Chapter 182: The Main Tournament (2)
As soon as the swordsmanship finals ended, Ray made his way to the adjacent martial arts arena where the magic finals were underway.
He had signed up for both the swordsmanship and magic competitions, and, fortunately, the two events did not overlap, sparing him the worst-case scenario.
When he entered the empty arena, Ray spotted a fierce-looking nobleman in a cloak staring down at him.
The noblemans haughty stare brought to mind a mage from Proxia in the Holy Kingdom.
To think I have to face such an insignificant child What a blow to my dignity.
Being called a dull child was insulting to Ray.
Irritated, he scowled.
Talk about dignity? Perhaps banditry would be more fitting for your face.
What insolence! A mere commoner with such a sharp tongue.
My tongues always been this sharp. You should try to keep up.
I will silence that insolent mouth of yours this instant.
Ray smiled with satisfaction.
He had found an opponent worth facing.
Confronting such adversaries only strengthened his resolve to defeat them soundly.
He had dealt with necromancers who showed similar arrogance, and they had met the same fate.
The nobleman subtly revealed a fancy-looking wand from beneath his robe.
The wand, with a mana stone at its tip and encrusted with various gems, was clearly costly at first glance.
He looked at his wand and declared,
A proper mage should handle at least this much, right?
Upon witnessing his attitude, Ray responded.
Quite the performance youre putting on there.
Hehehe. Keep talking. Youre the one who will lose. Ill grant you a merciful defeat by ring-out.
Ray was left speechless.
Just from his speech, the nobleman seemed to possess the stature of a lord.
At that moment, the bell to signal the start of the magic competition rang.
The first round of the magic finals begins now!
As the judges announcement echoed, many around them started chanting spells.
The nobleman before Ray was among them.
Let the endless binding commence! Bind!
Ray thought it was ridiculous.
The man spoke with the authority of a lord-level mage, yet he couldnt even cast a simple second circle spell like Bind without a chant?
Ray was taken aback, having anticipated the mans ability to wield at least a third circle spell.
He chose to indulge the noblemans pitiful display of magic.
He put on a convincing act.
Kuh My body!
Hahaha. You cant escape with that level of mana. Lets see I did say I would crush your mouth, didnt I?
You scoundrel! Release me at once!
The nobleman inched closer to Ray.
As the gap between them closed, Rays grin broadened.
The nobleman circled Ray like a predator.
You should have tailored your boasts to match your abilities. Hahaha!
Finally, when the nobleman was within an arms reach, Ray freed himself.
Enjoying yourself, are you?
It was the nobleman who suddenly tensed.
His previously merry face turned to stone.
Did you break the spell?
I was never under its effect to begin with. Your mana is woefully inadequate.
Rays mana density far surpassed that of other races.
It was clear that a mere second-circle level of mana couldnt affect Ray in the slightest.
Ray balled his fist and slammed it into the noblemans face.
Whack-!
Aaagh!
A piercing scream resonated, capturing the attention of the onlookers once more.
In the vastness of the arena, even if someone were struck and sent hurtling, chances were slim theyd be knocked out of the ring.
Ray, sporting a playful smirk, hoisted the downed nobleman back to his feet.
Hehehe. Youre in need of a proper thrashing.
Sh, Shield!
In a panic, the nobleman conjured a protective spell.
A semi-transparent barrier enveloped him.
Feeling a sense of relief, he glared at Ray and announced,
I was caught off guard earlier, but not this time!
Not this time? What do you mean by that?
Rays punch shattered the see-through barrier and hit the noblemans face, which was supposed to be safeguarded by the Shield.
Aaagh!
Even though Ray didnt imbue mana into his punch, his physical abilities far surpassed those of an ordinary person.
Moreover, he seemed to hit all the painful spots, making the nobleman yearn for death.
The referee watched the scene, deep in thought.
This was a magic combat tournament, yet Ray was pummelling his opponent with his fists. Should he step in?
He glanced at the chief judge, who slowly shook his head, signaling that it was fine to let the fight continue.
So the referee stayed silent.
Seeing this, the nobleman cried out.
Aaagh! Hes not using magic! Disqualify him now!
Its not against the rules.
Eeek!
The spectators whispered among themselves.
What is this? Hes just punching him.
Is this really a magic tournament?
But somehow, it feels so satisfying.
Each solid punch Ray landed on the nobleman seemed to alleviate the tension in the spectators hearts.
It was merely a simple beating, but why did it seem so cathartic!
Among the audience, some recognized Ray.
Isnt that the young man who fought with a branch at the swordsmanship tournament?
His swordsmanship was excellent, and now his punches resemble martial arts techniques.
The novelty of the situation was ramping up the audiences excitement.
Along with it, Rays sense of satisfaction swelled.
This ones for the Third Princess!
Aaagh!
And this ones for the Third Princess too!
Aaaagh!
Likewise, this is for the Third Princess as well!
With each declaration and strike, the nobleman found himself wishing he could see the face of this Third Princess.
As a minor provincial noble, he knew nothing of the Third Princess.
Moreover, he had no interest in knowing her, so naturally, he had never met her.
But the idea of being beaten for someone he didnt even recognize filled him with a deep resentment, extending beyond mere frustration.
You wretch Third Princess!
His rage found a bizarre target.
The nobleman, overwhelmed with rage, shouted,
I lost, I surrender!
With these words, the winner was immediately decided.
The audience responded with enthusiastic applause.
Wow!
What a delightful match, kid! Hahaha!
Although mixed with laughter and chatter, the noise undoubtedly intensified the excitement in the arena.
However, not everyone in the martial arts arena appreciated this. A noble-looking person next to the stage clicked his tongue in disapproval.
Tsk. So uncultured. Magic is an imitation of divine technique. To behave so barbarically in a magic competition is just
Ray nodded in agreement.
Right. He had decided.
His next punching bag, that is.
After the judgment was complete and the winner was declared, both competitions concluded for the day, ending the first round of the Martial Arts Festival.
The damaged martial arts arena was repaired, marking the end of the first day of the main competitions.
At dinner, the Emperor endlessly praised Ray.
Indeed, a saint. Blocking aura with a branch, Ive never heard of such a thing.
Its nothing. Anyone who practices properly can do it if theyre an aura user.
Ray downplayed an achievement impossible for an ordinary person.
The magic competition was spectacular. Such a match has never been seen in the history of the Martial Arts Festival. Hahaha.
The Emperor seemed genuinely amused by the event, his expression bright.
But the situation was a bit strange.
The dining table was enormous, yet only three people were seated.
The Emperor sat at the head, with Princess Selena on his right and Ray on his left.
Of course, he knew that the other princes and princesses were under house arrest, but it still seemed too empty for a royal family meal.
Were the Empress and concubines absent? Ray hadnt encountered them even once during his stay at the palace.
Feeling curious, Ray cautiously asked.
Excuse me for asking, but are the Empress and the concubines not present today?
Princess Selena answered his question.
The Empress and the concubines they died in a carriage accident.
It implied that they were dead.
Many factors can contribute to a carriage accident, such as encountering monsters or falling off a cliff.
However, given the royal knights protection, a carriage accident seemed highly suspicious.
Noticing Rays expression, Selena added,
It was due to wyverns.
I see I shouldnt have asked. Im sorry.
Its alright. It happened over twenty years ago.
Twenty years. It had indeed been a long time.
Probably a similar excuse given for the death of the Fifth Prince.
The accident that killed the Fifth Prince had likely been the same one that claimed the lives of their mother, the Empress, and the concubines.
The Emperor gestured dismissively.
Its in the past. One cannot be an emperor if they dwell on such things, right? Hahaha.
Despite his laughter, the sad smile he wore was unmistakable, even to an outsider like Ray.
As the leader of a great empire, he had to hide his sorrow.
Ray thought to himself,
I should relocate those wyverns. These accidents are becoming too frequent.
With her white hair fluttering in the wind, Aira gazed down at the Elf Village.
The village had doubled in size, now connecting with another elf village.
After months of effort, merging the two villages without any mishaps had allowed her to breathe a sigh of relief.
Finally, its over.
Elf villages without High Elves were always in danger.
Typically, such villages preferred to merge with those governed by High Elves, but it was not an easy task.
They could encounter slave traders or be discovered by humans during the move, risking the exposure of the village.
Given the numerous risks, it had taken immense effort to successfully merge the villages.
Aira, enjoying her rare tea time, brewed tea with dried leaves she had gathered.
Skilled in brewing over the years, she swiftly brought out a unique and aromatic flavor.
Seemingly pleased about something, she smiled cutely and chuckled.
Aira stroked the mark on her left hand, murmuring,
Hehe. So, he has someone in his heart
Somehow, she knew about Rays conversation with the Emperor.
Yet, without having received a proper answer herself, what was there to be so happy about?
With her white hair cascading over her shoulders, she gazed out the window.
Ray, when you return, youll have to give me that answer.
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