"Since it's a competition, anyone who wanted to be dubbed as the strongest must be interested in participating. We need to make sure that we're not just letting everyone participating. There will be chaos if even D or E-ranked hunters participating. How about making only college students can participate?"
I have given up on refusing Albert. So, why not make sure that I won't be able to participate? That's why I made the suggestion.
"College students from all around the kingdom, will fight for the spot of the best mage and the best institution in the kingdom. I bet there will be more people wanted to attend college then. Many college students are mostly those whose parents forced them to enter, or just people who extremely curious to get stronger other than from the normal ways. But if there's a goal to be called the strongest, more people will attend college. And this will also help gather those strong people in one place and make it easier for us to watch them. Then we can invite them to join our cause as well." I continued.
"That's a great idea. But you're only suggesting that because you don't want to participate, right? Since you're aiming for a medical school and not magic university. Well, I'll think of a way to get you participate." Albert proclaimed. Seems like he won't give up on getting me participate.
"Oh! Oh! Tournament Arcs! And instead of joining one, I will be making one as well instead! I have a lot of ideas from my world! Should I use the format in that anime? Or that novel? Everything seems interesting!" Victoria who overhears our conversation, suddenly joined happily.
"I take it that you have several ideas on how we should make the competition, right? Let's discuss it later after the fight is over. There are still two more fights for us. And one of them is mine…"
As I said that, Kayla has finally returned to us greeted by the cheers of everyone. Including the Werewolves nearby.
"Kayla! You're so strong!" Angela praised Kayla for her victory.
"Thank you."
"That golem was amazing! Did you make it while thinking to be able to move inside the golem as well? That's genius!" Candy also give compliment to Kayla.
"Thanks. But I still have a lot to improve."
While we're showering her with compliments, the Werewolves nearby also do the same.
"Good job, lady! You're so strong!"
"Humans are amazing!"
"I can't wait to see the next battle!"
That's right. There are still two more battles. And the audiences already extremely excited to watch them. Everyone except one. Grandpa Werewolf still have the same expression watching the battle. Though when Jack gave up, he looked a bit disappointed. I guess he expect everyone to have the pride of Werewolves to keep fighting until death. Well, once I'm the Werewolf King, there will be no fight to death among allies. The fight between Grandpa Werewolf and I will be the last deathmatch. After that, there will be no more of it. Unless I lose. But I have no plan on losing.
While Kayla returned to us, Jack also returned to his seat with Grandpa and the other three.
"Sorry, grandpa. I lost." Jack returned and apologized for his lost.
"Not like I expected anything from anyone. This is why I decided to have Red take cares of everything while I live in solitude. All the Werewolves have grown weak! But what disappoint me most is that… humans have grown even weaker!" Grandpa Werewolf then looked at us humans.
"What did you say!?" Angela didn't take that kindly. But before she takes a step to the grandpa, I grabbed her wrist and stop her.
"Angela. Stop it. He's right though. He has lived for over a thousand years. Even longer than Victoria. There are a lot of magic techniques, skills, and technologies lost in time. No doubt that among the strongest mages a thousand years ago, Grandpa Werewolf has fought quite a number of them. But he only ever lost once, and it's against an Aura user." I said.
"…Roy, can you really win your fight?" Angela looked worried that I might lose the fight.
"I have no choice but to win. If I lose, I'll die." I said. Although my face shows no expression, my heart is beating wildly. I need to keep calm so I won't get exhausted too early in the battle.
"Then I guess I'll win the next battle. I'll cheer on your fight with my victory!" Angela confidently said as she left the us and step on the arena.
"She's your next fighter? Is she as strong as that girl from before?" Shelia asked me.
"Well, she's strong enough to be our representative in this battle at least. You're going next, right? Good luck."
After that, Shelia also entered the arena. Maybe she's wishing for a good fight like before.
As she leaves for the stage, Grandpa Werewolf opened his mouth.
"Sigh… look how much the pride of Werewolves has deteriorated. I was hoping Jack at least wanted to fight more. But he gave up rather quickly. And your fighter also so weak. Where are the strong people from the past?" Grandpa Werewolf complained.
"If you're looking for a fight, you should have left this settlement. There should be many strong monsters in this world, right? It's your own decision that make you stay here for so long." I said.
"That's right. I regretted it a lot that I didn't try to leave. When I decided that I don't want to stay here anymore, I was too old and supposed to have died soon. I was too old already at the time, and unable to move like I did in the past. But I'm still the strongest Werewolf here. Now I have grown much older and need a cane to walk, I'm still the strongest here. My days filled with disappointment."
"Grandpa. You talk as if you're going to die today." Red asked.
Seems like he never told anyone that we'll be having a deathmatch.
"That's right. My fight against Roy is a deathmatch. Even if I win anyway, I don't think I will continue living for long. I will give my all for my fight and you don't have the right to stop me!" Grandpa Werewolf shouted.
Red, and also Jack who is nearby, wanted to stop Grandpa Werewolf from making a rash decision. But seeing his will, they don't have the courage to stop him. Red just looked at me in hope that I can stop him.
"Why are you looking at me? If I don't go all out, I'll be the one to die. I can't afford to hold back as well. And this is the pride of the Werewolf he's so proud about. Let this be the last thing you will learn from him and don't disappoint him anymore." I said.
My side also didn't try to stop me even though I told them that my fight will be a deathmatch. They have too much faith on me. They must be thinking that I have some kind of plan to not kill Grandpa Werewolf and win the fight as well.
But I don't have any kind of plan to not kill. I will fight until either of us dead. Hopefully, I will be the one doing the killing.
Everyone that I brought here, all of them have a big weakness. They are too reliant on me. Whether it's thanks to my Aura ability, or because my knowledge of the future, they thought that if I'm involved, everything will be fine. That's what always happen after getting to know me.
If they're with me, everything will be fine. That's what they thought. After all, ever since I returned to the past, I have never experienced any failures. But in my past life, failure is all that I am. They need to know that I can fail as well.
Will I show them that by losing the fight? No. In fact, I think it's better if I can win the fight quickly. They might end up putting their trusts in me more, but as I always say, surviving is more important.
They have seen my effort to get stronger and to keep them safe. But they have never seen me in difficult situation. That's the main reason why they have too much faith in me. That's the reason why the people I brought here are those who have too much faith in me. I need them to see me in difficult situation. Maybe winning the fight by a thread? That's too difficult. Even winning my fight later will be hard.
While thinking so, the two fighters are greeting each other in the Arena.
"I'm Angela. You're the girl who will be Roy's lover, right?"
"That will only happen if he wins against Grandpa. Though I doubt it will ever happen. Grandpa has been the strongest for over a thousand years already." Shelia replied.
"Let's hope that he won't die of old age before the fight against Roy. What's your name?"
"My name is Shelia. And I won't forgive you for that remark!"
"First you need to win against me. I doubt you can do that though."
Hmm… seems like Angela has learned the way to provoke her enemies. That's what I wanted from her, but I don't think that's the case. That's just her personality.
Provoking the enemies is a way to make them unable to keep their cool and make their attacks more predictable. But I doubt Angela knows that. She just speaks everything from her mind.
If she did it on purpose, I would be surprised.
"The first fight is over. Now the second fight, begin!"
Grandpa gave the simple signal that the fight begins.
Let's see how strong the second strongest Werewolf after Grandpa is.