"Rei, congrats on clearing the fifth round!"
"Congratulations!"
Veikyul's cheers were met with a chorus of voices as everyone raised their cups. Blessings for Rei echoed throughout the room.
Until now, the only ones who would have celebrated Rei's progress were the three members of Wind Dragon Fang—and perhaps Rhodos, though he was absent. But today was different. Within the dining hall of the Eternal Sky Inn, a great many guests were toasting Rei’s victory.
The primary reason for the shared joy was his breakthrough in the fifth round. His next match was the semi-finals, meaning he was officially among the Best 4.
Considering the massive scale of the fighting tournament—drawing thousands of participants from across the Bestia Empire and its neighbors—securing a spot in the final four was a staggering achievement. Every participant had spent years honing their skills for this event; excluding those who entered merely for the sake of the experience, the competitors were formidably strong.
To reach the Best 4 among such a crowd was one thing, but for such a champion to emerge from their own inn was quite another. The commotion was only natural.
Of course, a few individuals still harbored reservations about Rei. Those people were nowhere to be seen in the hall. Even if they had been, they would have finished their meals in stony silence or requested room service, unwilling to breathe the same air as him before quickly departing.
"Man... when I first heard the name 'Crimson,' I wondered what kind of terrifying monster he’d be. I never expected a kid like this," a plump merchant said with a hearty laugh. He sipped his ale, glancing at Rei, who was drinking wine diluted with water.
Since this was a victory celebration, Rei had lowered the hood of his Dragon Robe. His delicate, almost girlish face was exposed for all to see. Several people in the dining hall stared in surprise at the youth's true face, which had remained hidden throughout most of the tournament.
"Whoa... that's Crimson? If I hadn't seen his strength with my own eyes in the arena, I'd never believe it."
"Right? I saw him training in the courtyard, but his hood was up then, too. This is my first time seeing his face as well."
A pair of adventurers sat a short distance away, watching Rei as they spoke. They had participated in the tournament themselves but had been knocked out during the main tournament. While clearing the qualifiers proved they had some skill, their pride had vanished the moment they saw Rei advance to the semi-finals. They knew better than to judge a book by its cover, but this was an extreme case.
"Still, to think you'd make it all the way to the semi-finals. It’s honestly impressive," Veikyul remarked, her voice tinged with lingering disbelief.
"You think so? He didn't even break a sweat when he sparred with us. In fact, I'd say this was expected," Ruzy replied, tearing into a grilled skewer.
Despite his words, Ruzy’s gaze held little in the way of admiration. Having fought Noise and lost, he had already concluded that Rei stood no chance of victory, even if he managed to win the semi-finals and reach the last match.
Rei sensed a touch of cynicism in Ruzy's attitude. However, considering Noise’s reputation and track record clearly eclipsed his own, anything Rei said in his own defense would likely sound like a poor excuse.
Most, sensing the shifting mood, reached for a plate of cheese to steer the conversation elsewhere. "Rather than worrying about the finals, we should focus on tomorrow's match. How are you feeling about it, Rei-san?"
"Hmm... well—"
Before Rei could finish his sentence, another voice broke in.
"Oh, I'm looking forward to tomorrow's semi-final myself! It’s the battle between Crimson Rei and Digma of the Water Dragon!"
A man sitting at a neighboring table, apparently another adventurer caught up in the victory celebration, shouted over to them. A woman sitting with him cut in, looking flustered.
"Hey! Don't just start shouting at them... at least introduce yourself first. Sorry, I'm Kaminina. This idiot is Reizas. Forgive us for interrupting."
Both looked to be adventurers in their mid-20s. Reizas watched Rei with intense curiosity.
"Digma of the Water Dragon, huh," Rei muttered.
He had watched several of the man's matches, so he knew the name and his combat style. Advancing to the semi-finals as an alias holder already guaranteed the man's strength, but more than that...
"He's an A-Rank adventurer," Rei said, almost to himself.
Hearing this, a chill ran down Ruzy's spine. It felt as though an icicle had been pressed against his back. It was a bizarre reaction; Rei had merely stated the rank of his next opponent, yet the weight of the words was suffocating.
"...Rei?" Ruzy called out tentatively, feeling overwhelmed by the boy's presence.
"No, it's nothing. I was just thinking about the match. After all, the opponent is an A-Rank adventurer and an alias holder—and an elf, to boot."
By the time he finished speaking, Rei had returned to his usual self. Ruzy, however, found himself unable to say anything more.
Most, interested in the topic, decided to elaborate. "Because he's an elf, he likely possesses much higher magic power than a human. That's what allows him to fight as a magic warrior. In that regard, he’s the same type of fighter as you, Rei-san. It should be quite a spectacle."
"Right? That's exactly what I thought! You get it, don't you?" Reizas grinned and slapped Most on the back.
The mage, struck repeatedly by a warrior's heavy hand, coughed as he nodded.
"Cough... r-right. Despite both being magic warriors, Digma specializes in water-system magic as his alias suggests, relying on high-level techniques and swift sword skills. Against him is Rei-san, who uses flame-system magic and a great scythe wielded with overwhelming physical ability. They’re similar, yet distinct."
"An elf using a sword is rare, too," Veikyul added, stabbing a potato covered in melted cheese. "I haven't met many elves, but most I've seen use bows and spirit magic."
Rei nodded. "The elves I know were like that as well. At least, the ones I met during my rank up exam. And then there's..."
The image of the voluptuous dark elf from Gilm flashed through his mind, but he quickly dismissed the thought. He knew Marina possessed incredible skill as a mage, and he’d heard her archery was top-tier, but since he hadn't seen it personally, he felt it best not to bring her up. Besides, there was no telling how such rumors might travel.
"In any case, I'm looking forward to fighting an elf with an alias. Though it might be an overstatement to call it a 'final adjustment' before I face Noise."
"I'll say," Reizas remarked with an exasperated look. "I mean, you've got an alias too, but so does your opponent. And he's A-Rank. By any normal logic, he's the superior combatant."
Rei simply offered a small smile and took a bite of a gratin made with bacon, cheese, and potatoes. If Reizas had known that Rei had already defeated Elk, the legendary 'Axe of the Thunder God,' his opinion might have been very different. But Rei saw no reason to boast.
"Wow... you can see the fire in his eyes," Kaminina said.
"Well, of course," Veikyul replied. "If he wins tomorrow, he’s in the finals. And the opponent there will undoubtedly be Noise the Immovable. Any man would be fired up for that."
The two women had hit it off quickly and were chatting away with smiles. However, someone decided to voice a protest.
"I’d appreciate it if you didn't assume every man has the same personality as Rei-san," Most interjected.
The mage clearly didn't want to be lumped in with Rei, but the two women ignored him, turning their attention back to their own party members—Ruzy and Reizas. The two warriors had hit it off just as well, sharing drinks and laughing loudly. The victory celebration had descended into a perfect whirlpool of chaos as more guests joined in the drinking.
"...Anything to say to that?" Veikyul asked, looking at the two warriors.
Most spoke up again, though he knew it was a losing battle. "I'm a mage, not a warrior. I'd prefer not to be compared to them."
"Mhm. Whatever you say," Veikyul said dismissively, shoving a 30cm cask of wine toward him. "You're part of this too, so drink up."
Most tried to resist, but his struggle only seemed to intrigue Kaminina. Her cheeks flushed as she pressed closer to the mage.
"Now, now. Refusing a drink from a lady? Other men would be furious if they heard that. Or maybe they'd be jealous? Either way, you shouldn't make a woman lose face."
"Wait, h-hold on! Just a minute!"
"No way. Come on, should I feed it to you mouth-to-mouth instead?"
"Waaaah! Wait, why did she suddenly get like this?! And Veikyul! You can't start undressing!"
Usually, Most would have used his staff to keep Veikyul's habit of undressing in check, but he was currently pinned down by Kaminina and had his hands full. He looked toward the table for Rei's help, but the boy had vanished.
"Eh? Rei-san?! Rei-san! Where did you go?! Don't leave me here! Rei-san, please come back!"
Whether Most's face was red from distress, Kaminina’s proximity, Veikyul’s state of undress, or the alcohol he’d been forced to consume was anyone's guess. Most would surely have insisted it was the alcohol, but given that no one was coming to his rescue, it seemed no one believed him.
"Phew... finally, some peace."
Having used Most as a decoy to escape the dining hall without a second thought, Rei had returned to the second floor. Looking out a window near his room, he saw the moon hanging in a cloudless sky. It was a sign that tomorrow would almost certainly be clear.
Rei had never been particularly fond of alcohol. While the smell alone wouldn't affect him, he refused to risk even a slight hangover before a match.
"Digma of the Water Dragon, huh."
He had played along in the dining hall, but Rei's eyes were fixed solely on the finals. An A-Rank adventurer with an alias was undoubtedly powerful, but Rei didn't feel like he would lose. Still, he would have to be earnest to ensure a victory.
Being earnest and using full power are two different things, though, he thought.
He understood that his greatest advantage over Noise was his massive well of magic power. However, he was certain Noise would be watching tomorrow's match. To use his magic power at full throttle would be to reveal his hand prematurely—something he wanted to avoid.
Of course, there's no point in holding back if it meant losing. I’ll have to keep a trump card ready just in case.
He looked back up at the night sky. The moonlight washed over the earth as if welcoming the battle to come.
Like I thought, it’ll be a clear day tomorrow.
Deciding it would be foolish to stay up late and ruin his condition, Rei went to his room and lay down. He thought he heard pained wails echoing from the first floor, but he decided it was just his imagination and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.