“Now, without further interruptions, we have Norbert from Morenas, the head flipper and winner against the former undefeated champion Arzlan!” Norbert focused on his opponent, the announcer's voice blurring out as Norbert looked over at his opponent.

The figure stood on their own, already manipulating the water to their will, a slight shimmer in the air. Norbert pushed energy into his eyes as he focused on his opponent’s face, not seeing anything odd about the Atlantian—no fish head or tail on them. His vision returned to normal as the barrier in front of him disappeared, the fight having started.

Standing still, Norbert waited, his opponent stepping into the water as they zoomed towards him. He patted his daggers, confirmed their location and his fingers danced over the blades, itching to use them; however, no plan was formulated for the best way to put the blades strapped to him to use.

With Finekus's words flashing through his head, Norbert breathed in, releasing his breath, repeating as his opponent came closer, the water rippling around them several meters ahead of them.

Stretching himself out again, Norbert took two of the throwing daggers and launched them towards the Atlantian, propelling them slightly with energy. Shockwaves coming from the two pieces of metal caused ripples in the water.

His opponent raised his hand, a wall of water coming out, Norbert seeing the water around him drop slightly as a result. Ripping his eyes back upwards, seeing what the two daggers would do.

The first one hit the wall, and a spray of water came out, blasting forward as it absorbed the energy. He sprayed his opponent with water, only for them to redirect it around themselves. Norbert, seeing that they hadn’t become drenched. The dagger dropped out of the air and caught in the water as Norbert started to see it come back towards him.

The second dagger made its way through the wall undisturbed. Norbert watched the dagger smash into the Atlantian, blasting out the other side in a shower of blue blood. A crater appeared in their torso, splashing into the water, no longer propelling themselves forward.

Norbert stood on his tippy toes, watching as the Atlantian continued moving towards him, spinning and losing speed. Norbert did not move off the platform, not wanting to step in the water and have who knows what done to him.

Continuing his deep breathing, Norbert waited for the body to come back up, splashing out of the water in a coughing fit, clutching their sides in pain.

Waiting

Waiting

The seconds he was passed, and still no sign of his opponent in the water. The hairs on the back of Norbert’s neck started to raise in alarm as he quickly scanned the water, turning about on the platform. Seeing the water bubble, Norbert leapt into the air, the water chasing after him with the Atlantian on it, propelling himself to chase after Norbert.

Seeing the hole still in the opponent's side, no blood coming out, the guts somehow remaining inside, but the sheer size of the hole making it ghastly, thankful he wouldn’t need to deal with them being healed by the immense amount of water in the arena.

No longer rising, Norbert took out one more dagger from his legs, falling back down towards the ground. The Atlantian was still being propelled upwards, and the two of them met together.

The two of them impact in the air, and water surrounds Norbert. Norbert slices forward, feeling the blade get harder and harder to move, and the water turns thicker and thicker around the blade.

Reaching out to grab the Atlantian with his hand, Norbert saw his opponent smiling as they started plummeting towards the ground.

His finger tips just brushed the Atlantian, unable to properly take hold. The two of them separate as the water forces him apart.

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As Norbert finally drifted away, he saw the mostly human-like figure in front of him. Slight scales shimmered down their arms and legs, which weren’t protected in blue swirling armour. Seeing no weapons on the Atlantian, not even a small knife to protect themselves, Norbert just shook his head at the site.

Crashing into the water below, Norbert never touched the bottom as he seemed to fall endlessly. The arena obscured by the water clinging to his body, slowing down his movements, forcing him to start expending energy to move himself about.

Paddling in what he believed to be upwards, Norbert steadily continued in that direction, knowing that it wouldn’t be much of a fight if someone just drowned, for this was still part of a show as well as which country was strongest.

Continuing to swim upwards, Norbert sees an object falling towards him, the ripples it causes impacting his body. He twists his body, trying to avoid the object hurtling towards him. Twisting his body to the side, Norbert brushes up against it. The dagger that he threw before at the Atlantian is now hurtling past his head.

Cheeks puffed up, Norbert held on, ensuring not to let any of the precious air escape. Spinning himself around in all directions, Norbert spotted the Atlantian slowly approaching him. They were standing perfectly upright as they moved through the water towards Norbert.

Taking a dagger, Norbert threw it, not even getting close to the Atlantian as it lost its power, trailing down and falling above Norbert. Taking the other daggers, as the Atlantian approached Norbert, Norbert threw them behind him, sending energy into them as they blasted away from him.

Norbert moved towards the Atlantians, grasping forward, his fingers just curling around one of the swirls on the plate of the chest armour. Smiling in glee, Norbert brought the Atlantians towards him, bubbles escaping from the crack in his mouth. Taking his hand, Norbert held it over the Atlantians' throat, feeling the gills there rippling against his soaked gloves.

Clamping down so they wouldn’t escape, Norbert threw his fist back. “Give up now; you're not going to get out.”

Norbert stared into the Atlantian's green eyes, fear flashing momentarily before they steeled. Norbert bringing his fist forward, the closer it came to the Atlantian the harder it was to move, when impacting no longer a destructive blow but a soft slap to the face.

Moving his arm back again, Norbert felt his toes start to get cold. Clucking harder on the neck, he took the dagger out from his belt on his waist. Pulling it up, he held it in front of the Atlantian eye.

Bubbles escaped Norbert’s mouth. “Forfeit.”

The Atlantian started down the blade, bashing his head forward, piercing their eye on the dagger. Norbert squeezed his hand around the neck, feeling it snap as he winced at the sound.

Bringing the knife away, the water suddenly fell away from them; Norbert followed its path as he fell upwards, only realising that he had been pointed down.

Throwing the knife away, Norbert curled himself around the Atlantian as the two of them hit the water and the submerged arena floor.

Hitting the bottom, Norbert sat up, moving the body of the Atlantian off him. The water started to drain out of the arena as Norbert stretched, standing up. His clothes stuck to him. He felt his coin pouch, the outside wet, remembering how he had placed the letter he needed to take to Grimm in there. He opened it up, relieved when he felt it only slightly damp inside.

Closing up the coin pouch, Norbert turned up towards the booth. “We done with this?”

“And there we have it, Floomy from Atlanta has been defeated, and what a surprise to all. Guess that’s what happens when you get too full of yourself.” The announcer is speaking to the crowd.

Norbert nodded, turning about as he looked around the arena for the daggers he used during the fight. Trudging through the water, hearing it slosh under his feet as he looked down, hearing voices and people move about behind him.

Looking up, I saw several people come forward, lifting the Atlantian from the ground and transporting him away, the body seemingly floating in mid-air. One of them coming towards him, Norbert waving them off, knowing he wouldn’t need any medical attention from it. The walls around the platform moved away as they with the water finally removed from the arena.

Finding all of his daggers throwing daggers, Norbert checked, confirming they were still useable and sheathing them, adding to the list of things to do by oiling the blades.

Placing them in their appropriate places, Norbert turned to where his platform should be, seeing only an empty hole in the ground. Looking about Norbert, turning until he found his own, the only circle remaining.

Standing on it, Norbert was lowered once more below the arena. He waved as he disappeared down the hole, flicking his arms out to get the water off him as quickly as possible.

Shaking his head from side to side, water sloshed in his ear, Norbert took the two pieces of his helmet off, and water splattered the platform he was standing on.

The platform stopped, and Norbert walked out as he looked across the empty room, Finekus nowhere to be seen. He walked down as he looked up at the screen, not seeing it appear, thankful for the rest of the day he could use. Looking down at his soaked clothes, the first thing on his list was apparent.