"Holy crap!! The sword's on fire!! What magic is that!!"
"You guys don't get it, do you? That's called Originium Arts. Only Casters with serious talent can use it. Normal people like us don't have that skill. I hear the Infected are even better at Originium Arts than regular people."
"This little squirrel is amazing! As an old fan of the Knight Major, I've seen so many matches, and there aren't many knights who can use Originium Arts. Plus, they're basically all top-ranked knights. Holy crap! A flaming sword! This is way more interesting than the usual axe-to-axe slugfests between normal knights!"
"Go, little squirrel!!! Don't die! We want to see more of your matches!!"
"Hahahaha~~"
These words from the surrounding audience didn't sound like encouragement to Sona's ears; they sounded more like mockery.
Sona said nothing.
Her eyes were filled with anger.
Sona was someone who revered the spirit of chivalry. In Sona's eyes, the Knight Major was the place where that spirit was passed down. Because this competition had produced the Radiant Knight, the Black Knight, and many others who embodied the pinnacle of chivalry, she had yearned to become an official knight.
However.
The moment she stepped into the arena.
Sona's original expectations vanished. Everything she saw was no different from what she had seen in the underground matches all these years. The only difference was... the underground matches were small, while this match had an audience and was more formal, but the core of it seemed to be about the same.
Is this... the Knight Major I once looked up to?
Why has it become like this...
The giant Pincerbeast in front of her was like a small hill. It moved surprisingly fast on its four legs, quickly running from one end of the arena to the center. The massive pincers on its mouth were sharp and powerful, like a meat grinder, seemingly designed to easily crush people to pulp.
In Kazimierz, people from the towns envy the white-collar workers in the Mobile Cities, thinking their lives must be comfortable. Working in high-class office buildings with air conditioning, no need to worry about the heat, wind, or rain. A nine-to-five job, respectable work with a good salary. After work, they go back to their expensive duplexes, brew a cup of hand-ground coffee, and overlook the city streets.
However, that only exists in their imagination.
Do such people exist? Yes! But they are all mid-to-high-level executives in major corporations.
The reality for ordinary people is immense pressure at work, endless tasks, and mortgages they can't pay off. It's nine-to-eleven, with no weekends. At work, they have to endure their boss's temper, and after work, they have to endure their wife's temper, all while worrying about their children's high tuition and tutoring fees. These people, suffocated by life, have long since lost the light in their eyes. The Knight Major is just a place for them to vent. The violent clash of force, the disgusting splatter of blood, all serve to stimulate their brains, allowing them to release the pain suppressed by life.
So, compared to some bullshit knightly competition that stops at the first touch, they'd rather watch a gorgeous and brutal gladiatorial fight.
Everyone loves to watch beautiful things be destroyed.
When the Pincerbeast charged toward Sona like a runaway dump truck, many in the audience couldn't help but hold their breath, their hearts pounding with excitement. They even wanted to see this cute little squirrel be crushed by the monster.
"Go... cut it..."
Lucas's voice rang out in Sona's mind.
"Use all your strength. Vent all the dissatisfaction in your heart, and land this blow!"
Sona raised her head, her gaze burning with determination. She gripped the knight's sword in an unorthodox two-handed grip, holding it behind her, and then stomped forward! Her entire body shot forward like a flaming meteor, rushing straight at the charging Pincerbeast. The flames burning on her sword left a long afterimage in the air, complementing Sona's crimson hair and tail, as if this strike was destined for her.
"Sun Breathing!!"
"Waltz!!"
Just as she was about to collide with the Pincerbeast, Sona used her incredible agility to twist her body against her momentum, like a matador in a bullfight, dodging the Pincerbeast's charge by a hair's breadth. The instant she dodged, Sona's knight sword was also raised high, and she swung it down violently.
The flames left a semicircular afterimage in the air.
And the arc of fire struck one of the Pincerbeast's giant pincers. With a *clang!* one of the pincers was cleanly severed in two by Sona, flying in a long arc far into the distance.
Due to the broken pincer, the pain made the Pincerbeast wail endlessly. Its tragic and furious roar washed over the arena like a tide. Sona, carried by her momentum, pressed one hand to the ground to force herself to a stop, twisting her body to dodge the Pincerbeast's second charge.
And that second charge, fueled by excessive anger, was even faster than the first. After Sona dodged, the Pincerbeast couldn't stop at all and slammed headfirst into the tall alloy protective wall in front of it.
"My heavens!! In a single encounter, our Flametail Knight used her burning knight sword to slice off one of the Pincerbeast's pincers! What terrifying strength and reflexes!! It's hard to believe she's just a rookie who just stepped into our Knight Major arena!"
After a moment of shock, the announcer instantly reacted, using his passionate words to describe Sona's heroic stance.
And this scene greatly exceeded all the audience's expectations.
At first, all the spectators thought Sona might flee in panic, try to use hit-and-run tactics to kill the Pincerbeast, or just be crushed by it. They never expected Sona to cut off the Pincerbeast's appendage in such a flashy manner.
What a gorgeous attack. The flames on the blade, matched with Sona's fiery red hair, made her look like a spirit born from the flames, incredibly beautiful.
This kind of extreme, unexpected reversal was the easiest way to stir the audience's hearts.
Many people couldn't help but roar: "Ahhhh! Little squirrel is awesome!! I'm supporting her!! Waiter! Waiter! My card! My card! I'm sending the little squirrel ten super-fliers!"
"Damn it, that was too exciting! I haven't been this worked up in years! Waiter, get me another beer! A case! A case!!"
"Little squirrel is awesome!!!"
It wasn't just the live audience that went wild.
Even the bullet comments on the live streaming platforms outside the venue exploded. The number of comments surged several times over, nearly flooding the screen with "awesome," "???," and "666."
And in front of the TV.
Little Ella excitedly tugged her companion's hand.
"Grandpa! Look!! Sister Sona, she!!"
The eldest grandfather finally let out a sigh of relief, though the worry in his eyes hadn't faded. "Don't get excited yet. This monster only lost one pincer. Never mind one, even if it lost both, a body that big could still crush the little squirrel just by ramming her. Don't get too excited. I don't think the little squirrel can necessarily handle it."
Someone analyzed rationally.
But more people leaned forward, hoping to see an even more spectacular fight from Sona.
"Calm your mind. Steady your breathing. Your breathing can't be chaotic."
Lucas was like a teacher, constantly guiding Sona from behind the scenes.
"Treat this as a real battle. You don't need to worry. Give it everything you've got. Even if you lose, I'm here."
"Yes! Mr. Reeve."
Sona took a deep breath, steadying her slightly ragged breathing. Her gaze was incomparably firm.
This Pincerbeast was huge.
Lucas had also read the illustrated guide on Terra's special wilderness species. This type of Pincerbeast lived in the wilderness between Kazimierz and Columbia. Unlike most Originium creatures that lived in large herds, these Pincerbeasts preferred to live in family units, much like humans, with one male, one female, and their offspring.
Generally speaking, an adult male Pincerbeast is 1 meter tall and over 2 meters long. The female is slightly larger, about 1.3 meters tall and 2.5 meters long. And due to their beastly nature, as wilderness rock creatures, their individual strength far exceeds that of an ordinary person. Even a professional Operator might not be its opponent in unarmed combat.
But this one.
It was a full 1.8 meters tall and nearly four meters long. A body of this size, even if not the king of its species, could be considered powerful. Both its bite force and the destructive power of its limbs far surpassed a human's. Even an official knight would likely not be its match.
In reality.
The organizers' original intention in arranging this fight between Sona and the Pincerbeast was to have Sona die... to get the audience's blood up and stir their emotions.
The Pincerbeast recovered from its daze and roared, its four limbs *thudding* as it charged at Sona again. Rage had turned its eyes a bloodthirsty red. It just wanted to tear this little pipsqueak in front of it to shreds.
"Sun Breathing!! Blue Heaven!!"
The Pincerbeast continued its charge. Sona's blade was once again enveloped in the flames of the sun. The blade swung upwards from below. Just like before, the strike successfully hit the Pincerbeast's other appendage. Flames spread out from the blade in an arc, a beautiful sight that excited the audience.
However, the second strike was weaker than the first. It didn't completely sever the other appendage, only leaving a large gash in it. But this Pincerbeast seemed to have some intelligence. As Sona dodged, it didn't let itself be tricked like the first time. Instead, it rammed sideways. The sudden attack caught Sona off guard, and she was hit head-on. The immense force sent her flying, rolling over and over on the ground.
"Holy crap!! This beast is sentient, isn't it?? It's even using tactics!!"
"It's that smart? It even knew how to feint? I seriously suspect this thing is just a guy in a suit."
"Damn it, this Pincerbeast is ugly, but it seems pretty smart too. I'm kinda reluctant to see it killed now. Whatever, just fight! I want to see who survives in the end! Woohoo!!"
The audience's alignment flipped in an instant.
One second they were cheering "Sona is awesome," the next they were cheering for the Pincerbeast.
In the arena.
The Pincerbeast seemed to possess a degree of intelligence.
After knocking Sona away, it immediately changed direction and charged at her again, spitting large mouthfuls of white breath from its mouth.
"How is it? Can you handle it?"
Lucas asked.
"No problem..."
Sona took a deep breath and stood up. Just one month of training was, of course, not enough to truly master a breathing technique. Sona was no peerless genius. Her talent was indeed stronger than an ordinary person's, but only by a bit. For Sona to become strong, she needed training far more arduous than anyone else.
Sona using the breathing technique now was like a beginner riding a bicycle. When she was calm and undisturbed, she could barely ride. But if there was even a small rock, a person, or a gust of wind in front of her, it would break her rhythm.
Therefore, Sona had to readjust her breathing technique with every move. And readjusting the breathing technique took time. It was naturally impossible to be like Lucas, who had maxed-out proficiency and could use it as easily and casually as breathing. Even Jessica, who had studied for over a year, was still only barely proficient. She still had a long way to go to become a master.
Although Lucas's breathing technique was automatically maxed, his spiritual strength pushed his comprehension to the limit. Even if he trained on his own, he could probably reach max proficiency in about a week.
The breathing technique could allow a mortal to unleash combat power many, many times greater than their own. And if a Terran used it, that combat power would increase by an unknown multiple. Moreover, the Terran physique was even more suited to this kind of breathing technique.
Lucas was certain.
If Sona could one day master the breathing technique, becoming the champion knight wouldn't be a problem.
This Pincerbeast seemed to have learned its lesson. Its attack frequency increased, giving Sona no chance to catch her breath. And without enough time, Sona couldn't stabilize her breathing to use the technique. But without the breathing technique, Sona's own skill level made her even less of a match for the Pincerbeast.
The entire match suddenly fell into a stalemate.
The Pincerbeast was chasing, and Sona was constantly dodging, looking for an opportunity.
"Eh? I thought the little squirrel was so awesome. If this keeps up, she's probably dead meat."
"Hmph, boring. I want to see a river of blood."
"Uhh... Waiter, can I get a refund on that gift I just sent the little squirrel?"
Few of the spectators in the audience had faith in Sona.
In reality.
Sona appeared to be constantly dodging, but her dodges were actually very patterned. She was currently trying to find a pattern within the chaos, to allow herself to stabilize her breathing again.
"Hooo....."
Sona took a deep breath, a large cloud of white mist exhaling from her mouth. Although she was constantly dodging, the dodging had become like a bodily instinct. Her mental energy was focused entirely on the breathing technique.
Steady! Steady! Steady!!
Yellow lightning began to gather within the white mist.
And Sona's knight sword remained at her waist in a drawing stance.
The Originium energy in her body circulated, merging with the hard-won stability of her breathing technique. Around Sona's body, yellow lightning crackled, dense as a spider's web, winding around her small frame.
Hooo.....
Finally!
The instant Sona landed from her final dodge, the Pincerbeast's massive pincer was about to reach her. Just when everyone thought Sona was about to die.
Her feet slammed into the ground, and her eyes snapped open, a brilliant light flashing within them.
"Thunder Breathing! Thunderclap and Flash!!"
Instantly.
All the spectators present only saw a blur.
A bolt of lightning flashed across the arena, and the sound of crackling thunder echoed nonstop.
One second, Sona was about to be torn to shreds by the Pincerbeast. The next, she had instantly pierced through the Pincerbeast's body and appeared behind it.
"Success!"
With that last sword strike, Sona had pierced directly through the Pincerbeast's brain.
Just as Sona thought it was over, the Pincerbeast, which should have been dead with its brain pierced, hadn't fallen. With a huge hole in its head, it roared, turned, and swung its claws at Sona in a final, desperate counterattack.
Crap!!
The momentary stiffness after executing an unskilled Thunder Breathing technique made Sona feel as if she'd lost control of her body. She turned her head, watching the approaching claws, and clenched her jaw.
"You did your best, Sona. In just one month, you've managed to come this far... If this monster wasn't so tough, or if you were just a bit more skilled with Thunder Breathing, you would have already killed it."
As the claws were about to reach Sona, all the spectators in the audience held their breath. They too had thought Sona had won. Before they could even cheer, the Pincerbeast, despite having a giant hole through its head, managed a dying counterattack. Just as everyone thought Sona was done for.
Suddenly.
Her bright brown eyes turned completely black, like an abyss. A golden light flashed. Just as the claws were about to touch Sona's forehead, her entire being vanished in a flash of electricity. No one saw what happened. If Sona's previous movement was fast but still traceable, this time, she was completely invisible. It was like she had teleported from one side to the other.
And Sona's entire aura instantly changed from that of a rookie to a peerless grandmaster.
Lucas landed lightly on the ground, flicked the knight's sword, and slid it smoothly into its sheath. Without looking back, he walked directly toward the arena exit. Just as Lucas was about to reach the exit, the Pincerbeast, which had been frozen in place, split into two halves, dead beyond dead.
The entire arena fell silent.
The tens of thousands of spectators were speechless. Even the announcer was stunned into silence...
This...
This...
By the time everyone snapped out of it, Sona had already left the arena, leaving only the two massive halves of the corpse on the ground.
"Th-This... I declare... Flametail Knight is the winner..."
Following the announcer's words.
All the stunned people in the audience finally reacted. In an instant, the entire arena erupted.
"Holy crap!! Flametail!!"
"That finishing pose! I give it a perfect score!!"
"Even though the fight was messy before, that ending was so damn cool."