Chapter 43

Two days passed.

The day of the first match of the martial arts tournament arrived.

"Here we are! The opening of the historic Imperial Capital Swordsmanship Tournament, now the Imperial Capital Comprehensive Martial Arts Tournament! This year, the rules have been updated, and the use of magic is now allowed! As a result, about half of the participants in the main tournament are mages!"

The announcer's voice, amplified by wind magic, echoed throughout the well-lit arena. Although the opening ceremony was formal, the tone was now much more casual, reflecting the entertainment aspect of the event.

"The conditions for defeat are the same as in previous years: inability to fight, leaving the arena, or declaring surrender. However, this year, there is an additional condition: the destruction of the protective charm!"

I took the intricate metalwork hanging from my neck in my hand. This charm, made of mithril, was designed to protect the wearer from magical damage to a certain extent and was provided by the tournament organizers. When it reached its limit, it would emit sound and light before self-destructing, signifying defeat. It was literally a charm to ward off disaster, not much different from what I had in my previous life. It was supposed to prevent fatalities, but I had my doubts about how effective it would be.

"Let's introduce the participants of the first match, a match of great significance. The prodigy of the renowned Lamprogh family, Seika Lamprogh!"

Amidst the cheers, I stepped onto the arena stage. Indeed, my first match was the very first match of the tournament. Whether this was good luck or bad, I wasn't sure.

"The participant from the Imperial Rodnea Magic Academy, a mage making an early appearance! At the tender age of eleven, she defeated the Elder Nut. She also placed third in the academy's entrance exam! A unique participant who doesn't use swords or staffs, but what kind of battle will she show us?"

I looked around at the audience. The stadium was surrounded by an oval of spectator stands, which rose high into the sky in tiers, filled with an incredible number of people. Eifa and Amu should be here, but I couldn't see them from this distance.

"And her opponent is from the Gals Mercenary Group! The mad dog with godspeed, Dennis Reagan!"

From the opposite side, a slender man, about eighteen or nineteen years old, stepped onto the stage. He wore leather armor and had a sword hanging from his belt. He also had a round shield on his left arm, clearly a swordsman. His eyes were also quite menacing.

"He is a pure swordsman, and one of the best in the Gals Mercenary Group! His speed is so fast that even an assassin-class adventurer would be no match! He is a former noble, exiled from the Reagan family due to his poor behavior, but he still uses his family name, perhaps to spite his family!"

"Hey, little lord."

The swordsman named Dennis spoke to me.

"I'm lucky too. It's not every day I get to beat a noble kid in my first match. Ah, you don't need to say anything. I know it's just resentment."

"The match between a mage and a swordsman is symbolic of this tournament! How will it unfold?"

"Mages are easy. They can't do anything without a front-liner. I can cut them down ten times before they finish their incantations."

"..."

"Today, I brought a sword with a sharpened edge just for you. I'll make you look a bit more manly before you leave. If you don't die, that is."

"..."

"My condition..."

"Huh?"

"My condition is actually not very good. I have a bit of a headache."

"..."

"Is that an excuse for losing?"

"No."

I declared.

"That's why I'll end it quickly."

Dennis spat and silently drew his straight sword.

"And now, the first match of the first round—begin!"

The whistle signaling the start of the match echoed.

"Die!"

Dennis kicked off the ground. He was fast, as confident as he was. The distance between us closed in an instant.

In a moment, his sword was drawn.

The fastest attack, a thrust, was aimed at my chest.

A precise strike.

But the tip of the sword caught not me, but a human-shaped figure.

"What!?"

I had teleported behind Dennis and attached the human-shaped figure to his back.

"Goodbye."

《Yang's Aspect—Art of Force Emission》

Dennis was sent flying. His body flew straight and broke through the barrier designed to prevent projectiles, stopping there. He didn't move at all.

"Wh... What happened? Dennis has left the arena! The winner is Seika Lamprogh! What just happened? Dennis's thrust was dodged in a blink, and the next moment, he was sent flying! It must have been some kind of magic..."

The medical team rushed to Dennis. He shouldn't die from that.

Still...

As expected, the charm didn't activate against Yin-Yang techniques. I had to be careful, as I could end up killing someone. The Art of Force Emission only adds kinetic energy to the target, but the power was greater than expected because I assumed it would be weakened by the charm.

Well, Dennis didn't seem to have any intention of holding back, so it's fine.

Amidst the cheers, I left the stage and returned to the backstage area.

"Seika-sama, how far do you intend to advance in the tournament?"

"Hmm..."

I hesitated to answer Yuki. I planned to win enough matches to stay in the tournament, as losing would prevent me from interfering in the matches...

"Maybe I'll decide later."

"While it's fine to be playful, Yuki thinks it's better not to stand out too much in such a place. Recently, Seika-sama seems to be a bit careless."

"I know, I know."

Actually, I've come to realize that there are quite a variety of magic in this world, so showing a bit of Yin-Yang techniques shouldn't be too strange... I thought.

After all, if someone thinks, 'He's using strange magic. This guy must have reincarnated from another world,' that would be even stranger.

So, as long as I'm not too strong, I don't think there will be a problem... but Yuki has a point. I'll be careful.

"And..."

Yuki said hesitantly.

"Even for Seika-sama, using too many techniques at once is worrying."

"No, it's necessary."

In fact, it was more important than the tournament.

※Art of Force Emission

A technique that adds kinetic energy to the target using yang energy. The direction of the force can be specified arbitrarily, regardless of the direction of the charm.