In the Land of Leadale - Volume 7 - Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - A Tourney, the Unforeseen, the Unexpected and Those Acquired

After returning Caerick to Helshper and arriving in Felskeilo with Mai-Mai via the cathedral, Cayna headed to the remote village to check on the projector.

“Sheesh, everyone’s been glued to that thing and causin’ a fuss for the past few days now.”

Hands on her hips, Marelle looked at the crowd gathered in front of the projector and gave a wry smile. Perhaps it was because her daughter, Lytt, was among them, but she seemed a bit exasperated.

While Cayna was away, Roxine ordered the villagers to keep a reasonable distance after noticing some who would get close enough to the screen to lick it. After talking it over with each other, the Double Rs put up a rope about two meters from the screen. Those who crossed it would be banned from drinking alcohol for ten days in both the tavern and their own homes. Those who reported violators could enjoy a drink on the house. Marelle wasn’t the only one keeping an eye out, either. Friends and other village ladies had joined her as well.

Cayna heard all this upon her return, when Roxine politely asked her to electrify the rope.

“If I do that, I just know someone is going to get fried instantly!”

Kuu pointed and laughed as Cayna smacked Roxine with a paper fan.

“What if one of the kids breaks the rules? Like Luka or Lytt?”

“Then they’ll be assigned to clean the bathhouse. If they report an anonymous tip, they’ll receive our high-quality fruit juice.”

“‘Anonymous tip’…”

The fruit juice Cayna made with her skills was very sweet yet sugar-free. It was popular with not only children but the village women as well.

“I’m guessing Mimily hasn’t been much of a problem.”

“Miss Mimily is apparently enjoying the tavern’s lively atmosphere and hasn’t paid much attention to the projector.”

“If anything, she has shown keen interest in the view from your tower, Lady Cayna,” Roxilius added.

“I see. Maybe I should give Mimily the chance to swim in the sky.”

“…I would suggest otherwise.”

“Really?”

Roxilius narrowed his eyes, and he waved a hand in front of him. Cayna simply thought, I’ll ask her next time and dropped the issue.

When she returned home, they held a meeting to discuss everything that had happened while she was away. Granted, three days wasn’t very long, and the village’s relaxed atmosphere suggested all was well.

“Did Opus come back?”

“No, not even once. Neither has Lady Siren.”

The Double Rs shook their heads in unison. As usual, Cayna had no idea what Opus was thinking, so it was impossible to predict his motives.

Did he find a third party member? Did he actually have one all along, and if so, was he still training them? Was he hiding away in his own tower?

“There is another matter, Lady Cayna,” Roxilius began.

“Hmm? What’s that?”

“A worrisome situation arose while you were away.”

“Oh yeah? How much could’ve happened in three days? I can’t imagine it was an attack, since you two are always on top of things.”

“No, the issue concerns merchants and travelers.”

“Something to do with the projector, right?”

“Yes.”

Cayna figured as much. According to Elineh, most merchants were a troublesome lot who believed that anything could be bought for the right price.

“One was particularly unruly. Said they’d offer a fair price and demanded we sell it.”

“So you requested an insane amount?”

“No, the projector is not for sale. I stood my ground.”

Cayna was positive Roxilius didn’t resolve this conflict through words alone. Since he had more battle skills than Roxine, it was his responsibility to deal with visitors and unreasonable demands while Cayna was away. Many underestimated Roxilius at first glance, due to his gentle, youthful looks, but his Dread skill must have made quick work of that nagging merchant. The man likely ran home with his tail between his legs.

“Is that all?” Cayna asked.

This time, it was Roxine who answered as she brought more tea.

“There was also a Peeping Tom.”

“A Peeping Tom? At the bathhouse? Didn’t I put up a barrier on the women’s side?”

Just to be safe, a solid barrier that doubled as a two-way mirror was erected around the women’s bath. It allowed a person to see out but not in. This was also why the bathhouse doubled as an evacuation center in the (unlikely) event of a stampede or similar emergency.

The culprit was slithering midair over the women’s open-air bath (on top of the barrier) when Roxilius spotted him and knocked him down. Once caught, the man, a self-proclaimed minstrel, said it was his second time in the village.

“Where is he now?”

“We have already handed him over to the Helshper guards at the border.”

“Uh-oh. They must’ve been pretty angry.”

“They were.”

The Helshper border guards considered the remote village their ideal vacation getaway and had little tolerance for anyone or anything that threatened this. When Roxilius handed the culprit over, the guards told him the punishment for peeping was one month of unpaid hard labor at the border fortress.

It turned out the lurker’s true target was Mimily alone. He’d seen her eating at the tavern and became smitten, then sought his chance.

“He tried to shoot his shot that quickly? Is his brain rotten?”

“One would assume so. I wish I had crushed the man before we handed him over.”

No need to ask what part of this man Roxine would have crushed, of course.

Roxilius did his best to ignore her and Cayna’s fiendish grins.

After her meeting with the Double Rs, a group raised a ruckus as they raced down the road outside.

“It’s starting! It’s starting! It’s on!”

“Let’s hurry to the inn or we’ll miss it!”

It was obvious from all the excitement that the tourney had finally begun. Other people could be heard rushing from their homes, and the village was suddenly whipped into a fervor.

However, things were slightly different from what Cayna was told.

“Different, you say?” Roxine asked.

“Looking at the participants, I bet the knight captain Shining Saber will use his ‘scrying’ to figure out how long the tournament will last,” Cayna said.

““‘Scrying’?””

The Double Rs were confused at the unfamiliar word.

“Shining Saber can discriminate between fighters with Search, right?”

Isn’t that kind of a gimmick? Cayna thought as she voiced her predictions. The two nodded in understanding.

However, even Shining Saber was undoubtedly concerned this time around, since the more powerful Opus and Siren, plus one other, would participate as well. The opening ceremony and tournament were scheduled to last for a total of three days.

“I heard today is just the opening ceremony and a demonstration,” Cayna said.

“A demonstration?”

“Of what, might I ask?”

“It’s an event where anyone can challenge the top three fighters from last year’s solo tournament.”

“Ohhh.”

Roxine’s and Roxilius’s sudden lack of interest was comical.

Since Cayna had been in the capital until the previous day, Skargo brought the tourney schedule to the village as soon as possible. Not many would have the gall to make the High Priest their errand boy.

“Kuu will join, too!”

“You don’t have the Go Easy skill, so someone would definitely die.”

“Oh, true.”

“Also, I imagine the whole town would be chasing after you…”

“Very true.”

An encounter with a fairy was said to bring happiness, and within the capital, it wasn’t only children who believed this.

“All righty,” Cayna said as she stood and prepared to tell the werecats her next course of action. “Starting today, I’ll take another look at the projector, then fly to the Battle Arena again.”

“Understood.”

“When might we expect your return?”

The Double Rs bowed in unison, but only Roxilius asked when Cayna would return.

“The Battle Arena tower is fully charged now, so there’s always the chance something might set it off. I’ll keep an eye on it until the tournament is over.”

“Understood.”

Whenever intruders arrived, Cayna’s tower would automatically stretch the steps and forest labyrinth below into infinity without the Guardian’s permission. She couldn’t say for certain whether or not the Battle Arena possessed the same function, so she decided to keep an eye on it just in case. Cayna tried asking the smoky Guardian, but it said unsettling things like, “I do not understand.” Her only option was to bet on the original Skill Master Kyotaro’s innate benevolence.

Let us shift to the events of the Battle Arena during the opening ceremony.

The king had just delivered a word of thanks from the highest seat in the stadium, and a knight participant shouted, “In the spirit of chivalry, may we duel with honor!”

Opus and his team weren’t knights or anything like that, so such conscientiousness didn’t apply to them. He glanced around with the Multi-View skill and confirmed there were no strange tricks. Multi-View allowed the user to look in every direction like a compound-eyed insect, and since skills could be combined, he cast Search and Disclosure as well. Several minor issues appeared, but for the most part there was nothing malicious in nature. Excessive friendliness would have been an even bigger problem.

Besides himself, the knight captain, and one other participant, Opus confirmed several other players within the spectator stands of the Battle Arena tower. He felt their gazes radiate with sharp resentment, and the corners of his mouth instinctively formed a smile.

There were a total of five registered parties. There were initially six, but one ran off during the matchup raffle. Their terrified stares fell on Opus, so they were either players or adventurers who had recognized him.

During the raffle, Opus was able to confirm two players. One was the level-427 knight captain Shining Saber. They had never met in person, but Opus knew a bit about him from Cayna. There was also Cohral, a tank member from the party known as the Armor of Victory. He was level 392. Opus hadn’t met him, either, but got a general overview from Cayna.

The boastful Shining Saber had cast Search on everyone as soon as the tournament kicked off, and Opus remembered the sheer panic on the dragoid’s face when he caught sight of him. Cohral glanced over at him as well.

In all honesty, almost every participant and spectator was fixated on Opus’s nameless party. They had the bare minimum of three members: the robed demon Opus, the indifferent elf maid Siren, and last, a small figure in full armor who stood at the forefront. The contestant wasn’t some dullahan-like monster. That much was clear.

Everyone stared suspiciously at the big-medium-small lineup.

Can they fight?

Do they even want to fight?

Are they about to die?

The thoughts of the spectators and participants (with two exceptions) were centered around these three points. In any case, outside some unfortunate accident, killing an opponent was grounds for disqualification.

“Thank goodness no one noticed,” Cayna murmured from her distant village beyond the projector.

A demonstration was scheduled after the opening ceremony, so the participants had some free time. In the past, they could stay in an aristocratic villa near the Battle Arena that offered comfortable beds and limitless food, but Opus had also heard stories of unchecked alcohol and women from fellow contestants. There had been previous incidents of angry, violent drunks and poisonings by women, so apparently these were no longer provided. Moreover, the knights would remain on high alert throughout the tourney, so all participants were instructed to remain in the area.

Opus already had alcohol in his Item Box and could make it himself at any time, so that was no issue. He also had absolutely no interest in women.

As Opus passed through a corridor to exit the Battle Arena, he stopped when rapid footsteps approached him from behind.

“Shall I dispose of them?” the expressionless Siren suggested with unsettling composure.

“…”

Opus had the elf and small suit of armor stand down while they awaited the approaching players. It wasn’t long before Shining Saber and Cohral appeared.

“I am Opuskettenshultheimer Crosstettbomber!”

Before the two could even react, Opus took the initiative and cast Dread. They cried out as an immense force threatened to crush them, but the demon soon revoked his spell. He looked at them wearily.

“That’s what happens when you approach a high-level player unprepared.”

He’d plainly been planning to mess with them all along.

The demon guffawed, but neither Shining Saber nor Cohral had the energy to complain.

“Damn it! Ya got us.”

“We were only going to introduce ourselves!”

“I know.”

““And you did all that anyway?!””

“Man, this guy’s just as nasty as Cayna said.”

They faced Opus again but only had complaints for him.

“You’re Shining Saber, the sub-leader of the Silver Moon Horsemen, and Cohral, an average guild member. I think you’ve each fallen for my traps about four times.”

“You seriously remember?!” Shining Saber exclaimed.

“Those names are pretty long. How about a name-changing trap?”

“Pay attention, damn it! And don’t you freakin’ dare try your disgusting tricks on us!”

“Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! I’ll do you a favor and swap them out with magic. How’s ‘Tweety’ sound for a new name?”

“This guy’s a monster!”

“That’s sure putting it lightly! What is he?!”

Shining Saber and Cohral, now reduced to two clueless, raging stooges, had been thrown to the wolves. Then, they were struck by a mysterious spell.

“Aghhhhh!”

“I don’t want to be Tweetyyy!”

The men fell to their knees with their heads hung low. They checked their Stats Windows and soon realized their names were unaltered.

““It’s…it’s the same!””

Shining Saber and Cohral shouted for joy and hugged each other. Just as the men were celebrating their relief, an icy voice rang out.

“Men hugging? You disgust me,” said Opus.

Even if they decided to argue, it was exactly what it looked like. They simply fell into a depressed silence.

“Well, I’d say that’s enough fooling around. What’s your business with me?”

If anyone was sick of shenanigans, it was Shining Saber and Cohral. However, their small boat had capsized and left them too tired to argue.

Despite being thrown into hell a mere five minutes after meeting Opus, the two joined the demon in the reception room of his temporary lodgings. There was no staff available, so each guest was responsible for themselves. Incidentally, damaging the building’s interior and furnishings would incur a fee, so Opus had wasted no time casting preservation magic everywhere. Apart from the knights, the participants all appeared to exert caution.

Opus had Siren, and serving him was her forte. Perhaps to express her displeasure, the maid had placed water, of all things, in front of Shining Saber and Cohral.

“Isn’t your maid kinda scary?”

“The two of you must have accidentally made a rude comment about her chest and butt.”

An instant later, a tray came flying out of nowhere and stuck in the back of the demon’s head. Siren had apparently learned a thing or two from Marelle. It was a bone-chilling sight.

“So let me ask again. What is your business with me?”

“Can I ask something before that?” Shining Saber ventured.

“If it’s about the tray, I’ll immediately throw you from this house. Are you all right with that?”

Neither Shining Saber nor Cohral could hide their discomfort, but they continued the discussion at hand. The tray in question dyed half of Opus’s head red as crimson droplets steadily dripped.

“I take it you wish to know why I’ve entered the tournament?”

“Y-yeah! It’s open to anyone, though. As long as you passed the preliminaries, I’ve got no complaints here!” Shining Saber emphasized. He, too, was a participant, but he also planned to invite any promising warriors to join the knights. That was his secret mission.

In that sense, Cohral passed with flying colors. However, the knights could not have too many players, lest it disrupt each country’s balance of power. Be that as it may, a Transcendental appearing in the tourney was entirely unexpected. The issue was that everyone else would get steamrolled before they even knew what hit them and come off as a pathetic weakling.

“It’s like nuking an ant. Up against you, that’s all even me and Shining Saber will ever be.”

“Bwa-ha-ha-ha. I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

“It’s no laughin’ matter. What’s your endgame? Wealth, fame? I doubt you just wanna win.”

“None of the above. You can’t even begin to imagine my motives.”

“Come on, you can tell us!”

“Don’t act all vague and try to confuse us. Limit Breaker or not, if you dare threaten this country, I’ll strike back even if I don’t stand a chance!” Shining Saber said sharply as he placed one hand on his sword.

Cohral followed suit and shifted into a crouch. The pair cast every battle skill in their arsenal as they zealously searched for the slightest opening.

After a prolonged staring contest, Opus shrugged wearily.

“You’re both too much,” he said while waving a hand in surrender. “Just stop. A death match won’t accomplish anything. I don’t want to fight here, so put away your weapons.”

“Haaah.”

“Pheeeew. I think I just aged ten years…”

Shining Saber had been fully prepared to sacrifice himself, but his fighting spirit dissipated the second the tension broke. Cohral broke out in a sweat and collapsed to the floor.

“Don’t scare me like that,” he complained.

“We need the remaining players in this world.”

“Huh?”

“Players?”

“You must’ve seen them countless times as a knight captain. Enemies from the game, I mean.”

“You mean like the ones from that attack earlier?!”

Not much time had passed since the lycanthrope known as a leohead led the local monsters in a charge against Felskeilo. Among the knights, the spoils of war included the lingering bitter aftertaste of cowardice. To their eternal shame, they had turned traitorous after being easily bewitched by the monsters.

However, from Shining Saber’s perspective, the modern-day knights were physically robust but mentally inferior to the game’s enemies. Their only recourse was to let fate decide. Telling the citizens, who knew the details of the incident, it had simply been a difference in power was out of the question, so the knights’ dishonor could only be cleared by their own actions. Shining Saber could only watch his subordinates in frustration, so his goal for this tourney was to demonstrate his peak fighting prowess to the masses and restore the knights’ honor.

“Are you sayin’ you know how that happened?!”

“I am.”

Shining Saber slammed his fist on the table; he could have smashed it to pieces if he wanted. A boom echoed, but it was only thanks to the Preservation Magic left that no harm was done.

“You’re getting too worked up, Shining Saber. Try to calm down.”

Cohral gave his increasingly irate companion a firm smack on the shoulder and brought him back to his senses. A certain amount of force was needed against a dragoid’s scales or it was likely to go unnoticed.

“Does this have something to do with the large barrier in the Brown Kingdom? Countless monsters from the Game Era are sealed in there. Maybe they got out?” Cohral asked Opus in hopes of a conclusive answer. It was something he’d been thinking about ever since his conversation with Cayna.

First of all, this world shared too many similarities with the game. The most extreme example was the Guardian Towers, and Pillage Drop Points used in war were utterly pointless here. Although an accident, monsters like that penguin wreaked havoc once awakened, and it was nearly impossible to find anyone strong enough to defeat them.

“Well, we’ll talk it over at some point. I’ve said all I can,” replied Opus. He let the others have their say but cut the conversation short without revealing too much. Immediately afterward, the demon stood and approached Siren, who had been waiting patiently in a corner of the room. He reached for her shoulder.

“Hey!”

“Hmph. If you wish so badly to make me to talk, I challenge you to a Skill Master’s trial.”

“A trial? I thought Cayna was in charge of the Battle Arena.”

“That is an unrelated matter. If you win this tourney, I’ll tell you the reason.”

Opus smirked and then teleported somewhere with Siren. Any attempt to chase after them was futile, so the bitter pair reluctantly gave up.

“As usual, he loves screwin’ with people.”

“He’s even worse than those live interviews suggested.”

As both resentfully reminisced, the door to the room swung open. Assuming Opus had returned, the men readied themselves only to encounter a different Skill Master.

“Sheesh. You guys deserve a medal for putting up with Opus.”

“Ah, Cayna.”

“Hold up, where’d you come from?! This building is for contestants only!” Shining Saber demanded, pointing an accusatory finger.

Cayna flushed. “Ah, um, well…,” she began, before shooting him an angry glare. “While I was hanging out in front of the building, they let me right in as your fiancée! Hurry up and do something about that fake rumor already! Just how long are you going to let this joke drag out?!”

She completely snapped.

Being known as “the knight captain’s fiancée” to every knight and soldier in the country caused Cayna no end of trouble. Yet despite her complaints, that same title also gave her easy access to restricted areas. The knights’ tarnished image was likely rooted in such lax regulations more than in dishonor.

“F-fiancée? Where the heck did that come from?”

“This is why everyone named ‘Shining Saber’ is evil!”

“Gwah?!”

Shining Saber’s mistake was made with the best of intentions, so he couldn’t say anything. He fell into a painful silence, and Cayna glared at him before turning to Cohral.

“What? Are you here to laugh at me?”

“No. You sure do have a victim complex, huh?”

“So why are you here?”

“I was just wondering how you ended up in an event like this in the first place.”

“Oh, that.”

“You always kind of hang back in your party, right? Acting as a tank, handling odd jobs, and that sort of thing.”

“How do you know so much about my party? Are you stalking me or something?”

After Cohral woke in this world, he formed a party called the Armor of Victory with the young men of the village who took him in. As a player, he had always kept his true power hidden and upheld the role of the unsung hero.

“No, the mages told me. They wish you wouldn’t hold back, though.”

“Tch. Those guys, huh…?”

Cayna had met up with the Armor of Victory on multiple occasions and come to know Cohral’s companions quite well. While he was busy talking to Opus, Cayna had gotten in touch with them and learned it was Cohral’s idea to participate in the tournament despite his discreet nature. Something about her must have made them realize he and Cayna shared a close connection (as fellow players).

She gave props to the party’s mages who simply laughed and said, “We’ve known each other for ten years, after all.”

“You guys will be up against the knights in the very first round, so everything worked out.”

“Ah, you saw the matchup?”

There were five teams in total, so a raffle to decide each battle was held before the ceremony. The seeded team was an all-mage adventurer guild from Otaloquess, and the first round was the knights versus the Armor of Victory. Opus would face a flamboyantly dressed party in the second round.

The seeded party automatically qualified for the quarterfinal via a second lottery and would battle the victors. This was set to take place the entire following day, so distribution of stamina was undeniably a main topic of conversation among the remaining teams. However, one party had an outsider among them.

“I gave you Valhalla, so use it. Make sure you fillet Shining Saber.”

“You tryin’ to kill me?!” the dragoid snapped right after bouncing back from his pit of agony. “Hey, if Cohral is gonna use that, I’ve got an idea, too!”

“Huh?”

“Cayna, you mentioned a reward before! Instead of skills, give me a sword!”

“‘Before’…? Oh, you mean for helping out with the white whale.”

Shining Saber was talking about the time Cayna had fished out the white whale tower and made it a protective river god. She had asked the knights and princess for their help and planned to give him three skills. Her friend had been silent thus far, but this unexpected opportunity seemingly inspired him to request the ideal sword instead.

“Hmm. If we’re talking swords, I’ve got just the thing. One sec.”

One Guardian Ring and chant later, Cayna was in the Battle Arena tower. Having remembered the contents of Kyotaro’s Item Box, she carefully rummaged through it, found the sword in question, and returned to Shining Saber.

“Hey there, sorry for the wait!”

“What wait? That was speedy,” Cohral said.

“There’s no effect when you come back, huh?”

“That’s what impresses you?”

The mood was light as Cayna handed the sword to Shining Saber. Since Kyotaro was the former guildmaster of the Silver Moon Horsemen, she figured he wouldn’t mind if she gave it to a fellow guild member.

“The Sycophant Sword Runberserk?!”

“It’s one rank beneath Valhalla, but considering the difference in level between you and Cohral, it should be a fair fight.”

“Wait, doesn’t it have a double slash attack that sends you flyin’? I’d probably die from the aftershock alone.”

“Isn’t that just another chance to show your stuff, Shining Saber?” Cayna asked with nonchalance as she handed the sword over and concluded her business.

Shining Saber had no complaints about borrowing it, but he wondered about her reaction. He carefully examined every centimeter of the sword, and the dragoid’s heart danced.

He wanted to swing it already. He wanted to cross swords with someone. What effect would it have?

“Shining Saber, that face says you want to test it out on the next person who crosses your path…”

“He’s a madman. We’re all doomed.”

“You better watch it. I’ll remember that tomorrow, Cohral.”

“Eek!”

Cohral trembled as Shining Saber pointed the blade at him with a vicious smile. The thought of squaring up against it the next day gave him a headache, but there was no question a single hit would be enough to send his party into the abyss. To prevent this, Cohral had no choice but to put himself directly in the line of fire. Rousing himself, he firmly gripped his own sword, Valhalla, and entered a fierce staring contest with Shining Saber.

Incidentally, Cayna considered her work done once she handed over the sword, and she soon headed back to Mai-Mai’s house. Cohral and Shining Saber finally realized her absence when Siren suddenly returned and chased them from the building.

The first battle began early the next morning. Every participant was forcefully awoken at the same time, and they ate a hearty breakfast before heading to the Battle Arena.

Although the market had just opened, the stadium was already overcrowded. People were crammed in the corridors, and anyone watching the scene would have been struck speechless for far less.

After a brief explanation and a blaring trumpet tune as an opener, the tournament was soon underway. Rumor had it that a band used to play grand music for appearance’s sake, but it was kept concise after an incident where the impatient crowd jeered and threw things into the Arena. The fact that it was a place where citizens could release their frustrations was a contributing factor.

When determining the winner and loser, it was standard for either both opponents to agree or for His Majesty, who presided over the battle, to make the final call. The audience could also cast a majority vote, depending on the situation. It was pretty haphazard.

The tournament also used to have a referee, but this, too, was removed, since contestants constantly bribed their way to victory. It made anyone want to say, “If you’re going to fight, go all out!”

The first round was five knights versus five adventurers. The spectators anticipated a messy, close-combat battle between multiple fighters and voiced their doubts when one person carrying a large sword stepped forward from each camp as representative. It was Shining Saber for the knights and Cohral for the adventurers.

The clueless spectators saw this and began to openly gawk and jeer.

“C’mon! We doin’ this or not?!”

“Are they gonna fight one-on-one and count the most wins?”

“I ain’t here to watch a solo match!”

“Get serious!”

The other participants waiting their turn along the walls of the Battle Arena heard this, and only Opus chuckled with amusement, despite the awkward atmosphere.

“Keh-keh-keh. These fools don’t even realize what’s about to happen. I hope they’re ‘blown’ away.”

“Master, your tastes truly run wicked.”

“…”

Opus was the only one acting like a nefarious kingpin and caught the attention of the other fighters. Whether or not he realized this was unclear.

“At any rate, now we’ll get this irritating knockout tournament out of the way faster.”

Opus glanced around at the participants who awaited the outcome of the battle with bated breath. His primary focus was on those awaiting their turn.

Meanwhile, Cayna, who watched live via her Pair of Eyes in the Guardian’s room, nodded in satisfaction as Roxilius contacted her from the remote village. With the main tournament finally underway, the inn’s tavern had been packed with villagers since that morning. Aside from Mimily and those who couldn’t leave their fields, everyone was in attendance. It seemed the mermaid was averse to violence and had an inherent dislike for competitive fighting.

“Is this not a thing in mermaid culture?”

“I have not heard further details, but most likely,” Roxilius answered.

“Hmm. I guess it’s a sensitive subject, so don’t be too nosy.”

“Understood.”

“Well then, I’ll leave you to it, Rox. Sorry to ask so much, but let me know if you have technical difficulties like static noise or the sound cutting out.”

“As you wish.”

She couldn’t see his face, but Cayna imagined Roxilius offering a polite bow as their conversation ended.

The tournament kept him busier than ever. In addition to patrolling the village, he also had to maintain the projector and check for issues, watch the children, and monitor visitors. Roxilius also single-handedly cleaned, did laundry, and kept house, but his results were far different from the domestic Roxine’s.

“I should really give him a vacation when I get back,” Cayna said.

I’ve gotta show my appreciation, whether he likes it or not, she thought.

“Anyway…”

Cayna sat on a laughably high-backed throne she took from her Item Box and entered Relaxed Spectator Mode. A plate of cookies Roxine had made sat on a small table in the Guardian’s room, along with three cups of black tea.

Kuu immediately alighted on the table and stuffed a cookie in her mouth. Crumbs flew everywhere.

“Come join us, Mai-Mai.”

“C-can we really have tea here?”

Cayna had invited her daughter to the Guardian’s room as thanks for having her over. Mai-Mai had first sat down to watch the tournament outside from the myriad of panels floating around them, but her discomfort was evident.

“You don’t mind having Mai-Mai around, right?” Cayna asked the smoky Guardian standing at attention beside her.

“Indeed. There is no issue,” it replied, nodding like a true yes-man.

Was it unable to stand up against a Skill Master or simply obedient? Perhaps Cayna and the Guardians could forge a whole new relationship if she tinkered with the system inside her, but she’d have to master it first.

Despite the Guardian’s acceptance, Mai-Mai’s teacup trembled in her hand.

“You’ll never taste it that way.”

“I’m well aware!”

Cayna never expected Mai-Mai to talk back like that and felt like a pigeon hit by a peashooter.

At any rate, outside the tower, a battle for the ages loomed in the worst sort of way.

““Arghhhhhhhhh!!””

Shining Saber wielded his black blade while Cohral brandished his white one. Then, in the blink of an eye, both sides clashed in the center of the Battle Arena.

Shiiiing!

A single clang echoed, and their positions alternated.

Before anyone knew what was happening, there was another sharp clash, and their positions shifted again. Simultaneous cheers and screams flew from the audience. The shouting came from the ravenous spectators at the forefront, but applause rose from the higher seats in the back.

The clash between Runberserk and Valhalla immediately released a shock wave across the surrounding area. It struck each body to the core, and a powerful blast of wind sent the closest onlookers rolling.

Fellow knights, the Armor of Victory, and other participants waiting their turn in the Battle Arena were no exception.

And as usual, some were off in their own world.

“Graghhhhhhh!!”

“Arghhhhh!!”

The duo’s heated swordfight unfolded in the center of the Battle Arena and blinded them to all else.

Each clashed swords and then parried. They crossed paths and struck again. It was a decisive battle no one else could see.

However, the surrounding area was in deep peril.

Those in the arena weren’t the only ones thunderstruck.

Back in the Guardian Tower, Cayna felt the same way as she watched through the screens. After all, she never expected a fight between players to produce such an aftermath. Back in the game, the surrounding area would remain untouched as long as the combating players didn’t use long-range magic or techniques.

Shining Saber and Cohral were levels 427 and 392 respectively. What would happen to the surrounding area if two Transcendentals clashed?

“Um, Guardian?”

“Yes?”

“About the barrier between the seats and the main arena…”

“There is nothing.”

“Ah, I see. There’s noth… Wait, nothing?!”

“Correct,” it replied with shocking brevity.

Back in the game, any curious, unoccupied onlookers would erect a barrier prior to a PvP battle. It was implicitly understood that they were safe from the techniques and magic that went flying.

Here, Cayna and Opus were the onlookers. She could have sworn there would be safety measures in place. Nevertheless, Cayna had no intention to dive into the fray. Opus was already on the scene, and his inaction surely meant the demon was up to something. Nothing good, no doubt.

Meanwhile, the shock waves and wind pressure began to mix.

Rotary Knife Shot Las Ring Saw

Shining Saber put distance between himself and Cohral before casting a long-range attack that fired multiple rotating, saw-like rings of wind at once. The level of damage depended on the player, but it was not to be taken lightly. Cohral only struck down the projectiles aimed directly at him.

Of course, those that missed their mark flew behind him. These were no match for the eternal and unchanging Battle Arena, but anything else would be torn to pieces.

Every participant besides Opus screamed and ran from the approaching wind slices in a panic, and the makeshift chairs along the wall were instantly mangled. It was a bizarre sight, since there wasn’t a single scratch on either the wall or the floor.

All the contestants who had just narrowly escaped death saw this and nearly burst into tears. They trembled and held one another in petrified fear as the very picture of hell threatened to choke them with sobs. The seats were quickly emptied, and it was every man for himself whenever a shock wave flew by. The rest were either weirdos brave enough to see the outcome or young men who scowled hatefully at the Battle Arena’s top dogs.

The guards escorted His Majesty outside with utmost haste. Knowing the knight captain was partially responsible for this tragedy was unbearable. There were obvious injuries, but the fact that no one had died yet was a silver lining.

“Hmph!”

This was all thanks to Kuu, who glowed with a white light and sniffed imperiously over Cayna’s head. She seemed to be using a subsystem to forcefully divert the flying saws.

Then, the sharp-eyed Armor of Victory spotted safety and made a break for it. Naturally, this refuge was around Opus. He cast Fence as a shield, which allowed that area alone to skirt disaster.

Nonetheless, that didn’t mean their fear of the violent gale attack simply disappeared. Cohral was the type to wield his sword with composed clarity, and the Armor of Victory trusted him unconditionally. However, something like this was so unexpected it was like they didn’t even know him anymore. Once everything was over, his comrades planned to force Cohral to his knees and chew him out. However, they weren’t out of the woods just yet.

The next surprise to violently bluster into the Battle Arena was not a fiery snake but rather a fiery whip.

Flame Blade Strike Ruben Rose

This attack used a whip that extended from one’s blade to instantly mow down a wide-range area. Whether or not it could even be called a sword technique anymore was dubious, but unfortunately for everyone except the players, it most certainly was.

Cohral’s whip could cancel out Shining Saber’s assault, but the real issue was its trajectory prior to making contact. As long as one knew its flight path, Ruben Rose was relatively harmless. Even so, the end of the whip was faster than the speed of sound, and one miscalculation meant the permanent separation of one’s upper and lower half.

Their back-and-forth continued in a similar fashion, and most of the participants who had planned to fight in the Arena ran away.

In the end, Shining Saber reigned victorious. Cohral’s loss was merely due to an MP deficiency.

“Good fight.”

“Tch. You only won because of your weapon type.”

“No, it’s mainly ’cause you couldn’t handle the level gap, ha-ha-ha.”

“You fools should take a look around before anything else.”

An irritated voice interrupted the duo’s post-battle review. When they reexamined the area, their eyes nearly popped out of their heads.

The Battle Arena was littered in trash and debris. A very small number of spectators rose from the ground and were just happy to be alive. Shining Saber was the only knight left. Cohral and the rest of the Armor of Victory were uninjured, but the adventurer’s comrades looked disheveled for some reason.

Opus and Siren stood there without a single scratch, but this fact was irrelevant.

““Wh-who did this?!””

“It was you numbskulls! This is what happens when players go wild!”

The rest of the tournament was pretty much out the window. Even if they tried again the next day, no participant who watched Shining Saber and Cohral fly off the handle would dare challenge them.

“Argh, crap. We went to town.”

Shining Saber’s head drooped in disappointment; the knight seemed to have realized that he, of all people, had failed miserably and could expect due punishment for shirking his responsibilities.

“Sorry.”

Likewise, Cohral prostrated dogeza-style before his comrades. But although he was ready to be scorned and cursed as a traitor, they greeted him with unexpected warmth.

“Why didn’t you use that power sooner?”

“Exactly. If we knew you could do that, we wouldn’t need to be picky about requests.”

“Join the vanguard next time! You don’t have to be a shield anymore!”

“Let’s make him carry everyone’s stuff for a while as punishment.”

Even their incessant complaints were heartwarming and brought Cohral a sense of relief.

““““Still, ya better get ready for the lecture of a lifetime!””””

“…Huh?”

His friends grabbed his limbs and dragged him away. A world of suffering awaited him back at the inn.

“So the Battle Arena didn’t even have a Fence. Kyotaro really only saw the spectators as props, huh?”

As soon as Cohral and the Armor of Victory left, Cayna appeared with Mai-Mai. Kuu had entered Energy Saver Mode and slumped over Cayna’s head.

“Excellent work, Uncle Opus,” said Mai-Mai, bowing.

“Th-thanks.”

Opus grew flustered, and Cayna savored the sight.

“So what next, Shining Saber? Think the tourney can continue?”

“Honestly, even I’m not sure. His Majesty will probably announce a substitute festival.”

The dragoid didn’t seem to know what would happen, either. He could only shrug and shake his head at her question.

Just as the atmosphere eased, everyone felt it. Siren gave Opus’s cloak a firm tug and directed his attention toward the spectator seating.

“Master, I sense a malicious presence.”

“Hmm?”

There stood a young man who had been glaring at Opus for some time. Unsurprisingly, the demon couldn’t ignore his hateful gaze.

The figure who staggered to the front row was a player. He glared at Opus with bloodshot eyes before pointing an accusatory finger.

“At last! I finally found you, you bastaaard!” he shouted.

“““…”””

Despite the man’s fury, Opus looked immensely amused.

“It’s your damn fault my life is a mess! Never thought I’d get revenge in this world, but this sure is damn convenient!! Hyah-ha-ha-ha!”

Laughter like that would convince anyone the man was crazy. He’d apparently been harboring a huge grudge against Opus.

“Looks like someone got on this guy’s bad side.”

“Yep.”

“Uncle Opus, did you do something to him?”

“Now there’s a loaded question. I don’t recognize him, though.”

“Man, I know just how he feels. So much it hurts. This kind of thing happened to pretty much anyone who fell for one of your war traps and paid the price,” Shining Saber said. His compelling words were spoken from experience.

“You’re still clinging to the game? It would be wise to form a clear distinction between fiction and reality.”

Everyone smacked their foreheads with an expression that said, “Oh great.”

Far from any attempt to win the man over or explain himself, Opus decided to relentlessly antagonize him. The man’s face flushed red with fury.

“You’re one to taaaaaaaaalk!” he screamed before throwing something in his hand.

“Huh?”

“These are—”

“What the?!”

“Oh my.”

The objects sparkling and sailing through the air were large, round jewels that came in shades of green, creamy white, clear, crimson, pale blue, and dark red. Cayna thought they closely resembled the contents of the Guardian Tower Item Box she had perused the other day.

And that’s exactly what they were.

Each fell to the ground and began to glow as a large shadow oozed from within. An instant later, the shadows materialized to reveal their hulking frames.

A striped snake with a single eye on top of its head.

A dragon with bright red scales.

A black dragon that was one size larger than the red one.

A huge, three-headed dog.

A six-winged tsuchinoko.

A flat, blackish-brown rhino with six legs.

All six gave loud, varied calls of Screeee! Graaaah! and Grrrr!

The cacophony was tremendous, and Siren tended to the vulnerable Mai-Mai crouched with her ears covered.

“What’re those?!”

Shining Saber gawked at the three creatures unfamiliar to him.

“I suppose it can’t be helped,” Opus murmured. He named each one but offered no further details.

The one-eyed snake was a Roklox.

The crimson beast was a Red Dragon.

The dark one was a Black Dragon.

The three-headed dog was a Cerberus.

The tsuchinoko was a High Border.

The six-footed rhino was a behemoth.

Apart from the Roklox, the summonses were all larger than a house and packed the Battle Arena. Everyone had to look up toward the spectator seats to get the full picture.

The young male player who had cast the Simple Summons was close by, but in this case, defeating the jewels’ owner wouldn’t cancel them out.

“Th-these guys will clear away my resentment! These were super expensive when I bought ’em at auction, but you leave me no choice!”

“M-me too?!” Mai-Mai asked frantically upon realizing she was also a target of his wrath. Although these were Simple Summons, a group of six with an average of level 500 was still more than Mai-Mai or Shining Saber could hope to handle.

“Go! Mess ’em up good!”

Shining Saber drew the Sycophant Sword while Mai-Mai scurried behind Cayna.

“Heeeey! Weren’t you one of those great imperial mages?” he asked.

“I don’t stand a chance against those creatures. Mother will surely protect me.”

Although Cayna did intend to protect Mai-Mai, she didn’t know how to answer bold declarations like that. As Opus filled both hands with magic, she alone casually observed the situation.

“Hold on. Why are you the only one chilling out?” Shining Saber asked.

“Nah, I was just thinking maybe we shouldn’t do anything.”

“Seriously? Someone’s feelin’ confident! You’re positive that guy Opus can take care of this?”

Since the role was up for grabs, Shining Saber became the voice of reason.

Time continued to pass, but the summonses made no move. Just as everyone was starting to wonder what in the world was going on, the young man who had instigated the whole ordeal could stand their apathy no longer and exploded.

“Yo! You guys! Whaddaya think you’re doing?! Attack them already!”

The Red Dragon yawned, and the Black Dragon started nodding off. The two-meter Roklox was coiled on top of the behemoth, and the High Border preened its feathers.

“What the hell?! Why won’t these idiots do anything?!”

The man yelled for them to get a move on, but the summonses completely ignored him. Just as he began to holler and lash out at them, Cayna said something most cruel. If anything, one could say only she understand the truth of the situation.

“Unfortunately, those guys will never move.”

“What?! How would you know?!”

“Because I was the one who put them up for auction to raise money.”

To be blunt, the man froze like plaster. Shining Saber looked at him with pity, and Opus gave an exaggerated sigh. After all, although anyone could use jewels to cast a Simple Summons, no creation could turn on its creator.

The empty, despondent man stood in frozen shock as Shining Saber tied him up with rope and handed him over to the knights. No one was hurt, and there were almost no eyewitnesses, so he’d most likely spend the night in jail for attempted assault.

Kuu released the summonses filling the Battle Arena. They turned into regular magic and vanished.

A number of villagers who had watched the entire live broadcast were seemingly perplexed by the tourney that had vaguely ended up being a standard PvP battle, but at least they didn’t cringe.

In place of the tournament, a makeshift festival was held for two days until the capital was peaceful once more. Moreover, after Shining Saber returned to the knights with the young man, Cayna didn’t catch him around town for quite some time.