--- [Lett’s perspective]
“How quickly the contestants were able to defeat their opponents varied a lot. Some faced stronger competition than others, therefore, it took them more time to take them out. Some tried harder than others, therefore, they wasted less time. Among many other factors, this explains why it took some people a lot longer than others. But is that really all there is to it? No! Regardless of any outside factors, the person who cleared the preliminaries the fastest would always be the same. The one who beat their opponents first is by far the fastest hunter here! The group 9 winner, Rin Nox!” – Bob
Rin is here too?!
Well done, Rin!
She has grown so much since we first met.
I hope I get to fight her myself!
“If there’s any hunter here I’m envious of, it’s her… She’s powerful, she’s fast, she’s versatile, and she’s beautiful! Name a trait, and she’s probably got you beat in it. There are jacks of all trades, but masters of none, and there are those who are master of one… Well, this woman can only be described as the master of all trades! Putting your money on anyone else is a blunder! The unmistakably strongest fighter from group 10, Luna Luna!” – Barbara
Yes!
Luna made it too!
That means all three of us passed the preliminaries.
Only Alex remaining then…
Wait…!
Oh no…
I’m next!
They keep praising us so much…
It’s fine when it’s other people, but god…
I don’t want to listen to them do it to me!
You know what…
I hope Shin isn’t here after all.
If he is, I’m never going to live down anything they say about me.
He’ll tease me about it forever!
“As kids, everyone dreams about what specialty they would have if they became a hunter. Some want to fly, others want to become invisible. Some want to breathe fire, others want telekinesis. But there is one power that stands above the rest… One power desired by everyone in the world! Well, this woman has it! From group 11, we have the woman blessed by fate itself! Lett Lepus!” – Bob
Ugh…!
I’m cringing just listening to it!
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Is teleportation really that desired, or is he just making things up to rally the crowd?
As instructed, I open the door on the opposite side of where I entered.
Behind it is a set of stairs, taking me up to the main stage.
All the other contestants are lined up, standing shoulder to shoulder, ordered from group 1 to 10.
I stand next to Luna, and she whispers in my ear.
“Well done!” – Luna
Just as I’m about to reply, the announcers start introducing the next contestant, drowning out my reply.
“For the first time in history, one person has defeated every single opponent they faced in the preliminaries. There were hundreds and hundreds of people in each group, yet even for the strongest and fastest people out there, they aren’t able to defeat them all by themselves. Maybe not because they can’t, but because their opponents will fight amongst themselves and defeat each other before they get to do it themself. Yet with her, it was different…! The moment the battle began, every single person set their sights on her. Her aura alone was so terrifying that they didn’t think they would stand a chance against her without banding together. Turns out they were wrong… Even hundreds of people at once are not enough! She already made history, and very well might do it again! Remember her name, because the one representing group 12 is Valentina Odi!” – Barbara
Moments later, she gets to the main stage, coming from a different entrance than I did.
She places herself next to me.
I think I saw her blushing a little…
She’s probably embarrassed by the high praise they gave her.
I know how it feels…
“If there’s one thing we all love, it’s an underdog. Seeing someone succeed against all odds is the most satisfying thing in the world. Well… This is not that type of story. To her, everyone else is an underdog. She is the odds they’re up against, the wall they have to climb! To defeat her requires nothing short of a miracle! But as well know, miracles are not real… Group 13 fostered a demon, Quinn Rex!” – Bob
Like everyone before her, she gets on stage, and stands next to the last person who entered.
Only three people left now…
Come on, Alex!
“The most important rule for the battle festival is that killing is not allowed. These rules make the event more fun for everyone, with no major downsides. However, this is not the case for this woman. She’s likely the deadliest hunter here; her sword can seemingly cut through anything. To her, the rules are shackles, keeping her from using her full strength. I pity anyone who has to go up against her. She’s the winner of group 14, Isabella Gladius!” – Barbara
Isabella made it too!
Wow…
I didn’t see that coming!
There are so many familiar faces here, yet one is still missing…
“After watching the preliminaries, there is one hunter who surpassed all expectations. At first, he didn’t seem like anything special… There were monsters in his group, all of whom deserved a spot in the main tournament. It’s too bad they were up against him… Despite not being anything special for the first half, he suddenly grew in power, and took them all out with ease. After seeing that, I understood how dangerous he truly is… If there’s one thing I’m sure of in life, it’s that if he unleashes that on anyone here, the match is over. From the penultimate group, group 15, we have Isaac Lux!” – Bob
Isaac too, huh.
With so many people I already know here, Alex not showing up would be one hell of a cruel joke.
Please…
“There is one thing every contestant has in common; they are all human. With him however, I’m not so sure… To put it succinctly, he is simply better than everybody else. Every attack thrown at him was shrugged off like it was nothing. Be it a punch, or a ball of fire. His blows were mighty enough to break every bone in his opponents’ bodies. Had healers not been on standby, it would have been a massacre. One look in his eyes, and you could feel the determination. He is here to win! To him, this competition is simply a means to an end. There is nothing that can stop him from reaching his goal. The sovereign of group 16, Alexander Minima!” – Barbara
YES!
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!
I never should have doubted him!
As he walks up the stairs, my heart sinks…
There is something different about him; he’s not the same Alex I once knew…
His hair is long and unkempt…
His air of optimism he used to exude is long gone…
And…
He has the eyes of a killer…