Chapter 63

The four matches started simultaneously, but ours was the last to finish.

Of course.

It ended in a time-out.

My HP bar was down to about 20%.

My opponent's was probably below 30%.

I wonder if I should say that there was a significant gap, or that I fought well.

It's a tough call.

I gathered up the scattered equipment.

My opponent, Lumberjack, removed the scythe from his tonfa and handed me the tonfa.

"Excuse me. I'm Yuzo of the Lumberjack."

"Ah, thank you for picking it up. I'm Keith, the Summoner."

We shook hands.

He's a decent guy, unexpectedly.

Except for his name, Yuzo.

"Though it may sound strange, I learned a lot."

"No, no. You do your best in the next match."

"Thank you. Can I ask one more thing?"

"Yes."

"Are you really a Summoner?"

"Seems so?"

Why can't I say it with confidence?

Anyway.

When we returned to the center of the arena, we bowed to each other.

It seems we were the focus of the last match.

The applause didn't stop.

They were booing just a moment ago, weren't they?

"You're the kid from Orenu, aren't you? Stand over there."

To say the least.

When I left the arena, there was Lady Geruta right in front of me.

Attention, sir, yes, sir!

I stood where I was told.

It was like a carpet.

A faint light was emitted from the carpet-like object under my feet.

Some of the evil ant carapaces attached to my equipment were about to crack, but they were returning to their original state.

"Hand over the broken and damaged ones too."

"Yes."

I handed over the broken Kay's rod and the damaged tonfa.

She placed them on a cloth on another table and placed her hands on them.

They were repaired in no time.

Amazing, Lady Geruta.

"Normally, this is too much for wooden weapons. Be grateful."

"Yes, thank you."

"Quite an unusual way of fighting, as expected of Orenu's disciple."

"Hmm."

No.

Lady Geruta's gaze seemed fixed on something else.

Her gaze was on my master.

Was she talking to him?

"Well, how was it, Keith? Did you enjoy it?"

"It was okay."

"Considering the monsters, I thought you would do well enough against humans, but to this extent in the main tournament."

"Hmm."

My master's eyes were smiling.

But it was the mischievous smile of a naughty boy.

I'll give him a gut punch in my mind.

"Come with me. How about watching the matches from the VIP seats?"

"I'll go."

That's very kind of you.

The audience seats in this arena have been expanded, but they are all full.

If I can watch, I have no reason to refuse.

"Great! Quite a performance!"

"Thank you. I lost, though."

"What, making it to the main tournament is quite an achievement."

The guild master was also in the VIP seats.

My master sat in the seat next to him.

I stood by my master's side.

"There are some empty seats, you know?"

"No, this is fine."

Since it's the VIP seats, there's even a handrail in front.

If I sit, I won't be able to see clearly.

The audience's applause was loud.

The four players who advanced to the semi-finals had appeared.

One of them was Yuzo, whom I fought.

He had the same axe and shield combat style.

His opponent seemed to be an elf warrior with a bow and arrow.

In the other arena, there was a Fisherman.

He had a harpoon and a fishing net on his shoulder.

His opponent was a standard warrior.

Thinking about it, two out of the four are crafters.

Well, let's see how it goes.

"Begin!"

The matches started.

The results of both matches were quick.

Perhaps because of that, the arena had a somewhat dissatisfied atmosphere.

Fisherman vs. Fighter.

The match was over in an instant.

They dashed at each other at the start.

It looked like the fishing net would be thrown.

But it didn't happen.

The warrior's thrown dagger had pierced the Fisherman's shoulder along with the net.

The Fisherman seemed distracted by this.

He lost his opportunity to attack at the harpoon's range.

That was the reason for his defeat.

He was cut to pieces at the sword's range and the match ended.

Lumberjack vs. Elf.

This match seemed like it would be a long one.

The elf immediately built an earth wall and positioned himself on top of it at the start.

It was the same tactic used by my preliminary opponent.

If he could attack with arrows without taking damage, he would have won for sure.

But Lumberjack was an unexpected and exceptional man.

He started to break down the wall with his axe.

He broke down the wall while taking arrow attacks.

An impromptu staircase was forming at the edge of the wall.

All he had to do was climb it.

"Just one match left, huh?"

"A bit of a shame."

《You have a message from a friend.》

While I was listening to the conversation between the elderly, I received a message.

It was from Fina.

'Look down.'

Huh?

I peered down from the handrail.

There were Fina and the usual four members.

No.

Adele and Irena were talking to Mio.

They've increased in number.

Fina called out to me in a slightly louder voice.

"Keith, what are your plans after this?"

"I'll watch the final. After that, it's undecided."

"Then can I have your time? How about meeting at the hitching post outside?"

"Yes, that's fine."

I wonder what it's about.

Maybe it's about the matter I consulted her about before.

"Hey, it's about to start."

At my master's voice, I looked at the arena.

The first to enter was the warrior.

Sword and shield.

But he also used throwing knives in the previous match.

Looks can be deceiving.

Then Yuzo of the Lumberjack appeared with his axe in hand.

Cheers were thundering.

They were expecting a spectacular battle.

Whether it would turn out that way was questionable.

"Begin!"

At the start, cheers echoed like thunder.

Yuzo closed the distance in an instant.

The warrior didn't draw his sword.

He seemed to be trying to stop Yuzo by throwing several throwing knives.

But Yuzo didn't stop.

Stopping would have been pointless.

He charged in, bracing for damage.

That was the right move.

The warrior finally drew his sword.

A fierce close-quarters battle began.

A fierce exchange of slashes with both of them standing still.

The warrior was clearly trying to overwhelm Yuzo with the number of attacks.

He was also in the lead in terms of HP.

But it was all reversed in one blow.

Yuzo's axe hit the warrior's shield, missing it.

It struck the warrior's abdomen.

The match ended there.

Impressive.

A victory of sheer power.

The audience's excitement must have reached its peak.

"Well, let's go to the closing ceremony."

"Keith, what about you?"

"I have a prior engagement, so I'll take my leave."

"Hmm."

The guild master grabbed my master's arm and glared at me.

"Orenu, we need your summoned monsters to help clean up the arena. You can't run away."

"I won't run."

"Then it's fine. Keith, you'll be busy for a while. Come to my place in about three days."

"Yes."

"This is my disciple!"

"He's in my care now."

As usual.

They started pulling each other's beards.

I'll leave the scene to the middle-aged staff member and bow to him.

I was able to watch the matches from the VIP seats, so it was good.

Since I have a meeting with Fina and the others, it's better to leave here quickly.

When I went to the hitching post, someone was petting the body of Crescent Moon.

I know who it is, of course.

Fina and the others were all there, and Irena seemed to have spotted me immediately and nodded.

Adele was still admiring Crescent Moon.

That's my summoned monster!

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Sorry for calling you suddenly."

"No problem."

Fina's attitude seems the same as usual, but the others' attitudes are a bit off.

"Guilty"

"Guilty verdict!"

"Definitely guilty."

"I'll reserve my judgment. Keith, it's cruel to do that to a girl."

Huh?

Could it be about the second round?

It was involuntary.

But I can't stand this gaze.

Call me a lawyer!

"It's a hot topic, unfortunately."

"Men are so troublesome!"

"But the magic is even more problematic."

Ah, as I thought.

《You have a union request from player Fina. Accept?》

《You have a union request from player Irena. Accept?》

I received union requests from two of them.

I looked at their eyes.

It seems to be a secret conversation.

Of course, I accepted.

'Here isn't convenient. Let's move to the village of Legias and talk.'

'Understood.'

Well, I also wanted to consult them, so it's a good opportunity.

Yes, about obtaining a new magic system.

Fina and the others apparently came by carriage.

A covered carriage.

It was about half full.

They wanted to go to Legias early, so they decided to go now.

They would eat while moving.

The carriage's speed is, of course, more than twice as fast as walking.

But moving on Crescent Moon is even faster.

Sorry, Crescent Moon.

I want to let you run at full speed.

Adele had Mio, and Irena had Reina, riding behind the summoned horses while hunting.

Helix and Obsidian were helping with the hunt.

I won't let them idle.

The important part is the content of the whispers after finishing the portable food.

The spell I showed in the match.

According to Fina, it's "on fire."

What part?

The bulletin board, apparently.

I don't usually pay much attention to the bulletin board, but it's like that.

If it's just the bulletin board on fire, it's fine.

But inquiries have already come to Fina.

It seems I've been standing out since the service started.

And today's match.

What was that spell?

How did you get lightning magic, wood magic, and ice magic?

Why wasn't the information disclosed until now?

That's what it seems.

No, I didn't intentionally hide the information.

I don't even know how I got it in the first place.

There's also a lot of buzz about the tonfa-related stuff.

Fina's expression when I mentioned it was a wry smile.

And the best bout vote.

There's a movement to vote for the second round I fought.

I don't get why they would vote for that, but the joint lock I used is called "embarrassing hold" on the bulletin board.

Fina's expression when talking about this was stern.

No, is that my fault?

"Is my intuition getting dull?"

Fina says this about the new magic, but I think it would have happened sooner or later.

If I had announced it at that point, it would have just caused confusion without any verification.

While moving along the road, I explained my situation.

The situation when I first obtained ice magic.

The situation when I obtained lightning magic and wood magic.

Considerations about the conditions for obtaining them.

The composition and effects of the spells of each attribute.

Obtaining the Spell Catalog title and the Fast Chanting auxiliary skill.

These are easy to talk about because there are records.

"That's strange."

"Huh?"

"There are a few players who have obtained multiple elemental magics. I only have light magic and earth magic."

She directed her gaze at Saki.

"In fact, I have light magic, fire magic, and water magic, and earth magic. I just got earth magic to level 4 recently."

"There should be some reports if mages have obtained them."

"I think Keith's theory about there being some other trigger is correct."

"But without verification, we can't post anything on the bulletin board, can we?"

Saki grunted.

She seems to be concerned about something.

"I think it's not bad to disclose what we know so far."

"That's the dilemma."

"Even if the conditions for obtaining are not confirmed, disclosing the spell lists of each magic would be a good way to let off steam, wouldn't it?"

Fina started to grunt.

Saki is trying to persuade her.

Should I back her up?

"If you like, I'll help too."

"See, Fina. If Keith is willing to help, shouldn't we do it?"

Fina is still grunting.

"Are you really okay with it?"

"Yes."

Is she pressing the point?

But it's too late now.

If I can enjoy it in the game, that's enough.

"Alright."

She gave instructions to Saki.

"There are some players in our Players' Guild who might meet the conditions."

"I'll talk to them. This evening? Or tomorrow?"

"Depends on Keith's schedule."

"My schedule is fine."

"Okay. How about gathering the players who meet the conditions in the village of Legias?"

"Please. And, Keith, can you help with posting on the bulletin board?"

"No problem."

From there, we created the content to post and proofread it together.

We posted it on the spell-related thread.

We posted it around the forest lookout tower.

What will the reaction be?

Well, I shouldn't worry about it.

I'll just keep going at my own pace as usual.

Fina's carriage is moving slowly, according to my sense.

That means there's room for hunting.

I selected and summoned a stray horse.

There seem to be two stray horses in a different direction.

Let's summon one for now.

'Adele, and Irena. Can you handle a stray horse?'

'Huh?'

'We haven't done it alone before.'

'One is coming this way. Try hunting it.'

'Huh?'

'Just the two of us?'

'I'll intervene if it looks too difficult. And there are helpers behind you.'

Mio and Reina should be able to hear this whisper too.

I don't think they'll fall behind.

'We haven't beaten a stray horse before!'

'It always escapes.'

I looked at Fina and Saki.

Please back me up.

'If we get more wild horse hides, we can make new leather armor.'

'Why not? Go earn them.'

Is that backing me up?

Adele and Irena are making sour faces, but they don't seem to refuse.

Good.

It should be coming soon.

The stray horse that leaped out of the forest was level 5, a bit strong.

But it shouldn't be a problem.

Adele and Irena focused on riding, and Mio and Reina chased the stray horse with a spear and bow.

The attacks from Tiger Mii and Hawk Skyeye were added.

They can handle it well.

Basically, if you stop and knock it down, the rest is easy.

And you mustn't let it stand up.

Especially, Mio's spear attack from horseback is very effective.

The stray horse's HP bar is visibly decreasing.

It seems to be just a matter of time before they finish it off.

Should I summon another one?

We hunted four stray horses on the way to the village of Legias.

Of course, I also participated in the middle of it.

Taking turns, it was a good practice battle.

When Fina and the others saw me finish off the stray horse by twisting its head, they were a bit taken aback.

Adele and Irena are used to it.

Impressive.

And when they defeated the fourth one, they leveled up.

《You have leveled up in [Summoning Magic] with this battle victory!》

Oh.

I can now summon an eighth new monster.

This is very good news.

I'll summon it before the night hunt.

The problem is that I haven't decided what to summon.

It's a very difficult decision.

Main Character: Keith

Race: Human, Male, Race Level 8

Occupation: Summoner (Summoner) Level 7

Bonus Points Remaining: 11

Set Skills:

Staff Level 6, Striking Level 4, Kicking Level 4, Joint Locks Level 4, Throwing Level 4

Evasion Level 4, Guarding Level 4, Summoning Magic Level 8 (↑1)

Light Magic Level 3, Wind Magic Level 4, Earth Magic Level 4, Water Magic Level 4

Fire Magic Level 3, Dark Magic Level 3, Ice Magic Level 1, Lightning Magic Level 1

Wood Magic Level 1

Alchemy Level 4, Pharmacist Level 3, Glassworking Level 3, Carpentry Level 3

Coordination Level 6, Appraisal Level 6, Identification Level 6, Insight Level 2, Cold Resistance Level 3

Grasping Level 5, Horsemanship Level 5, Precision Operation Level 6, Jumping Level 2

Heat Resistance Level 3, Climbing Level 3, Dual Wielding Level 3, Mental Fortitude Level 3

Fast Chanting Level 2

Equipment:

Kay's Rod x2, Kay's Tonfa x2, Snow Leopard's Hidden Claws x3

Wild Horse Leather Armor +, Snow Monkey Arm Guards, Wild Horse Boots +

Snow Monkey Leather Helmet, Wild Horse Belt +, Backpack, Item Box x2

Items:

Skinning Knife, Carpentry Tools

Titles:

Apprentice of the Old Summoner, Proof of Forest Guardian, Seeker of Moderation

Spell Catalog

Summoned Monsters:

Volf, Wolf Level 6, Resting

Crescent Moon, Horse Level 4

Helix, Hawk Level 4

Obsidian, Owl Level 4

Jean, Bat Level 4, Resting

Jerrick, Wood Golem Level 3, Resting

Guardian, Oni Level 2, Resting