Days of Competition

Wrock yawned as he watched the fight, "This is kind of boring."

Kan'na nodded, "Nothing quite like doing something yourself. Regardless these battles. . ."

Akiol shook his head slightly, "The fighting level of this world is quite low. Those proficient in combat would barely be able to beat any Mercenaries from our world. Granted that's if they were equal in strength."

Kan'na didn't refute, "They should be able to find some NPCs willing to teach them right?"

"What do you mean?"

"My Class, it was given to me by someone who taught me the game's magic language. She follows a path similar to my own. If someone can teach that much, shouldn't there also be mentors for physical combat?"

"There should be actually. James' sister was unnaturally good at combat when I fought with her. There wasn't any memories of her being trained in combat either. Nor any signs."

"So she could have been taught by an NPC?"

"That's probably the most realistic thought."

Wrock blinked as he wondered aloud, "Then shouldn't there be an increase in skill?"

Kan'na nodded, "There has to be. Maybe not now, but soon."

With a slight laugh Akiol joked, "We won't be able to wipe the players out easily anymore."

Yielya piped up from the back, "And I won't be bored watching!"

"You can help out more now than before though?"

"Of course I can, but then the battles would be too easy."

Akiol looked at the ceiling, "Ah these overpowered War Sights. It's such a shame I don't have one!"

Wrock pointed out, "But you have that aura thingy right? None of us could use that properly."

Indeed, Akiol had attempted to teach his party about Aura for a while now, except Wrock who rejected on learning it. However not a single hint of results were shown!

With a shrug Akiol responded, "Sure, but I can't use it properly. Originally I thought it was similar to a Berserk Skill, but that developer gave me a hint that it was otherwise."

Kan'na gave her own opinion, "Similarly to how we can control the ambient mana with ease, but not our personal?"

"Somewhat, I just need a small hint in the right direction and I should make progress."

Wrock's eyes lit up suddenly, "Does that mean the game has Spirit too?"

"Have you tried it?"

"First thing I did. However since our personal stuff is different. . . how about the ambient type?"

His face dimmed slightly, "Ah, but it won't be as effective if I can't use my own."

"Wasn't it engraved into your soul?"

"Yeah?"

"Maybe you haven't tried hard enough then."

Kan'na looked back out the window, "Oh, they finished the round."

Akiol looked over, "Ah so Ankle won after all. I wonder how many people were shocked by the outcome."

Tilia walked over and asked, "The whole three fights a day… how are they going to separate them?"

Kan'na answered, "In order. They will save the finals for later. So the finals for the solo won't be until after the six team finishes."

"This seems a little. . ."

"Poor? I do believe they are working on a better schedule."

~ ~ ~

Travis tapped his chin. His speculation was correct. There was some small changes in the competition.

The main things? Unyielding Blossom originally lost in the first round. But unexpectedly it turned out much different than before. Additionally Blaze was supposed to be in the team of six, along with the rest of the Deities. However he was in the solo?

Ankle still won, that was the same in his memories.

He pondered what had changed. There must have been something different for these changes.

The only thing he could think of for Blaze was when he had attacked him during the undead event in Goldlight. But would that have changed so much?

As for Unyielding Blossom. . .

A thought crossed his head: The slime.

That slime and his party was the major contender on different things in his timeline. The biggest butterfly effect. There was no major battle in the first monthly highlight. The slime wasn't the original person to have obtained the Artifact.

It should have been known!

Originally he thought it was due to their fate with the Crimson Immortals. However the more he thought about it, the more it seemed unlikely. The mountain they climbed was supposed to have a barrier, and wasn't found until further in the future. Moreover undoing the barrier took quite some time and required joint effort with some of the top Guilds. Yet it was already taken down?

Their level of skill. . . their strange fate. . .

He thought of a possibility:

Could they have gone back into the past like him?

~ ~ ~

"Oh! Unyielding Blossom takes a heavy hit!"

"Steelish is delivering devastating blows one after another!"

. . .

"What a counter from Myths Unproven! Suddenly taking the lead!"

"It seems like Ankle isn't giving up just yet!"

. . .

So the competition past. Days went by and matches continued. The crowd changing occasionally, for many couldn't afford to stick around for a full two weeks.

The finals were entertaining, but it just didn't satisfy the crowd. The players always seemed to hide something, preparing for the next and keeping as many trump cards hidden.

Many could sense this, it made them restless.

The organizers of the competition noticed the crowd growing dissatisfied and they started biting their nails to come up with a solution.

Desk Guy was among them, snacking on a bag of pretzels. Watching the chaos unfold.

A coworker snapped at him, "Would you work?! We're trying to figure out something here!"

Desk Guy paused and stared at them. He then popped a pretzel in his mouth and chewed. The coworker's eye twitched as he was about to rant, but was quickly stopped short by Desk Guy.

"It's not a big deal. The final match, that's gonna get them worked up."

The coworker frowned, "What? How do you know that?"

The corner of Desk Guy's lips curled up, "My favorite team is there. And those guys, they know how to create a show."

~ ~ ~

Although the stream was on pause until the next day, the chat was still active. Including a familiar private one.

-Anon300: So who do y'all think is going to win the sixes?

-Anon221: I'm thinking Final Terminus. Those guys were always cautious.

-Anon305: Nah, have you seen Bakery Basics? Those guys are the epitome of determination. Even if dead they'll bite your ankles.

-Anon300: Don't bite Ankle, he got bullied already.

-Anon305: lol

-Anon488: No one's voting the Dark Horse? I can't be the only one.

-Anon771: You're not e.e

-Anon597: Ohhh it's the expert!

-Anon771: It seems like my reputation has grown?

-Anon597: Who hasn't heard of you yet? You haven't made a false deduction yet!

-Anon195: Does this mean you're rooting for Six Lights, or are you confident in them winning? @Anon771

-Anon771: Both ;)

-Anon427: Oho, give us that trademark explanation!

-Anon597: Yes!

-Anon771: Well if you insist.

-Anon626: Lord they are doing it again! Get a text to speech addition or something!

-Anon597: Shh! You spiteful buffoon! Swallow your loss.

-Anon959: ^What that guy said

-Anon334: +1 on swallowing your loss!

-Anon279: +1!

-Anon665: +1!!

-Anon626: . . .

-Anon771: Oh you did it for me. I didn't have to delete my paragraph!

-Anon597: Gah! Someone mute 626!

-Anon771: Alright alright, then how about this? Has anyone seen their matches during the preliminaries?

-Anon726: Match is not the correct term.

-Anon597: Ah yes, the slaughter?

-Anon771: Correct! Now the question is, are they extremely powerful? Or are they extremely skilled?

-Anon626: Powerful

-Anon889: Skilled

-Anon905: Powerful

-Anon427: Powerful

-Anon597: Both?

-Anon771: Bingo! Points to 597!

-Anon597: :D

-Anon877: Powerful

-Anon877: Ah darn I was too late.

-Anon771: I'll keep it short, these guys are monsters among men. Strength unfounded by most of the player base. Skill transcending that I have never seen.

-Anon771: In fact, I don't think they have ever tried during combat.

-Anon626: No way, even if they were beta testers somehow they shouldn't be as exaggerated.

-Anon597: Oho he speaks again! Are you prepared to make another wager?

-Anon626: I'm wagering a Legend Creating chest piece. They won't win, period.

-Anon597: !

-Anon905: !

-Anon207: ?!

-Anon173: !!

-Anon526: !!!

-Anon300: !?

-Anon771: . . . I'm speechless 626.

-Anon626: heh

-Anon597: Bull! I call lies! What proof does thee have?!

-Anon626: Way ahead of you.

-Anon626: [Screenshot]

-Anon597: !!!

-Anon905: !!!??

-Anon771: Hahaha

-Anon626: So what do you say?

-Anon771: Wager eh? You've caught my interest with that. However, I don't think that's enough!

-Anon597: I don't have enough exclamation marks for this!

-Anon905: The real competition is the wagers between 626 and 771!

-Anon771: I wager a Legend Creating ring.

-Anon771: [Screenshot]

-Anon395: This madlad actually!!

-Anon626: I expected as much. So I'll be adding my own Incredible ranked accessory additionally.

-Anon299: I'm too broke for this. It's like watching billionaires gambling. My heart can't take it~

-Anon771: Haha! Very well. Since you've kept your word on our wagers so far. I think you're trustworthy enough.

-Anon626: I'll be glad to take that accessory of your hands.

-Anon771: I'll be glad to empty your inventory.

-Anon597: This is awesome!

-Anon888: Let's hope that it's Six Lights soon!

-Anon626: Indeed, so I may get my ring early.

-Anon771: Woah~ take me out to eat first!