NOVEL NEXT Chap 219: Opening tournament final.
Did I lose? I notice the glow of the second protection fading away. I remove the remains of her attack from my body to avoid burning myself when the translucent barrier disappears. I close my eyes for a moment, remembering how I lost at the end.
I managed to surpass Areci's defenses and speed when I drove two of the six swords into her; her collar was just one strike away from activating. When I felt the buildup of energy in the other golem, I assumed its attacks would just be stronger or that its arms would carry greater power—I never expected an explosion of that magnitude.
If I hadn't been wearing this protection collar, I would've been burned over most of my body. Instead, I just got a free, intense tan. Her affinity is incredibly destructive and lethal; a slash from that sword, covered with who knows how many laws, her Banner, her Imra, and that affinity—it's something serious.
On the other hand, if I'd been allowed to use my own life affinity, I could've healed the wounds and wouldn't have fought the entire match enduring the pain of every cut and hit. I gained something from a disadvantage.
The protective layer over the arena fades, and the roar of the crowd floods my ears. I sit up to watch their euphoria. I feel a bit embarrassed by the heat of so many eyes on me, yet happy to have given them a good show.
I sense Areci standing up and walking slowly toward me. "You're ridiculously strong. My collar didn't activate by pure luck after those swords at the end." She offers me her hand to help me up, and I accept it without hesitation.
"You're on another level. I've never had this much fun fighting someone before. You deserved to win with that final attack." I'm completely convinced and genuinely happy for her victory—I don't really mind losing to someone that strong.
"Let's greet the crowd before heading back." Areci raises her hands, and I follow her example. We both wave toward the stands before walking out of the arena.
We reach the VIP box, and it's no less noisy. Shawu starts shouting the moment she sees us, and everyone follows her lead. Even the twins speak more than usual. Only Susan sits calmly, smiling from her chair.
A few minutes later, everyone settles down. We thank them for their congratulations and listen to all their comments about our fight. The most talkative one is Humyr—he keeps reenacting some of the moves he liked the most. It's hilarious watching that big guy move like that.
"Congratulations, daughter, for your victory." Susan and Areci hold hands, smiling warmly at each other.
"Congratulations, Maki. Your performance was no lesser than Areci's." I thank her for the words. Brendu hasn't let go of my hand once—she's clinging to me like a bear to honey.
"Let's enjoy some food while they prepare the arena for the final. After that, we'll head to my place to celebrate Maki's defeat—and those who bet on him." I roll my eyes at her teasing remark—I was expecting that. Everyone's cheerful and excited about the party later. "Some teachers and acquaintances might join too." No one objects.
Food tastes special after such an intense fight and when your body's exhausted. The flavors feel stronger, everything tastes better. Susan throws something at me from behind—if I hadn't had my Personal World active, it would've hit me in the head. When I turn to look, she appears completely innocent. I open the cold beer and take a long, refreshing sip.
Time flies amid laughter and lively chatter. The announcer is now introducing the finalists of the inauguration tournament. I focus on them.
One is a boy with orange hair, somewhat bulky and muscular, with a rugged look. From what I heard, he's the son of a count from the Quyr Kingdom, and Brendu knows him from some noble gatherings.
The other is the daughter of a humble knight from the Empire—her exact origins are unclear. She seems to fight barehanded, without weapons. Both are close-combat fighters, and according to Susan, this final should be entertaining.
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The final match indeed turns out entertaining enough to keep my attention almost the whole time. Both are close to Sapphire rank—not as strong as Jefran or me during the previous tournament I joined, but still above any other participant.
They must be just a few steps away from advancing in rank. In the end, the robust orange-haired boy wins. The final was good, though not as thrilling as my match with Areci. I feel a bit bad for stealing the show—Areci and I ended up going far beyond what was expected.
The audience was a bit calmer at first… they got more excited as the fight went on, and by the end, they were cheering like crazy. In our VIP box, though, reactions were mixed—some watched the match while others chatted, only glancing occasionally at the arena.
"Thanks to all the tournament participants for giving their best in every round; to all the staff members, without whom none of this would be possible; and especially to everyone who attended—your constant support is what makes this event possible every year." At some point, Susan teleports down to deliver another speech.
"I want to hear another round of applause for all the participants, especially for the four finalists and the new champion of this year's tournament!" The crowd bursts into cheers, applause, and whistles. "Enjoy the fair and the fireworks tonight—thank you, everyone!" Two blue flares shoot into the sky and explode into beautiful bursts of light.
"Wasn't I fantastic? I'm really good at giving speeches, don't you think?" Susan appears back in her seat as if she'd never left. Her teasing tone makes everyone laugh at her small joke.
"Everyone, get ready to enjoy the fair a bit longer. We wouldn't make a good impression if the most eye-catching group disappeared right after the tournament. We'll head to my house in a few hours for a small drinking party and to watch the fireworks from my terrace." Everyone cheers excitedly—even Brendu and I join in.
The fair is as entertaining as every one I've been to—actually bigger and livelier. Thousands of people move back and forth, visiting food stalls, trying new games, or just looking for something interesting.
I have to deactivate my Personal World—it's starting to give me a headache from processing so much information at once. My brain can't handle that many inputs simultaneously. It feels like trying to run a heavy game on an outdated computer with graphics set to maximum.
Memories of being ambushed flash through my mind. I glance to my side, surrounded by my friends, and get a bit worried. I reactivate my Personal World with a radius of fifteen meters—the information remains manageable and doesn't affect my mood or mental state.
"You can leave that to me—or just use this space to practice a bit." Susan touches my shoulder and winks. She noticed immediately.
I think for a moment and turn off my ability a few seconds later. Breaking through Susan's defenses would be impossible for anyone below Diamond rank, and if an Obsidian rank attacked, they could kill me in an instant. Better to enjoy the fair without overloading my brain.
We have a great meal. I beat Humyr in a few games and win two stuffed toys for Brendu, handing them to her. Humyr looks at the toys with disappointment, then glances at Shawu for a moment, and she looks back.
No one else notices the exchange—I only saw it by chance because I wanted to show off a bit. In the next Imra control game, I was winning by a small margin but decided to lose on purpose, dramatically acting like a sore loser and getting comforted by Brendu.
Humyr picks a black teddy bear dressed like an assassin. I wonder why he doesn't give it to Shawu right away. I activate my Personal World just to follow the gossip. After a few minutes, when no one's watching, he hands the toy to Shawu. She quickly accepts it and stores it in her wrist bracelet.
I feel bad for eavesdropping, but I stop feeling guilty when I notice Areci smiling mischievously. I'm sure she noticed too and will use that information to tease her best friend for a while.
We're now at Susan's house. The terrace is a beautiful place, filled with elegant decorations and everything one could need. Somehow, it's perfectly temperature-balanced—the runes must be causing that effect even outdoors.
I walk toward the edge to feel the gentle breeze while gazing at the beautiful starry sky. Brendu approaches, wrapping her left arm around my right; her right hand rests on top of mine, holding it gently.
"You really love the sky, don't you? You're always looking at it whenever you can." She asks softly.
"Yes, it's beautiful. Looking at the sky makes me feel alive and grateful." I've had that habit since I was a child. Just imagining life existing on other worlds excites me—and in the end, I found the answer: yes, there are others living in this vast universe.
"You sound like an old grandpa who's lived for centuries." We both laugh at her comment. "We'll be able to live for hundreds of years once we reach Diamond rank—or even longer if we reach Obsidian. You'll have plenty of time to watch the sky, and I hope I can stay by your side." She rests her head on my shoulder.
"Thank you, princess. I'll be the happiest man alive if I can keep enjoying moments like this in the future with the people I love." I kiss her on the head. Susan sends me a signal with her Imra, calling us over. "We should go back—it seems they're looking for us."