Chapter 203
Chapter 203
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 203
Chapter Title: Martial Dragon Tournament (12)
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After the round of six ended, the three semifinalists were given a day of rest.
It was meant to even the odds with last year's champion, who had advanced to the semifinals without a single match, and to let them recover from fatigue.
Of course, the only one who had actually fought in the round of six was Goetz, and the black-haired beast had whined about dragging his feet and just finishing him off already.
But he had to pout and back off in the face of the Black Sword Soldier's firm adherence to the rules.
And so, a day passed, bringing the seventh day when the semifinals would begin.
More spectators than ever crowded into the stands.
Among them, at the boundary where the 49th Cohort group met the 50th Cohort group.
Jerry sidled up next to Theresia and casually asked,
"...How's your body holding up?"
As he asked, Jerry's gaze fell on Theresia's arm.
Her right arm, splinted and wrapped neatly in clean cloth, slung around her neck.
In response, Theresia reached for Pippi's ration pouch with her left hand and answered flatly.
"It's fine. Just a slight crack."
Rustle.
"I'm hungry!"
"I won't take much. Just a little."
She pulled the pouch back from the whining Pippi and snatched some rations, and Jerry asked cautiously,
"The round of six... you forfeited because of your arm, right?"
Jerry was cautious, but Theresia, answering, chewed on her rations without a care in the world.
"Yeah."
"That's too bad."
"Eh? Not really."
"...Why not?"
Jerry gave her a puzzled look.
Theresia answered without hesitation.
"It's entirely my fault my body ended up like this. Besides, I think forfeiting was the right call rather than competing in this condition and not showing my full strength."
Jerry looked at her anew as she brushed it off like it was nothing.
Noticing this, Theresia tilted her head.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You seem... a bit different somehow."
"Me?"
"Before, it felt like you were just full of venom, but now... you're more solid."
"Am I?"
Theresia looked puzzled, like she had no idea.
Then her gaze shifted slightly to the side.
"Oh, and honestly..."
She trailed off, then confessed with a regretful look.
"...I forfeited partly because I didn't want to end up like that."
Jerry followed her gaze and frowned.
Where they were both looking.
There sat Gunter, staring blankly with hollow eyes.
"Heh..."
His face still had a greenish tint, the venom not fully purged.
And with his mind not quite right, drool dribbling from his mouth—it was clear to anyone his condition was poor.
Jerry muttered sympathetically,
"...Shouldn't he go rest?"
But it was Arin who responded to Jerry's murmur.
"This is actually a lot better. At first, he couldn't even open his eyes."
Jerry clicked his tongue as he watched Arin prop up Gunter's chin.
"But in that state, wouldn't it be better for him to really rest?"
"I brought him because he wanted to watch this match."
"...Who? Him?"
"Yeah."
"...He said that in that state?"
"Not in words, exactly. He just... indicated it."
"Really?"
No one would think he could communicate in that condition?
Completely out of it from the poison?
Jerry shot a doubtful glance, but he was the only one there questioning it.
Theresia, Pippi, all of them took Arin's understanding of Gunter for granted.
'...Am I the weird one?'
Feeling left out, Jerry sighed and turned to Arin.
"Why did you forfeit?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
Arin stared at him like he was spouting nonsense, and Jerry bristled.
He lectured her sternly.
"As a member of Yoram, shouldn't you at least fight once you've made it to the round of six?"
"I wouldn't win anyway, and it'd end badly."
"Still, you don't know until you try."
"Against who? Yuri?"
"......"
"Go try it first, senior. If you can come back alive."
"...Sorry. That was thoughtless."
Jerry apologized quickly and reflected.
'Yeah, better to kill myself than fight that guy.'
Fully convinced, Jerry subtly probed Arin.
"Um..."
"What?"
"That guy... what did you think of him?"
"Which guy?"
"Yuri Holland."
"Why?"
"His... condition looked okay? No signs of injury?"
"Hmm... He cursed less than usual this morning, so he didn't seem great."
"Wh-what?! That's not good!"
Jerry's pupils shook at Arin's response.
He looked shocked, like the world was crumbling.
And right then, the atmosphere in the stands stirred.
"Looks like it's starting."
At Arin's words, Jerry's gaze turned to the arena.
'Finally... it's beginning!'
The semifinalists were entering the arena at the same time.
It was just spectatorship, but Jerry's eyes hardened as he pulled something from his pocket.
Rustle.
It was a crumpled note listing his bets on who and how much.
Jerry gripped it tightly.
"...I believe in you, madman! My entire fortune's on you!"
His eyes on Yuri trembled with more tension than any participant.
* * *
From east, west, south, and north, four gates opened, and the four semifinalists appeared.
50th Cohort's Yuri Holland.
48th Cohort's Goetz Loetern.
47th Cohort's Susan Ripley.
And Kunter Rider, who hadn't shown his face once during the days the Martial Dragon Tournament had been held.
Finally, all four quarterfinalists gathered in the arena center.
Whoooosh.
Standing at regular intervals.
A strange atmosphere formed among them.
Yuri scratched his cheek.
"Hmm... I'm not really used to this kind of excessive love and attention?"
The atmosphere among the four.
Kunter Rider, Goetz Loetern, even Susan Ripley—all staring solely at Yuri.
It was quickly revealed why.
Whoosh.
Suddenly, a massive shadow appeared from the sky, dropping into the center of the standoff semifinalists.
Thud.
Amid the swirling dust, the figure who rose was the one-eyed vice captain, Duran Bikovich.
"You're all here."
He swept his gaze over the four and spoke.
"Then, let the Martial Dragon Tournament semifinals begin. As always in the tournament's long history, the lowest cohort number picks their opponent first. So..."
Duran paused, his eyes landing on Yuri.
"Choose. Yuri Holland. Pick the one you want to face in this match!"
At Duran's shout, Goetz, Kunter, and Susan's gazes converged on Yuri.
Now Yuri fully understood why they'd been staring only at him.
'Oh ho? The lowest cohort picks, and the rest get paired automatically? Then this is...'
His eyes sparkled excessively.
'Jackpot!'
Pick one?
What luck!
Sweet enough to rot his teeth.
He wondered if it was okay to enjoy this much honey.
A grin kept creeping onto his face despite his efforts to suppress it.
"Heh heh heh."
It was just a chuckle to him, but to onlookers, it was chilling.
"Then, if you insist..."
Smiling, Yuri extended his arm.
All eyes focused.
His pale hand moved slowly, pointing at one person.
"Come on, senior? Let's have a go."
Wag wag.
The tip of his provoking finger pointed at none other than Susan Ripley.
As Yuri chose, the others' expressions varied.
Kunter's stoic but intimidating face.
Goetz's tinged with regret.
And Susan, the chosen one...
"Your finger's awfully carefree, junior. Makes me want to snap it."
She wore a murderous smile.
* * *
Semifinals first match.
Everyone except the combatants left the arena.
Now alone, Yuri tilted his head at Susan, who showed no change yet.
"When do you transform?"
"Transform?"
"When your lips and nails turn black."
"...It's not a transformation. It's a physical change from awakening the dormant poison in my body."
"Same difference, isn't it?"
Susan twitched an eyebrow at Yuri picking his ear.
To the impatient, it was an infuriating face worth charging at, but Susan stayed calm.
"I've heard the rumors about you."
"What rumors?"
"That you beat Kunter Rider. Is that... true?"
"What does our senior think?"
Yuri countered with a question.
Susan's eyebrow twitched again, but she remained composed.
"Who knows? But from your attitude... it doesn't seem true."
"Oh dear, such lack of faith."
"We just met today, so it's inevitable. But tell me... why did you pick me?"
"What?"
"Kunter aside, did you think I'd be easier than Goetz?"
"Hmm... Who knows?"
Yuri smirked slyly.
Susan glared sharply at him.
"......"
"......"
A brief silence.
Conversation halted, quiet flowed between them.
Then Yuri spoke first again.
"Just curious, but when do you really transform?"
"Who knows? Eventually?"
"Yeah? Another thing I'm curious about..."
"You have a lot of questions."
"I've been smelling something weird since earlier. Is that... you?"
At Yuri's question, Susan smiled faintly.
She took a step toward him and spoke.
"Know what?"
"No clue."
"A skilled poison user can wield poison while concealing the transformation you mentioned."
"Is that so?"
"Precisely, we can control the coloration based on the poison. Black every day... gets boring, right?"
Susan's lips, smiling softly, were slightly redder than before.
The change was so subtle it was barely noticeable.
Yuri blinked and asked,
"So this smell I'm getting now... is poison?"
Susan licked her lips and answered.
"Hundred Flowers Poison. Made by blending extracts from a hundred flowers. It's the third most potent among my children, and the one with my favorite color."
"Extracted from a hundred flowers... Explains why it's so fragrant."
"Fragrant, yes. But get drunk on that scent, and you might wander flower fields in dreams forever..."
"You die?"
"Don't worry too much. I've dosed it so you won't. Though... you'll suffer for a few years."
With a gentle voice, Susan smiled sweetly and waved lightly.
"So... sweet dreams."
With those words, a streak of vivid pink gas flowed from her.
The vivid pink gas circled Yuri like a living thing.
Of course, only Susan's specially trained eyes could see it all.
Ssshh.
Her poison swirled around Yuri before blending into his breath and entering his nose.
Seeing this, a victorious smile curved Susan's lips.
'It's over.'
Having inhaled such a large dose, he'd collapse soon.
She stared at Yuri with that certainty.
But...
"......?"
Something was off.
Yuri Holland, who should have fallen...
"...Huh?"
The one who should be foaming on the ground stood perfectly fine.
No, too fine.
Pupils not dilated.
No sign of distress.
Yuri looked at Susan with bright, alert eyes.
"......"
"......"
Their gazes met in silence.
Yuri smirked at Susan's visibly flustered eyes and asked,
"What's wrong? Something not working?"