Volume 2 - CH 8

Act 2-8: Sacred Martial Arts Tournament First Preliminary Round　

The first preliminary round started two days after the registration. It divided each of the A-G blocks into another ten smaller groups, every group consisting of around a hundred people. In this round, anyone who managed to plunder three red-armband worn on each participant’s right arm earned the right to advance to the next round. The elimination system was simpler than I thought.

When the gong resounded, I didn’t move for a while. Although you could say that one of the reasons was that I was watching over the situation, something that could surprise me had happened.

Someone let out a warcry but had yet to move. Someone recklessly swung their wooden sword while letting out a strange warcry, a warcry strange even to me who had heard all kinds of warcries in that dungeon. Someone was firing magic spells at their opponent. In short, the situation was chaotic.

「It’s as if this place is the debut match for those children who have just learned martial arts.」

I tried to describe the indescribable spectacle before me, but I didn’t think it was correct either. After all, even children might be able to show more discipline than these people.

「FOUND HIM!」

Suddenly, I found myself being surrounded by a trio. Although it might look easier for them to beat me, who was alone, they would only get one armband from me. Is there any other meaning for them to surround me in a 1 vs 3 match? Moreover, judging from their standards, I should seem the weakest amongst all these participants, right? Good grief! Even cowardice has its limit, you know!

「You can’t escape anymore!」

The boy with shoulder-length hair pointed his wooden sword at me.

His stance was, honestly, a mess. He didn’t even adjust his center of gravity properly. He was like an amateur who had just started to swing his sword. Are all these people amateurs?

Surely, my mind was more than a hundred and thousands of years old. But, I really had a hard time adjusting myself after getting back from that dungeon.

Anyhow, I didn’t feel like pointing my sword at these inexperienced children. Let’s just get over with this boring game as soon as possible.

「HERE I COME!」

「NONSENSE, I’M COMING FIRST!」

I slowly walked toward the trio who still had the leeway to quarrel right in front of me.

「WAH!?」

I clapped my hands right in front of the trio’s eyes and stole their red armbands during that momentary gap. Then, I stepped out from the round ring.

「T-THAT INCOMPETENT ACTUALLY BAILED OUT!」

「COWARD!」

「Running away from the opponent in front of you with your tail between your legs. Shame on you!」

I ignored those three funny clowns, who had yet to realize that they had already lost, and walked toward the official’s tent in the corner of the match area. Then, I handed over the three armbands I took from those clowns.

「Participant number 6032, Kai Heineman. These should be enough for me to advance to the next round, right?」

I asked him to announce my advancement.

「…」

Upon hearing my question, the official got flustered for a moment.

「You pass.」

He snapped out right away and announced my advancement to the next round.

Well, that’s the end of this farce! Now, let’s go back to the inn where Rose and the others are waiting for me.