[Third day]

" . . . Man, this is rough to watch." Allen scratched the back of his head in dissatisfaction.

"Damn it! If I were going to lose anyway, I would rather have had Sienna face my opponent if possible! She's just getting tossed around!" Jessica lamented filled with exasperation. Gradually her skin turned red as she clenched her fists while veins bulged in the middle of her forehead.

***

"Keep trying! Kiddies like you are much better than those shit scared knights who turn their tails facing me."

Panting with the gruelling exertion, Sienna leapt out brandishing her longsword to assault the overpowering muscular, tall figure.

*Clash*

The longsword slashed against the huge aggressive-looking heavy machete. Unable to contest in strength, the longsword skidded against the length of the blade, generating frenzied sparks before being mercilessly fended away with ease. Sienna was forced several steps back.

(Really, that heavy machete is nothing like an actual machete. The machete should be versatile! The bottom half used for cutting while the weighted upper blade for chopping. Yet, every blow from any angle feels like a slicing chop. It's more of a great war axe or heavy sword. Ha ha.)

Even with Sienna's erupted extensive strength, filling the muscles with muscle power reaching up to eighty percent, she could barely pressure her opponent. In fact, her opponent seemed to be only interested in seeing if she could breach half a step within his impenetrable defence.

Sienna glared at her dreadsome opponent as she watched him swing his heavy machete over the head in the air in circles. Rather than taunting, the impression of his display expressed his delight and unremitting energy to fight on the stage. Nevertheless, it indicated that the man did not consider her as an opponent and was merely flaunting his powerful strength.

Settling the courage in her heart, she braced herself and surged forth with a hefty boost in strength! As if to reflect its holder's determined resolution, the longsword's smooth surface gleamed, revealing Sienna's valiant figure.

"Alright! Show me what you are made of kiddy." Lowering his machete, he dashed to face the incoming fearless young girl.

"Vanquish Style: . . . " Sienna roared!

Meeting the fearsome huge heavy machete, Sienna with two hands tightly gripped her longsword hanging down below from her ankle. Sweeping the floor, she lifted the sword, striking upwards to the descending sheer slab of steel.

*SCREECH*

Jittery sparks flew left and right. Sienna's arms bellowed out in tremendous agony as she forcefully attempted to heave and uproot the massive mountain weighing down on her arms.

(Girl? Are you out of one's head?! Trying to contest me in strength?) Provoked by the unexpected pressure from the child, the man unhesitantly poured greater weight onto his machete. How could he let a child, and a girl for that matter, overpower him?

"Gaaaaaahhhhhhh . . . !!" Sienna felt as if her arms were about to be cleaved off. Sweat profusely rained down like waterfalls; her whole body was screaming at her to stop!

The despondent spectators that had turned their heads away from Sienna's battlefield were suddenly drawn by the leaked gasps of others. Following their gestures, they saw the valorous young girl trying once again to defeat someone levels above her league. However, this time they were shocked by her daring attitude and radiating ferociousness!

"Young girl! Don't push yourself!" a mother cried.

"You are stretching too far! Your limbs won't be able to take it!" a knight lambasted.

"Sienna!!" The Orphanage children were anxiously on the edge of their seats.

Gritting her teeth, Sienna broke the deteriorating deadlock by skidding to the side whilst sliding the longsword against the machete's blade. Screeching sounds amplified as the abrupt tension drop and change of movements caused her to glide downwards.

"—Oh?" Dalis's eyes sparkled.

(What?!) The man's expression contorted filled with mixed emotions. Although he had won the exchange, she had managed to breach passed his defences. He was wide open, and the longsword was not strayed. It continued towards him!

*SLASH*

The upwards sweeping strike slashed a slanted diagonal, forcing the man to flinch backwards from the attack.

*SLASH*

Sienna repeated the attack from the reverse side, mirroring a set of moves resembling an X shape. In a state of vulnerability and shock, the man was on the verge of tumbling backwards.

The time had come to put the nail in the coffin.

Bringing her battered arms in, Sienna pointed the sharp tip of her longsword to the central ring of her target. The trajectory was set!

With a herculean relentless charge, she yelled:

"Three Swift Execution!!!"

*CLANG!*

The longsword penetrated the middle of the X: it was a bullseye! The man's iron armour, particularly his chest plate, clanged and convulsed as he was sent tumbling a few meters down to the ground.

Consequently, the crowd let loose a series of jubilant cheers! She had actually managed to overturn their expectations! The overseeing Orphanage Vanquishers acknowledged Sienna genuinely. Watching their junior triumph over a massive hurdle filled their souls to the rim with pride and congested their blood to boil! They were itching to fight themselves!

"Haaa . . . Haaa . . . Haaa . . ." Steadying her breath, her downwards hazy eyes carefully leered over to her opponent.

Suspense and tension reigned the battlefield but only for a short while.

Everyone's expression sunk when she saw the man eagerly push himself up. Cracking his joints and jiggling his body, he checked the condition of his injuries.

"Ooooff. Kiddies these days are too much. Girl, just look at what you did to my armour! Man, I can't get fixed this fixed until after the tourney. Sheesh."

"You are kidding . . ." Sienna was horrified.

There were scars across his armour, and a clear dent marked directly at the bullseye. In spite of this, the armour was fairly in good condition. Her attacks were essentially redundant. Blue shiny glows perpetually coursed across his armour with vividness. Many people in the audience sympathised with the poor girl as they were reminded of how powerful enchanted equipment is.

"Grow up and then find me in a couple of more years! Hahahah!"

***

The second round of another arena had commenced. Coincidentally, two children intimate with one another were set face to face. One alone would animate those around them with a bubble of happiness just from their cheerful personality and buzzing disposition. If the two were together on another occasion, their merry natures and permeating warmth may even revitalise the strength of a sickly elder.

"Stilla! :D" Jumping up and down with joy, he waved a hello to her.

"Benito! :D" Jumping up and down with joy, she waved a hello back to him.

Eventually, through their interactions, this special greeting was created between the two of them when crossing paths.

(Huh? I feel that familiar feeling again. Where is it coming from?) Oddly every time he met with Stilla, he would have this strange sensation that somebody was leering at him. What vexed him the most was that no matter how many times he tried to find the source, he would end up empty-handed. It shamed his capabilities as the Commerce Apostle's son.

"You did awesome fighting that bowsman! Even with all of that equipment he piled onto himself, he still couldn't withstand the strength of your punches!"

"Hehe~ Yup! I didn't need to hold back because of all that armour he wore. I was worried that I may have gone too hard so I slowed down a little, but it turns out he was still fine so I gave it my full force!"

"Hahahaha. I thought that was it too! You put yourself at a disadvantage because of that short slow down and he almost turned the tables! Yet, you managed to win in the end!"

"Mmmhmm! Your battle was really cool. You were up against a knight who had some enchanted stuff! Using your . . ."

Going along with the flow, they chatted away for a few minutes before Benito pointed out that they should really get to fighting.

"Best of luck, Stilla! Give it your all!" Benito cheered as he firmly adjusted and tightened his white scarf. He was about to enter battle mode.

"You too Benito!" Stilla chirped and spaced herself away from Benito in a jovial manner.

(These children are so lively. It makes a middle-aged woman like me remember how free I was in my youth.) Content from those scenic moments, the judge started the match: "Benito Carter and Stilla from the Caleyar Orphanage you two may now begin fighting!"