Starting with Old Maid, then moving to Speed, and once we got used to it, we changed the games to Daifugō and Nana-Rangbe, and before we knew it, time had flown by as we played cards.
The area outside the room grew noisy, and the spectators cheered.
“Is it that time already?”
That enjoyable time passed in the blink of an eye.
With cards in hand, we all looked out the window and saw the athletes making their entrance.
“I believe the second round will have more exciting matches than the first, but how do you think it’s going? Kitamiya, what are your thoughts on the matter?”
“…Simply put, it’s a battle between those who won, so won’t it be more intense than before? Depending on the matchups, it might end very quickly, though.”
Each of us placed our cards on the table and moved to the spectator seats by the window.
The first match of the second round featured opponents we both recognized: a Lizardman, a candidate for chieftain, and a Demon we had seen in the next match. Both had won their first-round matches, and a more intense battle was expected than before. However, despite facing such a fight, I watched the two with a somewhat detached gaze.
The match began with the Lizardman, wielding a Greatshield and swinging a Greatspear, and the Demon, a peculiar Magic Swordsman with a sword in one hand and a staff in the other. Their battle could be described as a compelling one, but perhaps because it followed the intense battles from before, I felt a sense of something lacking. Or was there another reason? While Kaido, Minami, and Amelia watched the offense and defense with mixed emotions, I quietly observed the match.
“Oh, the Lizardman won again!”
“Yes! But the Demon was close.”
Although he seemed to have less room to maneuver than before, the Lizardman, who focused on defense, secured the victory. Kaido, Amelia, and the others, of course, were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Furthermore, their fighting styles, which differed from ours, served as valuable reference for future Dungeon攻略. For me personally, there were many situations that provided useful insights into tactics, magic usage, and how to adapt them to myself and prepare countermeasures.
Next came the contest of strength between a Giant and a Beastkin, followed by an Insectoid’s battle utilizing its tough exoskeleton, and the swordsmanship of a Skeleton clad in magnificent armor. A Dark Elf, who controlled spirits taking the form of frogs, took down a Harpy whose arms were wings, in an aerial battle. Each of these matches was highly skilled and impressive, offering a good stimulus to those who fight. The excitement wasn’t confined to this room; the Coliseum’s audience was also in a frenzy.
“…”
As the match progressed, something gradually welled up within me, as I watched with a calm demeanor. I saw the figures of those who would become walls I needed to overcome in the future, as the Supervisor had told me to watch closely. A mix of anticipation and apprehension emerged concerning the scenes I would likely witness soon.
“Next.”
Several matches later, after Carter swiftly defeated his opponent, and following the match where I received a bye due to injury, the Dragonkin who had finished their first round during my treatment finally appeared. This troublemaker, whom the Supervisor had specifically told me to watch, made their presence known. Just by walking leisurely, they exuded an overwhelming aura of destruction, different from what I felt with Carter. This was a Dragonkin with a single eye, bearing scars on every scale, and a large wound over their right eye. Despite the significant visual disadvantage of being one-eyed, their posture was full of a composure that suggested they were far from panicked. Perhaps sensing their strength, their opponent’s expression was grim.
“Kaido.”
“Yeah?”
“How did that Dragonkin fight in the first round?”
“…They didn’t fight.”
“What?”
“It wasn’t a fight. They just punched a Giant bigger than themselves once, and that was it. They just… dealt with it.”
In contrast to the opponent, a female warrior called a Lamia with the lower body of a snake, the Dragonkin, Rand Basarunte, yawned lazily. They had an air of being out of place here, unlike the humans. Unlike the others who took pride in standing in this arena and intended to fight honorably, Basarunte had an outlaw’s demeanor, as if they had come solely to fight, regardless of the venue’s prestige. It was precisely because of this posture that I had confirmed the content of their first match with Kaido before it started. As I had predicted from their appearance, that Dragonkin had not engaged in a proper fight. The Supervisor had described Basarunte as a battle-maniac. That was probably why they sought battles against the strong and showed no interest in fighting the weak. And their strength was said to be comparable to a General’s. Even while entering the arena, a mere glance at the Lamia female warrior was enough for them to gauge her strength, and their waiting for the match to start with a bored expression indicated their confidence in their own power. The female warrior, holding her spear with uncharacteristic frustration at this attitude, possessed a desperate resolve.
“…”
I recognized that expression. After all, it was the same expression I myself had worn just a moment ago. If I’m going to lose without being able to do anything, I might as well land at least one blow. Such resolve could be seen. Unfortunately for her, I felt it was impossible. I was able to land a blow and seize victory against Kizan because their arrogance and the inherent ferocity of their Ogre nature were suppressed. But what about facing Basarunte? Quickly, I imagined myself in the Lamia’s position and searched for a chance of winning.
“…Impossible.”
No matter how small the odds, I couldn’t imagine a path to victory. Basarunte doesn’t toy with the weak. It’s not that they detest toying with them; they simply find it troublesome and a waste of time. If the Lamia had possessed a certain level of skill, that Dragonkin might have played with her, but she hadn’t reached that threshold. Therefore, without any hint of playfulness, hesitation, or killing intent…
“Whoa.”
“One strike again.”
Dealing with the opponent. It was precisely because I thought so that I didn’t miss Basarunte’s movement. In sync with the referee’s call, the Lamia female warrior moved along the ground, rapidly approaching Basarunte. Her speed was not like a snake slithering, but smooth, as if there were no friction, allowing her to move at the fastest possible route. Even as she thrust her spear with all her might from such a high-speed movement, the opponent didn’t even feel the need to evade. She received the spear’s tip against her body, stopping the blow without it piercing her. As if it were natural for such a thing to happen, she slowly raised her fist, clearly visible to all, as if the spear wasn’t there. The sound that reached my ears was like that of a meteor crashing to the ground. And the victim of that impact, the Lamia, bent her long body at the waist and was blown sideways, embedded in the wall, as if gravity were irrelevant. After a few seconds of silence, the wall fragments fell to the ground. The Lamia, impaled in the Coliseum’s wall, slipped down and was thrown to the ground by gravity. Kitamiya and Katsu cried out, and the referee rushed over to check her condition. It was clear the Lamia female warrior had rolled her eyes and was unconscious. A victory declaration was made for Basarunte, and the silent space erupted into cheers. However, Basarunte, showing no fan service like waving to the audience, and seemingly uninterested even in victory, yawned and began to leave the arena.
“Huh? Aren’t they looking this way?”
“They are.”
“They’re looking this way indeed.”
Suddenly, for reasons unknown, Basarunte stopped midway and, for some reason, looked at us, or rather, at me. Even though the distance was over a hundred meters, our eyes met. If my body were enhanced by Magic Crests, I could see this far. Therefore, I couldn’t dismiss it as overconfidence or a misunderstanding. Basarunte looked at me with their listless expression, but with something in their eyes. Then, as if beckoning me to come closer, Basarunte moved only their index finger. The audience began to stir, thinking it was some kind of performance, but nothing further happened, and Basarunte left the arena.
“A provocation, perhaps?”
“It looked like it.”
“So, it’s as I thought?”
“Yes. Jiro-san, did you do something?”
“Why are you saying it’s my fault?”
Memoria, sitting next to me, also interpreted Basarunte’s previous action as a provocation, the same as I did, and asked if I had done something. But, I’m sorry Memoria, I have no idea.
“Jiro-san has been getting caught up in trouble lately, so perhaps they thought you had done something to them as well.”
“Hey now, don’t say I get caught up in trouble because I like it. I do sometimes stick my neck out on my own, but I’ve never met them before.”
While I know Ogre Yakuza and Skull Gentleman, I don’t have many Dragonkin acquaintances. And as far as I can remember, I haven’t met a Dragonkin covered in scars like that before. …Perhaps I beat up a distant relative of a Dragonkin?
“I wish Jiro-san would refrain from jumping into trouble a little more.”
Recalling past battles with Dragonkin, the more I dug, the more possibilities arose, even bordering on unreasonable accusations.
“…I’m doing my best, though.”
“What kind of political excuse is that? The leader is beloved by the god of trouble, so I’m sure they’ll continue to get caught up in it, albeit in a somewhat entertaining way, of course.”
“You’re not comparing me to some kind of protagonist who always gets into trouble, are you?”
“Aren’t I?”
“I want to say no, especially given my wishes.”
Whenever I got involved in trouble, there was always a reason, but all I could say to Suella, who was cautioning me with a wry smile, was that I would do my best and be careful. I couldn’t use the word “absolute” in this company where anything could happen.
“For the sake of our unborn child, I will also wish together with you.”
“Honestly, can you perform an exorcism on the god of trouble?”
However, considering my unborn child, I couldn’t just say I’d do my best. Even if I couldn’t guarantee it, I had to avoid what I could.
“In that case, for starters, I guess I’ll start by staying in this room and ignoring that provocation, then.”
Feeling like something would happen if I left the room, I decided to quietly watch the rest of the tournament proceed.
A word for today:
Avoiding danger, avoiding danger.
That’s all for this time.
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*The first volume has been decided to be published by Hayakawa Bunko JA.
It was released on October 18, 2018.
An e-book version is scheduled for publication on October 31 of the same year.
The content includes revisions and additions to the material posted on Shōsetsuka ni Narō, with the inclusion of an additional unpublished interlude chapter.
Please give that a look as well.
