It’s one thing to join a tournament for the thrill of competition, it is another thing entirely to do this to ensure your family doesn’t starve.
With that in mind, I begin my premeditated speech that I had prepared.
“GOOOOD MORNING SPECTATORS, today we begin the first round of the Harvest Tournament. We wanted to let you know that while you might have seen other Harvest Tournaments, you have never seen one like we have in store for you. For this first round we will see a total of Thirty-Two matches, each being the best of three. Each contestant will be healed at the end of each match. Once a winner is decided that is it, both participants will be healed to their maximum potential and be allowed to either move on, or go back to their lives. Also know that for the first time in the Tournament’s history, we will have a dedicated Resurrector on hand to prevent any permanent deaths or disfigurements. Meaning that each participant can go all out from the start, holding nothing back. Also know that the referee can cancel the match and disqualify the contestants for a myriad of reasons not limited to…”
Yeah, I sound like an allergy medication that has five hundred side effects, but the most important part is that after this announcement, there will be no way that anyone can say they were unaware of the consequences of cheating, or if anyone felt the need to hold back, due to fear of seriously harming others.
Finally, my introduction is over, and I can begin this.
“Contestants, bow to your families.” I state, my voice still booming loudly for everyone to hear.
Everyone does, and there are cheers coming up from both sides. Once everyone is done bowing to their own sides, I continue.
“Now bow to your future opponents.” I state, and with that there is a slight pause, before both groups turn around and face each other bowing.
There are some hesitations, and quite a few of the Cultivators don’t even bother bowing to the Mages. While most of the Mages bow to the Cultivators, though again some just do a slight head bob before standing back at attention.
Mentally I make a note of those that would not bow to the opposing faction and prepare to watch them closely during these competitions.
“To begin we ask that all contestants leave the stage. Up first will be the defending champions matches. First we will have the first overall Mage from last round go up against the thirty-second mage applicant. Followed immediately by the same for the Cultivator’s side. We ask that contestants be ready to go on immediately, and will request that each group knows their place and position.”
Then before I knew it the first match was underway.
Using my female Jean voice I began detailing the attacks, spells and breakdowns in near real time. Thus my explanation of the attacks happening occurred right as the final strikes began.
“Oh, here we go. The defending Champion is calling forth his signature flame strike, while his opponent is calling forth a modified plague rot spell.” I state as Jean the mage specialist commentator.
“Oh, look here we go, a feint of flames. If you ever want to know what a feint with magic looks like it is this, see the champion creates a Circle of Flames in front of him, while hiding the real strike to strike at his opponent. This requires a few things, most importantly it requires that your opponent stays still during the feint, and most importantly it requires a lot of focus, as you can easily lose track of your opponent during the feint and get cheap shot by the Plague in the back.”
“OHH!”
The crowd cried out in horror as the healer mage, the last magician to join the competition circled around the flames, and then charged through the weaker back side of the circle, striking and delivering a critical blow to the defending champion.
There is a momentary pause, as the flame wielding champion looks like he might be able to strike back, but then begins to cry out in pain as boils and pustules erupt all over his body.
As the defending Champion drops to his knees, his challenger reaches back, preparing yet another healing attack that is twice as devastating towards a spirit, but is stopped by my calling the round.
“And that is it for the first round. Winner, challenger number 32.” I state, my voice as an announcer cutting through the spell work and construct that the healer was about to use.
With the round ended, I Heal the minor burns that the Healer got, using Spirit Magic. Then I begin unworking the Plague that worked its way deep and efficiently into the defending Champion’s body. There at his core, was a seed of corruption that was apparently close to sprouting. Seeing the remnant that was clearly meant to permanently cripple the defending Champion, I turn to the Healer. Then speaking out loud, I let my discontent be known to the entire audience.
“This is your first and last warning. Any more attempts to permanently cripple your opponent’s core will result in an immediate disqualification.” I state.
Then instantly fill in the void with my two commentators.
“What do you suppose that was Jean?” My Bob, the Cultivator asks.
“That looks to be a secondary seed that was meant to either break the defending’ Champion’s core, or cause it enough damage that future rounds would be nearly impossible for the Champion to win.” The voice of Jean responds.
“Why would she do that, and risk possible disqualification?”
“Well likely two things. First her mana reserves are really low and apparently taking a long time to refill. Likely she thought that one she wouldn’t be caught and two if she survived long enough she would either win by default or have managed to regenerate enough mana to be effective in the third round.” Jean states, listing off the reasons I could think of, while watching the two.
Having heard me both give away their master plan, and having heard me clearly give a play by play in two distinct voices and characters, the defending Champion could only respond with, “you know you are crazy right?”
“I’d save the flattery for your opponent. As it is, I think she might think this is somewhat personal.” I respond, finishing up the last healing touches on the defending Champion, and giving him a quick once over. Then proceeding to go over and make sure the challenger was also healed.
“You good?” I ask.
Nod.
The girl is clearly pissed off at the Champion, though I don’t exactly know why.
“A former lover?” I ask, my voice low so it won’t get picked up by my own enchantments.
“No, he dumped my sister once he became the defending Mage Champion, when all the girls threw themselves at him.”
Hearing that I could only nod.
“You going to be able to keep it professional?” I ask.
“Yeah, also I should tell you, that I am almost full of mana.” The Challenger responds.
“Oh, I know. But now you have your chance to strike. He thinks this round will be one of you running around trying to regain your mana for the final round. If you take advantage of his misconception then that’s on him.” I respond.
With that, the challenger just smiled brightly, making sure to show teeth. “You know, I kind of like you. Also, thank you for removing the Core Crushing Seed, if it had gone off, I would have likely hated myself, eventually.”
“I know, why I stopped you.” I respond before going back to the center of the ring.
“Round two is about to begin.”
The Champion swaggered out to the center of the ring, no doubt expecting this to be a one-sided slaughter. Playing into the misconception that Jean the announcer had, his challenger by contrast looked somewhat tired and sluggish.
“Begin!” I shout.
Silence.
There is a calm tension in the air, before the Champion begins to smugly speak. “You know if you submit right now, I might…”
Was as far as he got, before not one but three torrents of Flesh-Eating Plague Spores lunged out and began eating away the very fabric of his body.
He managed to dodge one, and burn away a second, but the third hit him without him even having a chance to counter.
Just like the first time, the spell was fast acting and seemed to have a major VD component to it, as the defending champion quickly dropped to the arena floor again, grabbing at his privates.
“Don’t ever come near my sister again!” the Challenger shouted, as she raised her hand up and was clearly about to throw another spell at the back of the clearly disabled opponent.
“That is the match! We have a winner and our first upset victory of the night!” I state, quickly Dispelling the spell forming in the Challenger’s hands, while going over to heal the former champion.
“And there you have it, the old hit them with a chain cast spell while they are monologuing, priceless.” Jean states for the audience. “There we saw the challenger use the same version of the Plague spell she used earlier, but this time she broke it apart into three versions that were designed to spread out and converge back on the same target. That is high level spell work and targeting right there. I think this proves that Challenger number 32 is someone not to be messed with.”
“Especially not when it comes to her sister.” Bob responds. “Didn’t you say that she was out of mana?”
“No, I said she was likely out of mana as the Core Crushing Seed spell used up a lot of mana to cast. Though apparently this healer is full of surprises.” Jean answered.
“That she is. Well, I must say it was interesting to watch, though if flesh eating VD is what we can expect from our opponents I am glad to be up here safe in the booth with you Jean.”
“You said it Bob, just another testament to how far the sport of magical dueling has evolved and just how dangerous Healers can be.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more Jean. But now, it is time for my expertise, as we see the defending Champion for the Cultivators square off against the thirty-second contestant and former referee for these matches square off in a best of three match.”
“Sounds exciting, I can’t wait to see what these two contestants have in store for us.” Jean’s voice booms out, helping to add attention.
Just as I am getting into the swing of things, I feel Zero mentally make a connection with my mind trying to give me a snarky remark to throw me off my game.
“You know, you are probably certifiable at this point, right? Talking to yourself, and all.”
Still, I am a professional and chose to just shut off my mental link with Zero as I continue my role to play.
“Neither can I Jean, as this looks to be a battle of two heavy weights going at it…”