Chapter 43 43: Fight For Freedom [Pt2]

Everyone looked stunned as they watched a small cat girl take down a huge dude. The audience was in shock but they soon broke into cheers.

Clair seemed oblivious to all their charms as she hopped back to her group with a fake innocent expression on her face. Only her eyes looked greedy and satisfied after having punched into the ground.

"So, how did I do? Was I too shabby? Did I need to be more flashy? Think you can do better than me, old hag?"

Clair was enjoying her spotlight and the so-called old hag, Shimi clenched her fists in rage. But Shimi had a proud look on her face as well.

"Y-You did well in preventing the grandmaster's honor from being tarhished.*cough* but of course, I will do better than you. Just wait and watch me outshine you."

Shimi stepped out without even being called. Her confident gaze challenged anyone to say anything against her and the announcer looked nervous.

He looked at the excited audience and then at the 'grandmaster's' party in front of him. These challengers seemed to be doing better than anyone expected them to and it was making the fakers nervous.

The announcer was a part of the faker's party but he was someone who knew the truth. And usually, their group was strong enough to take care of small fries who liked to pop up.

But this group looked like the real deal. They were stronger than anyone he had seen before.

He tried to signal to his group to back down. Losing one gladiator was not enough to suffer so much financial loss. But his boss seemed not to agree.

"Continue toward the second match. This one, we will not lose."

The fake grandmaster replied while suppressing his anger. He pushed Retainer A toward the ring and she walked up with a determined expression.

The grandmaster was trusting her not to lose so she would not dare shame him this time.

Shimi smirked as soon as she noticed her opponent. She was so glad to see it was the loud-mouthed bitch who had tried to belittle her grandmaster. Now Shimi would get to exact her revenge nicely.

"So it's your turn to get your ass whooped by me? Show me what you've got."

Shimi taunted her opponent, enjoying reeling her opponent this way. Retainer A clenched her fists in rage as she watched Shimi taunt her and her grandmaster.

It did not matter what this blond-haired bimbo said about Retainer A but she cannot insult her grandmaster. Retainer A would have to use her full power.

"Oh, you will defeat me? I think no, you bimbo. You see, my love for grandmaster is much stronger than you can anticipate. Let me show you my full power."

Retainer A clasped her hands and the earth started to move. It rose to create a small golem that came up to Shimi's chest.

The audience gasped as they watched someone use their abilities. It was such a rare occurrence in this small town that even such a small feat was thought of as impossible.

Retainer A looked up with a proud look, now elated that she had managed to create her biggest golem up until this date. But the blond in front of her looked unimpressed.

No, not only unimpressed. Shimi was pissed off at this retainer A and her audacity.

She professed her love for the grandmaster and said that she wanted to serve the grandmaster. Even if her grandmaster was a faker, she was someone who was in the same boat as Shimi.

And as someone in the same boat, Shimi could not accept this mockery of power. How dare this lady calls herself a servant of the grandmaster when this was all she could do?

"What's wrong? Are you scared of my skills now? Well, it's not too late to profess that you were wrong and come under the grandmaster's umbrella. I promise I will not give you much of a hard time."

Retainer A promised as she signaled for her golem to attack. Everyone held their breaths as the stone 'giant' moved a few steps. They all knew that the blond girl was done for.

She had stopped moving and was even shaking in fear. Retainer A was proud of herself and what she had managed to achieve this time.

"Y-You are a disgrace. You said all that big stuff about the grandmaster and now this is all you can do? Why pitiful."

Shimi's face was red and her anger finally spiked way beyond her handling point.

"Yeah Shimi, show him how it's done. Show these people how powerful a simp can be."

Clair's encouragement was not helpful. Keith had never been gladder for his poker face. He would have been red otherwise and exposed himself in front of the audience.

"Shimi, hurry up and finish here. You are talking too much."

Shimi's mood took a 180 turn and her anger turned into determination. She took out a small fan from her side pouch and unclasped it.

Anyone could see that she was a wind user and weak against an earth user like Retainer A.

"Hah, all that big talk for being a wind user. Don't you know that your kind is inferior to earth users-"

Retainer A boasted but Shimi did not give her time to finish. With a swing of her fan, air blades rushed toward the earth golem and cut it apart.

The core that was sustaining the earth golem fell and broke as well. It left everyone with their jaws hanging.

Amelia was especially surprised. She had not expected Keith's retainers to be this strong or capable. It made her doubt his identity as a 'normal' merchant from a wealthy association.

"D-Don't think that this is all. I-I will show you my power soon-"

"Oh shut up. You have lost already so take it with pride. And next time, don't choose a fake grandmaster to serve."

Shimi picked up Retainer A by her shirt and shook her body around. It caused Retainer A to feel dizzy and not be able to perform her spell. She looked up at Shimi with a scared expression on her face.

"And this is for insulting my master. How dare a low-life like you take his name."

Shimi punched Retainer A in the face and that obsessed lady went down. Shimi gave a glare to the silent crowd, daring them to say anything against her or her companions.

The crowd was silent for a moment before they all broke off into cheers. They had not expected to be treated to such a show.

"So, old fake man, are you going to come down now? Or will I have to drag you down myself?"

Shimi questioned as she pointed her fan toward the man on top of the podium. The fake grandmaster was beginning to lose his composure.

'Hump, the real grandmaster would have never behaved this way. It's so easy to see that this man is a faker.'

Shimi fanned herself with a satisfied expression.

On the other hand, the fake grandmaster was seething with anger. These kids were mocking him and he did not like it one bit.

"Grandmaster, don't fall for her provocations. We still have 2 more rounds to go. If we win the next one, then I am sure we will have our spot. We just need to crush one of these people to regain our advantage."

The boss of the gladiator arena reminded the faker of what they needed to do.

The faker looked even worse for some reason. He looked at his competition and then at Amelia.

"And how do you suppose we do that? I don't think anyone out of us can beat that gladiator. How do you expect us to win the remaining two matches?"

The fake grandmaster questioned as he looked at his competition. He was not sure what more they could do.

"Hmm, have you not noticed it yet? The girls were protecting that male in the center of their formation. I don't think he had much power in him. Why don't we target him instead of the gladiator? I am sure you can break him."

The boss of the gladiator arena has seen a lot of people so he could tell that something was wrong with that artificially dye-haired man. He was trying to hide something.

And the only people who hid their intentions in the arena were the week one.

"Are you sure? Then, I will trust you this time and take your advice. But if anything happens, then you are the one who's responsible, alright?"

The fake grandmaster asked and the gladiator arena boss agreed.

If it worked out then fine. But even if it did not work out, there was nothing to be done. They had come too far to back out now. It was either do or die from here on. And they were going to do it for sure.

"Next two people. Please step up."

Amelia took a step ahead but the arena boss held his hand up at the last second.

"Not you. I want the guy to fight from your side."