The Sword Best used its blade stuck in the ground to stretch and launch itself toward its owner. In the air, it transformed back into a silver-colored beast and reached its owner. It got on her hand and coiled around it, looking like a bracelet. Yashika rubbed its head before sending it back into the 'Book of Contracts.'
After watching the beautiful scene, the eyes of everyone were fixed on the big screen at the top. On it, the number of swords shaken by her contract beast became visible. The number started at 50 and started growing; the censors had already calculated it, but to create hype, they were revealing the score like that.
"After the brilliant spectacle of watching the transformation of a sword beast into a brilliant rapier, we all witnessed this beautiful performance, but the question is, has she surpassed the highest score? If yes, then by what margin?" said the commentator.
The crowd cheered and started counting. The score kept increasing; it was already over 100 and growing.
120
135.
150..
"The score has tied; will Yashika be able to break the record for the highest score?" asked the commentator. A yellow-colored boy who was not shying away from showing his wide grin was sweating; He was praying for her score not to surpass his.
After nothing had happened for a second, the number 151 appeared on the screen, and the whole crowd went crazy. Cheers and whistles surrounded the battle arena; The black-haired girl was still looking at the screen with a frown, unsatisfied by the delay in her score.
A yellow-haired boy clenched his fist and kicked in frustration before suddenly regretting it and jumping like a clown on his other leg; he had hit his leg on something hard. He was unlucky today; he wanted to cry, but no tears came out. "I will see you in the next round," he said before approaching the nearby seat while jumping on his other leg.
He looked at the screen with frisson, and to his surprise, the score was still increasing. It had already reached 200 but was still not showing any signs of stopping.
To rub salt in his wound, the commentator said, "Her score is getting very close to her all-time high score. Will she be able to break that record?"
The numbers kept increasing, and the cheering only got louder with it.
220
235.
250..
300...
"This is showing no sign of stopping at all. It's pure madness. The highest score for this year is 400. Will she be able to get closer to it?" said the commentator, and the others also eagerly looked at the screen with anticipation.
Even Rishi was looking at the score carefully, as he would need to surpass it by some margin. He wanted to get first but didn't want to get unwanted attention. If Sheru broke all the records, he would be everywhere. He didn't know what would happen if they discovered it was a semi-legendary sword beast.
This was not even his state; he was an outsider here. Who will help him? It was not just for himself; even the teacher's life could be in danger if he became a target of all the black organizations, bounty hunters, and assassins. Even if his clan knew about it, they would be helpless, as this is not their area. This was a very distant place.
Rishi knew the legendary-grade beasts were in demand everywhere. Only big clans and the richest businessmen could get their hands on such beasts, while it was impossible to steal a contract beast from a beast tamer. Who knows what ways they may use to control him? He was even more scared of such ways after hearing them from Yakshini.
While he was getting chills from thinking about the result of the leak of information about Sheru, the number on the screen finally started to slow down. At last, a number appeared. '347' was her final score. The audience clapped for her. It was a very good score when taking into consideration that this was a transformation-type sword beast that most of the time didn't directly use attacks.
When Yashika looked at the score, she had a disappointed look. It would have been better if I trained with it for some more time, but it is important for it. I will not be able to grow if it trains with me due to my overwhelming strength.
She turned and went back to the place where the other participants were waiting. Two people looked at her for different reasons: one was a silver-haired boy who was impressed by her, while on the other side was a yellow-haired kid who was looking at her with anger and jealousy.
After her other participants participated but no one was able to match Yashika's level, at number 86, a boy wearing a large black hoodie with a skull pattern printed on the back appeared. His long white hair covered half of his face. In the strange darkness that covered his face, his red eyes became visible.
He started walking towards the battle arena. His skin was ash-white. He reached his place and took out his 'Book of Contract.' It was yellow like others that depicted the Elite Stage, but it was red with a strange black light constantly emitted from it.
When Rishi looked at him, his bony white hands became visible to him, He had long black nails. The commentator announced, "The next participant is Vansh."
The strange boy wearing a black hoodie summoned his contract beast. A black mist was released from it and appeared on the battle arena; The black smoke covered some areas, and a shadow became visible through it. The blurred figure looked humanoid; it was wearing a long black robe.
It walked out of the mist, and for the first time, it became visible to others. Its whole body was covered in a black robe. His face was dark. It had no eyes; instead of them, two red flames were burning in its scalp. Its bony skull became visible from the light radiated by the flames. On its right hand was a long sword.
The sword was like other long swords with some differences: it was made of bone. On its blade was a symbol of a skull made of black, with its eyes having moving red flames. A strange black smoke was released from its body. Its bony hands clenched around the sword's hilt.
It sat with its knees on the ground and its sword raised towards its master. The strange boy said something in a strange language. The creature kneeling stood up and started walking toward the sword formation.