Chapter 117: The Sports Festival's Final Showdown

"Vai, we’re winning this. No matter what."

"Yeah, of course we are."

"…I mean it. We have to win."

After we stepped onto the arena floor, Sierra spoke with a quiet intensity that was a far cry from her usual self.

I knew their history from the Original Story. I knew all about the hardships they’d endured within House Witch and just how much of a nightmare their parents truly were. Despite all that, the two sisters had always supported one another.

Sierra had never let herself be broken. Even when faced with the crushing weight of becoming the family head, she’d never backed down. Her desperation to win this match likely stemmed from that same place—her desire to keep protecting her younger sister.

She was truly kind, possessing a heart that shone with the same brilliance as her light magic.

If that’s the case, then I want to pour everything into my sword for her—all her resolve, and every bit of my own determination.

Sierra was such a genuine beacon of light that I couldn't help but feel that way.

"Oh, this looks like it'll be fun."

But the person standing across from us was more than capable of tearing through all those heartfelt sentiments.

Eva Avery.

Even when she was outnumbered by those Pseudo-Demons, she hadn’t just held her own—she’d completely overrun them. Neither Tura nor I were weaklings, and even we had needed a bit of time to deal with them. Eva, however, was in a league of her own.

Yet, throughout the sports festival, she’d looked like she was having the time of her life. It might be more accurate to say she was just playing around. Win or lose, she always said the same thing: as long as she was having fun, nothing else mattered.

"The match will end when only one person from a team remains on the arena," the announcer’s voice boomed. "If a participant is knocked out of bounds, they will have a ten-second count to return."

Eva could use Flight Magic. While Sierra and Senior Eleanor might not be experts at it, staying airborne for ten seconds would be child's play for them. I also had my Unnatural wall to rely on. In other words, this was almost certainly going to turn into a head-on collision.

"Is it just me, or is it insane that we’re watching this for free?" someone in the crowd shouted.

"No kidding. If they held a match like this in the Royal Capital, every seat would be sold out no matter the price!"

"Don't blink, guys! We could actually learn something from this!"

The peanut gallery wasn't wrong. Regardless of my own presence, this was bound to be a legendary clash.

I caught Teacher Milk’s eye for a second, and her expression clearly said, 'You better win.'

Dammit, I really don't want to lose this.

Cynthia and Lilith were cheering for me, too. But let’s be real—everyone in this stadium probably expected Eva to win. They were just here to enjoy the spectacle of her dominance.

Hey, Weiss. If I don't find a way to flip the script on them, I can't really call myself a man, can I?

Still, this was a tag-team match. I’d already struggled through one of those today; I wasn't about to make the same mistakes twice.

"What’s the plan?" I asked.

"Eva will probably wait and see," Sierra analyzed. "Knowing her, she’ll want to see everything we’ve got before she makes a move. So, before we commit to a full-scale attack, we’re going to target Eleanor. Watch her hands. If you let your guard down for even a second—you'll die."

"Understood. We take down Senior Eleanor first. But are you sure? Double-teaming her right out of the gate feels a bit harsh."

"I have to stay one step ahead of that child. Always. Because I am... her big sister."

She could have said it was because she was the head of the house, but she didn't. Sierra had fought to preserve House Witch specifically for Eleanor’s sake. A Dark Attribute user would always face the risk of persecution, but being part of the high nobility changed the rules.

An older sister devoting her life to her sibling, and a younger sister desperate to surpass her. Man, for a side story, this plot is getting way too high-budget.

"The participants are ready!" the announcer yelled. "In the final match, the White Team currently leads in points, but the winner of this bout will be crowned the overall champion! Let the match begin!!"