Chapter 17 – Tournament Finals

"First up on the final day of the Dungeon Selection Tournament is the match for third place, Dungeon Shade Samson versus Lizard King Herod. Both contenders have had equally impressive showings this tournament."

"I'll say Jasper. Let's take a look at some of the highlights of each person so far!" Scenes of the two Royalty Realm contestants absolutely smashing their opponents showed on the screen, including their previous arena-shattering battles in the semi-finals. Although the Seven Paths game wasn't as flashy as the Heaven's Peak battle, the technical prowess shown by Herod was not to be underestimated. Executing seven consecutive techniques associated with all seven magical paths was something few across the world could accomplish.

Samson wasn't there to play games but to kick ass. Activating his main skill, he prepared to attack King Herod.

"Ancestral Rage!" Roared Herod. Using all his skills at once, Herod was adorned in his artifacts and fought Samson head on. Herod's orange colored aura slammed against Samson's blue energy, giving the illusion Herod was actually the Shade.

Each magical path changed the color and quality of the aura possessor. Shades typically had red colored aura while Spirit path users held blue colored aura. The juxtaposition between Samson and Herod's aura washed over the spectators. Beautiful splashed of color flashed as the two traded blows.

They weren't going for any strategic game or complex skill; they both fought an honest and straightforward duel. Perhaps this was the reason the other two made it to the finals. Regardless, the fast paced and electric fight dazzled the masses, even though most couldn't really tell what was happening with the naked eye. In order to tell what was going on, the camera slowed the fight milliseconds down to show audiences watching at home a coherent fight. Nonetheless, the fight was satisfactory for those in Pyrite Colosseum.

Twenty minutes of fighting later, Herod backed away.

"We aren't making any progress. At this rate, we could be here all day." Herod said while breathing heavily. Samson nodded. He was right; battles at the Royalty Realm could last prolonged periods of time without a clear winner. Their vast reserves of aura couldn't be depleted in thirty short minutes.

"I have a proposition. Let's go all out. Pure aura. Their barriers should be strong enough. What do you say?" Herod asked.

"Let's do it."

Charging up, the two's aura skyrocketed. Some civilians had to look away because of its brightness. In half a second, both exploded. The high tier runic barrier shook, and its normally invisible outline showed under the pressure. Bright purple cracks appeared in the explosion across the barrier.

Ziphe stood up and personally reinforced the barrier. The cracks resided, and the dust cleared. Samson was still standing while Herod was unconscious.

"Winner! Dungeon Shade Samson!"

***

Sitting peacefully, Job was ushered in by the stadium guards and escorted towards the stadium tunnels. Grand Councilman Ziphe was waiting for him near the gates connected to the arena stage.

"King Job, good luck." Ziphe paid his respects to the old King.

"I'm not a king anymore Ziphe, you don't have to play politics."

"I would've thought you would've quietly forfeited rounds ago, like most of the other Royalty Realm contestants." Ziphe inquired.

"Ah, so you're here to see why I'm trying so hard? Why I'm showing my true skills? Indeed, it is a taboo to display your trump cards to anyone, much less the masses."

"Please, enlighten me. You have nothing to prove, unlike the others." Ziphe questioned Job.

"You should know better than anyone, Grand Councilman. You've read the book."

"So, you do know. I thought your current actions were a little uncharacteristic of you." Ziphe summoned a book from his personal storage space. At the high-Royalty Realm and above, spatial magic that created a personal equipment pocket derived in the soul was not uncommon. From Job's storage ring, he pulled out a book that resembled Ziphe's, but they were slightly different.

Job's Second Chance, was written on the cover. Ziphe's book apparated into thin air before Job could see the cover.

"How did He convince you?" Ziphe asked.

"Do you know Wandering Sage Mite?" Job asked.

"Yes, very well, actually." Ziphe responded.

"His unique physique gives him multiple chances to fix future mistakes. I have also been blessed with a second chance, my final chance."

"Ahh, a regressor. So, you've seen the future of the party?"

"Unlike the prophets, I haven't just seen into the future but experienced it firsthand."

"Is what He says really true?" Ziphe asked solemnly.

"I remember a specific scene of you screaming,

'This isn't right! It's all wrong!', and then, He responded, 'The next iteration will be closer.'"

Ziphe laughed. "All He talks about is variables and time travel mumbo jumbo. Do you think he's right though, that this time, we will conquer Hell?"

"I believe him with all my heart." Job looked into Ziphe's brown eyes, determined.

"Is that what He promised me last time too?" Ziphe wondered out loud.

"Good luck, King Job." Ziphe said and shook Job's hand. The stadium tunnel gates opened, and Job walked through without another word.

Ahab was already in the arena, waiting.

"Hello Dungeon Shade Ahab, shall we begin."

"Gladly, Oceanic Echoes," Ahab wasted no time, and the dancing fairy-like blue specks danced around the arena.

"Skill: Heaven's Peak!" The dungeon inspired mountain emerged from the dirt. The audience was enthralled but on edge. They were worried the match would be a rerun from the semifinals because Ahab and Samson fought nearly identically up until now.

"Fun skill!" Remarked Ahab, but he didn't climb. Instead, he wanted to use Oceanic Echoes to wear down Job from afar.

"I'm not interested in a flashy battle. Strategy wins matches, not power. I know about Sudden Death." He said and sat down cross-legged.

"He's right," Jasper announced. "In the event of a tie during the finals, the match will go to Sudden Death, where both finalists would have to fight with heavy constraints on the Sudden Death arena designed by Councilman Nure and Grand Councilman Ziphe."

Job was not interested in playing games this time. After ten minutes, he was barely fatigued by the Oceanic Echoes and used his next skill, King of Heaven! Attacking from the peak, vines, plants, and energy flew towards Ahab, who hadn't moved an inch. Jumping left to right, Ahab tried drawing out the match but had to use his main skill now that Job was serious.

"Oceanus Twelve: Number Five!" As passively as possible, Ahab tried wasting as little aura as possible.

"Fight him already!" Audience members critiqued, but Ahab was determined to go to Sudden Death. Others in the audience wanted a cool fight but were curious about Sudden Death. Not many people actually read the tournament rules. Soon, they got their wish.

"Tie! We're going to Sudden Death!" Jasper announced excitedly. Ziphe himself came out and erased the fake Heaven instantly.

"How powerful!" Clico remarked to Aventi.

"He is, indeed, a God." Aventi complimented Ziphe as well.

Out of the ground, the Sudden Death platform emerged. Suspended in mid-air, the contestant who was knocked out first, lost. Ahab's strategy was to force Job into a place where he couldn't use his overpowered skills that required his Heaven's Peak.

"A good strategy," Job admitted to Ahab. Angier people in the audience, including Omira, were starting to catch on.

The medium sized platform spanned a football field in length, about half the size of the whole arena. It was hard to see what was happening since the platform was in the air and suspended by magic, but the cameras shot everything clearly.

"Oceanus Twelve: Number Five!" Ahab declared. The chances of Job having another skill on par with his Heaven's Peak was low.

"Tier Two-Potential Seal," Job said while using the common rune. It was far from enough. However, he wasn't done.

"Demonic Skill: Loyalty, -1 Year,"

"Demonic Skill: Gambler, -5 Years,"

"Demonic Skill: Entertainment, -10 Years,"

"Demonic Skill: Greed, -1 Year,"

Rattling off a set of strange skills, Job sent chills down the spines of everyone watching, even those at home. A black aura engulfed Job. Void energy was black as well, but the quality was off. Job's aura wasn't void-like but sinister, even worse than a Shade's red aura.

"How do you know those skills?" Roared Ahab, but Job was not listening. The black spirit that would be Job collided with Ahab. Blue and black light spiraled into the sky. Dust and energy made it hard to see what had happened. Job and Ahab lay on the ground below. Showing a slow-motion replay, the audience watched as the two were sent off the platform at the same time. By slowing it down even further, they were able to tell who fell off the platform first.

"Winner! Ex-King Job!" Jasper swarmed the scene to interview Job. Ahab smiled. He had tried his best. Quietly, he left the colosseum. He would ask Job about the demonic skills later.

"Congratulations Job, the famous retired King. What message do you wish to tell the world?" Jasper asked.

"I set out to win this tournament to show the world that no matter who you were, from a retired king to a nobody, anyone can conquer the dungeon, even the elderly!" Job laughed.

"Don't sell yourself short your majesty, you were a top favorite from the beginning," Jasper complimented.

"That may be true Jasper, but I was only favored because I am at the Royalty Realm. Nobody from the younger generation cared who I was before the tournament!" Job turned to the camera away from Jasper.

"I would like to thank everyone who watched from the bottom of my heart who has been invested in the Dungeon Party Selection from the beginning. Everyone who entered the preliminaries, everyone who traveled to Phanec for the second round, and everyone who faced Murdoc, thank you!

The Great Dungeon Party cannot function without the support of the whole world! The revenue that came from the Dungeon Party Selection is what will allow us to fund the equipment necessary for conquering Hell. In a way, everyone who participated and watched the Dungeon Party Selection is also apart of our party." Job smiled. Jasper and Ruby were tearing up.

"He's right. We can't face gods like Murdoc in the Dungeon, but we helped send them off." Jasper murmured, emotional.

"Thank you for a wonderful performance Job. We have two final questions for you: firstly, what was that final skill you used?" Ruby asked, not as emotional.

"It was a chain set of skills I found while researching Hell. My Heaven's Peak skill is inspired by Heaven, and my other trump card is inspired by Hell's legends."

"Wow, well it was truly horrifying! I can only imagine you have a Purgatory skill hidden somewhere as well?" Ruby nudged the disheveled Job playfully.

"That's a secret I'll have to keep." Job apologized but smiled for the cameras.

"No worries! Our second question was about who you're going to use your extra party spot for?" Ruby asked.

"That's also a secret I'll have to keep." Job winked at the camera.

"At least give us a hint," mumbled the crying Jasper.

"I'm not entirely sure yet, but I have my eyes on some of the younger people with potential that got out before the cutoff. I'll work closely with the Grand Councilman, and I'll announce my final pick when the official roster is announced in a week."

"I guess we can't get you to spill all of your secrets." Jasper tried to compose himself professionally.

"Thank you once again for doing this interview with us, and we would like to thank once again everyone who participated at home, and at the arena, as official extra members to the Great Dungeon Party.

Stay tuned for more interviews and official announcements regarding the final roster and sendoff for the Great Dungeon Party. I'm Jasper, and this is Ruby, and we'll see you soon."