Returning to the back entrance at the same time as yesterday, I showed my card to the booth guy and he let me through. Opening the squeaky doors, a flood of fire moved toward me trying to flush me out of the room and roasting me at the same time. This was the prowess of the level 4 spell, Fire Blast.

The heat reached my face; reacting instinctively, I threw a punch forward, I could feel the surrounding air moving in coordination with my body.

As I proceeded to pierce my fist forward, I felt like saying, 'I am one with The Air and The Air is with me,' but I wasn't blind so it would be too awkward.

Air Manipulation - Piercing was a Mythical grade technique. Despite this, I felt like it wasn't strong enough to stop the Fire Blast completely. Was it because of how physically weak I was?

A thought came to me as I was nearing full extension of my arm. If I could use the air to pierce it, why don't I strengthen it even further by adding mana into the equation. Remembering the feeling and concept of how the Dragon Fist worked, I felt my mana churning furiously through my body finding its way to my arm.

Even though the technique had been removed from my status window, I could probably still use it. Right?

The surrounding air formed a horizontal vortex with my fist at the center. The surrounding air started to change color. In its previous state, it was only a grey needle that was translucent, but now, it had a bit of redness added in.

The very moment my arm formed a straight line, I had reached the full range of motion for a punch. The original piercing technique that would only form a grey needle turned into a dark red vortex that continued circulating as it went forward to meet the Fire Blast. It was many times larger than before.

Upon impact, the Fire Blast that was moving in my direction was forcefully deflected and combined with the vortex I created.

To say the least, it was unprecedented for. Did adding mana amplify its power that much?

As the Fire Blast was cleared away by the swirling vortex, I was finally able to see who was on the other end.

It was Melissa.

I immediately regretted experimenting a new technique and rushed forward to save her. I wasn't certain if even I could survive from that vortex, yet alone her.

Don't get me wrong here, but if I killed someone in the Waiting Room, I would most likely be disqualified and I needed to win this tournament.

Dashing forward, I wasn't sure if I could make it in time but I had to try.

'If only I were a bit more careful...'

—Melissa's PoV—

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'What the h*ll?'

'Had I been underestimating him too much? I just wanted to play a little prank on him...'

'Is this how I am going to die?'

'From my own stupidity and ignorance?'

I ruminated on how I as a princess—no, as a human...I failed.

I started to regret a lot of things. Maybe if I were more outgoing, I would have a friend or two... Maybe if I were less stoic around my parents, I would be loved more...

Now that I think of it, Heero was kind of the only person who put up with my mischief. Even though we only knew each other for a single day, he was the closest to a friend I ever had.

This situation...I couldn't really blame him. It was only right for him to act in self-defense.

'I had taken it too far.'

'I was wrong.' I prayed for a miracle to happen even though I didn't really believe in miracles. Despite how much I believed magic could solve a lot of things, some things just couldn't be salvaged.

As the spinning vortex inched closer and closer to my face, I had a thought.

'If I had a second chance, would I have treated him better?'

When I first approached him during the Elimination Field, I was just curious. That curiosity soon turned into something I couldn't explain. It felt fun watching him. In a way, he made me want to feel spoiled; like how a kid wants their father to pat their head.

'If only I didn't pull such a dangerous prank.'

I could feel the heat wave touching my body at this point. My assigned bodyguard was currently in the bathroom so she wouldn't be able to save me.

'If only I met him sooner... I would have become a better person.'

Right as the vertex was about to pierce through me, a figure appeared in front of me. As quickly as it had appeared, it disappeared just as quickly. I was moved along with the dark figure with me being held horizontally.

I looked at the figure and it was him.

I didn't know he could move so fast... Even though I tried to toy with him, he still saved me.

I looked at the current position I was in. His right hand was supporting my back while his left hand was holding my legs together.

'W-w—Wasn't this a princess carry?!?!'

"Are you okay?" He said in a soothing voice.

This reminded me of the prince charmings described in those fairy tale books I used to read. But no matter how I looked at it, his face was still not visible. It was just a blur of darkness. Did I have to physically remove his hood to see it?

With that idea in mind, I put my hand up and tried tugging on it...It wouldn't come off... By the time I had realized what I was doing, the other two participants in the Waiting Room were already watching us. Luckily, the audience couldn't witness the happenings inside the Waiting Room.

"Melissa! Are you alright!" A man in his 30s with a crown on his head rushed in from nowhere.

He looked at the huge crater on the floor, then at Heero and I.

"Y-you! YOU! RELEASE MY DAUGHTER!!!" He shouted in anger when he saw me in someone's arms.

Complying to my father's orders, he put me down and tried to run but I knew my father could probably catch him with ease.

—Daniel's PoV—

'Sh*t, was that her father? He probably thought I was flirting with her daughter. And if what they say is true... He is the king, someone I can't mess with.'

Thinking that, I immediately put Melissa down gently and ran as fast as I could to the squeaky doors.

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING?" The king appeared in front of me in a fraction of a millisecond.

I kneeled down immediately knowing I was in the presence of royalty and that I probably won't be able to escape alive if he came to the conclusion that I was molesting his daughter. The only thing I could hope for was clearing up the misunderstanding.

"Father, he was trying to save me! He was doing nothing inappropriate." Melissa tried to appeal on my behalf.

"Hmm." Appeal was Super Effective!

"Reveal your appearance and I will let you go." He said to me.

When I heard that, I panicked.

"Heero take your hood off. It's disrespectful." Melissa said grinning widely.

'What the h*ll, I thought you were on my side, you little bastard.'