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I ignored the odd atmosphere to my left, and looked towards the center of the area, where the fight had begun. The crowds cheered once again as I stared hard at the scene.

 

It had only just started…but a lot seemed to have happened at once. Fireballs, ice attacks, and thunder flashed. The attacks were unleashed on a small scale, but magic was magic. I wasn’t an expert on much of it, but I could see that the ice magic being used was very basic. It was more like tossing ice blocks than a magic attack. Well, they were the size of basketballs, so it would still hurt if you got hit.

 

“There is something very exciting about seeing magic.”

“Yes. But the last day will put this to shame.”

 

As Daniela and Lemon said, it did seem like the audience were more thrilled than they had been the previous day.

 

“Who is that…”
“Hmm? Which one, Asagi?”

“The woman in the corner to the right.”

 

She had a great staff that left no question about her being Sorceress. She was surrounded by four other fighters. But for some reason, they had their backs to her. What did this mean?

 

“Are they…protecting her?”

“It sure looks like it.”

 

Daniela and I looked on with puzzled expressions. Lemon explained.

 

“Oh, she is a noblewoman.”

“A noble?”

“Yes. They become Adventurers for the experience… Often younger brothers and sisters without inheritance do it to find their own path… As nobles, they are highly educated. Swordsmanship, magic and the rest. They can hire instructors to teach them what they need.”

“I see…”

 

I hoped none of the Adventurers I had beaten were nobles. I somehow doubted you could keep your good manners for long once you become an Adventurer. It changed you.

 

I thought back on my early days with a sigh. Just then, the noblewoman raised her staff and began to use magic. The color of the magic energy was a deep blue. So it was ice, just like me.

 

“Huh…”

 

I couldn’t help but stare. The magic she had used was Frostheim. This magic involved sending energy into the ground in order to freeze the enemy’s feet. She just tapped her staff on the ground and it activated, though, not over a wide area. Those who were suddenly caught by it either tripped or bumped into one another. Some of them lost control of the magic they were in the middle of activating. People were being hit by stray bullets and explosions. It was a great way of creating chaos in a battle royale. Hell, I was thinking about using it myself. I don’t mean to boast, but I was sure that I could freeze the entire arena floor.

 

And with that, her shield-bearing guards attacked the trapped enemies. They bashed their shields and swords against them until they either lost consciousness or surrendered.

 

“Woah…”

“It’s a dirty way to play, but I guess it isn’t against the rules.”

“There’s always someone like that each year. Of course, I was in Arkaroid, so I’ve never witnessed it.”

 

Lemon said that she had heard the stories from merchants and Adventurers. You learned a lot when you were a town guard.

 

Ultimately, the noblewoman won the day with her strategy. Magic attacks came her way ever so often, but the shield-bearers protected her as she launched her counterattacks. It was usually blocks of ice, but she shot out an ice arrow once.

There was one time that she was in danger. A man who used fire magic had unleashed a most impressive ball of fire at her. The panic in her face was very visible, but the shield-bearers came to her aid yet again. However, she also lost them, as they were blown out of the area. She might have been in trouble, except by then, there were only two left on the stage. And so the game was finished.

 

“So the winners are both magic users.”

“That was quite incredible…”

“She would have been out if there were just one other fighter.”

 

We left the arena but continued to talk excitedly about what we had witnessed.

 

I walked behind them and thought back at what I had seen through Eyes of the God Wolf. Even when her face had gone pale, there was a strong resolve there. Almost as if she was ready to use some hidden trick… I was curious, but I guess I would find out if we ended up fighting each other. I looked forward to it.

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