Chapter 17.1 Conflict (3)
The rules for the preliminary round of the battle are as follows.
Put 100 players in a large amphitheater.
The fight doesn't stop until there are only 16 players left to advance to the finals.
Even if a wounded tries to come out, even if someone asks for help, the firmly closed door will not budge.
Until the blood of 84 people wets the floor.
Duwoong-! Duwoong-!
The drum sound signaled the start of the preliminary round.
However, the participants kept their distance from each other and were warily eyeing one another, no one rushed into a fight.
It was natural.
Even if it is the preliminary round, they are participating in the all famous ‘Battleground Championship'. No one here is a good person.
Also, when competing with one strong person, dozens of people can gang up, and the fight that takes place in the midst of dozens of people is most bloody.
It's more like a chaotic war than a duel.
‘This breathtaking tension…'
Dominic, one of the participants in the ground, broke into a cold sweat. If he makes a mistake even for once, even a tiny one, he feels like he is going to die for real. His grip on the sword tightened.
‘Calm down. You have to be calm to come back alive.’
Dominic took a deep breath and looked around.
‘That Old Quack isn’t moving.’
The Old Quack, Chasty.
An old woman who claims to have learned shaman magic, and is famous in Oulheim by the nickname of Quack.
God knows, which mad orc shaman taught shamanic magic secrets to a human.
Nevertheless, she is famous because the people who persecuted her all died at some point. Since then, no one has ever dared to called her a Quack, or even utter those words in secret.
‘Even the Blue Rose is watching the situation…’
Blue Rose, Danate.
A man with blonde hair like painted in a single canvas painting.
He was given thar nickname because he looks like a blue rose blooming when executing his swordsmanship.
The origin is unclear.
There are rumors that he is from a noble family, and there are even many rumors that he is from a royal family.
However, only the rumors that he was very strong was most true in everyone's eyes.
‘Aside from that, there are some other bigshots…’
While Dominic was checking the venue.
– Whoa!
– Whoa!
Kwajik!
Cheers and a scream was heard.
Turning into the direction where the scream came from, a large man once again head-butted with two other contestants' forehead and exploded them.
‘Savage Barbarian, Gallid…!’
A barbarian from the northern Principality of Polycia.
A man of great size and exaggerated muscles, he was already famous in Oulheim for his unhuman strength.
The person closest to winning the championship is that man.
“Bloody hell, what are these guys doing here..?!”
The other side was also noisy.
This is the direction where the Old Quack, Chasty is.
Five of the participants surrounded her in a semi-circle, protecting the old woman with bewitched expressions.
‘What kind of situation is that…’
– Whoa!
This time in the direction of the Blue Rose, Danate.
Ground was stained red with the blood of his opponents as the sword pulled out. Around him, participants with arms or legs amputated were rolling on the floor.
Dominic swallowed his saliva.
As expected, they are all monsters.
Can he survive among these guys? Was it not a really bad idea to take part in this arena of maniacs?
It was then that fear enveloped him.
-Hey hey!!!
‘Who is this time!’
Dominic rolled his trembling eyes.
Then he saw a madman rolling and tumbling on the ground, and avoiding the spears and swords.
– Swish! Skish!
Even though he rolls on the floor haphazardly, in the end, he avoids everything that should be avoided.
Looks very lucky.
Did that bastard save a country or something in his previous life?
‘…Yeah, such a guy is also participating…’
Is there anything that can be called ordinary in this place?
‘What is the number of remaining contenders?’
He just has to survive the preliminary round and make it to the last 16.
Because surrender is possible from the next stage.
Dominic took one rough breath to calm his mind and—
“Ahhhhhh!!!”
He hollered and ran to another injured contestant. In the current state, it seemed that anyone could win.
* * *
Dooo-! Dooo-!
The sound of drums signaling the end of the preliminary round.
The locked door opened and the 16 surviving finalists left the venue.
Among them, there was a young man who was seen continuously rolling on the floor throughout the fight, but there was no Dominic who rushed in with enthusiasm.
* * *
“What were you even thinking?!”
When I returned to the inn after finishing my part of hard work, Annie suddenly snapped with craziness.
Did something go wrong in her head?
"Is your head alright? Or gone crazy?”
"Yeah! Of course I'll go crazy! Someone almost made my soul fly out!”
Annie pulled her hair out and she explained why she was angry.
When she told the reason, I couldn't help but marvel.
“You played desperate bettings with house document?"
And, not on the one which higher winning rate, but on the one with higher divided.
Crazy newbie.
“I have to correct my words. You are already a crazy girl.”
Maybe she feel on her head when she wasn't old enough.
Poor child…
Seriously, one wouldn't have been sane to survive in this harsh kingdom of Alitia.
“I asked why did you do that in the preliminary round, but why do you keep talking nonsense from a while ago?! Please explain properly!”
“It’s noisy! Don't nag soy sauce, bring noodles!”
“Soy sauce? What is that? And, what's with noodles?”
“Shut up and get something to eat. Before the inn owner gets changed in real time.”
"…all right."
Annie stared at me for a moment, mumbled something under her lips, and then went into the kitchen.
This is why kids can't be handled softly.
You have to show anger to make them understand.
“By the way, old man, what are you doing here?”
I turned my head and spoke to Stanley, who was looking at me and Annie with a funny expression.
Obviously the escort contract is over, but why is this old gentleman here?
“I happened to meet that girl in the audience seats. When I heard that she is the owner of the inn where you are staying, I followed her. Still, ah, how wonderous this thing called fate is. May you guys excuse me?”
“You don't have to say excuse me, old man.”
I took a seat at the table next to the table where the old businessman was sitting. As I leaned back on my chair and turned my stiff shoulders, he asked me.
“You are going for to make a big dip, aren't you?”
"Um?"
“It’s about hiding your skills in the preliminary round. Aren't you trying this to make big earnings by increasing the dividend rate for the next stage?"
"Yeah, right."
Otherwise, there is no reason for me to roll on the ground, come on, I don't have any kind of fetish.
In response to my answer, Stanley said with a serious expression on his face.
"Don't do that."
"Why?"
When I tilted my head, old man Stanley said with a serious expression on his face.
“This is my sincere advice. Listen. From a long time ago, there have been lots of chaps who have been aiming for that big bowl like you. Why not? It's a place where big money comes and goes. But it all ended badly.”
“So, what do you mean to say, that all end badly?”
“As you must have felt today, there is no such thing as a good opponent in the ground. Of course. It's a competition at stake, but there's no way someone who isn't confident in their skills can live upto this point, right?"
Annie brought two glasses of ale and placed them on his and my tables respectively. And she naturally sat down next to me and began to listen to the story of the upper-level classman.
‘???'
What…is this? Didn't I told her to bring me some food?
“And among them, overly confident guys like you play such pranks. Hiding your real skills by creating a dangerous situation.”
Stanley took a sip of the ale and continued the story.
“Even if I don't know anything about the world which runs on swords, I do know one thing. A moment's inattention can cost your life. This place is a battle of strife. All of them are strong men who made a name for themselves in the vicinity. How many of those people who used to put on a breath-taking performance survived?”
There are some morons who topple down while acting and overlooking others, unknown when a sword swatted their ass off this world. That's the meaning of the words of this old and experienced upper classman.
