"The rules are as stated." Agatha's voice sounded from the podium at the top of the stage. She didn't sound troubled or anything, but she couldn't help herself but have her eyes wander towards her.

 

Elizabeth wasn't sure at what point had it become obvious that she was planning on pounding Akira's skull against the arena floor. Or if it was something that everyone spoke and guessed on their own.

 

Well, almost everyone.

 

"Get on with it already, this stupid cinematic is getting old." Akira was grumbling in his seat while Rena held a variety of snacks and drinks.

 

She wasn't taking any of them, she was a glorified carrying stand.

 

That only made her mana rumble stronger within her [Core].

 

That was something else she couldn't wait to deal with, after months of training she had managed to achieve additional level-ups and rise to Level 30. The increase in power was a welcomed one, and she did take this time to train her secondary affinities to get them up to date, mostly because she didn't want to be imbalanced (And because it gave her new ways to approach things).

 

So her status was somewhat different while staying the same.

Her most important earnings in her training were the five extra level ups and the proficiency she got towards her skills, old and new.

 

Endurance and Body Tempering had been the new additions, she had gotten both after her body started breaking down from the ravages of mana, that had been one scary morning. It wasn't pleasant waking up to her skin cracking and leaking azure mana.

 

And she got a scolding from Rossie for dumping all her points into two stats without bringing her body to level. It seemed that while there were people with this kind of stats in wisdom and intelligence. Most arrived slowly and at a more sedated pace.

 

They didn't get there in a few months, and their body was used to the mana amounts they could wield, while Elizabeth got there in a flash, and so, while her body was sturdy. It wasn't [That] sturdy (Yet).

 

Thanks to that she got the skill [Endurance] for surviving that whole odyssey, and [Body Tempering] for preparing her body to withstand the ravages of mana. Her own [Mana], but one that ravaged nonetheless.

 

At least she found out that her [Mana] was, while not focused on that aspect, one that would burn and erode, and then from the embers and ashes return everything to normal once more.

 

That was one interesting facet of her powers, her mana was one that destroyed, but at the same time, it brought forth life and renewal. It was probably something to do with how she had come back from being almost dead after swallowing the [Vestiges] of those that made her the one she was today.

 

But still, while she was happy with her gains...These....may not be enough. Sure, she had more stats points than Rena & Akira. But she wasn't confident in winning in a one-on-one fight against Rena, she had tons of skill proficiency on her, and that wasn't counting on the skills she didn't have access to right now.

 

Akira on the other hand...It hurt her deeply to even think about it, but the bastard if he used his [Skill], would dwarf her stats in one go.

 

"...Let me say it again for everyone's sake anyway." Agatha brought her back with her speech, "No killing, no cheap punches and no hard feelings."

 

Weren't there more rules?

 

"I know some of you may have animosity against others for...whatever reasons we don't speak in public about." Agatha said while making a good effort to not stare at her or Akira, instead focusing on the other students, "But we will not tolerate such behavior on these arena grounds. Some of you may have forgotten about it, but...We do accept those that wish to become [Villains], [SuperHeroes], and [Magical Girls] in this school."

 

...Oh right, but then why was she bringing this up?

 

Wasn't it normal for a [Villain] to do cheap tricks?

 

"And yes, [Villains] are known to do cheap tricks. But...at this stage of your career, while most of you may learn the identity of other people... Do remember, that what you do here may influence how those on the outside treat you. If they know you like doing cheap shots or are more...[Violent] There may be doors that are closed to you. Even if you manage to graduate at the top of the class as a [Hero]." Agatha seemed to be pleading at this point. "So think it through, and if you have [Evidence] of any wrongdoing bring it up to us. So long it is [Solid Evidence] the school will do its best to help you with it."

 

And then everyone at the arena stood in silence... Elizabeth included, the only sound you could hear was the sound of someone eating snacks(Akira). But this made Elizabeth think about it.

 

Evidence...No [Solid Evidence], did she have that? Maybe if she allowed someone to see her [Memories] or share her [Sight], so they could see Rena's Soul.

 

Was that [Solid Evidence]? Maybe, if they could prove that Rena didn't want that link. Akira seemed to want to discard it, but she somehow doubted he would allow it if someone else brought it forth.

 

"So, can we respond in kind if someone tries to cheap-shot us?" Akira suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.

 

"...If you want to continue the fight, and so does your opponent, then yes. If someone does an attack that breaks the rules you are allowed to continue as a [Fight] instead of an [Exhibition Match]. This implies standard [Gladiator Arena] rules." Agatha answered with the face of someone who didn't want to address a problem in the room. "This would mean that the Arena [Barrier] would change the setting to prevent the contestant from leaving...or for people to enter. At least till both fighters accepted the outcome of the fight."

 

"...So if someone breaks the rules I can keep them within the Arena till they accept the consequences of their actions?" Akira seemed to smile more and more at this.

 

"...Yes Mister Akira, should you want to continue the fight it will continue unless your opponent is unconscious or dead," Agatha answered.

 

"Perfect, that was all I wanted to know. You can carry on with the matches." Akira waved his hand dismissively.

 

Most of those who had stayed silent started whispering among themselves, mostly about whether any one of them would challenge Akira or not. Of course, a single glare from Rena was enough to dissuade them from this motion.

 

"Know that while an illegal action will fail you on this exhibition match and put at risk your grade, so long your opponent is willing to go further beyond and continue the match. Should you win that [Gladiator Match], your grade will be re-evaluated. You will, however, have trouble getting into the [Hero] part of the program again, should you be part of it." Agatha said again in a defeated tone.

 

It seemed that the [Witch] hadn't wanted that particular part of the information widespread, "So I implore you all." Agatha said while looking at every single one of them, and staying a few extra seconds in Elizabeth, "Don't go that way, that isn't worth it for most. Some may thrive in those types of settings, but those are people that have what makes you a [Legend]."

 

"Like me." Akira said at the back while smiling.

 

"...Should you be confident in yourself, think again. Unless you have the confidence, the [Talent] to match up to the [Nine Stars]. Don't." A series of pictures of the current [Nine Stars] showed up on the billboard that served to announce the fights.

 

Scorpius Rex

Voidweaver

Frostbite

Mysticus

Phantom Legionnaire

Nightshade Seraph

Astral Arbiter

Sinister

Nyctophagia

 

It was interesting seeing that not all of those under Echidna showed up on this list, "Isn't [Nyctophagia] one of [Echidna]'s followers?" Elizabeth chimed up.

 

Agatha frowned at that and answered "He is indeed suspected to be associated with [Echidna - The Mother of Monsters], but it isn't nice to link that with [The Mother of Shadows]. There isn't anything confirming such a link, and even if it was, the [Nine Stars] vouch for her." That sounded like a scripted answer if Elizabeth had heard one before.

 

"She can be the Mother of MY Monster..." Akira said at the back of their conversation.

 

Most of course ignored him, at this point, it seemed that only Rena actually laughed or paid attention to him, such as in this instance where she blushed and complained to him.

 

...It was kinda cute...?

 

....Oh god, she needed to stop thinking like that. Rena wasn't Rossie, she wasn't cute!

 

No sir!

 

...She was more like a cute dog you found in the streets, yes. She was a cute dog!

 

"Eli-Eli? Why are you hitting your head against the wall?" Rossie, her always lovely girlfriend asked from the side.

 

She was doing what?

 

Oh, she was hitting her head against the pillar. Why was she doing that?

 

"Elizabeth? Are you okay? You can go to the nurse in case you need to take the day off." Agatha said worried from the podium, half of the students seemed to look worriedly at her.

 

Even her cute do-

 

ASDASDLFHASDFAS

 

Even Rena seemed worried for her, and while Akira only turned to look at her and raised an eyebrow before grabbing the soda from Rena's chest holder and taking a sip from it before leaving it there again.

 

...She turned to look at Rossie, then at Rena...Then at Rossie...Then at Rena...

 

"Appearances don't matter that much Rossie." And sincerely said as much.

 

She wondered how had Rena grown such big...assets in the short time she had known her, if nothing else she looked more... humble in her [Shift] and while at classes the first year. But nowadays she had...[grown] quite well.

 

"Thank you, Elizabeth. But my eyes are up here." Rossie, her always cute and lovely Rossie said while smiling.

 

"I'm okay Teacher, I just wanted to...make sure my mind was in the game." Elizabeth didn't run away from a possible argument with her girlfriend about their assets. Of course not.

 

"...Sure..." Agatha said while shaking her head, "Anyway, if that is out of the way let's start this. First from the bottom..."

 

Agatha turned around and jumped from the podium that sank into the floor as the arena shifted from the usual dirt that they were used, and turned into a floor that seemed to be padded. Agatha landed in the VIP room where other teachers that she hadn't known the first year were waiting.

 

The Nurse and the Head [Healer], the [Magic], [Sorcery], and [Spellcrafting] teachers stood near Agatha. The [Skill], [Evolutions] and [Power up] teachers from the [Hero] side stood near the crazy old man.

 

"Go into the arena and choose your opponent [Exorcist from Another World]." Agatha said and Elizabeth felt her blood go cold, did they have more interplanar travelers?

 

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes as one of the students stood and then she felt confused at it, she remembered this one, it was the student whose [Shift] had turned him into the clothes that resembled more an [Idol] than a [Wizard] or [Magical Guardian].

 

He had chosen the name of [Exorcist from Another World]?

 

"I will fight against [The Android from a convenience store]!" Said the student while pointing at a guy with pink hair and a weird overall...

 

What?

 

"The first fight will be [The Exorcist from another world] D-Tier Wizard vs [The Android from a convenience store] D-Tier Hero." Agatha said without looking the least conflicted by those names.

 

The fight...wasn't that interesting if she was being honest about it, it was closer to a slugfest match than what she would think. And the...[Idol] spent half the time trying to make some weird attack motions with a wooden sword that he pulled from god knows where.

 

It seemed that his magic was mostly focused on weird [Exorcism] movements?

 

He did seal some of the [Skills] the [Android] was using. She found his identity as [Android] was mostly because his [Shift] turned him into some kind of...well, an android.

 

He could pull part of his body and replace it with other mechanical stuff he kept bringing about, it reminded her of the more mechanical aspects of her [Stardust Weaver] shift. If she was being honest.

 

In the end however...

 

"Match ended!" Agatha finished the combat when both of them managed a double KO. "We will mark this as a tie since both combatants are out for the mark. They will be evaluated from their use of [Skills], [Magic] and strategy for this combat."

 

A couple of students rushed into the arena, brought both students onto stretchers, and carried them away, their [Shift] turned off as soon as they got put into the stretcher. Either the thing had some [Enchant] or they ran out of mana in what they had allotted to their [Shift].

 

She found it interesting how no matter what modifications the [Android] suffered, as soon as the shift ended he turned into a normal human being, she wondered how would that translate to more...[Serious] wounds, maybe they would need wounds that went straight to the [Soul] for them to reflect in reality?

 

"The next one will be..." Agatha however, continued the matches unworried about her musings, "... [The Avenger]!"

 

A student clad in black stood and walked towards the arena, "Please select your oponen-" And before Agatha could finish speaking he raised a sword and pointed it straight at one of the students in the stands.

 

"I wish to fight against Akira." He said without waiting.

 

Agatha sighed and added, "You need to call the [Hero] Name or [Magical Guardian] Name for the fight, we don't approve of grudges against the civilian identity, no matter what it is."

 

"HE DOESN'T DESERVE THE [Warden of Justice] NAME!" Screamed the [Avenger] from the arena, she could see tears wanting to form in his eyes, but he wiped them and pointed again. "COME DOWN AND FIGHT ME YOU COWARD!"

 

Akira turned to look at him, and narrowed his eyes, "[Identify-type skill detected Mistress, do you want us to try to block/hijack it?]" Her Royal Guardians prompt at her.

 

She denied it and instead used her own [Appraisal] on the [Avenger] guy too.

 

The result she got...wasn't good.

 

"Hah, the vermin thinks it's important enough to fight me? A [True Hero]?" Akira smirked at him, possibly after also seeing his stats.

 

He was...Barely at the D-Tier mark, he was level 35 yes...But he barely got like six points per level at best, he...He wasn't a match against Akira, no matter how much she didn't want to think about it.

 

"Go and deal with it...Rena." Akira said dismissively, and it was almost as if a switch had been pushed, Rena's gaze turned from the half-clouded one into a sharp one. Her form shifted into [The Demon Slaying Sword].

 

"I will use my right as high-ranker to intercept this match," Rena said in an even voice.

 

"...Of course you will..." Agatha mumbled under her breath, sighed, and then addressed the [Avenger]. "Do you wish to continue the match?"

 

He glared (Hard) at Agatha after asking that, then looked at Rena and gulped, "Yes. I will." She could see him trembling under the gaze of Rena.

 

He knew how far out of his depth he was, he probably thought that Akira would fight him since their grade were that far away from each other, but Akira instead only took his snacks from Rena (How did she manage to look imposing while holding snacks? She did not know, but would ask later). And said "Make him suffer for taking my food stand from me."

 

And afterward, Rena disappeared from where she stood and reappeared in the Arena, no dust had moved or did anyone seem to see her moving.

 

"...The next fight will be [The Avenger] D-Tier vs [The Demon Slaying Sword] Mid B-Tier." Agatha said, and a few gasps could be heard from the stands surrounding them.

 

Yeah, it seemed that Agatha was stating how far away the fighters were from each other, "You can still surrender, or ask for another opponent." And Agatha asked again.

 

The [Avenger] shook his head and said "A true [Hero] fights for what he thinks its worth, against all odds. Even if they think that they can't win...Even if they know they can't win." And then he pointed his sword against Rena. "Even if they don't see a way of victory."

 

Rena on her side answered, "A true [Hero] doesn't lose." And didn't say anything else.

 

Agatha from her part, signaled to the [Healers] to be on standby, and then with a last sigh, she motioned "Start the fight!"

 

And there, with a scream that seemed to come from the bottom of his soul, [The Avenger] started running forward, towards Rena. He unsheathed a sword and after doing a running jump, he focused most (If not all) of his mana into the edge of the sword.

 

It was, if nothing else, a slash that seemed to have all his pent-up emotions and grievances.

 

It was a wonderful slash, not from the point of view of a swordsman (She wasn't one), nor from the point of view of a [Mage], since the mana was haphazardly glued together to the sword.

If she was willing to take a bet, that was dampening more the sword than anything, the power of that strike would be blunt instead of sharp, so he would have a better chance of improving his attack if he changed his weapon to a hammer or a club.

 

But that didn't matter, not here.

 

What mattered was...

 

"Weak." That Rena was his opponent, she just raised her left hand and caught the sword and closing it she shattered the weapon with her bare hands.

 

Akira was smirking the whole time of course, and most of the students around seemed to know this would happen, that of course didn't stop the [Avenger]. No.

 

Instead, he threw the sword away "THIS IS NOTHING! I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE FOR WHAT THAT BASTARD DID TO MARY!" And brought a knife from his back and tried to stab Rena with it.

 

Rena sidestepped it and instead unsheathed her sword, in one smooth motion she materialized a sword from thin air, and with one down-guard attack she cut his hands "Too weak." And stated that as she looked down at [The Avenger].

 

He was on the floor screaming, Agatha seemed to want to move forward, but was stopped by the crazed old man, "This is enough to count as the ending of the fight. Will you continue?" He spoke in an even voice.

 

His voice was a commanding one that silenced the whole place, Rena turned to look at him, then back to Akira (Even if Elizabeth could swear that her eyes seemed to stop for a second on her), who nodded at her.

 

"I can continue," Rena said, turning to look at [The Avenger] on the floor.

 

He who bit his lip and couldn't stop his stumps from bleeding...wait a second, he was bleeding!

 

That shouldn't be possible!

 

Shouldn't he be on his [Shift]?!?!

 

"...I can continue too..." Said [The Avenger] who turned his gaze towards Rena once more, "I will win...for Mary..."

 

And so, the fight resumed once more.