Year 1399 of the Imperial calendar - Shouyo continent - White Coliseum
(Alastor POV)
The crowd makes unintelligible noises around the arena.
"Finally we are here, the last match of the Mystical Rose Tournament" Lady announcer
The woman on the verge of middle age stands in from of me.
"As ordered by the king, I must stop you" Seika Ristarte Sword
A blue ribbon on long blond hair and pink eyes.
White bandages covered her chest, well-trained ripped abs, black pants and shoes.
"It is good to know that it is nothing personal" Alastor
Two crystal swords rest on her back, are those replicas of the one used by the goddess of potions?
"But aren't those too much?" Alastor
Six artifacts in the shape of elemental-colored bracelets on each arm and leg, making a total of twenty-four of them.
"It's obvious to be prepared" Seika Ristarte Sword
Her face does not stop showing annoyance for one second.
"Let's get this over with!" Lady announcer
I ready my weapon as she crouches with her knee almost touching the ground.
"Commence!!" Lady announcer
Her main weapon is a sword, I'll wait for a counter opportunity.
"?" Alastor
So I planned, but she jumps as the fight starts.
"Megamic Wing" Seika Ristarte Sword
The white bracelet on her left arm brokes and white wings appear on her back.
"Ohh!! The captain is not holding back and is already using her artifacts!" Lady announcer
She is flying in the sky above the arena, out of my current range of attack.
"That is going to be a problem" Alastor
While in the air she takes something from the back of her pant... a flute?
Is she going to play it in the middle of a fight?
"!" Alastor
The moment he puts the flute in his mouth, it is not music that comes out, but darts of wind.
"Incredible! He was able to dodge the surprise attack!!" Lady announcer
One after the other, they keep falling like rain.
"But how long will be able to do it?" Lady announcer
"..." Seika Ristarte Sword
This is enough.
"..." Alastor
I got accustomed to their speed and angle, it is time to counter.
"There!" Alastor
I take advantage of the small interval between shots and jump towards the four meters wall that separates the arena from the stands.
"?" Seika Ristarte Sword
And I jump again with the help of that same wall.
"..." Seika Ristarte Sword
She just shoots another dart of wind in my direction as I fly toward her.
"It is not enough!" Alastor
I use my warhammer to fend off the incoming threat.
"Phoenix drive thrust" Seika Ristarte Sword
She uses that opening to become a firebird and flies near me, burning everything on me...
"!" Seika Ristarte Sword
That being only the butler clothes on top of my scale pants.
"Haaa!" Alastor
I manage to kick the bird to the ground.
"I am the wrong opponent to use that" Alastor
That throws me further upwards and digs my opponent into the ground of the arena.
"..." Alastor
Did I really hit her with enough force to dig her that deep?
"...It is another artifact" Alastor
She chooses to go underground for her next attack.
"Endless Darkness" Seika Ristarte Sword
?
"How can this be?! The entire Coliseum just got darker that the night!" Lady announcer
Did she use a darkness skill?
"Valhalla Gate" Seika Ristarte Sword
With everyone else blinded by the artifact, she transforms the entire arena ground into a massive dark gate with chains protruding from inside its open doors.
"It is a shame" Alastor
The chains try to catch me, but I grab them first.
"What?!" Seika Ristarte Sword
Her surprised voice comes out of the ground.
"The strongest woman in the continent using this fake element is really a shame" Alastor
I pull out from the chains and Seika Ristarte Sword comes into the air once again.
"Show me your own strength!" Alastor
I spin together with my lightning-clad warhammer to create a descending blue wheel toward the woman flying directly at me.
"Eternal Double Sword of Chain Destruction!" Seika Ristarte Sword
Every artifact on her shatters creating a rainbow-colored reinforcement to the two swords now in her hands.
"Thunder wheel!" Alastor
*Booommmmm!!*
"KYAAA!!!!!" Lady announcer
Our clash creates an explosion that almost involves the spectators.
...
After a moment, the dust clears and the people manage to see the participants in the arena.
"Give up" Alastor
I step on top of the defeated representative of the Dukedom of the Sword.
"..." Seika Ristarte Sword
She looks at me with the same annoyed face as at the beginning.
"I am an enforcer of order, defeat is not an option" Seika Ristarte Sword
"Then go to sleep" Alastor
I was about to bring my hand to her head when...
"Don't hurt mama!" ???
A boy who looks just like her walks into the arena.
"Kiriko?!" Seika Ristarte Sword
Her son?
"Whaaa!" Kiriko
The Crying face of the little child in front was really something, it was full of snoots and tears.
"What is the fool of your father doing?" Seika Ristarte Sword
She gets up as if nothing had happened and picks up the crying child in her arms.
"It is fine, it is fine" Seika Ristarte Sword
She tries to calm him by patting his back.
"Uuughh" Kiriko
"I will buy you some sweets on the way back home" Seika Ristarte Sword
They get out of the arena from the south gate.
...
"Did they forget about the fight?" Alastor
I guess that was more important for her.
"...The winner is the newcomer butler..." Lady announcer
*Crowd angry noises*
"How could they allow this?!" Voice from the grandstand A
"They surely were bribed!" Voice from the grandstand B
"The winner of the Mystical Rose Tournament is the Graupel Dukedom!" Lady announcer
People start throwing things at me.
"I couldn't have done it without you, thanks for your support!" Alastor
I dodge the stuff while making fun of them.
"Jijiji" Alastor
Then I hear a particular voice rising from the noble section of the Coliseum.
"Kyaaaa!!!" ???
Followed by an explosion.
