“Now then, folks, the second round of the Fighting Tournament is well underway! It’s no exaggeration to say this year's tournament is in a league of its own. Am I saying the same thing every year? No, no, that might have been true in the past, but this is a different story entirely! After all, this year's tournament features some of the most famous Alias Holders in the world, including Crimson and Immovable!”
The Live Commentator spoke with practiced fervor, whipping the crowd into a frenzy before pausing for dramatic effect.
“Of course, seeing as Immovable’s first-round match the day before yesterday ended with his opponent essentially defeating himself, some of you might have felt a bit short-changed. However... in stark contrast, I’m sure you all remember the spectacular battle Crimson fought against that dual-wielding scimitar user. And the next match is Crimson's turn! His opponent is Adrett! Yes, the man who has slaughtered countless monsters with his raw physical strength alone! Though he remains at C-Rank due to his notorious behavior, his true strength is said to eclipse your average B-Rank adventurer!”
The crowd already knew who the combatants were, but the commentator’s hype stoked their excitement to a fever pitch. Spectators leaned forward, their anticipation for the clash between Adrett and Rei mounting.
“Against him stands Crimson Rei, a bona fide B-Rank adventurer! Will this be a clash between equals? Or will Crimson show us why he carries the title of an Alias Holder? At any rate, you won't want to take your eyes off this for a second!”
As those words echoed through the arena, Rei emerged onto the stage with Death Scythe in hand.
Right on cue, his opponent appeared from the opposite entrance.
(Is he... actually human?)
Rei stepped onto the platform and faced Adrett, a silent question passing through his mind.
It was a fair assessment. Adrett’s height easily cleared two meters, likely reaching closer to two and a half. No matter how Rei looked at him, the man didn't seem entirely human. He was built like a fortress of solid muscle, devoid of any spindliness. Facing him felt like standing before a massive, immovable wall.
(He's not quite tall enough to be pure giant-kin... maybe a half-breed? Or perhaps he has ogre blood in him.)
Like goblins and orcs, ogres were known to breed with women of other races, though the size difference meant the mothers rarely survived the process.
Rei studied Adrett, wondering about his lineage. His blatant scrutiny must have felt like a provocation, for Adrett glared down at him and spoke.
“What’s the matter, brat? You got something to say?”
“No, not particularly. I was just wondering how best to tackle an opponent as big as you.”
“...Hoh.”
A grin spread across Adrett’s face. He slammed his custom-made gauntlets together, producing a sharp metallic ring, and a savage smile played on his lips.
“I was a bit disappointed when I heard a kid like you was an Alias Holder... but maybe I won’t have to worry about that. Let’s make this a fight to remember.”
“...I see.”
Rei got a sense for the man’s personality.
(Is it just a rule in this world that anyone who fights with their fists has to be a battle junkie?)
With that thought, Rei leveled Death Scythe.
“Fair enough. That actually helps me out. I’ll just have to use you as nourishment to reach even greater heights.”
“Gahahahaha! You’re gonna eat me? Better be careful you don’t choke. If you fail to swallow me whole, I’ll be the one doing the feeding!”
Both combatants wore bellicose grins, yet they shared a strange, mutual respect. Seeing they were ready, the referee signaled from the edge of the stage.
“Match, begin!”
Adrett closed the distance instantly at the signal. Rei remained stationary, waiting with Death Scythe held ready.
Despite his massive frame, Adrett moved with shocking speed as he unleashed a punch. Against a giant fist that seemed capable of shattering the air itself, Rei caught and parried the strike with the shaft part of the Death Scythe.
The metallic screech of gauntlets clashing with the scythe rang out through the arena. Adrett ignored it, pulling back his fist and launching a relentless barrage of consecutive strikes. However, Rei parried every single one of them, just as he had done in his previous match.
(Good. My parrying works fine against fists too, not just scimitars.)
Rei continued to deflect the blows, and the moment Adrett pulled back to reset, Rei swung Death Scythe to meet him. However, he didn't use the blade. He delivered a sweeping strike with the butt end, aimed at Adrett’s legs.
It was a move he had landed countless times during his sparring sessions with Rhodos. But Adrett wasn't that careless; the moment he lost sight of the shaft, he leaped backward to create distance. Death Scythe’s butt end swept through the air exactly where his legs had been a fraction of a second before.
“Whoa! Careful there. You’re tricky to fight, aren’t you? I guess you didn't get that Crimson alias for nothing.”
Adrett spoke while holding his gauntlets up in a high guard. Rei smiled back, adjusting his grip on the scythe.
“I wonder. If you’re so curious about what I can do, why not stick around a while longer?”
As he spoke, Rei pointed the butt end part of Death Scythe toward Adrett rather than the blade.
(My challenge for this fight is to use nothing but the butt end. If I use the blade, I'll win easily, but I won't improve my Staff Arts.)
Swung with Rei’s immense magic power, the blade of Death Scythe could cut through almost anything. The only exceptions were magic items reinforced with similar power, and even then, Rei’s massive reserves usually gave him the edge. However, he knew he had relied too much on the weapon’s innate lethality. He could get by with that against weaker or equal opponents, but a truly superior foe would require refined technique.
To that end, Rei had decided to face Adrett using only the butt end. Naturally, Adrett didn't appreciate the gesture. Seeing Rei’s stance, his battle-hungry grin soured into an expression of pure irritation.
“...Hey, what is this? You think you can afford to go easy on me?”
“It’s nothing like that. I have my own reasons. You might not like it, but I’m going to see this through my way.”
Rei paused, then added a provocative smile.
“If you really want to see the blade, then drive me into a corner. If I’m on the verge of losing, I’ll have no choice but to use it.”
That seemed to do the trick. Adrett’s ferocious grin returned as he slammed his fists together, stoking his own fighting spirit.
“Fine then! Have it your way! Here I come!”
With a roar that shook the arena, Adrett charged again. Rei readied the butt end part of Death Scythe, but just as Adrett pulled his right hand back to strike, a chilling premonition forced Rei to leap aside.
In that instant, something invisible erupted from Adrett’s fist as he punched the air, piercing the space where Rei had been standing a moment ago.
“Heh, not bad.”
Even with his attack evaded, Adrett looked pleased.
“A Skill, I take it?”
“You could say that. Just because I’m a brawler doesn’t mean I don’t have long-range attacks. You’re a mage, right? Don't hold back on my account.”
“...Let me give you those words right back. If you want to see my magic, then try to push me that far.”
“Hahaha! Big talk! Then I’ll just have to do that!”
Adrett launched a series of Ranged Strikes from his fists, using the invisible force as a screen to close the distance. Rei was surprised by the first one, but once he knew what to look for, they weren't impossible to handle. They were difficult to track because they were invisible, but they weren't so fast that he couldn't dodge.
“Take this!”
Rei evaded, deflected, and parried the gauntleted fists. Finding the gaps, he transitioned to the offensive, delivering thrusts and horizontal sweeps with the butt end. The metallic rhythm of gauntlets and greaves clashing against the butt end echoed through the arena like a violent symphony.
The sound only grew more intense, captivating the audience. But a fight of this intensity couldn't last forever. Gradually, the gap in pure physical ability began to widen.
“Tch, I can’t break your guard even with my strength? You’re a persistent one... Whoops!”
Adrett hit the same wall Anacer had faced in the first round: the limit of his movements. Because he was striking with his own limbs rather than a weapon, he was forced to take shallow breaths whenever he could, but it wasn't enough to keep up with Rei’s relentless pace.
Sensing his opponent’s fatigue, Rei didn't let him retreat. As Adrett tried to leap backward to reset, Rei lunged forward.
“No, you don't!”
Rei thrust the butt end of Death Scythe straight at Adrett’s solar plexus.
“Guoh!”
Through sheer martial instinct, Adrett managed to twist his body, shifting the impact from his solar plexus to his flank. He avoided being knocked unconscious, but the cost was high. The sound of ribs shattering echoed as the butt end connected, and Adrett let out a cry of agony.
“My turn now!”
Rei swung Death Scythe like a staff, raining down a barrage of horizontal slashes, overhead strikes, and thrusts from every conceivable angle. Adrett tried to deflect them with his gauntlets, but he was at his physical limit, gasping for air with several broken ribs. His defense crumbled.
“Gugyah!”
The shaft part of Death Scythe connected with his other side, shattering the ribs there as well. The impact was so great that the spectators gasped in shock.
“No way! Adrett is twice Crimson's size and easily twice his weight, but he was just sent flying! I can't believe it... Even seeing it with my own eyes, it’s unbelievable!”
Ignoring the commentator’s shouts and the buzzing of the crowd, Rei walked toward the downed Adrett.
“D-Damn... what is wrong with your strength?”
Adrett clutched his shattered ribs, struggling to push himself up. Rei looked slightly impressed. Even with the man wearing leather armor made from monster hide, Rei hadn't expected him to be able to move after a direct hit from Death Scythe—a weapon that weighed over a hundred kilograms and was swung with enough force to bend steel.
(He definitely earned his place in the second round.)
That kind of durability was essential for surviving a tournament like this. But Rei couldn't afford to get bogged down here. He stole a glance toward the VIP seats for the Imperial Family. The Emperor was watching, and beside him sat Noise, the man the Emperor had personally recommended.
Noise seemed to realize Rei was looking at him. He smirked, his eyes posing a silent challenge.
Can you make it up here to face me?
Rei turned his attention back to Adrett, his eyes hardening.
“I don't have time to stall in a place like this.”
With one final, decisive swing of the shaft, Rei sent the two-and-a-half-meter giant flying clear out of the ring.
“Winner, Rei!”