Chapter 24

15/8/1578

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The 10 competitor who have passed the first stage of the F rank competition are divided into to group. Each group contains 5 competitor. The announcer announces the second stage of F rank competition.

"Hello, Nobles mens and Ladies, fellow adventurers. Today the second stage of the F rank competition. "SHOWDOWN". The ten competitor are divided into two group. Each group are to enter a mini dungeon which is created by the Dwarf architect Zard Feline. In the mini dungeon there are mechanical beasts which has power of a E rank beast. But there is a Boss mob. The group that first defeats the boss will win the second stage and will get promoted to the third stages."

The stadium of the arena began to go downward. After reaching a certain depth the arena split into two parts. The split parts enter the cavity between the depth.

Above the cavity, a new split parts emerge between the large cavity above. They joined together to form a ruins like maze made of stone wall.

Old ruin with many F ranked beasts in each places of the old ruins. There is a large space in the middle with two door a each end. The ruins is covered by a barrier. Each group stands at the each end of the maze.

A large screen that display the movement of each group was kept in each corners of the Colosseum. The spectators began to watch each screens.

"Let bets which group will win this round."

One of the spectator said loudly. The first group which is called Squad red and the second group is called  Squad Blue. The spectators including adventurer began to bet thier money on the group that believe to win.

" I will bet on blue for 20 second golds."

Said one of the adventurer. It was Elasion an A rank adventurer.

"Elasion, you bet on the blue. Hahaha."

Elasion looked in the direction of the laughter. It was a familiar face, Arthur Phoenal.

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In his old days, where he was an B rank adventurer, he tries to take a A ranked beast. But he  failed in the quest. He beaten badly by the beast that he could barely move his body.

It was an Internal Bull, the beast leave him half dead in the forest after it saw that the opponent is no longer in a condition to fight.

After the beast left, Elasion was left in the forest for four days. Due the burn mark left by the bull during the battle left him in a safe zone. As other beasts thought that it was the territory of the Infernal Bull.

Elasion tries to stand up but his bone on the leg was broken and he couldn't feel his legs. He tries not to lose his consciousness. But hope didn't come on the second day. He eyes became heavy and slowly closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes he was in clinic.

He asked the people.

"Who saved me."

The staff of the clinic replied.

"You are lucky that a adventurer named Arthur saw you in the forest of dead."

The healer of the clinic come and checked his conditions.

"You need two more days of rest."

Arthur took all the medical expenses of Elasion. After discharged from the clinic Elasion meet Arthur and thanked him for saving his life.

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Elasion asked Arthur,

"Then who will you be beting on."

"I will bet on the red, 1 white gold."

Everyone was surprised that some one was betting whitegold in gambling. One white is equal to ten million Narcs.

"Are you sure that red will win." 

Elasion asked.

"I am sure, the red will win anyway."

Arthur laughed confidently.

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Zero who watching in the Arena the matches yesterday. Suddenly felt a distortion in the space in the Arena. He felt a familiar presence of energy as his. He uses his ability to control space to see the surrounding places. He see that four place there is flow of mana.

The mana creates a barrier which isolates space. But the energy of the barrier is similar to his energy.

He searched in one of the places of origin of mana. He sees some people. He then study the layout of the barrier. After studying the layout he smiled.

The barrier could easily broken by his ability. But he choose not to interfere in this event. Some of the Dwarven soldiers outside found that thier is barrier in between them.

"We can't enter the arena. There something that blocking."

A soldiers tries to cross the barrier but he couldn't do it.

"Let's report to the commander Dall. "

Commander Dall come and inspect the barrier.

"Call, Mirage the spatial specialist."

"Commander, did you understand how to get dispelled the barrier."

"I don't know much about barrier. But for barrier of this level, there should be a mana source. If we can find the mana source we can dispell the barrier."

A soldiers came with Mirage. Mirage look at the barrier.

"A spatial seperation barrier. I didn't see thus type of barrier."

"You have no way to dispell it. Mirage." Commander Dall asked.

"It is not impossible to dispell it. But we must find it mana sources. It has four mana sources that is 50 meter away from the barrier."

Commander Dall order the soldier to search for sources. Zero help them to locate the mana sources of the barrier.

The first location is a abandoned house. The soldier searched the house thoroughly. But couldn't find the any machine that could be a mana source.

Zero destroys the floor of the house using his spatial distortion.

A dwarven soldier fell down to the

basement of the house.

"Hey, are you alright."

A dwarven soldiers asked the fallen soldier.

"It alright. I don't know that there basement down here."

The fallen soldier said and start searching the area.

The other soldiers also jump down to search the area. They found strange machine.

"There is a machine, report back to the commander." One soldiers said.

After a while, Commander Dall come with Mirage. Mirage come close to the machine.

"Dall, Can you give some light."

A soldiers light a device. The basement which was dark become bright. Mirage inspect the machine.

"Uh."

Looking through the machine, he found a small mana circuit.

"Well, Its an old circuit, that simple."

Mirage uses a tool and cut the circuit with a careful manner. It was necessary to cut it carefully. A slight increase or decrease in force while cutting could cause a huge explosion.

After some time he succeeds in cutting the circuit. A soldiers came and report that they found the other remaining mana sources.

Mirage cut the other mana sources circuit. The barrier dispell. The soldier entered the arena. Commander Dall report the situation to General.