The Primal Hunter

One opponent remained between Jake and the title of Champion, but as expected, it wouldn’t be easy.

”Your final opponent before you become a Champion is definitely a gatekeeper,” the Battlemaster said, looking Jake in the eye. “I can’t tell you if she is the strongest opponent you will have faced in the Colosseum so far, but she is definitely the most consistently powerful one.”

Jake was a bit confused by the phrasing, as the Battlemaster elaborated.

“Alright, alright. I can’t give out information for free, but I will give you one massive warning: prepare a lot if you can. Because she will. If there are any weaknesses in your fighting style or any exploitable patterns, she will find them, and she will make use of them to put you on the back foot. Out of everyone you will ever meet here in the Colosseum, she is probably the one who is the best at analyzing and adapting to certain opponents, so expect to be countered, alright?”

As the man finished explaining, a window popped up in front of Jake. It was not a bonus objective this time, though, but just a message informing him this was the final fight before he would become the Champion.

A final battle stands between you and the Champion rank.

Your rapid ascension through the ranks of the Colosseum of Mortals couldn’t have been swifter. If you wish to keep this streak going, you will have to defeat an opponent with power out of the ordinary for this ranking.

This will be the final match to determine if you successfully ascend all the way through the ranks flawlessly.

Bonus Objective: Defeat the Valhalian Valkyrie

Ignoring all the changes in flavor text, this one communicated that all time restraints – outside of the regular one placed by Nevermore – would disappear if he won this match. There would be no “streak” to keep going.

Aside from that, he saw the name of his opponent… and it was one that took him aback. Valhalian Valkyrie. Actually, thinking back, this was probably the first time someone had a name that directly connected them to a major faction.

He wasn’t sure what to make of that, and ultimately, it didn’t really matter much as he knew what to do.

Jake followed the advice of the Battlemaster, and he started researching. He sent Polly to get whatever she could and even gave her permission to look into things that had a Colosseum Point cost associated with them. Meanwhile, Jake would focus on fight analysis, and luckily, she had a Show Match scheduled the next day.

Watching that show match had been… enlightening. Her name definitely fitted her. The Valhalian Valkyrie wore tight-fitting full-plate armor that looked relatively light yet also durable. Her entire body was covered, with even her face obscured by a helmet that left only a small slit.

She used a short spear for attack and not one, but several different shields throughout the Show Match. From the looks of it, she had a spatial storage of some kind to swap at least shields, so she always had one for every situation. Jake saw four different shields during the show match before she killed the last enemy.

When it came to her fighting style, it was… basic. It was so basic that Jake had a feeling she was aware he was watching the fight, something that was proven to be accurate when someone handed him a note after the fight, asking him if he enjoyed the show.

her use her real fighting style. It didn’t help when Polly came back the same day and had widely conflicting reports on what kind of fighter she was. Some claimed she was a mage, some claimed a warrior who focused

Jake did find genuinely odd… because Valhal was known as a faction that fought enemies head-on. It was not a faction that acted all shady and used strategies like this. Well… there was one person like

of Valhal. She was the wife of Valdemar, and if

expectation she was Gudrun, and his intuition made him think he was onto something. Again, it ultimately didn’t matter who she was outside of Nevermore. In the Colosseum of mortals, she was just

to get at least some information on who he assumed to be Gudrun was recordings of her prior fights… but he couldn’t find any. Neither could Polly. It was entirely possible they were out there, but Jake would have to pay a

have the means to record the fight, it had to be possible to interview viewers and build a solid profile, but nope, it wasn’t. So, yeah, there was definitely dungeon-fuckery going on telling him that he either had to pay way too many points to get information or fight her

only. He would lean a bit on what

cloak. There were some okay cloaks, but helmets were out of the question as they all at least partly

of the Championship Match had arrived. Jake entered the battle with just his usual equipment, a few shields of stable arcane mana, and a quiver filled with stable arcane arrows on his back. Twenty-four of them, to be exact. He

the arena, he knew he would be fighting an opponent who had prepared for everything Jake

foresight, no one could truly say – though Jake leaned more toward the latter – but it turned out to be a brilliant idea to keep his archery hidden for a moment just like this one. Seeing as he had walked around with a quiver since he entered the arena, perhaps probably-Gudrun did prepare some countermeasures for archery, but Jake seriously doubted

was set for the fight… including the

occasion. A rare treat for us all! Many matches take place every day, nay, every single hour, but this one is unlike any other. For on this fateful

in the Show Match stand

opponent none could stand up to so far, with a list

that bad? Doombringer was kind of okay, right? Yeah, it

but unlike her opponents, she was in no rush. With steady steps, she won every match with a plan in mind, and today, she surely has entered with

given in the little speech about her, not that Jake had expected that. Everything was pretty much

the words lie and take up arms… and may the Championship

much the same as she patiently waited for the bars to be all the way down before she confidently walked forward. Jake saw she carried her short light spear

to it, making it purpose-built to deflect attacks. Especially those of

Jake said as they reached about the middle of the arena. “Would you happen to

pause in her step. “Are you trying to come onto me, or are you simply

Jake answered unperturbed. “Just curious if my assumption is correct or

meaning?” she questioned. “Will you surrender

head

such silly things as names,” the woman who was totally Gudrun said as she lowered her stance. “And as it appears you will not make the first move, allow

to her right side – the side without a shield. Jake’s

Gudrun – yes, he would mentally just refer to her as Gudrun from now on – was fast and jumped back before he had any chance

sure to never corner herself. To the average fighter, the fight just