■ Evidence of Growth □
The other world is largely divided into the Eastern Continent and the Western Continent. The mana manipulation technique used in the Eastern Continent is called Qi Technique here.
The “Qi” spoken of in the Eastern Continent is essentially the same as the “Mana” in the Western Continent, but Qi Technique and Magic are distinctly different.
If Qi Technique is aimed at self-cultivation, Magic is closer to an academic pursuit aimed at understanding universal truths.
However, since their roots are fundamentally the same, attempts to combine Qi Technique and Magic have been common since ancient times. The first person to successfully achieve this was my master, the Mage Tower Master, Esmeralda.
My master, who was a martial artist in her past life, created the Magic Technique by recalling her memories. Although difficult to learn, its power was truly extraordinary.
Her reputation was such that mages from all over the kingdom flocked to learn her Magic Technique.
However, my master rejected all their requests, stating that she would never pass on her techniques unless she found someone who met her standards, and she locked the doors of the Mage Tower.
Decades passed, and finally, someone appeared who satisfied Esmeralda’s exacting tastes…
That someone was me, the son of a farmer. [[#]]Foot Technique.
It’s what is commonly known as the Inner Strength Method.
Among the Qi Techniques that came from the Eastern Continent, Foot Technique is considered a fairly advanced skill. I never expected a dragon to wield it so freely.
Typically, martial arts are learned by the weak to stand against the strong. Dragons, born with strong bodies, wouldn’t need to learn such delicate techniques.
Anyway, after the female vampire Ginger collapsed on stage, Gav laughed heartily and told her to come back stronger before leaving the arena without looking back.
“Gav! Gav! Gav! Gav!”
The audience, still heated from the spectacular aerial combat they had just witnessed, chanted his name.
After Ginger, the challenger, was carried out of the arena, I reviewed the fight that had just taken place.
‘He didn’t use any mana at all.’
A typical physical fighter, and a martial artist type at that.
I knew that the Dragon Tribe excelled in combat using their robust bodies, but I thought that was only in their true forms.
However, it seems they enjoy close combat even when using Polymorph.
‘They are practically the natural enemy of mages.’
If I had to compare, they are similar to Nick Iron, whom I fought yesterday.
A tough body that resists most attacks, strong magic resistance, and close combat that doesn’t give you time to cast spells.
If only they were as slow as Nick Iron, but with their wings, they can move at super high speeds.
They are a tricky opponent in many ways.
As I pondered how to defeat Gav, the next match began, and the audience grew noisy.
“It’s Lady Ozma!”
“How! She’s so cool today!”
If the vampire swordsman Ginger received cheers from the men, and the Celestial Dragon Gav received cheers from everyone regardless of gender, then Ozma was mainly cheered on by female demons.
There were male fans too, but they were in the minority.
Indeed, Ozma looked like a clean-cut nobleman from the outside.
You’d quickly realize she was a woman upon talking to her, but most demons here had never met her in person, hence their reactions.
Ozma, dressed in light leather armor, carried three swords at her waist.
Her opponent, who stepped onto the stage, was a large, muscular monster with a bull’s head—a Minotaur.
The Minotaur, with its distinctive red fur, stood over 3 meters tall, exuding an overwhelming presence.
At that size, it would be a good match even against an Ogre.
Once both sides were ready, the referee raised a flag above his head.
“Match start!”
And as the flag came down—
The Minotaur swung its battle axe in a surprise attack.
Swish!
The large axe blade cut through the air.
The battle axe, specially made for the 3-meter giant, was over 4 meters long.
Considering the distance between the Minotaur and Ozma was only about 3 meters at the start, it was already within range.
Clang!!
Fortunately, Ozma reacted instantly, blocking the axe blade with two half-drawn swords, but she was pushed back due to the lack of strength.
There didn’t seem to be much damage, but stepping out of bounds also counts as a disqualification.
Ozma, who barely stopped at the edge of the stage, snorted and glared at the Minotaur, who was provocatively staring at her, then muttered as she twisted her wrist.
“Unbelievable, huh?”
Then her small frame shot forward like a flash.
The tip of her sword was tinged with purple electricity, having transformed her aura to match her attribute.
From the preliminaries to the main event, through repeated battles, she had fully mastered the use of magic and had reached the 3rd Hierarchical Level in an instant.
If she had been from the Mage Tower, she would have been called a prodigy.
Reaching the 3rd Hierarchical Level in just a month is unprecedented.
Of course, even before she started learning magic, she was already adept at handling mana as a Sword Expert, but even considering that, her growth rate is absurd.
It took me a year to reach the 3rd Hierarchical Level, but she did it in a month.
She might be able to break through the 4th Hierarchical Level sooner or later, and the question is whether she can go beyond that.
Even now, she is considered to be at a considerable level among Sword Experts. If things go well, she might become the continent’s first Sword Master and Grand Mage.
The Minotaur, startled by the speed that far exceeded expectations, frantically swung his axe, but Ozma had already moved behind him.
“Ughhhhhh!”
The Minotaur screamed in pain as Ozma stabbed him from a blind spot.
But Ozma’s hands didn’t stop.
She pulled out the sword she had stabbed into his shin and used a 3rd Hierarchical Level spell, Ocean Calling.
It literally summons seawater, or saltwater, and she poured it over the wound…
“Ugh.”
I couldn’t help but close my eyes at the gruesome scene unfolding before me.
Inflicting a wound and then pouring saltwater on it.
What kind of cruel torture is this?
As the Minotaur rolled around the arena in indescribable pain, Ozma, with her light movements, dodged everything and clashed her twin swords.
Zap!
Then, as the electrodes touched, they emitted a blue electric current.
Ozma approached the Minotaur, who was rolling on the ground, and stabbed him without hesitation.
Zzzzzap!
The Minotaur, foaming at the mouth and convulsing like a frog in a lab.
He could only escape this pain by declaring surrender, but due to the paralysis from the electric shock, he couldn’t express himself and had no choice but to endure.
The Minotaur, having paid the price for a slight trick, finally passed out with his eyes rolled back and was carried off the stage.
“Contestant from Block C! Minotaur is defeated! Therefore, the winner is Ozma Zoroaster from Block D!”
“Hmph. Nothing special.”
Ozma muttered with a snort, then waved leisurely at me as our eyes met in the audience.
…Perhaps I have created humanity’s greatest enemy with my own hands.
Well done, Kim Ozma. Destroy the human kingdom with your own hands. [[#]]After all the scheduled matches for the day ended, the four finalists were decided.
Adolf from Block A, me from Block B, Gav from Block C, and Ozma from Block D.
A total of four participants will compete in the final matches tomorrow.
Ozma confidently said she would see me in the finals tomorrow and went to her room first.
She seemed excited at the prospect of finally fighting Gav, her fated rival, tomorrow.
Anyway, if she really defeats Gav, it’s certain that I will face her, so I told her to do her best.
Then Ozma hinted at something she wanted to say if she defeats Gav tomorrow.
I tried to stop her, but she quickly went in after saying what she wanted, so I couldn’t give any advice.
…Will it be okay?
After parting with Ozma, I had dinner and was resting in my room when I suddenly heard a knock.
Wondering what it was, I opened the door to find Camilla standing there.
“What’s up?”
Camilla slightly lifted the basket she was holding in both hands.
“I heard tomorrow is the final. So I brought some wine to cheer you up.”
I alternated between looking at Camilla’s calm face and the wine in the basket, then sighed softly and opened the door.
“I won’t drink much, okay?”
