THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

"So, how do you want to do this?"

"What?" They seem surprised. Did they think I would beg for my life?

"You want to all come at me or one by one. I don't mind either way."

"Haha…Hahaha! You think you can take all of us on by yourself?! So hilarious!"

"Look at him acting all confident!"

"Just because you are a named doesn't mean shit to us, you know?! You are just a titanie! A fucking slave trying to act like a-"

Seeing as the third one is feisty; I shoot him with a crescent bullet and the explosion covers all of them. The blue light shining among the smoke indicates me that he got teleported back though. Those bracelets really reduce our power. Normally, all of them would have been disabled by that bullet.

"It really was the same that day as well.. Though they weren't as talkative as you guys."

"Fucking slave!"

The other two pounce on me and reduce the distance between us in seconds. The first extends his hands like he is about to use a script while the second raises his mace above his head. I don't see the point though.

"Fir-"

"Tita-"

Before they can unleash whatever they wanted to, I slice their heads. Or I tried to. They both got teleported before I could hit them. I am sorry for you guys but you really came at the worst timing. I wasn't in the mood for games. I have put more strength into my strike because of the bracelet's restriction but it seems it was unneeded.

"Those things are annoying. Anyway. That's three guys. I guess we won with this." I suddenly hear an explosion. "Or not." Let's go and see what is happening there.

***

At the scene of the explosion, I find two guys blocking the path for Cordel and Derkheil. Cordel being our catcher means he can't openly fight since if he is wounded or touched somehow, we lose. Though, he could just use his special script and be done with it. I wonder why he is hesitating so much.

Derkheil is the one fighting against those two. He is handling himself quite well so maybe I can just watch for a while. I stay in the air and cross my leg while watching.

"You guys are nothing much. I thought you won because you were strong."

"You are just a fucking cheater! That's all!"

"Yeah, stop hopping around already!"

Derkheil's strategy is simple but effective. To constantly move around while attacking them with scripts. Although he has a hard time aiming while they are targeting him, at least they can't easily harm him that way.

The only problem is his stamina. For somebody like Esteressa, such a strategy would work but, in his case, he won't last long. Which means that this is a diversion.

And indeed, while he is keeping them busy, I notice that Cordel has already moved and is gone. That was fast. Though now, he is alone, if he encounters somebody else, it is going to be hard. Though, I don't think he will. For a while, he manages to fend them off but everything has an end.

"Those guys are so weak. I wonder how they got all the way here." And why the fuck is Derkheil wasting time with them like this?

I launch a crescent bullet on them from above and as it explodes, two lights dimly illuminate the forest. Finally, so peaceful and quiet.

"You fucking!! Why did you steal my preys?! I was going to win this!"

Derkheil starts yelling at me from the ground. Well, I am above the forest so let's pretend I don't hear him.

"GAOOO!!!" All of sudden, a roar resounds in the forest.

"I can't believe it." Again? There is another one here?

I fly in direction of the sound and as I arrive, I find Cordel being cornered by a gnoll.

"GAOO!!"

"Fuck!"

It punches a tree near Cordel's position and sends it in the air like nothing. This one isn't an alpha but still, it seems strong. I guess we can finally enjoy ourselves.

"Let's work out a bit."

I fall on it and strike its forearm. The combo of a sharp raizen plus physical and wind Angas enters deep enough into its flesh for its blood to flow out.

"GAOOO!!!"

"Kevin?!!"

The gnoll tries to grab me with its other arm but I use Disperse and land on its shoulder, behind him.

"You aren't as strong as I thought. Though, you will make for a great warm-up."

I thrust my blade into its shoulder then leave while it screams and whittles in pain.

"GAOOOOO!!!"

It is stronger than the one I encountered when I was traveling with Anriette but definitively weaker than the alpha I met. As I land near Cordel, he immediately grabs my shoulder.

"We must leave! Now!"

"Eh? Why?"

"That thing has swallowed the designated item. We can't beat it by ourselves. Let's join the others first and devise a new plan."

"You can't or we can't?"

"Look! This is not the time to-"

"GAOOO!!"

Breaking in our conversation, the gnoll grabs a tree and launches it at us with great strength. I evade it by jumping; but as if it was all planned out, the gnoll fires his earth ball at me. well, it got the basic knowledge down at least. That's good.

I use Disperse and land near the gnoll, ready to strike again. It raises his big arms and slams the ground so hard it breaks all over, raising blocks of earth everywhere.

I am projected in the air by the impact but still, I manage to evade some thrown rocks. This guy is really going at it. I don't know why he is here but he sure makes a mess of the place.

"GAOO!!"

"You said it swallowed the item, right?"

"What?!!" Cordel who also got caught in the blast, is in the air like me. Though in his case, it isn't voluntarily. We both land at the same time and jump backward.

"The item. It swallowed it, right?"

"Yes, fucking yes, it did." Cordel is sweating bullets. Is it from fear or exhaustion? I don't think he fought this gnoll for a long period of time, so I guess it must be from fear.

"Okay."

"GAOO!!"

The gnoll shoots another earth ball but I fly above the forest and then comes down, raizen in hand. Let's not waste too much time with this thing.

The scenario is the same as the previous one. My Angas-filled raizen is countered by the gnoll who is blocking it with its hand. The other one being wounded.

I thought it was the same but something feels different. Is it because I am bigger now, I don't feel as pressured as before. I am not afraid, nor am I desperate. Everything is clear in front of me and the gnoll's screams are loud but clear in my ears.

"Come on!! Just a bit more!"

"GAOO!!" As I am about to pierce its hand. The other one comes, trying to slap me from the side. Did it wait for that moment to hit me? That was a good tactic. I think. If I couldn't use Disperse, I am pretty sure I would be hit by its attack. Sadly for you, though…

I use Disperse and land behind him, right as its other hand passes by where I should have been. Now, your back and rear knee are exposed.

"Lumion." I slice off his rear knees then jump backward in case it tries to turn around. I am pretty sure using Lumion would have completely cut off its legs if I hadn't had this thing on.

"GAOOOOOO!!!" The gnoll screams like a beast about to die while falling forward but I don't give him the chance to know what hit him. Its screams are really loud after all.

I jump ahead and penetrates his skull with my raizen as deep as I can. it instantly stops moving as I do. Even the

"No fucking way." Cordel comes to me with the face of a ghost. He is so pale you would think he has seen death just now.

"Let's take that thing and leave." I place my hands on the gnoll's forearms and look at Cordel who is still stupefied. "Come on, a bit of help here."

"O-oh yes, yes." He comes and with his help, we roll over the gnoll then pierces its stomach.

"You are really something else, you know that?" Cordel grabs the time while looking at me with admiration and pride.

"Right."

The blue light engulfs us and when it stops shining, we are all back to the coliseum.

"KYAHH!!"

"Incredible!!"

"Legend! Legend!"

"Legend! Legend!"

The people are screaming, the warlord of whatever is on his knees, Frankher is smiling beautifully. Yup, everything is in order now.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of the 26th schools' tournament for the first event: THE ETERNAL ACADEMY!!"