By taking advantage of the smoke spreading in the atmosphere, I quickly grabbed the mana stone and destroyed the rest of the chest.
The Chairman had returned to his seat without anyone noticing. Judging by his demeanor, it seemed he wanted to avoid causing further tension among the people and the crowd. He acted swiftly, ensuring no one caught on.
"Zephyr, when this tournament is over, I shall have a meeting with you personally," his voice resonated directly in my mind, carrying a serious tone.
I nodded in his direction. The crowd, which had calmed down moments ago, soon grew confused. Just seconds ago, they were watching a boy struggling under some kind of pressure, and now he was nowhere to be seen and out of nowhere a massive cloud of smoke hovered above the stadium.
As for Mr.Miller, he was immediately taken to the infirmary for first aid. Although the referee declared him the winner, noting that his opponent was missing, it was highly unlikely he would be able to continue in the tournament.
"That was certainly a battle between beasts! Even though Mr.Miller found his opponent overwhelmingly strong, he refused to admit defeat and kept fighting. Truly, that's what a hunter's resolve should be. Let's give a round of applause to Mr. Miller for setting such an example!"
The entire crowd erupted into applause, their cheers echoing throughout the arena. The tournament continued without interruption. By some twist of luck, I managed to avoid facing both Eirin and Lyra in the second round, though I was itching for a match against Lyra.
Ever since I got my hands on the mana stone from the boy, my attention had been solely fixated on it. All I wanted now was to finish this tournament and move on.
Though the tournament could have been stretched over two days, the International Hunters Association had ordered it to be completed as quickly as possible. Despite the rush, the event was progressing rapidly. It was only high noon, yet the tournament had already reached the quarterfinals.
Lyra and Eirin were breezing through their matches as if it were a mere game. While I had expected Eirin to excel—having experienced his power firsthand—it was surprising to see Lyra perform just as impressively.
It felt as though this tournament had been designed solely to showcase their strength. It wasn't that the other combatants were weak—Eirin and Lyra were simply on a completely different level.
The quarterfinals began with Eirin's match, which meant I wouldn't face him in this round either. The match ended as quickly as it started, leaving little to no suspense. At this point, the tournament was growing dull.
"Maybe I should've just allocated my stats and fought that monster instead..." I mumbled, staring upward as I leaned back, lost in thought.
The emcee soon announced Lyra's match. I had hoped this one would bring some excitement, but I was wrong yet again. It followed the same predictable pattern, with Lyra effortlessly sweeping through her opponent.
Before long, the quarterfinals came to an end, leading us to the semifinals. Only four combatants remained now. A flicker of anticipation stirred within me, knowing that in this round, I was guaranteed to face either Eirin or Lyra as my opponent.
"Now, ladies and gentlemen, we're at the semifinals! Brace yourselves, folks, because this round is going to be wild. This is the moment everyone's been waiting for—a showdown between the genius rookie and the mysterious rookie for the title of the super rookie!"
Hearing the emcee's overly enthusiastic announcement, I buried my face in my hands, groaning in embarrassment. "Does he have no shame? And who even comes up with this cringe? I swear, when I meet him, I'll give him a good beating."
---
Somewhere on Earth, Ethan sneezed. "Wait, who's talking about me?
---
I vanished from my spot, reappearing at the center of the arena. The crowd erupted in cheers as I stood waiting. Soon, from the entrance opposite me, a young man appeared. Clad in an all-black outfit with steel wrist guards on both arms, he walked toward me slowly, oozing confidence and bravado.
His dark gray eyes shimmered under the bright stadium lights, and his every step seemed calculated to captivate the audience-
"Hey, stop acting like some hero from a modern fantasy novel and get over here," I called out to Eirin, shattering his dramatic entrance.
Startled, he snapped out of his stupor and hurried toward me, his confident facade replaced with an awkward expression. This time, he carried a spear wrapped in black cloth, matching his attire.
"Shall we test your true strength?" I asked with a smirk, shifting into a battle stance. "We're here as enemies, so don't expect me to go easy on you."
"The same goes for you," Eirin replied, unwrapping his spear. The spearhead was simple yet elegant, its craftsmanship exuding charm.
"Want a weapon like this, huh?" he teased.
I didn't respond, keeping my composure. The truth was, it only looked that impressive because it wasn't in my hands.
"I actually don't prefer weapons," I said, cracking my knuckles. "Why carry an extra burden when you can settle everything with your fists?"
"Alright then, show me what you've got," I said to Eirin, a confident grin forming on h
my face.
As soon as the referee shouted "Start!" we both lunged at each other, our speeds perfectly matched. Eirin struck first, slashing at me with his spear in a flurry of precise, deadly movements. But I dodged every attack effortlessly, weaving through his strikes like water around rocks.
Suddenly, he leapt back, creating distance between us.
"I guess there's no point beating around the bushes," Eirin said, his tone sharp. He tightened his grip on the spear and activated his unique skill. A surge of energy radiated from him, transforming the atmosphere of the arena in an instant.
Visible changes began to take shape. His transformation was similar to the last time, but this time, Eirin took on a wilder, more savage appearance. An oni horn sprouted from one side of his head, and his sclera turned black, adding a menacing aura to his presence. The mana he emitted was not as overwhelming as an S-rank hunter's, but it was clearly above A-rank. From my estimate, it was just a bit above A-rank—still impressive.
His unique skill was clearly formidable. With it, he had jumped from B-rank directly to a level above A-rank. He swung his spear in the air, and a massive gust of wind erupted, startling everyone in the nearby vicinity.
"Be on your guard, Zephyr," he warned, his voice filled with determination. "Because this time, I'll attack with all my might."
====
Enjoy...