“Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve just witnessed the closest and most ferocious fight yet! Both teams bitterly fought tooth and nail, giving us a truly brilliant performance! Please join me as I give both teams a well-deserved round of applause!” the commentator said, standing up from his seat at the elevated platform to clap loudly.
The rest of the crowd was just as jubilant, with clapping, cheers, and drinking going on.
“Wow. That was incredible.” I said, finally able to breath once again.
That fight was absolutely brilliant, with Nuhem likely being the greatest contributor to that effort.
“That enemy lancer was really strong. It took so much punishment to take down Nuhem’s shield in our team fight, but this guy straight up punched through it.” Asty said.
The magic of the field was winding down, and both teams had appeared on either side – unharmed like a regular arena. Nuhem and the Lancer were vigorously shaking hands in the middle of the arena, then the captains parted ways and led their teams off the coliseum floor.
As that was going on, someone began knocking on our door.
“Honored guests, it is time for the Tameryian Suns to compete. Please follow me to the arena.”
The Major turned towards us.
“Go – the time for deliberation is over. Go and show them what you’re made of!”
“Yes, Ma’am!” We saluted as we headed off.
***
“Ladies and Gentlemen, if you thought the last battle was incredible, then prepare yourself for an encore! Entering from the red gate is another team from Tamery, and this one is representing the very highest echelons of their society: their famed nobility and aristocracy! Please welcome the TAMERRRYYYYIIIIAAAAANNNNN SSUUUUUNNNNNSSSSSS!”
As Asten led us onto the coliseum grounds, the feel of the cheering crowds gripped my chest once more. With all of their attention and the weight of their excitement on us, I felt my heart threatening to beat its way out of my chest.
“The sun maybe a great tyrant above, sitting in its throne high in the sky and oppressing all beneath it with its ruthless heat and blinding light. But who better to challenge it than the dwellers of the sea, who are shielded from both by its depths?! Entering from the blue gate are the TYYYYRRRIIIAAAAAAAN TOOOOOOORRRRRRREEEENNNTTTTSSSSSS!”
Opposing us marched a group of six fighters decked out in some incredibly high-quality gear – as expected of the nation of commerce. As both teams got onto the field, Asten and the opponent Captain moved to the center of the arena, where the referee stood. It felt a little surreal to see the man toss a coin from the ground rather than from a seat above.
“The Torrents get first choice!” he announced.
Asty clicked her tongue in frustration, but the opponent’s Captain didn’t waste any time making a choice.
“The Torrents have chosen the open sea during the day as the setting!”
What?!
The audience, however, seemed to love the twist and began cheering loudly.
“I may have been a little dramatic with my introduction of the Torrents, but they seem to have taken it literally! What would a battle in the open sea even look like?! But if anyone can make it work, it’s definitely the Tyrians! Ladies and gentlemen, this is not a fight to be missed!” the commentator yelled.
Asten, however, was unfazed. After a few moments of thinking, he spoke to the referee.
“The Suns have chosen a team relay battle as the match type!” the referee announced.
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With the memory of the first match in mind, the cheering crowds were driven into a frenzy.
“The Torrents have proven that they were bold, but the Suns are eager to give them a run for their coins! They are challenging each of the Torrents to single combat on their own turf! What brazen confidence!”
When Asten got back towards us, he raised a hand at Asty’s questioning look.
“I understand your apprehensions. But the field is a hard counter to my and Nicotris’s abilities, and both you and Aptera will struggle to make the most of yours here. Durreg will fare better, but without earth to manipulate, he’ll struggle as well. Choosing anything other than a team relay battle would have meant dealing with six capable enemies in that condition at the same time. So, there was only ever one option for us to go with.” He said, turning to me.
“Kiara, go and defeat them all. I’ve appraised them all and bypassed their appraisal block; I am absolutely certain that you have what it takes to do it. Try to keep as many of your abilities as possible hidden, but your priority is to send a message. Go and utterly annihilate them.”
The rest of the team’s eyes went wide, but Asten continued.
“If you can pull it off thoroughly enough, we’ll earn three advantages. First, some teams might be intimidated into giving up at fighting us seriously, choosing instead to save their efforts and surprises for the other teams. Second, we’ll be putting the spotlight on you, giving us opportunities to punish the enemy when we face a tough opponent. Third, a dominating first impression will go a long way to achieving the purpose of our participation in this tournament: projecting strength for Tamery and the Draconic Isles.”
“Send your first fighter – this isn’t the time for discussions!” the referee said, and my first opponent was already waiting.
“You know what to do. Go.” Asten said.
I nodded at him and stepped forward.
At this moment, the entire continent’s eyes were on me. I felt a strange feeling in my chest as I stepped forward to face my opponent, who was wearing a dark blue, full-body suit without even a slit for the eyes. Black lightning began crackling at the top of each of the pillars, and the arena was beginning its start up.
Not that I was in the mental space to care about that.
The whole world faded, and all that remained was me, my opponent, and this feeling that threatened to suffocate me. Before long, the arena activated and the two of us were transported nearly two hundred meters away from each other, in mid-air. As we fell, I looked around and saw nothing but water as far as the eye can see. I crashed into the water, and changed my form into that of an orcawoman, like the guard captain I had met in Tyr.
Opposing me was my opponent, who was beginning to activate glowing tattoos that shined through their suit. A massive monstrosity of a sea monster emerged, and, under the tamer’s command, began rushing towards me.
[Great Mesosaurus Lv. 47]
Rank B creature.
…
Even though I felt that my chest was about to explode, I moved to act regardless. Using my [Kin of Mana] racial trait to boost my mana control, I summoned hundreds of icicle bolts before launching them at rapid speeds towards the coming monster.
It didn’t stand the ghost of chance as I tore it to shreds with an unending sea of icicles.
Before the icicles could reach the opponent, however, I paused their momentum and made them vanish. My opponent looked at me as I raised my hand and beckoned at him. Even though I didn’t say a thing, the whole world understood my message.
‘Bring it!’
Seemingly infuriated by my taunt, seven tattoos glowed on the opponent’s body, and seven monsters emerged and rushed my way. Two of them were even Rank A creatures.
And yet, they fell all the same.
With a massive cloud of blood, torn flesh, and floating guts between us, I used my mana sight to find my opponent through it all and sent a massive wave of icicle bolts their way. A moment later, their body disappeared into white mana particles.
Unhappy with the gory mess in front of me, I used my [Kin of Mana] to pull down the whole thing deeper into the sea, then waited patiently until my next opponent appeared. When I took a glance at my mana pool, I’d spent less than ten thousand MP with that barrage, and it was already recovering quickly. If needed, my Ring of Mana Regeneration would supply the rest.
It was just when my next opponent fell into the sea to face me that I realized what the feeling gripping my chest was.
Seeing my opponent’s defiant gaze, I stayed still as he pointed his trident my way and swam my way with dizzying speed and flawless grace. With a wave of my hand, another barrage of icicle bolts was fired at the trident wielder, who weaved around them effortlessly. What few he couldn’t were expertly deflected.
As I covered my staff in ice to form a makeshift harpoon, I prepared to exchange blows with the descending opponent. The young man’s frowned deepened at my expression but kept his wits about him as he activated a skill with his trident. Right as our bodies flew past each other, blood exploded out of the man’s chest, and he unceremoniously vanished into mana particles like his teammate. The next opponent appeared as I called my weapon back, and this time, my opponent wore her trepidation clearly over her face.
But I didn’t find it strange.
After all, I had just dispatched of two of her teammates with a wide grin on my face. For the first time since my traumatic evolution, I felt the thrill of the fight flowing through my veins.