Chapter 107
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: Tournament (3)
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"Let the C Block matches of the Labyrinth City Tournament... begin!"
"Wooooooah!"
From far away, the announcer's booming voice echoed from the arena. Guardro, representing the Archery Guild, checked his competition bow and dagger in the waiting room and smirked.
'Lucky draw. First opponent is an independent, huh...'
Of course, independents—those ragtag adventurers—were far easier prey than the elites sent by the guilds. And he himself, thanks to honing his archery in the guild, possessed a full Level 5 [Archery], which was impressive even for someone operating around the 15th floor.
'[Mana Manipulation] is only Level 3, so no mana arrows...'
Even so, it was more than enough to handle some no-name independent. Finishing his gear check, a staff member came to call him, urging him to prepare for the match.
"Next up! Introducing the competitors! Blue Corner! From the Archery Guild! Guardro!"
Confident in himself, Guardro stepped out without hiding his face, proudly using his real name. Though naturally, people cared more about the 'Archery Guild' than the name.
"Red Corner! Independent Adventurer! Illusion Demon!"
'Illusion Demon?'
Guardro eyed his opponent, who appeared wearing a mask over his face. Masks weren't unusual; the arena provided ones enchanted with 'Perception Impairment' magic.
'Build looks male... And that on his head... horns? Demonkin maybe? Nah, too early to judge. There are masks that hide racial features too.'
Still, one thing was clear...
'A mage? He's got a staff. No secondary weapons visible...'
His opponent looked like a mage. Guardro smiled. On the battlefield, taking down mages was the job of ranged fighters—archers, that is.
"Competitors! Get ready and..."
As the announcer counted down, Guardro positioned his hand right next to his quiver.
"Begin!"
-Whoosh! Swish! Whoosh! Swish!
The instant the announcer signaled the start, before his opponent could pull any tricks, Guardro drew arrows like lightning and unleashed over ten in a blink, turning the guy into a pincushion.
"Haha! Can't do a thing! As if I'd give a skilled archer like me time to cast..."
But Guardro's arrows simply passed right through his opponent.
"Oh! Guardro! What's going on? He's firing arrows into empty air!"
"...What the hell? Empty air?"
At the announcer's words ringing in his ears, Guardro belatedly realized his [Detection] skill was reacting right in front of him—not at the visible illusion.
"Kuh...!"
He leaped back hastily, drawing more arrows.
'Illusion? Teleport? Stealth? Whatever it is, just don't give him casting time—guh?!'
-Crack!
The staff slamming into his side bent Guardro like a bow. His sleeve fluttered, revealing his opponent's burly forearm.
No way that belonged to a mage.
'Not a mage...'
In his dazed mind, Guardro barely loosed the arrow nocked on his bowstring...
-Ting.
Seeing it bounce off weakly, he lost his will to fight.
*******
"Winner! Red Corner! Illuuusion Deeeemon!"
'Tougher than I thought.'
I gazed at my foaming, unconscious opponent while wearing the demonkin mask with its signature horns. I'd used [Hallucination] for a decoy, then a [Stealth] and [Stealthy] combo to close in and whack him. Even so, he'd detected me at the last second and counterattacked.
-Hummm...
I glanced at the arm that took the arrow—no puncture marks, just smooth skin. Even if it had pierced, [Regeneration] would've handled it...
'Working perfectly.'
Thanks to [Mana Breathing], which now activated naturally even in sleep, mana flowed in a steady cycle, thinly coating my entire body.
A technique Vivian taught me during lessons: maintain [Mana Breathing] unconsciously, and mana naturally coats the body for both defense and reinforcement. Handy...
-Click.
Match over. I donned the mask Vivian gave me at the end of class.
'Wear it always. Even when sleeping.'
No idea why, but she insisted I keep it on unless absolutely necessary. Magic tools are banned during matches, so I'd removed it, but now it was back on.
'What does it do?'
It subtly redirected my [Mana Breathing] flow, but no obvious effects. When I asked Vivian, she said it was the next step after 'mana coating'... No clue. Anyway, doing as told.
I declined the priest's offer to heal any possible injuries and returned to the competitors' waiting area to watch the other matches from above the arena.
'Guild reps are definitely stronger. Still, all doable oppon—hm?'
As I analyzed the competitors' levels, the stands and waiting room suddenly buzzed.
"Blue Corner! From the Martial Arts Guild! Leo!"
"And Red Corner..."
Specifically, the moment the announcer named the Martial Arts Guild entrant, reactions heated up.
"That's him? The 'Fist King''s disciple?"
'Fist King?'
Overhearing someone nearby, I looked down at the arena in surprise too.
'No way—the Committee Six Seat, 'Fist King' Leonhardt's disciple?'
Meeting a few Committee members had naturally led me to learn about the others. Including the one called 'Fist King' in the sixth seat.
'Fist King' Leonhardt.
Master of the Martial Arts Guild, rival to the Swordsmanship Guild, a monster said to have reached the pinnacle of physical perfection. Rumor had it he was rivals with that 'Sword Saint' Cain... And this was his disciple?
"Haaah!"
The match began. The opponent, cowed by the 'Fist King' name, roared and leaped at Leo with a massive hammer.
-Boom!
"What?"
"He didn't dodge!"
Against expectations of evasion, Leo clenched his fist and punched straight into the descending hammer.
"Gaaah!"
The sturdy arena weapon withstood Leo's fist, but the opponent's wrist gripping it did not. The shock transmitted beyond the weapon snapped it at an unnatural angle.
Clutching his twisted wrist, the participant screamed. The tiger beastkin across from him glared in contempt.
"Dropping your weapon and screaming... Pathetic. Tsk."
Leo clicked his tongue, and the stunned announcer declared the winner.
"W-Winner! Blue Corner's Leo!"
Watching Leo's calm retreat to the waiting room, I muttered softly.
"One monster."
*********
I didn't disguise as a demon for nothing when entering the tournament. (Alias 'Illusion Demon' was my idea—regretting it now.)
Demon guise let me use demonic mana for [Hallucination Magic], my most potent interpersonal skill outside [Venom Arts] or [Sensory Block].
"Winner! Red Corner's Illusion Demon!"
"Fuck!"
Another participant, face swollen from my staff (read: blunt weapon), spat curses as he left the arena.
"Easy."
Hiding my strength and testing [Hallucination Magic] in real combat—turns out participants couldn't cope with it better than expected.
'Makes sense, thinking about it.'
Resistance skills are rare. Adventurers handle 'status ailments' or 'debuffs' mainly with potions or priest help.
Arena potions were just recovery ones. No priests among participants.
Except holy knights versed in divine arts.
"Blue Corner! From the Temple of Wisdom! Korason!"
"Ha! That's it for you, demon. Impressive hallucination, but it won't work against my divine arts!"
Indeed, in the quarterfinals, a holy knight versed in divine arts appeared, buffing himself with protective spells to resist my [Hallucination Magic]. He even shattered my staff in half with his sword after breaking through.
"Lost your weapon now. What next?"
As I stepped back, the holy knight grinned triumphantly and charged confidently...
-Thwack! Smack! Thud!
"Guh! St-Stop! Ack!"
'[Hand-to-Hand] hit Level 3? Feels good.'
I grappled the close-range holy knight and pummeled him barehanded.
He thrashed midway, stabbing with his sword, self-buffing, and healing himself...
"Guh... Crazy! Why do you recover faster than my heals... Guh!"
His swings were blocked by my mana-reinforced, [Physical Resistance]-enhanced body. Offensive divine arts hit [Elemental Resistance]. His heals couldn't match my [Regeneration]. Not a specialized priest, after all?
And buffs...
"Gaaah!"
Light shimmered over him, surging his strength. He tried shoving me off my mount position...
[Limit Break Lv. 3]
-Crunch...
"Kuh!"
Sadly, his buff couldn't match [Limit Break].
"Stop! Match halted!"
He lost a few teeth, but divine heals would fix that.
"Winner! Red Corner's Illusion Demon! Advances to semifinals!"
Thus, easier than expected, I reached the semifinals.
********
- Martial Arts Guild: 'Leo'
- Rogue Guild: 'Gray'
- Earth Guild: 'Axel'
- Independent: 'Illusion Demon'
Match 1: Leo vs. Gray
Match 2: Axel vs. Illusion Demon
***********
Preparing for my next match, I overlooked the arena from the semifinalists' waiting room. Match 1 was about to start.
Leo the beastkin was noteworthy, but my focus was on 'Gray' from the Rogue Guild.
Masked, but her lithe rogue outfit revealed her figure, and those gray cat ears atop her head...
'...Hiss?'
If my eyes weren't lying, the Rogue Guild rep was Hiss.
Come to think of it, she did say she'd joined the Rogue Guild last time.
*******
"Let the maaaatch... begin!"
[Stealth]
As Rogue Guild rep, having reached the semifinals, Hiss eyed the intimidating Leo warily—leaps beyond her prior foes—and activated [Stealth] as always.
Her solid Level 5 stealth concealed her presence perfectly. She closed in for an [Assassination] opener...
"There."
"!!!!"
Invisible and silent, but Leo punched toward his 'instinct's' direction. Stealthing Hiss desperately raised her dagger to block.
-Clang!
A metallic ring unfit for fist-on-sword echoed. Stealth broke; Leo eyed Hiss's shaken, fearful gaze.
"Hiding's all you got? Tsk."
As in prior matches, Leo tsked and swung to finish her...
-Tap!
But her fearful eyes were feigned. They sharpened instantly; she kicked his extended fist, launching a sharp strike. Leo urgently twisted his head aside, dodging.
-Slash!
But the blade on her shoe grazed his cheek, drawing a line of blood.
"......Haha!"
The wound ignited him. Gone was the disappointment; he laughed wildly and moved for real.
Mana surged through his body; sharp punches whistled toward Hiss. She flowed fluidly, dodging, parrying, seeking counters.
With elastic, bizarre movements, she barely evaded all his attacks...
-Boom!
Leo stomped hard, cratering the ground. Hiss staggered; his fist slammed home. She leaped back mid-hit to soften it, but the impact rattled her.
-Thud!
"Kuh...!"
Stifling her cry, she abandoned the dropped dagger, drew her spare from her waist, and glared defiantly.
"...I like it."
"??"
Seeing her unbroken will, Leo smiled differently from before. A resilient female warrior, unbroken unlike his prior weaklings...
"Become my mate."
He uttered his master's words for claiming a favored female.
"...I'm already a woman... er, female, though?"
"........"
Unfortunately, Hiss—clueless in such matters—didn't get it.
"........."
Stumped by the unforeseen reaction, Leo considered rephrasing but lacked eloquence. Explaining directly...
"Ahem. I mean, become my mate..."
Mid-sentence, sensing the crowd's focus, embarrassment hit. Then suspicion: she's mocking me into saying this.
"Mocking me...!"
"??????"
Thus, Hiss faced Leo's fiercer onslaught, utterly baffled.