Chapter 19 - First tournament arc. part 1

  The town was alight with an excitement typically reserved for New Year's celebrations, yet today marked an equally significant occasion. It was the day of the grand tournament, a spectacur event held only once every decade, and for the first time in recent memory, it featured competitors from beyond the city limits as well. Among the most awe-inspiring participants were the Valkyries, who arrived majestically on their brilliant white Pegasi, riding in rge, shimmering silver carriages.

  They weren't the only ones who came. Many of the smaller races that live around us arrived to participate as well. Ogres, Goblins, Slime girls, Harpies, Changelings, Zapz, and many others. Some whose names I don't even know, such as a blue-skinned race and a small race with deer-like antlers.

  The amazons were another important group expected to attend, though I didn't spot any in the massive crowd. They have a rge nomadic tribe that inhabits the massive forest to our south. From what I know, they essentially rule the area. Strong retions with them allows us to learn the safe routes through the forest and gives us opportunities to make contact even further out. The same would apply if we could persuade the dwarves to the east to allow us passage through their mountain paths.

  Why not simply fly to these pces? The answer is straightforward: without artifacts or warriors of high enough tiers, flying becomes a death wish. It turns one into an easy target. The Valkyries manage it only because of their highly advanced, nearly impregnable carriages, which are something like tier 50. They are virtually untouchable, able to escape any threat before an attack can succeed.

  “I don't even want to think about how long something like that would take to build, but it's probably longer than this city has even existed,” I mused as I looked up at the carriages hovering in the sky. They remained perfectly still, locked in pce, with the Pegasi neighing and moving their hooves as if they were on solid ground.

  From what I've learned, our interactions with the Amazons have been developing quite well. They are a race that is quick to forgive and forget. Interestingly, they aren't one to put on a show either, as I'm still uncertain whether they have even entered the city.

  The Trailbzers have already begun utilizing the newly shared routes through the forest, venturing deeper, and the nobles are using these paths to re-establish contact with more distant races. Yet, many trails through the forest remain only known to the Amazons.

  To the south, deeper within the great forest, lies an outpost of the grand elven society. It was here we reconnected with the elves and persuaded one of their princesses to visit. According to the Trailbzers, the elves are currently embroiled in conflicts with the Drow, which likely spurred their openness to dialogue. Unlike the Amazons, the elves are a race that holds grudges, never forgetting even minor offenses.

  It turns out that the Trailbzers are exceptionally well-connected, colborating with the nobles as they strive to rebuild retions with the other races. I would have been completely unaware of any of this aside from what the princess revealed if not for them. Even my mom, who works in the castle, doesn’t know half of what’s happening, and Miki only catches snippets from the customers who buy her poisons.

  Speaking of the Trailbzers, they've become regurs at our house ever since Mom revealed that her exceptional skill with kids is due to her Blessing. Since then, Tabitha has been visiting frequently to learn some of her techniques. Consequently, the rest of the group also stops by occasionally to pick her up, often spending time with us in the process.

  Right now, my whole family is en route to the tournament grounds, navigating through the dense crowds that swarm the streets. I was prequalified for the finals, so I didn’t need to use any of my cards prematurely and could enjoy the first day watching the preliminary matches. My older sisters also secured their spots at their respective tier levels, needing only a few bouts to confirm their preliminary qualifications. This means they rank among the top one hundred strongest in their tier within the city, excluding the nobles. Or, it might simply reflect the retive weakness of our city on a rger scale.

  Looking at Sakura’s beaming smile as she bounced around, eyes glued to the sky, and Angelica, who is making sure she doesn't get swept away by the crowd, I choose to believe that they are strong.

  Well, they are the only ones—among those whose cards I have, aside from the princesses—who possess Blessings that outpace their level tier. Both Sakura and Angelica managed to elevate their primary Blessing to tier 4 before even reaching tier 3 themselves.

  As for Yuno, she had no interest in competing and never even showed up to her matches. Given that she could easily beat both Sakura and Angelica, her victory was assured. However, she never seemed to enjoy fighting or being in the spotlight.

  She has always been a stark contrast to the wild smile depicted on her card art. My only guess is that it must reference one of her skills or, and I hope this isn't the case, her future self, since all the other girls have grown to resemble their card images.

  I gave her a sidelong gnce as we pressed on toward the colosseum, located between the middle district and the noble district. It resembled a modern stadium but was much taller and wider, boasting a capacity to seat two hundred fifty thousand spectators. Inside, the ground consisted of a specialized type of concrete, designed to shift seamlessly and form new terrains and structures to suit the event's needs.

  Projected into the sky above it were rge screens showing what was happening inside. At the moment, all that was occurring was the adjustment of the screens and sound systems. Some things never change.

  “Man, I miss TV,” I mented to myself. I’ve heard that nobles have something simir, but they take hundreds of years to create and cost a fortune.

  I've considered building some simple electronics, perhaps even working my way up to something like a TV. However, when I discussed this with Lamya, the librarian, she expined that it wouldn't be feasible due to how magic and time function here. Even basic objects must accommodate the unpredictable behavior of time, which is why it is extremely difficult to build anything without a Blessing.

  Without her Blessing, which enables her to impart her understanding to me in a way that my mind can grasp the bizarre concepts, I would probably still be lost. People keep saying that time fluctuates here, but I can never perceive it. If only she didn’t give me a creepy smile while touching me, I would likely make her my primary source of information.

  That's probably also why the electronics in my shop cost so much.

  After a lot of struggle, we finally managed to get through the crowds and into the building. Upon entering, we were met with a giant sign pointing us where to go. It read: "Fighters this way," "Seats this way," and "VIP rooms this way," with arrows indicating the directions.

  "Wish us luck, brother!" Sakura said as she ran off eagerly to join the other girls heading in the direction of the fighters.

  Angelica had to chase after her to prevent her from getting into trouble. I waved them both off before heading to the VIP section with the rest of my family.

  We had originally pnned to come with Cire's family and sit in the nosebleed section, but we received an anonymous ticket to the VIP section when my approval for the finals was sent. The girl who delivered the ticket expined how things worked, informing us that only those named on the tickets could access the area.

  If I weren't so eager to bump into the princess again, I would have gdly joined Cire. However, I hoped the princess might appear in this area, which is predominantly used by nobles and high-tier spectators. But gncing at the map, I saw she was still not moving from the noble area.

  I briefly considered dragging her to Love Land, but getting kidnapped wasn't part of my pns. She seems pleasant enough, yet I couldn't trust her to keep my secrets.

  Her high affection score didn't mean much; it's not like my family loved me any less when their affection was one, or any more now that they were all approaching five hundred.

  I could threaten her, but I'm not ready to escate things that far, especially since the ninja girl hasn't really acted, aside from making me paranoid. We wouldn’t even be aware of her presence if it weren’t for Yuno.

  My sisters were on their way to fight in the preliminary matches, the first day's event, which would cut the group of seven hundred down to eight per tier. The second day would feature the main tournament, and the third day would host the winners' cup.

  There were six spots left in the tier 2 section for the main tournament, so it seems I'm not the only one getting special treatment.

  Sakura is just happy to fight on the big screen, saying that if she is strong enough, even one spot is enough. It seems the st tournament had a big impact on her.

  Reflecting on that time, I realize I was so engulfed in my own depression that I don't remember much of it, but she had to watch from outside, even though we had tickets, because I refused to leave the house. I was crying and throwing a fit like the little kid I appeared to be.

  It was the only time Sakura ever got mad at me. Miki ended up taking her to a pce where she could watch, while Angelica and Mom stayed home with me. When Sakura returned, she apologized and promised she would be up there competing next time, so I had to come and watch, not just sit at home.

  I smiled at the thought of her fulfilling her promise; I was out of the house and here to watch her fight.

  My train of thought was interrupted as we emerged from the tunnel into an open area, where a lone girl stood behind a white counter, looking immensely bored. The rest of the room was also crafted from spotless white marble so fwless that my eyes couldn't detect a single imperfection.

  The girl's bright red skin was striking, mirroring the color of her eyes. She wore a uniform consisting of a tie over an open red dress shirt and a tight miniskirt. She was idly flipping the pages of the lone book on the counter, back and forth.

  [Name: ??? Level: ??? Affection: 17Is very skilled at acting.]

  Upon noticing us, her expression shifted to one of surprise. "Did you need some help? This is the VIP area."

  It was clear why she questioned us; besides her, we were the only people here.

  "Actually, we have tickets," Mom said, taking charge as she handed Anna off to Miki. She then pulled out the tickets and presented them to the girl.

  The girl took the tickets and inserted them into a slot on the desk before speaking. "These are real, alright. I thought they weren't letting anyone from the public back here this year with all the important people coming into the city."

  She put on a professional, if slightly seductive, smile and said, “I'll show you the way.” She came around the counter, which morphed to create an opening for her to exit. “I'm thankful you came. I only volunteered to work this shift because I heard no one was coming, but getting paid to do nothing is not as fun as I thought it would be.”

  “So, have you been working here long?” Mom made small talk while the receptionist guided us up to our rooms with practiced ease. The rooms were up on the skylines, not quite nosebleed seats but also not courtside, and spread far apart. Each door leading into a room was vishly decorated. Once she got us to our room, she opened the door and let us in, staying outside.

  The room was what you would expect from a VIP suite. A nice cozy couch sat at the center, looking out through the gss down on the arena, with an assortment of food and an open bar off to the side. It was spacious enough to fit a few dozen people with room to spare.

  There was also a rge screen built into the wall showing the stage, perfect for those who couldn't see the stage clearly—that would be me.

  Looking at it, there were settings for all kinds of things like slowing the fight down, changing the angle, and seeing through illusions. At least with this, I should be able to keep up with the higher-tier fights.

  “If you need anything, this is the call button,” the girl said, pointing to a button next to the door on the inside of the room. She still didn't cross the threshold; I could only guess there was some kind of magic that kept anyone but us out.

  “Actually, my daughters are participating in the tournament. Can you bring them up once they are finished?” Mom asked before the girl turned to leave.

  “I’ll make sure to show them the way,” she replied, then backed out and headed down the hall.

  After exploring all the options on the screen, I settled onto the couch. The twins promptly abandoned Mom, who joined me and squeezed onto my p. An overly excited Alice floated by the window, trying to spot Sakura and Angelica among the crowd on the arena floor.

  Yuno gracefully sat down next to me with a ptter of food in her hands. She fed me from the pte while my hands were full. Looking at her, I could have sworn I saw her lips quiver for a second, which would be a miracle, as I don't think I've ever seen her express any kind of emotion since I've known her.

  Miki, of course, headed to the bar and started mixing herself drinks.

  It didn't take long for an announcer to appear on the screen. She was a blonde-haired girl with ribbons dancing around her as she walked onto one of the stages, holding what looked like a microphone.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, and champions of all tiers! Gather around, as the grand tournament unfolds before your very eyes! From each distinguished tier, a hundred valiant warriors shall step into the arena, cshing in epic one-on-one battles. Only the strongest, the bravest, the ones whose mettle shines the brightest will cim their spot at the pinnacle of this contest—the finals!

  But beware, for our arena is—a pce where the veil of death is lifted and the sands of time are held at bay. Here, every second is an eternity; every moment, a chance to turn the tides of fate. Remember, in this Blessed ground, luck weaves into the fabric of power. Lose your fight, and your journey ends—vanquished, not by death, but by the decree of destiny!

  So, ready your arms, steady your hearts, and may the Goddesses show you favor. Let the battles begin!"

  With the end of her speech, the crowd came alive, and the first contestants went up to their respective stages. Many of the fights ended in a single move, but some dragged on into stalemates. The time effect of the field meant even those prolonged battles went by quickly, with viewers essentially getting a sped-up version of events.

  Watching the fights revealed some interesting Blessings, such as a girl who could create portals, causing her opponent to punch herself to death, and another girl who sang so loudly that her opponent literally exploded.

  Soon it was Sakura's turn, and her match fell into the quick-fight category. Her Initiative Blessing allowed her to twist time, ensuring she always acted first. Combined with her Physical, Armor, Shield boosts, and Attract Blessing, she could unch her shield with the speed of a bullet and the force of an RPG.

  Victory was guaranteed unless her opponent could counter her opening move.

  The poor girl she was fighting had no such defense, and her head popped like a balloon as soon as the shield made contact.

  I can only imagine what it must feel like to die like that, even knowing you’ll be fine. Even in Love Land, I’ve never been hurt fatally. It didn’t seem to bother my sisters; both of them just shrugged it off as no big deal. The people of this world might be mentally protected, but I don't think I am, so I’d like to avoid experiencing death.

  On that note, I would be insta-killed by Sakura too, unless I pre-installed a card. With the rules here, I would be fine, but if I ever had to fight someone like her without preparation time, I’d be dead before I could react. That’s why I’ve been eyeing some items in my shop to prevent that from happening.

  Angelica’s fight was a drawn-out battle. Her opponent could control fire and had some kind of phasing skill that allowed her to pass through Angelica’s barriers.

  Throughout the fight, Angelica was engulfed in fmes, but it was hard to tell if she was taking any damage; her regeneration was incredibly fast. Her opponent seemed bewildered about how to combat someone with such a Blessing. She did attempt to close in with her axe, but Angelica simply stood on her barriers, out of reach. She could maintain this all day, unlike her opponent who eventually slipped up and was crushed.

  Both Angelica and Sakura's subsequent fights unfolded in a simirly dominant fashion. Angelica's third opponent attempted a mental attack, but she healed through those as well. However, Angelica eventually met her match against an opponent she couldn't out-heal. This girl managed to split her in half, cutting through multiple barriers.

  It was a bad matchup; her opponent's Blessing seemed to hard counter Angelica’s, either by being potent enough to penetrate the barriers or by functioning in such a way that it simply ignored them. Had there been a tier difference in their levels, Angelica might have been able to withstand a hit, but at the same tier, the bde sliced cleanly through her.

  Sakura made it through six fights until she encountered a girl who could reverse her attacks. Her pn must have been to eliminate her opponent before she could activate this ability, but it seemed to have an auto-trigger. When the fight started, Sakura was dead before either girl even moved.

  Soon after, the door opened and the two walked inside.

  "Did you see, did you see, brother?" They both came up to the room looking quite happy with themselves. One of them probably would have won if they were still in tier 1 like their peers.

  “Yep, I saw. You two were incredible,” I said as they approached. Sakura quickly became fixated on the TV, as captivated by it as I was, while Angelica chose a spot beside Mom. Shortly after sitting, Angelica began to sing, matching the rhythms of the ongoing battles with her songs, her performance masterfully in sync with the action.

  Lately, she's been singing more often. Initially, it was merely to advance her Blessing, but now she seems to truly enjoy it, especially since I shared some of my favorite songs with her. Remarkably, she has managed to replicate them perfectly by ear, her voice not only mimicking the vocals but also the instrumental sections with a bit of practice.

  That's how we spent the remainder of the day. Before we knew it, the day had ended and the winners were decred—six girls and one boy in the kids' tier. These were the first competitors I'd face, and having observed their Blessings, I felt confident; there was no need to py my stronger cards yet. The real challenge would begin once the winners could compete without tier restrictions. Then, I'd navigate my way through the remaining winners, runner-ups, and nobles until my defeat.

  I'm genuinely curious to see what a noble can achieve now that they're participating in the public tournament, rather than just hosting their own.

  This participation likely aims to bolster their image, not only before the delegates but also the public. The recent Breaking has tarnished their reputation even further, which is notable considering I've never really heard anything positive about the nobles aside from their strength. While no one speaks outrightly ill of them, conversations tend to skew negative whenever they're mentioned—a pattern I only recognized when the Trailbzers made efforts to defend them. Even Mom and Miki, who both work at the castle, seem hard-pressed to say much in their favor.

  My contemption was interrupted by a knock at the door. Opening it, we were greeted by the receptionist from earlier, who offered a friendly smile to me. “Looks like I've been assigned to guide you. You're only being introduced today; the fights start tomorrow.”

  After Passing the now sleeping twins off, I bid farewell to my family, then followed her down to the lower floor and into a room beled “Pre-Gathering Area.” Upon entering, I joined a rge group, where I received several cold stares. I wasn't the st to arrive, though; nine more girls entered after me, ranging from one who looked simple and shy to another cd in expensive-looking armor.

  We didn't have to wait long before we were ushered onto the stage by tiers. I was the first one out. Exiting the tunnel, I was greeted by the roaring crowd, and I couldn't help but smile, exhirated by the sea of faces looking down at us. It was both thrilling and intimidating. With such a rge audience, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to use the Date Love Point Extractor, especially considering that the event was being broadcast outside the arena.

  With all the Date points I could collect, I could get out of debt, significantly upgrade Love Land, and provide more support for my family. Both my moms are close to 500 Affection points. Additionally, acquiring cards in the future would be easier with the whole city watching this event.

  Time froze as I stepped onto the stage.

  [Luck has triggered a special date - Chain Dating. Every time you fight, a date will trigger until you lose. Cost: 10 date points.]

  [Would you like to activate it?]

  [yes/no]

  “Speak of the devil.” I was pnning to wait until tomorrow, but this seemed too good to pass up.

  As soon as I hit "yes," I heard what sounded like someone breathing in.

  “Ttttttoooooouuuuurrrrrrnnnnnnaaaaammmmmeeeeennnnnnt Arc!” A voice bellowed into the air, echoing all around. I'm sure the whole city would have heard it if not for time being frozen.

  "Mini," she added at the end of her scream.

  'The hell?' I thought, jumping from the shock of the sudden outburst, but my question was met only with silence. I let time resume and continued onto the stage where we were introduced to the crowd. My introduction was brief, just a name, while for some others it dragged on as the announcer listed seemingly every accomplishment since their birth.

  By the time she finished, it was te into the night, and I had been ready to go home hours ago. I hurried out as soon as I reached the tunnel, only to find my family waiting at the entrance, knowing me well enough to realize I'd want to leave immediately. Only Yuno had enough tact not to ugh at me.

  The rest of the night was spent strategizing which cards to use against whom, with Yuno meticulously recounting everything they had done from start to finish—and even some things they hadn't.