Chapter 15, Overwhelming Victory

Translator: Kazumi

Editor: Silavin

 

The arena in Seichun was run by the Arena Guild, whose main responsibilities included managing participants and acting as the bookmaker for match bets. Participant management involved registration, match-making, and organizing tournaments.

 

In Seichun, arena competitors were called fighters. The Arena Guild maintained records of all fighters, who numbered over a thousand in total. While the Guild managed all arena matches, they fell into two main categories: tournaments where top winners received prize money, and ranking competitions unrelated to tournaments.

 

All fighters were classified into beginner, intermediate, and advanced ranks. Fighters with high win rates in the beginner and intermediate ranks could move up to higher ranks. Though there was no limit to the number of people in each rank, most tournaments imposed rank restrictions. This meant that reaching certain heights in rankings might actually limit earning potential.

 

Living off prize money alone was difficult unless a fighter reached the top ranks, so most also worked as Adventurers. The Arena Guild’s betting system began at the intermediate rank, which was also when fighters started receiving compensation for participating in matches.

 

Beginner-ranked fighters could only earn rewards from the occasional beginner-ranked tournament’s prize money, making beginners eager to rise in rank as quickly as possible.

 

The advanced ranks were further divided into smaller categories. Those who made it into the top twenty of the advanced ranks received special treatment, with the most significant benefit being regular income. However, fighters skilled enough to reach the top twenty could typically win more money in tournaments than from this income alone.

 

For Kouhi, the prestige that came with being in the top twenty was more valuable than the income. Reaching the top twenty would give her significant influence within Seichun and increase the prestige of her guild.

 

Rank-determining matches were constantly being held somewhere in the city. Lower-ranked fighters often competed in small training hall-like rooms without spectator seats, and in fact, most battles took place in such facilities. Only matches involving higher-ranked fighters occurred in proper arenas with spectator seating—like the upcoming match between Kouhi and Osmo.

 

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Osmo was frustrated with the current situation. While having a rank-deciding match was a good thing – he had been aiming for it himself. It was just that he disliked Carmen’s involvement. Being told the other day that he would surely lose had only worsened his mood.

 

What irritated him most was the beautiful Kouhi, who now stood before him. When he had spotted Kouhi hesitating at the reception desk, he had seized the opportunity to approach her, knowing the surrounding men were looking for the same chance. He had tried to make her his first, but Kouhi had ignored his advances and even attacked him. The fact that he had carelessly tried to touch her was already forgotten in his mind.

 

In retrospect, it was clear that some sort of defensive barrier had been activated, though he had not noticed it at the time. This was another reason for Osmo’s irritation.

 

As he listened to the judge’s lengthy speech to the audience, Osmo’s expression gradually calmed. At his level, he was considered a fighter potentially standing among the top twenty. He possessed the ability to control his emotions.

 

Meanwhile, Kouhi’s expression had not changed since she entered the venue. She stood with a look that suggested complete indifference to both Osmo and the match itself, which was precisely how she felt.

 

The only things occupying Kouhi’s mind were Kousuke’s progress in Gazenran Tower and how she would improve her rank in the future. She had no concerns about the upcoming match.

 

The arena buzzed with excitement, completely disconnected from the thoughts of the two contestants. Though this was a match to determine who would make it into the top twenty, it was unusual for such a large crowd to gather for a match that was not between two existing top-twenty fighters.

 

Why had so many people gathered? Rumors of Kouhi’s beauty had spread among those who had witnessed the earlier commotion. The spectators had come to see the rumored beauty. Moreover, her opponent was ‘Brutal Osmo’, and some in the crowd hoped the match might unfold in ways that would please certain men.

 

The judges continued introducing the two fighters, ignoring the surrounding commotion. When the battle finally began, the noise from the previously excited spectators instantly fell silent.

 

Osmo wielded a hammer, which he swung with the full strength of his over two-meter frame. His mighty swings rendered opponents’ equipment meaningless when combined with his overwhelming power.

 

The hammer, swung with full force, came at Kouhi. Osmo did not hold back. He knew from their earlier encounter that Kouhi wore a high-level defensive barrier. Whether it was something she had cast herself or the effect of a magic tool, Osmo swung his hammer as if to declare such protections meaningless.

 

Just as the hammer was about to make contact with Kouhi’s body, Osmo’s eyes widened in surprise. Kouhi stopped the incoming hammer with just her right hand. Of course, she used magic rather than physical strength alone, but even with magic, he had believed there should be limits.

 

The audience gasped at the extraordinary sight of a small woman—nearly 50 centimeters shorter than her opponent—stopping the attack from a man over two meters tall with just one arm.

 

Meanwhile, a few observers had a different perspective on the situation. Carmen, watching the match with an acquaintance, was one of them.

 

“Hahaha. What an unexpected move. What do you think? Could you do something like that, Yana?”

 

When asked, Yana shrugged and answered, “Don’t be ridiculous. There’s no way I would waste magic like that.”

 

“Yeah, you’re right,” Carmen nodded at Yana’s words.

 

If asked to do the same thing, both of them could have replicated the feat. But they would then be unable to do anything else. That was what Yana meant by ‘waste’.

 

“And she’s not just using physical strengthening, right?”

 

“…It seems not.”

 

The two realized this, but the audience remained silent, unaware of the significance.

 

Osmo, the man directly involved, had been frozen in shock for some time. No matter how much he tried to push, pull, or swing the hammer, it didn’t move an inch. He finally realized that Kouhi was a truly formidable opponent.

 

“Is this all you can offer?” Kouhi muttered without changing her expression, causing Osmo’s face to contort with rage.

 

“…What the hell are you doing?”

 

Ignoring Osmo’s outburst, Kouhi decided to end things quickly. In the next moment, she released the hammer with her right hand, closed the distance to Osmo, and delivered a punch that connected despite his armor.

 

Osmo took the blow with a brief, *Gufu*, groan before collapsing to the ground.

 

The judges were stunned, not comprehending what had just happened, but when they saw that Osmo wasn no moving, they raised their right hands.

 

“That’s it! The winner is Cory!”

 

The previously silent crowd erupted in excitement at the announcement. Due to her overwhelming strength, rumors about Cory, who had just secured her place in the top twenty, spread like wildfire throughout Seichun.