After the preliminaries, a loser's revival round finalized the top 10 contestants for the main event.
The main tournament began after a day's break, starting with the round of 32.
The round of 32, requiring 16 matches, took place over two days.
Helmut checked the bracket released the day before the main event.
'Luke is on the opposite side according to the bracket.'
They would meet in the finals if both won up to the semifinals. This was fortunate. Considering the prominence of Darien's descendant, Helmut was reluctant to eliminate him early on.
Upon returning to the inn with the participant's bracket, Mihail asked,
"Who's your first opponent?"
"A guy named Gordon."
"Gordon? Ah, a non-Basor swordsman. A 6th-year student from Matesis Academy. Shouldn't be a challenge for you, Hyde. It'll be easy."
"How do you know?"
"I told you, I'm not here for fun."
Mihail smiled.
"Besides, I'm looking into what you asked. I'll tell you after the round of 16."
"Alright."
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Hyde! Hyde! Hyde!
The cheers were deafening.
Helmut looked around. The audience was far larger than during the preliminaries.
On this stage, filled with sun-tanned, muscular men, Helmut appeared like a misplaced noble youth.
Yet, his presence was unparalleled.
The novelty of Basor natives, underestimating him, was shattered the moment he wielded his sword, rocking the tournament arena.
The audience began to frenzy over his presence. According to Mihail, tickets for his matches were sold out.
'Yet, Mihail managed to get tickets.'
A capable guy indeed. Helmut looked forward to the information Mihail would bring after the round of 16.
It was difficult to act without certainty in all situations. The enemies were formidable, and he needed to remain hidden.
'It's a tough situation.'
Helmut didn't feel stifled. If anything, it motivated him more in his sword practice. The harder the path, the more rewarding it is to navigate through.
"An academy student?"
Gordon, stepping onto the stage, asked. He didn't look Basor but was equally robust.
Helmut was about to deny but instead cut short.
"Doesn't matter."
"Right, it's not important."
Gordon closed his mouth with a nervous face. The match was about to start. Helmut lightly gripped his sword's hilt. His opponent couldn't materialize Vis. That alone put them at a significant disadvantage.
Ding―!
The bell rang. Helmut's lightning-fast thrust was dodged by Gordon.
Helmut had no intention of revealing his Vis. He kept his skills as hidden as possible, dodging Gordon's counterattack.
Or so it seemed.
Helmut then twisted to the side and lunged again.
Cling! The clash of swords echoed. The physical difference was stark, but Gordon grimaced.
'It's like hitting a rock!'
Being able to materialize Vis meant he could control its intensity. At the moment of impact, he amplified his sword's strength explosively. Gordon, a trained swordsman, could withstand it once.
'A trained body protects against Vis.'
In this aspect, Helmut wasn't in the most advantageous position. He was still growing.
Gordon, a main tournament contestant, differed significantly from the 2nd-year academy students Helmut had faced. He was quick to adapt and knew how to fight.
With a groan, Gordon's shoulder bled as he dropped his sword. It was a genuine contest, where limbs could be lost. But there was no need for such extremities.
A clear mismatch.
'He's about Alea's level.'
"I lost."
Gordon conceded smoothly. Helmut sheathed his sword lightly.
Cheers erupted again. The wind roared, and the ground trembled as Helmut moved, followed by applause.
Helmut glanced at the crowd waving their hands at him indifferently.
A tingling sensation flowed through his heart. His presence on stage was elevated, unlike any duel. Unfamiliar, yet... it felt surprisingly good.
In the Demonic Beast Forest, even against the strongest opponents, such a sensation would never arise.
"Boring guy. You should at least wave back to the audience."
Descending from the stage, Luke Yeager spoke. It was his turn next.
"Isn't your next opponent from the Palma Knights?"
"Yes, we don't do favors. Drawn by lot, even comrades face off without mercy. You're lucky. I wanted to see your skill, but you got an easy opponent. You used standard sword techniques, right?"
"No need to use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken."
Helmut lightly quoted a proverb.
"My next opponent seems to be a Palma Knight."
"Based on the bracket? That might be interesting."
It was Luke's turn next, but the stage was still being prepared. Glancing there, Luke inquired,
"But why ask about my lodging and do nothing?"
He must have expected a visit. Curiosity was evident in his face, a type that could die of curiosity.
"I'm waiting for the right moment."
"What moment are you waiting for?"
"You'll know when the time comes."
Luke's expression soured. As he said himself, he's the type to demand answers by grabbing the curious party's collar.
"Are you trying to mess with my mental state before my match?"
"You started the conversation, not me."
Helmut sharply cut him off and left with a parting shot.
"Hope you don't use disturbed mental state as an excuse for your loss."
"Young and challenging,"
Luke chuckled, but as his name was called, his expression turned serious. Now that his advancement was confirmed, he had to match up.
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"Here's the information you asked for."
Mihail promptly handed over a few documents, after lavishing praise on today's performance.
"Thanks for your effort."
Feeling a twinge of conscience, Helmut realized he had received a lot from Mihail. Even if Mihail was eager to pull him in, Helmut benefited significantly, more than just a room at the inn warranted. Transactions should balance.
After some thought, Helmut offered,
"50,000 marks."
"For what?"
"As payment for the information you provided."
Mihail burst out laughing. Had he quoted too low? His funds weren't endless. Though he expected prize money, that was in the future.
"No need for that. That amount is trivial to me."
Showing off wealth while strangely gleaming in his eyes,
"I'll take something else later."
"There's no guarantee I'll give what you want."
"That's fine. Just receive. When I ask, give if you can."
"A losing deal."
"Not for those with plenty. Those with a lot know when to invest. Failure is a risk, but it's better than missing out on success. Doing nothing keeps you stagnant, leading to obsolescence. For those with plenty, that's a loss. It's all the same in the end."
An intriguing perspective. However, the issue was that he was the investment target. Such smart talk was probably calculated.
'Swordspeople would easily be swayed.'
On the other hand, smart yet temperamental types like Alea might just punch him for being noisy.
"Anyway, take a good look at this."
"Palma Knights operate on a salary scale. Based on years of service, their salary increases. Their treatment is higher than in other countries, akin to that of a baron. They also receive estates in the capital."
As he handed over the documents, he summarized the contents. Helmut listened attentively.
"Palma Knights primarily protect Basor, including annual desert monster hunts. Last year, the hunt occurred about a month after the tournament."
Monster hunts, a good opportunity, especially if the Palma Knight Commander planned to eliminate Luke Yeager, just as he did his great-grandfather.
"Recently, there's been talk of increased monster activity in the desert. They've even come near villages, so the hunt might be moved up. That's about it; read it yourself."
Following Mihail's suggestion, Helmut skimmed the brief documents. The conditions listed for Palma Knights were quite attractive.
'Basor loves the strong. They don't discriminate based on origin or academy ties.'
A good job indeed. Even Alea, who dislikes confrontation with the strong, would fit well among the elite Palma Knights.
Suddenly considering post-graduation life in Basor, Helmut refocused.
'Not the time for this.'
It wasn't the moment to ponder post-graduation plans.
"By the way, I can match those conditions mentioned there."
Mihail added casually.
"And where I live isn't hot."
"Right."
Helmut organized the document's content in his mind. The information on the Palma Knight Commander matched what Talon provided.
The Palma Knight Commander generally stayed out of politics but was close to the First Prince, suggesting the Palma Knights supported the prince, according to the documents from Mihail.
'The First Prince, a foreign queen's son and devout follower of Lumen, advocates for the church.'
The First Prince had persistently proposed building Lumen's temple in the capital and bringing in priests, causing friction with the king.
The king was against the temple, refusing to empower a church that ignored Basor's requests for help against desert monsters. This was the majority opinion among Basor's elite.
Unable to defy the king, the First Prince remained a potential heir. Despite benefiting from Darien's monster slaying, the king of Basor, a respected ruler, hadn't designated an heir.
He favored the 2nd Prince, his legitimate successor, born of a Basor queen.
Though the Palma Knights couldn't be disregarded, making it impossible to exclude the First Prince as an heir.