The crowd is even more silent than last time. We approach each other with only one or two ‘boos’ emitted from the crowd.

My opponent only has four matches under his belt. I think I should be able to take him out easily, but first, the show is on.

I extend my hand. Sometimes warriors who respect each other will shake hands before the game starts. It is not something that is ever done by the nobodies down here today, so my opponent plays confused, then extends his hand to mine.

I grab and pull it, tossing him over my shoulder as practiced. Combining the slow through with the soft sand and it virtually does no damage. Many jeers erupt from the audience.

I then stab at him with my sword, and he dodges in return, rolling around on the floor. I am of course missing on purpose. Then, I trip. Of course on purpose again and a few laughs erupt.

“SHUT YOUR TRAPS IDIOTS!” I scream at the top of my lungs. There is brief silence, before the whole crowd erupts in boos. Just as planned.

Then, we get up, but I only a little bit after him, allowing him a couple of free attacks and I take a few wounds on the upper body. The crowd responds by erupting in cheers.

Now, the real fight begins. I have learnt from my previous mistakes, so I dash in at a very human speed, and intercept his incoming strike with one of my own. I think I could have blasted it off his hand, but I keep it at a lower level, though it seems he hurt his wrist.

Pretending to have my arm occupied, I am then free to deliver a non-lethal knee to the stomach without it being too suspicious. He collapses and the crowd erupts in another round of booing and jeering. I turn around and act like I am the best, as I have been instructed to. Showboating is looked down upon, so I indulge in posing with my foot on my opponent, running a little around with spread arms and cheering for myself, all the while the heavy jeers continue, and various food and drink is tossed at me.

I am actually pretty close to bursting out in laughter. It seems Porar has long since mastered managing the choreography to manipulate the crowd’s emotion. Then we exit the sandy arena, Porar is waiting for me in the waiting room.

“So, you haven’t changed your mind, receiving that kind of treatment?” I think over it a little in response…

“I think I actually enjoyed it” I say while putting on a grand smile. It was kind of fun, after all.

“You’re one weird guy.” Porar says while shaking his head, but he himself also gains a smile. It was a huge success involving the crowd after all.

Life as a combatant in the circle quickly becomes routine with me having about one fight a week. I engage in various unprofessional and cheap behaviors throughout, and the crowd size for when I fight increases each time I fight. I think my favorite thing to do is insulting the crowd when they start cheering for my opponent, which they mostly do when he has the advantage in the acting part of the fight.

Another is using magic. While not disallowed, it is viewed as highly cowardly and offensive to the art of combat.

Finally, the championship begins three and a half months later. The only problem is that there are only seven fighters who want to participate in the gifted division. As a result, someone gets a bye. Porar is debating whether to give it to me or someone else. On one hand, I am drawing a larger crowd than all of the others, except for Spetus. But on the other, giving me a bye will likely build up more resentment towards me. It is pretty great, since I am always worried I will mess up and reveal that a lot of it is a farce.

I get to watch a fight for the first time today, the first week of the tournament’s gifted division.

First off is Spetus versus the guy, I faced in my very first fight. I haven’t actually even seen his gift in action, as I floored him immediately. They first engage in their scripted combat.

The two combatants dash towards each other, Then proceeds a flurry of sword swing from both sides that don’t connect. Spetus is doing all kinds of flips and rolls that must be insanely hard to time with the sword strikes to only receive shallow wounds, but I guess he is a veteran as opposed to me and his opponent. They end by colliding their swords and jumping away to a safe distance. This must be where the real fight starts.

But something is strange. While I should have known that the real fight starts, the movements of Spetus is much the same. The only exception being he is no longer receiving shallow wounds. Dodges, rolls, cuts, he is slowly overwhelming his opponent. If I didn’t have the knowledge, I don’t think I would be able to tell. Hell, I even second-guessed myself a few times whether the real fight has started or not.

Spetus is one hell of a professional. After a few minutes of the one-sided cuts, his opponent throws away the sword and kneels. A declaration of defeat. The crowd goes wilds and cheers and chanting of Spetus’ name erupt across the stadium with such power, I can feel it through the air.

I was fine up till now, but it makes me kind of jealous, to see this difference in treatment.