Massive scars on the ground, craters all over the walls, and heavily broken tilesー no, they couldn't be even called "broken" anymore. If anything, it was more appropriate to say they were pulverized into oblivion, only tiny fragments remaining.
Such a disastrous sight settled around the Grand Colosseum, the reign of terror and ruin leaving its mark no which angle one was to look at it. The stage has been wiped out of existence, not a trace of it left behind.
The aftermath of the King and Yuna's match was something out of an apocalypse, the whole arena riddled with craters, swallowed by boulders and glaciers. It was a scene from hell, not even the beautiful lightning from the setting sun could help.
"Hmmn～! You go over there... And you there... Then flatten this and...." ［Yuna］
Thankfully, Yuna still had some mana and stamina to spare, fixing what she and the King had broken, humming about as she waved her hand. The ice were thawed and the boulders were turned to dust, the stage restored slowly but surely.
"Ohh... So you even know other attributes of magic as well, Yuna? That's quite the impressive feat there." ［Archen］
"Fufufu! Your praise is too much, Your Majesty. I just happened to learn it because of my teacher. He was quite strict with his teachings, you see." ［Yuna］
"Oh? The fabled heroine's teacher? I would love to meet him one day." ［Archen］
"Fufufu! There's no need to wait, Your Majesty. Actually, you already met him,.. In fact... He's standing right over there." ［Yuna］
Said the young lady, glancing over at Grey's direction with a bright smile on her face, and the King's eyes followed after her. He was quite baffled at first, but knowing how strong Grey was, somehow, it wasn't strange that he was the one who taught Yuna.
He only took a couple glances, but he saw how Grey taught Lisandra over his spare time, and he could confidently say he was the devil, not letting her even take a break. With a teacher like such, it was no wonder Yuna became so powerful.
『Yuna, you're talking behind my back, aren't you?』 ［Grey］
『Ehh～? Not at all～. I was just reminiscing about the past～.』 ［Yuna］
『The past... Haah... I won't ask about it anymore. Anyway, are you sure you don't need any help? I could quickly patch the arena up if you want.』 ［Grey］
『No. This is my doing, anyway. I'm not so helpless that I need my fiancé to clean up after my mess, you know? I'm also a capable adult.』 ［Yuna］
Thankfully, it wasn't just martial arts or magic that Grey taught her. He also taught the young lady about ethics and values while he was at it. Yuna was already a kind child so it wasn't a pain to teach her. Rather, it was quite enjoyable.
Even then, Grey could only sigh at Yuna's words. After all, she was the same Yuna who would also ask him to comb her hair or take off her shoes, acting spoiled when it was just the two of them. She really was unfathomable in many ways.
『Rather than that... shouldn't you be worried about your match, Grey? I heard that the General is quite powerful. Before the Current Champion, he was the holder of the title, and for more than a decade, at that!』 ［Yuna］
『Yeah... I also heard about that. And that's why I'm looking forward to it.』 ［Grey］
『Uuu... I'm a little envious. I also want to fight stronger opponents too...』 ［Yuna］
『Hahaha. I'm sure you'll get your turn.』 ［Grey］
The two were carefree as can be, talking about the General as if it was no big deal. A talk which any other person would probably sneer at them with contempt. He may be the former champion, but he still has tens of thousands of fans, after all.
Just like that, the whole arena was finally repaired, looking good as new, not a single hole or crater to be seen. There were only smiling faces afloat the place, Yuna and the King soon taking their exit as the crowd cheered for them.
"Ohh!! As expected of Her Highness! Just a single minute and everything is now repaired! She truly is a prodigy worthy of her fame!" ［Konan］
"Hohoho! You said it right, Partner! And just as prodigious as she is, so is one of our following contestants! They say he had hunted bears when he was just 5! And fought ogres when he was 6!" ［Terry］
"You heard it right, folks! He also destroyed a flock of thunderbirds when he was just 12 years of age! A man truly worthy of the title of 'Hero'!" ［Konan］
There was no need to guess who the commentators were talking about, the young man himself just waiting behind the arena gates, face now red from embarrassment as he covered it with his hands, not wanting to hear anymore.
They weren't just at the level of simple gossip anymore, but already some insane exaggerations he couldn't even begin to describe about. Forget about hunting bears, he would cry at the sight of street dogs when he was 5. It was all too embarrassing.
"Fufufu! I didn't know you were so strong when you were a child, Mister Prodigy～! Hunting bears at 5 years old is amazing! Fufufu!" ［Yuna］
"Yuna, stop it... I'm already dying from embarrassment here..." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! You're so cute sometimes, Grey～!" ［Yuna］
To his upcoming duel with the General, he was unfazed, but in front of such words, he was greatly shaken. It was like when a parent shows one's baby pictures to their classmates, only that it was much worse and there was a much larger audience.
The embarrassment continued and his fiancée kept on giggling. Soon enough, the storm finally ended and Grey could finally breathe freely. He swore to himself that if he ever finds out who was spreading such rumors, he would have a nice, long, and heart to heart talk with them.
"Then...! Let's welcome our next contenders to the stage!!" ［Terry］
Terry's voice boomed like thunder and the crowd quaked with excitement. The arena gates opened and light graced the waiting area, two figures revealed for the world to see, equipped with swords by their sides and eyes sharp as their blades.
"I already know you're going to win, still... Good luck, Grey." ［Yuna］
"Yeah. We made a promise after all." ［Grey］
His voice faded along the whistling winds, replaced by the sound of his footsteps. A thunderclap of cheers and squeals bore down on the Grand Colosseum as two men made their entrance, booming louder and louder until it rocked the heavens.
On one side was the General who reigned supreme over the army, powerful enough to crush an army on his own. On another was a young hero who could slay a dragon all by himself. Like the match duel it, it was yet another sight to behold.
"Ohh! We just finished up with a terrific match and another one is going to unfold yet again! I can't calm down my excitement, Partner!" ［Konan］
"Hohoho! You're right, Partner, terrifyingly so! It's not everyday that we get to see a clash between an S-ranker and an A-ranker! I'm sure it will be a spectacle!" ［Terry］
"It's not just a spectacle! It will be a scene which will go down in history!" ［Konan］
Both of the commentators sang high praises of Grey and the General, words of awe and anticipation drifting along the breeze. The audience thundered time and time again, drowning out the howling winds.
Meanwhile, the two figures remained standing still. It was not the first time they met one another, but they have yet to see for themselves how strong the other really was. Their blood boiled in exhilaration, their hearts smiling ever so happily.
⟨⟨Appraisal⟩⟩ ［Grey］
-----------------------------------
[Salferine]
[Name]Harold myr Kamion
[Race]Human
[Sex]Male
[Age]50
[Status]Healthy
[Mana Capacity]1,985 [Mana Quality]B
[Combat Power]3,315 [Threat Level]A
[Attribute]Water [Magic Proficiency]High (54%)
[Class]Swordsman [Weapon Proficiency]High (73%)
[Physical Enhancement]75%
[Ability]『Hunter's Sense (4☆)』
-----------------------------------
The General was slightly better than Grey in terms of swordsmanship, but Grey was much higher in terms of the magic he could use in conjunction with the sword. Save their abilities, the two of them were standing on equal grounds.
There was also the General's "Hunter Sense (4☆)" which not only heightens all his senses, but would allow him to read the next attacks using his increased intuition and battle instincts. Grey couldn't be any more excited.
"Your Highness. I won't say much, but I hope we have a good match," ［Harold］
"The feeling is mutual, General Harold. Let's give it our all." ［Grey］
The two shook hands and exchanged smiles with one another, excitement showing by how strong their grips were. As they separated, the commentators introduced them once more, crowds cheering in the background.
"Then, without further ado..." ［Terry］
""Let the duel... Begin!"" ［Konan and Terry］
There was no time to dilly-dally, as soon as their voices reverberated across the Grand Colosseum, the atmosphere of the place quickly changed, Grey and the General's eyes glowing a sharp glint as they unsheathed their swords from their scabbards.
A deafening boom ruptured the air as Grey bolted towards the General. His strength may be limited, but he could still ride along the wind to boost his speed to an extreme degree, a loud clang ringing the moment his sword connected with the General's.
CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG
Sparks flew in the air as Grey brandished his sword, the General's eyes following his movements and parrying without fail. He didn't just defend, but counterattacked as well, Grey narrowly dodging his slashes by a hair's breadth.
He slashed upwards and a stream of blue glimmered. Grey dodged with ease, but he didn't just stop there. As soon as Grey dodged, he changed the direction of his sword, launching yet another slash aimed towards Grey's torso.
The head, the legs, the arms, and thrusts towards the chest. The General's sword path flowed smooth like water, maneuvering like a free bird in the sky, his strides firm and precise, allowing him to perform a chain of movements without much trouble.
"Hahaha! You have quite the fantastic footwork, Your Highness! To think you could dodge all my attacks without a problem." ［Harold］
"I'm honored, General Harold. It's all because of practice." ［Grey］
Grey wasn't any less agile either. He didn't even need to use his "Eyes of Destiny". His fast acuity alone were enough to read the trajectory of the General's sword, using wind magic to move his body however he liked.
"Practice, huh... Then let's see if you can dodge this one...!" ［Harold］
The General suddenly withdrew his blade and a curtain of water enveloped him, all gathering towards his sword as if there was no tomorrow. A resounding echo boomed throughout the arena as he struck the ground with his foot. He drew his sword and...
⟨⟨Deep Blue's Judge!⟩⟩ ［Harold］
... the arena was swallowed by blue light. He slashed and thrusted, silhouettes of blue appearing with every movement. Sharks cruised throughout the air, rushing towards Grey with their maws wide open, ready to devour the young man.
There wasn't just one or two, but dozens of them rushing out like a barrage, darting towards Grey at breakneck speeds, coming from all angles and directions, their jaws just as sharp as the General's blade.
SPLASH SPLASH SPLASH SPLASH
There was no time to be amazed. A smile appeared on Grey's handsome face and scarlet light started to glimmer as well. Scarlet light which burnt black soon after the moment the flames of hell covered Grey's sword.
Grey slashed and a shark was cut, an explosion of steam booming throughout the stage and filling the arena with mist. The more Grey slashed, the more explosions followed, the veil of mist getting thicker and thicker every time.
The General didn't just let the fog of mist and steam obstruct his vision. As soon as he finished his volley, he raised his trusty sword towards the air and a silver gleam shone on the stage, like a beacon in the midst of darkness.
⟨⟨Cleaving Crescent!⟩⟩ ［Harold］
The Generals brought down his sword and the fog was cleaved in half. The parted fig was then sucked in by the vortex in his wake and dispersed the fog even more, the mist thinning out as they rose towards the sky.
Yet despite the view clearing out, there was not a hint of Grey to be seen. His eyes shifted left and right, looking for any trace. His ears also listened for the lightest of vibrations, making sure Grey wasn't trying to attack him from behind.
'Is he going to attack from aboveー No! Below!' ［Harold］
The General was about to look up, when all fibers of his body screamed out danger. He immediately moved his feet without much thinking, rushing backwards and letting his intuition guide him. Surely enough, a silver gleam sparkled below him.
'Tsk... And to think I even had to erase my presence for that...' ［Grey］
Grey may not be able to hide himself as well as Yuna, but he still knew a thing or two. Still, the General's instincts were much sharper than he thought, preventing him from ambushing him before he could even tightly grip his sword.
However, there was no time to be disappointed. Before the General could get even further Grey immediately chased after him and closed the distance before a single second could, thrusting his scarlet blade towards him once more.
CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG
Another fierce clash rang out in the air and lights of azure and scarlet filled the stage. Their clashes were heavy, shockwaves running rampant until the fog of mist was fully cleared, only dug and sparks flying out as they crossed swords.
"Ohhh!! They are clashing head to head without letting each other rest! The barrier had already limited their strengths but I still couldn't follow their movements! Just what you should expect from our heroes!" ［Konan］
"Keep your eyes peeled, folks! They may be equally matched right now, but the duel could turn tides at any moment! Hohoho! How exciting!" ［Terry］
"Would His Highness prevail and cut through His Grace's wall of blades, or would His Grace prevail and show us what it means to be the General! Make sure not to miss a beat! We are witnessing history here!" ［Konan］
The commentators added to the pandemonium, riling up the audience and making them cheer even louder. An amalgamation of cheers which were still not a match compared to the bellowing tremors and shockwaves the two produced.
His fluid footwork stopped out of the blue, and the General cratered the ground with his step. He swung his sword wide and cleaved the ground before him. Grey dodged it with ease, but he wasn't aiming for him in the first place.
With Grey now quite some distance away, the General then brandished his sword, a blue halo of bubbling water forming before him. It looked like a shield at first glance, but it couldn't be any further from the truth.
⟨⟨Piercing Jack: Jet Stream!⟩⟩ ［Harold］
The General thrusted his sword in the center of the blue halo and a massive sword of blue manifested out of thin air. It rushed towards Grey, packing enough strength to blow away the whole Colosseum were it not for the barrier present.
BOOM SPLASH SPLASH SPLASH
Grey braced himself and cut through the sword of pressurized water, water flooding the stage as the water was cut through. Some were turned to steam along a loud boom, but many remained, gushing forth like waves in the ocean.
However, it wasn't the end of it. The halo didn't disappear after a single strike and remained floating in the air. The General thrusted again and again, a volley of deep blue rushing towards Grey without leaving him time to rest.
Waves splashed and clouds of steam burst forth. The more Grey splashed, the more flooded the arena became, pillars of steam rising towards the sky. The arena had become a flooded hellhole with barely any visibility.
⟨⟨ ⟨⟨Cleaving Crescent!⟩⟩ ⟩⟩ ［Grey and Harold］
Two blades of mana clashed in the middle and the waves went wild. The curtain of steam was lifted, leaving a blue battlefield behind. Two swordsmen stood still, eyes still sharp and ready to lash out yet again.
And lash out they did. With all eyes on them, Grey and the General brandished their swords and a storm of mana brewed, the flooded arena shaking in turmoil and waves rushing out like the sea in the middle of a storm.
⟨⟨Deep Blue's Judge!⟩⟩ ［Harold］ ⟨⟨Bladed Tempest!⟩⟩ ［Grey］
Ferocious sharks swam in the air and dove down the flooded stage, rushing towards Grey with their eyes glowing blue. Yet they couldn't even get near with Grey blade lashing them without mercy. Cutting and dicing them up.
However with each and every shark he slashed, the flooding waters only rose, the stage swallowed up until it reached Grey's calves, only rising faster and faster the more he tried to defend against the cascading blades.
He doesn't even have time to evaporate the waters as the General was waiting for the chance he would do so, eyes sharp as daggers and sword ready to strike him down the moment he lets his guard down.
⟨⟨Cleaving Crescent!⟩⟩ ［Grey］
Using the momentum of his "Bladed Tempest", Grey ended his rampage with a big strike, creating a massive wave which rushed out like a tsunami, rushing towards the General''s direction and swallowing the sharks whole.
⟨⟨Heavy Slash!⟩⟩ ［Harold］
The General easily parted the massive wave with a single strike, the waves running rampant as he did. Yet like before, the moment the waves were parted, Grey was not in sight yet again, vanishing like the passing winds.
Vigilant as can be, the General raised his guard and kept his eyes peeled, observing the flooded battlefield like a bird of prey. He stood still in the center of the blue arena, his mind and heart calm as the bright sky above him.
Drip Drip Drip
"There...!" ［Harold］
The waves quaked and the General twisted his body, thrusting his sword behind him without a moment's hesitation, and surely enough, Grey was there, a sharp glimmer of blue greeting the young man straight to the face.
Grey kicked up the air and propelled his body away, a clamoring gale resounding as the General's sword slashed through the air. A series of splashes followed soon after it, Grey landing back on his feet, and the stage trembling before him.
"Haah... I see... So that's how it is..." ［Grey］
"Hahaha. Looks like you already saw through me,.. Though I already expected it, I didn't think it would be this quickly. As expected of Your Highness." ［Harold］
"Intuition could be a matter of life and death, after all." ［Grey］
The flooded arena empowered the General's sword techniques greatly whilst also turning the battlefield into his ally. But it wasn't as simple as it seemed. It also had one other very important purpose... It was detection.
Unlike the ground, a wet battlefield makes much louder vibrations via splashes. In conjunction with his "Hunter's Sense", he could accurately predict Grey's position, striking a counterattack before Grey could even close in on him.
"That was a good decision, General. However... you forgot to consider a couple bits of important information about me." ［Grey］
"Hm? And that is..." ［Harold］
"Well, first and foremost... Sneak attacks aren't my forte!" ［Grey］
Grey's voice echoed in the air and so did his booming steps. He imbued not just wind magic on his steps, but lightning and fire magic as well, creative explosive boosts which allowed him to bolt at tremendous speeds.
The General raised his guard up, but Grey was far too quick. Before he could even prepare himself, the young man already appeared before him, raising his sword towards the sky and bringing it down with a destructive force behind it.
'Urk...! So heavy...!' ［Harold］
It wasn't just his strength alone, but borrowing the same explosive boost from the most destructive of magic attributes, he landed slash after slash towards the General, brilliant sparks flying out everywhere like stars in the night sky.
In the first place, Grey was a brawler, be he using his gauntlets or swords, clashing head to head still suited him the most, landing combo after combo without letting the General rest, massive shockwaves rupturing the air as he unleashed his fury.
⟨⟨Heavy Slash!⟩⟩ ［Grey］
He landed a final strike to end his combo, and the General was brought to his knees, the waters rushing away from them and waves as high as the walls rampaging inside the arena, smashing the walls and making the colosseum tremble.
The General could finally breathe, but there was no time to waste. He quickly blew a slash and chased Grey away. He only brought a little time, but it was more than enough for him to launch another volley of sharks.
And just as he was about to do so, Grey suddenly stopped. He didn't rush towards him, but rather, firmly planted his foot on the flooded stage, waving his sword to the tune of the winds, a bubbly halo of deep blue appearing before him, shocking not just the General, but the audience as well.
"A-A miracle is h-happening, folks! It seems like His Highness is imitating His Grace's technique! Just what is going on?!" ［Terry］
He wasn't imitating it, he was perfectly copying it. With "Perfect Vision" and "Perfect Memory", as long as his eyes land on it, he could perfectly copy it without fail, it won't matter if it was the first time he saw it, he could copy them all the same.
And copy them, he did. Blue light shone on the arena once again, twice the radiance and twice the intensity, halos of blue growing bigger and bigger as the two poured more mana into their attacks, whirlpools sucking in the flooding waters.
⟨⟨ ⟨⟨Piercing Jack: Jet Stream!!⟩⟩ ⟩⟩ ［Grey and Harold］
Their eyes glimmered bright and they thrust their swords with vigor. Massive swords of blue clashing ever so violently, birthing shockwaves with it. They thrusted time and time again, the waves flogging out like a stormy ocean
Curtains of blue veiled the arena, nothing to be seen as the water continued to rise. The General's "Hunter Sense" was now useless, way too many vibrations and happenings flooding his senses. It was pandemonium.
And in that pandemonium Grey saw a chance, bolting like a hurricane towards the General, jet black flames devouring his sword as intense flames burned in his heart. He raised his sword one final time, flames roaring towards the heavens.
⟨⟨Scorching Crescent!⟩⟩ ［Grey］
The flames of hell erupted ever so violently, Grey's sword devouring the skies as it pressed down on the General. The latter bore the full brunt of the attack, kneeling against his will, the ground under him giving in and waves running wild as the ground was cratered yet again.
Black flames bellowed even louder, devouring the arena whole, the most thunderous explosion resounding all throughout the city, a massive pillar of steam rising towards the heavens and engulfing the sky whole.
Silence followed soon after, all eyes glued on the arena as the veil of mist slowly cleared out. A single, massive crater was evident in the arena, not a single drop of water to be seen. Only a lone figure remained standing.
"Th-The match is overrrr!! With a destructive conclusion, His Highness takes victory and defeats His Grace! Gladiator Grey takes a spot in the semifinals!" ［Konan］
"Whoohoo!! That was fantastic!"
"Your Highness! Your Grace! That was a great match!"
"Hahaha! I thought my heart stopped there for a moment! That was amazing!"
A loud cacophony ensued soon after.
CHAPTER 326 END