61 - Tournament! (I)
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PART 0 – Presenter!
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The screens in various cities and towns showed the coliseum. With Skarla starting the event, the prepared fighters began to advance, and the audience went wild.
Then, in a corner of the screen, a figure appeared that stood out. Everyone's attention was drawn to the confidently smiling Beastkin of the Hyena Clan.
[Image] →
"Hello, beautiful people of this magnificent Empire. I am Hihye; I will be the host of the fighters; I was handpicked by our powerful Marquise Verona." - She laughed as she opened her arms, her voice being quite attractive, catching everyone's attention.
(Author: 20 initial Charisma is no joke…)
Hyhie cleared her throat, smiled, and raised her voice. - "Coming from the Vassal Kingdom of Sodoha, a powerful warrior known for his quick and sharp blade, Akron, The Wind. Representative of the Marley Family!"
The screen soon focused on a handsome man with brown hair and green eyes. He was tall and handsome, possessing a well-built physique and a captivating smile that revealed stunning dimples. His smiles melted the hearts of several ladies watching.
At his waist, a short saber. In these lands, he wields a unique weapon that appears intricately adorned and emanates a distinct enchantment.
"On the other side, we have the one known as The Noble Mercenary, who single-handedly decapitated an infamous demon and brought terror to several invaders from the north, Sebastian Lobbus. Representative of the Lobbus Family!"
On the other side, a tall, blond man approached, wielding a heavy spear in his hands, a body full of scars, and a cold and imposing gaze. His presence exudes arrogance, where his eyes fell on Hyhie, not liking to have been the second introduced since he is a noble.
Sebastian snorted, casting a glance at the audience, before focusing on Skarla. He bowed in respect, but internally he was filled with anger for having to lower his head before a mere commoner who had only recently become a noble.
"Hey, friend." - Akron laughed, catching Sebastian's attention. - "I'm not your friend." - He replied with disdain.
"I see you have a very cool spear. How about we bet? I also have a magic weapon." - Akron raised his saber.
"Greater Enchantment?" - Sebastian narrowed his eyes as he watched Akron draw his short saber, it radiating a strong magical vibration.
"Naturally." - Akron laughed confidently, and Sebastian nodded. - "Agreed." - He soon crouched down and entered his combat stance.
A smiling Akron did the same; his eyes became sharp.
"LET THE FIGHT BEGIN!" - Hyhie shouted, and the applause exploded.
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PART 1 – First Fight!
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Akron was the first to act. Mana radiated from his body, a greenish glow covering him and boosting his speed. He applied a [Speed] spell to himself.
Sebastian caught off guard, not anticipating such swiftness. They covered the distance in moments, and soon the attack came.
Clang!
Akron's blade was defended, but Sebastian felt the weight of the attack; this was surprising; he hadn't expected to face such a strong commoner from the beginning; he didn't even have such a grand name.
Argh!
Sebastian growled in pain because, like a snake, Akron's blade danced between his defenses and pierced his flesh, passing through his defenses. - 'A blade that ignores defense.' - Sebastian growled, knowing that his enemy had something like this.
It was a horizontal strike that Akron made, and it was so precise and agile, his eyes never losing focus, his blade not even a moment of hesitation, showing that he had refined such a blade for decades.
Irritated by his injuries, Sebastian screamed and shoved Akron away, causing him to retreat a few steps. His retreat opened up opportunities for Akron to attack, pulling out his spear, leaning his body back, and with a sharp and deadly glare, Sebastian began a barrage of attacks against Akron.
Akron trembled as he felt the danger, where quickly, in an uneasy position, capable of losing his balance at any moment due to being pushed away, his saber came against Sebastian's spear.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Akron parried three powerful, devastating attacks. Such a result left Sebastian shocked, as it was the first time someone of his level had stopped his [Triple Attack], which he had been investing in for many years.
Akron was also amazed; he has the [Parry] skill that allows him to react better, but not even he expected such a thing. But that didn't matter now, because he saw an opening in Sebastian's posture.
Such an opening could not be wasted, so he quickly attacked, activating [Intense Glow], an enchantment engraved on his saber.
Sebastian, preparing himself, saw his face engulfed by light.
[Resistance Test (Constitution)]
D20 + 3 + 4 = 24(17)
He managed to resist the intense light that should have blinded him, taking advantage of the opportunity to fiercely defend himself from the blade aimed at his chest. Another metallic clang echoed, forcing Sebastian to retreat with a growl, even as he sustained significant damage for his defense.
However, when Sebastian thought about regaining his balance to push his opponent away, Akron attacked again, living up to his title of [The Wind]. As his arm retreated, the saber glowed even more intensely, followed by an intense thrust that made the entire blade glow dangerously.
Sebastian's finger activated a ring, raising his alertness and allowing him to use his spear to parry Akron's attack, minimizing the damage received as much as possible.
CLANG!
A loud clang echoed from the shock, with Sebastian's arms still holding his spear raised. He attempted to retreat to recover, but Akron had no intention of allowing him to retreat.
Sebastian began to sweat coldly as Akron suddenly closed the distance, his entire body glowing green, his eyes having an intense glow as his arm wielding the saber retreated again. His forehead almost touched Sebastian's elbow.
Soon the glow on his blade was even more intense, concentrating at its tip. Sebastian found himself unable to defend himself; there was no time or space for it.
BOOOM!!
An intense explosion echoed, propelling his body over 6 meters away as it rolled and bled. With glowing rings on his fingers, he landed and writhed in pain as he received healing.
His spear fell away from him.
Hyhie looked at Skarla, who confirmed it to the Beastkin, who, smiling happily, shouted. - "WE HAVE A WINNER! AKRON, THE WIND!"
Applause exploded with his shout. Akron engaged in a remarkable and intense battle, effectively controlling the fight and avoiding any damage.
Akron, smiling, went to the spear, which he had duly won in his bet. - "Let go!" - But Sebastian's angry voice rang out, he was already standing, with his once beautiful armor damaged and a huge hole in his abdomen. Naturally, the armor became useless and lost its magical properties.
"Why? Will you not keep your word?" - Akron laughed, and the spear disappeared, being stored somewhere.
"Give it back!" - Sebastian roared and advanced. - "That is not a weapon someone of your ilk should wield. Filthy commoner!" - His scream was full of disdain and hatred, without any hint of shame.
"I won fair and square; we both agree. Don't be a sore loser." Akron laughed and raised his hands, as armed guards had already stepped between them, preventing them from advancing any further.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?! You are in the presence of Duchess Veremor and Marquise Verona. How dare you act like animals?" The captain of the guards growled furiously, power exuding from his body—something almost comparable to the two competitors.
"This filthy commoner dared to claim my weapon as his own. Make him return it and apologize now!" With his hands raised and most of the spears aimed at his neck, Sebastian furiously pointed at Akron, while the captain's attention shifted to the nobleman.
It is obvious from his vision who is in the wrong, especially since he is not blind and saw Akron taking the spear for himself, which caused all this.
"What is the meaning of this? Return the spear and apologize, otherwise you will be disqualified!" - The captain growled at Akron, where Sebastian was already smiling confidently.
"What?! I won this honestly. We verbally bet before the fight started; he confirmed it, and we started the fight. But now that he lost without even touching me, he wants to go against his own word." - Akron did not give in, wanting to argue, because a Greater Enchantment Magic Weapon is something that cannot be obtained easily.
Each one is worth thousands of gold; how could he give up such a treasure?
The guard captain frowned. - "Lies. I would never bet with someone of such a lower class!" - Sebastian vehemently refused, trying to brand Akron as a liar.
And since Sebastian is a noble, his voice naturally carries more weight in the Guard Captain's ears. He glared fiercely at Akron and was about to say something.
"ENOUGH!!!" - A powerful roar shook the entire coliseum, where Sebastian confidently saw his knees weaken and soon his face collided with the ground, feeling all the pressure.
The entire coliseum became deadly silent, all attention falling on Skarla. - "I am witness to the verbal bet between the two." - She uttered words that took everyone by surprise.
"Sebastian agreed to the bet that both would hand over their weapons to the winner. Their voices were drowned out by the screams of the crowd, but I can hear them perfectly. Sebastian lost and shamefully went against his word. I will not accept injustice in my presence. Akron is the winner, and the spear was won fairly."
Everyone now understood what really happened, where several insults fell on Sebastian, now full of shame. He was not the only one; his brothers who were in his mercenary group, even his father, who was in the stands, were full of shame.
Skarla's gaze fell on the Guard Captain, who shuddered and growled. - "Take this liar away from here!" - He roared, preferring to insult a random nobleman than a legend that the Emperor himself has to take into account.
Sebastian naturally fought, not wanting to accept this, and everyone heard his screams, as if his words could insinuate that Skarla was a liar. The captain covered Sebastian's mouth so that he would not dig his grave any deeper.
Akron kneeled before Skarla, smiling at the outcome. - "I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kindness and justice, oh great Marquise Verona."
With a calm expression, Skarla took a sip of her wine and spoke. - "You have good skills, boy; I will expect more from you in future fights. Now leave; others need to fight." - Skarla smiled slightly at the end of her words, and Akron laughed, apologizing and leaving, feeling very proud.
…
"Is he that good? Isn't Sebastian the one who is horrible?" - Letiphia said disdainfully.
"Sebastian wasn't weak, just very clumsy. But Akron was stronger, not giving Sebastian a chance to react." - Skarla scratched her chin lightly.
"Are you going to recruit him? I don't see you saying such things to someone without having such an interest." - Letiphia shrugged, not finding anything special, but still curious.
"I'll need to see more of him, but his personality, from the little I've heard, I don't like it." - Skarla kissed his forehead, and the next fighters entered the arena.
=== Author's Note ===
Sebastian isn't that weak; in fact, he should have won. His AC and attack bonus were slightly higher, not to mention that his damage was much higher than Akron's. But he missed every attack.
Akron, on the other hand, landed almost every attack; if it weren't for Sebastian activating certain items and skills, every attack would have hit.
It's remarkable how a seemingly inconsequential character compelled me to focus more on him. Damn data! If this continues, I may be forced to send him a picture in the near future.
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PART 2 – Distance!
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The first fight was incredible, quick, but very attractive and fun. Many had bet on Sebastian and lost everything, while those who had bet on Akron were elated.
Viscount Lobbus, Sebastian's father, was in the noble area of the coliseum. Shame was written all over his face, and his hatred was mostly directed at Skarla, not his son.
Nobles often face defeat in such events, but aside from undeniable losses and verbal wagers, the noble's claim that the event didn't occur holds true.
If Sebastian and Akron had said it, then it was appropriate. But in the end, Skarla vouched against her son, resulting in his family losing a precious item.
Not only that, but his family's name was tarnished and shamed. His many rivals present here were already mocking him, and what could he say to lessen the shame? Nothing!
But even though many used this to mock him, others focused their attention on something more worrying. Skarla doesn't care about nobles.
The nobles have their own internal rules to protect themselves, preventing commoners from tarnishing their image. In an event like this, where hundreds of thousands of commoners are probably watching, having their authority and image damaged is a loss for all nobles.
Skarla is the one causing all of this. As a result of her decisions, a great distance has formed between her and other nobles.
But does she care? Of course not!
Most of these nobles will come crawling to her in the future, hoping to have some space in the mountains when her plans begin to take shape.
It goes without saying that the nobles who distance themselves from her are those with whom she has no interest in forming friendships or business relations. Few are useful; most are only strong because of the wealth accumulated by their ancestors.
The relevant ones are the 2nd to 4th generation nobles, who still have some influence from their founders. The nobles on the front lines hold their positions due to their military prowess and the immense power they possess within these territories.
But trash who only wastes money and gains levels while being protected by mercenaries and knights is not at all attractive in Skarla's eyes.
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PART 3 – Clash between geniuses!
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The fights continued. So as not to have too much strength difference, similar levels faced off first. They struck a balance to showcase their genuine skills.
Skarla saw many intriguing seedlings. She had never seen anything like this before in her life, but all of these seedlings were very interested in being under her care.
And since there were so many options, Skarla could naturally be as selective as she wanted. She chose to steer clear of the older individuals and concentrate on the younger ones. The older ones would most likely stay under the nobles' wings and become knights.
As for the younger ones, they have many dreams and will try their best to prove themselves. Their main goal is for Skarla to naturally become her disciple, but if they fail, they will aim to join great noble families.
...
An excited Hihye cleared her throat, the arena already reeking of blood and full of marks. Many brutal scenes were seen today, and the entire audience was euphoric.
But now it's time for some gems to emerge.
"Coming from our right, we have a young man who came from the East; his name is Zang. He has been making a name for himself in this coliseum, currently undefeated. Zang, who has received the title of Falcon!" - At his shout, a handsome young man stepped forward.
Zang, possessing long green hair and vibrant green eyes, wields a magical bow seemingly crafted from elven wood. He has no pointy ears, making him neither an elf nor a half-breed.
Several whistles sounded, and the audience cheered, many recognizing the handsome young man.
"On the other side, we have a formidable warrior who has a body as large and strong as steel! Welcome, Senah, the Trorc!" - Hihye was simpler in this introduction, and a beautiful woman stepped forward.
Senah possesses purple skin, blue hair, sharp eyes, and rigid leather armor. She had a large axe in her hand.
Two rising stars. Zang, who has won more than 10 fights and is undefeated, and Senah, a Trorc who has won several fights but only enough to qualify.
…
"Nice to meet you, Miss." - Zang said politely.
"Don't call me that." - Senah growled as she wielded the axe with both hands.
"No need to be so rude." - Zang narrowed his eyes and smiled, placing an arrow on the bow and getting into stance.
"LET THE FIGHT BEGIN!!!" - Hihye shouted.
Senah shot at her shout, knowing that against an archer, she must close the distance or she will regret it. She strengthened her focus, covering as much distance as she could, and arrived at the spot where Zang had been.
Zang naturally knew that going in front of Senah was not wise, so he retreated, eyes always on Senah.
He pulled the string and fired, the arrow hitting Senah's shoulder accurately, causing damage but not affecting her, who continued to advance to close the distance.
Zang's arrows continued to rain down on Senah, who was slowly getting closer. Zang needed to utilize his skills to maintain a safe distance, while Senah remained patient, preventing any fatal or damaging hits.
Finally, she reached him, where she abruptly turned the axe, the blunt part colliding with the ground, a shockwave enveloping Zang.
[Balance Test (Resistance)]
D20 + 3 + 3 + 1 = 8(1)
'Ah! Shit!' - Zang screamed internally, growling as he fell to his knees.
Senah, after the first attack and seeing that Zang fell before her attack to unbalance him, which worked perfectly and made him stop running, quickly raised her axe to swing it at the annoying hare.
Zang sensed the danger. If this hits him, he'll be dead!
Acting quickly, as he still had his bow in his hands, he activated a skill where a magical glow manifested at the tip of his arrow that pointed at Senah, while his legs were also enveloped by a magical glow that was tensing his muscles.
Senah's axe descended, and Zang's arrow fired in reaction to his attack.
CLANG! BOOM!
As beams of greenish energy covered the area, an explosion resounded. Zang shot from where he was, his leather armor torn and his chest opened. He stumbled four meters away, falling to his knees as he spit blood, and felt the burning in his chest as his blood spilled.
He did everything he could to minimize the attack. At least it wasn't a full attack, or the axe would have stuck in his chest and split it. If he had tried to throw himself to the side, he would probably have lost an arm.
'Monster!' - Zang thought, growling.
But what about Senah?
HAAAAA!!
Her thunderous roar reverberated, painful to Zang's ears. She advanced towards him with her axe raised.
Her injuries were imperceptible—only a few light marks on her armor and a barely noticeable cut on her cheek.
"I SURRENDER!" - Zang decided on the wisest choice. In such a confrontation, an archer like him has no advantage. Such an open environment...
If he had been standing still and had enough time to prepare some attacks, he would have taken down Senah. But the many arrows that stuck in her flesh had almost no effect on her, certainly because of her naturally thick and damage-resistant skin, along with her high regeneration.
A Trorc, descended from Orcs and Trolls, possessed the best of both worlds. Zang was envious.
But it turns out that Senah was in a frenzied state and had no way to stop, nor did he hear her cry of surrender. Her great axe was coming down with full force, and he knew he needed to act to survive.
'Am I going to die?' - Zang thought as his body failed, feeling the bitter taste in his throat. Many people gathered around him, advancing to stop Senah.
Everything seemed to be in slow motion. The blade was approaching, and he closed his eyes, knowing he should have surrendered earlier, not waiting for the monster to emerge from the cloud of dust that had risen from the previous collision.
But nothing happened. The blade was poised to take his life. She stopped moving, not even the wind from the swing was reaching her face.
He heard Senah gasp. Opening his eyes, he saw the axe blade just inches from his face, where something like a palm was holding it.
"WE HAVE A WINNER! SENAH!" - Hihye shouted, and the applause exploded.
(Author: If it weren't for the critical mistake, he wouldn't have lost so quickly.)
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PART 4 – Banquet!
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"Senah, I like her." - Viper said, scratching her chin.
"A very strong young lady, probably has 23 to 24 strength (+6/+7)." - Skarla scratched her chin thoughtfully.
"It says here that they are both Level 10." - Letiphia narrowed her eyes.
"Yes, I feel that barrier in them. But Senah has that barrier quite weakened, probably some passive skill effect or… something more special." - Skarla was scratching her chin thoughtfully, as Senah attracted a lot of her attention.
"Are you going to recruit her?" - Gakai asked, looking at the victorious warrior's back. - "I liked her; I wouldn't mind having her as a sister."
Letiphia and Viper gave her an unpleasant look. - "What is it? A strong and talented warrior deserves to have children with someone even more talented. Skarla needs many wives so that we can have a strong family that will last for millennia!" Gakai did not back down.
"Don't talk nonsense. Quantity means nothing in terms of children." Letiphia snorted.
"If you don't want her, I want her." Makaulu said. - "A young and strong warrior, she will give many strong children. She also has orc and troll blood; I heard from my ancestors that few are born because the compatibility in terms of fertility of our races is not very good."
"Hey. Enough!" Skarla decided to stop this subject. - "She is a woman and a person; the decision of who to stay with is entirely hers. We cannot discuss who she will stay with, as if we have the right to do so. If you want her, Makaulu, go ahead and seduce her, but do not force her with authority or my name; that is not how we work."
His eyes fell on Gakai. - "She is too young for my tastes. I am surprised by her strength, and I certainly want her as one of my subordinates. But I don't feel good enough to take her as a woman."
"And what does her age matter? I think she's even older than Holga. Not to mention that you've already fucked Sasha." - Gakai snorted, and Skarla rolled her eyes.
"That's beside the point. Don't make decisions for others and… I think the first round is about to end; no Level 14s have faced each other. Any reason?" - Skarla raised an eyebrow.
"Nobles. Most of them recruited the Level 14s; the ones that weren't recruited are apparently under the care of merchant groups and decided not to fight. Not to mention that few are in the tournament's age range." - Letiphia said calmly.
…
The fights continued to occur, where much blood was spilled.
Hackel Zenirys also fought, using a disguise that Skarla saw, but his opponent didn't.
She used the manifestation of Mana, a technique she learned studying under Skarla, something close to Aura, which made many believe she was a Master (Level 15) in disguise.
"She's not Level 15." - Skarla's voice reverberated, enough to attest to Hackel.
Hackel naturally won his fight easily; his opponent didn't even stand a chance.
A number of individuals attracted significant attention, and among them, Sasha recognized a familiar face. Her brother, Aaron Revenor. One of the few Level 14 who was fighting and probably one of the favorites to win.
He faced off against an older opponent, a Wandering Knight who had lost his lord a long time ago. Known as Douglas, the Dishonored.
Aaron won without even trying. Douglas didn't stand a chance because he lacked magic items, and apparently his former lord didn't give him decent martial techniques to learn.
...
As night fell, several guests arrived at the City Lord's mansion. All fighters, regardless of their victory or defeat, arrived at the City Lord's mansion.
Only the fighters had permission to enter. Numerous nobles attempted to extend invitations to themselves by sponsoring individuals to attend the banquet, but faced rejection.
The invitation was made after each fight. A soldier handed the invitation to these fighters. Of course, not everyone was invited, as they were the ones who did not attract Skarla's attention, but 95% of the victors were invited, and only 2/3 of them came.
The banquet halls began to fill up. Everyone could interact, but they wondered why the invitation was made.
Many of those present here had been adventuring under Letiphia's command to purge the demons during the invasion. These individuals wondered what would happen next, if it would be another recruitment.
Perhaps the wedding event had additional motivations. Curiosity was high.
…
At the banquet there was a group of orcs who had been fighting, those who came from the mountains.
"Are you Toru?" - A calm voice sounded, and the young orc devouring a large piece of meat stood up when he was called.
"And you are?" - Toru didn't mind being rude, looking at a tall, red-haired woman with scars all over her body.
"You defeated my brother, so I wanted to meet you because we will meet in the next fights." - The redhead smiled as she took the meat from Toru's hand, taking a big bite. - "I'm Keli; it's good to remember my name!"
"Humph!" - Toru snorted, but he was looking at her intently, liking what he saw.
Keli caught Toru's gaze and laughed. - "I see you're liking what you see, but if you want to touch me, you'll have to defeat me."
"Then it shall be so!" - Toru was confident; Keli laughed as she bit the meat, stepping back.
Toru looked at her butt; a hand touched her shoulder. - "You've been getting a lot of attention, little pup."
Humph!
Snorting, Toru waved her arm to push the hand away. - "Don't touch me, Goum, and don't call me that."
"Don't be like that, little pup. All these years, it was me and my mother who took care of you. So, what do you think about us playing with that flaming hair?" - Goum licked his lips.
"No. The laws here don't work like that." - Toru snorted.
"Fuck it! We're strong, and who can say anything against us?" - Goum snorted, and another young orc nodded.
"Against me. I am the son of Ilyria, not you." - Toru snorted in disdain.
Goum narrowed his eyes. - "I didn't know you were proud of that fact now. I remember you dreaming of the day you would meet again, to open your mother's skull."
"Things change. My mother is strong, and so is my stepmother. Stop being shameful and eat. Don't shame the mountains."
"Your stepmother." - Goum laughed disdainfully. - "Just a runaway bitch. I highly doubt that's all-" - His words stopped when his knees went weak, blood leaking from his nostrils. Toru hurriedly held him back in confusion, and other orcs also approached to understand.
"Does anyone else have plans to insult me?" - A calm voice sounded, and several orcs shivered in terror, looking at the tall, cold-eyed figure.
"He deserved it, not recognizing his place." - Toru said, lowering his head, the only one who wasn't afraid; he had already accepted it.
"Goum, right?" - Makaulu, who had learned of what had happened through telepathy and was nearby, looked at the corpse of the young orc. - "He doesn't deserve the honors of an orc warrior, daring to shame the mountains and going against Skarla's name."
…
The orc area was teeming with conflict, prompting many to inquire about the events following the fall of a young orc, the appearance of Skarla, and the subsequent removal of the orc. Some of the more experienced ones knew that he was dead.
After taking care of the situation, Skarla calmly began to interact with the people nearby. Start with Aaron.
"Mrs. Skarla." - Aaron respectfully lowered his head as he took Skarla's hand and kissed the back of her hand.
It's surprising that, for such a powerful warrior, her hands are so beautiful and delicate. Aaron was a little speechless, as he hadn't expected such a beautiful and strong hand.
"Mr. Aaron, it's wonderful to meet you. I apologize for the headaches I've been causing you and your father. Also, my condolences for your loss." - Skarla had a calm look on her face.
"I appreciate your kind words. As for the headaches, there's nothing to worry about; everything has been taken care of. We couldn't bring anyone with us; otherwise, I would have brought my wife to meet her; she's a big fan." - Aaron smiled slightly.
"A shame indeed. But I had to do this, as I want the fighters to have some time to drink and eat without worrying about pressure from others. There are many incredible commoners among these rare gems here. As hostess, I have to keep their heads on straight." - Skarla smiled slightly as she looked around, many curious people paying attention to what she was saying.
Many understood that this banquet was not simply to discuss business without the attention of the rich and powerful, but rather a means of protecting the fighters. Many of them had no affiliation and were subject to pressure from their superiors.
The majority of these illiterate people would not know how to decline noble invitations without Skarla's invitation.
Aaron understood, smiling slightly. - 'Does she have any hatred towards the nobles? No, I wouldn't say that. I believe she is simpler, only caring about herself and those around her.' - He thought about Skarla's actions and how everything looked.
"That's very kind of you. But I apologize if I'm being rude. Where is my sister? I wanted to talk to her." - Aaron smiled.
"Sasha is resting. She was recently discovered to be pregnant. I sent a letter to her family, as I didn't expect you to personally attend the event to honor her. I believe I asked someone to send you a letter; I don't know if you received it." - Skarla smiled and Aaron frowned.
"Unfortunately, I didn't hear such news, but I'm happy. I'll ask some servants to prepare some gifts for my sister, to congratulate her on her pregnancy. A very happy deed." - Aaron laughed happily.
"Well, I believe you have many guests you need to talk to; I won't waste any more of your time. In fact, I apologize; as I will have to leave, I will prepare a gift for my future nephew immediately."
"No problem; have a safe trip back." - Skarla smiled, and Aaron walked away.
Aaron bit his lip, furious at how Skarla was teasing him. Little did he know that this was a misunderstanding. Skarla had indeed sent him handwritten letters to inform him of the act, but he left his house before the letter arrived, and due to a lack of efficient communication, he was unable to receive the information that a letter had arrived from Skarla.
And since his servants would not dare to open such an important letter and he would soon be meeting with her, there was no urgency to inform him about the matter.
Skarla sent him another letter after observing Aaron's lack of reaction to his sister's pregnancy, leading her to believe that he had not received it. One of her guards received the letter, but he didn't recognize the sender and instead tucked it away among many others.
As a nobleman, Sasha's brother, he received many letters and invitations; his guards were already fed up with this, as was Aaron himself. As a result, everything was piled up so that Aaron could look at them whenever he had time.
So Skarla is not guilty of anything.
…
After Aaron, Skarla was quite kind to the other participants, no matter how rude they were to her. They are fighters from various parts of the continent, as well as tribal and ignorant individuals.
No one tried to harass her; Skarla's intimidating presence was enough to stop the drunken crowd from doing anything.
Soon, Skarla came across a young man sitting and drinking wine. - "It was a good fight." - She said.
"Oh? Yes... thank you." - Zang blushed, standing up in a hurry.
"No need to get up. I see the healers didn't do such an exceptional job. Maybe I should talk to them." - Skarla smiled slightly, being really disappointed with the performance of this healing.
"It's not necessary. I'm fine; it's just muscle pain. Senah's blow was very deep, and as an archer, receiving blows of that magnitude is not the most desirable." - Zang laughed as he rubbed his head.
"Indeed. But you performed very well for your combat style." - Skarla smiled.
"You praise me a lot. But if it's not rude of me, could I ask, Why was I invited? I was defeated." - Zang lowered his gaze.
"You have talent, boy, that's why. I'm sure you received many invitations after your fight." - Skarla smiled slightly.
Zang looked embarrassed and said. "Unfortunately, I didn't receive any. The people here don't seem to like me very much. But I think it's because of my bow; I've never heard of knights being archers." - He laughed awkwardly.
Skarla stared at him calmly. - 'Prejudice? I've seen dozens to hundreds of Asians around; I doubt that's it. Maybe the bow isn't seen as a good weapon for knights."
"It's a shame to hear that, but someone with your skills is certainly wanted. If you weren't invited by anyone, it only indicates that you're blind. Well, I won't have much more of your time; enjoy the banquet and drink; you can spend the night at the mansion if you wish." - Skarla stepped back, and Zang nodded. He wanted to say something but preferred to remain silent.
…
"Hello!" - A deep, feminine voice sounded, catching Skarla's attention.
"Oh, hello. I've been looking for you, Senah." - Skarla smiled as she extended her hand. Senah shook it. - "It's an honor to meet you!" - She said.
"I'm glad; I'm honored too. I didn't expect to meet someone like you so soon, even though I've heard many stories about your people." - Skarla smiled, not lying.
She read about the various races and knew that Trorcs are rare, as there is a major incompatibility between their species. Although fertility is low, time and the will to try are abundant in sex.
During perhaps one of the many orgies, there was a pregnancy; a child was born, and when it grew up, it was very strong, having the best of both worlds. Since the first Trorcs began to explore the world, their race has become quite infamous for being abnormally powerful and full of advantages.
"Since you came to meet me in person, it means you have something to tell me, right?" - Skarla asked, smiling, since she was the one who came to her first.
"Yes. You are very strong, right?" - Senah asked in an intense tone.
"Yes."
"How strong?"
Skarla took a moment to reflect before speaking. - "To this day, I have only met 1 individual who is apparently stronger than me, a demigod. But apart from that one, I've never met any opponent on his level." - She laughed.
"The Black Dragon?" - Senah asked.
"Gojira isn't at that level, much less a threat to me." - Skarla laughed.
"Would you beat the Black Dragon?" - Senah seemed surprised.
"With one hand behind your back." - Skarla said confidently.
"Really?" - Senah asked more intensely.
"Yes."
"…" - Senah narrowed her eyes, then nodded. - "Would you accept me as your wife?"
"…" - It was Skarla's turn to remain silent, the others astonished by her boldness. Skarla was not surprised, as she was only the fifth rude woman to ask to be her wife; as for men, the number had already exceeded 10.
"Do you think you are worthy of being by my side?" - Skarla smiled, testing the young woman.
Senah remained silent. - "Not yet. But you are very strong, and I want your children. If I win, can I be your wife?"
"If you win, you will automatically be my wife." - Skarla laughed, knowing that would not happen.
Senah is strong, but there are others much stronger and more equipped than her. But her words were a powerful motivator for the young woman. - "Wait, I'll win!"
"You can stay at the mansion if you want to spend the night. Every night there will be a banquet to celebrate the fights." - Skarla said as Senah turned around, she nodded and went to get something to eat.
…
Amidst the hours spent talking, someone asked a very relevant question. - "Mrs. Skarla, do you already have in mind which disciples you will accept?"
"I have many options." - Skarla was vague in her answer. Currently, a sizable circle has emerged, with numerous individuals narrating tales and others attentively listening. Skarla, who was interacting with them, was asked questions in the midst of this.
"A specific amount? Better. How many disciples do you plan on accepting?"
"My resources are limited. If I'm going to accept disciples, it will be with the aim of making them as strong as possible so as not to embarrass myself. So at the moment I can only accept 10 disciples." - Skarla smiled slightly.
"Do you already have some future disciples in mind? I didn't see her recruiting anyone."
"Among everyone present, I can say that 5 caught my attention, but I want to see more of them in future fights before I make my decision."
"How strong do you hope to make your disciples?" - A woman asked; she is Hackel, the princess in disguise, using the same name.
She said she was smiling. - "Regardless of whether it is Level 10 or 14, with a minimum of 2 years of training, I can make you as strong as a master, probably even stronger."
Her words made the eyes of many fill with desire.
"Are your techniques that powerful? If they are, why teach them to strangers?" - Asked a very polite young man, who appeared to be noble.
"For fun. I am strong and arrogantly say that only a demigod can be a challenge for me." - Her words shocked everyone. - "So I want to create some little monsters to irritate other monsters so that they will come to me in the future. One thing I say with confidence is that all my disciples will be powerful enough to do whatever they want in these lands in at least a decade."
Skarla waved her hand in a direction as she spoke, and someone was coming. Calah, one of her wives, was there.
"Why did you call me?" Calah asked, smiling and leaning on her wife's shoulder. Skarla smiled and grabbed her by the butt, without any shame.
"This is Calah, my wife. She is also a Level 10 Alchemist." - Skarla smiled, and everyone listened attentively. - "Who wants to fight her?"
Her words took everyone by surprise. Calah rolled her eyes. - "I won't use my potions, no weapons, just fists." - She smiled confidently.
Everyone was silent. - "She learned my techniques less than a year ago. Before she was a pretty standard alchemist, now she is quite special."
Calah walked forward confidently. - "So, who wants to beat up a weak alchemist?" - She stuck out her tongue, but no one volunteered to fight, until…
"I want to!" - Toru went ahead.
Everyone was surprised by the young orc's advancement. - "I saw how strong my mother became after becoming your wife. I want to know what the difference is between those you teach." - Toru's gaze was intense.
"I hope Ilyria doesn't get upset at me for beating her son." - Calah laughed, and Toru frowned.
…
They opened a space where everyone could watch the fight.
Toru and Calah stood face to face. Toru got into a fighting stance, and Calah looked relaxed.
"Start!" - Skarla shouted, and both advanced towards each other.
Toru didn't like Calah's relaxed stance. He punched fiercely, and she had no plans to attack yet. The fist shot out towards her face, but she dodged it easily.
Soon Toru began a barrage of attacks, roaring, and one of the punches finally landed. Calah raised her defense, and her body was lifted; she landed calmly a few meters away. - "Wow! You hit almost as hard as your mother. I think I'll stop playing around." - Calah laughed and shot forward.
Toru growled and had no plans to stop his attacks. Calah deftly moved to his left and promptly struck his liver with a powerful blow. Toru's eyes widened as he felt the impact.
Calah doesn't seem to be that strong, but he believes that this was one of the heaviest punches he has ever received in his life.
The moment he spent thinking was when Calah laughingly delivered a punch to his stomach with her other fist, forcing him to retreat several steps.
Toru growled, clenched his fist, and fiercely punched Calah. She reacted and nullified the attack with her palms. Then, as if it were an aura, an energy manifested from her body, taking everyone by surprise.
BOOM!
An explosion resounded, and Toru was thrown out. Falling to the ground.
"You are a Master!" - He shouted, shocked, even irritated, thinking he had been tricked.
"Nope!" - Calah denied, laughing adorably. - "I am level 10, there are only a few thousand to Level 11."
"Impossible!" - Someone from the audience shouted, and others agreed.
"She is level 10." - Skarla reaffirmed, who would dare say she was lying?
"Skarla has learned from me in the last few months. She is my wife, so I taught her my highest level techniques, but know that this is not even the extent of her full strength." - At Skarla's words, Calah smiled and raised a hand, and droplets of air appeared in the air, shocking everyone.
"Water Element Aura?" - Someone asked.
"Something similar. I won't go into details, but I have methods that, regardless of your level, you can unlock something very similar to Aura, with even more power. At level 15, this power would evolve even further, allowing you to even go head to head against some of the weaker Legends." - Her words were absurd to be heard or believed.
"This is what you are challenging yourselves for. The 10 who attract my attention the most will be able to reach unimaginable heights. Naturally, there will be rules and restrictions to learning such a thing, but I believe it will be for the best."
Skarla stood up. - "Enjoy your stories and the banquet. You can spend the night if you want; just don't go to places you shouldn't. Good night, everyone, and don't overdo it. There are more fights tomorrow."