The next morning had arrived, so I left Mim asleep as I walked out.
I had made sure to leave the curtains open, for the sun to wake me up.
It should be around eight now. The clerk had told me to be there at ten.
I ate my breakfast, and asked the innkeeper to give Mim her breakfast around noon if possible.
"Are you sure? Will you let her sleep that long?"
"Yes... I guess that she needs it."
"Okay, I'll wake her up, and give her breakfast." He smiled while he picked up the empty plate in front of me.
"...if you want me to, I can tell you about the towns I'd visited..." I scratched the back of my head as I looked at the girl that peeked from behind the corner.
She is just the same age as Mim.
"Really... thank you!" she rushed behind the corner.
Her father leaned forward, and whispered,
"Are you sure about it?"
"Yes, really—it's no problem."
"Thank you, kid."
"Thank you for the nice food." I walked out of the door, en route to the arena.
"Good morning guards." I greeted the two guards at the entrance of the fighters' zone and showed one of them the plate I had received yesterday.
"Good morning—you can enter."
Before I even walked in, cheers reached my ears—I couldn't even hear the fighters talk.
Is that the crowd...?
They kept screaming for us to begin.
Are we even humans to them...
I walked into a separate room, where a lot of people were waiting—I recognized some from yesterday, but most of them were new faces.
Some tried talking to one another, while others sat in the corner by themselves, in silence—readying themselves.
I was one of them as no one came up to me, feeling their stares, along with whispers all around me—some called me a beast, and others a child they would love to fight.
Each man here was twisted in their own ways—though one thing was certain, everybody was here to win.
The first sixteen people to win five times in a row, would qualify for the next stage tomorrow.
That made the amount of people not matter anymore.
Those who lost had to leave, and those who were last were simply unlucky.
After all, even luck can be seen as a skill.
How long is left before the first fighters are called out? I looked around me once again, from size to age, from looks to behavior—everybody was different.
I'm curious about these people, how do they fight? I could see the equipment room, in the next room right before the arena entrance.
It held all kinds of weapons—even armor, different iron breastplates, and types of helmets.
I've never worn armor before, what does it feel like? Would it change the way I fight? Things I had never thought about were flooding my brain.
"....." The first names got called forward, but mine wasn't called yet.
I had hoped that I'd be done quickly... there are too many people here.
"Caleb won! Not even a exchange could bloom before his sword bludgeoned him—even through that armor of his."
"WHO IS THIS ANIMAL!" Was announced through the entire stadium, before even a minute passed.
I brought my hand to my chin, and as I looked at the stone floor I thought,
Did he not want to kill him—why else would he attack with the broadside? I lifted my head up again, and looked through the bars at the arena,
Wait... how does commentary here even work?
I couldn't help but tap my feet as I thought it over,
We have a lot to learn about this world—before we can integrate... I still have a lot to do before we can enjoy our new lives.
"Both fighters are leaving the arena—Caleb is already done! He has reached the five wins!"
Caleb should be amazing right—
"Tjer! Come forward! Show us that age does not matter to those who are strong!" I could hear my name echo through the entire stadium—I could feel my blade shake, but I wasn't afraid.
What is happening to me?... I stood up and walked over to the arena entrance, taking hold of a light breastplate, and a sword—similar to my dad's.
As my first foot touched the air, whispers already reached me,
"He is so small!" "He is going to die!" "How could they allow a kid to fight here!?"
"Indistinguishable from nobles—the eleven-year-old Tjer, the boy from who knows where! But one thing is sure, this boy is COURAGEOUS!"
"Will it be empty courage, or will he back this confidence! TJER WILL SHOW IT TO YOU!"
As if oil had been added to the brewing fire, the crowd went wilder, after learning of my age, while it was impossible to separate their words, one thing was uniform,
"He is walking into his death!", "He is too young for this!"
Those were the things everybody screamed.
"On the other side is a giant, the opposite of his small and appealing looking opponent. He calls himself... THE ROCK!"
As the man stood opposite of me, he said,
"Boy, you can still give up if you're too afraid."
"Thank you, the same for you."
"Hahaha, I don't have trouble with kids like you—so bring it on."
"They are already starting with their taunts!" The announcer screamed as the crowds changed their tone in a second, from worry to cheers.
I don't understand this place—at all...
"Are you guys ready to fight!?"
Both of us readied our stance. It was a sword he held, I had lucked out—it was my most familiar weapon.
He took a stance similar to those I could find among mercenaries or others in Kage. It was a rough style,
This should be easy for me.
"Let's BEGINNNN!!"
We flew forward, and a ring sounded as we met each other's blade in the middle.
"Let's finish this quick—right?!" He said through his smile.
"I agree."
He dealt the strikes while I deflected them—none came through, leaving himself wide open with each strike I deflected.
But for some reason, I couldn't hit him.
As if he knew what would happen.
But it was impossible—he should have been able to strike me, but he couldn't.
Why does everything feel slower? Even my defenses...
It was as if everything I did had a delay.