The next morning, Ichinaro woke up feeling exceptional. A profound sense of relief washed over his body. He stretched lazily, then walked over to quietly push open the window. Warm sunlight trickled inside, dispelling the lingering shadows and bringing a comforting warmth that felt divine against his skin.
Ichinaro gazed out the window. The city's atmosphere was lively and vibrant—people strolled through the streets while children played noisily below. Surprisingly, none of it bothered him. In fact, watching them relaxed him; they reminded him of the children back in his village, leaving him with a fleeting pang of nostalgia.
As he was soaking in the peaceful morning, an annoying voice broke the quiet to remind him:
– *"Is this really the time to be relaxing and daydreaming? You have a tournament to prepare for!"*
That irritating voice always had a knack for ruining his mood. Ichinaro sighed with annoyance and muttered:
– "Alright, you stupid dagger, can't you let someone enjoy a moment of peace without bugging them?"
Arthos replied in huff:
– *"I'm saying this for your own good! And this is how you repay my kindness, you useless fool?"*
Ichinaro snapped back:
– "Who are you calling a useless fool, you dumb dagger?"
– *"Say that again and I'll end you! What an annoying brat... hmph!"*
Their bickering was sharp, but for the two of them, it was just their usual routine. A brief silence settled over the room before Ichinaro burst out laughing, and Arthos couldn't help but join in shortly after.
– "Alright, I guess it's time to get moving."
Ending their chat, Ichinaro stepped out of bed and headed into the bathroom. He washed his face and took a quick, warm shower, feeling completely relaxed as steam rose around him and morning light filtered through the small window.
After finishing his shower, he got dressed, sat down, and tried to gather his energy to focus. Right in the middle of his concentration, Arthos interrupted him again:
– *"Are you still practicing that same skill? Expand your horizons and train in other areas too."*
Ichinaro replied, visibly annoyed at being cut off:
– "This skill will be useful in the tournament. Let me finish mastering this one first, and I'll develop the rest later."
– *"Hmph... do whatever you want, but don't blame me later!"*
– "Fine, fine. Now leave me to it."
After a few hours of intense training, Ichinaro stood up, took a deep breath, and relaxed. He stepped out of the house and headed south toward the arena. Of course, he couldn't resist stopping by a few food stalls along the way, picking up an array of treats ranging from roasted meats to freshly baked pastries, happily devouring them as he walked.
As they moved along, Arthos brought up another pressing matter:
– *"The money the villagers gave us is almost gone!"*
Ichinaro replied with his mouth full of pastry:
– "And how is that my fault?"
Arthos snapped sharply:
– *"It's entirely your fault! Aside from the rent we paid, you've eaten through the rest! You don't hold back at all when it comes to food!"*
Ichinaro tried to justify himself:
– "I can't help it! Moving around this massive city makes me starving! Didn't you see the map? This place spans 1,200 square kilometers! Being hungry here is only natural."
– *"That's no excuse—extravagance is still extravagance!"*
Attempting to win Arthos over with fake remorse, Ichinaro put on a dramatic expression and said:
– "Alright... I won't do it again."
Arthos sighed deeply:
– *"Haaah... fine. As long as you understand your mistake."*
Ichinaro cheered and leaped up like a child, thrilled that he had escaped a scolding:
– "Yaaaaay!"
Then, his expression turned a bit more serious as he added:
– "Still, I'm a bit puzzled... Why did the villagers give us 100 silver coins when they needed money so badly to rebuild the village? They needed it more than we did."
Arthos replied sternly:
– *"You should be grateful to them. If it weren't for their generosity, we'd be lying out on the street right now."*
– "Yeah, I know... and I really am grateful to them."
Ichinaro paused to do the math in his head:
– "Now that we're talking about money... one silver coin equals 100 copper, and one gold coin equals 100 silver. Considering purchasing power, 100 silver coins—or one gold coin—can buy a small-to-medium house and cover over a month of living expenses if you're smart with your spending! The grand prize for this tournament is **10,000 gold coins**! That's an insane number! You could build an independent town with that kind of wealth! Why would they offer that much as a prize? It's completely illogical!"
Arthos spoke thoughtfully:
– *"There must be something hidden behind all this, but no matter... let's reach the end of the tournament and find out for ourselves."*
A tiny trail of drool escaped the corner of Ichinaro's mouth as his imagination took over:
– "Yeah, definitely! But just imagine the mountain of food we could buy with that much money! It'd be incredible!"
In his mind, a ghostly figure of Arthos materialized and slapped him across the face to snap him out of it:
– *"Stop your bizarre daydreaming! This is no time for that—we need to focus on the tournament!"*
Ichinaro wiped his face and grinned sheepishly:
– "Right, right... gotta focus."
They continued their walk in silence until they finally arrived at the arena. Ichinaro stood before the colossal building, mentally preparing himself. Without a hint of hesitation or fear, he took a step forward, his eyes gleaming with sharp determination—as if declaring to the world: *We came here to win.*
At the entrance, he checked in and stepped inside. The atmosphere was electrifying, and the arena was packed with roaring spectators. Ichinaro navigated along the edge of the arena until he reached the designated waiting area for contestants. Taking a seat, he listened to the commentator's booming voice echoing through the loudspeakers:
– *"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen! Today we resume the 1-on-1 matches after the spectacular display shown by Ichinaro and our other fighters during the opening exhibition! From here on out, we have 24 remaining matches. The opening champion has automatically qualified and is present today solely to choose a partner! Among today's top contenders and favorites to win are **Aurin** and **Novan**! Two exceptional fighters who have never tasted defeat: Aurin, a master swordsman who has wielded the blade since childhood, and Novan, an unbeaten martial artist with incredible control over 'Kaizo'! We also have other rising stars like **Arouka**... Let the matches begin!"*
The announcer continued:
– *"For our first match: **Novan** versus **Kailos**! Fighters, step forward!"*
Arthos barked in Ichinaro's mind:
– *"Hey, Ichinaro! Pay close attention to how they fight. You might have to face them later."*
– "I know, I know... don't worry."
The battle commenced. Kailos charged forward, swinging a massive battleaxe at Novan. Novan assumed a perfectly balanced stance—bending his knees to lower his center of gravity, extending his left hand forward while pulling his right hand back. The moment the axe swung down, Novan effortlessly deflected its trajectory using his extended hand, which was coated in a layer of Kaizo.
Before Kailos could recover his balance, Novan coated his right fist in Kaizo and drove a straight strike directly into Kailos's gut! As Kailos doubled over, Novan delivered a lightning-fast high kick straight to his temple, dropping him instantly onto the ground.
It was over in a matter of seconds. Shocked by the speed of the fight, Ichinaro quickly composed himself as the referee declared:
– *"The winner of this round is NOVAN!"*
The arena erupted in thunderous cheers. A medical team rushed in to carry Kailos away while Novan calmly exited the ring.
Most of the following fights involved novices and weren't worth paying attention to—with the exception of **Aurin's** match. Aurin displayed extraordinary artistry with his blade; his movements were like a dance, his sword leaving fluid trails of energy across his opponent's body, aiming precisely for joints to completely paralyze them.
Arthos commented:
– *"You better prepare yourself if you end up fighting him. He looks like a troublesome opponent."*
– "Yeah, he really does."
Arthos glanced at Ichinaro's eyes and saw a fiery spark of excitement and thrill for battle. He chuckled softly under his breath, muttering: *"What a kid..."*
The matches dragged on at a mundane pace until the final notable contender took the stage: **Arouka**.
The moment Arouka entered the ring, Ichinaro's eyes widened in disbelief:
– "Isn't that guy... the slave we helped out last time?"
Arthos replied:
– *"It is him! Seems he was a pit fighter after all, which explains why he felt so strong."*
Arouka stepped onto the arena with calm confidence, facing an opponent who dual-wielded swords.
The referee called out:
– *"Stances ready... Begin!"*
The opponent charged aggressively, swinging both swords in a bid to slice Arouka down. However, Arouka evaded every strike with flawless agility. Frustrated by his inability to land a hit, the opponent snapped:
– "Is running away all you know how to do?!"
He swept his blades low, aiming for Arouka's legs, but Arouka leaped high into the air to dodge it. Mid-air, he executed a side flip, pulled his hands together, and thrust them forward just as his feet touched the ground, shouting:
– **"Fireball!"**
Two massive spheres of fire manifested behind him and blasted toward his opponent like meteors! Panic-stricken, the swordsman tried to block with his weapons, but the spells detonated on impact, leaving him scorched and unconscious on the arena floor.
Referee:
– *"The winner is ArouKA!"*
The crowd went wild with astonishment; magic was a rare sight in this continent.
Ichinaro's eyes practically popped out of his head:
– "Unbelievable! There are people who can shoot fire right out of their hands?! That's so cool!"
Arthos explained:
– *"That is Magic. You probably haven't heard much about it since it's rarely practiced on this continent. Mages manipulate natural energy—known as Mana—to manifest elemental forces like fire and wind."*
Ichinaro's eyes sparkled like bright stars as he mimicked hand gestures:
– "That's amazing! Why didn't you tell me about this before? I want to throw fireballs from my hands too!"
Arthos bopped him on the head:
– *"Focus, you idiot! Concentrate on learning Kaizo first!"*
– "But I want to use magic too!"
– *"I said knock it off, you fool!"* (sound of light thudding)
Ichinaro slumped onto his knees, rubbing his head:
– "Okay, okay... I'm sorry."
Arthos sighed:
– *"The individual matches are over. It's time to pick a partner."*
Ichinaro stood up and made his way down toward the arena floor. Most of the qualified fighters were rushing toward **Aurin** in hopes of teaming up, but Aurin coldly rejected them all. Instead, he walked over himself and requested to pair up with **Novan**. The rest of the fighters slumped in disappointment, though the outcome was expected—the strong naturally gravitate toward the strong.
Ichinaro, however, didn't care. He had his eyes set on one specific person.
Stepping forward with confident strides, he stopped right in front of the red-haired youth and smiled:
– "Hey... it's been a while."
Arouka turned around, stunned when he recognized the face:
– "You... you're the one who saved me that day!"
Ichinaro grinned:
– "Yep, that's me."
Arouka bowed deeply in respect:
– "I forgot to properly thank you back then... Thank you so much for saving my life!"
Ichinaro waved his hands dismissively, feeling a little embarrassed:
– "Ah, don't worry about it! No need to thank me, I just did what anyone would do."
Arouka raised his head:
– "Still, I owed you my gratitude."
Ichinaro immediately bubbled over with excitement again:
– "You were seriously incredible out there! How did you shoot fire like that? That display was mind-blowing!"
Arouka rubbed the back of his neck modestly:
– "No... it wasn't anything special, really. Just ordinary magic."
– "Are you kidding? It was awesome! The jump, the casting, the explosion... Anyway! Why are you participating in this tournament? Is that why you came to the city?"
Arouka's tone turned serious:
– "Yes. My masters brought me here hoping I could win the grand prize for them."
– "Makes sense. Who wouldn't want 10,000 gold coins? It's a fortune."
Arouka shook his head:
– "Actually... they don't care about the money. They want the 'Core' that comes with the prize."
Ichinaro recalled the details:
– "Oh right! The Energy Core... that was listed alongside the prize money. Is it really that important? What do they want to do with it?"
– "I don't know for sure. All I know is that it's extremely vital to them."
Ichinaro smiled brightly and got straight to the point:
– "Doesn't matter right now! More importantly... do you want to team up with me so we can win this tournament together?"
Arouka gasped, hesitating:
– "Is that really alright? I'm just a slave... I didn't think anyone would ever want to team up with me."
Ichinaro shrugged casually:
– "What does being a slave have to do with anything? You're strong and awesome, and that doesn't change a thing! Besides, I really want to see that fireball trick again!"
Tears welled up in Arouka's eyes from the overwhelming emotion, and he quickly tried to wipe them away. Ichinaro panicked slightly:
– "Wait, are you crying?! Ah—hold on! Did I say something wrong?"
Arouka let out a soft laugh through his tears:
– "No, don't worry... I'd be honored to join your team! Your name was Ichinaro, right?"
– "Yup!"
– "I'm Arouka... It's a pleasure to team up with you."
The two shook hands, bright smiles covering both their faces.
– "Alright then! Let's go register our team!"
They walked over to the registration desk together.
Ichinaro said:
– "Excuse us, sir! We'd like to register as a team."
The clerk replied:
– "Alright, hold on a moment..."
The clerk logged their names into the official ledger, then looked up and asked:
– "What would you like your team name to be?"
Ichinaro held his head, trying desperately to brainstorm a cool name. He pondered so hard that imaginary steam started rising from his head!
Arouka panicked:
– "Wait, wait! Your head is overheating!"
Ichinaro gave up helplessly:
– "No good... I can't think of anything cool! I'm terrible at this! You give it a shot, Arouka."
– "Me? Hmm... If you say so, how about **(Miraz)**?"
Ichinaro blinked, confused:
– "Miraz? What does that mean?"
Arouka smiled softly:
– "It means 'Burning Soul'—a symbol of unyielding willpower and determination."
Ichinaro's face lit up:
– "That's awesome! I love it! Let's go with that!"
Ichinaro turned back to the clerk:
– "Mister! Our team name is **Miraz**!"
– "Got it... sign right here."
Ichinaro grabbed the pen and signed his name, followed by Arouka.
The clerk finalized the entry:
– "You are officially registered. The next phase of the tournament begins in one week. Prepare yourselves well."
Ichinaro cheered at the top of his lungs:
– "Yaaaaay! We're an official team now!"
Arouka smiled warmly in response:
– "Yes, we are."
Ichinaro added:
– "By the way, can we meet up throughout the week to train together?"
Arouka thought for a moment:
– "I think so. I've been granted full freedom of movement for this week."
Ichinaro grinned:
– "Awesome! Then let's meet tomorrow in the city center at 10:00 AM sharp!"
– "It's a deal."
The two stepped out through the main gates, said their goodbyes, and parted ways.
Meanwhile, watching from a high balcony on a nearby building, a nobleman's bodyguard observed the scene before turning to his master:
– "My Lord, it appears that slave has joined a team..."
The nobleman sat comfortably, letting out a mocking laugh:
– "Let him... He's nothing more than a lowly slave. And I doubt whoever allied with him amounts to anything notable either."
– "Understood, My Lord."
The nobleman leaned back, a malicious smirk spreading across his face:
– "Heh heh heh... Let's see how this tournament unfolds in a week's time!"