Everyone! After a long wait, we are pleased to announce the start of the 167th edition of the Martial Arts Tournament Death Torment!

　They must be using some kind of magic tool. The voice of the host echoes throughout the interior of the arena, and in response, the cheers of the crowd fill the hall.

　I was carrying En - who was returning to the flame of sin - on my shoulder, leaning on the railing and looking at the entire arena.

　This is adjacent to the anteroom, one step before the stage of the arena.

　From this location, you can see the entire arena from below, except for the seats in front of you, but you can see that quite a few spectators have already taken their seats.

And in the afternoon, our King Finale and the demon chieftain, Gojim-sama will be there! By all means, let's have a big round of applause on that occasion!

　Huh? He's coming.
　He said he was going to do something behind the scenes, but it's not like he's going to be in charge, right?

　And--oh, I see. So the big guy from the enemy side is coming too.

　I'm sure he has a lot of authority here as he is introduced together with the king who is supposed to be the head of the world.

　I'd really like to see what he looks like.

　--It's a good thing that you're able to get a good idea of what you're looking for.

　Originally, the term "demon tribe" was used to refer to the old demon tribe that Reffi mentioned, and the current demon tribe refers to those who have a supremacist view of bloodline, believing that they have a superior bloodline and power.

　It is said that these bloodline important people are the core of the tribe, telling those who join them that they are also a member of the devil tribe with superior blood, and looking down on those who don't join them that they are weak people without superior blood, and that the current group called the "devil tribe" has been spreading its power in this way.

　Therefore, the fact that the name of the tribe ends with "demon" doesn't necessarily mean that they are demons. But there's a good chance they're demons.

　Well, it's just like a religion.

　The Satanic tribe's belief that power is god. I'm sure the guru is very noble.

　As you are listening to the host's words while thinking about such a worthless thing, the door of the waiting room opens and an attendant with a book-like thing appears.

　It seems that he came to tell you the order of participation for the match.

　As I can often hear his voice from here, I leaned against the railing of the arena stage and listened to him, and it seems that the '1-50' is the first match, and the '51-100' is the second match, and so on.

So that means I'm in the third game.

　I'm "113th".

"...... third?

"Oh. I guess so. So probably ...... we'll be out as early as noon or after noon.

　From what I've heard, the qualifiers take about an hour or two per game.
　Right now, it's about ten o'clock, so it's probably right around lunchtime when the third game starts.

　Hmmm, delicate time frame.

"...... You're going to be hungry!

"Haha, yeah . We'll have a lot of good food afterwards.

"....... Fun'

　So, while I was talking to the weapon, I spent several minutes chatting with En, unaware that everyone around me was looking at me like I was looking at something weird.

The first match of the preliminary round will now begin!

　Amidst the audience's enthusiastic cries, the contestants of the first match finally went on stage and the curtain was lifted on the fighting tournament.


　　　* * * *


　Today's battle royale is a preliminary round, and the one-on-one matches will begin tomorrow.

　Also, in this tournament, those who have participated in the main contest and have made it through the first round will not be seeded.

　So, what I'm trying to say is--weak (...).

　Although it is very flashy to watch fifty people fighting at once, the level of the fight itself is not that high.

　Basically, it's a battle between powerful demons, or maybe because it's also a battle between powerful demons, it's all about head-on punching and being beaten.

　There are some people who have a "wow" factor in their moves: ...... Frankly speaking, they are not in the realm of juggling.

　The average strength is probably greater than that of some Orihalcon adventurer who fought in the capital of the human kingdom.

　He was pretty strong after all.

　Well, it's still a preliminary round, so maybe it's inevitable to a certain extent.

　If you want to enjoy watching a high-level fight, it's better to start tomorrow.

The third match will now begin! Players, please go to the stage!

　When my turn came, I heard the announcement and stepped out of the waiting room to join the players on the huge stage.

　--The heat is unbelievable.

　The place is just a step away from the edge of the stage where you were just a few minutes ago, but you feel as if you are in a completely different world.

　When I looked up, I saw a huge crystal ball-like object, which looked like a baseball field's electronic display board, floating in the air, magnifying the scene on stage.

　The technology in this world is advancing in some strange way, seeing as there is even that thing. 　

I think we're ready! Then--the third game begins!

　With the sound of a gong, the heat of the place rises at once, and the spectators heat up in response to it.

　The sound of angry voices and sword fights echoed around the area.

The sound of angry voices and sword fights echoed around the area. Expose me to death!

"f*ck you, kid!

　You'll be able to see that there are several people with weapons in their hands, emitting a fighting spirit from their bodies that are about to attack me while I'm standing there.

　--Well, then.

　Since lunch is waiting for us, let's just finish the preliminary round and meet up with Leila.

En, cover your ears.

"......

　...... Huh? Speaking of which, does the weapon state en have ears?

　I'm not sure how it hears the sounds of its surroundings when it's anthropomorphic, or even when it's inhabited by its weapons....

　...... After all this time, En is quite a mystery to me.

　After smiling bitterly, I inhaled in front of the attacking group, and then--.



"-gaaaaaaaaaaaaah!



　--. howled .

　A roar that shook the ground, shook the air, rang out like a thunderbolt.

　Hearing this, the fighters near me fell to the ground, starting with those near me, as if they were falling unconscious - before long, there was no one standing there but me.

　The arena, which had been so noisy, fell silent at that moment.

　......Well, I was expecting a few people to stay behind.

　--It is a unique skill, "The Majesty of Champions".



　I got this skill after playing against a f*cking dragon.
　The effect is to unleash "intimidation" on all enemies within a certain area around the user, slowing the target's movements.

　Such a skill would normally only slow the subject down ...... but if there is a significant difference in status between the user and the enemy, it can slow the subject down to the point of stunting the opponent (・・・・・・・・・・).

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. Nope, just one player's roar and the game is over!

　The audience, which had been quieted down by my roar, began to commotion again at the host's astonishment.

　Alright, as requested by the king of the demon world, the primary objective of "standing out" has been achieved for now.

　But, well, this is just the beginning.

　scrape off the edges. The demon king's power is not this good.

　--And so my first game ended without removing En from her scabbard.


　　　* * * *


　--One of the corridors that stretch through the arena to the bleachers.

　Since the fight has already begun, there are two men, neither enthusiastic nor excited, observing the stage with a keen eye, in a very empty space.

...... What's that mask?

A few days ago, I was suddenly twisted into a contestant in the tournament by Finale. I'm from Reggie Hegg, ...... well, that's probably a lie.

"If you're one of those ...... rumored mercenaries he's hired for a new job?

It's very possible . Perhaps they were sent to destroy our men in this tournament.

　Menz.

　That alone doesn't sound like much, but in a world dominated by "power," the importance of the word "menzies" is very high.

　The two of them understood the danger of being crushed.

...... You certainly have the power. Who is it?

We're working on it, but we don't have any details yet.

...... is a total mess. But if he gets in our way, we'll just destroy him. If he becomes a hindrance to us, put him out of his misery before he gets on the warpath.

"As you wish.



You're having a pretty wild conversation, aren't you?



Huh!

　Suddenly, a voice came from behind them, and they turned to see someone wearing a hood.

Shhhhh!

　One of the men reacted instantly and attacked with a knife pulled from his pocket - but before the knife could reach the hood, the man's arm slipped off, revealing a clean cross-section from the root and falling to the ground with a botfly.

　--In the hand of the hood, before you know it, the blood-soaked sword was in his hand.

It's not a good idea.

　A man screams as he perceives, a little late, that his arm has been cut off.
　But the scream is drowned out by the crowd's frenzy, and no one hears it.

Tsk--

Oops, you'll be pissed if you run away.

　Seeing what the hood is capable of, the other man cuts down his companion and immediately tries to escape - but just as he takes a step, his neck shifts off its roots and falls with a plop, just like his companion's arm.

　The headless man collapses to his knees with a crunch and lies motionless, spraying a shower of blood.

Hee hee--

"Oh, you can rest assured I won't kill you. I have a lot of questions to ask you. ...... No, but the king's new partner will help us get our work done.

　Cuckooing and laughing, Hood grabbed the frightened armless man by the scruff of his neck -- and in the next moment, the corpse, the blood, the armless man, and the hood were all gone.


　--The next moment, the corpse, the blood, the armless man, and the hood, everything was gone.