Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: The Tournament's Absurd Conclusion
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After Havel defeated Agni in the martial tournament.
The arena erupted in chaos.
Only one more match stood between him and victory.
Yet he had suddenly vanished.
The announcer, Durandal, wore a stunned expression.
The top contender had left without finishing the tournament.
It was only natural.
The spectator stands were in an uproar.
The flames unleashed by Agni, who had possessed Azaris Ignor, had even melted the protective barriers over the stands.
Some of the civilians who had rolled on the ground were on the verge of serious injury.
The martial tournament had devolved into complete disarray.
But they couldn't just cancel it entirely.
Once things had somewhat calmed, the organizers asked Durandal to continue.
"Ahem, well then, we'll proceed with the next semifinal match."
With Azaris down and Havel gone.
The winner of this semifinal would essentially be the tournament champion.
The crowd hadn't felt much thrill after Havel and Azaris's battle.
Still, they wanted to see a champion, so they returned to their seats.
"Semifinalist Beloni!"
Durandal called out, and one participant stepped forward.
The rabbit-eared man trembled, anxiously scanning his surroundings.
He was none other than the lucky survivor from Group A preliminaries, where Havel had competed.
His luck was no ordinary stroke.
He had advanced step by step.
His first opponent forfeited due to exhaustion from the previous round.
The next was another fluke qualifier like himself.
Fortunately, Beloni was slightly stronger.
He climbed that way until he finally lost in the quarterfinals, his luck seemingly spent.
But then Elasia and Paiod's match ended in a draw, both forfeiting due to injuries, opening a new opportunity.
Beloni, the quarterfinal dropout with the least injuries, advanced to the semifinals.
'M-Mommy.'
Beloni inwardly called for his mother.
He had only entered the tournament on a dare with friends.
He never imagined drawing this much attention.
"His opponent, participant Devilord!"
The name of the winner from the tournament two years prior was called.
Beloni resigned himself, figuring his luck had run out here.
But for some reason, no one appeared despite Durandal's call.
On the empty arena floor.
Only the rabbit-eared man Beloni stood alone.
As Durandal and the crowd began sensing something off.
A short while later, an organizer rushed up and whispered to Durandal.
"What?"
Durandal's face twisted in disbelief.
The previous champion, Devilord, had collapsed unconscious.
The reason? He had glimpsed Havel's Calamity during the battle with Agni.
His middling strength left him fully exposed.
As a result, he foamed at the mouth and passed out.
Suddenly left alone, Beloni blinked in confusion.
Durandal glanced at him, then scratched the back of his head.
The arena rented for the tournament was only available for the day.
Tomorrow meant extra costs.
And they had to resell tickets to spectators.
In this mess, would anyone even show up tomorrow?
In short, they had to finish all matches today.
"Uh, due to unforeseen circumstances, participant Devilord cannot compete. Therefore, semifinal winner is participant Beloni!"
Durandal shouted, and Beloni's mouth fell open.
"And we'll proceed straight to the finals..."
Durandal chewed his lip.
With Havel having vanished.
"Ahem, since participant Havel has left the arena, the finals also go to participant Beloni by default."
"The champion of the 64th Martial Tournament is Beloni!"
Durandal announced as brightly as he could.
The crowd exchanged bewildered looks.
It was a blatant forfeit victory, after all.
But they couldn't just sit there awkwardly.
One by one, they began clapping.
He had made it to the semifinals, so he must have given his all.
Those who hadn't watched the quarters imagined he might be a hidden powerhouse who could have matched Havel or the others.
Thus, Beloni stumbled into the championship.
For the first time in martial tournament history, a champion crowned purely by luck was born.
While the tournament champion became the hapless rabbit-eared Beloni in this muddled fashion.
Havel was swiftly moving, carrying the youngest of the August family, Penbola, like luggage.
Penbola felt like he was dying.
But one look at Havel's face silenced him.
One word, and he'd be dead.
"Havel, didn't you enter the tournament for the Star Sword?"
Still, he had to ask, so Penbola swallowed his fear and spoke.
Havel glanced back while running.
"Doesn't matter."
As Penbola said, Havel had initially joined for the Star Sword.
But meeting Tendal's princess, Valea, changed his mind.
'The Star Sword's power has already transferred to Valea.'
The Milky Way gleaming in Valea's eyes.
That was the power dwelling in the Star Sword.
The Star Sword had been with Tendal for ages.
Thus, its power seeped into Tendal's bloodline.
The Star Sword was now just an empty husk.
The real prize was Valea, bearer of its power.
"You're guiding me, so guide me. But what's your goal with August?"
Havel had snatched Penbola mid-tournament.
To make him lead to August's base.
Penbola seemed clueless.
Once a rebellious golden generation leader.
They must have deliberately kept key info from him.
"I heard August plans to destroy this floor."
"Destroy?"
Penbola reacted with shock.
He hadn't heard a thing.
"Why destroy..."
Penbola was baffled.
But Havel could guess.
'They can't see a way to clear the floor themselves.'
Havel had spiked the Tower's difficulty exponentially.
New factions entered alongside him.
The Tower's difficulty kept skyrocketing vertically.
Three floors merged, civilization advanced 1,000 years.
Tendal's advanced civilization and magic were formidable.
Even the Five Great Families couldn't face them head-on.
Tendal's weapons could cleave the world in two.
Their highly developed magic birthed multiple demons.
Ones their creators regretted for life.
Horrific weapons.
Thus, August and the Five Great Families were convinced.
They couldn't clear the Tower like this.
'Especially since I changed the entire 7th hierarchy.'
Beyond their control.
So August decided.
Reset the 7th hierarchy entirely.
'The other Five Great Families agreed.'
That's why Agni, head of Ignor, leaked it.
At that moment, Havel's pocket chimed.
He opened it to find the communication orb Baria had given him before leaving.
Not urgent, but as expected, about the destruction.
Havel already knew, so he pocketed it.
Graiza would be blocked by Baria.
Ignor would back off with Agni retreated.
Kain had Kabala, no issue.
'Glasis never ascended anyway.'
So, just stop August.
Thud!
Havel's rushing steps halted abruptly.
"Gah!"
Penbola, swinging from the momentum, swallowed a groan.
Havel released him, and he stood on shaky legs.
A forest loomed before them.
One of the vast forests on the continent-sized Tendal.
August had established a base here for operations.
Havel stepped into the forest.
"Penbola, lead the way."
"Ngh, got it."
From their recent talk, Penbola realized August had abandoned conquering the Tower.
He didn't want this kind of surrender.
So he guided Havel promptly.
The forest was incredibly dense.
Soon, fog began settling between the trees.
"...This isn't fog."
Havel immediately recognized it wasn't ordinary mist.
It was ash powder.
Finely ground, thinly powdered ash.
"This is Brother's ash swordsmanship."
Penbola's eyes narrowed too.
He grasped the reason for the ash fog at the entrance.
A warning.
Come no further, or face attack.
Despite Penbola's presence, they blocked approach.
Meaning...
'Just as Havel said.'
August was truly considering annihilating the 7th hierarchy.
The ash fog thickened, obscuring vision completely.
Unable to guide further, Penbola shouted.
"Brother! It's Penbola!"
He yelled desperately to announce himself.
But the fog showed no sign of lifting.
As Penbola grew frustrated, Havel stood beside him.
"Your brother doesn't seem interested in talking."
Dawn light gathered on Havel's hand.
Penbola, sensing what was coming, quickly backed away.
And instantly, Havel swung his hand blade.
Whoosh!
The straight beam of light pierced the ash fog.
Then, centered on the parted line, the ash fog was sucked in.
Shaaaaaa!
With a wave-like roar, all the ash fog vanished in an instant.
Havel spotted a building amid the trees.
It resembled the one August built in the old 6th hierarchy.
The ash fog rushed to refill the forest, but it was too late.
Meaningless once spotted.
Boom!
Havel's figure blurred, launching like a cannonball.
Before the fog could reform, he crossed the forest in a flash.
At that moment, ash gathered overhead.
Forming a massive hand, it smashed down at Havel.
But Havel ignored the ash assault.
He deftly dodged every strike and reached the building.
Stopping, he faced the gray structure.
August's 76th-floor outpost.
Simultaneously, he confronted the Ash Knights filling the front.
No human presence from the armor-clad in ash.
Just monsters brimming with Calamity and ash.
"You saw how I handled Agni."
August surely had eyes at the tournament.
They glimpsed Havel's prowess.
Yet they came at him like this.
Havel let out a chilling smile.
"Asking me to smash them all?"
As Havel questioned.
He sensed a presence.
Turning, a man approached.
'No Calamity.'
None emanated from him.
Havel felt a flicker of puzzlement.
On his chest: a hilt and scattering ash emblem.
Symbol of the power-center Five Great Families, August.
A direct descendant without Calamity?
Naturally baffling to Havel.
"Havel of Banpellyon."
He knew Havel, calling his name.
"I warned visitors not to enter. Isn't ignoring that rude?"
Expressionless, opposite the gorilla-like Penbola.
Slim build, long white hair.
Petite for a man.
His vividly glowing red eyes emotionless.
Penrad August.
August's eldest son.
Calamity leaked from him, trailing the ash.
Havel waved it away irritably.
'No Calamity, yet alone.'
Havel briefly questioned the solitary figure.
'Looks like he has something to rely on.'
As Havel pondered, Penrad clasped hands behind his back.
"You find it odd I'm alone to face you."
"Planning to talk me down?"
"No. Never crossed my mind."
No panic despite Havel's arrival.
'He lured me here from the start.'
Havel recalled the leakers.
Graiza via Baria.
Ignor's head Agni directly.
'Not Agni.'
Havel guessed Agni's motive for the leak.
'Amusement.'
Agni deliberately mentioned August.
'If you want details beyond what I said, survive August's trap.'
Havel clicked his tongue lightly.
Those with a bit of power always pulled this.
Next time, he'd make sure to humble him.
'Graiza, on the other hand.'
They knew the trap via Baria but leaked it anyway.
To send Havel to August.
'Betrayed.'
More like used Baria.
Thinking back, no one disciplined Graiza except via Baria.
Time to topple Graiza too.
"Anyway."
Havel cracked his neck.
"Show me the trap already."
Penrad smiled faintly at the provocation.
"The trap has already begun."
Havel tilted his head.
Ash fog filled the forest.
But no sudden change.
However, moments later, Havel belatedly noticed.
'...The Calamity is gone.'
Calamity had vanished from this space.