The martial arts tournament continued with the Knight Division.
The next match featured Suunea the Lamia and Uno.
As Uno stepped onto the stage, Kuro and the rest of the pack appeared at the edge of the spectator stands. Kurosan, Uno’s partner, was among them. It might have been my imagination, but Uno seemed to be overflowing with fighting spirit.
In contrast, Suunea looked timid.
"It’s okay. This is different from back then. It's one-on-one. I won’t lose in a one-on-one fight."
She seemed to be battling her past trauma. Suunea held a relatively short spear with a three-pronged tip, resembling the trident of a sea god. I wondered how this would play out.
When Hakuren gave the starting signal, Uno’s horn began to glow brilliantly. His fur fluffed out, and his entire body seemed to grow a size larger.
Oh, wow. I’d never seen him like that before. He looked incredibly formidable. I was startled, but Suunea didn't seem surprised at all. Perhaps she was already used to seeing him this way?
Suunea coiled her tail like a spring, gathering strength. It was the same jumping posture Junea had demonstrated earlier.
"Uraaaaaah!"
With a fierce battle cry, Suunea leveled her short spear and lunged at Uno. Uno performed a massive leap to the side to evade her, but Suunea’s trajectory shifted mid-air, allowing her to pursue him.
I wondered for a moment how she could change direction while airborne, but then I noticed the tip of her tail hadn't actually left the ground. She hadn't jumped at all; she had simply stretched her body to its limit.
Realizing he couldn't retreat any further, Uno bared his fangs to intercept her. They crossed paths in a blur, and before I knew it, Uno had Suunea by the neck. The referee immediately called the match.
"That’s enough! The winner is Uno!"
At that declaration, Kuro and the other wolves began to howl in celebration. On the stage, Uno looked quite proud of himself.
"Ugh, I couldn't do it..."
"Suunea. You did your best."
"Lady Junea..."
"Starting tomorrow, you and I shall resume your training together."
"Yes, ma'am."
Suunea didn't seem to have taken any real damage from the bite to her neck. I assumed it must have been a restrained, "playful" bite. Regardless, I was just glad no one was hurt.
The final match of the first round was Daga versus Makura.
In terms of pure physique, Daga was the clear favorite. Makura was only about the size of half a tatami mat, while Daga was a massive Lizardman. However, Makura had eight legs and his silk attacks. Daga, meanwhile, used an orthodox Swordsman Style with a sword and shield, supplemented by his powerful tail. To be honest, I was worried Daga might accidentally crush Makura.
The match began. It initially looked like a game of cat and mouse, with Makura nimbly dodging Daga’s sword swings and tail swipes. Makura didn't even try to attack, focusing entirely on evasion.
As an amateur observer, I thought it was only a matter of time before one of Daga’s attacks connected and ended the fight. But the audience clearly saw something I didn't.
"Hurry up, Daga!"
"You’re almost out of time!"
"This is bad!"
The cheers sounded as if Daga were the one in trouble. Just as I tilted my head in confusion, something glittered on the stage.
Wait... threads.
Makura had released countless strands of silk, and several were already coiled around Daga’s limbs. As soon as I noticed them, the trap snapped shut. The threads became visible as they tightened around Daga, severely hindering his movements. Once the Lizardman had visibly slowed, Makura leapt into the air and landed squarely on Daga’s head.
"That’s enough! The winner is Makura!"
The match was decided. Makura was surprisingly strong. When the spiderling raised a hand and waved toward me, I waved back.
Frau, acting as the announcer, approached the defeated Daga with a question. "Since the stage is an open space with no obstacles, shouldn't you have forced a grappling match instead of relying on your sword and tail?"
"Grappling, you say...?" Daga called Makura over. "With my speed, I doubt I could have even caught him. And besides..."
As Daga sat down on the stage, the approaching Makura used two of his arms to lift the seated Lizardman clear off the ground.
"I can't even match him in raw power. I think that strategy was my only real chance at victory."
"Haha, my apologies for the suggestion."
The first round was officially over. According to the tournament bracket, the matchups for the second round were as follows:
- Stifano (Devil Race) vs. 02. Tia (Angel Race)
- Lu (Vampire) vs. 07. Kudel (Angel Race)
- Bulga (Devil Race) vs. 11. Uno (Inferno Wolf)
- Makura (Zabuton's Child) vs. 14. Corone (Angel Race)
However, we took a short break here. This was intended to close the gap, however slightly, between those who had received a bye in the first round and those who had just finished fighting.
During this intermission, we held an exhibition match: a bout between Hakuren and Rusty in their human forms.
The two of them took their places on the stage. Instead of their usual skirts, they were wearing trousers suited for movement. Rusty had even modified the back of hers to allow her tail to hang out. Neither wore armor or carried weapons. With their hair tied back, they looked like they were about to go for a light jog.
"Let’s have a good match."
"I don't intend to lose."
I couldn't tell if they were actually motivated or just being casual. Then again, remembering how they behaved when they first arrived at the village, I was worried they might go overboard. Rusty has a bit of a temper, after all. Hakuren can snap too, but she usually has a rational side, so I wasn't quite as concerned about her—though there was always the risk she might cause a scene just for a laugh. I was feeling rather anxious.
Even an exhibition match required a referee. Since the regular referees, Hakuren and Rusty, were the combatants, we needed a replacement. I had tried to find someone beforehand, but everyone had declined, claiming they lacked the confidence to judge such a match.
I had planned to do it myself, but since Draim was here to watch, I asked him. Surprisingly, Dos ended up taking the position instead.
"I promise a fair and impartial judgment," he declared.
I certainly couldn't refuse when he put it that way. In fact, it was more than I could have hoped for. I left it in his hands.
The exhibition match began.
The moment it started, I felt like I was watching a scene from an old manga. Their movements were so fast I couldn't track them. I could see their general positions, but their limbs would occasionally vanish, only to reappear the moment they struck their opponent. Even from this distance, I couldn't follow what was happening. Just how fast were they?
A miniature cyclone erupted on the stage. Seeing this, Dos used magic to manifest a protective barrier around the perimeter. He was likely shielding the spectators in the stands.
I was immensely grateful. I was glad Dos was the one refereeing, and I deeply regretted suggesting an exhibition match to those two. I could only hope the collateral damage would be minimal.
The match continued for about five minutes. Initially, they had been darting all over the stage, but now they were standing their ground in the center, trading blows. It was much easier to follow, which was a relief.
Hakuren appeared to have the upper hand. However, Rusty was holding her own and counterattacking, landing several solid hits. Most of Rusty’s successful strikes were short uppercuts. I wondered if Hakuren was weak against attacks from below. Or perhaps her own... "assets" were blocking her line of sight?
It seemed plausible. As I was considering this, another of Rusty's uppercuts caught Hakuren squarely on the chin. It must have landed deep, as Hakuren’s head snapped back.
This was Rusty's chance. She clearly felt it too, putting all her strength into a follow-up blow to Hakuren’s midsection. Just as Hakuren’s body doubled over, Rusty unleashed a fierce barrage of strikes to her face.
Watching this, I belatedly realized I probably should have made them wear gloves. It was a total onslaught. Rusty’s rapid-fire punches were connecting with heavy, echoing thuds. I wondered if Rusty was about to pull off an upset victory.
I was wrong. Even while being pummeled, Hakuren took a firm step forward.
"Eh?"
She unleashed a massive overhand straight right toward Rusty's face. Hakuren’s fist connected, slamming Rusty into the ground with enough force to create a massive crack in the stage.
Rusty didn't move.
"That’s enough! The exhibition match is over!"
Was she okay? She wasn't dead, was she?
My fears were immediately laid to rest. Rusty twitched, then stood up as if nothing had happened.
"Ugh, I lost again..."
"I'm not ready to give up my spot yet!"
The two of them were perfectly cordial. Despite the brutal exchange, neither showed any sign of lasting damage. There wasn't even a bruise on their faces or anywhere else they’d been hit. So this was the resilience of a dragon.
As I stood there in shock, Dos, acting as the referee, spoke up. "Both of you have become much better at holding back in your human forms."
"Right?"
"Hehe, thank you, Grandfather."
...If that was them holding back, I didn't even want to imagine a serious fight. While trying to put the thought out of my mind, I went to offer my thanks to the two combatants.
Now, it was time for the second round. But first, I had to fix the cracked stage. I know, I know. I'll get right on it.