The referee declared the match over the moment it became clear that Ruzy, lying motionless on the stage, had completely lost consciousness.
Watching from the VIP room, Rei glanced at Elk, who stood beside him with a grim expression.
"What do you think?"
Elk understood exactly what the question meant without further explanation. He let out a low, rumbling groan before speaking.
"He’s strong. I’ve seen him fight several times before, but I never realized he was this good. I mean, in terms of pure physical ability, I’d still bet on you, Rei, but..."
Rei felt the same way. Even if his raw physical stats were higher, there was a gap that strength alone couldn't bridge.
"Pure technique, then?"
"Yeah. Honestly, to meet an opponent’s thrust with your own and have the sword tips collide head-on like that..."
Elk trailed off, recalling Rei’s own combat history, and shook his head slightly.
"You might be able to pull off the collision, Rei. But could you output exactly the same amount of force as your opponent to create a perfect state of equilibrium? Could you do that?"
"Doubtful," Rei replied bluntly.
The reality was that if he tried to mimic Noise’s stunt, his own power would likely be too overwhelming, either blowing the opponent away or resulting in him taking the hit because he miscalculated the suppression of his own force. Furthermore, while maintaining that delicate balance, Noise had been relaxed enough to punch Ruzy with his free left hand.
(He’s still far ahead of me...) Rei mused silently.
However, regardless of the gap between them, the hour of their inevitable clash drew closer with every passing second. All Rei could do now was train himself as relentlessly as possible.
"I wish I had a bit more time."
"True. Once you reach this stage, the tournament moves at a breakneck pace. At least we get the luxury of one match a day," Elk noted.
"Yeah."
There were three matches left until the finals. Counting the day of rest after the semi-finals to ensure both contestants were in peak condition, that meant only four days remained. To say it would be difficult for Rei to acquire enough skill to catch up to Noise in four days was an understatement.
(In that case, I need to find a way to contend with him outside of pure technique. Physical ability? I’m likely superior there, but it’s not an overwhelming enough lead to compensate. Which leaves... magic power.)
For a moment, the image of his partner, Set, flickered in his mind. If the tournament allowed tamed monsters to participate, his chances of winning would have been far more certain.
(No, that wouldn't work either.)
He immediately shot down his own idea. Even if Set could fight freely, there was the issue of space. Stepping outside the stage—or more accurately, leaving the spatial boundary projected around it—meant an instant out-of-bounds loss. Those conditions were fundamentally disadvantageous for a pair like Rei and Set.
(Fighting Noise under tournament rules is probably the real mistake here.)
Despite reaching that conclusion, Rei had no intention of abandoning the pursuit of victory.
"Rei, the next match is about to start. Are you staying?" Elk asked, his tone leaving the choice to Rei.
Rei shook his head. "Even if I win my next match, the opponent after that will be Noise. There’s no point in scouting anyone else at this point."
"Maybe, but hints for fighting Noise might be buried in the most unexpected places, don't you think?" Min suggested, her gaze fixed on the arena as she stood near Elk.
Rei’s answer remained unchanged. "I’d rather spend every available minute training. I’d love to have someone like Elk as a sparring partner, but..."
"Don't talk crazy. I'm here on guard duty," Elk retorted.
Though his words were firm, Elk’s eyes betrayed a silent desire to move his own muscles. He glanced over at Daskar, who was nearby, wearing a polite smile while conversing with a noble of the Bestia Empire. It was a purely superficial smile; the Bestia noble’s cheek twitched with suppressed irritation every few moments.
(He must be making some outrageous demands,) Rei thought, watching the exchange.
In terms of raw national power, the Bestia Empire still held the edge over the Kingdom of Mireana. Yet, the reason Daskar could maintain such a dominant, assertive posture was his status as a representative of the victors. It wasn't just any victory, either; the kingdom had won because of Rei’s performance. It was only natural that the influence of the man who employed Rei had skyrocketed.
In fact, while the noble speaking with Daskar tried to maintain a facade of calm, he was clearly struggling to suppress the raw awe and terror welling up inside him. If Rei hadn't been standing right there, perhaps the man might have had more composure.
Watching the political theater, Rei gave up on the idea of dragging Elk away for training. As an A-Rank adventurer with an alias, Elk would have been the perfect opponent. Rei stood up to leave the VIP room but paused as a thought struck him.
"By the way, what happened to Rhodos? Did he ever show up?"
At the mention of the name, Elk let out a wry chuckle, while Min shook her head with a look of disappointment. It was clear he hadn't returned.
"I see."
Considering their fight and the hostile exchange that followed, Rei felt partially responsible for Rhodos’s disappearance. However, Elk just laughed.
"Well, Rhodos is supposed to be a full-fledged adventurer now. It's not strange for him to blow off some steam, and he could use the setback. Don't let it weigh on you. It's not like he's gone for good. If he gets caught up in something weird, we'll handle it on our end. Besides... no, it's nothing."
Elk cut himself off, covering his slip of the tongue. Rei sensed there was something else going on, but if Elk wasn't sharing, he assumed there was a good reason for the secrecy.
"For a 'full-fledged adventurer,' his parents seem awfully ready to intervene," Rei teased.
Elk simply shrugged and muttered, "Think what you want."
Seeing that there was no real cause for alarm, Rei left the VIP room. Every second was precious if he was to catch up to—and eventually surpass—Noise.
(I need to find a practice area first. Thinking back, that last spot was in a great location...) Rei mused as he headed back to the inn, hoping for a recommendation from the staff at the Eternal Sky Inn for a place that hadn't been compromised by assassins.
"Pah... Man, he’s strong. He’s really something else. I guess that’s an S-Rank for you."
That evening, Ruzy’s voice rang out in a corner of the dining hall at the Eternal Sky Inn. There was no bitterness in his tone; it was clear he held no grudge against Noise for the defeat.
"Unexpected... or maybe not. Knowing how simple Ruzy is, it makes sense that a total defeat would leave him feeling this way," Veikyul muttered with an exasperated sigh, stabbing a sausage with her fork.
There were grilled sausages and boiled ones. She enjoyed the fact that the same ingredient could have such different textures and flavors depending on the preparation, washing them down with a gulp of wine. Out of consideration for Ruzy’s consolation party, she was keeping herself sober enough to stay fully dressed.
"Well, after a gap in skill like that, what else can you feel? Did you see that move? I told you I’m not great at thrusts, but he matched his blade to mine perfectly, intentionally balanced our strength, and then punched me into the air with his left hand. I can’t even imagine the level of skill and power needed for that."
Ruzy spoke with an almost religious fervor, his body trembling as he recounted the battle.
"Alright, alright, we get it. I’ve heard this story five times already. Like you said, he’s S-Rank. Of course he’s strong," Veikyul said.
"True," Most added with a somber nod. "He lived up to the title. Though it means everyone in Wind Dragon Fang has been eliminated now. We expected it, but it’s still disappointing. Even the one who lasted the longest only made it to the third round. The top of this tournament feels infinitely far away."
Most sipped his fruit wine gloomily. Veikyul, reaching for another sausage, gave him an exasperated look before turning to Rei.
"What are you moping about? The fact that a mage like you and a thief like me even made it to the main tournament is plenty. Ruzy just had bad luck with his draw. So, what about you, Rei? You’re the only one left standing."
Rei, who was currently enjoying a dish of steamed Fang Boar drizzled with a sweet-and-sour fruit sauce, shrugged.
"Well, if I clash with him head-on as I am now... I’d give myself a twenty percent chance at best."
"Heh. Twenty percent, huh? That still makes for an interesting final," Veikyul said, washing down a mouthful of sausage with wine.
Ruzy was the one truly shocked by the estimate. "Twenty percent? Are you saying that even after seeing my fight?"
"I am. Especially after seeing today’s fight. Though to be honest, it didn't look like Noise was even being serious yet, so it’s hard to be certain."
Ruzy wasn't weak; he was a veteran C-Rank adventurer. The fact that Noise had dismantled him as if it were a minor chore made it almost impossible to gauge his true ceiling.
"Then it’s hopeless," Veikyul chimed in.
Rei turned a ferocious smile toward her. "It’ll be difficult as I am now, sure. But... I’m growing with every match, you know?"
He didn't bother mentioning the grueling training he was doing between rounds as he reached for a piece of bread.
"Hmm. Well, I have a feeling you’ll find a way, Rei. You’re absurd in so many ways, after all."
"I can't even deny that," Most admitted.
"Hey, you two. Even if it’s true, that’s rude," Most added, though his tone was more amused than offended.
"Actually, you’re being the rudest one," Rei retorted, popping the last bit of meat and bread into his mouth before moving on to his salad and stew. "Anyway, when the finals come around, you might want to place a bet on me. I can at least promise it won't be a one-sided slaughter."
"If you win, it’ll be a massive upset," Ruzy said. Having stood across from Noise himself, he simply couldn't visualize Rei winning. He knew Rei was strong—they had sparred countless times without Ruzy ever landing a meaningful hit—but the gap he had felt against Noise seemed insurmountable.
"Well, if Ruzy’s that skeptical, maybe I’ll put a little money on you. He’s usually got a good head for combat potential," Veikyul said, sounding surprised. Most looked exasperated but was secretly relieved. Ruzy took great pride in his strength, and Most had worried he would be crushed by the loss, but he seemed to have bounced back.
(I guess Noise was just so strong that losing to him didn't feel shameful,) Most thought, turning to Rei.
Rei noticed the look. "What?"
"Nothing. I was just wondering about your opponent for the fourth round tomorrow. Is it that Gyanda fellow who beat Veikyul?"
"That’s what I hear."
"Heh, I suppose he earned it by beating me. He’s had a good run to get this far," Veikyul muttered, her gaze narrowing as she looked at Rei. "Since he’s the one who took me out, make sure you avenge me."
"I don't plan on losing."
"Good. Then I'll trust in you and place my bet tomorrow."
"I won't stop you, but Rei-san’s strength is public knowledge now. I doubt the payout will be much," Most cautioned.
"That's fine, as long as it's something. It's not like there's any risk," Veikyul replied, her expression full of absolute certainty.
Rei wasn't sure if that look was born of genuine trust or simple hope, but he chose to believe it was the former as he finished the last of his salad.