Since the last summoner battle was long over and Ponteck now won by default, the final warlock battle would be the one and only battle taking place today.

It was delayed by another few hours so people could gather. Once the stadium was full, Umara was up to bat.

I massaged her shoulders while we stood on the sidelines. There were tens of thousands of eyes on us, including some very powerful ones, the Duchess among them.

I didn’t care. It was a well known fact that we were together. If anything, acting all chummy with my girlfriend allowed me to rub it into their faces.

I leaned my chin over her shoulder, speaking in a low tone.

“How are you feeling?”

“Perfect, actually. Although, my focus isn’t really on the battle.”

“What’s it on?”

“The battles after this one. Mainly what I’m gonna do when it’s my turn to face you.”

“Will that happen?”

“Perhaps. If President Carrion has his way though, he might just put me up against Ponteck instead since I’d probably forfeit against you. I’m not sure if I’ll even get the chance. Not that I think it’d go well.”

“Hm.”

I nodded slightly. I didn’t want to face Umara — I’d have to shoot her to beat her. She knew that, so she’d just forfeit the match for me. However, Carrion knew that too, and he’d be damned if he let me get a free pass early on in the inter division matches.

I spoke into her ear.

“Remind me to talk to you about how to handle something like my guns.”

“We already have a lot to go over.”

“I know. I’ll have to make another booklet.”

“Hehe, the first one is already bulging at the seams. I was thinking about getting it properly bound too. I might make it into another Grimoire.”

“How about an Orb instead?”

“I don’t like Orbs. I like handling a tangible book better. Helps me think.”

“Works with me.”

“Umara Talerria and Grace Jetsee, to your positions!”

Umara reached up to pat my cheek.

“Wish me luck.”

“My girlfriend doesn’t need luck.”

“Can’t hurt.”

I gave her a juicy kiss instead, laughing as she squirmed away from my grasp and jogged over to her start. After taking another moment to watch her prepare, I took a seat on a nearby platform with Tana and Feiden.

Both of them had already fully recovered physically. Damn Knights and their Vigor. They’d probably be feeling a lot better if Vetsmon hadn’t done what he did.

He was probably getting his teeth kicked in on the training grounds right now — and in all honesty, I wasn’t completely sympathetic.

The broken bone wasn’t much of a concern; as I had told the others, the healing went well, and I had dealt with plenty worse; any pain would be a temporary annoyance at most.

What I was still concerned about was Vetsmon’s drive. Battling like they did was the norm in this world; from my perspective as an Earthling, any form of combat demanded my full attention and efforts, to say nothing of my inherent Summoner fragility. I had to pull all stops to keep myself alive; I didn’t have a buffer.

Vetsmon, who was incredibly talented, tough, and strong, was probably a bit lazy. He didn’t feel the urgency I did. He didn’t feel the same fear. He didn’t have to stand in the face of those who could kill him with a pinky and hold his own against them. If anything, he was rapidly becoming someone who would dominate all others under his knightly power.

…Honestly, I was glad this was happening. He was finally feeling the level of powerlessness I had all this time. He was getting a small taste of what I had to deal with every day and understanding what it meant for him to threaten me like he did.

Later, he would be going through even more. I wondered how they would go about teaching him, how they would make him appreciate the talent he had and respect the danger of those he fought against.

I couldn’t imagine the monster he’d become if he were to train as I had. Hopefully they’d be able to pull that out of him, for his own sake.

These thoughts were pulled from my mind as Umara’s battle started.

…

Grace Jetsee had a perfect water affinity and a working air affinity. This meant her magic was incredibly versatile, both able to attack with speed and defend with mass.

However, she only conjured her barrier before standing there. Umara lifted a finger and drew it across her body, sending a thick blade of wind crashing into Grace’s barrier.

It splintered into a million little fragments, a smaller fraction composed of rapidly-vaporizing shards of barrier. But Grace didn’t hurl back a counterattack with Mana, but words.

“So is that boy your pet or something?”

Umara froze in the middle of casting another wind blade.

“Really? You’re doing this shit now?”

Umara let out a huff in frustration. It was ridiculous Grace would take a free hit just to insult her.

However, she caught herself after a few seconds. Her response was shockingly non aristocratic; she was talking more and more like her boyfriend by the day.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Umara cleared her throat before deciding to humor the girl. There was no harm in a little banter; she knew she would win regardless.

Grace frowned.

“You two seemed to have already devolved into licking each other like dogs. Is that what you keep him around for?”

“Sweetie, there’s no need to be so bitter just because you can’t get a man. Besides, you say that like ‘keeping him around’ is at all convenient. You’re not the first to degrade me to my face, and you won’t be the last I have to deal with.”

“Please. Even if I were concerned about such things at this age, I surely wouldn’t pick someone so below me. Not only is he a commoner, but also a cold summoner. How could you possibly do worse?”

“Well, he likes to tell me I’m the lucky one. And he’s probably right. I didn’t know it at the time, but I got the strongest summoner in Magisterium history.”

Umara’s smile widened as Grace pursed her lips. The conversation probably wasn’t going the direction she wanted.

John definitely wasn’t inadequate. Right now, he was at the top of the Elite Rankings. It was no secret that he was an anomaly. Strong even for an Elite, and as a summoner too. Even a summoner who could match up to the average knight or warlock would be exemplary, let alone one who stood above them all.

Grace took a moment to parse a reply and shook her head in mock regret.

“Whatever. Everyone knows that he couldn't have possibly reached Rank 1 honestly. He’ll be exposed within the week. Perhaps that will slap some sense into you. Even then though, it might be too late. Nobody will want to marry such a deluded woman.”

“Well, it’s my boyfriend’s job to prove me right. It’s my job to stand by his side. You just sit your pitiful ass down in those stands, bitch. That’s the only place you have the strength to reside.”

Umara raised her hand, her smile gone, and snapped her fingers.

The sound that came from it produced a shockwave that collided with an invisible wall around the arena. But, unlike the audience, Grace wasn’t spared. Her eyes widened briefly, cognizant of the doom fast approaching yet unable to do anything about it, before she covered her ears and collapsed in a heap, though none of her screams could be heard as some blood seeped from between her hands.

Umara flicked another pressurized lance of air that Grace, in an impressive, if futile, display of defiance, hastily erected a barrier to block. This time, upon collision, it was the barrier that turned into shards to be blown away moments later, and Grace was thrown into the arena wall.

The judge raised his arm.

“The Champion of the Warlocks is Umara Talerria!”

“Woo!”

The crowd started cheering as Umara walked down.

She and John approached each other.

“Well done. That was a new spell.”

“Mm. I wanted to save it for the battle against Ponteck, but it doesn't matter that much. I’ve got more.”

“Haha, someone get on your nerves?”

“No.”

“Heh, well, now we get to rest. Maybe we should head back to the hotel. We can lick each other like dogs.”

“Eww.”

She squirmed again as he kissed her neck, the two pushing and pulling each other as they made their way off.

…..

…

The day passed. After Umara’s battle, Ponteck was declared winner by default and information was given for the next battles.

The top three of each division would be fighting for the title of strongest student at the Magisterium, the Crowned Champion. Of course, since summoners almost never decided to compete for that title, there were usually only 6 competitors.

But I would be joining those 6 this year, making it a 7-way struggle.

Who I would be fighting was fairly obvious. According to Umara, the normal way they conducted the battles was by having the first, second, and third place individuals fight their equivalent enemy. That meant Ponteck would be fighting Umara, and under normal circumstances, the winner of that match would be declared the Crowned Champion.

However, my participation messed things up. The entire tournament would be decided by who fought who first.

Umara and I didn’t really have anything else to do the next day, so we just waited for the schedule.

Vetsmon was naturally busy. We didn’t even get to see him. As for Feiden and Tana, Feiden was busy trying to see if he could battle Grace Jetsee, the second place warlock, since Vetsmon dropped out. As for Tana, she was sitting and relaxing. Although she would be fighting the third place Warlock if Feiden’s inquiry went through, she had already taken fourth place.

So we had nothing to do. Neither I nor Umara could prepare any more than we had, so we just went to bed in anticipation.

We woke up just in time the next day for the schedule announcement.

The announcer gave a small speech out in the plaza just beyond the gates of the Magisterium. There, thousands of people were gathered to hear the news, including Umara and I.

He spoke.

“On the next day, the standard protocol for the Championship battles will be maintained! The first, second, and third place knights will battle the first, second, and third place warlocks respectively! However, John Cooper, the sole summoner taking part in the Championship, will be battling one knight and warlock respective to each of the third, second, and first places! As well, due to concerns of prejudiced forfeitures in his favor, only selected knights and warlocks will be allowed to battle him, potentially beyond the top three in each division.

“The first battle will commence 3 hours after dawn, and the final battle will end no later than evening! The arena will open 2 hours before the first battle!”

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.”

I blurted out, drawing some attention.

I was being forced to fight everyone!

Of course, that wouldn’t be so bad if they weren’t replacing my friends with their own hand-picked goons. But that wasn’t the worst part; I was sure I could handle most sent my way.

It was the fact that this would all be happening in one day!

They wouldn’t be giving me any rest! Because apparently that would make things oh so easy for me. They had to bend the rules every which way to make sure I couldn’t win.

For a moment I stood there in thought. Then, just as Umara was about to talk, I sighed.

“You know what? Fuck it. I’m gonna win anyway. I don’t care about their bullshit.”

“...Are you sure?”

Umara quickly followed as I started making my way out of the crowd.

I shrugged.

“What else am I supposed to do? Quit?”

“This is obviously unfair, and everyone knows it. At the very least, you don’t need to go all the way, especially if things get dangerous. The only thing I care about is that you’re safe.”

“You see, part of me gets that, and appreciates it.”

“But the other part?”

“That part says fuck that. They’re being unfair, and that’s exactly why I need to double down.”

“...”

Umara was silent as we walked toward the training grounds. I needed some time at the range if I wanted to be sharp for these battles.

Finally, she responded as we arrived.

“Fine then. I’m with you no matter what you do. So long as you live, we’ll figure it out.”

“Oh my. Never had a girl tell me that before. That’s quite the level of trust.”

“Well, it’s my job to be by your side, even when things get risky and worrying.”

“...”

I stopped and turned around, looking her in the eye.

Things were risky and worrying. I could sense a bit of her fear. There was now a much greater chance that I would either get hurt or accidentally kill someone. Even Maxwell had been telling me to play it safe and drop out.

But here I was, doubling down instead. And Umara was sticking it out on this ship with me, treading dangerous waters by my side. She was choosing to believe in me, through thick and thin.

Should she continue to do so, then my appreciation would know no bounds.

I smiled at her.

“It’s my job to prove you right. Don’t worry, my dear, I’m staking my life on this.”

“That’s exactly what I don't want you to do.”

“Anything less isn’t enough. Now come on. You should learn how to handle my bullets. Now’s a good time for you to practice.”

I brought her to the training grounds where the Puppet Master was waiting. From there, we were sent into our own private area where I got some target practice in.

My final day of battle was just over the horizon.