As expected, Shye and Mateo advanced easily, allowing the Raven's Blade Rookie Representative Qualifiers to proceed faster than expected.
In just an hour and a half, it was already the quarterfinals.
After another short five-minute break, the referee walked toward the center of the stage, pressing yet another button to randomize the sequence of matches.
This time, it was Shye who was scheduled to fight first. His opponent? The short yet delusionally heroic Chiizai.
Introducing both competitors, Corey's passionate voice reverberated across the stadium, gently intensifying the excitement inside the hearts of the crowd akin to a hypnotic spell.
Shortly after, two rookies within the same generation stood face to face—one donning a face of righteous fury while the other wore a nonchalantly confident yet calm smile.
"Crowley! Today's the day I save Miss Seira from your evil hands! Prepare yourself. I'm now well aware of how strong you are. However, with justice on my side, I shall strike you down!"
"Hahahaha! Shut the hell up, you midget. You watch too many heroic cartoons. Still, do your best to save Seira, otherwise, she will suffer even more mistreatment from me if you fail! Mwahahahaha!" Explore stories on mvl
"K-Kuhh...You've finally admitted it, you villain! Hang on for a few more minutes, Miss Seira! I shall be the light at the end of your dark tunnel!"
Hearing the loud conversation between the two, Seira was horrified.
It appeared that the rookie named Chiizai was so infatuated with her that he started imagining things.
Her boss? Mistreating her?
How could providing her with various skills be seen as mistreatment?!
'What a delusional midget!' thought another purple-haired midget who almost started pulling her hair out in frustration.
"BOSS! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU SAYING?! IN WHAT WAY ARE YOU MISTREATING ME?!" Seira's loud voice reverberated across the arena, bringing a frown to Chiizai's face.
Naturally, Shye, who enjoys pissing people off, ignored Seira's desperate attempt at clarifying the situation.
"Bahahaha! See that? Didn't I train her well?"
"YOU BASTARD! SCUM! I'll eliminate you, scourge!"
Chiizai's anger was already at its peak, fortunately, it didn't take long for the match to begin as soon after, the referee jerked his right arm upwards.
"Begin!"
Contrary to the intense face-off, both mages jumped backward, one started chanting to cast a basic fireball spell while the other...stood idly on the spot.
"O-Oh? What is Shye Crowley planning?! Why is he just standing around?!" Corey exclaimed in confusion, asking the question in everyone's hearts out loud.
The crowd and the commentator's curiosity didn't last for long though as shortly after, they got the answer to their question.
Due to the significant difference in their attributes, Chiizai couldn't react as Shye seized him by the neck with his right hand and simultaneously grabbed the midget's staff with his left, hurling it off the stage.
"Now, let's see who's the liar..."
*PAH!*
The satisfyingly crisp sound of Shye's broad palm squarely hitting a midget's cheek reverberated across the arena, causing a mixture of blood and saliva to splatter onto the ground a few meters beside Chiizai, who almost fell unconscious after just one slap.
His slapping technique was so refined that if he was born in an eastern fantasy world, he could establish his own sect with his picture-perfect slap as the core skill.
Unfortunately for Chiizai, who was on the receiving end of such a divine slap, his torturous experiences were only just beginning.
"Speak, was your skill a grand fireball or not?!"
"F-F*ck you! I've always been an honest individual! You're the one who used a grand fireball!"
*PAH!*
"Wrong answer! Again, was your skill a grand fireball or not?!"
"I-It wa–"
*PAH!*
"Liar! Speak truthfully or I will slap you unconscious, feed you health potions, and then slap you again. I will repeat this cycle until you tell the truth."
*PAH!"
"Now, was your skill a grand fireball or not?!"
"I–"
"PAH!*
"Hou haven't even leh me hpik!"
"What did you say?! Why are you talking like a shrimp?! Talk properly!"
*PAH!*
"M-My ssshkill wah a grand wireball..."
With a face beaten beyond recognition, the heroic midget finally succumbed to the humiliating torture of the villainous Shye Crowley, passing out shortly after.
Unfortunately, this time, the villain prevailed as the hero was ruthlessly humiliated in front of the damsel, who was in utter distress due to the damned misunderstandings created by her boss.