Chapter 31: Battle Royale (2)

Chapter 31: Battle Royale (2) Arthur stood still. Unhurried. Anyone who had played games on Earth, even those who sucked at them like he did, knew one thing: Battle royales were challenging. But it was a different case if the goal was survival of the fittest. For him, what he usually did in such matches was hide, get as much gear as possible, then when the zone shrank to nearly the smallest size, he would appear and shoot down all the bastards whose lives were nearly depleted. So why couldn’t he do the same here and save his strength? ’I know Mom and my sisters are watching, but I can show them something amazing later.’ He channeled color into his dimensional ring as a picnic mat and basket appeared, already set. He sat on the mat, poured himself some tea, and took some cookies. "As the British would say: delicious." He took another sip. A minute passed, then— Rustle. A figure emerged from the bushes to his side. "Put your hands up, you motherfuck—" Immediately, the girl with large glasses locked eyes with him and swallowed hard. "Well, that’s it for me." She went down on her knees. "Please be gentle, sir. I am a delicate girl." Arthur tilted his head slightly, narrowing his eyes in confusion. The girl quickly shielded her chest. "Y-You have x-ray vision, don’t you? Pervert!!" She fell onto her butt, inching backward. "If you don’t let me go, I’ll tell everyone you were using x-ray vision on me." Arthur squinted further, then pointed at her. "You look like a bunny." The girl froze. "What?!" ’No, it’s not just that, she also looks like—’ He tapped his temples, trying to recall. ’What’s her name again?’ As if his brain clicked, he said: "Your name from today is Na-Ri." The girl’s head tilted as if it might snap off. "Huh? What?!" she muttered, baffled. "Aren’t you going to kill me, mister pervert?" Arthur fought to keep his composure. "First off, I’m not a pervert. And no, I’m not going to hurt you." The girl jumped to her feet and slammed her forehead to the ground in a dramatic bow. "I will serve you with my life, oh master!" Arthur shook his head, his gaze lingering on the blue-haired girl with large glasses and anxious eyes. ’There sure are different types of people in this world.’ ------ Elsewhere, other prodigies moved toward the center of the sealed space. In less than five minutes, over a hundred out of the three hundred participants had been eliminated. Each year, Central Academy accepted a hundred people: Forty into Class S, another forty into Class C, and the remaining twenty into Class F. So even though only one person could win the battle royale, as long as you were among the last hundred to be eliminated, your admission was somewhat guaranteed. Cecilia and Emily, though in different locations—helped weaker students and protected them. While other students and bullies hunted them down. Eric soon joined forces with Cecilia since it allowed him to gain points without doing all the fighting. Different battles brewed across the battlefield, whereas Arthur and... Na-Ri? Just sat sipping tea at the far end. Melissa and Ravian also joined forces, while Karma crossed paths with Naza. Another SS-rank beast tamer, Sophia, clashed with the spirit arts SS-rank, Gabriella. ... "So, Saintess, why are you gathering so many people? Wouldn’t it be better to let them fail?" Eric asked Cecilia. Cecilia’s expression darkened. Even she didn’t know why she was gathering so much force. After Ha-joon had emerged from secluded training, he learned how to control his lust in public—but became an even bigger asshole. She was beginning to doubt whether he was actually blessed by the goddess or some demon wearing her face. Either way, her faith had begun to waver. So she made a decision. Until she understood Ha-joon and the power in him, she would remain loyal. But her problem now was Arthur Arcain. She had initially thought he’d be unimpressive. And even if he was, he’d be just like Ha-joon. But she was mistaken. The light that shone around him was so brilliant that she couldn’t see anything else except him. Not just the light from his heart and attitude, but the unmistakable trace of divinity. Cecilia clutched her chest. ’I must not falter. If I do, I might become a bad Saintess.’ But her heart was beginning to sway. Amelia Roderick Valtor was supposed to be engaged to Ha-joon. Not only did she change her mind, but Arthur convinced the Duke and Duchess to approve their engagement. That meant there was a clear difference between Arthur’s character and Ha-joon’s. ’If he really has the blessing of the goddess... does that mean I can make a choice?’ That thought alone made her heart feel strangely warm. A possible ticket out of Ha-joon’s grasp. Cecilia raised her gaze as the sound of an unfolding battle rang through the area. Quickly, she and her group advanced toward the source of the noise. There stood Ha-joon with another unfamiliar woman. She didn’t seem to be an SS-rank—but rather an S-rank. She was undoubtedly beautiful, but the jagged horns on her head and her heart-tipped tail revealed her nature. ’A succubus.’ Opposite them stood two SS-ranks. The Twin Hammers of the West. The siblings who made their names as adventurers and were later awarded baron titles. Ellie and Prince Falmouth. Prince lunged forward, tearing through the air. Soul fire danced, sparking off trees that didn’t burn. His arm was cloaked in dark flames as he unleashed a strike. With a dismissive wave, Ha-joon dispersed the magic, his arm wrapped protectively around the young girl’s waist. Agrat Cydaea, daughter of the Succubus Queen, one of the lesser races. Agrat wore the cutest, most frightened expression she could manage, clinging to Ha-joon. Cecilia clenched her jaw and stepped forward. "Chosen One..." Ha-joon turned, his frown evident. ’He’s still angry because of what Arthur did.’ Something burned in Cecilia’s chest. ’Did I just call him Arthur casually?’ She shook her head internally and spoke. "A drone is broadcasting everything that happens here live. This part of the forest might even have microphones." Ha-joon smiled. "I’m sorry. I just couldn’t ignore someone in danger." Cecilia forced a smile. "Yes, that’s understandable." Ha-joon stepped forward as Agrat linked her arm with his. "I’ll see you later, Cecilia." Before Cecilia could respond, Prince lunged into the air. Though it wasn’t identical, he summoned a golden light and hurled it at Ha-joon. Cecilia’s eyes widened. ’No! No!’ One thing she’d learned was never to give Ha-joon a reason to retaliate. Prince grinned. "Die, you bastard." Ha-joon looked up at the hovering figure. "You insect. How dare you make me look up to you." Before Prince could react, an immense force pressed down on him like tripled gravity. He fell flat on his face, struggling to rise. Ha-joon’s voice was cold. "That was nothing but a crude imitation. Know your place." He turned to stop his sister. However, Agrat—despite being a low-level Expert with S-rank talent—lunged at Ellie, who surpassed her in both rank and talent. Darkness swirled as a staff of abyssal energy formed in her hand. The world around Ellie twisted unnaturally. Before she could react, she was already on the ground. Her bones felt shattered, and her flesh torn. ’What?!’ she thought, unable to form words. The crowd couldn’t hear their conversation, but the fact that a lower-ranked combatant had defeated a higher-ranked one sparked something. They screamed and cheered—shouting one name: Agrat Cydaea ------ At the far end of the forest, two figures who had been quietly drinking tea rose to their feet. Arthur looked around, while Na-Ri stood behind him like a loyal sidekick. ’I guess it’s time,’ he smiled. ’To gain the Saintess’s favor... and eliminate that witch, Agrat Cydaea.’ ─── ✦ End of Chapter ✦ ───