Volume 11 Chapter 4 Preliminary Round Begins
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Ah, ah, mm-mm. I am Talia, the chairperson of this tournament. Nice to meet you all. Now, this Beast King Martial Arts Festival is the first one held in the South District, and it’s wonderful to see so many participants. This time, we are changing things up a bit to provide entertainment for the citizens, so I hope all the fighters will wear their signs and give it their best in battle.”
The chairperson Talia was urging the lined-up participants to fight seriously, without any fixed matches.
From what Rosalinda told me, at the Eastern event, there was a lot of fixing matches for money, and the winner was decided before the competition even started.
”So, I just have to beat my opponent until they can’t fight anymore, right?”
A young man in flashy armor was talking to Talia.
”That’s right, but for the weapons you will use, we have provided various regulated weapons with training blades, and you will use only non-lethal ammo for the magic guns. If anyone gets hurt, please let our dedicated healer know; they are on standby.”
”So I can’t use my own weapon?”
”You cannot use your own weapon in the preliminaries. You can use it in the finals if you make it that far. As for armor, you can use your own without any issue.”
The young man in flashy armor looked unhappy but stayed quiet, waiting for Talia to continue.
”Victories will be decided by knockouts or surrendering when there is no longer a will to fight. Anything else, and you must continue fighting. All magic and combat techniques are allowed, so use whatever you want. The audience area is protected by multiple layers of Barrier Magic, so feel free to let loose. The preliminaries will be a round-robin group battle, and the team with the most victories will advance to the finals. That concludes the rules; is that clear?”
As Talia lowered the microphone, the area suddenly became noisy.
From people who had previously participated in the Beast King Martial Arts Festival, screams and excited voices could be heard.
”Rosalinda. Did you remember all that?”
”You can remember that much, right? The fight goes on until we knock out or make everyone give up. We can use provided weapons, and there are no limits on magic or skills. Just make sure our group doesn’t lose! Got it?”
”Rosalinda, you’re really smart. I can’t remember all that. Heta, remember it for me!”
Heta, suddenly dragged into the conversation, laughed.
”Okay, I’ll remember it for you.”
And so, the preliminary rounds began in the arena.
The venue had 2 stone stages, each 20 meters square, and the qualifiers were already underway.
I’m in the third group, so I’ll go after the current group finishes.
By the way, the first group is Talia’s team.
She’s the committee chair and is fighting against Kerstin and her Hunting Group Leader team, which is known as ‘Black Bullet,’ a mid-range specialist team.
Their weapons are magic guns, and they can shoot in bursts, turning their opponents into a pincushion with mock bullets.
They made the other team surrender within just a few minutes.
…It seems like it would be a hassle to face them… I really don’t want to meet them in the finals…
Cheers erupted from the audience as the match results came in.
In the second group, a Minotaur girl wearing armor that looked like a maid’s outfit was riding a Dragonewt and fighting.
Another woman from the Majin Clan, dressed the same way, fought alongside her, while the rest of the team was made up of Minotaur women.
A large banner on the girl’s back read, ‘Ignis Farms’ Pure White Milk for Sale!’
Their team also had a Dragonewt, so they combined air and ground attacks, confusing their opponents as the Majin Clan woman used magic I had never seen before to take them down one by one.
”Get the third and 4th groups ready!”
An official was calling us over.
The second group was about to wrap up, so we waited below the stage.
Our opponents seemed to be a team participating as a personal party.
While observing them, the second group finished, and the girl with the ‘Ignis Farms’ Pure White Milk for Sale!’ banner raised her arm in victory.
With the results of the first and second groups out, the betting results were confirmed, and the audience responded with sighs and cheers echoing through the hall.
This time, the participants can bet on themselves, but they can only bet on their own performance. If they lose, they lose their stake, and there’s no way to cheat.
However, if they successfully get through the preliminaries and make it to the finals, they should win a good amount of money.
”Now, please step onto the stage. The battle will start when the gong sounds, so wait for that!”
The staff instructed us to get on stage.
As we stepped up, the audience erupted with loud cheers.
A host with a microphone was on stage, introducing the competing teams.
”Next match is between the individual party of the Danga team and the Iska Row team from ‘Rootless Weed.’ Currently, the odds are ten to one in favor of the Danga team. Even though it’s an individual party, the leader, Danga, is an A-class Hunter, so it makes sense. On the other hand, the Iska team from ‘Rootless Weed’ is said to be a second-string team that got left out of the Hunting Group Leader Rosalinda’s party. What do you think about that?”
The host pointed the microphone at me.
”Hey everyone, bet on me! I’ll make you some money!”
My words made the crowd go wild.
The tension from the opposing team suddenly increased.
”Hehe, don’t say that. You really are Rosalinda Big Sister’s daughter.”
Heta was trying to hold back his laughter, impressed.
”Those who want to bet on Ms. Iska, please buy your tickets quickly. We’ll start in about 5 minutes.”
With that, the host left the stage.
We were left exposed to the piercing gazes of the enemy team.
I turned to Heta next to me.
”First, I’ll take down their leader, so you guys just support me in the meantime. I’m definitely stronger than them right now, so don’t worry.”
”Okay,” Heta replied quietly.
A feeling I couldn’t experience alone filled me up.
”Now, let the match begin! Start!”
Bang!!!
When the gong sounds, I rush toward Dagger, the enemy leader, closing the distance quickly.
Dagger swings his large hammer, but he can’t catch my body.
Then, I slip into his space and hit the palm of my hand into his stomach.
”Ugh!”
Dagger leans forward but doesn’t fall.
However, the armor on his belly starts to change color, and the petrification begins.
”W-What?! I’m turning to stone?!”
”That’s right! You’ve already been hit by the petrification of a cockatrice. Surrender quickly and get out of the fight.”
My hands gained the ability to petrify because I devoured a petrifying cockatrice.
I wore gloves because it’s a strong ability that starts to petrify with just a touch.
I have to make Dagger surrender quickly to keep the others from struggling, so I throw several palm strikes at his joints, which are growing slow.
With his joints petrified, Dagger became immobile and powerless.
”D-Damn it! That’s unfair!”
”In Garuda’s fights, anything goes! Sorry, but I don’t have time to deal with you old man.”
Ignoring the stuck Dagger, I jump into the fray to help the struggling Heta and the others.
The enemy’s arms are as strong as Heta’s, and as soon as they feel my palm strike, their will to fight quickly fades and they surrender.
”Thanks for the help. You were surprisingly strong… We’d never win without Iska.”
After the last one surrenders, the announcer steps onto the stage and calls out the winner’s name.
”In the first match of Group Three, the winners are ‘Rootless Weed’ with Iska and the Low Team!!”
The crowd buzzes loudly.
The odds before the match were ten to one, so my 5 silver coins should have turned into 50!
Our team, having crushed the expectations, receives a big cheer as we leave the stage.
* * *
When I return to the break room, I meet Rosalinda, who is waiting for her turn.
”I saw you. You really had the crowd on edge. After all, you were up against an A-grade Monster Hunter. It was great for our publicity, and I made a nice profit betting on you too.”
She winked and showed a smile.
She was holding a leather pouch that looked quite full.
”I bet on you and I was right. Rosalinda, you can take a breather now, right?”
”I plan to earn enough to eat you up. You should bet on me too.”
Rosalinda handed over the odds sheet.
The odds for Rosalinda’s team in the first match of the 8th group were 5 to one, with the opposing team favored.
The opponents were a core team from the mid-tier Hunting Group ‘Wild Wind’, aiming for the Ten Elite Garuda.
”Hmmm… I’m worried.”
Rosalinda gave a sharp chop to the top of her head.
She seemed a bit angry.
”That’s not something to worry about. Or do you think my skills aren’t trustworthy?”
”It’s not that, but… their team looks strong.”
”Are you saying I’d lose to those guys?”
Rosalinda was pointing and shouting at the opposing men.
Thanks to that, murderous glares were directed at us.
”Ah, Rosalinda, I think it’s against etiquette to shout here. Let’s keep it down…”
”Wait a minute! If you don’t bet on me, I’ll keep provoking these guys.”
”Wait! I’ll bet. I’ll bet on you… I’ll properly bet on Rosalinda.”
”Then, hurry up and buy the betting tickets!”
Reluctantly, she bought the betting tickets and when she returned, it was just before Rosalinda’s match was about to start.
Rosalinda, called by the announcer, waved to the crowd on stage, but the opposing team shot piercing glares at her.
She cheered for Rosalinda with all her might, hoping her tickets wouldn’t turn to trash.
”Rosalindaaaa!! I won’t accept a loss! I’ve bet all my fortune on you!”
Rosalinda noticed my voice and turned her face towards me.
”After this match, you’ll worship me. Keep that ticket safe.”
The crowd erupted in cheers at her bold declaration.
”It’s the first match of Group Eight! The ‘Wild Wind’ team, Bolbol, versus ‘Rootless Weed,’ led by Rosalinda!”
As the host left the stage, a gong sounded to signal the start of the battle.
Rosalinda took the lead, shaking the opposing team’s Magician.
The Magician, who was about to cast Support Magic, was caught off guard by Rosalinda’s sudden appearance and had to stop his chant.
”Gotcha!”
Rosalinda pretended to draw her Two-handed sword, then struck the Magician’s stomach hard with the hilt.
The Magician fell to his knees, coughing, and the Warriors in the vanguard turned their attention to Rosalinda.
”Now’s the time. You guys, do your jobs!”
Giving instructions to her team, Rosalinda activated her self-enhancement magic without a chant, boosting her speed even more.
Moving so fast it seemed like she left an afterimage, Rosalinda chose to take down the Healer.
The vanguard was already caught up in a chaotic fight, making it impossible for them to help the Healer.
”It’s too late to move now. Gotcha!”
Rosalinda knocked the Healer’s staff away and struck her side with her other sword.
The Healer, hit like a heavy iron weight, fell to the ground with a pained expression.
Without magic support, the Bolbol team panicked, their attacks becoming sloppy, and they couldn’t land a fatal blow on Rosalinda’s team.
”Damn it! It’s unfair to take out the ones in the back…”
Bolbol, readying his large hammer to attack Rosalinda, grumbled in frustration.
Rosalinda, however, paid him no mind and unleashed her [Two-handed Flash] right at his wrists.
The shockwave released from the sword tip struck Bolbol’s wrists, dealing damage.
The damage caused Bolbol to lose his grip, and his hammer fell to the ground.
”Rosalinda, Big Sister! Nice move!!”
Without missing a beat, a male member of the team plunged his [Iron Fist] into Bolbol’s now-exposed belly.
”Ugh! Not yet! I won’t give up──”
Bolbol, still standing after the [Iron Fist], was met with Rosalinda leaping towards him.
She used the momentum to swing her Two-handed down onto his neck.
”Oof! Ack!!”
With both collarbones broken, Bolbol collapsed forward onto his knees.
Seeing this, Bolbol’s teammates lost their will to fight.
”Alright, now the tide has turned in favor of our ‘Rootless Weed’. It’s hunting time.”
As Rosalinda declared, the match turned into a one-sided affair.
One by one, Bolbol’s teammates were taken down.
Until the last one dropped his sword and surrendered.
The host on stage announced the winner.
”The winner of the first match in Group Eight is Rosalinda of the ‘Rootless Weed’ team!!”
A roar of cheers erupted, and in some places, voting tickets rained down like confetti.
I had bet all my money on Rosalinda, so my 50 silver coins turned into 2 hundred and 50.
Rosalinda, the winner, charmed the crowd while promoting her Hunting Group.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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