--- [15 minutes later] ---
It has been fifteen minutes since we are waiting here. All contestants can be seen preparing themselves on the stage. I guess the battle will start real soon.
"Looks like all participants have prepared!" Carl affirmed.
"Yes, Carl, so how about we do some countdown and let the battle begin?!" Hana suggested.
"That is clever! Let's counts with me everyone!! In—"
"THREE, TWO, ONE!" The crowds followed.
"FIRST STAGE OF HERO ARMAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP, START!!!" Carl and Hana announced.
The scream and cheers from the audiences are so reverberating and deafening in the whole arena. The overwhelming excitement expressed by the crowds surely increased the motivation of the participants. In amidst of cheers and ovations, the arena management operatives activate the arena's safety wall called 'Battle Safety Magical Wall' system. The magical wall functioned as a defensive barrier to prevent the effects from reaching the audience. The strength of the wall is extremely resilient, which can even hold against A-class monster direct attack.
"Your sister is in the middle of the crowd Evans."
Elea that is currently sitting at my right start mentioning my sister.
"Yea, I see her."
"That is how our situation will be like," Elea claimed.
"Hm…"
The situation my sister currently is quite bad. Why? Because currently her team is being surrounded by another one-hundred and twenty-four groups. They have Ace, last year first runner up and my sister who at least succeed to reach the last stage in one team, so, they are pretty much the best team in this tournament. If our team were to clash…
"This is not looking good for Ace's team! They are being ganged up by other participants!" Carl started commentating.
"Oh no Carl, what can they do now?" Hana continued.
"It does look bad, but their team is the perfect line up and perhaps the strongest team ever built! Ace, Angela and Frostbite are there, they must face the hardest hurdle to proceed to the next stage!!"
"Angela? Frostbite?"
"That's nickname Evans, like Ace, he used his name, Frostbite is Helena, and your sister is Angela," Quinn answered.
"What! Angela is my sister? What even is that names mean? Huh… how childish…"
"Yeah…" Quinn nodded slowly with a tiny hint of guilt.
"J-just asking. You didn't add any weird name for me, r-right Quinn?"
"Ah… about that—"
Before Quinn about to finish his sentence, suddenly a few massive stalagmites of ice emerge from the ground pushing every other contestant from my sister team at the middle. There are even several participants that injured from that ice stalagmite. I immediately look at the screen to see what actually happened at the stage where I can see Helena is holding a wand, an ice magical wand to be specific. A wand is a magic output enhancer type weapon which can produce a strong magical attack with small amount of magic. It's rare to see a wand user because it's almost useless in close combat physical fight.
"Hey, I just started warming up!!" Helena shouted.
The drone that used to record the video is sensitive to sound and able to record the voice of the participants on the stage from far distance, send the voice to the speaker in the arena with higher volume, so everyone can hear it. Better whisper if I want to say something unimportant.
The other teams on the stage start attacking their team swiftly from every direction. There are several fire type magic users shooting fireball magic to them but was easily deflected with the massive ice stalagmite that summoned by Helena. The other team also come, swinging their sword swiftly directly to Helena.
The clanging sound of a blades are heard continuously in the amidst of heated-up battle moment.
"Watch your back, Helena."
Ace warned Helena after saving her from a swift slash attack to her back then casually pushed the guy to the back added with strong wind pressure to its surrounding. The other people at the trajectory of the slash also get pushed back and there's even some people who fall to the floor.
"All of you, come to me."
Ace inviting those in front of him to face off with him. He gripped his weapon, getting ready in his battle stance to receive any attack from them. They start ganging up and charge to Ace with their weapons and magics. Ace deflects every single attack that come to him while dodging all magical attacks directed to him with great skill.
"Take this! Activate Ground spear!"
[Ground Spear(D-rank): Conjure a spear made of ground once.]
"Activate Rock blow!"
[Rock Blow(D-rank): Conjure several rocks to directly attack the target once.]
"Bow skill: Fire arrow!"
"Sword skill: Water Slash!"
Several participants release their magics towards Ace simultaneously. Without any attempt to evade or resist the attacks, instead he swings his sword with visibly strong momentum causing the magics to vanish with the wind force only.
"THAT WAS INCREDIBLE!! WITH ONLY A SWING, HE DISPELLED THOSE MAGICS!"
Carl bawling over the unexpected moment with surprised expression.
"Unbelievable…" Quinn said.
"Yea, maybe it's a skill—" I try to guess.
"No, it's a pure magical energy force from swinging the sword," Elea interrupted.
"That's impossible, that strong?" Quinn reacted with disbelief.
Elea watch sharply at Ace weapon and start explaining.
"The sword he wields is called, The Windstorm Dainslef. The sword is quite powerful, the thing that he does to dispel those attack is by charging the magical energy and releases it casually with a slash. That sword does have a skill called whirlwind, a destructive cyclone. His swordplay already on par with the trainer in this academy and there is one more skill called 'Bleeding' is really beneficial to him since it can produce fatal attack to his foes. He is already powerful and with those attack which is at best is D-rank, they won't affect him."
That's one long explanation. I guessed she also studied her foes and devised a strategy to counter them. She's quite the competent person and clever. And cute.
"THERE IT IS!! THE ARROW QUEEN HAS REVEAL HER SPECIALITY!"
I am startled a little with Hana loud voice through the arena speaker. I see my sister start moving with amazing agility all around the participants on the stage with shooting her targets at a close range. Wow, she actually that fast with a bow? As I amazed by her movement, Hana continues the commentary.
"Look at the sprightly movement! She just goes to left and right, confusing her opponents and rapidly releasing her arrows!" Hana continued.
"I still haven't broken a sweat!" Eva bragged.
She shot a spot on the stage with several groups of the contestant using an arrow which emitting dim oranges colour light straight to the ground. After just two second, the ground burst with loud explosives sound, knocking off the people in the 10 meters radius of the arrow and several other groups near the area with blast force from the explosion.
Her arrows are not unlimited since all of the arrow she uses is physical arrow which possessed stronger structure than D-rank magical arrows. That's why, she shoots while quickly move in the area to retrieve her arrows. I can see in her left leg arrow bag; 10 normal arrows can fit in it while in her right leg arrow bag…
"One magical burst-type arrows, two magical gravity-type arrows, two magical multiply-type arrows, one magical stun-type arrow, two magical acceleration-type arrow, and one more…"
An unknown arrow. A new type?
"What was you talking about?" Elea asked me.
"Ah no, it's the arrow my sister uses in this tournament," I replied.
"You knew? Did she tell you that? Isn't that would put her into disadvantages?" she asked again.
"No, she didn't tell me," I denied.
"Eh? Then, how did you know?" she intrigued.
"I see it, in her arrow bags," I explained.
"You can see them? From this distance?" she shocked.
"Eh, of course not. I just analyse them from the video on the screen."
"Eh… still, it's hard to differentiate each of it from that!" She genuinely surprised with my sight.
"Well… hahaha, I'm familiar with those arrows, so yeah, it's would not be so hard to see it if you know it… hahaha," I replied.
"Oh… I see, that's still a pretty awesome perception though," she praised.
"Thanks, hehe," I chuckled a little.
Getting praised by Elea is the best thing ever.
"How amazing… almost half of the teams already fall on the ground!" Hana commented with amazed tone.
I am astonished by the teamwork displayed by her team. Really organised and no visible flaws between their movement. Every each of them supporting each other really well while defeating most of their opponents in quick, direct approach. A strong close combat sword wielder, a nimble archer for long and intermediate range, and a powerful magic caster to defeat large number of foes for various range. They make a perfect team.
"Your sister is really agile, isn't she?" Elea mentioned.
"Uh, yes, she sure is, I was quite shocked too since I have never seen her in any battle…" I replied to Elea.
"I-I can't…" Quinn stuttering.
"What are you talking about Quinn?" I asked.
"Your sis, Angela… is so damn awesome!!!" She praised Eva with brimming face full of excitement.
Elea tilt her head a little, looking at Quinn before she looks at me and speak in a low voice almost as a whisper.
"He admires your sister, isn't he?" she guessed.
"Hahaha, I don't know, maybe…" I replied with unsure tone, but I always know he did.
"You jealous?"
"Eh? N-no!"
"Hehe, are you a sis-con?"
"T-that's im-impossible!!"
"Hahaha, sorry. I just teasing you. You look so compose all the time like trying to be cool, I guess you have this cute side too."
Her praises followed by small chuckle and heart-capturing little smile she carved on her soft lips.
My heart skipped a beat. I can feel my face become hot as being excited and fluttered simultaneously hearing those words from her. Argh… please don't make me fall for you more than I already have, my dear princess.
The battle continues as my sister team rapidly overpowering all other contestants on the stage. There's only about fifty people more.
"Frostbite, do that thing! Let's wrap this up!" my sister says to Helena while giving a hand gesture.
"Aye!" She replied.
Then she when to the middle of the stage raising her wand upwards. The wand glows with dim purple colour, she tilts her head upward.
"Make sure you ready, Ace! Angela!" She said as if giving a sign.
Ace and my sister quickly go beside her leaving their opponent.
"Wand skill: Ice magic, Rapid Stalactite Strike!"
Right after her finished chanting her spell, numerous particles of blue dim light appear on top of her and start merging producing multiple stalactites of ice. As she closed her eyes for a second, she moves her hand downwards, thus scattering the stalactites to all over stages with high velocity. The strikes leave the stages with cracks from the accelerated stalactites with numerous sounds of shattered ice. Several moments later, the stage has completely been cleared out of participants except for Ace, Helena, and Eva. If not because of the academy special uniform woven from special materials and magic threads that provides high protection to magical attributes and various physical attack, her skill would have already killed everyone that hit by the power.
"T-T-THE MATCH HAS ENDED!!! WHAT A MARVELOUS PERFORMANCE!!" Carl declared.
"Splendid performance I would say. This is how the Hero Armament Championship huh… interesting…" I mumbled to myself.
"WOOOAAHHHHH!!!"
The whole arena filled with lively and reverberating cheers from the crowds out of excitements and astonished by the performance of the first team. A perfect presentation for an opening show.
"That's terrific Angela!!" Quinn shouted.
"She won't hear you from here Quinn," I said.
"It's okay, I won't dare to cheer in from of her anyway!"
"Hahaha, coward."
Suddenly my smartphone rang. I answered the call.
"Hello, yes mom?"
"Evie, where are you, I've arrived at the academy's main gate."
"Eh! You are here!? Why did you not tell me you're coming?"
"I want to surprise you, but I forgot your academy is so huge, I don't even know where the arena is…"
"Ah, it's okay mom, I will go get you know with Eva alright! Wait right there!"
"Alright Evie."
She hanged up the call.
"Guys, I got to go to fetch my mother, could you wait here?" I asked to Quinn and Elea.
"Yes sure," Elea replied.
"You will miss the next match!" Quinn said, expressing his worries.
"It's okay, I won't take long. I will be back at least before our round. Enjoy the fights okay!" I try to convince him.
"Okay then," Quinn replied.
Elea and Quinn just waving their hands as I am leaving to the arena exit.