Chapter 18 – Tournament

The week to relax ended quickly, even though I say relax I was training with master Phantom style close combat but did not learn anything just proper ways how to punch and control my strength and movement so you could say master started to prepare me worth bottoms of hell I will go through.

Since the last time I did not see Lili or Sani. They were probably training too, even though it should be relaxing week, no one would be stupid enough to relax.

Alice acted in different way again. She wasn’t so concerned as before and did not try to tease me anymore but went to how she was before even though she was more open.

Today the tournament starts but I was already long awake and so just spend my time lying under the tree with warm sun and cool breeze, thinking about tactics, my skills and thinking about my previous fights. Master told me that thinking about your previous fights is the best way how to get better because you can see your own weaknesses that way. I knew about it but never did it. For some reason, it is even skill. It is called Shadow training and it allows me to reach half meditative state and relive fights. At higher levels there are more uses or so master told me.

My fan club is beaming with more people than before but I told them that they can cheer me on but I don’t wish for them to follow me every step and just cheer me when the tournament starts. I would never allow it but when junior girls start to have teary eyes I get lenient but not enough to hamper myself. I’m too soft in this area.

I snapped my eyes because someone was coming to me. It was Liz.

“Hi, Ris.”

“Hi. Shouldn’t you be helping with the tournament?”

“Yeah but I took a break.”

“I see. Don’t over work yourself or else I would be troubled.”

“You’re so cute.”

“Thanks, you are beautiful too.”

“Oh, you shouldn’t tell things like that just to anyone.”

“I’m not telling it to just anyone. I’m telling it to you.”

“T-thanks.”

I smiled as she was flustered.

“Let’s continue with why you truly came, Liz.”

We both got serious as I said that. You did not think she came just to take a break, right?

“Ris, about the promise, I will do something about it so don’t push yourself too much. You don’t want to trouble me, right?”

“Of course not but there are some things I won’t let be, no matter what you tell me.”

“Ris.”

“Don’t worry, I already have plan but Liz, tell me truthfully, do you really want to cancel your engagement? And I wish to hear your true thoughts.”

“Sigh, I don’t know. He is extreme jack ass but I don’t want to trouble my family and I always thought that there would be prince charming that would fall in love with me and I with him and not someone who is forced to me.”

As she was saying this, she held her knees close to her chest and looking at the sky through tree branches.

“I see. This little brother will make it happen.”

“It’s just a stupid dream, don’t concern yourself with it.”

“Dreams are what make us push forward, without dreams we are just husks without life.”

“You sound like an old man.”

“As long as it helps you I will be even a devil himself.”

“Let’s stop talking about such things and just take the moment.”

She came to me and laid next to me and soon I could hear her light breathing as she fell asleep. We were laying like ^ with our heads close to each other and soon I fell asleep too.

I was woken up with Liz’s face directly looking at me.

“Let’s go Ris, time to go to the tournament.”

“Yeah.”

We went to the tournament and for some reason. Everyone was staring at us as we went to the arena. I could not find the reason for that, it’s not like first time but this never happened.

As we finally reached our destination, I saw Lili, Sani and Irel already there, Liz went to them with me and they too stared at us.

“I need to go already Ris, I will cheer for you.”

“Thanks Liz, take care and don’t push yourself.”

As she went away, she was waving at me.

“Ris.”

Lili looked at me and I took a step back as I looked at her.

“W-what is it Lili?”

“What were you doing with Elizabeth?”

“W-what do you mean?”

“I never saw her beaming like that and she never smiled like that before. So, what did you do?”

“We we were just talking, nothing more?”

“Really?”

“R-really.”

She was looking at me, no staring straight through me. She’s scary. Sani was piercing through me with her gaze to and Irel was just smiling. Damn you.

“Ok then, I believe you.”

“T-Thank you.”

Never saw her like that. Normally Sani is the one who do that and I’m sure she would do it if Lili would not start first.

“So, what do we do now?”

I asked all three and Irel answered.

“There’s still time left so we can look around.”

“That sounds good.”

Two girls just nodded and so we went to look around. There were stands that were selling food, drinks, potions, medic tents and blacksmith. We all bought something to eat. It was something like melon on stick covered in some kind of topping. It was sweet and the texture was like peach. It was delicious.

After we ate, we were still looking around until we saw a group of high standing people. Nobles no doubt with escorts of magicians and knights. All knights know magic but because it is bothersome to call them magical knights they are called just knights.

As we were going through the crowd I could see a handsome elf in beautiful attire with long flowing blond hair and green eyes with noble, strong atmosphere. He looked at us and his majestic presence changed to, I don’t know. It can’t be described but events that happened after will explain it for me.

He run to us and then jumped. He seriously jumped straight into Lili’s arms and was acting like fool and constantly yelling Lili. I pretty much understood what is happening and I was sure when I saw his silver crown.

“F-father, don’t do that. It’s embarrassing.”

Yep, knew it but why did you look at me when you said embarrassing?

Her father saw that and his majestic aura changed to a murderous aura and he was smiling like Lili before. So she has it after her dad.

“And who might you be?”

Calm down and don’t act like fool. I need to put my acting skills to practice again.

“My name is Risiel but everyone calls me Ris. I’m friend of Lili and the two there are Irel and Sani as you already must know.”

He looked at the two, enjoyed it too Irel, I saw you smiling at me.

My plan backfired because he almost immediately turned his head again to me and again smiled with his frightening smile.

“How did you call my daughter?”

Dammit, I messed up. I’m so used to it already. Sigh, let’s play it some more.

“Lili. It suits her right?”

He was looking at me with much more piercing gaze and then went to me closer until he changed his expression again to the one he had when he jumped into her arms.

“Right, right? I was always calling her like that but my wife was always pestering me about proper manners and such and when she was 7 she wanted me to stop her calling her like that too because it was embarrassing and when she was 4 she was so cute and was always clinging to me and then when she was 6 she said she fell in l…..”

He was knocked out. I did not notice before but Lili was extremely embarrassed.

“Stop it, father.”

He quickly stood up and spoke with her.

“Oh, call me papa again.”

“I’m too old for that!”

“You are still my little girl so come on come on.”

He was knocked out again and stood up again and started to laugh but turned serious again.

“Lili, what does he mean to you?”

He was looking at me as he was saying that but I won’t intervene. She must go through it alone.

“He he is, my friend.”

He was piercing her with his gaze too but just sighed because of her horrible acting.

“Ok, I understand.”

He went back to his majestic appearance again and dusted off.

“I did not introduce myself, apologize me. I am king of Elf kingdom Maravel, Voltan Fiodora Astaroth. It’s nice to meet you, all of you.”

“Pleasure is all my.”

“Yes, your highness.”

You are just forced to compel to him so both, Irel and I answered to him.

Someone came to us and started to talk with Voltan.

“Your highness, you must go back and stop doing such embarrassing acts.”

It was some kind of butler. He looked at Sani and back to Voltan.

“You always ruin fun. Ok then, let’s go but let me finish one more thing.”

He looked at me once more.

“I won’t give you my daughter so easily.”

“Father!”

Huh, what did he say? Isn’t he misunderstanding something?

“You are so cute when you are angry.”

“Your highness.”

“Yeah yeah, let’s go.”

And they went back to, it looks like king of this country.

“I’m sorry for my father’s behavior. I’m ashamed.”

“Huh, why? He was funny. I took liking to him.”

“I-I see and about the last thing…..”

Need to stop it.

“What about it? We are already friends so it’s not like he can’t stop us from being friends.”

All three looked at me like I was stupid idiot.

“You don’t know what he meant by that?”x3

“He meant that he doesn’t want me to be friends with Lili, right?”

They all looked at each other and then Irel said.

“It looks like it’s time to go.”

Nice job Irel.

“Sani, was that butler your father?”

“Huh, how did you know?”

“He looked at you with affectionate eyes and if I remember correctly you told me once you are Lili’s aide so I thought he is Voltan’s aide too so, you know.”

“That’s right. You really pay attention to me. I’m happy you know?”

“I’m glad then.”

I could hear someone grumble.

“How can he figure something like that but don’t understand what means give away easily.”

We were walking around for a while longer and Sani was in a happy mood, Lili was gloomy and Irel was just smiling at my misfortune. There was a loud sound echoing through the stadium.

“All students must assemble to arena in 15 minutes. I repeat. All students must assemble to arena in 15 minutes.”

We hurried up and reached arena, as all the others. Thanks to looking around we already knew where it was so get there was easy. All 100 of us stood in the arena and the voice resounded again.

“Order yourself.”

We did and then he continued.

“Ladies and gentleman, we welcome you to annual tournament where the best second years will fight against each other. We have several guests today with us and one special quest too. Welcome our special quest from elven country, King Volta. Applause for him, please. And now, from our own country, King Zeek. Big cheers for both of them.”

They waved at the whole stadium. Voltan was looking dignified but Zeek looked at all us as chess pieces, as things and he even looked with lustful eyes on some girls. Piece of trash.

“And now, king will give us few words.”

The whole stadium cheered as he stood up.

“You are the future of this nation and we all hope to see you perform to the utmost of your ability. Show us your strength and prove yourself. Here, your future will start. From this moment onwards, this tournament officially started.”

Nice speech but don’t look so bored.

“We thank our king for his speech and now, let me explain the rules. In the tournament you can use all abilities you learned or are taught. Close combat, magic, potions, enchanting, beasts and slaves. Everything is permitted if it complies but there are limits. You can have only 5 potions, 1 beast, slave and enchanted item. Choose wisely. The tournament is simple. You all will be randomly chosen to fight. The winner goes to the next round, loser does not even need to be mentioned. Because there is only one arena, there will be only one fight. There is no time limit for a fight but if you won’t fight each other for more than 2 minutes both will be disqualified. From fight, you can get achievement and prestige for your house and yourself. Even if you will lose in first rounds, don’t worry because even through show of your abilities you can catch eye of someone. There are many people from army, magic guilds and production facilities who can take interest in you and have your future job already at your disposal. The best 8 will have a chance to join the council and number 1 will even have the chance to have one wish granted and you can even receive nobility standing or even increase your own standing. Try your hardest.”

“Now then, everyone will get a number. After that we will call two numbers. Those two will fight and the rest shall sit at special spectator seats for competitors.”

Pieces of paper fell from the sky and reached us. Everyone got 1 number. I had number 7.

We were waiting and some started to speak to each other.

“Now that all of you have a number let the first battle of first fight start. We will use special magical item that will choose two participants.”

A black cube appeared above our heads, floating. Bright light appeared from it and then numbers started to appear on it. Their appearance started to slow down until two numbers appeared.

“Number 12 and 36 will fight. All other contestants follow directions of staff members.”

Our group went with staff and we were seated at our special seats. The two who stayed there were a man and woman pair.

“Now that everything is settled, contestants for first battle, stand in the circles.”

2 blue circles appeared and other sides of the arena. They both stood there and when they were inside, bright blue column appeared around them.

“When you stand in the circle, protective barrier is placed to not allow sabotage from third party or opponent before the fight. Whole arena is surrounded by the same barrier so you can go all out and not care where you fire your magic. The timer will appear at the magical device you could see before and voice will project it too so you can concentrate at your opponent. When time runs out, barrier will disappear and you can start your fight. Let’s start the count down.”

Number 10 appeared and the countdown started with voice saying it too. When it ended, barrier around them disappeared and the fight started.

Man was wind mage and woman was water mage. They both stood at the spot and started to attack each other with water balls and wind balls. It was anticlimactic until they ended with probing. They used this to find out strength of the opponent and his mastery in the element. Wind mage was better but it looks like his amount of mana was lower as I could see from his increased breathing as compared to the woman.

They both started to move and fired at each other basic spells like water lance, wind blade and such. After second years we know around 10 basic spells I am exception because Void does not have many basic spells for fights so I must use my pure mana.

Fight continued and they started to be out of breath. Water mage used puddles of water she created and controlled them to corner the wind mage but he used gust to create sand wave and water balls that were created from the puddles absorbed sand, making them almost useless. Woman still controlled them but fired water lance at the guy as he used wind to propel himself from his encirclement. It went for a while until he moved too close to one water-sand ball which changed shape into a dagger like lance and stabbed him.

He still did not fall down but blood was flowing. Woman did not stop and before the guy could notice, he was surrounded by multiple water balls and conceded. The first fight showed that only elites are here. There are one thousand of us in whole second years and from those only 100 are here. It won’t be easy at all.

“And the first fight is over. Many of you may be scared because of the injury sustained during the fight but don’t worry. All life threatening attack aren’t permitted and such attacks would be immediately stopped by our staff members but no protective barrier against damage is in place so you can learn terror of what awaits you in the future. All damage sustained during the fight will be healed after it but fatigue is your own problem to take care of. Now, congratulate number 12 for her performance and applause for number 36’s attempt. It was close call but only one can win.”

So we can be hurt pretty badly during the fight but at least we will be healed after but stamina is problem here. Not during first round but in higher round it will be problematic. Need to do something about it.

And so, fights continued until it was Irel’s turn.

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Finally, tournament. Now I have to ask, how detailed do you want fights? Do you want me to describe fights of all sight characters or just make some and focus on Ris’s? I will do some outside our group of friends too for story’s sake but I really need to know. I can finish it in 2 chapters or 4 in what you will choose.

Hope you enjoyed.