Chapter 309: Two Against Two
"Grey, Yuna, why don't you participate in duo matches?" ［Archen］
"Huh...? Duos...?" ［Grey］
A sudden suggestion rang over the dinner table, catching the attention of two figures. Their spoons stopped moving and their eyes swam towards the direction of the King, tilting their heads ever so slightly as they pondered over his suggestion.
It's been several days since Grey and Yuna arrived in Avalon, and ever since they registered themselves as gladiators, they have been fighting matches each and every single day, honing their swordsmanship as they go.
Well, it's not only their skill in swordsmanship which improved, there was also their fame which now made them the talk of the town. People are even greeting them as they walk down the streets and head towards the colosseums.
"Why so suddenly, Your Majesty? Is that a requirement or something?" ［Grey］
"Not really per se... I just thought that it would be a good experience for the two of you. It's an opportunity to learn about trust and coordination." ［Archen］
"That does make some sense..." ［Grey］
"Well, I don't think you two really need that knowing you've been together for so long. I've seen how synchronized your movements were when you fought against the Azure Sword Emperor. It was exceptional." ［Archen］
The King's words were no exaggeration. After all, Grey and Yuna have been together for almost four years now and their teamwork was as solid as steel. They didn't even need to talk to one another, a few gestures were already more than enough.
Of course, there are still some things left to be desired, but they were all too minor to be mentioned. As far as the general public is concerned, their teamwork was already perfect, not a single bit of flaw to be seen.
"That, and I thought it would be interesting as well. I'd like to see you two fight alongside one another once more." ［Archen］
And his true thoughts finally leaked out, a troublesome smile blooming on his face. He might not be able to observe them due to work, but it was still interesting to hear how the match went from other people. It would be a nice change of pace.
"I think that's a wonderful idea as well. People would surely be excited." ［Queen］
"I'm sure Your Highnesses would dominate the matches, but it would surely be interesting nonetheless." ［Crown Prince］
"Yes! You should fight in duos, Grey! Yuna!" ［Lisandra］
There was also no disagreement from the other members of the Royal Family. Each and every one of them also suggested that they try out the idea. All except for one, not because he doesn't like the idea, but because he wasn't there.
Despite having stayed at Avalon for a considerable amount of time already, Grey and Yuna have yet to meet the Second Prince of the Graystone Kingdom. They say he's been sick all this time and couldn't attend even if he wanted to. It was a pity but there was nothing they could do about it.
"Hmm... We'll give it some thought, Your Majesty." ［Grey］
"Hahaha. I'm looking forward to your response, then." ［Archen］
Dinner continued and the night fell deeper. Before long, everyone retired to their own rooms, and tucked themselves in the bed. The sweet lullaby of the night rang inside their ears as they slowly but surely drifted towards dreamland.
And as quickly as night came, the morning sun soon reigned over the world once again. They had breakfast, a bath, and fixed themselves properly. They greeted the new day with a smile, the subtle chirping of the little birds playing music in their ears.
As for Grey and Yuna, they have now prepared themselves for what's about to come. They had a short talk yesterday, and were able to quickly come to a decision. As to be expected, they are going to have duo matches for the day, their blood boiling in excitement as the seconds pass.
"Are you ready, Yuna?" ［Grey］
"Un! Ready as you are!" ［Yuna］
There was no uncertainty in their voices. With their swords sheathed tightly into their scabbard, Grey and Yuna soon met up with Lisandra, and before long, headed out to the colosseums, various sorts of people greeting them by the streets.
Since it was a duo match, they headed towards another colosseum rather than their usual, changing directions as they went about. It was located on the opposite corner of the city, people just as many as they lined up towards the colosseum.
Other than them, no one knew that they would be participating in duo matches, but such would change soon enough. One by one, people started to notice them, eyes glued on them as they paced towards the reception desk, the receptionist greeting them with a professional smile.
"Good day, Your Highnesses. How could I serve you today?"
"We'd like to participate in a duo match, please." ［Grey］
"A... A duo match...?"
It wasn't just the receptionist, everyone's attention was also caught when Grey spoke of such words. The crowd had seen them fight individual duels before, but never as a team. They couldn't help but wonder how it would be like, a stream of curiosity welling up greedily inside their hearts.
In fact, they were so curious, they already started pulling out their coin pouches and wallets, ready to pay a ticket for their match as soon as it was available. Grey and Yuna have still yet to sign up themselves yet they were already so excited.
The receptionists had also prepared themselves for what's about to come. With the eyes of the potential audiences sparkling as they come, it would surely be a scene of chaos once the tickets are available. All hell would break loose.
"Your Highnesses, I have already registered your names. Please wait patiently until your names are called by the announcer."
"Thanks. We'll be going in now." ［Grey］
"Yes. I wish you luck on your endeavors."
Grey, Yuna, and Lisandra soon left. Like a school of starving piranhas, the crowd looked at the counters with eyes of that of predators, waiting to pounce as soon as the tickets were brought out, the receptionist getting ready as all.
The tickets soon became available and things went just as expected. It was a scene of total chaos as the crowd jumped onto one another, reaching out of the tickets as if their very lives depended on it. It was like a live fan-signing event, the only difference is that people are even crazier than usual.
To top things off, more and more people gathered as the rumors spread around, soon rushing like a massive tsunami towards the colosseum. It was dire, the administrator had to step in along the colosseum guards. The day had just barely started and yet they already had to face such a troublesome situation.
Just like that, time passed by pretty quickly and Grey and Yuna's names were called towards the arena. Lisandra wished them luck, but such was nothing compared to the crazed cheers of the audience as soon they made their entrance.
Grey and Yuna could still remember it when they entered, the colosseum only contained a couple hundred people at best, but now, there were thousands. The power of fame was a scary one.
"Here they are! The Rising Rookies of Avalon who dominated all their matches and carved their names in history in but a mere, single week! The Heroes of Oiros who broke all records before them! They call themselves 'Aster'! And they surely live up to their names! The Stars of the Week! Their Highnesses! Gladiators Grey and Yuna!"
"Whoooh!! Crush your opponents! Don't show any mercy!"
"Your Highnesses! Please look at me!"
"Ohh! So they're the rumored heroes... They really are young..."
Various reactions came from the crowd, but they all cheered nonetheless. Some of them only saw them once yet they were already once, those who didn't curiously eyeing the two. All were excited for the upcoming fight.
"Going up against them, the destructive duo of Avalon! They have demolished a myriad of buildings in a single strike, earning them the moniker of "Demolishers"! They are not ones to be messed with! Ranked 11 and 12, respectively! Gladiators Alvin and Misty!"
"Sir Alvin! Don't let some kids defeat you! Show them what true swordsmanship is!"
"Go! Demolishers! You can do it!"
"Miss Misty, please step on me!"
Their opponents weren't any less popular, garnering the support and cheers of the audience with their entrance. They were very enthusiastic, some comments were better left ignored. Just a bunch of perverts and degenerates screaming loudly,
It was their first time facing one another, but they didn't think they would go against a man and a woman pair as well. To top it all off, they were very advanced C-rankers, almost reaching the peak. They were strong.
"I hope we have a good match." ［Misty］
"Un. The feeling is mutual. We'll be in your care." ［Yuna］
Giving their greetings to one another, both parties then headed to the other side of the stage and soon sheathed their swords. The announcer soon stepped down the stage and looked at both sides, then nodding to himself soon after,
"Let the duel... Begin!"
The announcer finally gave the signal and two streaks of light rushed towards one another. One was Yuna and the other was Alvin, their swords clashing violently, a rush of gales and gusts running rampant on the stage.
They then exchanged blows, a tempest of blades rushing towards one another. They had about the same level of swordsmanship, pressing against one another, strikes heavy as can be, producing shockwaves every time they connected.
As for Grey and Misty, they simply analyzed the opponent's movements whilst Alvin and Yuna distracted themselves. Another violent shockwave rocked the stage as Misty also started moving.
⟨⟨Wild Thrust!⟩⟩ ［Misty］
Swift as a speeding bullet, Misty rushed her rapier towards Grey, large bursts of wind following it soon after. It was fast, but not fast enough. Grey's eyes had already read its trajectory, dodging it with relative ease with a simple side step.
But Misty simply didn't stop there. As soon as her shot missed, she then showered Grey with a barrage of thrusts, making sure he didn't have the chance to retaliate and driving him towards a corner.
Well, it wasn't really a corner, per se. Misty constantly changed the angles of her thrusts in order to drive Grey towards Yuna. There, Alvin was already preparing to strike a single, powerful strike to finish the duel in a jiffy, simply keeping Yuna busy whilst Misty does her part.
'No wonder they're called "Demolishers"...' ［Grey］
Unfortunately, Grey had already seen through their pincer attack, and so did Yuna. They were simply going with the flow, wanting to satisfy their curiosity and learning a couple more things from their seniors.
And so the plan had begun. Grey and Yuna finally bumped against one another, their backs pressed against each other. As soon as they did, Alvin left the playing field and left everything to Misty as he prepared for his massive attack.
⟨⟨Swift Star: Entrapment!⟩⟩ ［Misty］
Misty circled around the two, borrowing the power of light magic. Every time they tried to step out, she would lunger her sword at her, effectively pinning them down in her little cage. Jumping is also useless as she doesn't even give them a chance to try.
It was no wonder why they were so effective as a duo. Even if it was a B-Ranker in a real battle, they would surely find it hard to escape their trap unless they use their auras. And just in time, Alvin finished charging his attack.
⟨⟨Devouring Shadows: Perdition!⟩⟩ ［Alvin］
Misty quickly fled the scene, and so did Grey or Yunaー or at least, they tried. But just when Misty escaped, shadows came rushing from the ground and grabbed ahold of their feet and legs, preventing them from doing so. They were stuck.
Alvin performed a horizontal slash and a wave of death and darkness came rushing out after it. Such ferocious darkness darted towards Grey and Yune, ready to devour them at a moment's notice. Doom was upon them.
'Heh... How clever...' ［Grey］
Yet all was useless. Also pouring it their all, Grey and Yuna also poured mana into their blades. They then raised their blade and like simultaneously, they slashed down towards the rushing blade, a deafening explosion ringing out soon after.
The blade of darkness was slashed twice at the same time, parting it half as Grey and Yuna's blades struck down on it. It continued to surge, but neither of the two were hurt, only deep gashes left on the ground.
"G-G-Gladiator Alvin's signature move was cleaved in half! What an amazing force! Only to be expected of the Heroes!"
A loud clamor rang out in the air, the audience cheering loudly. Though Alvin's strike had been broken before, even the champion had a hard time doing it the first time he saw it. Yet the two youths easily cleaved them as if it was nobody's business.
"Haha... Those crazy kids... We really underestimated them, huh..." ［Alvin］
"Fufufu. I guess the fault falls on us then." ［Misty］
However, it was entirely different for Misty and Alvin. Though it would usually be easy for Grey and Yuna, the same couldn't be said for their current selves who didn't only have their strengths limited but also pressed for time by the surprise attack.
Yet they still did it. Grey and Yuna struck exactly the same spot at exactly the same time without a single flaw, perfectly combining their strengths and breaking the blade of darkness. It was a feat impossible without perfect synchronization.
"Galvin, let's opt for plan B." ［Misty］
"Roger." ［Alvin］
However, Alvin and Misty didn't let their mistake bother them too much. As soon as they saw how ineffective their attack was, they soon rushed towards Grey and Yuna and started pressuring them again, a series of clangs echoing once again.
At the same time, Grey and Yuna still kept on observing. They let Alvin and Misty do as they please, learning from their patterns like children learning from their parents. They simply dodged and parried, counterattacking when needed be.
And like before, Misty and Alvin are pushing them back towards a corner, keeping them both in check as they drew nearer the edge of the stageー or so they thought, when suddenly, the two of them backed off from their rampage and rushed towards the other side of the stage.
⟨⟨ ⟨⟨Dual Judge!!⟩⟩ ⟩⟩ ［Misty and Alvin］
It was yet another heavy attack. A blade of light and a blade of darkness rushed out from their swords, forming a gray cross of destruction. The cross bolted across the stage and left a deep gash on the stage.
The attack was much stronger than before, making breaking it impossible in Grey and Yuna's current state. Even if they combined their strengths and pierced the very center of the cross, they would still be devoured and knocked off the stage.
However, all hope was not lost. Yuna just hid behind Grey and the latter then stood still all the while gripping his sword tightly, a scarlet glow radiating in the arena as flames started to light ablaze from Grey's scorching sword.
⟨⟨Scorching Crescent!⟩⟩ ［Grey］
BOOOOMMMMMMMM
Flames razed the whole arena with Grey's words, but they weren't just normal flames. What were once scarlet were now pitch black, patches of pure white burning time and time again, increasing the temperature to an astonishing degree.
During normal circumstances, an attack like "Cleaving Crescent" wouldn't be a match against "Dual Judge", however with Vulcan Wrath's "Hellfire" ability, the flames have been enhanced 5 times stronger, completely overpowering the latter with ease.
The flames continued to dance and the steamy hot winds rose towards the sky. The stage was charged and both Alvin and Misty sustained a good amount of damage. Well, the same also went for Grey who faced their attack head on, however...
⟨⟨High Heal⟩⟩ ［Yuna］
With their holy magic, such injuries were nothing. Spells were only prohibited when used directly against your opponents, unless used as a combination spell with sword art. However, the rules never mentioned not using spells on yourselves. A loophole very favorable for Grey and Yuna.
"Misty, let's switch to plan Cー" ［Alvin］
"I don't believe we can let you do that, Seniors. We had a good time learning from you, however, I'm afraid we'll have to end the match now." ［Grey］
Alvin and Misty didn't even have to hear anymore from him. As soon as they saw the smile on Grey's face, an ominous feeling loomed over their hearts. A feeling which only grew stronger with the sharp glint in his eyes as he raised his sword.
Instinctively, Alvin and Misty rushed towards Grey, mana hastily coating their swords, ready to slash Grey the moment they were in range. They tried their best, pushing their legs to the limits, soon raising their swords towards him.
⟨⟨White Dream: Fluttering Snowflakes!"⟩⟩［Yuna］
They were so focused on Grey, they didn't even notice Yuna. When they did, it was already too late. A deadly frost already coated her sword, the arena turning white along her cold, blue ice. Danger rang out from all the fibers in their body.
Snowflakes fell from the sky, dancing slowly until turned into a wild storm of frost, ready to devour everything alive. It was already far too late for Misty and Alvin to dodge, Yuna slashing a frosty wave of blue and white.
⟨⟨ ⟨⟨Cleaving Cresent!!⟩⟩ ⟩⟩ ［Misty and Alvin］
With no other choices left, what was supposed to be an attack directed at Grey had now become a tool of self-defense against Yuna's wrathful strike. Their shoulders and arms hurt from the sudden slash, but such didn't matter anymore.
BOOOOMMMMMM
An explosion of blue and white rang out in the colosseum, shards of ice flying here and there. Thankfully, there was a barrier protecting the audience. Otherwise, they would have been swallowed by deep ice not even flames could thaw.
Both Misty and Alvin survived, however, they didn't come out unscathed. Even with their counterattack, it was still too powerful to bear with their bodies. Still, they were glad that they could still fight... Well, not for too long.
Just as the clouds of snow and ice cleared out, the winds started to howl wildly and the ground started to tremble. A storm of mana gathered at Grey's blade, ferocious winds sucked in by a voracious vortex, getting bigger and bigger with the passing of time,
⟨⟨Slash: Sylph's Wrath⟩⟩ ［Grey］
Grey's words rang in the stage and the winds now bellowed. An inescapable tempest fell down towards the arena and the clouds darkened quickly as Grey brought down his sword. A sword or pure and indomitable Destruction.
The sword swept the ground and both Misty and Alvin were blasted off the stage, a loud crash echoing as they crashed towards the barrier. The storm continued to rage on until even the stage was no more. All there were were clouds of lingering dust.
"Th-The victors are Their Highnesses! Gladiators Grey and Yuna! What an intense duel! Please give it up for all our gladiators!"
"Whohoo! That was a good fight!"
"You did well, Miss Misty, Mister Alvin!"
"Your Highnesses! Please notice us!"
Cheers and applause rang out all throughout the colosseum, the audience cheering for both the victors and the losers. No matter which angle one looked at it, it was a very splendid duel one would rarely see even in the Grand Colosseum.
And in the crowd, there was a hooded figure standing silently at the farthest reaches of the searing areas. He watched the whole fight unfold, his face indifferent as one can be. Soon, he turned his head left, footsteps echoing in the air.
"I didn't think I'd see you here, Mister Champion." ［???］
"I could say the same to you, Runner up." ［Champion］
"Rubbing salt on my wounds now, are we?" ［Runner up］
An intense greeting, two figures staring daggers at one another's eyes. Such intense pressure and tension blanketed the air, but it disappeared soon after. The Runner-up simply heaved a lengthy sigh, giving up on the thought.
"So, what do you think of them?" ［Runner up］
"They're pretty good, better than me when I was their age, at least... If it were a real fight, I'm sure I wouldn't stand a chance against them." ［Champion］
"Haha. Who knew you would be so humble?" ［Runner up］
"I'm not being humble. I'm just stating the obvious." ［Champion］
The Champion looked at Grey and Yuna once again, a bit of thrill blooming inside his heart. He had already heard various rumors about it, but they were even more amazing than they thought. They were simply outstanding.
He was confident that his swordsmanship was better than the two, but if it comes to their main weapons, he also knew he pales in comparison. Still, he won't simply back down in a fight against them. Rather, he looked forward to it.
"Anyway, whether they end up in the finals or not depends entirely on them. Only time can tell whether we cross swords or not." ［Champion］
"Heh... Confident as ever, aren't you?" ［Runner up］
"If that's how you see it, then so be it. I have no more business here. I will be taking my leave." ［Champion］
"Yeah, sure... I look forward to fighting you again." ［Runner up］
So said the Runner up, but there were no replies from the Champion. He simply walked past them, eyes indifferent as one can be. His footsteps were slowly drowned out by the cheering crowd, and the Runner up left soon after.
Of course, Grey and Yuna were also aware of their presence. They simply didn't look much because they felt no hostility. It was a shame that Grey couldn't appraise them quickly because of the circumstances, but there was no need to fall down. He would surely meet them if fate allows it.
"They're strong, aren't they?" ［Yuna］
"Yeah. Perhaps the strongest in Avalon." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! I look forward to fighting them." ［Yuna］
CHAPTER 309 END