Chapter 10: The Tournament Approaches

Chapter 10:
The Tournament Approaches

 

A PLEASANT WIND BLEW through the grassy plain and stroked my muscles. Hot damn, it felt good. It was like I was one with nature—the kinda refreshed, exhilarated feeling that got me passionate about another day’s training.

“Whew, this feels amazing, Filia! Don’t you think?”

In contrast with the idyllic scenery, Filia shouted back: “I feel like I might throw up, so could you please shut up for just a minute?”

She scrunched her face into an expression rather unbecoming of a maiden. Looked like she was just about at her limit again.

Behind Filia—who was desperately trying to maintain her dignified beauty despite being porcelain-pale and retching—I saw two figures approaching from the distance. They were coming from the direction of Astarte. Maybe we knew them?

I focused, and as my eyes flexed I caught sight of someone’s characteristically peculiar blond hairstyle—a truly volcanic bedhead.

“Ahh. The great beauty has recovered. I’m ready for more training,” muttered Filia.

“Hey, Filia. Looks like Babandongas is coming.”

“Eh, Babandongas is…is what?”

Filia and I put our training on hold and watched as Babandongas caught up to us. He gave us a cheerful wave when he recognized who we were. Beside ol’ pointy head was a meek young girl with pale blue hair.

“Hey, strangers!” called Babandongas, grinning ear to ear. “What are you two doin’ out in the open all the way out here?”

“Filia’s getting in some hardcore extra training for the magic battle tournament.”

“Huh, that’s unexpectedly gung-ho of you, Lia,” said Babandongas.

“Compared to what? Do I not usually seem motivated to you?”

Babandongas put a finger to his chin, like he was deep in thought. “Hmm. Well, I wouldn’t say you don’t seem motivated, it’s more like you got this persona. You seem like somebody who just lives life as it goes, I guess. Haven’t ever seen you fight, though, Lia, so I admit that’s just the impression I got from lookin’ at ya.”

Filia was oddly pleased with that answer—or maybe by the nickname? She clapped her hands, a radiant smile on her face. “Ah, naturally. My appearance is indeed perfect, is it not?”

“All right, Filia, break’s over, now let’s turn up the heat on your training! We’re going twice as hard!”

“The, ah—oh dear, me? Little old me? Why, Yuri, I am nothing more than a mere pebble, and a runt of one at that. I am sorry that I, who is practically like a germ, opened her mouth,” said Filia.

“Wh-whoa, okay, no need to get that self-deprecating…” I was really spooked at the degree of this sudden change.

Though her face was turned down, she still glared up at me. In the shadows of her eyes I saw a wild intensity.

“Yuri,” she said, emphasizing each word, “you have no idea how scary your threat was. Twice as hard? I feel like I’m already about to die right now! If you double the training, I’ll die at least three times over.”

“Come on, you’re fine now, so you’ll be fine even if we double the regimen. And now that I think about it, if you’re fine with doubling it, you’ll be fine if we increase it tenfold.” I nodded to myself. “Tenfold it is, then—what do you say?”

Babandongas’s jaw dropped. “Now what kind of devil math was that?”

“Babandongas,” Filia moaned, “please put a stop to Yuri’s recklessness. At this rate, I may be swept past the point of no return.”

“It’s not good to be so forceful,” said the girl beside Babandongas.

Her delicate blue hair had been styled into a bob with bangs. She had calm, cold eyes and a pretty face, and she came up to about Filia’s chest. Although she looked quite small, she was probably around thirteen or fourteen years old, so she was about the right height for her age.

My first impression had been that she was meek and quiet, like a prey animal. However, her dignified posture told me she was no kind of timid.

“Babandongas, whoever is this cute girl?” cried Filia, clasping her hands in delight.

Any remaining worry vanished from Babandongas’s face at that question. “Why, this cutie-pie is my little sister, Voltemia. Voltemia, these adventurers are Yuri and Filia.”

“Yes, I’m Voltemia.” Blank-faced as a doll, she gave us a small bow. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Strange. Very strange. When Voltemia stood straight again, I stared intently at her face. I was almost positive that I sensed something out of place.

“Hey, Babandongas.”

“Yeah?”

“Kidnapping is a crime, you know.”

I had thought Babandongas was a good guy, but it seemed I was mistaken. No matter how you looked at it, he didn’t resemble this girl at all.

After a moment of quiet exasperation, Babandongas shouted, “She is! My little sister! Voltemia!” putting pure indignation into every syllable.

“Babandongas is indeed my older brother,” said Voltemia.

Oops. “Huh. You really are siblings. Welp, sorry for doubting you.”

Humans really are mysterious. To think siblings could be so lacking in any kind of similarity. The more I looked at them, the less alike they seemed. They didn’t have a single thing in common. The only thing they shared was that they were both human beings. I still had a hard time believing it, but I guess it was true.

“Well, yeah, it’s true there’s no real resemblance. Even I’m puzzled about that,” Babandongas admitted.

“My brother’s got a scary face, but he’s gentle.”

“I see.”

Casually throwing out a follow-up statement to cover for big bro. What a good kid.

“Eee! Voltemia, you’re just! So! Cute! Aren’t you, huh? Huh?” said Filia as she bent her knees to be eye-level with Voltemia.

Voltemia looked back and forth, as if watching an invisible fly, and her face turned slightly pink from embarrassment. “Thank you. You’re very pretty and cute too, Miss Filia.”

“Ohmigods. I. I can’t. I-Isn’t she almost too cute?” Filia cried, writhing in agony. “What should I do, Yuri? She shall dethrone me! My position as the cutest in the world is threatened!”

“Yep, yep, I guess you’re doomed.”

“Come on, don’t say silly stuff like that, Lia,” said Babandongas. “Voltemia is obviously already the cutest in the world!”

“Big brother, that’s so embarrassing. Please stop saying things like that, or…well, I’ll hate you, okay?”

“Oh no! I, um! Please forgive me! Big brother is so, so sorry!” Babandongas frantically shook his head, despairing.

Yeah, you could see it from a mile a way. What was the phrase? Babandongas had a total sister complex.

“My little sister is a prodigy, you know?” he said proudly as he patted Voltemia’s head. “She only registered as an adventurer last year and she’s already Rank B.”

Voltemia’s eyes were closed and she looked happy, though modest.

“Oh no. Yuri, she. Look at that. Right there. Do you see how cute that is? I’m…I’m fading away, Yuri.” Filia’s agony continued unabated.

“Did you guys come here for the magic battle tournament, too?” I asked.

“Well, yeah,” Babandongas shrugged. “I was last year’s champion, ya know. But I can’t participate this year.”

Hm? I was surprised enough to hear he’d won, but what did he mean when he said he couldn’t enter again?

“Well, why not?”

“It’s for B-Rank adventurers and below.”

Ohh. “They’ve stripped you of your status as an adventurer?”

“Pshh! As if! You knucklehead, I got up to Rank A this year! Which means I don’t qualify anymore.”

I see, so that was it. And here I thought I’d be able to fight him. What a shame.

“That’s why I won’t be joining, but who knows? Maybe you’ll be facin’ off against Voltemia! Though if you do match up with her, I’ll be cheerin’ on my little sister with everythin’ I got!” he said happily.

Wow, he really couldn’t stop talking about his sister for half a second, huh? Toootal sister complex.

“Welp, I’m gonna be the champion,” I said. “So if Voltemia gets to the final match, I probably will end up fightin’ her.”

“You know, after saying all of that it would be pretty funny if you got completely owned,” Filia mused.

Jeez, Filia really had no fighting spirit. Was that just an elf thing? If she only summoned up the motivation, I bet she could do so well, too. She had so much talent! What a waste.

“It’s not like anyone goes into a fight thinking they’re going to lose,” I told her sternly. “There’s no need to think about something like losing before the fight even begins.”

“Hey, yeah, Yuri! That’s a good point there!” said Babandongas, clearly on the same wavelength.

Just like I thought, he and I were alike. Maybe he’d come to like muscles, too! I brought my arm closer to him. “You get it, man. Now how about a celebratory muscle touch? They’re waiting.”

“Huh? Kinda sudden there, friend—uh, n-no thanks, I mean, they’re nice and—and impressive, but—”

“I get it.” Ah well. I guess even he wasn’t yet ready for the power of muscles. It always seemed to go like this, no matter who I tried to show, but every time it was a little disappointing.

“I’ll do my best,” said Voltemia meanwhile. “Because big brother will be watching me.” She made a fist with her small hand.

“Ohmigods did you all see that isn’t she such an angel my little sister is just so perfect can you even believe that she…” Babandongas was fighting back tears. What a drama king.

 

***

 

At long last, the day of the tournament arrived. With Filia and I both awake, we got down to breakfast—that is, we made breakfast for one another, alternating. There wasn’t a…huge difference in our culinary skill level.

I scarfed down my meal and beamed. “Doesn’t it feel good to be all done?”

“So many near-death experiences, so little time. Those were the worst two weeks of my life.” Filia purposefully wobbled and trembled. And she’d been so serious during training, too! Well, I suppose it was a good sign that she could switch it on or off.

“After the tournament’s over, you’re gonna stop training, huh? What a waste.”

“I wouldn’t say that. I won’t be doing battle training for a while, but I’ll be working hard to develop new magic.”

“Oh? Ooh, that sounds nice. I wonder if I should think up some new magic too. It’s been a long time.”

“You’re still insisting on calling it magic, are you?”

“Because it is.”

Finally, we made our way to the coliseum. The street leading up to it overflowed with people. Tons of stalls lined the streets, packed tightly together to sell their wares to the huge crowds. A complex smell wafted through the air, a combination of exotic spices rising from the various goods and foods on display. It seemed a lot livelier than any regular festival.

Filia marveled at the crowds, her silver eyes wide with wonder, her mouth agape. She looked genuinely stunned. “There’s such an incredible number of people here! Do humans like watching people fight each other so much?”

“’Course, there’s a ton of people like that. Is it different for elves?”

“Elves fundamentally dislike conflict.”

Was that why Filia had so much trouble adjusting to battle? I turned this nugget of info over in my head while we walked in through the massive stone gate to the coliseum.

First we made our way to the competitor waiting hall, where we learned they were going to hold qualifiers first. B-Rank adventurers automatically qualified to enter the main rounds, so everyone in the hall with us was either Rank C or Rank D. Dozens of hopeful contestants were crammed together, filling the air with tension like we were all on edge. Only seven of us would make it in to the real fight.

I glanced around the hall to evaluate the competitors. There wasn’t anyone stronger than Filia, that was for sure. With Filia’s talent where it was now, she could easily take out a brokirin. I’d say she was probably now in the territory of Rank A.

We had some free time before our turn in the ring, and just waiting around for things to start seemed like a waste.

“All right, let’s goooo!” I crowed.

While everyone else was on pins and needles in the pressurized atmosphere, sitting all stiff in their chairs, I started muscle training in the corner. If you have free time, train your muscles. Muscle training won’t betray you. (And get this, when I started muscle training, Filia pretended not to know me! Rude much?)

“The time has come. All participants, please head into the arena.”

Perfect. We headed on in. The coliseum could comfortably seat thousands of people, but despite its size, it was beyond packed. According to the master of ceremonies, people came from all over the country to see the tournament.

“Alll riiiiiiiiight, ladybugs and germs, let’s get down to business! First up, we got your qualifiers! In the qualifier round, our magical mystery competitors will be split into groups and duke it out with their new pals. The last one standing in each group advances to the real competition! That’s the way this brutal! Cookie! Cruuuuuuumbles!”

The master of ceremonies put up two fingers and glanced over at us.

“And those lucky sons-of-guns who scrape their way to the advanced round will be allowed to take on C-Rank requests! Because it seems we have just a couple D-Rank adventurers participating this time around, we hope you two wild dreamers will aim for the top to make your C-Rank wish come true!”

Huh. So the only D-Rank participants were Filia and I. Well, that was understandable. When the people from Mussen Morgeth reached Rank D, they headed out to other towns. Guess they thought diligently taking on requests in other towns was more safe and stable than trying to reach the advanced round of this magic battle tournament.

But if you ask me, that’s complete nonsense. You can’t become powerful unless you’ve got the spirit to defeat all the enemies life can throw at you!

The master of ceremonies continued, a cheerful smile on his face. “In addition, starting in that advanced round, you’re gettin’ tossed in the ring with B-Rank contestants! Oh, I can feel that heat already, and the grill isn’t even on!”

He paused for a second and flipped through an outline in his hands. “Now then, let’s see… I’m sure many of you are already aware of this, but just in case, I’ll explain. This coliseum has been granted the blessing of the Goddess of War. No one in this arena will die from battle; you’ll only lose consciousness. We’ve also got a team of magicians skilled in recovery magic, so don’t hold back! And with that, the magic battle tournament has begun!”

With that, the master of ceremonies began shouting out the names of the first batch of participants. My name was among them.

“This qualifier round will be conducted in the form of a battle royale. All of you whose names I called, please head to the middle of the arena! All other participants, please return to the waiting hall for the time being.”

As the rest left, I assessed the people still standing in the arena. Excluding me, there were four men and two women. They looked weak, but I couldn’t let my guard down. Strong people tend to be good at hiding their power, so one of them could well be concealing their abilities. Just in case, I released my limiter and got ready. My muscles swelled like overstuffed sausages, expanding to the max.

“Let the first round of the qualifiers…begin!”