Chapter 82: Top eight.

Chapter 82: Top eight.

I looked up from my slouched position and found Cerion staring back at me, equally confused.

After a moment of silence, I spoke up.

So did we win? I asked hesitantly, That teleportation was pretty rough.

I think we won! Cerion replied excitedly.

Well, we won the first round. Theres still the next round tomorrow. I chided him.

Bah! We won by a landslide today and well win by the same margin tomorrow too. he replied confidently.

As Cerion and I changed into our civilian clothing, we heard the final announcement being made in the stadium. It was a little garbled, but I could make out most of what was being said.

And with that, the second round is over! Tomorrow, the sixteen teams that passed will be going head to head, in a hotblooded battle where the youths of our nation will give us everything theyve got!

Congratulations to todays victors, team A3! This unlikely duo used their raw power and teamwork and made tactical decisions that allowed them to net more points than other teams. More importantly, they managed to hold on to their points until the round ended! Many teams will be hoping not to face them too early in tomorrow's round, because, thanks to their display of power, they have become the favorites to win the entire tier 2 doubles category!

Get to the betting houses now if you still want to get in on the action!

Now if I may direct you to our exits

The voice petered out and I shifted focus back to Cerion, who had put on his nobles clothing.

Ready to go, Art? he asked.

~scene transition~

As I was lounging on the couch of our quarters in the witch hunters compound, I heard Doran call for my name.

What do you think of your competitors? Some of the seeded participants are only participating in the singles tournament, but you have already met three of them. A penny for your thoughts?

I thought silently, making up my mind before speaking.

Theyre definitely stronger than expected. I didnt have much time to watch Karon and his buddy X fight, but I could tell they were experienced. Especially that X guy. Just his invisibility alone makes him dangerous, but its his speed thats truly terrifying. People were getting cut left and right every second in that last battle. As for Karon, he seemed a little naive. His power is certainly versatile, but it doesnt have the explosive strength necessary to fight Cerion and me on even ground.

An astute observation. Even from the arena, I could tell Xs speed could prove to be an issue tomorrow. He seems to act as Karons servant, though. A lack of personal decision-making could be his undoing in a life and death battle. As for Karon, I would not be so quick to count him out. He might be holding some things back for the finals. What did you think of your new rival, the Arcellus boy?

I groaned. I didnt really want to talk about him. Before I could reply, Cerions voice sounded out from the kitchen.

Well, theyre both battle-maniacs, if anything. he said teasingly.Read latest chapters at novelhall.com Only

Oh shut it, Cerion. Doran was asking me. I replied. Hes not entirely wrong, though. That guy doesnt really seem to care about the consequences of anything he does.

Hmm. Who does that remind me of I once again heard Cerion intervene.

Quiet. Anyway, fighting him was frustrating. Tedious, even. For the life of me, I just couldnt overwhelm him. I still think I would win in a one to one scenario, but it would take time and effort. Hes smart enough to proverbially flip the board if he senses hes been put on the back foot, too. Oh well. Im confident in beating him if I use my mana intrusion technique, at least.

I had been hiding my affinity and skills for what felt like forever. Always careful not to draw too much attention, always making sure to take quests in secluded spots where no one could spectate. That had transitioned to now the entire kingdom watching me. Maybe my parents were watching from the town square back home. Guildmaster Andross was probably with some friends, bragging about his students or something. Maybe, the people of Ralston, that had thanked me for defeating the necromancer, were cheering me on. Helios knows, Michael certainly was.

I could swear I heard him shout from the stands at one point.

The noise was deafening. The burden of other peoples expectations was heavy. Without even bothering to head into my mental palace, I closed my eyes and meditated. Everything turned silent, and, for but a moment, I felt weightless.

Next thing I knew, I was being shook at the shoulder. I opened my eyes and found a concerned look on Cerions face.

Oh thank Helios! I thought you would be using that skill of yours again. Come on, its our turn.

I lifted myself from the bench I had been sitting on, my armor rattling as I moved.

Who are we fighting? I asked.

An unseeded team, thankfully. An archer with a purple bow and a warrior wielding the standard sword and shield. We win this, were in the top eight teams.

As I walked into the sunlit arena, I smiled. Purple bow? That sounded a little familiar. So that sensible team that had forfeited before had made it in, huh? Not surprising. They were skilled.

Sure enough, the same lady from before appeared. Seeing my face, she scowled, aware of what kind of battle was awaiting her.

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce both teams! On one side, Lady Aria and her partner, Urol! Aria, a member of the armys third archer regiment, has come to prove her skills to all! Her [Alchemical Hunter] class allows her to coat her arrows with a purple essence that can have various effects, from putting targets to sleep to blowing them right up! Urol is no slouch either! In just a few years, he had shown himself to be an exemplary knight in the service of the kingdom, using his [Landbound Knight] class to overwhelm opponents on his level! He has foregone cavalry for the sake of more power on foot!

On the other side of the arena the previous rounds victors enter! Cerion Rass, only son of Duke Rass, will use his [Tidal swordsman] class to devastating effect, as you all saw in the last round! Even if his cyclones and tidal waves are impressive, dont count out his swordsmanship. Finally, there is his partner, Arthur!

Upon hearing my name, the cheering got a little quieter, but not by much, thankfully.

This common-born warrior uses his rare affinity to devastating effect! His [Overloading Death Knight] class allows him to overwhelm his opponent with mana superior in both quantity and quality! Watch out, because once his maelstrom gets going, theres no getting through that barrier without losing some limbs!

Now then, without further ado, lets get this battle started! 321Start!

~scene transition~

A few minutes later, we were on the cusp of victory.

I batted away an incoming purple arrow with my mana-coated sword, before launching myself halfway across the arena. The archer tried to make some distance, but it was too late. Before she knew it, the tip of my sword was at her throat, dangerously radiating mana.

She looked to the right and saw Cerion standing over the unconscious body of her less talented teammate and sighed.

We forfeit.

And just like that, the battle is over! After just 5 minutes, Lady Aria and her courageous knight Urol have been defeated! They tried their hardest, even in the face of overwhelming odds. Give them a hand everyone!

Hearing his speech, the crowd cheered loudly, while Cerion and I clapped along. They deserved it for a battle well-fought.

Lets not forget the winners of this match, Arthur and Cerion! They skillfully pushed their opponents back, while holding some techniques in reserve no doubt. Applause for the victors!

This time, the crowd really blew up. I could practically see the people in the stands shiver from excitement, their blood boiling on our behalf. The feeling of people cheering for you, calling your name after victory It was intoxicating.

I could get used to this I muttered.