Chapter 8 : Tournaments

To qualify for the ranking table, our hero must win three battles.

The very first match of the tournament pits Yukiko against an opponent specialized in evasion. This opponent, renowned for her incredible speed and ability to dodge attacks, had finished first during the second phase of the qualifiers. Unfortunately for her, Yukiko masters electric-type magic.

Right from the start of the fight, the opponent dashes towards Yukiko. Without the slightest hesitation, Yukiko sheathes her sword, clenches her fist, and delivers a devastating punch to her opponent's abdomen.

The impact creates a massive crater in the arena and ends the duel in just five seconds. The audience, stunned, can't believe it,the former tournament champion has just been eliminated with a single blow.

After this quick battle, Kimi steps into the arena. Her opponent possesses a "transparency" power, allowing him to turn invisible. The fight begins, and the opponent instantly vanishes. Kimi stands still, closes her eyes, then extends her arm to her right.

Clenching her fist, she brutally slams her invisible opponent to the ground, crushing his legs. The fight lasts only twenty seconds.

Sora, amazed by the power of his allies, nonetheless steps into the arena for his own battle. His opponent, of the "muscle" type, can increase the size and power of his muscles at will. The duel begins:

Sora draws his katana and rushes at his opponent. He leaps, but is violently thrown against a wall. As he struggles to get up, his opponent lands a series of brutal blows. Sora is down, on the verge of defeat.

That's when Yukiko and Kimi shout in unison:

— Don't give up!

— It's not over! Sora replies, getting back on his feet.

At that moment, the mysterious white lights that had appeared during a previous event reappear. Sora slowly advances toward his opponent, who, panicking, tries to attack. However, his blows have no effect. Sora then retaliates with a light strike,yet of phenomenal power.

The opponent is sent flying into the sky, scattering the clouds in his wake. Sora wins the fight, but collapses, unconscious.

Two days later, he wakes up, under the relieved gazes of Yukiko and Kimi. When he worries about the next fights, Yukiko explains that his opponents forfeited after witnessing the extent of his power.

However, Kimi noticed a troubling detail: at the moment Sora unleashed his power, its color changed, and his personality seemed different. He no longer seemed in control of himself.

Aware of the danger posed by his own strength, Sora asks Yukiko to help him control it. Unfortunately, Yukiko admits she knows nothing about it, as her own power is innate.

That's when Kimi mentions an A-rank adventurer, the only person she knows capable of mastering such power. The group sets off to meet this individual. When they reach his home, no one answers.

Kimi knocks on the door, and a huge, muscular man with a demonic aura appears. To everyone's surprise, Kimi walks up to him and pulls his ears.

— This man, she explains, is Isamu Kei.

Isamu Kei is part of the best team in the kingdom of Kaze Seiiki, 19-time consecutive winners of the Soldiers' Tournament. However, after their 20th victory, Isamu and his team decided to retire.

Sora's first training session involves learning to fully control his power. But Sora refuses, convinced his power is too dangerous. Isamu reassures him:

— You're not alone. Yukiko, Kimi, and I are here.

Reassured but still cautious, Sora prefers to see Isamu in action. Isamu agrees. He sits cross-legged, closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and murmurs:

— Kontororu.

A terrifyingly powerful aura radiates from him, hurling Sora against a wall. The force Isamu releases far surpasses Sora's. Sora then realizes he's still far from being as dangerous as he feared.

Isamu reveals:

— What you just saw is only a tiny fraction of what's to come. This power is nothing compared to the Thirteen Dakukomanda.

Intrigued, Sora immediately asks:

— Who are the Thirteen Dakukomanda?

Isamu explains that they are a secret organization whose goal is to gather all magical powers into a single individual. Their leader remains unknown, as do the identities of the thirteen members, called Dakokuman.

Their power is assessed based on their magical zone: the wider the zone, the more formidable their strength.

A former Soldier is even said to have fought one of the Dakukomanda…