◆ In Front of the Inn in Avangarde Castle Town ◆
It had only been a few days since I was last here, yet this scenery felt nostalgic. Without Lord Hast’s magic, it probably would have taken about a week to travel here. To think I could move from a distant continent, taking days by ship, to this place in an instant. Magic is truly incredible; I wonder why I’m so bad at it.
“Hey, Roel. Magic is amazing, isn’t it?”
“Um, Lua-chan…”
“Yeah?”
“You’re, um, stepping on someone…”
Roel pointed shyly at my feet. Now that she mentioned it, I realized something was off—I was stepping on a person. I must have fallen on them when I teleported. If that’s the case, I need to help them up right away.
“Uh, I’m sorry.”
“Ugh! Who the hell just appeared out of nowhere?! Huh?”
The person who stood up abruptly was a man in armor with droopy eyes—Greyman, the one I fought in the finals of the Combat Tournament. I remember running into him in front of the Weapon Shop once. Still, he was wearing different gear this time. He had on light armor that exposed his shoulders. I had thought of him as a flashy guy, but maybe I was mistaken.
“Y-you! I thought I wouldn’t see you for a while, but you’re still around!”
“Just a few days, that’s all.”
“Shut up! Don’t nitpick! So, what do you want from me? Just so you know, I won’t lend you any money or equipment!”
“Not really. I just happened to be here and didn’t come to see you.”
“This brat is really getting on my nerves…”
I wasn’t saying anything wrong, yet just talking seemed to irritate him. What was bothering him? Was he still hung up on losing? Oh, right, I did put a hole in his armor during that match. What if he demands compensation? I wonder if I could buy a new one for 150,000 gold, but I really don’t want to spend money on that.
“Hmph, you’re quite carefree. Being the champion of the Combat Tournament must be tough.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Hey! The champion of the Combat Tournament, Lua, is right here!”
Suddenly, he shouted loudly in the middle of the street. Before I knew it, a crowd of unsavory characters began to gather from all directions. Young men and women, as well as older folks, all dressed as if they were heading into battle. Swords, spears, axes, knives—everyone wielded various weapons, and some were even bare-handed.
Are these people Adventurers? Their eyes gleamed with a predatory glint, as if they were hunting prey. Everyone’s attention was focused on me.
“Is this child the one who defeated the Master Knight and became the champion?”
“To think someone so young could achieve that…”
“Fools, they don’t even realize the gap in our abilities.”
They were saying whatever they wanted. What is with these people? And Greyman, the one who started this commotion, was grinning like he was enjoying the show. It was infuriating.
“Lua-chan, could it be that these people came to challenge you?”
“W-what? Why would they…?”
“Your reputation has already spread across the continent. A B-Rank girl defeating A-Ranks one after another, winning the Combat Tournament, and repelling the Neo Demon Lord Army that attacked the kingdom. There’s no way seasoned warriors would ignore that. If this keeps spreading, you might even get scouts from other countries.”
It seems like the rumors have exaggerated things. So, while I was away, these people came here looking for me. If that’s the case, there’s a possibility more will come. Just how many of them are there? There are so many that counting them would be a hassle.
I was planning to gather information about the One-Winged Demon while waiting for the A-Rank Promotion Exam, but now it seems I have to deal with this crowd. Oh, wait. Maybe these people know something.
“Well then, let’s change locations. It’s better to have a spacious area for the explosion mage, Burst, to unleash his power.”
What do you mean by “let’s”? Don’t decide that on your own. I never said I wanted to fight.
“Wait. Even if she’s a child, she’s the champion of the Combat Tournament. You can’t just challenge her without thinking.”
“The first to die will be you, Kuto the Blade Hand. Without using any weapons, he sliced through a full-metal scorpion, a true cutting monk.”
More and more people were gathering. Well, I might as well ask.
“Um, does anyone here know about the One-Winged Demon? It’s a monster with only one wing…”
Silence fell. Did I say something strange? It might not be the best thing to say to a group of people who came to fight. Some of them even frowned at me, their brows furrowed in anger. A few stepped closer, closing the distance between us.
“Why would we know that? More importantly, we still haven’t received your answer to the duel challenge.”
So they really don’t know. I want to say something, but they definitely won’t let me go. Hmm, is there a way to avoid angering these people? It seems like fighting is the only option.
“Right, since there are so many of you, let’s fight all at once!”
This time, it fell completely silent. Even I could tell I had just made them really angry. I regretted saying that immediately. One guy had veins bulging on his forehead, and another was juggling knives, preparing for battle.
These people are seriously eager to fight me. Saying something like that would naturally make them feel mocked. It looks like fighting is the only way out.
“Hey, what’s all this commotion?”
A familiar voice called out. A young man with a great sword on his back—Seigel—was walking up from behind the crowd. Everyone turned to him in unison, and nearly all of them looked shocked. It was clear how much respect they had for Seigel.
“D-Dragon Hunter Seigel?!”
“You were staying in Avangarde?”
“Oh, you two. Could it be that you are the cause of this ruckus? I can guess most of it. Hey, you lot! This cute girl here is very tired! If you want to challenge her, shouldn’t you show some manners first?”
“Y-yeah, that’s true…”
“If you really want to fight, then do as she says.”
Just like that, Seigel managed to calm the rowdy crowd. I see, that’s how you handle it. Seigel must be used to this kind of situation. I let out a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived. A few of them walked right up to me without caring about the situation.
“This is no joke. I traveled for days to reach the Kingdom of Avangarde. If I defeat you, I can make the power of the Blade Hand known to the world. Of course, I won’t be approaching this lightly. I hope you understand that.”
Others, including the explosion mage and the knife juggler, were glaring at me. I understood the situation, but ultimately, these people just wanted to prove their strength. I just happened to be in their way. It means they see me as nothing more than a stepping stone.
Throughout the Combat Tournament and beyond, I had thought more seriously about battles. Like Amane, each of them has their own honed strength. Greyman and Hecaton here are no different.
But then I pondered. Was my desire to conquer the Abyss Cave also to prove my strength? The more I thought about it, the more I realized I might not be so different from them. The more I think, the more confused I become.
“What’s going on? Is that… the champion of the Combat Tournament?”
Before I knew it, a large crowd had surrounded us. Thanks to these challengers, I remembered that I was quite famous in this town. There was no backing down now. Yet, after all this pondering, I already had my answer.
“Alright, let’s fight all of you.”
The challengers erupted in excitement at my response. From there, it flowed seamlessly. The townspeople joined in the commotion, and soon enough, it turned into a mini Combat Tournament. They might think it’s all fun and games, but I’m the one who has to fight all of them. Could it be a series of consecutive battles? No, it’s definitely going to be that way. I shouldn’t have said I would fight everyone.
“By the way, Greyman, aren’t you going to join in?”
“Uh, well… I’m not feeling too well right now.”
Despite his words, Greyman’s eyes were darting around nervously for some reason.
◆ In Front of Avangarde Bridge in the Kingdom of Avangarde ◆
We decided to change locations since causing a ruckus in the town could lead to serious trouble. Anywhere outside would have been fine, but I didn’t want to go too far, and this place was safe from weak monsters.
In the end, quite a crowd gathered around us. Roel was cheering for me, and Seigel looked oddly pleased. The townspeople had followed along, creating a rather confusing group.
“I’ll be the first to fight.”
There was quite a bit of arguing over who would fight first, and in the end, it was decided by a game of rock-paper-scissors. Watching the adults engage in such a large-scale game was a bit off-putting, even for me. Ultimately, it was Kuto the Blade Hand who emerged victorious from the rock-paper-scissors tournament. With his shaved head and slender frame, he didn’t look particularly strong.
“Aren’t you going to use a weapon?”
“There’s no weapon that can surpass these honed fists of mine.”
I hadn’t drawn my sword either. If I caused a serious injury, I would have to rely on Roel to heal them later.
◆ VS “Kuto the Blade Hand” ◆
“Sorry for the sudden attack, but I’m going to finish this! Hundred Blade Thrusts!”
His rapid thrusts had enough power to slice through the air, but they were far too slow.
“Before this thrust… Huh?!”
“Too slow.”
In the time it took him to execute a single thrust, I slipped into his range and lightly tapped him on the side of his jaw. Kuto lost consciousness, staggering before collapsing to the ground.
◆ VS “Explosive Mage” Varth ◆
“Hah-hah! Showtime! Prepare to be hit by my specially crafted Rainbow Bombs made just for this day!”
“W-What?! This is bad! Varth is planning to turn this whole place into a scorched wasteland! We’ll get caught in it!”
That couldn’t happen. The moment he spread his cloak filled with bombs, I rushed in and gave him a light slap. His head twisted at an unnatural angle as he slammed into the ground, and he lay still.
“Did I go too far…? Um, he’s still alive, right?”
“Hey! Isn’t his neck bent at a dangerous angle?!”
Fortunately, he wasn’t in any life-threatening condition. Roel was so kind to even heal someone who hadn’t considered the collateral damage of their actions.
◆ VS “Knife Juggler” Hamiru ◆
“Fufufu… You must have been bored fighting such weak opponents, right? I declare that you will be sliced to pieces by these countless knives!”
Just as he made the knives glimmer, he started juggling them. He looked like he was having so much fun that I watched for a while, but soon got bored and charged in with an elbow strike. At the same time, the knives he had lost control of scattered from the air and fell around us. That was close; I could have really been cut to pieces.
◆ And then ◆
“Um, are we still going?”
There were still nearly half of the challengers left, but the excitement had faded as I continued to win. The silence was palpable, making it clear that their fighting spirit had long since vanished. Only the townspeople who hadn’t participated in the battles seemed to be enjoying themselves, cheering as if they were watching a play. In contrast, Kuto and Varth appeared to be unconscious, unable to comprehend their defeat until they woke up and were explained the situation.
“…The dimension is different.”
That single phrase struck deep. It didn’t sound like a simple compliment. One of the challengers muttered it while staring into space, their gaze unfocused. It was clear they weren’t looking at me. It seemed they were trying to avert their eyes from a reality they didn’t want to accept. Kuto was pounding his fists into the ground, drawing blood. He didn’t need to voice his feelings; his actions spoke volumes about the shattering of his beliefs in his own strength.
Why? Because I had experienced that same feeling in the Abyss Cave. I had approached those battles with confidence, only to find myself utterly outmatched. It wasn’t just once or twice. But if I gave up there, it would truly mean defeat. I fought out of sheer frustration. I believed that since I could do it, others could too. But I realized that wasn’t the case.
“Hey, are there no more challengers?”
“Did everyone lose their fighting spirit?”
I could even hear the heartless comments. They might not have meant any harm, but those who had never fought could say such things.
What is my strength, I wondered, as I looked at the defeated challengers. Staring at my palms, I knew there wouldn’t be any answers written there. As I pondered, Seigel placed a hand on my shoulder.
“Is this where we call it a day? I doubt anyone else wants to challenge you now. But remember, sensing the difference in strength between you and your opponent is a strength in itself. Don’t be too down about it. I lost not too long ago myself. Almost died, in fact.”
I wasn’t sure if that was meant to be comforting. Still, Seigel was trying to lighten the mood. It might have been a misunderstanding, but I felt that way. What was the difference between me, who had grown stronger despite the disparity, and those who hadn’t?
“Wow, even though the Avangarde Festival is over, look at how many people have gathered. I guess everyone is here for that thing, huh?”
“Seigel, what thing?”
“You don’t know? They’re doing something interesting at the castle right now.”
“Interesting? I thought these people gathered to fight me?”
“Come on, that’s a bit self-centered, don’t you think? Sure, some might be here for that, but most are probably here for that thing.”
“Wait, does that mean Greyman…?”
When I looked at Greyman, he pointedly turned his head away. It seemed I was just an afterthought for those who were really here for that thing. I had no choice but to interpret it that way. So, these people had gathered for that purpose.
“Seigel, what is that thing?”
“Let’s head to the castle. We’re going to see that thing. Just so you know, it’s free.”
What could that thing be? Roel seemed to have misunderstood something, as she was slightly drooling. Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t eaten lunch yet.