Ten days have passed since the start of the tournament. 

The two hundred victors from groups A-J have been merged into one group and were in the process of being divided into ten arenas, twenty in each arena. 

At most, one would need to duel three times, resulting in three left per sub bracket.

Although the crowd was as rowdy and celebrative as ever, the tension between the stage and the seats was quite unalike. 

When it came to the field, there seemed to be a profound battle-inducing atmosphere, exuding a pressure that only the strong could emit. This is especially so as this tourney’s event is testing one’s “Power”. Many of them were eyeballing their opponents, sizing each other up, and making notes of the information they had managed to scavenge from the previous days. 

Everybody here was a force to be reckoned with. 

Though of course there were about less than a quarter of them who had only managed to reach this point due to their good fortune in their brackets. These bunch were stricken with unease and did not have much confidence to measure up with the big boys/girls. 

Quite a number of these powerful individuals displayed expressions and gestures of condescension, looking down on the feeble weak ones. 

Unsurprisingly, whether it's due to jealousy, underestimation, or the like, a handful of them were leering at the small group of Orphanage children that have come this far.

“I apologise children for my foolish acquaintance to have caused trouble. As of recently he’s been in a foul mood. For someone who furnishes himself with weights and muscles, it came as a huge shock—failing to overcome a juvenile girl.”

“Shawn you bitch. You should be thankful that yours truly doesn’t need to rough you up.” Angrily, Aaron grasped the neat collar of the cinnamon-haired noble knight, raising him a few centimetres off the ground. 

“Apparent to you all, he is not the most “civilised” folk out there.” While it appeared he was apologising on Aaron’s behalf on the surface, his mocking smile was a dead giveaway to Dalis. In fact, he had only casted a cursory glance to him, Alexia, and Li Jun. 

“There’s no problem with that Mr. Shawn. Sir Aaron just wishes to show how very strong he is to us,” Benito politely and cheerfully responded. 

“Very strong? Please Benito, if it pertains to flushing away the “civilised” then it would be a trifle matter for this young mistress. You don’t need to act so goody two shoes for your Father’s sake.” Shaking her head, Alexia scoffed and shot a ridiculing gaze at the two.

“This little chick seems to have grown some balls to still act so arrogant while knowing that, I Aaron Malconburn, will be kicking another kiddy like you off the stage.”

“Ara? You were my arena opponent? It appears that you will be indebted to me Benito.”

“Now now, we can save the battle when we get called up.” Benito frantically waved his arms to dissuade them as he hurriedly got between the two of them.

“That’s what I plan. After all, I do not bother to filter the problems themselves unless they are begging to my knees,” Alexia boasted. 

“You fucking—”

“Well then children, we will be taking our leave. Make your father proud Benito.” Shawn turned around and headed off, leaving behind Aaron.

Aaron watched him depart, and then tailed after him after bidding a series of provocative words to the children, mainly conveyed towards Alexia, of course. 

Benito let loose a heavy sigh from his mouth. Then he noticed he was being stared at by Alexia. 

“You owe me one.” She pompously smiled with her hands crossed and chest held up high. 

Everyone was rendered speechless. 

Li Jun seemed a little odd as though he had attained some respect for her. 

Dalis rolled his eyes twice from this chain reaction. 

While Benito’s face was simply priceless. 

 

***

 

Following the commencement, Alexia and Benito exchanged parting words with the children and left to their respective arenas. There were now only two children remaining.

“How confident are you in winning your matches?” Li Jun sternly asked.

Dalis stopped in his tracks and shook his head. 

Li Jun gazed at him in the eye. “We have come for experience. Digest everything you can. I know your path will be very difficult, but I believe you can one day stand beside us. That is why when you see the disparity, do not neglect yourself.”

Rare surprise could be seen in his nonchalant face and then a thin smile rose. “Thank you Li Jun,” Dalis replied. “Your path of weapons will be arduous. I now believe that with your mindset, you may be able to succeed,” he added.

“Hmph. So you too had no faith.”

“Bluntly, yes. But I envy you.”

“Envy? You?” The reactions of surprise were reversed. Though Li Jun was soon able to draw a conclusion. (Blinded by his appearance, indeed this should be natural.)

Li Jun’s eyelids drooped a little, and Dalis felt like he was an abandoned animal being sympathised with. But he was used to it, so he was rather unfazed. (Perhaps it would be more appropriate to have stated: you and the rest.)

As they were engaged in their deep conversation, the commotion of departing participants snapped them out of their attention. 

“I will be going. May Caleyar bless you with his blessings.” 

“Good luck to you too,” Dalis replied, cordially. 

 

***

 

“It looks like both of ours luck have yet to run out. Truthfully I feel ashamed instead of being happy.”

The chatty woman, Anabel Jangemo, produced a hefty swing of her broad, single edged blade, arcing to meet Dalis’s steel bo staff. 

From the blow of the force, Dalis was pushed a few steps back.

(Such power! Despite being a cutting sword, with a broad, single edged blade, the straight blade meant the sword was not optimised for cutting as it could not produce the slicing effect of a curved blade. Enchantments . . . )

Anabel laughed from his reaction. “I am not a body consolidator by the way believe it or not.”

“Your blade strikes are like bludgeons . . .” Dalis groaned as though he was retorting.

“Well of course! Otherwise my partner and the rest of my regime would be damned if we used those gentlemanly weapons. Don’t make light of our Cresuilge Kingdom’s heavy cavalry sword!” Proudly, she puffed out her cheeks. 

(Since I essentially do not have any armour against her weapon . . .)

He spread his stance, bending his left knee and stretching his right leg.

(And because she lacks prowess in duels . . .)

He pushed off, kicking soil in his wake.

(I will go all in!!)

Sliding through, he avoided the incoming mighty cleave and began furiously rotating his staff, spinning his legs like a boat propeller shredding through water at full-speed. 

(Damn sneaky kid!) 

Lulled by a false sense of security, she began to desperately trade attacks in retaliation. As well as being taken by surprise, she had never seen a blunt stave used in such a vigorous fashion that she found it difficult to find an opening.

Many of Dalis’s angled rod attacks met their target, but her armour reduced the impacts by a sizable margin. 

Soon, the momentum was unable to be maintained due to the rebounds and her sword strikes. 

“My chance!”

Anabel closed in and struck her tempered high carbon steel weapon into Dalis’s exposed left lower quadrant region. 

“Bah!”

It sliced through the leather as if it were slicing tofu, hitting his skin and releasing canals of blood to splatter the floor. Dalis was slashed to the floor.

Yet, Dalis would not let her go unscathed: he wanted payback!

Enduring the pain while mid-fall, Dalis spread out his knees as a frog and thrusted his legs out.  

His actions resembled a crossbow launching a heavy arrow.

Completely perturbed Anabel stumbled back in aching pain, almost falling.

“Gyaaah!! So merciless! You actually dare try to go for a lethal blow.” She rubbed the side of her pale neck, which has swollen red, in anguish. To her, it felt like she was speared by a javelin rather than being shot by an arrow. 

The judge wore an unsightly expression. He deliberated if a disqualification or a penalty should be issued. 

This is a contentious issue prevalent in many of Cresuilge’s “Power” tournaments. Oftentimes, especially those from lower class backgrounds, there have been instances where people were “forced” to conduct lethal blows of which may result in maiming. 

Disregarding those with malicious intentions, people found they were unable to do anything against those who wore powerful armoury. And in order to achieve victory, their only real chance was to strike the areas of vulnerability such as the head, neck, etc. 

Naturally, this was a breach of rules. But on a number of occasions judges have left the incidents to slide as long as they did not abuse the tacit handicap. After all, it wasn’t objectively fair. 

Thus, it was solely up to the judge to decide. 

The judge saw the child’s bad condition and let out a sigh. “Participant Dalis, you have a warning. Try and avoid lethal blows if possible.”

However, it did not seem that Dalis heard his words. He had somehow lifted himself back to his two feet and darted to the unattentive Anabel.

“Brutal body consolidator!”

“Believe it or not, I am not a body consolidator.”

His response caused her to fall in a moment of stupefaction. “Brat! I think you need to watch your manners!”

Before Dalis could jump on her, she held the sword with two hands, tightened the ribbed leather steel grip, lifted the sword up high, and slashed at the floor as though she was anchoring it with a thrust. 

*HUMMMMMM*

A humming sound hung above the ground, causing a dizzy quake to tremor.

Dalis felt his entire being become paralysed into a fit of intense vibrations, toppling back down to the floor with his face flat on the ground.  

“Brat I can’t tell if you are promising or cunning. Don’t think I can’t see you hiding that stave of yours.” She slowly raised the sword and returned to hold it in her comfortable right arm, no longer wielding it in a two handed fashion.

“. . .” 

Scrutinising and eyeing the stave and the boy like a hawk, she slowly approached Dalis.

(Can never trust these naughty brats like him. He is probably playing dead to drop my guard.) “You think I’m stupid? You know that with your wound, you can’t feign dead forever.” 

Still no response. 

(Is he actually knocked out?) 

She lowered her upper-half to peer a closer look. Afterwards, she turned her head to take a glance at the judge.

Then.

She felt a thump through her feet and saw her sight go upside down.

“Eh?”

Splat! 

Likewise to Dalis, her face fell flat on the floor.

Anabel cursed in her mind and quickly rolled her face up.

Stradling on her abdomen was Dalis. At her face was a taut fist. 

With his movements restricted, this was all he could do.

There was a brief moment of silence.

“Is this a threat?”

“I cannot win against you. I can only resort to shameful acts like this.”

“You won’t get that far, and you will definitely be unable to last in the next round even if you did manage to defeat me.” Her eyes laid on the blood stained area. 

“Indeed. But I require at least one victory in this stage.”

Anabel was unable to decipher the thoughts of this child. He appeared too mature-looking for a young youth and besides his nonchalance, he gave off an apathetic vibe. 

(Does this child actually want to win?)

“Do you actually want to win?” she seriously asked.

Dalis eye’s widened in surprise. Unknowingly, his raised fist had considerably shortened and weakened. 

Most surprising of all, such a simple question ended up chipping a minute of time for his answer to arrive.

“. . . Somewhat so, indeed.”

Anabel wanted to say more, but she saw that his wound was progressively worsening to an alarming state. If he did not receive a brief first-aid, he would not even be allowed to enter another match.

“Alright young one. I want to hear about why you want to win next time we meet. In fact, look for me! You don’t have a choice. That’s Anabel’s homework for you.”

Dalis was dazed once again.

“Judge, this calvary woman here concedes defeat!”

“W-Wait are you sure?” the judge couldn’t help but reflexively question. 

“Right on!” Without delay, she began to give Dalis a shoulder.