Chapter 24: Finale

I was standing there, holding number 1’s fist in my hand. I have no idea what happened and how I got here, I just know that I did not want to be seeing Lili get hurt and then whole world went violet and I just appeared here and I just reacted to the punch.

Now that I think about it, won’t I get disqualified because I interrupted the fight? But there was no such rule stated, just that you must not sabotage so it should be ok.

But that is not what I fear at all. What I fear more is Lili herself. No matter what I wanted to do, I still interfered with her fight. It’s like saying I did not believe in her. Like I would think of her as flower to be taken care of, protected and not letting it grow on its own.

I’m scared of Lili hating me for it, but I am much more scared of seeing someone close to me hurt in such cruel way. No matter what, I won’t stand such things.

I can stand seeing them hurt like broken arm, hit in the stomach and coughing blood but I can’t see them twisted, lying with pale face and with that painful expression. I can’t stand it, seeing them broken, not just in body but spirit too.

While I was still holding his hand and thinking about all these things, someone talked to me.

“R-Ris? W-what are you doing here! This is my fight! I will avenge my friend! Stay out of this! I can still fight!”

Hearing such things, I know she is right, I know I should let her fight, I know I should not interfere anymore but I can’t. I would rather be hated than let this continue.

“LILI!”

I shouted with all my strength. I never shouted at her, no, I never shouted since I came to this school. I always had smile on my face and always spoke with calm and soothing voice, maybe that’s why girls like to talk to me? I don’t know, but I had to shout, to show her maybe my last time of taking care of her. I continued and told her everything I hold inside me.

“I know you are right. I know I should not interfere. But how do you expect me just to watch this? That last punch would have been the end. Even if I would not interfere you would have lost.”

“I could have still done something!”

I came back to my calm voice.

“I won’t deny that, but if it would connect, then you would end up like Sani and I won’t allow that! I don’t want to see people I care for in such a way again. I won’t!”

While I said ‘care’, Lili lost her composure a little but got it back soon after but she calmed down a little.

“But how could I not be angry at you interfering? My best friend, closest person to me got hurt so much and I could not do anything and now you come here and won’t let me fight. So what if I would get hurt! I could still take revenge, no matter what!”

That’s the first time Lili was like this. Today is full of first times but I now understand. She feels the same way as I. In her case, it is different but still the same. I loathe myself and she loathes the one who did it.

I slapped Lili at her cheek.

“Don’t ever say no matter what again. Life is too precious to just throw it away.”

She looked at me and started to cry a little bit.

“Leave it to me, I will fight in your stead and take revenge for Sani. I will win, for both of you.”

I hugged her and then, she collapsed and fainted. I could see medical staff coming in and so I took her in princess carry and with a leap of my Phantom step, appeared before them and gave them Lili. Giving princess princess carry, it’s funny in its own way.

I appeared once more where I was and finally referee got out of his daze. I’m really serious. He stood there like a stone for the whole time.

“You! How did you get here? The arena is surrounded by barrier so you could not have get here from outside. How dare you interfere in the match?”

Now that he’s saying it, there really is barrier so how did I get here? I think I will find it soon enough.

“I don’t know. I just appeared here and before me was someone’s punch so I stopped it.”

The best plan ever. Lying filled with truth.

“Are you kidding me? Did you think I did not hear what you were saying before?”

“I was just talking with my friend I saw here. Nothing more.”

“You, do you think this tournament is a child’s game. For interference you will be disqualified, you hear me? What do you have to say about this, huh?”

Wow, he really got angry.

“I don’t know what you mean? Why should I get disqualified? I did not do anything bad and no one ever said we can’t appear in the arena during the fight. If I recall correctly, we just can’t sabotage other’s fight and I did not such thing, or am I wrong?”

It’s the truth so I wonder how he will compete with it.

“Do you take us for fools?”

“It’s the truth.”

“You are disqualified, get out of my sight!”

Poor thing, he dug his own grave.

“Are you sure? Maybe your superiors, like king does not think the same thing, you know?”

When I mentioned king, he started to sweat like fountain.

“And what’s more, the main reason is right behind you.”

He turned around and he saw rank 1 behind him, smiling with complete happiness, his eyes glittering. Those were not his hollow eyes anymore.

He started to come to me.

“I want to fight you.”

If he thought I did not think so after I felt his fighting spirit, than he is mad.

“See, he wants to fight with me and I don’t mind at all so will you condemn innocent person or let the audience and kings see another great fight?”

He started to think, still sweating and just then, he broke with my logic. It was quite some time since I played with someone, oh how I missed it.

“You both can go now. There will be 2 hour break until your fight.”

“That’s nice of you.”

And I went to the exit, rank 1 going after me.

When I reached the exit, rank 1 stopped me.

“I don’t know how you appeared in my fight but you do not look like those other losers and that technique you used to move looked interesting. I want to fight you.”

Friendly guy when you think about it.

“That’s okay but I have just one question.”

“What is it?”

“What is your name again?”

At this, time almost stopped until he started to laugh. He stopped and told me.

“It’s Azir, you should remember that.”

As he said it, he patted my shoulder and went somewhere.

I went outside to calm my nerves and sat under the tree. The feeling in my head still there so I concentrated at it.

Level up

You’ve reached 10% understanding in Void, unique ability unlocked

SkillVoid sightRankBasicSkill that allows you to perceive the Void and shape it much easier.

Many secrets lies in this skill and only with time will you find out.

SkillBlinkRankBasicSkill that comes directly from the Void itself.

By using Void eyes that are in the world, you can transport yourself anywhere in the area of 15 meters around yourself.

It can be used constantly and mana usage does not change depending on the distance taken.

Information about these skill flow through me and I understood the basics of their usage but nothing serious. So these skills are what made me appear in the arena. This skill even can get through barriers so that’s nice, but what the hell are Void eyes? Let’s find out.

I used my new skill, Void sight. Well, there was really no need to even use it because, as I found out, it is constantly in use just you need to concentrate on it or else it will fade away and I am glad because what it does makes it really annoying. The whole world goes violet and I could not even see the tree next to me too well until I found out how to adjust it and I even looked at the skill once more and I got to the next rank too. That allowed me to finally find out what are Void eyes.

World does not turn violet to me anymore but now I can see, portals like eyes everywhere around me, seeping with violet light and some substance or what. These must be the void eyes.

Next I tried Blink and it worked not like how I imagined. I was transported but it ported me just in diameter of 15 meters around me, randomly.

I tried it few more times and I found out a few things. When I use it, I am sucked into a Void eye and just spewed once more so it looks like the eyes is a gap between our world and void and it sucks me into the void and then pushes me out.

That is problem. Being randomly ported is useless. I could get ported on some attack if I would use it during fights. Thankfully I cannot get transported into solid matter because I cannot see any void eyes inside things.

I hope that’s right.

I experimented once more. It does not sound right of being randomly transported. It must be possible to choose my destination. The answer to that is quite simple as I found out.

You must concentrate on the Void eye in your sight and it must be in the area of 15 meters at most.

When I used it for the first time, I just concentrated on the skill and nothing more so without target I was ported randomly, the same goes with looking at some spot and wanting to go there.

Blink opens Void eye and if you want to be transported somewhere, you must synchronize the Void eye you open with the skill, with the one you want to teleport. It’s not that easy though, there are constantly moving, appearing and disappearing and there are so many of them that it is confusing and you need to have great space perception to find out the limit.

With every usage I did though, it was simpler and just felt more natural than before.

I tried the skills few more times to get truly used to it and I even reached another rank in Blink but sadly, not in Void sight. I have long way before me.

I went back to the arena and sat on my seat, waiting for the final round to start.

The announcement came soon after and with it, the rules.

The last round is extremely simple. It is a stage filled with ruins of colosseum with several changes in weather so you never know what comes next and that’s it. Everything is allowed and can be used.

We were called soon after and so I went to stand in the magic circle, looking at my opponent.

I never described how he looks so let me do it now.

He has toned muscled body with exotic looks, red hair and red pupils. He isn’t huge or anything, just normal stature.

You can say he trained well but what surprised me was that he was wearing armor. In all fights before he wasn’t wearing any. It looked nice I must nice. It was light armor, mostly white but with several red parts. I must say, it suited him pretty well. He did not have any weapon in hands but he probably has spatial ring so it’s not like he won’t have any.

The countdown reached zero and we both stood at the same spot. We both were smiling and with slow steps, went to each other until we reached the center of the colosseum.

We both smiled with smiles that screamed let’s fight and so, we both clenched our fists and hit each other’s face. We both went flying until we hit the ground and slid few more meters.

It was hell of a punch but for him it was the same. We shook it up and fight started, a close quarter fight.

We punched, dodged and used faints and I was overwhelmed. My training in close quarters is close to zero after all but my dodging abilities are better thanks to my training during the tournament.

It did not continue for long because he released his blood lust and fighting spirit and again concentrated it in his fist. I don’t even need to say that I was sent flying until I created hole in the wall.

I was damaged a little but I used mana shield and the trick of using mana as cushion I used in the fight with traps guy.

I healed myself with my regeneration skill and stood back up.

“Hey, don’t you think it’s time to start seriously?”

I said it to him because I don’t want to fight against him just with fists. I want to destroy him with everything he and I have, so I can fulfill Lili’s wish.

“Hm, I don’t know. You do not look like someone I need to use my all against.”

“Then that’s bad, for you. Wasn’t it you who came to me after your last fight and what’s more, I want to enjoy it with all we got and I think you are the same.”

He started to think about it and then nodded his head. It looks like he decided.

“Ok then but try not to die in a sec.”

“Ok.”

Materializing in his hand was red bastard sword which looked like it was made of dragon’s scale. Soon after, an oppressive feeling drowned me and I felt fear like none other during this tournament. The bloodlust he was releasing before was laughable compared to it.

I concentrated with all I had. I used my Void sight, cold reading, and essence detection and waited for his next move. I want to counter it.

I could see a movement of his muscles in a split second and then, like a picture before my eyes, I could see my body split in half.

Soon after, he sped up with insane speed and swinging his sword. I equipped Qwiz and with a twist around him, just barely dodged the attack and during that, attacked his side and back.

I kept the pressure and went to him. I wanted to stab him in the back, but my sword was deflected and we exchanged several hits.

I leaped back and prepared a stance of drawing sword. I concentrated mana into Qwiz and then, with fast motion released the mana I put inside into highly compressed mana blade.

I knew Azir will want to try to compare my attack with his strength so he won’t dodge it and just as I thought so, he engaged it with his sword. He was starting to get pushed back until with a loud voice, his sword was enveloped with red aura and he stopped the attack.

The mana was scattered but in its wake were Void bolts. The first hit him on the left hand and made it a little bit numb. The rest were cut through.

I kept pressure and started to slash with Qwiz in several arches, sending mana blade after mana blade. It was mana blade barrage. He had to deflect it. I wanted to get rid of some stamina. It wasn’t really mana friendly for me but still ok.

When I thought I could stop it, Azir charged straight through it and I was attacked. I was dodging the slashes left and right and I think from the distance it must have looked like a dance.

My foot slipped and I was hit at my side with his blade. My ribs cracked. I fixed it but my mana was dangerously low even with my Quick regeneration.

I concentrated my mana into my legs and looked at Azir. With high speed, I attacked him with a sword like a hammer. He stopped it but was pushed into ground. I used his sword as a jump spot and so jumped into the air and released Void blast.

After dust settled, Azir looked hurt a little bit and was breathing heavily. I wasn’t any better though.

When I reached the ground, I attacked once more and I deflected Azir’s sword into the side and that left his guard open. I attacked at his chest but my sword was stopped by his punch and it flew away from my hand. I kicked his armor and jumped back to get my sword but was followed.

Thankfully, I reached my sword but was hit and sent flying.

“You really are good. To be able to go at me in a fist fight and even survive me using Drag’s bane, that is impressive.”

Or so he said.

“Yeah, you are not bad either. It looks like the ending is close and I should warn you, you should take it seriously next or else you will lose.”

“Oh, than I will do just that.”

White smoke started to appear from him and I could felt his strength growing at incredible rate.

“Just so you know, if I will hit you just even once, it’s quite possible half of your body will be pulverized.”

“Really? That sounds interesting. What is this skill called?”

“Draco break.”

“You really love dragons, you know that.”

“As a descendant of Dragon knights that is expected.”

“Dragon knights? Never heard about it. You must tell me sometime but let’s end it already.”

With speed incomparable to before I was attacked with no way to dodge. It is impossible even with my Phantom step but I expected that. If you can’t dodge with body, than dodge with mind and so I invoked Blink and got out of there.

What happened then was quite shocking. There was a big split ground where I once stood. No kidding with half of my body being pulverized but I think my whole body would be pulverized.

“You weren’t kidding.”

I said from behind him and before he could understand I was behind him and he could turn around, I slashed with Void blade again and again until he pushed me from him.

He was standing, breathing heavily.

“I don’t know how you dodged that but don’t think I will fall just like that.”

“I never imagined it.”

Yeah, that’s a lie. All other opponents fell after one hit of Void blade and he took many and still is ok.

“Let’s end it, shall we.”

We both smiled once again and got ready.

I prepared technique from Phantom swordsmanship, Phantom shattering.

We both ran at each other. Red laser shots were fired from his sword. I waited until they were right before me, and when they were to hit, used blink and appeared before him.

With one slash from left to right, I shattered his chest plate.

It may look so easily but it is not. Phantom shattering is really just one motion but it uses vibrations and mana on the edge of the blade. Mana works as several tiny blade slashing in random pattern so you cut through anything and vibrations are used to spread the cracks created from it, shattering the object.

This technique takes great concentration, mana and is SLOW. You must have constant speed during the slash or else mana on the edge of blade will disappear or vibrations won’t be used for long enough and many more disadvantages. It is strong but easy to dodge, deflect and countered.

I could use it because my opponent was exhausted and as we said, that would be our last move so he let it be subconsciously.

I was ragged. I was exhausted, hurt, my ribs were damaged and I had many cuts but I won.

“You won.”

“Yeah.”

I looked at Azir and his shattered chest plate. As I was looking at the plate, now staring, Azir looked too to see why I was staring so much.

Two bulges were there and I mean in plain sight. Nothing wrapped around them. They were small so they could not be seen from the sides due to the armor and I was standing at the front so no one else saw that.

That was the first time I saw breasts.

Azir was fidgeting but soon, like a mirage bulges disappeared and normal man’s chest appeared.

I think I am going mad. I rubbed my eyes and looked once more. Yep, normal man’s chest. I must have been tired and hallucinating from the damage or something.

Incidentally, weather never changed during the fight.

Soon, the staff came for Azir and they took him away but he turned his head and looked at me with concerned eyes. Was it due to my staring? Probably, let’s leave it at that.

He soon disappeared and I was left standing.

“Ladies and gentleman, this year’s tournament winner is Risiel, please give him a big applause.”

Cheers erupted all around me.

“As a winner, he can get nobility title from the king, fame, money and prestige but that’s not all, he will get one wish granted. So what will yours wish be?”

Huh, already? The King won’t give speech or something like that? Not like I care but I wanted to think it through a little more. I still need to get Liz’s engagement canceled but if I would wish for this there would be problems and it’s not like I can say I want to have her as my fiancé or else I would be killed by someone and I can’t say I want her to choose who she wants to marry. There would be sooooo many problems. The only way is that even though I don’t really want it. Sigh.

“I wish to fight with the president from the Council.”

Yep, this is the only way. I must make a bet with him. Something like if I win, you will cancel your engagement with Liz and if you win, I will be your slave until the end of my life. So troublesome.

Whole stadium was turned silent from loud cheers and commentator stuttered.

“D-don’t you want to wish for something else? You can have anything you know. There are man….”

“SILENCE!”

Loud shout echoed in the arena.

We all looked at the one who shouted. It was the king.

“You! Do you truly wish to fight with him?”

“Yes.”

“So be it. The fight will take place in two hours so you can recuperate. Now everyone, take a break and let’s wait.”

People started to leave as king said and nobody muttered anything anymore.

I was taken by the staff to medical room and I saw Sani lying on the bed, sleeping but with a much healthier face. Lili was sitting next to her holding her hand.

I came to them.

“I won.”

I plainly said so. Lili looked at me and with tears and put her head into my chest. I patted her head and smiled. We must have been very loud because Sani woke up and said.

“No fair! Let me in too.”

She pouted and we both were loud, Lili started to cry with happy tears and hugged Sani. Sani started to cry too and they both were hugging each other. I quietly left them alone. It’s not my place to be at right now.

I went outside the medical ward but was stopped by a shout.

“Wait!”

I turned around and it was Azir.

“Can you go with me?”

I just nodded.

We went outside the stadium to some deserted place. Please, let it be just illusion. With how it goes now it probably weren’t just please, anyone let it be and illusion.

“Please, don’t tell it to anyone.”

My wishes were quickly shattered. Maybe he means something else, yeah let’s stay positive.

“What do you mean?”

“You know, about what you saw under my armor.”

GOD WHY ME!

I fell on my knees and started to hit the ground, in my mind that is. I silently murmured

“So it wasn’t an illusion.”

“Ok, I swear I won’t tell anyone, but can you tell me two things?”

“Ok.”

“First of all, why are you pretending to be a man and second, what is your name?”

When I said the second thing, she looked at me with inquisitive gaze.

“Well, as a dragon knight, people expect of you to be strong person and what’s more a man. My family is at peak of dragon knights and as an only child, I was expected to become a part of them but because I was born as a woman, I couldn’t become a Dragon knight officially. Because of internal strife my parents would be hard pressed, and so I was supposed to pretend to be a man. While internal strife got bigger, I was sent to this academy to hide me being a woman and show my strength.”

“I see. And so, what is your name?”

“Aziria.”

“That’s a nice name, like a jewel.”

She smiled and said.

“Thank you.”

I will tell you one thing. Even though she is a woman, she looks like a man because of some illusion or something but being smiled at like that by a man, makes me shudder.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. Anyway, we should go, I still have a fight to win and I’m hungry.”

We went back and ate something together. Some girls were screaming Kyaa and I was annoyed. Aziria looks like a handsome man so I can understand that by why they must scream Kyaa.

We went after this ordeal our separate ways.

As I went my way, someone used his hands to blind me and asked.

“Guess who?”

“Liz.”

“Oh, how boring.”

“What do you expect from me? I can easily tell such things. I would be ashamed if I couldn’t.”

“I-I see.”

Another misunderstanding. Dammit!

“So, why are you here?”

I’m stressed a little and I know what she wants so that’s why I sound so offensive.

“The wish you stated, that was for me, right?”

“Of course.”

“I see.”

She looked sad for some reason.

“Don’t look like that, I had nothing to wish for anyway so I don’t mind using it like that but don’t think it will be so easy. I can get you out of this engagement but you must protect yourself in the future with it. I’m pretty sure your parents will try to find you someone else so you must be prepared. I can’t help you all the time after all.”

She got more lively and happy.

“You’re right. Thank you.”

“Don’t worry, just don’t let me worry for you again.”

She smiled and we had cozy atmosphere around us until we were interrupted.

“You, get away from Elizabeth.”

Yep, stupid Council president.

“Why?”

“Just get away from her.”

I did not move.

He stood before us and looked at me with a piercing gaze. He whispered in my ear.

“I will crush you and show Elizabeth who is the best.”

Then he took Liz’s hand and tried to leave with her.

“Wait. I need to discuss something with you. I think you will be intrigued.”

He stopped and turned around. I was still smiling.

“And what would that be?”

“Don’t you think our fight misses something?”

“And what would that be?”

“That is of course prize.”

He nodded to me.

“And what do you think that price would be?”

“What do you say we would bet something and used Contract scroll to make it official? You have one, right?”

“I do have one and what would that bet be?”

“What would you say that if you would win, I would do anything you want and if I would win, you would cancel the engagement with Liz and supported her love life with anyone she would choose in the future. I don’t want you to interfere after all. So what do you say?”

“Do you think I am stupid?”

“Why would you be? It’s normal bet and I think you have much more to win than I. After all, you always said I shouldn’t be talking with Liz so if you would win you could make me never to meet with her. ”

When I said that, glint appeared in his eyes.

“Or maybe I could make you my slave for the rest of your life.”

“Exactly.”

He was taken back. I think you would too if someone would respond like that.

“So? Are you in?”

“It’s a deal.”

We wrote the contract on the Contract scroll. The Contract scroll makes it so the terms cannot be broken or else bad things would happen. How it works is beyond me.

Liz looked at me with concern in her eyes but I was just smiling and let her go while smiling and waving at her.

I finally finished everything I wanted and went back to the arena and waited once more.

There wasn’t anything fancy with rules, comments and such. They just told us to go into the arena and so we went. No barrier or special stage either.

The timer quickly ended and we stepped into the arena. He started to talk with me just when we got in the middle.

“I hope you did not forget about our little bet.”

“I sure didn’t and I hope you neither.”

I was smiling and it must have looked like I am looking down on him or something because he got angry. I did not even want it but, oh well.

“I will show you what true strength is! Don’t think you will get out of here just with light wounds!”

Huge pressure was released from him and it made me take a step back. Then, he shouted.

“Elemental armament: Ice”

His body released white frozen mist and it started to surround his body, changing to ice armor. It wasn’t see through mind you. It was like crystal filled with light blue fog.

It looked like light armor, so it would not hamper his movement but I could tell at the glance that it was much sturdier than it looked. I think it was stronger than steel even though it wasn’t thick at all.

Ice armor clad his whole body and it created even the helmet that became part of the chest plate. The whole armor was single object but it did not hamper movement at all and even though the helm was part of the chest plate, it moved like it could go through solid material, like it was made of water.

It looks dangerous.

“What do you think, huh? This is something you can’t even comprehend right? Should I tell you?”

God, his act is horrible.

“Please do.”

He had smug look at his face.

“Guys who can’t even fuse his own attribute doesn’t need to know!”

After that, he went at me. An Ice sword appeared in his hand and it almost slashed my neck. I dodged by twisting by head and back. At this opportunity, I tried to kick the sword out of his hand but it was part of his ice gauntlet so it did nothing.

It was pointless anyway because he could probably create another one but I wanted to find some weakness.

Now I know that physical attacks are useless and I can’t even chip his armor’s durability because he will just fix it.

The only way is make him deplete his mana, but he should have 4 times more mana than I have and he is too strong for me to survive with just my body so I will need to use mana to strengthen it.

The only way is to attack the thinnest spot consecutively.

“Where do you think your going?”

I was still twisted so I wanted to use him as a jump spot to get some distance but he caught my leg and wanted to stab me. I deflected it with my hand because I couldn’t position Qwiz quickly enough. He smiled after that and I quickly looked at my hand. It was frozen at the spot where I touched the sword. It wasn’t completely but enough to make my whole hand numb.

He threw me away and while I was in the air, he just slashed in the air with his sword. No mana was involved or else I would feel it but even so, several icicles were shot from it and I had not enough time to create mana shield to protect me against it and I think it would pierce through it anyway.

I used Blink to get out from the predicament but because I wasn’t in the dust like before, he saw it and the same goes with the whole stadium.

I used this opportunity to get at his back and with my whole strength and Void blade attacked at the neck.

I successfully hit and he staggered due to the impact but he just shook it off.

“You little bastard. You will pay for that.”

God dammit. So Void blade cannot penetrate magic and because he is clad in magic it’s the same as attacking solid material, but I saw I did some damage in that area so if I will attack there some more, it should work, as long as he won’t fix it that is.

Icy mist was released from him and it enveloped the whole arena. I waited for what was to happen and when ground started to shake, I jumped into the air. Soon after, icicles appeared under my feet continuously. I dodged with the trick of using mana to blast myself and dodged them until one was about to pierce my head. I used blink again and got behind him but the icy mist was released from him and icicle shards were fired at me. I was hit directly but they weren’t strong enough to give me critical blow so I was pretty okay.

“You know what? That technique of yours looks strong but it has many weaknesses. First of all, it doesn’t matter where you transport yourself. I just need to attack the whole place with AoE attack to hit you. Second is, you cannot transport just part of the object or else you would do it from the start. Third of all, you can transfer only yourself and what you hold.”

I did not think about the last part. But he should be right. It’s not like some portal appears before me anyway. It’s just like I am sucked inside something rather than something appears before me.

“I see. Good to know.”

Whole ground was covered with ice so movement was difficult, for me that is, for him it was like it was normal ground.

I had no moves left and could do nothing. Time to use my trump cards.

From the ring, I took 5 pills. I made these pills as a trump card for the tournament and that’s why I was looking in the town for herb shop. It feels like ages since then. I gulped them down and my strength increased.

The pills I took are much better than potions because their effect is longer and stronger.

The pills I took were health, mana, strength, speed and reaction pills. For what I want to do, it will be needed.

My wounds healed in the blink of an eye and my mana fully recovered.

Icicle shards were flying at me and I dodged them easily with my increased reactions. I used blink but I did not go behind him or even close to him but he still used the AoE attack like before.

I was transporting myself left and right and he always did the same because he had no other choice. He probably thought I will run out of mana soon but thanks to the pill, I was full. The effect is nothing to laugh at.

Soon, I saw that he released his guard, so i then attack his neck several times until a big crack appeared. I stabbed at the spot and released a wave of mana and it shattered the armor. We were both blown away and I wanted to finish it with one last attack, but the fragments of the armor created a tornado around him and I couldn’t get close even with blink or else I would be shredded to pieces.

“You destroyed my armor but don’t think that’s the end.”

Hundreds of shards were sent against me and several were still around him but I did not care. I concentrated my Void mana into Qwiz and used blink to get behind the wave of shards that was attacking me and before him. Not many shards were around him and so I slashed with my sword and a blade of Void mana was released.

It can’t go through magic like through body, but it still went through the shards like butter,but before it could hit him, he used ice wall and completely stopped the attack.

“You lost.”

Or so he said because shards behind me were sent back and I was supposed to be shredded in between them.

Well, tough luck because I wasn’t there for quite some time so I could see it clearly. I knew just that wouldn’t defeat him so I waited until he will use the shield or something to stop that and I blinked behind him and readied my next slash with everything I got.

“Yeah, you lost.”

Were the last words he heard before the Void blade cut through him and made him collapse. I collapsed soon after because I was completely drained because the effects of pills ran out some time ago.

I was still conscious but really completely drained.

I lied at my back and waited for the end.

“The special fight ended and to surprise of all of us, the winner is Risel, this year’s champion.”

There was no applause because everyone was frozen. Noone thought I would win. Because of that there wasn’t many things done for this fight.

Murmurs were heard and some said it was planned and such. Such murmurs soon ended with one shout.

“SILENCE!”

Everyone was quite.

“Risiel, for your performance not just in the tournament but for this special event, I hereby declare you baron of Munspiel territory. As a noble now, you can choose your surname. Please, tell us.”

Huh, baron. Me? Ok then. But surname, I can’t think of anything. Let’s just go with what comes first into mind.

“I choose Tenebris.”

*********************************************************************************

After that, not many things happened. I was declared winner of the tournament and 8 of us were chosen as successors for the Council. It was me, Azir, Lili, Sani, Irel, rank 2 and some for some reason the blue haired girl I fought against and some guy I never paid attention too.

Mister president was really angry, because at the party that was done for those who participated in the tournament, he canceled his engagement with Liz. She came crying to me and hugged me. We were the same height now. Not like when we first met and I think soon, I will be taller than her. Lili saw us and was really angry, Sani was right next to her so I thought she will just play around with me like always but for some reason, when she looked at me, she blushed and not like always with that playful blush but the same as Lili.

It looks like she heard about my match against Azir from Lili and she told how I was angry and depressed after I saw her and what not.

I knew she was just kind to me like close friends but now, I think she started to feel something to me.

No reason to dwell on it, it will somehow work out.

At the party, when they saw us all like that, there were rumors and whispers floating around the whole night but nothing I could not handle until the stupid pampering doting elf king came and wanted everyone to calm down. He stood in the middle of the room and with his royal atmosphere declared.

“I hereby announce the engagement of Lilian Fiodora Astaroth and Risiel Tenebrim.”

The shouting and cramped faces of Sani and Liz were nice to see but the only thing I thought about was, ‘I hope Alice and Irene won’t hear about it.’

But the rest of the night was nice. The parents pushed their daughters at me and even Liz’s parents wanted her to make her moves at me after her canceled engagement. That did not take long but when she said to her parents with burning fire in her eyes that she won’t let me go, Chills ran my back.

The butler that was with the king, was talking with Sani as father and daughter and I could hear.

“Don’t lose.”

And Sani just nodded to him with great vigor.

A week of calmness and lazing around came next and Alice was smiling the whole time but her eyes weren’t. She heard about my engagement with Lili but with some talk she calmed down, but just a little. You would never believe how great food can be tasteless when a beautiful girl looks at you with such eyes and smile that could kill.

Irene was much better with it because she cried in her home and I had to pet her ears and tail. Yeah, much better.

The week went past and we 8 went to the Council building when they told us what is needed of us and how it will work out.

In summary, for one year we will be helping out and learning from those of the position we will get after they will pass.

I will become president so I ended up with that guy and Lili with Liz. Others had it much better than us because Lili and Liz had a fighting competition of who is better suited.

As I looked around at my friends and acquaintances, talking and…..arguing, it was like nice picture was before my eyes and I just smiled with my best and true smile.

I was soon back from the nice picture because of the voice.

“Hey, are you listening?”

It was the president.

“You need to know this or else you will embarrass me as my successor.”

“Yes, senpai.”

That’s how this chapter of my life ended and soon, the memories I will forever treasure started.

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Yay, finally the end of act 2. Hip hip hurray.

Act 3 will be about some funny and great moments and I will probably do some PoV so you could know better about them and they probably won’t be as long as this. I just want some relaxing act before shit happens in act 4.

School started for me and with it, not much time for anything else so releases will be when they will be so it can even be 2 in a week or one in 2 months.

The ending could have gone better but it would be too long and take too long to write and I really wanted to end this act already. I even wrote 2 and a half times normal amount just for that.

Anyway, hope it wasn’t too bad and I hope you all pictured the image of the friend talking in a room, smiling and arguing and just the serene atmosphere.

Hope you enjoyed and I hope you enjoyed it as I did.

P.S. Thank my PR Tamago-chan for late release. He forgot to send it to me after he was done.

PR: Mr.Author is pretty satanist Kappa