Book 15 Chapter 42
Episode 70
"You want to apply to participate?"
The Sea Duel Arena is literally a dueling arena built on the sea!
One could enter through a long pier from the integrated dock section, and naturally, the passages used by athletes and spectators were different.
To participate in the Sea Duel Arena, one had to have accomplishments accumulated thus far or receive a recommendation from a powerful figure.
"……Hey, that little kid is going to participate."
"……Oh, my, how ridiculous we must have seemed."
"……We'll have to show them a harsh lesson so they never mess around again."
"……They look too young to handle spicy food, let's show them a bitter taste instead."
"……That's true. Protecting children's rights is important."
Swordsmen flaunted their experience and wealth with armor scarred by the storms of war or with splendid armor, while rogues from the Republic's martial arts world fluttered their silk robes, revealing battle scars to dominate the atmosphere.
Amidst such individuals, the appearance of this girl was truly ridiculous beyond measure.
A ruffian managing the participant list pouted his lips.
"A brat like you, who can't even take one punch, here? Your wrists are thin like tree branches. Go home and suck your mother's teats some more."
Then, a red-haired magnate stepped forward, unfolding a peacock feather fan.
Everything revealed beneath the pure white masquerade mask was the epitome of luxury.
"You wretch, to whose servant are you speaking with such insolent language?"
The difference between humans and demons lay in the fact that humans projected their wealth and power onto clothing, thereby establishing potential hierarchies.
"Ah, oh… I apologize, madam. Was she your maid?"
As Friede briefly revealed the 'Blue Blood' brand, the ruffian bowed so low that his forehead nearly touched her feet.
Among the 'Blue Bloods,' there were occasionally those who flaunted such luxury and pleasure.
"For the sin of disobeying me, I have come to make you die a miserable death in this Sea Duel Arena today. Do you have any complaints?"
"Oh, no, ma'am! Of course, we must let her participate! Don't worry. Those sturdy warriors over there will surely crush this damned fellow who dared to disobey you, madam."
"Hmm, good."
The grand stands of the Sea Duel Arena were already teeming with people, with no room to set foot.
As a 'Blue Blood,' Friede's status as an observer of the 'gambling duel' was recognized, and she was guided to the VIP room.
As Friede sat in a spot overlooking the entire arena, a handsome young man poured wine into her glass.
"Darling, how old are you?"
"I'm twenty-one."
"Hoho~ Just ripe for the picking."
At that moment, the voice of the announcer using a magical amplification device echoed throughout the entire stadium.
"Fists are closer than the law! Fighting is the law! Therefore, this place is both a Sea Duel Arena and a Sea Court! All participants are no different from judges! Without further ado, let the first round begin!"
From the east entrance, an enormous giant appeared, truly flaunting beast-like muscles.
"First round! The Buffalo Slayer from the Eastern Empire! A crazy barbarian who claims to take down charging buffalo with his bare hands! Today, he has come to take down a human with those hands! Berfallo!"
The stands erupted with tremendous cheers.
"Woooooah!"
"Look at those muscles, insane, so cool!"
"Who can possibly fight a monster like that!"
The announcer immediately pointed to the opposite entrance and shouted.
"Participating due to the hatred of the Republic's esteemed 'Blue Blood'! The girl for whom this sea will become her tomb today! The weakest of the weak in the first round, requiring no explanation! Lina!"
It was a single girl!
In a shyly arranged combat uniform, her only weapon was a wooden staff with no special features, no name, and no history.
The stands fell silent for a moment, then boos immediately erupted.
"What is that!"
"How old is she! Is she disrespecting the Sea Duel now!"
"But she's kind of cute? Possible."
"Do children's rights look like a joke to you!"
The VIPs in the guest room elegantly and gracefully critiqued this matchup, betting money on the tray of the young man pouring wine.
'Kya ha ha ha ha ha! It's all according to plan.'
Friede's lips were stretched into a wide grin as she subtly covered her face with her fan, observing everything.
'All the bets are going to that buffalo guy! At this rate, 250 gold pieces will swell to 1,000!'
Facing each other in the center of the arena were Berfallo, the buffalo hunter, and Lista. Berfallo was more than twice the size of Rin.
"What is it, kid? Do you think I'm an easy opponent?"
"No."
"You're polite. If you want to live, withdraw."
"I can't do that."
"Do you want to die? I am a hunter. I can distinguish strong buffalo, weak buffalo, timid buffalo, ferocious buffalo, and mad buffalo just by their gaze. You are not a predator. You are prey!"
Restrained by the announcer, Berfallo stepped back five paces and stood on all fours, his hands and feet on the ground.
This was the stance of a charging buffalo!
Like a buffalo, he clawed at the sand with his hands, glaring fiercely at his opponent.
"What can you do with those slender wrists? No power will be put into a swing with such arms. I'll shatter you, staff and all!"
The delicate girl trembled.
"Rin…"
Was it out of fear?
Her hand gripping the staff was trembling madly.
"…Don't make fun of Rin!"
Everything was decided in the next instant. The referee blew his whistle and stepped back, and Berfallo roared fiercely, kicking the ground.
"What are you muttering to yourself!"
And so, Berfallo charged!
"Yaa!"
"Gah!"
Everyone expected and anticipated that the girl's body would be crushed by that powerful charge.
Women covered their eyes, and men's cheers reached their peak, but… wasn't the subject and object of the shout and scream strangely reversed?
Berfallo was frozen.
The staff was pressed against his forehead, and he stopped in the very state of charging with tremendous momentum!
"!"
"!"
"!"
That silence, as if the world had stopped, was only for a moment!
As if all his charging moments ago had been a lie!
Berfallo's body slumped onto the sand as if melting and then he fainted. A master!
"What?! What just happened?!"
"Damn it, isn't this match-fixing?"
"Referee, what are you doing! It's cheating! How can this be!"
Friede alone was smiling in the joy of a sudden fortune.
"Hmph, do you think a guy who only catches buffalo can catch a hero?"
"Buffalo, buffalo, no, no."
Many of Parmena's subordinate officers were also participating or observing in this Sea Duel Arena.
"That little girl uses an interesting technique."
Among them, the highest-ranking officer, Gillette, raised an eyebrow.
Gillette.
One of the former Paladin candidates.
Being a Paladin candidate meant being on the shortlist for the strongest Fairy Soldiers, in short, it meant being an incredibly powerful individual.
"The immense magical power emitted from the impact point of the staff, she controlled it to spread widely as a surface (面) rather than a point (點)."
If it had been concentrated on a point, it could have pierced his skull and shattered his brain and spine.
"But that kid spread the magical wave as a surface. Deliberately, to avoid killing him."
It's not a beginner's magical control ability. That kid, even though she looks so young, is an incredibly skilled master.
"That's right. Spears are often seen as beginner's weapons. This is because they are used as standard issue weapons, but in fact, a standard issue weapon must meet one condition."
That is the low threshold of power!
A weapon that cannot train farmers and idlers to quickly do their part cannot be a standard issue weapon.
So what?
The low threshold of a spear is extremely high.
Its length, incomparable to a sword, not only gives an advantage in range but also compensates for physical disparities.
"Yes, while those Samigle guys tend to underestimate spears, the main armament of Paladins is the holy spear, and even the top warriors forming the Holtranks faction of the Fairy Soldiers use long spears and shields."
Furthermore, among the sword factions known as the Seven Holy Swords of the Empire (一聖七劍), the Heavenly Spear Faction (天槍派) used spears as their primary weapon, true to their name.
Spears were weapons with deep history.
In the distant Age of Origins, they were weapons imbued with the history of fairy ancestors who fought with spears to contend against the Kings of the Abyss.
"With that skill at that age, she should be famous, but I've never seen her before. What is that kid up to?"