'Finally, the battle to determine the top of the demon trainers is about to begin again this year!　The biggest monster battle in our demon city - the King Tamer Cup is about to begin!

"'Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!'

　A thunderous cheer roared, and the building chattered and shook with the wave of the crowd.
　The audience filled the venue.
　According to the management's announcement, the number was close to fifty thousand people.

　The arena in the City of Swords was also large, but this place would be several times larger than that.
　Due to the nature of demons fighting, the field is also large.

　With this, even if Befi turns back to her original form, she will still be able to fit in just barely.
　The field would be filled with her body alone, though.

　This King Tamer Cup, which was said to be the biggest monster battle in the City of Monsters, only trainers who belonged to the S-class guilds were allowed to participate in it.
　There are seven S-class guilds, and each guild has two or three representatives, for a total of sixteen contestants to compete in the tournament.

　If they could survive to the end, they would be given the right to play the previous year's champion, the 'King Tamer'.

The first match of the tournament is the one you've been waiting for!　First off, I'm a member of the S-Class Guild, the Chemonauts!　Enter trainer Gickrya and his merry band of demons from "The Beast Demon Trainer"!

　A man with a fairly large build for a trainer and five accompanying demons enter the field.
　The demons are all beastly.

'Cerberus, armoured grizzly, and emperor griffon are all as powerful as any of them!　But the most notable demon is the legendary Gold Sleipnir!　Its speed is definitely the fastest among the monsters competing in this tournament!''

　The golden-furred unicorn, perhaps realizing that it had been introduced, stood up on its hind legs and let out a high-pitched "hyphenated" sound.

''My opponent belongs to the S-class guild "Invitation to Hades"!　''The Texan trainer of the Death Demon Trainer and his merry--no, fearless demons!

　In contrast to the trainer from earlier, a figure appeared with limbs as thin as tree branches.
　Due to the long hair, it was hard to tell the gender of the person.
　The people in tow were all undead monsters.

''Led by Rich, the King of the Undead, Dullahan, King Ghouls, this is another powerful lineup!　But the one to watch is still the Eastern Undead, the upper species of Kyung Shi, Sioh!　Since this is his first appearance at the tournament, his abilities are completely unknown!　What kind of battle will they show us?''

　A pale, giant-faced man with a strange hat on his head and a rectangular piece of paper taped to his forehead leapt with almost no preliminary movements and landed with a mental and physical somersault.
　Apparently, that was Shiou.

''Then, finally, the bell for the first game!

　The sound of a gong rang out.





　Well, just like that, the King Tamer Cup began, but as expected of a tournament to determine the top of the demon trainers, the matches continued to be quite heated.

　Like the first match, there were trainers who had a close range of demons, while there were trainers who were able to successfully organize demons of completely different species.
　Some trainers gathered only brainy demons that collided with each other from the front, while others preferred to use demons that used the arrows to toy with their opponents.

　Since five demons were fighting at the same time, the strategic part seemed to be very important as well.
　It would allow them to turn a simple force upside down.
　When an inferior team defeated the opposing team through brilliant strategy and coordination, the audience was very excited.

　Incidentally, direct attacks on the trainers are not allowed, and they will be instructed from behind a barrier set up at the back of the field.

''Now, in the blink of an eye, there are only two games left in the first round!　And here comes game seven!　"I am a member of the Class S guild, the Giants.

　Several huge shadows emerged from the entrance to the field, making an earth-shaking sound of zunn, zunn, zunn, zunn.

　A bipedal silhouette just like a human.
　But their size is incomparable.

　It's a giant race.

　The wall separating the audience and the field is about fifteen meters high, so that the demons can't get over it.
　But that's only as high as their waists at most.
　The trainer was perched on one shoulder.

''Trainer Ballessa of the Giant Trainer!　We've got five of the Atlas species, which is said to be the largest of the giant race, for this tournament!　It's just over 30 meters high!　Of course, of all the demons in this tournament, it's definitely the biggest!''

　The five giants are the most exciting thing in the world today.

'My opponent is from the S-class guild, Monsterland!　Trainer Zot of the Viscous Master and... what?　Was there a last minute player change?　Oh, come on, come on, say it. -- excuse me!　Apparently there's been a player change!　Once again, you belong to the S-class guild "Monsterland"... but this one only has a name.　And I've never seen or heard of it before...?　--Oh, anyhow, the mysterious trainer, Aleru!

　I step out onto the field when I'm called.
　I'm actually one of the elected representatives from the guild.

''You're lucky then,''

　The guild master had asked him to join the guild and immediately participate in this tournament.
　In reality, the registration deadline had already passed, but he had used his S-class guild's authority to force his way through.

　He confronted the five giants on the field.
　Looking up at them.

Thirty meters. Not much.
"Hm.