Eldritch Aize, also known as the sword mistress of the border and the current high commander of Olken's personal forces, a loyal subject of Aria and also quite a damn cold beauty.

I'm at a standstill, beads of sweat rolls down to my chin, I ran out of tricks I'm basically a sitting duck at this point.

The entire stadium was quiet, so quiet I could hear the loud pumping of my own heartbeat.

We stared at each other, no sudden movements yet, Eldritch looks at me in contempt, narrowing her eyes studying once again her opponent. for her to overestimate me, is an honor but I literally have nothing else up my sleeves.

Chrome, how strong do you think the Sword mistress is? 

~From what I hear from our slaves, she's quite the formidable one, even rumored to have destroyed an entire battalion by herself alone.~

How did she get that strong?

~She was supposedly trained by a hero of Olken, I have no other information regarding that. ~

Well if that's the case let's wing it. (Beast's strength skill activated.)

While this was all going, Nobless Aria was enjoying the tense situation of the fight through her small pair of theater binoculars. which was promptly disturbed by an unexpected guest.

In a formal old voice, an old man interrupts Aria with a greeting "Good morning Aria, it is great to see my beautiful niece again for a long time."

The old man was the former noble of Olken and Aria's uncle, The Ambassador, Sir Duran Freud...

"Oh uncle!?... how come you're so early?" she says somewhat annoyed.

"Oh, the negotiations with the people from the further plains have been splendid, despite the new surge of demonic beasts going rampant."

""

"well that's good, if that is all, I wish to entertain myself with the last fight of the tournament." She brushes off her uncle and went back to her scopes.

"I'm sorry, Aria it was just a long journey and- wait, that warrior in the arena she looks familiar?" he squints his eyes "is that who I think it is?" 

(Back at the Arena.)

Shit. Chrome she's just too good, I already got a few cuts here and there while she stands there perfectly composed.

~Master, her skill vastly exceeds ours the chances of us losing is ever increasing.~

We can't give up now, I've come too far to only lose at this point.

Eldritch closes in once again, charging her rapier towards me, and blocking her stabs hasn't been much help lately.

CLING!

the sounds of our weapons connecting was an intense feat, the entire stage was awestruck from the fight, not even a single sound. but she faint attack fooling from blocking a non-existent stab and suddenly

Shluk!

Fuck! she got me again and this time, it really hurts.

Eldritch finally stabbed me on my left arm and blood starts oozing out of the wound.

"Isn't it time for you to give up, Veron?" she mocks

"I give up when I'm down on the ground stepped on your feet Eldritch," I said while holding my injured arm.

"So be it!" and she raises her rapier once more to attack.

"WOOOHHH!!! GO ELDI!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!"

A sudden shout from the Balcony stops the sword mistress on her tracks.

"Master!?" she says with a surprised look on her face.

Up in the balcony was Duran with his hands forming a cone, cheering for Eldritch, I glanced for a bit and turned back immediately to my opponent, but then, there it was, a sudden turn of events.

Eldritch froze on the spot holding her face which was going red with all the embarrassment.

"What's wrong with her?"

Eldritch is literally fuming, is she really that affected by the old man's cheer?

~Master Veron... I sense a great deal of negative emotions emitted by your opponent...~

Well, embarrassment is counted as a negative emotion, but what's so special about that?

~Master, Because of the massive increase of negative emotion, I can now turn to the next phase of my transformation.~

Transformation? what is that exactly? 

I got no response from Chrome but instead, he turns into a weapon, that seems to be too good to be true. Chrome lost his knife handle but instead turns into a knife attached with a long chain that is wrapped around arm.

~Master, you may release me and I will attack on your command.~

I let go of the blade, and Chrome was hanging on my arm becoming an equivalent of those I see ninjas use.

Eldritch came back to her senses only to see me with a new weapon.

"Ignoring my newly equipped weapon, she turns to her stance and readies to stab me again."

Oh, but I'm not gonna let that happen.

I quickly spun Chrome in a circle before launching him towards Eldritch, who by the way was eagerly aching to finish this in one blow.

Thinking that the zooming blade would land a blow on her, she just flicks it off course with her Rapier.

"I'll end this now, Veron!"

... this was it, I'm gonna lose an eye or maybe even die from this, the last things I would see would be the embarrassed face of the Cold Sword mistress...

She was about to stab me in the chest out of no where her legs has got caught and she falls to the ground in comedic restrained.

"What in the world!?"

It was Chrome, slithering his chains around her legs like a snake, a snake that caught its prey.

~Master your opponent... she is captured and unable to retaliate.~

Eldritch, wasn't about to give up, she wriggles hard to break free from Chrome's grasp...

"Resistance is futile, miss Sword mistress..." I menacingly crept up towards her pathetic state...

She raises her head, only to see in anguish, the horrendous smiling face of her opponent the Black Assassin...

"Admit defeat?" I asked her mockingly.

"Over my dead body!!" 

She tries to stab me on while she was grounded on the floor... unfortunately it was all for naught as the chains soon slithers its way to her arms literally restraining her from head to toe... Chrome tightened his grip more on Eldritch, in a more erotic fashion too...(Literally bondage.)

I returned Chrome to his knife state, pointing it to the still lying state of Eldritch.

There was nothing else she could do, the restraints would only tighten more if she moves and anymore.

So slowly but surely Eldritch the Sword mistress of the Border reluctantly raises her hands in surrender.

The Crowd goes wild and the Emcee finally catching her breathe announces the winner of the event.

"AND THE WINNER FOR OUR 4th ANNUAL TOURNAMENT BLITZ IS!!!!"

"VEROOOOONNNNN!!! THE BLACK KNIFE ASSASSIN!!!"

.

.

.

The awarding was grand, it was held in the castle grounds of the noble herself, the common folk were right about outside and many other rich aristocrats were gathered to watch as the Nobless Aria awards her 4th champion.

"So what have you decided for yourself, Mr. Veron?" Aria asks. "You can acquire a large sum of money, enough for you to live leisurely for the rest of your days, you can also be granted with land that is entitled only for aristocrats and the like and if that is not within your liking you can ask me for anything that you could want, as long as it is reasonable and within my power..."

I know exactly what I want, and it is none of these things.

"I Veron, the winner of this year's tournament wishes..."

People closed in, waiting intently into what my request was...

"I want to be one of your high commanders Milady!"

WHAT!????

"I want to serve the Nobless and make this state more prosperous as it was before!"(lie)

The entire castle roused into an uproar, everyone was shocked to hear my statement of request to the Nobless.

"Are you sure about your wish mister Veron?"

"Is it an impossible request?" I asked the surprised noble.

"Uhhh it is not... if you really see yourself fit to lead an army I shall to it that it will be granted."

Eldritch who was just beside her also voiced out her concerns."Milady, isn't it risky for an inexperienced adventurer to lead our armies especially when the next battle is right around the corner?"

"Fret not, if that is your concern, I'll put him then under your wing for guidance because as Nobless of Olken I cannot go back on my word."

She turns back to me, and in a serious tone, she announces.

"Veron Oulit, your request is hereby granted, as of today you shall be a high commander of distinguished status, may it be known from every corner of the state that you are one of my retainers and protector of this land."

I bowed my in false allegiance to the Nobless Aria, but as I face the ground bowing my head as she places the sword on my shoulders, the wicked smile secretly crept up to my face.

...everything is all according to plan hehe. I thought to myself.