Year 1399 of the Imperial calendar - Shouyo continent - White Coliseum

(Alastor POV)

"With almost a century of life, one of the oldest neighbors of this city, the so-called goddess of potions..." Announcer lady

With clothes bigger than her short body, hair that has lost its color, skin that has turned gray, and wrinkles so big that I can barely see her eyes, the next participant enters the arena.

"That honorable madam is here! Kaoru Narase Vase!" Announcer lady

Her legs seem to have lost the capability of movement, she is now moving around by sitting on top of a floating orb slightly larger than herself.

"An artifact?" Alastor

No... I can see a lid on it.

"It has been a long time since I participated here" Kaoru Narase Vase

It is a floating potion, I never saw something like that before.

"How can he fight someone that age?!" Voice from the grandstand A

"Aren't you ashamed!?" Voice from the grandstand B

"Forfeit, you trash!" Voice from the grandstand C

Ignoring them, I just face my opponent.

"SILENCE!!!!" Kaoru Narase Vase

The loud scolding of the old lady silences everyone in the coliseum.

"I am here as a fighter! if even one more person treats me like a useless person, that person will never again attain a potion on this continent again!" Kaoru Narase Vase

Not fighting her would be the real insult here.

"Lets the fight commence!!" Announcer lady

I dash toward her with my warhammer in my right hand.

"Outstanding speed" Kaoru Narase Vase

The floating potion flies away from me at the same speed that I move.

"I took the liberty of using a little of your blood from the previous battle to create a Repelling effect on my ride" Kaoru Narase Vase

The interval didn't last even five minutes, her experience with potions is evident.

"Useful doesn't it?" Kaoru Narase Vase

From the sleeves of her clothes, rectangle crystals come out and land on the ground.

"..." Alastor

I stop the useless pursuit.

"Oh, don't you want to see what my little potions can do?" Kaoru Narase Vase

So those are also potions.

"I am sure nothing good will happen if I step on those, so I will pass" Alastor

I can't shoot any fire and I need to touch my target to use lightning, this will need another approach.

"Then how about this?" Kaoru Narase Vase

Circular crystals are thrown from her wide sleeves.

"Chakrams?" Alastor

I dodge them by jumping to the side.

"!!!" Alastor

The chakrams pierce through the walls of the Coliseum.

*Crowd noises*

"Did you see that dear spectators? the previous head of the Vase Dukedom is still strong, too strong!" Announcer lady

I dodge the projectiles while the floating potion keeps the distance from me.

"The butler can't do anything more than run away!" Announcer lady

"It is your end!" Voice from the grandstand D

"Die already!" Voice from the grandstand E

I can't get closer, but her attacks are also ineffective.

An opening, there surely be one.

"Please don't waste the time of your elders" Kaoru Narase Vase

She keeps throwing the chakrams.

"Oh, but taking care of the younger generation is also the duty of the elders" Alastor

Jijiji.

"...then let me take care of you" Kaoru Narase Vase

*clink*

A sound behind me?

"!!!" Alastor

One chakram bounced from the wall?

I don't have time to dodge.

*Crash*

I manage to hit the chakram from below with my warhammer and it brokes.

"*Cough!*" Alastor

Releasing a toxic cloud on my face.

"Don't underestimate your elders" Kaoru Narase Vase

"*Cough!**Cough!*" Alastor

My body drops to the dirt ground.

I can't breathe!

"I thought you would be the one... am I losing my instincts?" Kaoru Narase Vase

Everything from my nose to my lungs is being clogged by tiny membranes.

I can't move!

"The butler is immovable on the ground!" Announcer lady

I hear steps close by.

"I am sorry youngster, nobody ever survived this" Kaoru Narase Vase

...

"The battle is..." Announcer lady

"...Except I" Alastor

Standing up, I grab the elder by the head.

"What?!" Kaoru Narase Vase

My electricity travels to her brain and induces sleep.

"Sleep" Alastor

I cleaned the inners of my body using this same skill.

*Cough*

I catch the sleeping body before it falls to the ground.

*Cough*

It didn't clean it perfectly, but I can breathe now.

"Don't underestimate the new generations" Alastor

She tried to kill me and I could have responded with the same action...

"How can this be?! The tables have turned at the last second!" Announcer lady

But I guess I can't kill someone that reminds me of Grandma Maria.

*Cough*

I place the body of the elder softly on the ground.

"The winner is..." Announcer lady

"!!!" Alastor

Seeing a yellow liquid spelling out of her mouth, I jump back to take distance.

"I am glad boy" Kaoru Narase Vase

Her little body stands up.

"This weathering body that barely can hold potions anymore has been waiting for this moment, for the chance to evaporate along with them" Kaoru Narase Vase

She takes out her right hand from the sleeves and drinks one red potion in an ordinary form.

"Are you going to force my hand to do it?" Alastor

All the skin of the elder sheds like a snake.

"I shall live, survive, and die using potions" Kaoru Narase Vase

Her limbs grow to match the clothes.

Her hair grows into healthy wavy shoulder-length black hair.

Her skin recovers the color of youth.

Her wrinkles disappear leaving an old scar on her right cheek visible.

"There is no need for a path where I can't be with them" Kaoru Narase Vase

And her shining eyes look at me as if asking for a last dance.

"Here I go, Goddess of Potions!" Alastor

"Come, my last customer!" Kaoru Narase Vase

From her back, she takes out a crystal clear potion sword and swings it at me.

*Fsssss*

The edge of the sword creates a sound as if it were cutting the air itself.

"HAAA!!!!" Alastor

I clad my warhammer with lightning and swing it with all my strength.

*Clash*

...

"..." Coliseum crowd

"This... this time she will not wake up anymore..." Announcer lady

Besides me, only a small dried-out lifeless body is left behind in the arena.

"The winner is the butler of the Graupel Dukedom!" Announcer lady

Screams begin to erupt from all angles.

"Monster!" Voice from the grandstand D

"Give us back our goddess!" Voice from the grandstand E

It was simply a result that benefited us both, nothing more.

"...*Cough*" Alastor

I walk back to the north gate, ignoring my bleeding right shoulder and the angry crowd.