"10...9..."
His vision was blurry. The voice of the officiator was somewhat muffled.
"Nothing has changed, nephew."
Poseidon banged the bottom of his trident on the ground.
"You will never be able to save her."
The giant mocked him for his failure.
"8...7..."
The purple aura was making him sick. His eyes were stuck on the mark on his chest.
Your oath has been nothing but a lie.
"6...5..."
Your family, your friends. All of them have left their aspirations for revenge to the wrong person.'
"4...3-"
The tip of the sword violently lodged into the ground.
'I don't know what this is.'
Slowly rising from the ground, he looked at Laurent.
"I can still fight."
The black knight nodded.
"Get into position."
Heeding his words, Gawain walked to the starting spot.
"Your efforts mean nothing, Perseus."
"Shut up."
He prepared his stance and closed his eyes. Tomoe looked at the officiator, who was equally confused.
"Do you intend to close your eyes and fight?"
"Yes."
He was counting his breaths.
'Regulated breathing won't be of much use if I can't calm myself down.'
Tomoe's face turned ugly.
"Are you mocking me?"
She exclaimed, in anger.
Everyone looked toward the boy. Instead of coming up with a response, he chose to keep his mouth shut.
"That is it!"
She took a stance.
"I should not have to-"
"I know the rules, sir. I won't hurt him."
She cut off Laurent midway through the sentence.
"Fine. Ready?"
"Ready."
Gawain nodded.
"Begin!"
Taking the blade back to generate maximum momentum, Tomoe carried her weight swiftly to get close and unleash a strong blow. Gawain didn't prepare his stance. His eyes were still closed, and his breathing was slowly picking up a rhythm.
"You don't exist."
Whispering slowly under his breath, he took a step back and moved his shield to his right.
'Keep lying to yourself.'
The impact made his arm numb for a moment. He had misjudged the trajectory and power.
'Not like this.'
The shield was forced outwards to create an opening. Tomoe quickly moved her hands and took advantage.
'Whoosh!'
The current generated from the blow was sent crashing through his chest.
"5 points, winner of this round, Tomoe Yoshinaka!"
-x-x-x-x-x-x-
His body went stiff.
'Embarrassment.'
Chained, Stranded, and Betrayed.
'LEAVE ME ALONE!'
The chains tightened up around his body. In the endless darkness, the giant walks up to him to ask a question.
"Why did you spare me?"
Confused, he answered,
"I don't even know who you are."
The chain tightened around his neck.
"Then remember."
He revealed the purple mark, shedding some light into the void.
"I don't-"
A burning mark of death, right behind his heart.
"You spared me. By making my death painless."
A dim ball of light appeared in his hand.
"I-"
The Harpe. A weapon gifted to him by his father.
"Take it, and end my suffering."
He was spared from the curse.
"Nephew, you have to succeed this time."
But the spirit lived on.
He grabbed the ball. Morphing itself into a sword, the Harpe was shoved into the giant's heart.
"Save her, as you saved me. End her misery by any means possible. "
The purple liquid erupted from his heart, eating away all the black chains.
"She has suffered for too long. It is up to you to make the right choice. "
The giant was vaporized by the effects of the purple liquid. As soon as the chains around him were destroyed, the liquid came into his hand and took the form of a gigantic trident.
"Uncle."
He placed the trident on the ground. A purple barrier formed inside the void, keeping the dark chains away from him.
"Thank you for sparing me."
-x-x-x-x-x-x-
"Too many interruptions. The boy has been successfully cornered."
Drakos was convinced. Siegfried was somewhat embarrassed.
"I am sorry for wasting your time, sir."
"Hmm?"
The officiator asked the boy a question.
"Do you want to forfeit?"
The boy opened his eyes and answered.
"No."
He confidently walked back to his position. Drakos observed his gait.
"What in the name of Astarte..."
Siegfried was startled.
"Is something the problem?"
Drakos didn't respond.
"Sir?"
Same result. The old man's attention had been completely sucked in an instant.
"Ready?"
The beginning of the second round.
Both of them nodded.
"Begin!"
Tomoe went ahead with the same strategy.
'He has no answer to this.'
One to open and one to finish.
"Strong grip, resolute thrust!"
A loud declaration, similar to a battle chant.
'Swoosh!'
The short sword stopped right before her throat. His eyes came into view, revealing a terrifying gaze of confidence.
For a moment, Laurent found himself speechless.
"My predictions were wrong."
Cedric closed his fist, trying to calm himself down. His blood was boiling with excitement.
Kiso was horrified at the sudden change.
And the nobles were all in awe.
"Fi-five points. Winner of this round,"
One round ended in a single move.
"Gawain Rolfe!"