The weekend passed by in the blink of an eye, and the day of the tournament had finally arrived.
Reporters filled the academy campus and different colored buses appeared on the roads of the academy as they entered through the main gates. All of the major and minor academies in the human domain had gathered here today for this event.
Everywhere I walked, I could see people. It was as though I was in Times Square New York back on earth during Christmas times.
It was very crowded.
"Can you share with us your thoughts on the tournament?"
"What are you planning on achieving?"
"Who do you think the favorites of this tournament are?"
As I walked around, I could overhear the conversations the reporters were having with some of the students.
Some of the students came from the Lock, and some from the other academies.
"Where are they?"
Arriving at the academy main gate, I looked left and right. Unfortunately, no matter where I looked, I could only see an endless amount of people trying to get in.
Right now, I was looking for my parents.
Once they learned of my participation in the tournament, they forced me to send them tickets to the event so that they could watch it live.
'No, we want to watch it live! Since you're performing, I want to cheer for you!'
Was what my mother said when I told her to watch it on TV.
Since I knew that arguing with my mother was pointless, I quickly gave in to her demands thus leading to the current situation.
"Ren!"
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out for me. Turning around a smile appeared on my face.
"You guys are here"
"Of course! We would never skip such an important day for you!"
With Nola in her arms, my mother walked up to me. Behind her was my father who nodded his head towards me. I nodded back.
"Bwudar!"
Nola called out for me as she extended her hands in my direction.
"Come here"
"Tehehe"
Grabbing Nola by the armpits, she suddenly giggled. My brow raised as a result. An evil thought crossed my mind.
"Oh? Did that tickle you? Do you want more?"
"Kyaaaaaaahahaha!"
Faintly tickling her armpits, Nola suddenly screamed. Hearing her screams, I smiled even more and tickled a little bit more.
"Ren, stop bullying your sister!"
My mother scolded me as she slapped my shoulder.
"Alright, I'll stop, I'll stop"
"Big bwuaddar is a meanie"
Looking at me, Nola pouted. Tears gathered at the side of her eyes.
"Aww, I'm sorry Nola. I'll make it up to you by winning okay?"
"Hmph"
Nola turned her head around and ignored me. I scratched the side of my neck.
"Alright, you win"
Sighing, I decide to resort to my secret weapon. Tapping on my bracelet, I took out a piece of candy. Instantly Nola's eyes lit up.
'Hehe, I'm already well versed in the art of bribery'
Nola was a very easy child to appease. Just a simple piece of candy and she would instantly forget any grudge.
"No, I don't want"
Just as Nola was to grab the candy, she suddenly stopped. Retrieving her hand, she continued to ignore me.
"Eh?"
The gears of my mind stopped working for a second.
This was not how the script was supposed to go. She was supposed to take the candy and quickly forgive me. Why wasn't it like this?
'Ah, maybe she wants another candy. How cute'
Suddenly a thought struck me. This was indeed plausible.
"Alright, here"
Taking out another piece of candy, I put it in Nola's hand. Once again, she shook her head.
"No!"
"You..."
took out another piece of candy making them three. Yet again, Nola
do to make you forgive
I gave
"Fwive candies"
the side of her eyes,
"Five candies?"
"um, fwive!"
head. Her stance was clear. Unless I gave her five candies,
"Fine, you win"
There was no way I was ever
her five candies. I
"Okay, Nola forgives you"
She then
"That's a good boy"
"Eh..."
suddenly blanked. I
was that just
I looked at it, she had just treated me like a dog. What in
'Angelica...'
thought suddenly struck
had to be
anyone
definitely not let you off
fists, I swore
How dare she...
you running
looked at her watch. I quickly
'Crap!'
cursed. I
follow me, I'll lead you guys to the arena
and quickly led my parents to the arena
the back of my mind for now. I
*
dropping my parents at the arena grounds, I
"You're late"
me at the changing rooms
with
ago, but with all of the crowd, it took me
"Your parents?"
Kevin asked.
showing them the
see, must've
slightly. A look of nostalgia appeared in his
what are we going
not seen it, I quickly
with the other first years, after that we are supposed to be heading to
head, Kevin
"When's that?"
"In about two minutes..."
his watch slightly, Kevin responded. Silence enveloped
"..."
"..."
"Shit!"
loud I took out my clothes and changed into a new uniform made specifically for
with a few touches of gold and white around the edges and insignia of the uniform.
"Let's go"
my other clothes in the dimensional space, I followed
point forward, the tournament arc had finally
***
the sky and heavy
"Haaaa—! "Haaaa—!"
massive arena filled with people, blood-curling screams rang out repeatedly.
echoed all the way down towards the
of the
SHIIIING—!
up from behind the youth and thrust their spear in
tip of the spear was about to connect to the youth's head,
The spear missed.
step forward, the youth turned around and
—Spurt!
drew in the air
—Thud!
small thud and a
"...that's thirteen"
saber to the side. Instantly the blood on the saber
at the
lied on the ground as the
was about to once again join the
However...
—Beeep! —Beeep!
sounds echoed
stopped whatever
trials. Out of the 500 initial contests, only 28 remained alive. For the contestants that have survived,
voice of the announcer that echoed
standing in the arena
So did the youth.
entered the arena and cleaned up the corpses on
it was
"Thank you"
the exit of the arena, a familiar voice
round starts in a week, if you aren't in the best conditions, chances are that you
"mhm, will do"
head slightly. Standing before him was
Matthew wondered as he looked
past
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