CHAPTER 9: ALEX VS NAKAMURA
The referee blew his whistle, but neither Alex nor Nakamura moved.
"Let's have a good fight, shall we?" said Alex softly.
"I don't care about that," said Nakamura, getting into a fighting stance. "Just remember that when you fight with me, I may accidentally kill you."
Alex chuckled. "Then bring it."
Kaito was lost in thought, wondering if those two hated each other. The winner of the first match, Isabella, came and sat beside him.
"Ah, those two, they might actually kill each other someday," Isabella remarked.
Kaito wanted to know why they were hostile toward each other and asked, "And why is that?"
Isabella sighed and explained, "Well, most of the players arrived in the other world around the same time, and Alex, Hyuga, and I were summoned to the same place. Hyuga attacked, accusing us of bringing him here. Despite his young age, he defeated Alex badly due to his fighting experience. Alex hates Hyuga for that, and Hyuga knows Alex doesn't hold back against him. That was around 7 months ago."
Kaito understood the tension between those two, but he was troubled by something Isabella said; they first arrived in the other world 7 months ago, giving them 6 months more experience than him.
On the stage, the match began after the exchange of words between Alex and Nakamura. They both went on the offensive, with Alex initiating the first attack with his speed, aiming a kick at Nakamura's head. Nakamura blocked it and countered with a punch to Alex's stomach, but Alex parried using the force Nakamura exerted, spinning to counter with his other leg.
As the match continued, neither of them faltered. Alex primarily used his legs and rarely his hands, while Nakamura displayed excellence in using both his hands and legs. However, Alex's demonic speed narrowed the gap.
Kaito observed that all the players were overpowered compared to normal rankers as he watched the fight.
The match continued, and Nakamura seemed to tire slightly, while Alex overwhelmed him.
"Oh shit, I should have developed my stamina. I shouldn't have focused only on strength," Nakamura thought. "I will lose if this continues. I have to preserve my energy and mana. The only way to do that right now is 'that.'"
With that thought, he attempted to conserve energy by focusing on dodging or parrying Alex's attacks and refraining from counterattacks for some time.
Despite Nakamura dodging, Alex didn't decrease his speed but became even faster.
Nakamura didn't slack off either. He dodged and parried every attack, and moments later, he saw the system screen pop up, indicating, "[The condition for the skill has been fulfilled]."
Nakamura smirked and said, "Well, I think it's time we end this," as mana gathered around him and flowed into his body. He activated his skill, "Partial transformation: Martial God, Skill 1: Full Focus," causing his hair to grow slightly and his body to bulk up. This unexpected development surprised everyone, as Nakamura had kept his skill secretive.
Alex didn't falter in attacking and increased his speed even more, causing the stage to shake. Nakamura met Alex's attacks equally and sometimes countered, gaining an advantage.
"You really are very strong. I didn't want to use this, but you made me," said Nakamura.
"Ah, you really surprised me there—but you weren't the only one hiding his power," said Alex, while mana gathered in his legs, surrounding the stadium as he ran. He activated his skill, "Partial Speed Transformation, 25%: Sonic Speed." As he did, everyone could feel his power. He also underwent a transformation, enveloped in a black aura. With a flash, he appeared in front of Nakamura. Surprised, Nakamura was struck on his right arm, which would have been critical if he hadn't moved slightly.
The match continued with these new forms, and Kaito wondered if it was necessary to display all their skills in just an event. He knew it wasn't their full power but thought it was due to their rivalry, as Isabella had mentioned earlier.
Alex attacked furiously, but Nakamura countered equally. The stadium trembled, and the whole world was focused on this breathtaking match. As the match progressed, the stage was crumbling a little in it's edges, and Nakamura found himself cornered as Alex's attacks became faster.
"Damn, this guy. He's stronger than I remember, and that new form of his... Even though I'm using 15% of my power, I should have been able to beat him. It's just because my stamina is drained. I really should have increased my stamina stat. But now, I have to finish this," Nakamura thought.
He gathered mana in his right hand and punched the stage with all his power, causing it to collapse and reducing Alex's speed. Seizing the opportunity, Nakamura accelerated toward Alex and struck him from behind. Alex was sent flying and crashed down. As he attempted to rise, Nakamura pounced on him again, unleashing a barrage of punches and kicks. Unable to fight back, Alex's transformation was undone, signaling the match's end. A roar erupted from the stadium. Many spectators enjoyed the match, while others pondered how the players manipulated mana and their peculiar transformations. Many believed it marked the beginning of a new era.
On the stage, Alex was furious and remained on the ground. Nakamura extended his hand to Alex and said, "Our first meeting and our 7 months as colleagues weren't great, but I've become this strong thanks to you. So get up and train more until you beat me, you idiot."
Alex replied, "You gotta respect your elders, Hyuga," and smiled, accepting Nakamura's hand. The crowd erupted in cheers once again.
The day ended with two more matches among the winners to decide the top 4. Nakamura and Isabella advanced, along with Ryota and Kaito, who would participate in the semifinals the next day.
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Kaito was going back to his house after the event's second day had ended, pondering the powers the players had displayed. What disturbed him most was that they hadn't even used their full power. He felt he could never beat them in his current state.
As he walked slowly, he remembered the quest he had been given and realized he still hadn't acquired the dagger he was supposed to buy. The deadline for the quest was ambiguous; it only said "The end of the event," without specifying an exact date. Considering that Alex and Nakamura had caused the event to be extended by two days due to their destruction of the stadium, Kaito now had an extra two days to practice his compatibility with his weapon. Despite this, he knew he needed to acquire it, so he headed towards the rundown shop.
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"Hello? Anyone here?" called out Kaito as he entered, but received no response. He tried again, "Hey, Haruto, are you there?" Still, no reply. He ventured further into the shop and noticed the disarray. After searching for a while, he found Haruto sharpening the blade of the dagger Kaito had ordered. He observed Haruto's skill and talent in admiration.
Haruto noticed Kaito and said, "Oh, you came. I was starting to wonder if you'd ever return."
"Of course, I would come back. After all, I placed an order," replied Kaito, smiling at Haruto.
A flicker of emotion crossed Haruto's face, something he hadn't felt since he lost someone important to him. He smiled back, grateful for the acknowledgment.
"You remind me of someone I lost, my brother," Haruto revealed. "I was just putting the finishing touches on the dagger. Here you go," he said, handing the completed daggers to Kaito. As Kaito accepted them, he sensed a powerful energy emanating from the daggers, along with a drain on his mana. Though he couldn't control his mana as well as the other players, he could sense its flow and knew this dagger was no ordinary weapon.
"Where did you find this?" asked Kaito, intrigued by the dagger's origins.
"I don't really know. My brother returned with it two weeks after the dungeons and other anomalies appeared. He claimed it wasn't an ordinary dagger and set out to find more weapons of similar quality. He believed that as the world changed, better weapons would be needed to hunt down monsters and become a hunter. He was a B-rank hunter, so I thought he'd be safe. But one day, he went on a dungeon raid and never returned. The association said he was the only one who didn't come back. I suspect the hunters he went with betrayed him, and that's why I hate hunters," Haruto explained, sharing his grief and resentment.
Kaito offered his condolences and thanked Haruto before leaving for his house, determined to train with his new daggers for the next two days in the other world.
CHAPTER END
