"Human, I'll be your opponent. Pleasure to et you."
With a polite manner but exuding a fierce atmosphere, the young elf with blue eyes, silky, long blonde hair, and pale skin wearing a solid green tunic addressed her opponent since it was a formal event under the gaze of the Queen of Elnira.
But Aisha Whispercrest, the Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee of the Obelisk Academy, only scrutinized the striking elf nad Aina Llanor.
"Let remind each of you again and the subsequent participants — the winner will be determined if one side either got knocked out of the arena, willingly surrendered, or lost consciousness.
"In addition, even if it's accidental, killing the opponent is prohibited. This will result in the doer eting the sa fate under the agreed set of rules by Your Majesty, the Dwarven King, and the considered strongest human."
After the announcent regarding the rewards of the tournant's winners, the Elven presider or this match referee then reminded Aisha and Aina, which also ant for the subsequent participants, before raising his right hand as the first battle on the first day of the El-Vul-Or Tournant comnced.
***
[Activating Skill: Leaf Blades]
Aina, without a hint of hesitation on her face, was the one who made the first move as various green leaves appeared from her sides. Since the Elves were lovers of nature and considered to be loved by Mana because of their affinity with nature itself, their skills were mostly, if not all, related to whatever was connected to nature, such as trees, leaves, seeds, and animals of the forest, at least when referring to the average ones since there were Elves that possessed skills unrelated to their common affinity.
Aisha, who didn't let her guard down in the slightest, intercepted the nurous spinning leaves.
According to her observation in that short mont, thanks to her instinct, getting hit by it would result in severed limbs, and her guess turned out to be right as the nurous leaves that hit the ground of the arena left clean cuts on it.
'This one's troubleso.'
Aisha thought, feeling her senses tingle, prompting her to finally take out her weapons from her Dinsional Inventory. Initially, she wanted to gauge her opponent's strength as well as the elf's psychological state in terms of battling soone before Aisha would fully go offensive. However, seeing the calm deanor of Aina, she quickly arrived at the conclusion that this elf might have undergone rigorous training.
The blade-like leaves that could pierce one's skin and mutilate human bones flew to Aisha's back. It seed to beco boorangs with the sole purpose of subjugating its target. However, before it hit, a tallic sound reverberated in the arena as it clashed against the skill that Aina had used.
'A shield and a shortsword…? Interesting. Humans truly are diverse.'
Aina thought before activating another skill when maintaining her distance. Although she's capable of fighting in close-range combat, she preferred using distance to her advantage if it was possible because she's not adept at a direct confrontation in terms of distance.
[Activating Skill: Branch Web]
At that mont, various branches sprouted from the arena, aiming at Aisha's feet to render her immobile. During that ti, a smile crept up on her lips. She found this situation interesting and fun since it was her first ti fighting, soone of a different race, even though their lives weren't on the line.
[Activating Skill: Embrace of the Sun]
Aisha Whispercrest's profession was that of a Paladin. It's a Rare Profession, but after getting the interest of a Constellation and later on, after successfully making a Star Contract with one, she underwent the process of Profession Evolution and beca a Sun Paladin.
Her exclusive skills were mostly related to unordinary fire as her body's aura turned red-orange, including her weapons, which signified the heat coming out of her body. The coiling branches ceased to exist as Aisha disappeared from her spot, leaving a trail of wind along her path.
In a second or two, Aisha then appeared in front of Aina, ready to bash her head in with the sturdy shield she was holding in her left hand. However, just like how Aisha viewed Aina's ntal state when fighting soone, she wasn't fazed by her action. Instead, she used another skill before the impact of Aisha's attack reached her seemingly flawless face.
[Activating Skill: Wind Storm]
After that, she activated again the first skill she had used when the battle started.
[Activating Skill: Leaf Blades]
[The two nature-related skills are in harmony!]
[The skills will undergo a temporary modification and will beco the Skill: Forest Storm]
[Forest Storm]
Description:
The mysteries of nature are endless, and everything in nature can coexist with the help of a diator.
An Elf-exclusive skill that forms when various conditions are t. It's an Area-of-Effect skill that's best suited for a mass battle.
Rank: A
Effects:Summons a storm of sharp leaves that rushes toward the opponent like the wrath of nature. Affects the surroundings for ten to fifteen ters.
As the Forest Storm was brewing, Aina Llanor wasn't finished yet, as she used another skill. This ti, though, it's a buff skill and not an offensive one.
[Activating Skill: Pure Green Blessing]
The Forest Storm, which seed to continue raging, turned calm, and the noise it was producing couldn't be heard anymore. Aisha Whispercrest, standing from a few ters away, who was prepared to defend against the attack, fell into confusion; however, she did not let her guard down because of one thing she had learned as a Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee after experiencing solving cases of nurous students' quarrels.
'A calm atmosphere is extrely dangerous!'
Aisha thoughtfully muttered to herself while waiting for sothing to happen while she remained defensive.
One second…
Two seconds…
Three seconds…
Whoosh-!
At that mont, the calm Forest Storm disappeared.
Four seconds…
"Argh-!"
Aisha's agony echoed from the arena. Suddenly, the manifestation of Aina's attack reached her almost instantly. In other words, the storm of sharp leaves, dancing with the wind, teleported!
It's not just a cut, as Aisha was hit from behind. She felt as if soone had cut through her using a blunt weapon instead of a sharp one as her body was pushed forward due to the intense impact.
Losing her opponent's montum, Aina used this opportunity to land a barrage of attacks, beating up the senior from the Obelisk Academy, one of the representatives from the Student Category in this tournant.
***
"Is she going to lose...?"
Freya whispered, not particularly asking anyone, watching the fight happening in the arena from below the audience seats.
Russell, who managed to hear the words of his younger sister, was silent throughout the fight. A flood of thoughts was surging within him.
To begin with, Aisha and Aina were characters from his unpublished novel, though their backgrounds weren't thoroughly elaborated since he focused on Han Jiho, together with his supposedly future companions.
However, he couldn't base anymore the backgrounds of these individuals in his unpublished novel because of the unknowns that had happened in the past and might have transpired in the future.
In addition, due to the existence of those kinds of unknowns, Russell wasn't certain if the outco of this battle would change according to what he knew.
His question, at that mont, was answered as a blinding light from the arena reached the eyes of the spectators due to the illumination emanating from Aisha's body.
'I guess it'll be the sa.'
Russell thought, sowhat feeling relieved. One of the major problems he had to deal with since the story's route go awry was the unexpected scenarios, especially those that would impact the future greatly.
Although he's composed on the outside, as soone who tend to overthink things, feel anxious, and wanted to be alone most of the ti if possible, his mind was in a state of a ss after experiencing and seeing the mysterious visions — the Goddess of Night, the coffins, and so on.
'About my Star Quest... I need to investigate the death of one of the Queen's subordinates.'
Russell recalled, apart from kidnapping a vampire, his important mission upon visiting this kingdom.
Even though the diversity of races would beco a norm after this event, allowing for Student Exchange to be made possible, it's still a different case if the crowd was busy to make a move.
'But that condition's a hassle... Sigh...'
According to his Star Quest, he could only proceed in completing it in nurical order. However, the first thing he must do was to free the individual called Lunaria, who was being held in a secret facility owned by the Obelisk Organization.
Boom-!
A loud boom caused Russell to flinch, snapping him out of his thoughts, and ending his reverie as though he was lost in his own world.
***
"You've fought well."
Aisha's body was burning, though she wasn't feeling pain but warm.
After getting beat up by Aina for so ti through the Forest Storm, Aisha had no choice but to utilize the Unique Skill she possessed, which she wanted to save with the thinking that it's better not to show one's hands if she's not on a life and death situation.
The Forest Storm evaporated due to the intense heat she was emanating, causing Aina to constrict her eyes. Upon sensing the danger exuding from her opponent, Aina attempted to activate her Unique Skill, but it was a second late.
Disappearing from her spot, with her severe wounds healing due to the light from her body as a Sun Paladin, Aisha showed no rcy as her shortsword, with consideration that the elf might die, slashed through Aina's limbs.
But she reversed the blade so that the elf wouldn't get cut, but rather fell on her knees.
[The Constellation, Rigel Sun Emperor, is feeling amazed by his Champion!]
The fatigue on Aisha was evident as she slumped on the ground even before the Elven referee announced the winner. Seeing that Aisha was the only one with consciousness because, aside from hitting the limbs of the young elf to render her immobile, she also knocked her out by hitting her in the back of the neck.
"Aisha Whispercrest wins-!"
"Whooo-!"
Cheers from the humanity side erupted at the declaration.
'Ah f*ck-! I want to sleep-!'
Among the sounds of delight, since her Unique Skill, apart from Mana, also consud her Stamina per second, all she wanted to do was to lie on the bed even if she could drink a Stamina Potion.
***
In the VVIP area, where the Queen of Elnira, the Dwarven King, and Artorious Hall, together with their respective subordinates were watching the fight just now.
"Oh my... It's a down on my side. What a pity."
Artorious was only silent, hearing the cheeky tone of the queen. The Dwarven King, however, took this opportunity to speak.
"Aye-! I want my n to fight-!"
With liquor in his hand this morning, he glanced at Artorious' side. The schedule for a human against dwarf would be in the afternoon.
A few monts later, as the next set of participants went on the arena, distancing themselves from each other, a subordinate of the queen approached Her Majesty before whispering.
"Your Majesty, it seems the vampires will take this opportunity to do sothing undesirable."
Inhaling deeply, the Queen of Elnira seriously look at Artorious Hall and the Dwarven King, but before the queen managed to speak, the representative on humanity's side cut her off.
"Have your n stay on guard, but do not be overly cautious."
"Mister. I don't know why you suggested that but-
"Yes. The humans will help you fight against your archenemies. However, it will also an that humanity has a voice in this matter.
"I will take responsibility, but right now, let us leisurely enjoy the tournant."
Artorious Hall said in a cold, emotionless tone.
'Tsk... This man... Is he even human!?'
The queen inwardly said, irritated, but she passed the order to one of her subordinates.
"Keep monitoring for now, and tell them to not engage unless those bastards attack first."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The subordinate glanced at Artorious, frowning, but never voiced his disagreent.
***
In the Vampire Territory, far West outside the Orion, Elnira, and Vulcan borders.
"My Lord, so humans requested to have an audience with you."
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