Aria

I watch with more than a little interest as Azura floats up into the air with his water magic forming a whirlpool of water beneath him. Surprising me a little with the sheer power of his mana.

“Did he…” I mutter in surprise before glancing at Little Blue, who merely nods her head. “Huh.” I turn back to the battle again. “Interesting.”

Something Shirogane had mentioned to me a while back that isn’t public to the universe at large. Other than some incredibly influential people and families.

The Center of the Universe. Otherwise known as Aegis.

A planet where the World Core has the power to grant a reawakening of sorts. Replacing one’s ability with another.

It can be risky to try it, simply because it could theoretically make your ability worse. In fact, for someone with an ability like Azura’s previous Class A, pseudo Class S ability, I have no idea why he would ever risk it. But it could also improve your ability.

Although it does always give the same affinity you have for the ability. Assuming you have one.

Also, it apparently doesn’t work for Horsemen of the Apocalypse abilities. It can’t take them away or give them to people.

Someone tried forcing War in the distant past to change his ability as a result of his losing a duel back then. Even if it wasn’t to the death. And it just plain didn’t work. They couldn’t get rid of his ability.

And I guess Aegis’s World Core gave Azura a Class S ability.

At least, I think that’s a Class S ability.

I’m not the only one surprised as everyone else in the stadium has gone silent as well. Especially when Shirogane himself begins to show signs of discomfort, with some bubbles appearing around his body.

Azura grins from his place floating above the whirlpool.

On the other hand, Shirogane just sighs and snaps his fingers. Sending out a wave of silver liquid that covers him from head to toe before forming a suit of fancy and honestly rather intimidating armor. At which point I can’t tell if he’s feeling any discomfort anymore, but judging by the frown that forms on Azura’s face, he’s probably not.

“So you can block it,” Azura mutters, his voice echoing throughout the stadium. “I’m impressed.”

“I’m more impressed by the guts it must’ve taken to change your ability,” Shirogane declares, his voice echoing throughout the stadium and shocking even more people. The ones that didn’t already know Azura. “And to think you’d win the lottery with a new Class S ability.”

Yep. My assumption is now confirmed.

“His new ability lets him directly manipulate the water in the bodies of others,” Little Blue explains for me, startling me with just how powerful an ability like that is. “Although their level does matter.”

I lean forwards again, resting my chin on the palm of my hands as I watch Shirogane float up into the air.

It looks like his ability is either just plain being blocked by Shirogane’s own power, or he can’t manipulate the water of people he can’t see directly. Either way.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“But still,” Little Blue mutters.

“Yeah,” Sel says from the other side of me. “Azura is only level 1051. He doesn’t stand a chance against Shirogane.”

I can’t help but glance at her with a brow raised.

‘Only’ level 1051?

Only?

If that’s only, what am I to you?

I don’t say any of this out loud and instead turn to watch the battle some more as Little Blue says, “It’s probably to show off his new ability to the world. I’m sure a lot of other people are here to show off as well.”

Guess that makes sense. It is a very high profile tournament after all.

“I’ll accommodate you, then,” Shirogane says, his voice sounding rather ominous coming from within his equally ominous silver armor. One that looks almost like that of a demon king from one of those novels I’ve read.

Then Shirogane and the two begin to fight it out, with strings of silver liquid rushing out to combat against torrents of water that leave the whirlpool.

But I can tell just with a glance that Shirogane is holding back. Specifically due to my seeing his fighting back on Silverfall. Where he was far stronger than he is showing right now.

“Is he holding back to let Azura show off?” I ask while tilting my head a little.

“Probably,” Little Blue says with the slightest hint of a smile in her voice.

The three of us watch as the two pull off a grand looking battle, only for Shirogane to eventually say – after several minutes pass – “Let’s finish this up, shall we?”

Azura grits his teeth, following which Shirogane just floats up into the air with bits of silver liquid appearing all around him. Then the liquid shoots up into a massive pillar towards the sky, covering up everything in sight above the stadium with nothing but liquid metal.

I lean back again while crossing my arms, no longer as interested since I’ve seen Shirogane go all out before.

The crowd, on the other hand, is going wild.

I tap the crook of my arm. Merely watching as chains of silver metal appear all around the stadium and stretch out to completely break through the water around Azura. Then they wrap around the seventh prince and bring him up to Shirogane.

Azura frowns at the crown prince in front of him before eventually sighing and declaring, his voice echoing throughout the stadium, “I surrender.”

The crowd roars even louder than before, making me yawn as I lower the volume of the outside of the booth. Because it’s a little annoying.

After their battle, they both leave the field, and the usual maintenance crew quickly comes in and repairs everything. Which doesn’t take more than a few minutes thanks to magic.

Then the next competitors enter the ring. Competitors that are far less interesting than Shirogane and Azura.

I continue tapping the crook of my elbow for a few minutes before eventually sighing and bringing out a book to read.

Because this is getting boring.

I hear Little Blue sighing next to me, but I pretend I didn’t notice as I read. Only occasionally glancing up to look at the arena.

Eventually I hear the buzzer going off for the booth, notifying me that someone’s here. And after a quick glance, I find it to be Azura and Shirogane.

So I press the button on my little throne to let them in.

Before going back to reading again with nothing but a wave in their direction over my shoulder.

I hear the two snorting in amusement before Azura says, “You never change, do you?”

“You sure about that?” I comment without looking up from my book. “My level has grown, so I’d say I’ve changed.”

I see the two walking around my throne and entering the corner of my view as I read. And after a brief glance up at them, I find Azura looking down at the cat that snuck onto my lap at some point.

“Didn’t realize you were a cat person,” he comments with a raised brow.

Oh, right. He hasn’t met Asher yet.

“Asher, meet Azura,” I state while petting Asher on the head once, making him look up with a sleepy expression on his face as he lets out an adorable yawn. Then goes back to sleep. “Azura, meet Asher.”

Azura reaches down to pet Asher, only for Asher to move his head at the very last second. Avoiding his hand in the process as Azura touches my thigh instead.

He pulls back right away and blinks at the cat. Then reaches to pet him again, only to be dodged again. Albeit with him stopping his hand right away this time.

Then it repeats itself a couple more times as I glance at Little Blue, who just glares at Azura as she says, “He loves cats.”

Ah. That explains it.

“They don’t always love him, though,” Sel comments from the side, her voice sounding rather dry.

I watch Azura and Asher’s antics for a few seconds before I start to feel irritated that they’re doing it over my lap. So I pick Asher up and place him onto the ground.

Then I go back to reading as Azura and Asher have a stare-down.