Championship (1)

"Wan Er! You're here! Is Xiao Huo fine already?"

As soon as I saw her, I quickly asked. Hearing my sudden question, she promptly chuckled after showing a slightly surprised expression.

"Yes. She's already fine since this noon. It seems that Healing God Eta's support made it in time."

She smiled as she spoke. Although it seems like she's still lethargic, it was probably due to staying up all night. I knew since there were still traces of eye bags under her eyes, although it was hidden behind thick makeup.

"You won against Aster, right? I couldn't watch it personally, but I wish I saw the part when God Zeshion stripped him of his Taming System."

"Well, for spectators, it was quite a beautiful scene. For the person involved, though, it was like a scene out of hell."

Although thousands of light orbs flying rapidly was a beautiful sight, its purpose was outright brutal. When I think about being on the receiving end of that skill, I can't help but shudder in fright.

'I should live as a righteous tamer and respect everyone around me. If I got stripped of my Taming System before achieving my dreams, then I'm confident that I'll die from shock.'

I reached my seat while reflecting on my past actions. Only two events surfaced in my mind though. It was when I smacked the son of a town mayor, and when I earned the ire of someone powerful enough to send assassins with 4th stage monsters. For the first, it was genuine self-defense. The other, I don't even know the reason why it even happened.

"Tomorrow's the last fight. It seems like I'll be claiming the championship for this year."

Wan Li commented by the side. She was full of confidence but wasn't letting down her guard.

"Well see about that. Even if we have almost no chance of winning, I wouldn't be losing that easily!"

"Fufu, of course. I'm already looking forward to what surprise you'll be presenting tomorrow."

Although the two of us were to fight each other tomorrow, the atmosphere at the dining table was as usual. After the three of us chatted while eating, we then returned to each of our rooms to rest.

---

The night passed and morning came. Although I was worried about tomorrow's match, I slept through the night peacefully. After spending the morning brushing up on our new strategy, we went straight to the stadium. The long-awaited finals of the tournament were about to start.

'We did all we could to prepare, all that's left is to give it our all.'

After trying to raise my mentality, I quickly exited the East Gate. As soon as the gate was opened, the overwhelming cheers from the audience even made my skin vibrate. Acting as regal as I could, together with Ember, we marched slowly towards the stage.

"A weakling! A useless beast! Monster Feed! Slimes are called many names outside, but now, here, these two proved that race is nothing in front of overwhelming skills! Despite all the odds against stronger opponents, here they are, currently fighting to be crowned the champion!"

The announcer seems to be even more energetic today. Probably because the eyesore of the tournament was finally removed yesterday. If asked, then everyone will probably agree that she was the one who celebrated the most when Aster lost his Taming System.

Soon, the opposite gate opened. As soon as it did, a wave of cold flashed and created a frozen highway heading straight for the stage. Wan Li and Xiao Bing gallantly walked on the frozen path as they waved to the audience. The fervor of the men was so intense that I was almost tempted to block my ears in displeasure.

"Untouchable Ice Queen! Not only did her beauty captivate everyone regardless of gender, she even proved what invincible really means! Not to mention her cute companion that can freeze everything in a flash! Will they keep the record of winning without getting damaged? Everyone should pay attention!"

Unlike her usual appearance of wearing short pants with a loose blouse, she was now wearing what seems like a traditional Chinese dress. If my memory serves me right, it should be called a Qipao or Cheongsam. The deep blue color matches her current demeanor which sends shivers down my spine. She even tied her hair in buns, to emphasize ease of movement.

Speaking of ease of movement, the deep slit on both sides of her hips allows a brief view of her pristine thighs and legs every time she takes a step. Probably, all men in the venue couldn't help but gulp at the sight.

"That's one great uniform. Did you wear that on all your battles?"

I asked lightly, considering it as an icebreaker.

"Of course. This is the battle wear for women in the Wan Family. We are obliged to wear this when we fight."

"I see. Pardon me for wearing the same clothes I usually wear then. I don't have much leeway in terms of attire, you see."

"I don't mind. It's not like your strength will increase when you wear other clothes."

Although we were talking with an amicable tone, the underlying tension was definitely increasing.

"All of us have been waiting for this moment! On one side is a weak-looking slime while on the other is an invulnerable fairy! Will we be seeing another extreme control play from Wan Li? Or will we be seeing another upset from this extremely unpredictable slime? Let the battle begin!"

As soon as the start signal was given, Ember quickly dashed forward.

I already explained the tactics that we would be using in this battle this morning. All in all, we should first eliminate any distance between Ember and Xiao Bing. If we get locked with control skills from far away, then the battle would end with us not being able to do anything.

In just an instant, Ember covered almost half the distance between them. However, as expected, the opponent wasn't a pushover.

The stage started freezing over in a circular manner with Xiao Bing as the center. If Ember stepped on this icy ground, then she would lose all mobility until the end of the match.