['Hello everyone! We are back once again! It's been two days since we've had those Group Preliminaries but now, today, we'll have 8 of the 16 matchups!']
The crowd cheered merrily. They couldn't wait to see the battles that would take place at the coliseum today. Alex Vincent announced something else.
['We were originally going to do this for a week or two, but 1 or 2 matchups a day would bore you all, wouldn't it?']
Once again, the crowd cheered, this time, in agreement with the commentator's words. He introduced the two princes, Eustace and Guist. King Malcolm and Queen Fiona were on business leave to another country.
I'm just sitting in the stands and blending in with the crowd. I snuck in, somehow, and stole an empty seat. With the absence of Queen Fiona, I wonder if some will think that it's possible to use magic with others noticing. But since Prince Eustace and Guist are her sons, they may have inherited her ability.
«Only Hereditary Skills are inherited by the kids. Magic Activation is not a Hereditary Skill, so it can be earned but not inherited.»
Well, anywho, one of them is bound to have a skill like that or similar to it.
['Now, let's see who's facing who in the eight matchups! Take a look at the holo screens!']
The screens changed and named eight different pairings with just the participants' names, not the numbers that we were given in the group stage.
[1. Sakurako vs Aaron Marshal
2. Azaroth Raft vs Quidella
3. Riona vs Dariac Nomad
4. Nul vs Kirra
5. Altair Nox vs Nyuri Nayami
6. Zex vs Ingroft
7. Edward vs Tiari
8. Arcana Nox vs Aarya]
Cool, most of our matches are today. Sakurako's fight is first, then I'm four fights after her, and finally, it's Arcana last. Sirius' match would have to be tomorrow.
['Now, let's welcome out our contestants!']
Went from "participants" to "contestants..."
Two pathways opened up from each side of the arena. Pink smoke was fired from one side, and confetti was mixed into it. Sakurako came walking out. I hadn't seen her at all today but she was wearing different clothes today. They looked like clothes from my world. She wore a greyish, puffy jacket, with red outlines and a black jumper–black jeans too. I wonder where she got all of that from.
['We have Sakurako Nox! She's seventeen and a Dragonic, or, Pseudo-Dragon!']
I wonder how people would react if they found out that she was a real dragon. Pure-blood and everything.
From the other side, yellow smoke and confetti shot out. The young man, Aaron Marshal, came walking out. He was wearing his usual military uniform–the expression he wore was sterner compared to the last time I saw him. I guess he really wanted to beat Sakurako.
Girls started their "kya~!"s and it really started to annoy me. It felt like my ears were going to burst any second.
['And on the other side, we have the lady killer, Aaron Marshal! He's also seventeen, but he's a human teenager who's enlisted in the Military Academy!']
They both walked near the centre of the arena and stopped. From my view, it looked like they were around six or seven feet away from each other. Someone suddenly appeared in the arena, in between the two. He was short, had white hair and green eyes. Guist, the younger prince.
'I will be the referee today. I will not stop the battle until someone is about to die, unconscious or forfeits. Of course, if someone breaks the rules too. Do you two understand?'
He looked at both of them; the two nodded simultaneously. Sakurako and Aaron had similar expressions on their faces.
So the prince will be the referee. At least with someone like him, there won't be any unfair play. The young prince raised his arm into the air and dropped it down like a guillotine soon after.
'Begin!'
A loud horn sounded. Aaron Marshal charged in first. He didn't waste a single second–he fired a barrage of fast punches at Sakurako, however, she was dodging them with ease. Realizing that this would get him nowhere, he swiped under her with his leg, but, this, Sakurako also dodged that by jumping over it. Aaron Marshal received a kick to the face, sending him back slightly.
['There we have it, ladies and gentlemen! After a short stalemate, Sakurako Nox broke it with a single kick. Aaron Marshal was sure to feel that one!']
His nose started to bleed, steadily. Once again, he charged in. This time, simultaneously switching from kicks, punches and thrusts. What was he trying to accomplish by always charging in? Or maybe he was just blinded by anger. Sakurako slapped two jabs away and hit him in the ribs. Even if there was no microphone down there, we could hear the cracking of Aaron Marshal's ribs.
This time, the handsome boy coughed up blood. He did recovery breathing and charged in once more. Aaron Marshal really wasn't going to give up. Sakurako went through the same process of dodging his blows. She didn't look happy at all, in fact, she looked pissed off. Then, suddenly, the speed of his punch increased and it sliced the cheek of Sakurako.
Her expression changed. Blood started to drip from the cut on her cheek. Wait, but did his fist really make that? I remember there being cases where boxers have given others clean cuts, but I doubt that this is what's happening. Abruptly, Sakurako dropped to her knees, as if she couldn't control her own body.
['What's this? With one sharp blow to the cheek, Sakurako Nox is on her knees?!']
This is strange. A punch from someone like him wouldn't be able to put a cut on Sakurako–I believe so, anyway–so then, why? Moreover, she shouldn't collapse from it. The only conclusion I can draw is that...
«Subject, Aaron Marshal, is concealing a blade. From the looks of it, it is hidden in his right sleeve.»
Yeah, thought so. I'm sure the prince wouldn't miss something like that, so then–Ah!
When I looked over at Prince Guist, a smile was on his face. It was the opposite of his brother, who was sitting next to Alex Vincent, Prince Eustace seemed to notice something too. A smile perked up the face of Aaron Marshal, and the dumbfounded expression stayed on Sakurako's face. She was probably still trying to process it.
'How'd you like that, you bitch?'