After saying his piece, Jack kept holding Yellow Death’s throat for a few more seconds before letting him go.
Yellow Death coughed a few times before giving Jack a death glare, fury and hatred were in his eyes. Jack had his Storm Breaker out at this time. Yellow Death could see that Jack was not kidding.
“Yellow, ditch your pride for just this one match,” Red Death said. “If the team wins, you will get benefits as well. If you are not interested in winning, then just renounce your membership in this match. We can do this without you if that’s what you prefer.”
Yellow Death glanced at Red Death before standing up. He and Jack had another staring contest before he said to Red Death, “You become soft every time this guy is involved. People might question where your allegiance lies.”
“What do you mean by that?” Red Death snapped at him.
“Nothing. Just my bias. All right, I will cooperate for this one match. Give the order all you like, I think I can stand these two hours of disgrace. Just don’t give any order that put me anywhere near this guy.”
“Same here,” Jack said.
“Whatever. If you two are done measuring your d*cks, let’s leave. We are late already. The first match might have started,” Red Death said and walked out the exit.
*
When they arrived, the match had not started. Callan was there. It seemed this divine priest was only present during the first and the last day of the tournament. He was currently giving a speech since today was the finals.
He was giving his gratitude to those who had participated in the matches. To not feel depressed for those who lost. That they had shown honor and bravery despite not winning and thus, were winners as well. He also offered encouragement to those that would compete today. To show candor and fighting spirit in the pursuit of glory.
Jack suddenly felt that they should have taken more time before coming here.
The others were already in the spectators’ seats. Jack sat at his regular seat beside Paytowin and Domon.
“You ready for today?” Jack asked his grandfather.
“You asked the wrong question,” Domon replied. “You should have asked, are you ready to win today?”
Jack nodded without giving further responses. He turned to Jeanny who was sitting in front of him. He tapped her shoulder and said, “Good luck.”
Jeanny turned back and said, “You too.”
David was sitting next to Jeanny. When Jeanny turned, he did so as well. Jack gave him a thumbs up, wishing him luck as well for today’s match. He returned the thumbs up.
It took almost an hour before Callan ended his speech. ‘God, this guy truly likes to speak,’ Jack thought.
Jack was worried the guy was going to offer a prayer again for another hour. But thankfully, he gave the stage back to Pallas and walked to the spectators’ seats.
“Thank you, your Holiness. That is very inspiring,” Pallas said. “I’m pretty sure everyone felt motivated and wish that they could have listened more to your words.”
<br/>’No, we are not,’ Jack said within.
“Now, let us get to the match. The final day of this outworlder tournament will begin now! Contenders of the Knight section, come out!”
*
Knight Section Final Match
Jeanny, level 46 Dragoon (human) Vs Arthur Bagrat, level 46 Avenger (draconian)
*
Jeanny walked down to the arena as her opponent walked down from the draconian group. The two took their positions in the arena.
“I heard you are a student of Master Domon,” Arthur said to Jeanny.
“I am,” Jeanny replied.
“Hm… Good. I can’t challenge that old monster but perhaps I can feel some excitement from challenging his student.”
“I will try not to disappoint.”
Jeanny readied her spear and took a fighting stance as Arthur lowered his stance and put his hand on his katana’s hilt.
“Knight section final match, begin!” Pallas uttered.
Jeanny had seen Arthur’s last opponent try using range attacks to distract him before executing a killing move, but it didn’t work. So Jeanny didn’t bother using them. She approached slowly as she paid attention to Arthur’s hand that rested on his katana’s hilt. She knew that his opponent’s iaido was very fast. But if she could dodge it, then perhaps that would open an opportunity for her to gain control of the match.
She stepped forward slowly. Each step felt as if weighted by a heavy burden. Arthur never moved a muscle, but with every step she closed in, she felt the pressure building up. The katana Arthur was holding appeared as if a guillotine that was ready to chop her neck. She knew then what it meant to face a true master in real combat.
She gripped her spear tightly, trying to dispel the fog that had clouded her heart and resummoned her courage and determination. She thrust her spear, attempting to start her spear art, Seven Spears Assaulting Heaven.
Yet, her spear was stopped midway before stabbing. She had been too focused on Arthur’s hand that was still resting on his katana that she didn’t notice Arthur’s foot, which had come up and stopped her spear shaft.
At the same time, Arthur’s body moved higher. The guy was practically stepping on top of Jeanny’s spear which was in mid-thrust. His Katana was released from its scabbard at this moment. The act of him pulling his katana and slashing was almost impossible to notice. All Jeanny was aware of was a flash of light. She then felt cold around her neck.
What the spectators saw at that moment was Arthur performing iaido under a circus-like condition of standing atop a spear. His katana sliced cleanly through Jeanny’s neck, resulting in a critical hit.
Iaido that was fueled by mana manipulation and boosted by critical damage. Despite Jeanny’s high HP and high defense, it still couldn’t save her. Jeanny lost all strength on her body as she slipped down to the floor.
“What the…! This was even briefer than that samurai’s first match. It takes only one hit this time,” Paytowin uttered.
Many of the spectators were also flabbergasted. This was a final match, for crying out loud. They expected an intense fight. Yet, it was amongst the shortest matches in this tournament. There were now two matches where the winner finished the match with just one hit.
They were confused. Was the difference so vast? Was Jeanny too weak? Not possible, she had won her fight brilliantly in her matches. No one would say that she was not an expert.
While many of the spectators were having trouble making sense of the match just now, other experts didn’t find it as confounding. They didn’t consider Jeanny as far weaker as well. It was simply a matter of mastery. Arthur’s maintained a solid grasp on the situation while Jeanny had been rattled by Arthur’s pressure even before she sent her first attack.
“Hm… That old sword maniac is getting a little bit too serious in this fight against a junior,” Domon commented. “But that just meant that he acknowledged Jeanny as a true adversary. She shouldn’t feel bad about this loss.”
“I don’t think she is,” Jack said.
Jeanny had been revived back. She clasped her hands at Arthur and said, “Thank you for your guidance.”
Arthur returned her gesture, “You are a good spearwoman, I can feel it from your thrust. Practice your spear more. I believe there will come a day where you will return this loss to me.”
“Knight section champion, Arthur Bagrat of the Draconian race!” Pallas announced. The first champion of the tournament had been decided.
“Please take your seat. The championship ceremony will be held once all the champions were decided,” Pallas said.
Arthur and Jeanny went back to the spectators’ seats. In Arthur’s case, he didn’t go back to the draconian’s group. Instead, he went to the dwarf’s group and sat beside Jet. The two seemed to be chatting.
“Too bad,” David said to Jeanny when she came back. The guy proceeded to give a few consolation words to her.
Huh? Wasn’t this David a bit too friendly to Jeanny? What’s going on between the two? Jack wondered.
*
Warrior Section Final Match
Spring Crown, level 47 Weapon Master (vampire) Vs Domon Fei, level 46 Weapon Master (human)
*
“Okay, it’s my turn to become the champion,” Domon uttered as he slapped his thigh before standing up. “Can’t let that old geezer looks down on me just because he becomes a champion while I’m not.”
“Good luck!” Jack said.
“Don’t need it,” Domon replied.
“Your grandfather is pretty confident,” Paytowin said as Domon walked down to the arena below.
“Yeah. Don’t worry. No way my gramps loses,” Jack said. “Spring Crown might be the number one gamer, but my gramps is the number one martial artist.”
The two number one character faced each other in the arena. Spring Crown wore his trademark smile and Domon simply displayed a flat expression. Both exhibited confidence.
“I heard you are called the number one gamer in the world?” Domon asked.
“Ah… I never really like that title. Too much pressure you know,” Spring Crown replied. “I am just a guy who enjoyed gaming a bit too much, that’s all. I will never compare to someone with real accomplishments like you, master Domon.”
“You know me?”
“Anyone who truly dabbles in martial arts will know your name, even if not your face.”
Domon nodded. “Enough chat. Let’s fight.”
“Let’s.”
