Chapter 99: The Tin Knight and the Martial Arts Tournament (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 99: The Tin Knight and the Martial Arts Tournament (6)
Kumara, a silver-rank adventurer of the Adventurers Guild, thought to himself.
How did things get so out of hand?
The series of incidents related to the Taros Labyrinth had concluded with the death of the Schwartz branch manager, but Kumara’s party couldn't return to the Schwartz branch.
The branch manager had been an undeniable piece of trash, but when the water upstream is dirty, the water downstream becomes murky too.
The staff and adventurers connected to the manager believed they had suffered because Kumara’s party had blown the situation out of proportion, and they whispered the word “traitors” behind their backs.
Of course, after being battered by a massive audit and organizational restructuring, their influence had shrunk considerably. Moreover, those who hadn't been involved with the manager or had disliked him praised Kumara’s party as heroes, so the chance of direct retaliation was almost nonexistent.
Still, no matter how small the actual threat, the situation itself—being surrounded by people who held a grudge—was undeniably uncomfortable.
Since they had already caused a stir about transferring once, Kumara’s party decided to just settle down at the Weiss branch.
With their solid fundamental skills, they were quickly recognized at their new workplace, and Kumara’s party, in turn, grew fond of the Weiss branch’s much freer atmosphere compared to Schwartz.
The problem was that this freedom was sometimes excessive.
“Branch Manager Peter has disappeared again. He stormed off to Thracus, vowing to catch the bastards who scammed him! Why Thracus, you ask? He said something about a high probability of them showing up nearby next, but I don’t know the details either. If we leave him be, he might wander off on some other strange adventure, so you lot go to Thracus and bring him back. Why you? Weren’t you the ones who delivered those clients’ letters? Once you’re involved, you have to see it through to the end. Here, I’ll count this as a quest, so get a move on.”
The deputy branch manager of the Weiss branch.
At the words of the man who was, for all intents and purposes, the acting branch manager when it came to administrative duties, Kumara felt a surge of indignation.
“All we did was try to escort some poor travelers who were about to get caught up in a guild conspiracy, then we got swept up in the mess they made, and now we have to clean up the chaos they left behind after they skipped town!”
But what could he do? An order was an order.
Kumara could unhesitatingly charge at villains who used vile threats for their own gain, but he lacked the courage to defy a hysterical superior armed with dark circles and bloodshot eyes. It was a rule of thumb that you should never provoke an office worker who was going mad from stress.
Contrary to its rather unpleasant start, the journey itself was quite smooth.
The northern part of the Empire, bordering the Magic State, was perceived by Imperials as a ‘dangerous place,’ but thanks to the powerful army stationed there, its security was actually better in some respects.
Bandits were out of the question, and you would rarely encounter magic beasts unless you ventured into strange, remote mountain areas like the Garden.
“Well now, are you folks heading to Thracus as well? This must be fate. Let’s travel together.”
“Oh, thank you, Master Lorentz. We’ll do our best to assist with the escort, however small our contribution may be.”
Having joined up with the Halder Company, which was also on its way to Thracus, the journey became even more comfortable.
Learning that the Tin Knight’s party was in Thracus was an added bonus.
“Branch Manager Peter… he’s not going to try and harm that witch’s party, is he?”
“Who knows. He’s known for being an oddball, but he’s not a bad person. He’ll probably just give them a lecture or something, don’t you think?”
“The people from this company seem to be on very friendly terms with the witch’s party. I just hope we don’t get caught in an awkward situation between them.”
Kumara and his companions’ worries turned out to be half-right.
They weren't caught between Peter and the Halder Company, but a different, equally uncomfortable situation arose in its place.
“Hm? You came looking for me? Ah, sorry, but I can’t go back right now. I still have some things to do here. I’ll head back after the martial arts tournament, so just wait until then. Hmm. No. It feels wrong to just make you waste your time, so you all should enter the tournament, too. From the looks of it, you’re just a few steps away from reaching gold grade. This tournament will be good experience. I’ll register you myself.”
They had no right to refuse.
He was a legendary senior in their field, someone to be revered. Not just a boss, but the president. What could they do when a legendary adventurer whose fame resounded throughout the continent told them to do something?
“Fuck, fine, we’ll do it. We’ll do it! Since it’s come to this, I’ll get my hands on that winner’s medal!”
“I don’t know, winning seems a bit of a stretch.”
“I can see us handling the other teams, but that team with the knight is just… impossible.”
“Are you guys going to keep demoralizing me like this!?”
“Team Kumara! That’s enough chatter! The match will now begin!”
At the same time, in the audience.
“Oh my, they’re fighting better than I expected.”
[The ‘Tin Knight’ says his eye for talent is never wrong!]
[The ‘Tin Knight’ evaluates that while he can’t be sure about the mage’s skill, the warrior and ranger are skilled enough to be top contenders in the tournament!]
“Yes, they’re excellent. Thanks to them, the payout should be quite handsome.”
Unaware that the two inhuman beings who were, in a sense, the cause of this whole mess were busy using them to earn some pocket money, Kumara and his companions fought desperately to advance through the tournament.
In fact, it was probably better for them to never find out.
*
Team Kumara, with its classic combination of ranger, warrior, and mage, seized victory.
The Lion Duke’s bloodline team, with its foundationless combination of melee, melee, and melee, seized victory.
And the rampaging Tin Knight, after bashing his opponent’s head, knees, ribs, head, and head again—anyway, after beating them in various places—seized victory while showcasing the divine skill of leaving them alive.
The final match of the team tournament’s round of 16 was a bout that drew the audience’s attention for many reasons.
“Yes, everyone, thank you for waiting! The winners of the last tournament! The other champions who stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Kalidahs of the individual matches have returned! In the blue corner! Haga Party!”
At the referee’s introduction, two warriors in armor vaguely reminiscent of insects and a robed mage appeared on the stage. An explosive cheer erupted from the crowd… or not.
There were cheers, but they were only slightly louder than for the other participants.
Some in the crowd even acted as if they were just now recognizing them, saying, “Oh, that team is the champion?”
The mage, Haga, found this incredibly displeasing.
Dammit. Everywhere I go, it’s Kalidahs, Kalidahs! I’m so sick of it. We’re champions too, so why are we treated like this?
If you asked the citizens of Thracus who the champion was, over ninety percent of them would name Kalidahs.
Only after correcting them with, ‘Ah, I mean in the team matches, not the individual ones,’ would people mention Haga’s name, or fail to answer at all.
The Thracus martial arts tournament was, at its core, about the individual matches. The team matches had been hastily added when mages stopped participating due to restrictions on familiars.
Because of this, the public’s basic perception was that ‘the individual matches are the main event.’ While the team matches had their own charm, the impact of each individual participant inevitably fell short.
“And their opponents in the red corner! The Empire’s Crown Mage, the one and only top disciple of the Witch of the South! Algind Goodwitch and her companions!”
“Waaaaaaaaah!”
A fervent roar echoed through the arena.
To say it wasn't outdone by the cheers for Haga’s team would be putting it mildly for the champion’s honor; in reality, the cheers for Algind were overwhelmingly louder.
The faces of Haga and his companions contorted.
A champion facing a challenger, yet the cheers for the challenger were far greater. What a ridiculous situation. And this was Haga Party’s first match of the tournament, no less.
The audience, however, had their reasons.
This side is pretty and cool.
On one side, a beautiful girl mage with a bunch of fancy titles and her bodyguard knights. On the other, three gloomy-looking guys. Is there even a comparison?
I mean, if the men were handsome, or had a really profound, dignified air, they’d be popular in their own right, but those guys are just a bit plain.
Haga felt like he was going to lose his mind.
That Kalidahs fellow was covered head-to-toe in armor, so no one even knew what he looked like, yet he was popular. Why were they treated like this?
His lament over the world’s unfairness soon curdled into hatred for the opponents before him.
Haga ground his teeth and spoke to his companions.
“That bitch. Let’s crush her completely.”
“She’s the disciple of an Imperial bigshot. Can you handle the consequences?”
“Fuck, if I cared about that, I wouldn’t have entered a tournament like this in the first place. If they act petty over this, we can just skip to another country. Besides, we have to do something like this to make a big name for ourselves, right?”
“…You have a point.”
“If you get it, then take your medicine.”
After confirming that the two burly, middle-aged warriors had each taken a small pill, Haga began to prepare his magic.
The moment the signal to start the match rang out, the two warriors raised their large shields and solidified their defense.
They showed no intention of attacking first.
And from behind the temporary barrier his companions had created, Haga’s magic activated.
Swoosh.
Acrid smoke, like that from burning damp branches, began to spread slowly.
Despite being outdoors, the gray smoke didn’t rise into the sky but began to fill the arena as if it had a will of its own.
Seeing this, the commentator began to speak with fervor.
“Yes, it’s begun! Team Haga’s signature poison mist tactics! Anyone who inhales the magically created gas will be paralyzed and rendered helpless! The only counters are to take a specific antidote beforehand or to hold your breath! Team Algind Goodwitch! How will they deal with this!”
Blabbering on, how annoying.
Haga grumbled at the commentator for explaining his entire strategy.
It was tantamount to telling the opponent to hurry up and do something. He understood that ‘unknown smoke billows out, participants breathe it in, collapse, and it’s over’ wasn’t exactly great for entertainment, but this felt like biased commentary.
Sure enough, the opposing team’s knights quickly charged forward.
It was clear they intended to swiftly cut down Haga, the source of the mist.
Klang!
But they could not achieve their goal.
The two warriors with their large shields were completely dedicated to defending Haga.
Release the poison mist, then hold out until the opponent collapses from the poison.
This was Team Haga’s winning formula, and also the reason they weren’t very popular.
While it was a very powerful and effective tactic, it was relatively plain and couldn't shake the impression of dragging things out.
Some even pointed fingers, calling it a cowardly tactic unfit for a martial arts tournament, or scoffing that anyone could win by simply poisoning their opponent.
Of course, Haga paid them no mind.
If it looks so easy, they should try it themselves.
Preparing a poison effective against ability users who could enhance their bodies with mana, preparing an antidote for allies while changing the type of poison each time so the enemy couldn't prepare their own, and manipulating the mist so it wouldn’t be blown away by wind magic—none of this was easy.
In fact, the poison mist magic Haga used was something he had created by modifying a spell originally used by a certain necromancer over more than a decade.
The original spell couldn't even be used without many corpses nearby, and it lacked any directional control, making it half as effective unless used in a sealed space. Forcibly improving these flaws required an absurd amount of mana that was only feasible in theory. The very fact that Haga had managed to turn it into a practical, albeit small-scale, spell was a testament to his talent.
“Aah! They can’t break through! They can’t break through! Team Algind! They can’t break through Team Haga’s iron wall of defense!”
The knights fighting alongside Algind were undoubtedly skilled, but Team Haga’s warriors were also skilled enough to win a renowned martial arts tournament.
Furthermore, Algind’s knights had the penalty of having to fight while holding their breath as much as possible. Conversely, Team Haga’s warriors had the advantage of being able to focus solely on defense without worrying about attacking.
As the exchange of blows continued, the mist spread further, and the knights’ movements grew sluggish.
Haga sensed victory, but at the same time, a question surfaced in his mind.
Why isn’t she moving?
Unlike her knights, who were doing their utmost to break through the defense, Algind stood in the rear with her arms folded, showing no sign of moving.
Come to think of it, I heard she just stood there in the last match while her knights fought. Don’t tell me she can’t fight?
It seemed unlikely for the top disciple of a Crown Mage, but then again, it also seemed plausible if it was part of the ‘building a plausible resume’ that was so typical of the upper echelons.
Half-doubting, half-hopeful, Haga turned his gaze to Algind.
And he saw it.
Algind wasn’t even looking his way. She was staring intently at some point in the audience.
This bitch?
Rage flared in Haga’s head.
He couldn’t tell who in the audience she was looking at, but the very act of being so distracted during a match was utterly infuriating to him.
Haga drew upon even more of his mana.
Unlike the relatively efficient generation of the poison mist, the magic to manipulate the generated mist was still flawed and excruciatingly slow, but he forced it to accelerate.
He felt a throbbing headache and the sensation of his mana gushing out, but in return, the mist instantly closed in on Algind.
It was the moment Haga was certain of his victory.
“…Hmph. It seems they can’t do it like them. Even though there are twice as many people. Truly a shame.”
Haga didn’t understand Algind’s mutterings.
He didn’t have a chance to.
The moment Algind turned her gaze and extended her hand forward, a sudden gust of wind struck Haga and his companions like an iron mace.
Fwoooosh!
The poison mist was swept away in an instant.
The shields and armor worn by the warriors were crushed at once.
Haga and his companions tumbled across the ground in a tangled heap, were thrown out of the arena, and only came to a stop after crashing into the wall below the spectator stands.
It was the moment a master of elemental magic, a Wizard, had crushed the former champions.