# 394
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394
The brackets are hung in the square on time and delivered to each participant’s room at the same time.
“You’re out of luck.”
These were the words Helmut uttered regarding the bracket.
There are only two opponents he cares about, excluding Asuka. There is only Area and the man who is presumed to be the paladin.
And Helmut was never able to avoid one of the two.
I wish they both didn’t get caught before the finals.
“If I had told Charlotte, would she have adjusted the bracket?”
“No way. “She’s stubborn in that respect.”
Area shook her head in response to Helmut’s question. As if he knew her better than her real brother.
“Let’s try our best.”
Area grinned and held out her hand as if she had been waiting.
Helmut quietly looked at her face.
“…not there yet. “You seem happy?”
They meet in the semifinals. There are still three more matches left from the round of 32 to the semifinals. Area quickly shook her head.
“No. But you still avoided the Paladin, right?”
The words of avoidance touched Helmut’s pride. His eyebrows rose quickly.
“I’m in trouble, not afraid.”
Dealing with Area was the same. I thought there would be anticipation, but when reality hits, I feel embarrassed and complicated.
I have always fought with the determination to kill my opponent. His fight was close to life or death.
The reason the opponent survives is because he slightly bit his hand in a situation where it was possible to kill him.
However, Area is an opponent that cannot be killed or cut down in the first place.
Area’s composure is probably not just because of her confidence in her own abilities, but also because she knows Helmut like that.
‘The mindset is at a disadvantage.’
Even so, I didn’t feel like I was going to lose. Helmut decided to take it easy and make up his mind.
“Because I don’t know what will happen yet.”
Area’s eyes scanned the bracket. Her gaze returned to Asuka next to her.
His expression was serious as he kept looking at the bracket.
“I’m meeting you a little earlier than expected?”
If Asuka wins this match, she will face him in the round of 16. It was faster than expected.
Helmut’s gaze also turned to Asuka. I don’t know her skills well, but I knew that Asuka wasn’t in a very relaxed situation as she reached the finals.
To gauge Asuka’s skill level with the opponent she faces, she will have to be very lucky to come close to winning.
Helmut thought for a moment and then gave advice.
“From now on, the games will not overlap, so we will be able to see him play in the round of 32.”
“Are you asking me to spy on you or something?”
“It means understanding the enemy. “If you think you’ll win safely, it’s okay.”
Neglecting to analyze an enemy on a weak subject means that you will not do your best.
Asuka frowned and gritted her teeth. I felt like I knew what he was going to do without even asking.
Elaga, who had hoped that both Helmut and Area Asuka would be on one side before the finals, looked displeased as her wish did not come true.
[Isn’t this a martial arts festival that I don’t participate in anyway? A lot of things are going against each other, but it’s spying and understanding.]
Couldn’t he have turned into a humanoid like Igrel and attended the martial arts festival?
Elaga realized that fact too late and was disappointed.
To do so, it is necessary to inspect the artifact with transformation magic, but Heike could have made the artifact undetected by the sloppy Wizards Association.
Unfortunately, Elaga’s artifact did not have the ability to transform into a human.
[Try to fight hard. There isn’t much left now.]
Humans are weak and monsters are human predators. And Elaga is the king of those monsters.
Since humans are as sensitive as they are weak and fret over trivial things, I thought that Elaga should also be considered as a strong person.
So, as Helmut and the others said, I hid my identity and stayed quiet.
In fact, Elega secretly hoped something would happen. It was a long time coming into the human world, but
by his standards, he didn’t want to spend his days as quietly as the forest of Pahe.
It is good when an incident occurs, a commotion occurs, and it is noisy. Even though he had to fight against all humans.
Helmut noticed Elaga’s frustration and found a solution.
“If you’re really bored, should I put you in the dog fighting ring? “If cats do well, they can participate.”
Wow! As a result of his consideration, only four clear claw marks were drawn on Helmut’s clothes.
*
A few days later, everyone passed the round of 32 with ease. Asuka faced the Paladin of yesteryear in the first match of the round of 16.
Asuka watched Paladin’s game in the round of 32.
However, if there was anything achieved there…
Paladin won the round of 32 with overwhelming skill. One thing was clear from watching that brief battle.
What drove Xian to death wasn’t a fluke, and he was really strong.
Asuka clearly saw the strength of the opponent she was about to face.
Charlotte came to the waiting room before the round of 16.
It was not a personal visit, but an official visit to check on the condition of the participants.
When I heard that it was the crown prince who went to the paladin’s side, I wondered why my obnoxious cousin was helping me.
‘He’s always been there with Charlotte to host the martial arts event, so you’re saying it’s okay to give up this much?’
Does that mean that there has been enough progress in your relationship with Charlotte to allow for that much relaxation?
When I thought about that, my calm mind naturally cracked. Before the game, I actually feel mentally unstable.
‘Does this guy want me to lose?’
It can only be interpreted that he doesn’t like whatever the crown prince does and that he has evil plans.
Asuka said bluntly.
“If you have something to say, say it quickly.”
“I guess I was disturbed.”
“It’s not a hindrance…but it is.”
Asuka immediately calmed down with that one word.
‘I wish I didn’t have to watch the game.’
I don’t think I will lose no matter how strong my opponent is. I thought I would win somehow,
but apart from that, the more likely reality was… I didn’t want to show that reality in front of Charlotte.
Charlotte’s calm expression slightly wavered.
“Senior Xian was also seriously injured. “Take care of yourself.”
“Are you…worried?”
The sharp nerves quickly calmed down. Asuka’s expression became strange.
Charlotte, who saw this, misunderstood that Asuka was displeased with her words.
“It is by no means to look weak or ignore seniors. It’s just that the opponent is so formidable…”
Charlotte trailed off. Asuka snorted.
“Do you think I’ll lose too?”
“…I don’t think there’s anything to be upset about by saying something like that before the competition.”
This is a case where the intention is not to make a bad joke, but it is so honest that it ends up being a bad joke. Asuka made a dumbfounded face.
“What is he saying now.”
“It may not be right to be biased toward one side as the host of the martial arts event, but since I am also a human being, there are some things I cannot help.”
Charlotte was told by Area that the golden-eyed man, whose identity was unknown but whom she had noticed for his outstanding skills, was from the temple.
Further information is still being investigated, but there is no law prohibiting temple members, regardless of their position, from participating in this martial arts event. There is also a law that says you cannot win a martial arts competition.
Of course, the purpose of holding this comprehensive martial arts conference is ostensibly to bring harmony between the empire and Rinosa and to revitalize the situation, but
the temple has already caused problems in the empire. It would not be unreasonable to use an excuse to expel someone from the temple.
But Charlotte didn’t do that. Because she always had to follow the path she believed was right.
If you come in from that side, you will face it from this side. There were others who would confront him.
Charlotte hoped that one of the three, Helmut and Area Asuka, would defeat him.
“You’re making it sound like you’re rooting for me.”
Asuka, who almost had a grinning expression on her face, deliberately hardened her expression and turned her head to cough loudly. He immediately asked insinuatingly.
“…So you’ll be disappointed if I lose?”
Charlotte shook her head.
“I fought my best, but there is no shame in losing to an opponent stronger than me.”
Her sonorous voice continued without interruption.
“And there is nothing to be disappointed about. So please fight as hard as you can.”
The gaze towards Asuka was clear. His eyes were warm, black, like a pebble in the sunlight, similar to Helmut’s but different. For some reason, my throat got clogged.
Asuka was only able to answer after a short gap.
“…Yes, of course.”
*
As I stood on stage, a gust of wind struck my body. It is a particularly windy day.
Asuka faced her opponent with fierce eyes. With eyes that clearly show the feeling of wanting to rush in and beat him up rather than fighting with swords.
The golden-eyed man noticed Asuka’s expression.
“I sense hostility. “Do you know anything about me?”
“know. “It’s Sian, so you probably remember that too.”
Because you almost killed him by tearing his stomach open. Asuka swallowed her words.
The man tilted his head with the same expressionless expression.
“Isn’t Xian your name?”
Xian and Asuka had exchanged their names.
“My name is Asuka.”
At first glance, there was a hint of mockery on the man’s lips.
“Asuka… I think I know who it is. “Your life was saved, right?”
I almost died, but I survived. Isn’t that enough? An accident that could definitely happen in a martial arts club.
Even if Xian died, it would not be a matter of responsibility. Rationally, it was like that.
However, Asuka had lived an emotional life her whole life.
“Was it an unavoidable accident?”
Asuka asked as if confirming. While watching the man’s expression. But the man’s expression was still cold.
The paladin felt no remorse even after staining his sacred sword with blood. His god was a god who told him to be merciless towards his enemies, not a god who commanded him not to get his hands dirty.
Instead of answering the question, he spoke accusingly.
“I don’t understand why a prosecutor would side with a wizard like me. “Magic is an evil force and has been abused countless times.”
“I don’t like wizards either. “But I hate you for trying to murder my friend.”
Golden gaze filled with power was focused on Asuka.
“Servant is my name.”
The name of the participant in this martial arts competition. The meaning is one who serves. Servant. He was a servant of God. His sword was right because it was the will of God.
The man put his hand on his waist. The holy sword, one of the holy relics that hid enormous divine power, was caught in the hand as if it had been hit. It is a power given to him by his master.
“If you want to punish me, you will have to break me.”
If he has to be punished, God will give him defeat.
After the man finished speaking, the game began.
