I remained standing in the center of the arena while the dust still spread across the ground.
The great champion had been thrown out of the fighting area by my final blow. The impact had been strong enough to make him slide several meters before finally coming to a stop.
For a few seconds, no one said anything.
The entire crowd seemed frozen.
Then the silence was broken.
A wave of voices erupted all around the arena.
Shouts.
Applause.
Whistles.
Cheers.
I heard my name being repeated by dozens of people at the same time.
To be honest, it still felt strange to me.
Not long ago, I was just an adventurer trying to survive.
Now thousands of people looked at me as if I were some kind of legend.
I turned my attention to the champion.
He was still sitting on the ground.
I immediately walked over to him.
"Are you alright?"
He let out a hearty laugh.
"I've taken worse hits."
"Are you sure?"
"I am."
I held out my hand.
He looked at it for a few seconds before accepting it.
I helped him to his feet.
Despite his age, the man still possessed impressive strength.
Once he was standing, he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and took a deep breath.
"So... this is how it ends."
"Sorry about that last hit."
"Why are you apologizing?"
"Maybe I overdid it."
He laughed again.
"Inside an arena, there is no such thing as overdoing it. There is only victory or defeat."
That was hard to argue with.
He was right.
The old warrior turned toward the crowd.
The entire stadium fell silent.
Even the announcer stopped speaking.
Everyone waited for his words.
The champion raised my arm before thousands of spectators.
"Listen, all of you!"
His voice echoed throughout the arena.
"For twenty years, I have held this title."
The crowd responded with applause.
"For twenty years, I have faced hundreds of fighters."
More applause.
"For twenty years, I waited for someone capable of defeating me."
He gripped my arm.
"Today, that person appeared."
The stadium exploded.
This time the roar was even louder.
People stood up.
Many shouted.
Others clapped.
Some celebrated as if they had just witnessed the most important event of the year.
"I declare before all of you!"
He pointed at me.
"The new champion of the annual tournament!"
The roar of the crowd practically shook the arena.
I sighed.
There really was no escaping this situation.
In the stands, I could see my companions.
Scarlett was smiling.
Rai'kanna looked satisfied.
Elara clapped enthusiastically.
Lyannis wore her elegant smile.
Vespera watched everything in silence.
Liriel looked happy.
Even her assistant smiled as she watched the scene unfold.
That helped me relax a little.
In the end, the tournament had been fun.
The announcer finally found his voice again.
"We have a new champion!"
More applause echoed through the arena.
Soon after, preparations for the award ceremony began.
Several attendants brought a small platform to the center of the stadium.
I was led there together with the former champion.
As I climbed the steps, I realized that practically the entire city was watching.
It was impressive.
I had never imagined that a local tournament could attract so many people.
The announcer continued talking about the history of the competition.
He spoke about past champions.
About legendary fighters.
About the very champion who had just been defeated.
Then, at last, it was my turn.
I received a commemorative medal.
I also received a large trophy.
And shortly afterward, a pouch containing the gold prize.
When I heard the amount, I almost thought they had made a mistake.
It was enough money to support a family for years.
Although, considering my current lands and properties, it wasn't exactly a fortune to me.
Even so, it was a respectable sum.
"A few words for the audience!"
The announcer pointed the magical voice-amplifying artifact toward me.
I wanted to run away.
Unfortunately, that wasn't an option.
I took the device.
Thousands of people stared at me.
I thought for a few seconds.
Then I spoke.
"Thank you."
The crowd responded with applause.
"To be honest, I didn't expect to participate in this tournament."
Some people laughed.
"But it was a fun experience."
More laughter.
I looked at the former champion.
"I would also like to thank the champion for this match."
The man crossed his arms and smiled.
"It was an honor to face you."
This time the applause was for him.
"I hope this tournament continues to grow in the years to come."
I ended my speech there.
I had never been very good at giving speeches.
Fortunately, that seemed to be enough.
When I handed the device back, the audience applauded once more.
Soon afterward, the ceremony came to an end.
As soon as I stepped down from the platform, my companions came over to me.
Scarlett was the first.
"So, the great champion won."
"You surrendered earlier."
"Because I'm not an idiot."
I crossed my arms.
"That doesn't sound like a compliment."
"It was meant to be."
She smiled.
Soon after, Rai'kanna approached.
"You keep getting stronger."
"You've gotten stronger too."
"Not enough."
She looked frustrated.
But not as much as before.
She had probably already accepted the outcome.
Elara came over next.
"That was amazing!"
"You always say that."
"Because it's usually amazing."
I couldn't help but chuckle.
Liriel approached.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
"But I think you destroyed the self-esteem of half the participants."
"That wasn't my intention."
"I know."
Even Vespera commented.
"It was efficient."
That made me laugh.
It was exactly the kind of compliment I expected from her.
Liriel's assistant watched everything with curiosity.
"You really have become much stronger."
"I've been hearing that a lot lately."
"Because it's true."
After some time, we left the arena.
The entire city seemed even livelier than before.
Many people recognized us.
Some came over to greet us.
Others simply watched from a distance.
I tried to act normally.
But it was impossible to completely ignore all that attention.
As we walked through the streets, we passed countless food stalls.
The smell was wonderful.
Elara was the first to stop.
Naturally.
A few minutes later, we were all trying different dishes.
Skewers.
Sweets.
Stuffed bread.
Roasted meat.
Juices.
It felt as though half the city had gathered there.
The atmosphere was pleasant.
Lighthearted.
No battles.
No monsters.
No wars.
Just people enjoying their lives.
At some point, I drifted a little away from the group.
I stood watching the main square.
Children played.
Merchants worked.
Families chatted.
The scene was simple.
Yet strangely comforting.
After everything that had happened over the past few months, it felt good to remember what I was fighting for.
It wasn't just kingdoms.
Or titles.
Or fame.
It was ordinary people.
People who deserved to live without fear.
People who might never hold a sword.
People who simply wanted to keep living their lives.
"Thinking about something?"
I looked to the side.
It was the former champion.
"Maybe."
He stood beside me.
For a few seconds, we watched the square in silence.
"You're going to face something big soon, aren't you?"
I looked at him.
"Why do you think that?"
"Because I recognize that look."
I crossed my arms.
"What look?"
"The look of someone who has won one battle but is already thinking about the next."
I didn't answer.
He was right.
"May I give you some advice?"
"Of course."
"Don't carry everything alone."
I looked toward my companions in the distance.
They were talking and laughing together.
"I don't intend to."
The old warrior smiled.
"Excellent answer."
Soon afterward, he said his goodbye.
And I returned to the group.
The rest of the afternoon passed quickly.
We walked around the city.
Visited a few shops.
Talked with the locals.
Enjoyed the festival.
When the sun began to disappear beyond the horizon, the streets became even more brightly lit.
Magical lanterns were lit.
Musicians began to play.
The atmosphere became even more pleasant.
Scarlett walked beside me.
"Are you satisfied?"
"With the tournament?"
"With everything."
I thought for a moment.
Then I nodded.
"Yes."
She smiled.
"Good."
We kept walking.
The night was only just beginning.
But for the first time in a long while, I wasn't thinking about demon generals.
Or battles.
Or war.
At that moment, I was simply Takumi.
An adventurer enjoying a rare day of peace alongside the most important people in his life.
And honestly, that was worth more than any trophy.