NOTES:

I’ve gone for a while for my own matter that I won’t disclose. As a tler, it’s unforgiveable indeed, but I’m sorry. I just came back after seeing that the other tler only continued to chapter 706, so I worked on some, hoping to finish until this arc end, but to my surprise, they manage to go pass me by now. I was a little troubled on what should I do/say about this situation now, but I hope you’ll enjoy mine too :), especially to those who’ve read pass mine.

Today was the second day of the first round of this year’s martial arts tournament where the matches from blocks C and D are being held.

「Hilt’s coming up」

「Woof」

We’re watching the match from special spectator seats again today.

Fran hugged Urushi from behind as he sat in front of her, resting her chin on Urushi’s head and enjoying the fluffiness of his fur with her entire body.

『Let’s see what kind of fight she has in store for us』

「Nn」

I appraised Hilt as she appeared in the arena.

Name: Hiltoria

Age: 23 years old

Race: Human

Job: Magic Fighter

Status Level: 61/99

HP: 682

MP: 582

STR: 401

VIT: 262

AGI: 589

INT: 197

DEX: 314

Magic: 366

[SKILL]

Steps Detection: Lv4, Intimidation: Lv6, Herculean Strength: Lv6, Martial Arts Technique: Lv3, Martial Arts Skill: Lv3, Danger Detection: Lv5, Fist Saint Technique: Lv4, Fist Saint Skill: Lv6, Close Combat Technique: LvMax, Close Combat Skill: LvMax, Qigong: Lv8, Stamina: LvMax, Teaching: Lv6, Rapid Fire: LvMax, Rapid Movement: Lv3. Abnormal Condition Resistance: Lv5, Abnormal Mental Resistance: Lv5, Provocation: Lv4, Throwing: Lv4, Dimitris-style Martial Arts Technique: LvMax, Dimitris-style Martial Arts Skill: LvMax, Physical Attack Resistance: Lv6, Magical Attack Resistance: Lv6, Magic Detection: Lv5, Magic Power Release: Lv8, Drowsiness Resistance: Lv5, Orc Killer, Kobold Killer, Gourmand, Split Thinking, Power Control.

[Unique Skill]

Rampage, Food Reserve

[Inherent Skill]

Magical Claw Fist

[Title]

Orc Killer, Kobold Killer, Giant Slayer, Heir of the Dimitris-style, Slaughterer, Magic Beast Annihilator, A-Ranked Adventurer.

[Equipment]

Spiraling Fist, Celestial Silkworm Fighting Robe, Celestial Silkworm Pants, Water Dragon’s Fighting Shoes, Magic Suppression Bracelet, Regeneration Pendant.

Her status is quite high, but her skills are just as impressive. Her Dimitris-style skills have been maxed out, so it means that she can use the same techniques as Dimitris. She must also have something like a special move as well.

I guess, she’s like the superior version of Colbert who unsealed his skill that we fought last year.

『I’d be happy to see a few Dimitris-style techniques in this match』

「…I don’t think she’ll use it」

「Woof」

《Chance of the individual named Hiltoria using the Dimitris-style techniques is only 2%》

Not just Fran and Urushi, but Announcer-san says the same too!? Well, I do think so too…

Hilt’s opponent was an adventurer with a large body and wielded an axe. His stern face makes him look powerful. He’s the kind that would make people give a way to him if he were to walk around the town.

But he’s actually not very strong, or rather, he’s weak. His ability was quite low compared to the three members of the Scarlet Maidens.

Well, the pairings for the preliminary rounds are completely random after all. A group could even be full of weak participants, so it’s not impossible for someone with a low ability to end up competing in the main round.

And as expected, the match ended in an instant with a single jab from Hilt.

Her opponent couldn’t even react to the attack, and he collapse after only receiving a single hit. Because of this, we couldn’t get a glimpse of her ability.

『W-well, she’ll get a better opponent next time』

「Nn…」

We continued to watch the match. Then someone we knew come up in the arena.

「Radul」

Unusually, Fran remembered his name. He was an old magician from Ulmut and we had a tea with him before. He was a C ranker but he was as good as a B-Ranked adventurer. He had even been in a party with Aurel in the past.

I didn’t get to see him fight last year, but he must have lost to Cruz, who was ranked lower than him. Maybe he was distracted by his speed and got hit with a big move first.

He was a former court magician, so even though the level of his magic was high, his physical status was quite low due to his old age.

I wonder what will this year be like.

As I watched the match with some concern, I saw that the old man Radul was very strong. I had heard that he could use the three attributes of earth, storm, and ocean magic, but his use of them was very precise.

He uses a good combination of simple spells instead of using powerful skills.

He uses earth magic to break his opponent’s foothold, draws his opponent’s attention with flashy ocean magic, and attacks quietly with invisible storm magic.

His opponent sank helplessly in front of the variety of magic released from his abbreviated chanting.

『He’s not good against a suicide attacker like Cruz, who focuses on speed and aiming for a counterattack, but he’s so strong against a slower opponent!』

「Radul’s good」

「Woof woof!」

Fran said so with sparkle in her eyes. He wasn’t flashy, but he was a skilled fighter. I guess he’s similar to Mordred. This one specializes in magic though.

In the fourth and final D block, there were quite a few people we knew competing.

The first to appear was Elsa. Her presence was as energetic as ever, and the sight of her carrying a huge mace was so intimidating that a child might have nightmares about it.

She easily won the match with a few attacks while smiling at her opponent’s attacks.

Next to take the stage was Charlotte. She is a girl who specializes in a rather tricky style of fighting by using an iron ring in her hand while dancing.

She effortlessly claimed the victory by using her ring to latch onto her opponent’s spear and took it away.

Both of them were strong, but the impact of the next person who appeared on the stage was not to be outdone. That’s how conspicuous the mantis-headed half-insect kin, Neidhart, was.

The crowd screamed when his short sword collided with his opponent’s steel sword, but the next moment, the steel sword was destroyed, and a loud cheer began to fill the whole arena.

Name: Neidhart

Age: 57 years old

Race: Half-Insect kin, Praying Mantis

Job: Twin Armed Fighter

Status Level: 66/99

HP: 897

MP: 214

STR: 588

VIT: 317

AGI: 612

INT: 138

DEX: 433

Magic: 167

[Skill]

Frugal Eater: Lv3, Steps Sensing: Lv4, Assassination: Lv4, Stealth: Lv4, Singing: Lv3, Observation: Lv4, Danger Detection: Lv8, Bowing Technique: Lv4, Bowing Skill: Lv6, Vital Point Detection: Lv4, Court Manners: Lv2, Calculation: Lv5, Presence Detection: Lv6, Presence Conceal: Lv5, Sword Technique: Lv5, Sword Skill: Lv5, Fist Saint Technique: Lv3, Fist Saint Skill: LvMax, Close Combat Technique: LvMax, Close Combat Skill: LvMax, Qigong: Lv4, Negotiation: LvMax, Stamina: Lv3, Commanding: Lv7, Teaching: Lv4, Rapid Fire: LvMax, Rapid Movement: Lv8, Silent Action: Lv6, Abnormal Condition Resistance: Lv7, Abnormal Mental Resistance: Lv3, Dual Sword Skill: LvMax, Far Sight: Lv4, Fatigue Recovery: Lv6, Magical Attack Resistance: Lv2, Magic Detection: Lv2, Night Vision, Leg Power Strengthening, Power Control, Pain Nullification, Tenacity, Increased Agility.

[Unique Skill]

Swift Runner

[Inherent Skill]

Scythe Technique, Double Strike, Insectification.

[Title]

Giant Slayer, King of the Battlefield, Thousand Slayer, Twin Swordsman, Losers, Hundred Slayer, Half-Insect kin

[Equipment]

Silver Dragon Twin Swords, Silver Dragon’s Scale Hand Armor, Cerberus Robe, Orichalcum Light Armor, Cerberus Fighting Shoes, Energy Replenishment Bracelet, High Healing Anklet.

He’s quite strong. Also, he was considerably older than me. His voice sounded like a handsome voice actor, so I thought he was in his twenties. He must have been strong because he had been fighting on the battlefield for many years.

There are a few skills I haven’t seen yet, and I’m looking forward to seeing them in a real fight.

The person who seems to be able to bring out Neidhart’s full strength is Fermus, who appeared last. He’s a former A-Ranked adventurer we fought in the deciding match for third place last year.

We were really tormented by his method of fighting with the string. Even now, he was using the string to block his opponent’s movement and settling it with his fists.

We managed to win by brute force, but even if we have become much stronger since then, I don’t know if we can win against him the next time. But in the limited space of the arena, I think our chances of winning would surely be higher.

But I’m not quite sure we could win against him if we were to fight to death in a place like a forest.

『Looks like it’s not going to be an easy year to win again…』

「Nn! Just like I wanted」

「Woof!」

『But first, we have to defeat Mordred!』

「Oo―!」

「Woo―f!」