8 Competition

Ethan did not take a bath when he was in hunting ground. He wants to go back to hunting ground and try to kill tier 1 beast, but after killing Jacob, he got over 20,000 points and his ranking shot in 1001 and he came to safe place.

When he checks why he got so many points from killing only one person he enlighten that when a challenge occur not only points that are accumulated on current month, but previous months points are also on stake, means if you win you will get all points that person has if the person is dead. After reading this Ethan understands why people have unusually high points on bronze ranking board.

So people challenge others more than hunting beasts. Well, if they lost the challenge their points are also in danger. Points of the current month are taken 70%, while only 30% are from last month and divided by 2. When loser died in battle, then all his points are given to the winner.

So Ethan went to take a bath without any worry. As for killing Jacob, Ethan did not feel anything special. He has been killing beasts and those were also living beings. When he killed his first beast he was not able to sleep because of guilt to take a life of a living being but he comforts himself saying if not that beast he would be dead.

After taking bath Ethan was sitting on his cell floor, shivering because he was only wearing his underpants and covered his body with a thin quilt while his clothes were drying on the straw bed. Its winter season and nights are especially cold. Ethan thought that after this month, he should buy some daily necessary and cloths.

He did not want to buy them this month because he wants to save points if some unexpected thing happened.

Next morning Ethan was going toward hunting ground when he notices something unusual. Today there were more people in corridors than other days. And they were all going to a certain direction.

Ethan causally grabbed someone's arm to inquire about what the occasion is today. The person whose arm was suddenly grabbed turn around annoyingly and about to curse when he saw that Ethan grab his arm, he said "eh, little killer what you want"

When Ethan heard this nickname his mouth twitched. But he ignores it and asks the boy without any emotion in his voice "where these people are going?"

The boy was scared when he heard Ethan voice and answered hurriedly "they all going to battle arena today is the competition in which new rank ones will challenge old rank ones."

Before Ethan asked more the person shook his arm and broke free from Ethan grip and run away.

When Ethan saw this he gave a helpless sigh 'why he was acting so scared it's not like I was going to eat him or something' Ethan didn't ask anyone else. He just follows the crowd toward battle arena. He was a little curious about this competition. He browsed all rules of this place again so he didn't miss any rule again like forced challenge.

Forced challenge was challenged that a person can force another person to fight with him, even if another person didn't agree. You can only force challenges someone one time in a month. If the challenged person win no one can force challenge him for an entire month.

As for original ranking competition, it is an unofficial ranking that candidates made by them self. This ranking is to determine who the best. There are only a hundred people who can enter in official ranking. The people they're known as ranked ones. And they got a little benefit like they can create their own factions. You can challenge these ranked one anytime, but a little accept challenges and you can't force challenge them.

But in the end of year 18 year olds will be leaving camp so there are vacant seats every year. So every year an original ranking competition is held. After winning selection rounds the champions are entered in original ranking. And champions challenge the pervious ranker holders to determine new ranking. Today was the day that determines new ranking for these people.

Ethan was following the crowd without paying much attention to his surroundings and didn't notice that a boy with a hood on his head was following him for a while now.

***

Ethan came to the battle arena. It was different than punishment arena. It was bigger and was equipped with a screen that was projected midair with the help of image relic.

This arena can easily fit 5000 people in. Ethan checked the population of this place by ranking boards. There were 1012 people on bronze board 623 in silver and 367 on gold board, making total 2002 people so even all people came here including staff even then this arena will be somewhat empty.

Ethan sits in second row last where no one was sitting. After waiting for a while a young man that looked like 17 or 18 year old came at the center of the arena with echo relic in his hand.

"Welcome, brother and sisters to original ranking competition today I, Toby will be your host." Toby Said in an excited voice. "Let's start this year's competition."

As he said this the screen refreshed and named of competitors came. "This time there are 12 people who have passed the selection round and entered the original ranking. Unlike last time, this time an unawakened also able to pass selection round with his remarkable swordsmanship and entered original ranking."

When he said this, there were shocked voices from the crowd. There's a point to be noted that this was the first time that an unawakened was able enter in original ranking.

"Now please welcome our 12 champions who were able to enter in original ranking." As he said that 12 people walked through from the entrance and sit on seats that was for them.

After a brief introduction of one person Toby start saying "now please enter stage and challenge any ranker you like to challenge."

After saying that he gesture to him that he can go up and start the challenge. The person starts walking toward the stage and issue his challenge. He challenged rank number 79 but he was lost in the end and gets 89 place.

After that Toby introduces the next person "our next champion's name is Amy, she is a gunner."

After he said that Amy walked toward the stage and issues her challenge to rank 76. He was a guy looked 17 years old with a little muscular body.

When the fight starts Amy maintain a safe distance from the man and defeat him by kiting him the whole time. That guy was helpless he was a close range fighter so he was defeated easily.

After two more people challenge some low rankers and win. Toby introduces next person, she was a beauty, her hair was pitch black and was a dagger user. "This beauty was remarkable she defeated her opponent without using her ability at all, her name is Clara."

Clara entered the stage elegantly and challenge range, number 10. When the crowd heard her challenge they were dumbfounded. No one has challenged some high ranker for almost three years.

The one who was challenged was furious because of her arrogant behavior.

When battle start he was about attack Clara to teach a lesson to her and the crowd also thought that Clara were acting cocky and thought she would lost miserably and embarrass herself. But unexpectedly after battle start Clara release her aura and the person in front of her stumbled backward and knelt. He starts begging "please don't do it, please no. Ahhhhh I..i ..i forfeit" when he said this Clara withdraw her aura and head toward her seat without giving any heed toward shocked crowd.

After a while Toby snaps back from his shock and start taking "wow! Miss Clara wins without even lifting her finger."

When the crowd heard Toby voice they erupted in discussion. Somewhere tariffed by her ability some were curious what was her ability.

But the one who was a victim of her ability was fainted on the spot so they have to wait for him to find out what ability she has. But one thing was certain that her ability was terrifying.

After this all the competition was smooth until the last match. "Now welcome our last champion the one who defeated his opponents with his remarkable swordsmanship Skylar"

A boy with silver hair came toward stage, he did not say a word and directly challenge. He challenges rank number 58.

Ethan was giving a little more attention because he was also a swordsman. When Ethan saw the person who was challenged, he was a little surprised because that person was the one who invite him in his faction he didn't know that he was also a rank holder. But even if Ethan knows he can care less about it.

David came to stage a little annoyed because he was challenged and nonetheless an unawakened one has challenged him. After entering on stage, he said to skylark "hey, don't be humiliate yourself too much alright" he was indicating that he was going to win.

Skylar snorted at him "let see who going to humiliate himself"

Their match started David activate his ability and in skylark vision three more David came. "Hahaha please this match you are not going to win." Said David mockingly

Skylar ignores his taunt and just close his eyes. When David saw that he was ignored, he become furious and start closing distance with Skylar with a dagger in his hand.

When he was in distance of attacking him, he aim toward Skylar chest and attacked. Skylar did not open his eyes all this time, but when his chest was going to pierce by dagger he open his eyes and deflect dagger and next second his sword was at neck of David.

David was surprised what happen just now he gritted his teeth when he saw he lost. But he cannot do anything at all now.

And like this competition came to its end.