The Tournament's Opening Clash

The crowd's cheers erupted as the final match approached. In the heated atmosphere, Vernon shouted toward the screen.

"An alliance of no less than six parties has fallen to Celia! Now it's down to Arcana and Celia!"

Bold red letters reading [Tournament] appeared on the screen, followed by the names of the remaining participants scrolling up. The bracket was already set, but Vernon announced it with electrifying energy.

"Before we reveal the bracket, a quick rundown of the tournament rules!"

Bluma handled the explanation.

"The six remaining participants will compete in three 1-on-1 battles on small maps of their choice. The first team to secure two wins takes the victory."

"The team that wins ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the fights wins! Simple rules, right? Bluma, do you remember the question I asked at the start of the tournament?"

At Vernon's question, Bluma pretended to think, dragging it out.

"Hmm... You asked which party would win, didn't you?"

"Exactly. Now it's time to put that question to our viewers."

Pak.

Vernon smiled as he explained how to vote via smartphone.

"You get three votes per round. And the winner of the viewer vote gets..."

Vernon pointed to the various maps listed on the screen.

"To pick their preferred map."

Up until now, participants had battled in survival mode on randomly assigned unmanned maps. But the upcoming [Tournament] phase was different.

1-on-1 duels with real swords on a map of their own choosing. No distractions—almost zero interference. The only variables were the artifacts and items they'd gathered so far.

Map selection was a crucial factor. Viewer votes carried massive weight.

In the scenic Sky Lounge with its panoramic view, Brodo asked Caston while watching the broadcast.

"How's the viewer reaction?"

"Celia played as a full party, so even the non-leaders got plenty of main cam time, right?"

"Yeah."

Brodo nodded.

In fact, early on, Kua and Demona had outshone even Lucia. They stuck to her like bodyguards, wiping out enemies before they could even reach her.

"That's why... Round 1 is a total blowout. No contest."

Watching the results, Brodo crossed his legs with a grave expression.

"Was pushing Zien and Lucia to Round 3 a bad call?"

Which academy won didn't matter to Brodo. But a 2-0 sweep? That couldn't happen.

'The finale would feel totally anticlimactic.'

He'd saved the protagonists for last to cap off the grand event, only for them to sit out? Bad optics. As Brodo stewed, Caston ventured cautiously.

"Why not just swap Zien and Lucia to Round 2?"

"Too late for that. And it lacks drama. Leaders clashing last is an unwritten rule in broadcasting. How's Round 2 looking?"

Isabel had shone in the cave, but Kua's feats at school and on the roads were just as impressive.

And above all, what swayed the vote was magic tool matchup.

Isabel wielded fire; Kua commanded water.

"Damn... We're screwed, aren't we?"

Sweat beaded on Brodo's forehead.

"Y-Yeah? If Arcana gets shut out 2-0..."

In a 1-on-1 tournament, map choice gave a clear edge. If Celia took Rounds 1 and 2, Round 3's outcome was uncertain.

Deep in thought, Brodo spoke gravely.

"No good. Just rig the votes. Make Arcana win Round 1."

"Huh? Wouldn't Round 2 be better?"

"Think, Caston. How does fire beat water logically? Give them Round 1 to force a 1-1 tie."

"Hmm, what about the percentages?"

"51 to 49?"

"Kinda shady numbers."

Caston rigged the votes per Brodo's orders. Chris's tally jumped to 51—three times the original 17.

Caston hit confirm without a shred of guilt.

"Now we just watch."

Meanwhile, Amy stared at the monitor, stunned by the unexpected results.

"Round 1 vote goes to Chri... s? Uh... Hmm."

A awkward expression.

As a self-proclaimed pro streamer, it looked fishy no matter how she sliced it. Demona had dominated Chris in screen time and feats. No contest.

But.

Arcana won—so who cared? Any unease was irrelevant to Amy.

"I knew it!!"

She erased the doubt, thrusting her arm high. Viewers flooded chat at the obvious fake-out.

Amy shrugged at the reactions.

"Feats? Who cares? It's a popularity contest anyway! Look at Chris—don't you just wanna root for him? Underdogs always get the love~?"

Smooth as silk.

Broadcasts didn't need airtight logic.

Amy owned the channel, and most viewers ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠adored her.

If she bent toward Chris, they followed suit.

"Chill, everyone. Round 1 hasn't even started! And these are Zien's handpicked teammates—how strong can they be?"

Amy recalled the sparring arena. Chris vs Daven with magic tools. Not even combat-oriented, yet Chris held his own.

'But can he beat Demona like that?'

Demona was Celia's number one. A pure fighter with a combat magic tool—one of the academy's top powerhouses.

Excluding leaders Zien and Lucia, she was the apex predator here.

'...Tough odds.'

Amy's mind crunched the win rates coldly, but her face beamed bubbly.

"Lock in the channel! Arcana's gonna win!"

As the screen cut to ads, Amy glanced at it, muttering seriously.

"No way they both lose up front, right?"

All she could do now was cheer. She'd nailed every role Zien assigned—unsung MVP of the tournament.

"If Celia wins... total bust."

Her efforts would fade without Arcana's victory. The contract hinged on that win, now one step away.

"Please win!"

Amy shouted at Chris on screen, more desperately than ever.

The rundown eatery buzzed unusually. The old TV—rarely on—showed Central Dome's arena and voting progress.

Vernon's booming voice echoed from the TV. Chris wore a baffled, uneasy look.

"Never thought it'd go down like this."

"You won the vote—doesn't matter, right?"

Even as she spoke, Isabel gathered mana in her body. Thanks to her trait and items, she'd recovered to her limit.

"Didn't expect we'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠end up in 1-on-1s."

"Yeah?"

Isabel unwrapped candy casually, exuding total confidence—no trace of worry. But Chris was on edge.

'I have to take Round 1 no matter what.'

He knew Zien had pushed back against Selphis to include him over a top member.

Plus, Zien squeezed in special training, gifting artifacts and daggers.

Time to repay the debt and prove his worth.

Crunch.

Chris clenched his fist, resolve hardening. His eyes sharpened fiercer than ever.

"Chris."

Zien called.

"Yeah?"

His expression softened instantly. Turning, Chris faced Zien.

"You've done your part. Don't tense up."

Zien patted his shoulder. No empty words—Chris had maxed out in hellish conditions, surviving to the end.

Without him, Zien couldn't have guaranteed victory over Ichef.

"Thanks. Means a lot."

A hologram listed maps. Chris tapped one.

Luda Castle Underground Maze—riddled with traps, perfect for Chris's clairvoyance and x-ray vision.

"I'll wait outside. See you after."

Chris vanished into white light.

Crunch! Crunch!

Isabel chewed her candy, eyeing the screen's maze.

"Who ya got?"

"Hard to say."

Zien couldn't call Chris vs Demona.

But to be the top Saber, you needed the top party.

The tournament was a shortcut, but just one step.

Zien teased Isabel playfully for once.

"One of you guys is winning, right?"

My Previous Life was the Strongest Sword God