Ch 19: Demon Sword Tournament

---This Chapter is Written by Void-King---

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On the day of the Demon Sword Tournament, Anos' mother rushed up to him as he tried to leave their house.

"Wait, Anos-chan! Mother's coming with you!" His mother called, dressed up in her going-out clothes.

"You're coming to Delzagade?"

"Yes. The school sent me a ticket, and anyone with a ticket to the tournament can enter the grounds," she said with a smile.

"I still haven't decided if I'm taking part yet," Anos replied to his mother.

***

I've arranged to meet Aivis at the school and get his report first.

I'll make my decision based on what he tells me.

"You're still not sure if you can get a good enough sword?" Mother asks.

"Yeah, pretty much," I replied.

If I explain my true reasons, my mother wouldn't really understand, so I'll stick to my previous story.

"You might get your sword, so Mother is also coming along. Also, I want to see the school Anos-chan goes to."

I'm not sure what she's expecting to see, but it's fine.

"Shall we go then?"

"Yes."

***

The two lock up and start walking. His mother links her arm with his and starts walking.

"Fufufu... I rarely get a chance to go out with Anos-chan. Mother is happy. I wish Rimuru-chan were also here," Isabella said.

"It's a bit hard to walk with you sticking to me like this, though... And she's right, where is Rimuru?" is what Anos thought.

Isabella keeps on hanging onto his arm so that he can't escape, and his mother seems so happy, so he decides to let it be.

"Have you seen father recently? I haven't seen him ever since."

"After dashing out, he came back once, then left again and hasn't been back ever since. He was like Rimuru, who always disappeared after class. I guess he's still working hard on obtaining a demon sword. And I'm wondering what my sister is up to," is what Anos thought.

"He's helping out at other blacksmiths since they are short-staffed," Isabella replied.

"I see."

"He's only troubling you, though," Isabella laughs happily at her comment.

"Perhaps, but I don't mind. That person is a hard worker, so it's okay," Anos replied.

***

I've never seen my father work. To be honest, I can't imagine it at all when I think about his usual everyday figure.

"Speaking of which, Anos-chan, is the other person aside from you and Rimuru-chan chosen from your class Ray-kun?"

Walking leisurely, I answer my mother's questions, and after arriving at school, I lead her to the arena.

"If you go straight on, you will reach the audience seats."

"Thanks, Anos-chan. Do your best."

"Ah, we'll see."

"Mother supports you!"

***

Isabella left without listening to any words that Anos said.

Since the two walked slowly, the tournament is almost starting.

The very first match is Anos' match, so he didn't go to the waiting room. Instead, he left the arena and headed to the demon tree forest.

The forest had completely recovered after their match and fight with Rimuru. The forest was now lush and green again.

After walking for a while, a *nyaa* came from above.

Anos looked up, and a black cat was perched on a branch. With a light gait, it came down the tree. Anos knew who it was; it was Aivis.

"What have you found?" Anos asked.

The black cat opened its mouth.

"Gaius and Idol, two of the old seven demon emperors, are involved in the tournament behind the scenes," Aivis replied.

"Those two?"

"Gaius' memories were erased, and his body was taken over by a subordinate of Avos Dillheavia. I never checked Indol, but it's very likely the same with him as well," Aivis continued.

"What's their aim?"

"I believe it's you, Anos-sama. I think they are trying to trap you somehow."

"If that's the case, then they are probably trying to beat me by using the rules," Anos said, and Aivis agreed.

"They will probably try to reduce your power by using the rules against you, Anos-sama."

"Fumu. This is probably the most likely scenario," Anos thought.

"What's the location of Gaius and Indol?"

"I don't know, but I found out that they will be coming to watch the finals tomorrow."

The two continued to talk, and Anos asked about something.

"What about Melheis?" Anos asked.

"He's a hard one to catch sight of, but from what I can find, he doesn't seem to be involved in the management side of the tournament. There's no sign that he's intending to defy you, Anos-sama," Aivis said to Anos.

"What about Lay?"

"Lay Grandori's mother is hospitalized in the Lognoss Magic Clinic. Her condition isn't good. She's close to death, and healing magic is barely effective. Somehow, the hospital has managed to at least stabilize her, though," Aivis informed.

Anos thought about Lay since he looked so down. He wondered why Lay didn't depend on him or even ask Rimuru for help since Anos knows that he and Rimuru could help anyone if they wanted to.

"What's the disease?" Anos asked.

"The doctor's notes state it's spirit sickness."

"Fumu. I've never heard of it," Anos thought since even 2000 years ago, he hadn't even heard of a disease called Spirit Sickness.

Anos asked for details about this sickness, but even Aivis didn't know what kind of disease it was, leaving Anos to wonder how Lay's mother caught this sickness.

He decided to put that thinking aside for now and asked Aivis again.

"What about my sister?"

"I have found out

that some of the royals have taken an interest in your sister, and some of them are planning to capture her and make her their slave," Aivis said.

Hearing this, Anos almost snapped, but luckily, he managed to calm himself and decided to continue listening to Aivis.

"I also found out that one of the noble families is cooperating with an unknown individual to capture your sister," Aivis said.

"I see," Anos said in a calm tone, but inside, he was already on edge and wanted to destroy the noble family. But he thought that if he did, the one who was cooperating with them might escape, so he decided to think of a plan to counter those nobles.

"Anything more?"

"That is all I have found."

"Continue your duty and look for the condition of Lay's mother and keep an eye on that noble family who is targeting my sister," Anos ordered.

"As you wish," Aivis said and walked off into the forest.

After their talk, Anos returned to the arena but headed to the audience seats and not the waiting room for the participants.

"I'll wait here for a while," Anos thought.

"Without further ado, the first round of the Dilhade Demon Sword Tournament shall begin!" a voice came from the owl flying in the sky.

"First up is Kurt Roodwell from the Lognoss Demon Sword Association!" the owl announced.

Then a long-haired man with delicate features appeared in the arena along with a great cheer. A thin rapier-type demon sword hung from his waist.

"He's here! The winner of the last tournament! Dilhade's strongest swordsman, Kurt Roodwell!"

"Shocking! The first match, and he's here!"

"Ah... At only 20 years old, he rapidly cut down all his opponents. He can only have gotten better. I look forward to it."

"He's over 30 now. I wonder how much more polished his sword techniques are? It's scary just thinking about it."

"Who's the unlucky fellow to get Kurt in the first round?"

Apparently, he's some type of celebrity, and the audience is excited to watch.

"The Lognoss Demon Sword Association is a famous group among the royal factions," Misa says while coming over to Anos.

"I see... By the way, is that the younger or older brother of Emilia?"

"Older."

"Is her whole family in the royal faction? Not that unusual, I suppose," Anos thought.

"Next up is Anos Voldigoad from the Delzagade Demon King School!"

Even though the owl says that, no one shows up obviously since Anos was standing on a side waiting for any development.

"…...I'm sorry. Because of us..."

"What are you saying? Me taking part only furthers the plan of Avos Dilheavia."

Anos was sure that if he didn't participate, Avos' plans would start to unravel, and he might catch them by surprise.

Anos was sure of this because he thought that the person who made the plan didn't consider that he would escape.

"…...Oi. Maybe his opponent isn't going to show up...?" one of the audience said.

"Because his opponent is Kurt, it might be a bit heavy for a student. Perhaps they ran away?" another audience member said.

"But I heard that recently, the Unification Faction is spreading the news that the Demon King of Tyranny has been reborn, and it's this Anos Voldigoad person."

"Ah, there was such a rumor, wasn't there?"

"Haha, how ridiculous. He's supposed to be a mixed-blood. Why are mixed-bloods even in the academy?

They should all work for the royals like most of the other mixed-bloods," one of the audience members with noble blood said as he mocked Anos.

"How true. No matter how hard they try, they can never become demon emperors. It's stupid."

"Good grief. That Unification Faction and this Anos are all brats. It's nothing but a dream."

Those voices belong to the royal group since they are making sure a nearby group of white-clothed students can hear them.

The students were obviously mixed races and were clenching their fists in anger while enduring it. They are surrounded by royalty, so all they can do is endure it.

While all of the royals are making fun of him, a familiar voice reaches his ears.

"How do you know they can't become Demon Lords?" Anos looks around and sees his mother.

"Ah? What was that, Nee-chan? Don't you know? Demon Lords are royalty. That's the order of things," a man tries to reach Isabella, but she firmly brushes away the hand of the man reaching for her face.

"Anos-chan will definitely become a Demon Lord!" Isabella declares loudly.

Isabella could keep quiet if she was the one being insulted, but she couldn't keep silent when the dreams of her child were insulted.

"...…Anos." Someone taps Anos on the shoulder, and when he turns around, he sees his out-of-breath father, and together with him is Rimuru, who is holding a sword.

"...…Haa....haa....we were looking....for you...." his father said.

"Here, brother," Rimuru offered the sword to Anos.

"A demon sword that Papa and I forged together using Adamantine iron and special materials. Now you can join the tournament," Rimuru smiles at Anos.

Using his demon eyes, Anos can see that Gusta phas a lot of bandages under his clothes.

"Father....your injuries….?"

"Oh? You can tell? Hahaha. I had to climb some pretty steep cliffs to get to the Adamantine iron.... I messed up and fell once, though. Don't worry, it's just a scratch!" Gusta reassures Anos.

Anos takes the sword, and at that moment, a voice speaks in his head, and he learns the name of the sword and its purpose.

"Anyway, off you go. If you win this tournament, even mixed races might be able to become Demon Lord," Gusta said.

"Do your best, brother," Rimuru said, giving a cute smile.

Anos knows so well what those words mean, and he knows that right now, all he wants to see is his family smile.

"Misa, please tell Melheis that the arrangements he's making are not necessary."

".....Understood...." Misa replies.

"Participant Anos Voldigoad! Are you coming? You have 10 seconds to come to the stage, or else you will be disqualified," the owl announces.

"That's me. I'm here," Anos says and walks to the edge of the audience seats and jumps to the arena stage.

'I don't have a demon sword, but this sword that I'm holding is something that goes beyond that. It's a sword that is not only made for me but for our family.'

Anos lands on the arena stage, and immediately his opponent starts taunting him.

"I thought you'd run away, hero-dono of the Unlitaria Faction," Kurt turns a cold gaze towards him.

"Fumu... I got lost a little bit. Did you wait long?" Anos replies.

"It doesn't matter. I'll forgive it out of respect for your title of hero of The Unlitaria," Kurt says, looking down on Anos.

Anos can feel the ridicule coming from Kurt's gaze, but he can't let himself get irritated.

"Oh well, since I've arrived, let's begin," Anos says, and his sword starts glowing with a radiant light.

"I'll end this in one minute." Anos said

As the audience watches with anticipation, Anos and Kurt prepare to face each other in the first round of the Dilhade Demon Sword Tournament.

---End---