Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: The A-Rank Tournament
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Chapter 40: The A-Rank Tournament
Before I knew it, the A-rank tournament had reached its main rounds.
Chloe was eliminated just before the end, but Ceria made it to the final sixteen.
My fiancée is the best, after all!
Though she had a bit of luck with her matchups, she would have advanced regardless.
Her potential was great enough to be a Hero's companion.
It would be more accurate to say she was closer to A+ or even S- rank.
“I’ll do my best again today!”
The girl’s cheerful cry.
Thanks to a healing session with Aruru, she seemed to be in excellent condition.
She had the spirit to aim for the championship, but…
As soon as she checked the tournament bracket, she was at a loss for words.
“…”
My reaction was no different from hers.
Her opponent in the first match of the main tournament was Largo.
Ah, this isn't right!
A direct confrontation between a delicate girl and a savage beast.
I couldn’t help but worry.
Largo was a strong contender for the championship.
He may have been taught a proper lesson by my little cutie, but among the A-ranks, few could stand against him…
Wait a minute…
He was supposed to be out for four weeks.
I still had a vivid memory of him taking a huge hit from an ‘Aruru Punch!’
Less than two weeks had passed since then.
Normally, one would think, ‘His body must not be back to normal yet.’
While that would be the natural assumption, Largo was beyond the scope of a normal human.
“Hmm, I’ll have to give it my all.”
“…”
Ceria suddenly blazed with fighting spirit.
I wanted to stop her, but the words wouldn’t come out.
There’s always a beauty to someone who gives their all.
For now, I should just encourage her and support her will.
“Do your best. But don’t push yourself too hard.”
“You don’t need to worry. The result is already decided.”
“—??”
Huh? Where is this confidence coming from?
Could she possibly have a way to win?
From my perspective, she didn’t stand a chance.
They might have a close fight, but Largo’s victory was certain.
The gap between them would narrow with time, but for now…
“Well, I’m off. It won’t take long.”
“…”
How should I put this?
Even if she was my fiancée, I couldn't believe her this time.
As Ceria left to prepare, I placed a hand on Aruru’s head.
My little cutie.
What do you think? Tell me.
“It’s still too much for her. Ceria’s defeat is certain.”
I knew it.
Her prediction matched mine exactly.
Though Aruru disliked Largo, she still held him in high regard.
“Actually, I hit him thinking I’d put him to sleep for about two months.”
“…You did?”
“Yeah. But as you can see, he’s walking around just fine.”
She said it was unsettling, like looking at a zombie.
She added that, in her experience, it was best to avoid people like that.
Hmm, she knows what she’s talking about.
Perhaps because she was a fox beastkin, she had this clever side to her.
“Are you worried about Ceria?”
“A little…”
“She’s as diligent as you are, so she’ll be fine.”
Then again, perhaps my worries were unfounded.
Jace may have been perfect, but Ceria was no less so.
She had an image of handling any task with clean precision.
Remaining a model student at the Hero Academy was truly difficult.
Besides, it wasn't like they were strangers.
They were both in the Student Council, so they’d probably end the match before anyone got seriously hurt.
“Let the match begin.”
As soon as the man in the black suit made the declaration.
As if she’d been waiting, Ceria launched a sharp offensive.
“—!!”
It was as if she had met a sworn enemy.
She skipped any warm-up or probing, pouring everything she had into her attack.
My jaw dropped without me realizing it.
Even my little cutie paused her munching.
A relentless assault that disregarded the future.
She squeezed out her mana, unleashing one technique after another.
Eight, nine, ten…
With every thrust Ceria made, the number of sword ki blades increased.
Their sharpness was truly fearsome.
Even Largo was forced to focus entirely on defense, a sense of alarm on his face.
“What in the world are you thinking!”
He looked extremely displeased.
Being on the receiving end of a one-sided attack, he was fuming.
Ceria’s response was simple and clear.
She gave a faint smile and pressured him with an even greater technique.
Crescent-shaped waves of sword ki rained down endlessly.
She was giving it her all, just as she had promised.
“Fine. Let’s see how long you can keep that up!”
Largo growled like a beast.
Hey, don't get angry at my fiancée!
He was scowling at someone so beautiful.
The more I watched him, the less I understood. This is why he doesn’t have a girlfriend.
In any case, there was no chance of victory this way.
Largo’s defense was only getting stronger.
Having used her mana so freely, Ceria would be the first to tire.
Flash.
She became a streak of light, aiming for her opponent's vital points in an instant.
“Hmph. Not a chance!”
As if he had been waiting, Largo launched a counterattack.
He was quite agile, but Ceria was just as fast.
An incredibly fierce exchange of blows.
The level of combat was so high it was hard to follow with the naked eye.
The crowd cheered more wildly than ever before.
Just as the atmosphere reached its peak.
I finally understood the girl’s plan.
*-The result is already decided.*
*-Well, I’m off. It won’t take long.*
I should have interpreted her words in reverse.
She never intended to beat him in the first place.
Perhaps she planned to enjoy the fight as much as she could and then declare her defeat.
Before long, Ceria’s breathing grew ragged.
It was obvious her mana was nearly depleted.
Seeing this, Largo shouted with disdain.
“I knew it. What foolishness was this…”
“I’ve lost.”
“—??”
“Please do your best for my sake. I’ll be cheering for you.”
“—!!”
The girl turned away, looking relieved.
Even as the beast roared, she simply walked away with light steps.
“…”
Largo stared blankly up at the sky.
He looked utterly lost, like a dog that had chased a chicken only to watch it fly onto the roof.
A win like this wasn't really a win.
It was over before he could show anything.
He would have wanted a real fight, even if it meant losing.
“I came back quickly, just as I promised.”
A refreshing smile filled with leisure.
Anyone watching would have thought she was the victor.
I quickly brought her a drink and a wet towel.
“I’m glad you’re not hurt.”
“Were you worried?”
“Well, your opponent’s personality is a bit too aggressive…”
“Yes, Largo is a bit of a problem. He’s someone you shouldn’t beat.”
“—??”
She was implying that she had intentionally lost.
Something was strange. He wasn't the type to retaliate just for losing.
He might be annoyingly persistent, but that alone didn't explain it.
“There’s actually an unspoken rule.”
As the Student Council’s enforcer.
Largo had the duty to use force to subdue students when they fought indiscriminately.
“Even if Hero candidates clash, he has to put his body on the line to minimize collateral damage.”
“And?”
“If you defeat Largo, you have to inherit that role…”
“…I think I understand.”
It was a job her delicate sensibilities couldn’t handle.
It was for the best that Largo remained the enforcer.
“More than that, I didn’t want to have less time to spend with you.”
She smiled brightly and leaned her head against me naturally.
A familiar scent gently stirred the boy’s senses.
Yes, this is what youth is all about.
My life was already one others would envy, but I forced myself to stay sharp.
This was no time to rest.
I was still a long way from being able to relax.
Returning as a Hero candidate.
Eliminating the spies from the Demon King’s army.
Overwhelmingly crushing Cedric.
Only when all of that was accomplished could I finally breathe a sigh of relief.
I set this year as my deadline. I would handle it all before the new year came.
* * *
The next afternoon.
The A-rank tournament came to an end.
“Do you see? My greatness!”
“…”
That persistent bastard…
In the end, humans couldn't overcome a beast.
Of course, it wasn't an easy victory.
He had faced an opponent of equal caliber, and they had fought until they were both bloodied.
That wasn't an exaggeration; they had actually shed a lot of blood.
Though he looked like he could lose consciousness at any moment, Largo was truly like a zombie.
Health regeneration +300%.
He might have possessed a skill like that.
In any case, his opponent was also very strong.
As a top-20 ranker, he had put up a good fight.
But in the end, he couldn’t overcome the beast’s madness and raised the white flag.
The favorite won, just as expected. I felt no particular emotion about it.
Thud.
Largo gave me a sickening smile before collapsing powerlessly.
His wounds were too severe to endure with willpower alone.
It looked like I wouldn't have to see his face for a month… no, at least two weeks.
In fact, Largo had accomplished something significant this time.
In the quarterfinals, he had defeated a student from Gale’s faction.
In the semifinals, he had defeated a student from Cedric’s faction.
Each time, their faces had twisted in displeasure.
His contributions were worthy of a hospital visit, but still, that was a bit…
“Next, it’s finally my turn!”
Aruru’s fox ears twitched.
Starting tomorrow, the S-rank league would begin.
Ten Hero candidates would compete over nine days.
They would fight only one match a day.
Unlike a tournament, they would face opponents of the same level one after another.
The moment one failed to manage their condition, they would fall into a losing streak.
“Are you going to be okay?”
“Mhm, of course.”
My little cutie.
All you’ve done is eat, sleep, and play. Where does this confidence come from?
“I get stronger just by breathing.”
“…”
The mascot of the Hero’s party had the traits of a protagonist.
It wasn't a joke; the Spiritmancer class was just that broken.
Beginner and intermediate levels might require some effort.
But once you reached Aruru’s level, there wasn’t much left to do.
She had already maxed out her spirit affinity and was near the pinnacle.
The stage of contracting with a Spirit King remained.
But that was beyond the realm of effort.
It was like suddenly realizing something and becoming stronger.
She was destined to awaken through some sort of trigger.
“Still, I think I’ll try to focus a bit, starting today.”
So she was going to cram at the last minute.
Just the fact that her mindset had changed wasn’t a bad thing.
After a filling dinner.
As soon as we arrived at the training hall, Aruru began to meditate.
A clear energy spread out around her.
The sight of the girl surrounded by spirits was strangely mystical.
“…”
My little cutie was putting in the effort.
I couldn’t just stand by idly.
In truth, I had already been cutting back on sleep to practice my Heart Arts.
Twitch.
The mana inside my body slowly began to stir.
While drawing in external mana.
The process of reclaiming the latent mana within me as my own was underway.
At the same time, in my mind.
I replayed the matches from the main tournament that had concluded today.
The high level of skill offered much to learn.
I boldly discarded the unnecessary parts and absorbed what suited me.
What should I have done in this situation?
Exploiting the opponent’s technique would be the best…
I meticulously analyzed and deconstructed each moment like that.
Before I knew it, morning had arrived.
As a result of my significant investment of time.
There was no sudden epiphany, but I had undoubtedly taken a step forward.
As for my little cutie…
She was curled up, sleeping soundly.
“…”
What is this feeling of betrayal?
I thought we were one heart, one mind…
Well, she’s cute, so it’s fine.
I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her using her fluffy tail as a blanket.
I should get her washed up and fed.
I felt like a father taking care of his daughter.
Just as I was about to wake Aruru, the system window displayed a notification.
[Surprise Quest]
[Predict the S-Rank League Rankings]
[Reward: Correctly predict all 10 for +500,000 Achievement Points. Correctly predict 8 for +300,000 Achievement Points. Correctly predict 6 for…]
Hmm, is this a lottery this time?
It felt like it was just throwing things out of boredom, but whatever, I’ll take it!
The odds were better than a lottery.
Because if it came down to it, I could always rig the results.
Aruru was already on my side. As for the others, I’d have to do a little lobbying.