It was down to just me. In protecting me from the blast rune I stepped on, Helena exhausted herself. Damn it all! Looking at Massen right in front of me, his left arm having recovered, I feel deep inside me that there is no way that I can win now. Still, I can't just stand still and give up! I try to take a step, but am interrupted by my opponent.

“Uh, you sure that it's a good idea to just haphazardly run towards me?”

Huh? Why is he asking me that? I mean... He is trying to win right? It doesn't seem like a trick, because he's not even attacking me, but I can't help but ask him back.

“What do you mean? Don't you want to win? Is this a hint or something?”

I see him shaking his head looking slightly awkward, as if trying to resist some temptation.

“Oooh! There it is! The famous, the unique, the post certain victory lecture! Only someone as skilled as Massen Garesade would have the guts to start lecturing his opponent during the fight... Although his victory is mostly certain!”

Is... is that something he's famous for? I look at him and he's blushing from embarrassment. Why are you doing it then? Is what I want to yell, but do I really have the right to say it when my chances at victory are almost completely gone?

“I mean, you've seen two of those runes explode by now. I would think you should have realized by now that I've been putting these down from the start of the fight. It's just that I only activated them now. So really, I know where they all are, but you don't, what makes you think I won't put at least some of them between you and me?”

Is he... Is... He IS lecturing me. In the middle of the fight. I had heard rumors... But some gnomes really are eccentric, aren't they? Considering that he's unlikely to be lying... Then the best choice should be this.

“Then, maybe I should do this!”

I start running around, taking a longer way to him, with the hopes that I don't step on any of the runes.

“Oh, that's not a terrible choice, but alas, too obvious.”

He cast a fireball, not exactly where I was, but where I was going. In order to dodge it, I twisted my body and stepped in a different place than I planned. I soon felt the rune under me. I had only one choice, which was to to let myself trip and fall, avoiding a direct hit from the blast. Ugh, what am I supposed to do? Fly? I groaned as four more fireballs flew past me, likely missed on purpose.

“You're not mocking me, are you? I appreciate the learning experience, but I'd really rather that it didn't happen while in an arena, watched by thousands of people.”

Truth be told, it was slightly humiliating.

“Oh, ah, really now? My apologies... It's just my teaching instincts just tingle so bad... I guess that's why I left the arena in the first place and became a teacher. Well, I guess I will just finish you off then.”

He casts a few more fireballs at me, this time they hit me directly and it doesn't take long for my barrier to become red. It is done, the three of us were defeated by a single gnome, Massen Garesade. I'd feel pathetic for that, but now I understand why he is so respected in this city. That man is an absolute genius and unparalleled in combat. I honestly can't see myself ever being strong enough to defeat him in single combat.

“And it is done! The Blast Master has done it again! Even after coming out of retirement for one last fight, he continues to be unbeaten!”

The barrier dissipated and I was able to freely move once again. For a moment, I thought that Helena would quickly come over berate me, but instead, I saw her sitting on the ground, just mulling over something.

Kardenon was the first of us to stand up and go talk to Massen.

“Oh, wow, we were completely outmatched. Talk about a beat down. I think Alexius wouldn't mind me saying that we would be honored if you accompanied us in our travels.”

That's pretty much right.

“Of course I don't mind! I don't think anyone would be unhappy with being accompanied by someone of your caliber.”

He was smiling quite a lot. For someone that probably receives a lot of praise most of the time, he sure seems to be weak to it...

“Oh, thanks. You guys weren't too bad really. Just maybe too rough around the edges and don't really pay attention to everything that your opponent is doing... Ah, but this armor you're wearing, Kardenon, right? That's really interesting, if you wouldn't mind discussing it more in depth later...”

He's surprisingly harsh I guess... Still, with this, this little fighting part is finished. We would probably still stay a few more days before there was a boat departing for Asren. But soon, soon we would head into the Great Continent. So exciting!