Conqueror

The remaining contenders were brought down to the underground of the arena where a table of food was waiting for us. 

Our escort then said, "Take a seat, enjoy the feast and about an hour from now we will continue the trials. We can just let you continue the trials but our spectators can not. So just enjoy the rest for now. I'll leave you be with these guards."

The other members we have as an allies earlier rushed down to their seats and immediately feasted on the food. I sat down next to Zeta and across Mizuki. I took some food on my plate even though I don't need it. I encouraged Zeta to at least eat to reduce the stress piling up on him.

I looked over to Mizuki to take a good look at him. For a man he has a clear skin and eats incredibly small amounts. He's feminine despite his name. I was the first to strike up a conversation with him,

"Hey."

"What?" Mizuki asked.

"I just wanted to ask, where'd you learn your swordsmanship?"

"From my master."

"I see. Where are you from?"

"The south."

"The south...?" In Earth, Japan is in the East. And as I remember... when the king of Itz gave me the Katana that is now on Precia's hands, he said that I knew people of the south? Hmm... Well this isn't the same world as Earth so it's obvious that there'll be some changes especially in the culture and the new locations. But it seems that their culture is the same. Seeing how Mizuki is wearing a... wait. "Is that a Yukata?"

"Yes. You know of it?" Mizuki then was silent for a second. "Are you really not a people of the south as you said?"

"I told you, I'm not. I'm just knowledgeable about the people of the south. But... If you're wearing a Yukata doesn't that mean that you're a wo-"

Mizuki reached for her blade as fast as she can and pointed it at me. "Silence." With an angry and dark face.

The guards on the side tried to intervene but I just stopped them by raising my hand. I looked back on Mizuki. "Alright."

Mizuki then sighed heavily and crossed her arms. "I told my dad to not make me wear a yukata. He said it'd be fine since no one would know."

"I was actually joking on you being a woman. Males wear yukata too."

"Ah-" 

It seems that she forgot. "Pfft-" I held back my laughter because if I laugh, I feel like I'm gonna die here today.

With a pout on her face she said, "I really hate you." She then took off the string tied on her hair and let her hair fall down. Her hair was neither short or long, just around her shoulders. I guess there's no need to keep my gender a secret anymore.

"Why?"

"I don't like it when I get judged because I'm a female."

"I see." So that's why she introduced herself as Hidetaka Mizuki. It sounds like a normal name but in Japanese, they pronounce full names inverted, so her first name is Mizuki and last name Hidetaka.

"Are you sure you're fine using your first name as other people call you?"

"I don't mind it."

Well the caster in this trial calls her Mizuki pretty much all the time. Maybe she introduced herself as a person from the south so they thought that her last name is Mizuki. But she doesn't mind it so there's that. "I see."

"So?"

"So... what?"

"You talked to me so I'm guessing you need something. What is it?"

"Oh yeah I forgot. Well I just wanted to ask, if you could teach me your swordsmanship."

Her face suddenly turned dark. "What..?"

A bustling crowded roar was then heard outside. There were some slight tremors that we could feel here underground.

One of the guards approached us. "It's time. The break has ended. We'll escort you back upstairs."

"Oh." It seems that my intuition is correct. "We'll follow."

"Hey." Mizuki then called out to me. "Don't take my swordsmanship like it's easy to mimic." She then stood up and went ahead first. It seems that I put her in a bad mood. Even though she's in a bad mood, she still moves with grace. I need to check out where she lives. That's where I currently lack, swordsmanship.

I followed the guards up and up and I couldn't help but notice that Zeta is silent these past few hours now. He's deep in his thoughts trying to formulate more and more strategies is what I'm guessing. Well I'm panicking too since Greta's life is in our hands. But I need to keep composed since panicking won't do much in this situation.

We went ahead and got back to where the arena was and it seems that the crowd is still in high spirits. 

Teral hyped up the crowd some more, "Let me hear some shouts everyone!" Teral then showed his ear to the crowd and it got even more hyped. "It seems that everyone is still lively after the break! And oh, it seems that a lot more people has come here and more VIPs have arrived. It seems that the rookies of today has garnered the attention of high ranking officials here at the sky island yeah!? This is going to be fun!"

Teral snapped his fingers and the arena changed again. "This is the plains, the wilderness. And the goal for this is to survive. You are tasked to kill all monsters in the plains that will appear out of nowhere! So... for our first wave... Basilisks!"

"Basilisks... you say?" Zeta suddenly spoke.

"Ah-" This is dangerous. If he suddenly wrecks havoc here, we wouldn't be able to get the Flower of Zaratria. "Hey Zeta, calm down. We don't want to get disqualified."

"No I won't. These goddamned monsters. These monsters are the ones that made Greta that way. I will have my revenge."

"The basilisk that did that to Greta is already dead. Just calm down for a moment, if you are to release a dangerous spell you will be disqualified and if we reach the final stage and you aren't there, the Flower of Zaratria will not be gained by me, I don't have a lot of points."

"Sorry Zieglind. But I need to do this. If you saw Greta's memory, you'll do the same. This is just one of the many steps I'll take for her. I will never forgive any basilisk in my entire life. And same with that person who keeps appearing everywhere."

"What do you mean?" Is he talking about... Ouroboros?

"ARGHHHH!!!" Zeta flew right at the sky and clapped his hands together. As soon as he brought his hands apart from each other, violent lightning appeared out of his hand. "Feel the fear you showed her. Multiply Magic, Thousand Lightning Rain!" Lightning blades appeared from the sky and began to multiply until it was uncountable. The skies were filled with lightning swords and all I could see was Zeta's calm face but an uncontrollable rage inside powering him up. "Die."

All of the lightning came falling down targeting the basilisk's body. Everytime it struck their bodies, the basilisk will jolt and be electrocuted and shriek in an intense pain. After Zeta's long and arduous torture on the basilisk, he sent out his final lightning swords straight through their heads killing them off completely.

The crowd was silent. Were they scared of Zeta because of his overwhelming power? But the crowds roared again when Teral spoke. "How unprecedented! A single contender, a single contender has completely beaten the third trial! With ease! This is amazing! Zeta completed the third trial in just ten minutes, that's definitely the fastest record of anyone completing this challenge! And with that Zeta just boosted up to 5,338 points! This is the first time that has ever happened on the history of the sky island. Ladies and gentlemen, today will be an unexpected and random day for our trials to be held! On we go to the fourth trial!"

Zeta flew back down to the ground. I was the one to strike up the conversation. "How many mana you have left?"

"I can still go on." He replied.

"You know you would've been disqualified? That was a dangerous attack."

"...Yeah. Apologies. I just felt like I need to prove to myself that I did something to help Greta in any way I can. The memories I've seen Greta that she forced to forget all came flowing down on her. It was unexpected and painful."

"I know that I haven't seen or heard anything about Greta's past but you need to understand that we have to keep a cool head. I know I've said this over and over again but if we lose here because of your emotions, rescuing Greta will become impossible. Stop acting like a child."

"Yeah... thanks Zieglind."

"As long as you understand."