#73
73. Tournament (4)
Belquist put the sword in the scabbard and left the arena.
Aaron stood still in his seat with his head bowed. Iolka tilted her head.
“I thought Aaron would win. That’s strange.”
“I feel sorry for brother Aaron. He was doing well. Just once…”
“Yes, only once.”
I closed my eyes.
‘It’s hard to express in words that his sense is excellent.’
As the battle dragged on, Belquist learned Aaron’s spearmanship pattern.
This was evident from the fact that Belquist’s wound frequency decreased from the middle and that he dug in after casually dodging Aaron’s continuous attacks at the end.
But Belquist waited even though they could have turned to the offensive.
‘Attack only once.’
He knew that once was enough to win.
Belquist silently endured Aaron’s numerous attacks in order to eliminate any possible variables and to set the perfect counterattack timing.
And I didn’t miss any gaps.
It was impossible without the ability to observe the opponent calmly, the analytical ability to find the possibility of victory, and the patience to wait for the opportunity to come.
“There seems to be no disagreement.”
I opened my eyes.
Everyone’s eyes were focused on me.
After clearing his throat, he opened his mouth.
“I keep my promise. Belquist is the 1st party. Aaron is out.”
clearly said
I will hand over the 1st party seat to the winner.
Aaron also went out with this in mind. And the results came out.
No matter what the complaint was, I couldn’t break the rules once decided.
“It wasn’t a satisfying duel. Aaron, you brought your own defeat with an act you couldn’t understand. It’s hard to be in our party. You know it yourself.”
“Brother, Aaron, in order not to injure his comrades…”
“Stop making lame excuses. We didn’t come here to strengthen friendship. We came here to beat the enemy and survive. Don’t even give sparingly. The clumsy ones die first. Don’t forget.”
I snapped my fingers.
A system message announcing the party change was displayed.
[‘Han (★★)’ suggests a party composition!]
[‘1 party’ configuration plan]
[‘Han(★★)’, ‘Jenna(★★)’, ‘Iolka(★★★)’, ‘Nerissa(★★)’, ‘Belquist(★★)’]
[If you agree, ‘Aaron(★★)’ will be automatically excluded from the party. Do you agree?]
[Yes / No]
Amkena accepted the offer.
This completes all procedures for changing party members.
[‘Aaron (★★)’ is excluded from ‘Party 1’!]
[‘Nerisa (★★)’ joins ‘Party 1’!]
[‘Belquist (★★)’ joins ‘Party 1’!]
A heavy silence hung over the camp.
Hesitating, Jenna grabbed my collar.
“Brother, I…”
“stop.”
I shook off Jenna’s hand.
I know what you want to say. Mentally, I wanted to make a different decision. But this is the reality. The feeling of camaraderie alone cannot succeed the mission.
Slashing is the correct answer.
Aaron fell into a slump from the 15th floor. Carrying it any longer would endanger Aaron and the entire first party.
You have to get used to it.
Either die or drop out.
To the fact that the person I was with is gone.
I said.
“Everyone go home today. It’s very late.”
No one was willing to go back, but a few minutes later, Edith from the 2nd party started to leave the training center one by one.
Usher looked at Belquist with the youthful look of an enemy and then disappeared. Then Jenna and Iolka left the training center. Jenna looked back at Aaron on the arena several times.
Most of the members have disappeared.
The only ones left at the training center were me, Belquist, Nerissa who had returned before I knew it, and Aaron standing alone in the arena.
“Has this been decided?”
“Yes, you and Nerissa will be active in the 1st party from now on.”
“Right.”
Belquist leaned against the barbed wire fence and spoke.
It was an expressionless face.
“It’s a bit unfortunate. It would have been fun if I hadn’t looked at it at first.”
“I agree.”
Aaron gave Belquist too much time.
In order for Aaron to win, Belquist had to hit the finish line in the early stages when he couldn’t adapt. The more time you take, the worse it will become. It was Aaron’s own mistake.
“I was right.”
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I looked away.
In the corner of the training camp, Nerissa was running her hair.
“Personally, I’m dissatisfied, but I can’t help it.”
“What can’t be helped?”
Belquist murmured.
“That person didn’t seem ready when I saw it. That’s a wise decision.”
Nerissa bowed deeply to me.
I nodded.
“You entered the 1st party, but you guys are not yet at a satisfactory level. You know. Assemble at the training center tomorrow morning. I’ll tell you what to do.”
“Okay.”
“Please guide me.”
I laughed lightly.
“Anyway, these are things I don’t understand. Why do you spend so much energy trying to join the 1st party?
“I came because I know. To become stronger.”
Belquist’s eyes sank deeply.
“You both must be tired today. Stop going in.”
Belquist gave me a light bow and left the training center.
Nerissa is left. She bent her back at right angles to me.
“Thank you in advance. My name is Nerissa Eeyore.”
After greeting Nerissa, she walked out of the training center.
Anyway, all the members of the training center were away.
Aaron and I were left behind in the arena. I opened the iron gate of the arena.
“Come out first. Nothing will change just because you’re hanging out there.”
“…I don’t want to leave.”
“Then I go.”
I entered the arena.
The bloodstains from Belquist were blurring. I put my butt next to Aaron who was sitting down. Aaron murmured in a calm voice.
“I’m lost.”
“Right, you lost.”
“I lost because I was weak. That would be all.”
Aaron’s voice trembled slightly.
I asked.
“Why didn’t you aim for the vitals?”
Aaron looked up at me.
“At first, you had the advantage. Why did you give Belquist time? You were able to win enough.”
“You shouldn’t kill your colleagues.”
“Since when did you ask for that?”
Even if Aaron killed Belquist, I was going to cover it up.
I was confident that I could borrow the power of Isel to obtain a judgment of sudden death rather than heroic murder. Just like I did with the maned wolf. But Aaron chose a different way.
Even if he tried to target the vitals again on the way, it eventually led to defeat.
“I don’t think I raised you to be that weak.”
Aaron smiled bitterly.
“I just changed my mind. As you know, I have no talent.”
“…”
“I don’t know if I could have won now. Actually, I was confident of that. But as time passes, after a little more time passes, if that man comes back with more strength…”
Aaron’s voice gradually faded.
In the end, I couldn’t follow through.
“Am I worthy to kill? Someone who shines brighter than me…”
“…”
“Looking at Belquist and Miss Nerissa, I thought that the things I had been doing were meaningless.
“Is that why you watched?”
“Because we can’t harm the Master. Aren’t they an important force?”
Aaron bowed his head.
“The things my brother and Miss Jenna see are invisible to me. No matter how much I swing the spear, the fog in front of my eyes doesn’t go away.
‘Has it collapsed on its own?’
It was after returning from the 15th floor that Aaron became strange.
From then on, the intensity of training became more intense than I had imagined. However, when I practiced sparring, I felt that I was weaker than before, disregarding the amount of training. Confidence is gone.
“Now what will happen to me. I won’t be able to enter the 1st party.”
“I can’t come for a while. I don’t know if you get stronger.”
The odds are not high.
Aaron would know. Combat doesn’t suit this guy. It was like that from the beginning. She was only forced to do this for her sister.
“There is a position called Instructor. It is the role of teaching newcomers at the training center on the first floor. I think you and Dikawa are the same.”
The digital camera that went down to the first floor will be sent up soon.
The guy is weak but sincere. Similar to Aaron, his effort para skills are substantial. If he was entrusted with being an instructor, he would do his job right away.
“It’s more comfortable than rolling in a party. No worries about dying or bleeding. The amount of training is reduced. You just have to teach the new recruits in a safe place.”
“Is it a teaching station?”
“Originally, the competition rate is huge. Sometimes it’s one in a dozen. I’ll make a special recommendation for the two of you. What do you think?”
Aaron couldn’t answer easily.
I sighed.
“Good job if you stopped. Rest in peace. I’ll send you home.”
“I am…….”
“What are you hesitating about? What is your purpose? To become strong like Belquist?
Part 1 is likely to become a grave for Aaron.
The 2nd party was the same. It is said that the death rate was low on the 10th and 15th floors, but there is no guarantee that it will be the same after that. Iolka and Xena, as well as myself, were not without the possibility of death. This was the best option for Aaron himself.
“That’s right. But…”
“but?”
Aaron made a complicated expression.
He tried to open his mouth to see if he had something to say, but then shut it again.
I sighed deeply.
“I see.”
“Sorry. I’ll go in as an instructor.”
“Leave the instructor.”
“yes?”
“If you don’t want to do it, hit me. Is there anything special?”
Aaron widened his eyes.
I laughed and continued.
“Among the guys I know, there’s a guy similar to you. He’s also not very talented. At your level, spearmanship was only 2. It was such a waste that I tried to throw it away several times.”
Aaron blinked his eyes wide open.
Of course you won’t understand. I’m talking about my master’s days.
“Do you want to be strong, Aaron?”
“…”
“Looking at the answer, I don’t think so.”
“No, brother!”
Aaron fell to his knees.
Tears welled up at the corners of his eyes.
“I, I want to become stronger! I don’t want to do these miserable thoughts again! But there’s no way for me…!”
“There is a way. Wait. Until that door opens.”
Beyond the open door of the training center, a crack in a tightly closed dimension was visible.
I pointed to the gate.
“I’ll take you to Niflheim.”
“Where is it?”
I chuckled.
“It’s a very nice place.”
