“Well, well, the main event of the Avangarde Tournament has begun! I’m your commentator, Kasia, and joining me for analysis is the well-known adventurer critic, Shitakka!”
“This is Shitakka. Nice to meet you.”
“I believe the favorite to win this time is, of course, Tiferia-chan. But who else do you think stands a chance?”
“Hmm, Hecaton and Rupie are strong contenders. Besides them, the C-Rank girl seems to lack experience. You can tell she’s not accustomed to fighting. Just look at that sword; the hilt is completely clean. It’s a clear sign it hasn’t been used much.”
“I see! Oh, it looks like the first match is about to start!”
The voices of the commentator and analyst echoed throughout the Coliseum. According to Amane, they were using a device to amplify their voices. Still, I couldn’t shake off how poorly I was being described. Was that analyst really as famous as they claimed?
“You don’t need to take everything a critic says to heart.”
As I puffed up in annoyance, Amane offered me some comfort. Despite her robust appearance, she was genuinely kind. But she was also my opponent in the first match, so I wondered if I should let my guard down around her. Meanwhile, Hecaton and Nikka were already in the arena.
“First match of the first round! Hecaton vs. Nikka! It’s finally starting! So, Shitakka, do you think Hecaton has the upper hand in this case?”
“Not necessarily. Although Nikka is a rookie A-Rank, her potential is quite significant. Once the match begins, you’ll quickly understand why she’s called the ‘Shooting Star.'”
Hecaton looked at Nikka with a bored expression. Nikka was stretching, seemingly relaxed. I wondered if Ritta was watching from somewhere. I couldn’t help but think about how she felt, watching the match unfold.
“Hey, did you just recently become an A-Rank? Maybe you shouldn’t have come out here…”
“Well, there are times when a boy has to step up.”
“Stop grinning like that…”
“And now, let the match begin!”
It started. I wondered if Hecaton would swing that hammer in battle. It seemed like a big opening, and if he missed, he might get countered. Nikka had a spear, and at first glance, it didn’t seem like a fair fight.
“Here I go!”
Hecaton swung his hammer down toward Nikka. After a thunderous sound, the arena bore the mark of the hammer’s impact.
“Nikka dodged gracefully! It seems speed is on her side!”
Hecaton readied his hammer again. I guessed neither of them was going all out yet. They both held their stances, but then Nikka leaped into the air like she was doing a long jump, aiming to land on Hecaton.
“Shooting Star, ‘Thrust Star!'”
“Nikka’s ultimate skill, Thrust Star! Its power can pierce even iron armor… but wait!”
The tip of Nikka’s spear collided violently with Hecaton’s hammer. Hecaton managed to defend himself, but he immediately pursued the airborne Nikka.
“Take this!”
I thought he would hit her, but the hammer swung wide. Adjusting her posture as if swimming through the air, Nikka aimed her spear at Hecaton once more. This time, Hecaton wouldn’t be able to defend in time.
“Shooting Star, ‘Celestial Star Strike!'”
Nikka descended upon Hecaton faster than before, crashing into the arena with a force that sent debris flying. If that hit him directly, Hecaton wouldn’t come out unscathed. She truly was like a shooting star. So this was how Nikka fought. Hecaton, unable to dodge the Celestial Star Strike, stood there, bloodied but still on his feet.
“Wow! She dances like a butterfly and strikes like a bee! Such a free-flowing fighting style! Is this the Shooting Star, Nikka?!”
“You see, a match isn’t determined solely by disparity. Nikka’s potential is not to be underestimated.”
“I heard you say that earlier!”
After the Celestial Star Strike, Nikka charged again, this time aiming to strike from below. Just when it seemed like she would finish, the star continued to speed toward its target.
I was worried. Could Hecaton really not counter? Even while taking Nikka’s relentless assaults… he was smiling.
“Big brother…!”
In the front row of the audience, Ritta was watching, praying for him. Nikka continued her assault without giving Hecaton a chance to retaliate. I could hear the audience murmuring that the match was already decided, but I didn’t see it that way. He was still smiling. That wasn’t the face of someone who had given up on victory.
“Heh, heh… so this is all you’ve got? Here I come!”
Suddenly, Hecaton swung his hammer and struck Nikka as she charged in from the side. It was a clean hit. Blood sprayed from her mouth as she was sent flying to the corner of the arena.
“Ah, ugh…!”
“Oh? Looks like I hit you. Sometimes luck is on my side, huh? Heh heh.”
No, that was different. He had aimed precisely. Nikka’s aggressive movements were too linear; once you got used to them, it was easy to predict her trajectory. If she had a bit more speed, it might have been different, but in a way, it lacked finesse. Hecaton slowly approached Nikka, who was now unable to move due to the excruciating pain, and brought his hammer down onto her arm.
“Ahhhhhh!”
“Oh, did I hit you again? Looks like I’m lucky today.”
“Ugh…!”
That last blow should have decided the match. They needed to stop this fight.
“Yeah, while I’m at it, maybe I should make a wish on a shooting star. I hope I win this match!”
With that, Hecaton crushed Nikka’s other arm. She let out a scream that barely resembled a cry, on the verge of losing consciousness. Her arms were being crushed to the bone, turning into a mangled mess.
“That guy…!”
“Stop! If you interfere, you’ll be disqualified!”
“But Amane! If this goes on, that person will be killed!”
“The referee will stop it!”
Hecaton stood there, back to the referee. What was going on?
“Big brother, just give up! Please!”
Yes, he should give up. This was no longer a fair fight.
“Hey! Referee, stop this match!”
“Oh? You want to stop a match you can’t even see?”
So that was it. The meaning of standing in front of the referee. That guy…!
“You’re just a bothersome little bug, aren’t you? Is it my legs that are bad?”
He pressed the tip of his hammer against Nikka’s foot, inflicting pain at the very edge of crushing it.
“Big brother! No! Someone! Anyone!”
Ritta was leaning over the audience, ready to jump in.
“You know, if you’re just going to flit around like a bug, there are plenty of others who can do that. Why did you even become an A-Rank? I’m being kind here; I’ll make sure you can never be an adventurer again. That way, you won’t lose your life elsewhere, right? Is that your sister making a fuss over there? How sad… having such a pathetic brother.”
I couldn’t bear to watch Ritta, who was nearly going insane. I didn’t care if I got disqualified. Just as I was about to jump in, the referee slowly declared Hecaton the winner.
“Hey, you didn’t even see the match, did you?”
“This can’t continue any longer.”
The referee’s soldier answered in a mechanical tone. From the audience, a barrage of boos erupted. Not only that, but half-finished drinks and trash were thrown into the arena.
“Don’t let this murderer compete anymore!”
“I’ll never hire you for a job!”
I could even hear the sound of booing. Hecaton… why would he go this far? What was he? I wanted to direct this clenched fist right at him.
“S-So, what did you think of the match, Shitakka?”
“That was the expected outcome. Nikka’s potential isn’t that high. In contrast, Hecaton is indeed a veteran.”
“Do you even remember what you just said?”
The commentator and analyst tried to lighten the mood, but it still hadn’t settled. The second match would start in fifteen minutes. As I watched Ritta rush toward Nikka, who was being carried away on a stretcher, I followed closely behind.
///
Nikka’s arms and legs were encased in casts, and just looking at them was painful. In the infirmary, several healers and priests were casting healing magic.
“Big brother… I told you so… why…?”
“I’m sorry, Ritta… I couldn’t give you the courage you needed.”
“Courage…?”
“I’ve been a useless brother since we were kids. I always lose fights and can’t even study. We were both ridiculed, and it must have been hard for you too. But even someone like me could become an A-Rank adventurer. I wanted to prove that if you muster up the courage, you can achieve things… And you’re not doing well at work, right? I thought if I could show you a cool side of me, it might give you some confidence. I wanted to be a respectable big brother… Haha… maybe that was just a nuisance after all…”
“I don’t think it’s a nuisance… but I don’t want you to be in danger… please understand this…”
Nikka gently stroked Ritta’s head as she cried on top of him. So it was all for Ritta. While I was just participating because I wanted to fight, Nikka was aiming for something beyond that. Purely for the sake of his sister, he tried to be someone she could be proud of. What was this feeling…? Even though I hadn’t fought, I felt like I had lost to him.
“Lua, I didn’t expect to find you here.”
“Seigel… and Roel, Cynthia.”
“Lua-chan, how’s Nikka?”
“I never imagined there would be so many visitors. I guess I can’t underestimate myself just yet. Not exactly something I should be saying, huh? Hahaha.”
Seigel approached Nikka and gently stroked the cast on his arm. A mix of anger and sorrow flickered in his eyes.
“Crusher… has he really gone this far?”
“It was infuriating to watch! Why is someone like him even an Adventurer? He’s just a villain! The audience was furious too!”
Cynthia stomped her feet in frustration, while Roel kept her gaze fixed on Nikka’s condition.
“That’s because he’s strong. And he has a track record.”
“A track record? I wouldn’t want someone like that as my bodyguard!”
“He’s a bounty hunter. He won’t take on jobs like that.”
“That’s how it is.”
Hecaton leaned against the entrance of the Infirmary, a mocking smile on his face as he casually stepped inside. I couldn’t let someone like him get close to Nikka. I stepped in front of Hecaton as he approached Nikka’s bed.
“Oh? What’s this?”
“Get out.”
“Is a kid like you protecting him? I heard everything from earlier. It’s a tear-jerking story. You’re quite the stand-up guy. But with those limbs, you can’t do anything anymore, can you? Looks like you’ll be relying on your sister for care in your remaining days! Hahaha…”
I grabbed his collar, unable to remain silent while Ritta was in tears. Hecaton, I won’t forgive you.
“What’s with this grip? Can you let go?”
“You’re not even human…!”
Just as I was about to slam Hecaton down, Seigel’s hand rested on my arm. He shook his head silently.
“Settle it in the match.”
He wasn’t joking; he was dead serious. He was right, fighting here wouldn’t change anything. I slowly released my grip. Hecaton smirked triumphantly at my retreat.
“A match, huh… Perfect. I’ll find out if the A-Rank who loses to me is weak or if you’re the real deal.”
Hecaton laughed heartily as he left the room. Was he talking about me? What an infuriating guy. I’ll show him he’s not all that.
“Isn’t the match about to start?”
Right, I need to hurry. My opponent is Amane; I have no idea how she fights, but right now, all I can think about is defeating Hecaton. I dashed toward the arena.
As I exited the hallway, I brushed past a figure cloaked in black. I didn’t have time to dwell on it, but I think… it was Inoro. What was he doing here? Our eyes met briefly, but his gaze was icy. He seemed completely uninterested in me, just standing there.
///
A piercing gaze from behind, and I turned around occasionally, but no one was there. Roel repeated this action, glancing back.
“Roel, what’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing. We need to hurry; Lua-chan’s match is about to start.”
Even as Roel exited the Infirmary, she checked her surroundings but found no one. Concluding it was just her imagination, she focused on Lua’s match, completely unaware of the figure lingering far behind her.