Gideon, City of Duels, Central Arena
While Ray’s group was being dragged into the Overlord’s event...
“By the way, did you not participate in The Tournaments? I don’t believe I saw you in any of the public matches.”
“Grrrgh... I-I don’t think I saw you either.”
...the two artists continued their verbal battle—this sarcastic back-and-forth.
“You didn’t, because I didn’t participate. Despite how it may seem, my face and identity are supposed to be a secret, so I wouldn’t expose and embarrass myself in such a public setting. Surely you understand?”
Marie seemed to be losing ground here. Being defeated in her first Tournament fight was coming back to haunt her—and he knew her identity, giving F a huge advantage. He had a great many cards he could play against her, while it wasn’t clear how Marie could approach him.
At some point, Marie had taken out her Arc-en-Ciel—and not the normal revolver form, but the single shot form meant for her ult. However, the mangaka side of her felt that fighting back against his words with violence would be a loss in its own right, so she was able to hold herself back...if only barely.
“Oh? Looks like it’s time.”
“Hm...? Ohh. It is.”
But then, the end of their verbal battle arrived. The thing everyone here had been waiting for was about to begin—the ultimate match of the final Tournament.
The two Superiors—Figaro and Albert—were already facing each other on the stage, but the start of the match had yet to be announced.
Perhaps because it was the final day, Altimia A. Altar—the acting ruler and first princess of the kingdom—was currently making a speech about The Tournaments so far.
“Hm...?” However, Marie, F, and some other members of the audience found it strange.
The speech was supposed to happen after the final match, yet the order had somehow been reversed.
F wondered why that had happened, and soon realized the reason.
He’d sent many drones all over the venue, and the information they provided let him know what would happen next.
“I see,” he said. “So he’ll lose the handicap for this one.”
“What do you mean?”
The handicap in question was obviously the limitation on Albert’s firepower. His consideration for the audience had rendered him unable to use his real combat style. If he fought Figaro like that, Figaro would have the upper hand in terms of both compatibility and sheer power.
Being from the same clan as him, Marie would’ve liked that, but it was unlikely that Albert himself would.
“Attention visitors. The stage will now undergo maintenance in preparation for the final match.”
Shortly after Altimia concluded her speech, an announcement echoed through the venue. However, there seemed to be no damage to the stage, so what was the maintenance for?
The answer to that question came in the form of a person who parted the wind and flew in, stopping right above the stage.
Looking up at the sky, the spectators saw a lone woman. She was wearing a wizard’s robe paired with a pointed hat, and she sat on a staff with both legs over one side, the classic picture of a witch riding a broomstick. The only thing that diverged from that image was the monocle over one eye.
Regardless, some people present already knew who she was.
“The maintenance will be done by the current Arch Sage—Integra Sedna Clarisse Flagman.”
Integra—a friend of the first princess, and currently the only court mage. She was usually busy with work in Altea, so some wondered why she was here in Gideon.
Her sudden appearance made the audience look up at her in shock.
Meanwhile, Figaro was smiling, Albert showed no emotion, and Altimia made a face as though to say, “Finally, she’s arrived.”
The reason she’d pushed the speech forward was to buy Integra some time. This implied that the Arch Sage was necessary for the final match—and this was proven by what she did next.
“Miss Flagman will now reinforce the arena’s protections.” Following that announcement, Integra created a massive barrier over the existing one.
She was adding multiple new layers over the five that already covered the stage, resulting in a large number of magical barriers nested within one another.
This was in response to the UBM escape on day six. There had been a counterplan meeting where the likes of Altimia and Count Gideon had discussed how to prevent such a thing from happening again. Being an arena expert, Figaro had also participated as an observer.
One of the solutions they’d come up with was enhancing the barrier by adding extra layers on top of the ones already there, and this responsibility was given to the Arch Sage, Integra. While the Arch Sage could use magic of all kinds, Integra was especially good at barrier magic. They’d intended to use her powers to add additional walls and prevent more UBMs from escaping.
But now, contrary to their plans, they were using this solution in the final match.
The reason they were doing this was actually Figaro.
This many-layered barrier would reduce the risk of audience casualties even further—and that was exactly why, having listened in on the meeting, Figaro himself had asked that they use this in the final match.
Though he was participating in The Tournaments, he didn’t actually want the MVP reward—those were just something he received in the course of pursuing his true goal.
Figaro was someone who enjoyed battle from the bottom of his heart and always sought powerful enemies against whom he could burn away his spirit, body, and all that he was. Blessed with an opponent as great as Albert, Figaro would never allow him to bear such an unfair handicap.
“...Heh.” Figaro stood on the stage with a smile on his face. His expression spoke more eloquently than any words could, saying, The stage is set. Let’s go all out.
Even the audience felt like they could hear the silent invitation.
Saying nothing in response, Albert spent a moment looking at the enhanced barrier...
“Deploying armaments.”
...and adorned himself in MVP rewards.
Figaro’s smile deepened as he took a weapon in hand.
Thus began an all-out battle between Superiors armed to the teeth with countless powerful artifacts.
✦ ✦ ✦
Gideon, City of Duels, Eighth Arena
Legendaria had three Overlords—Overlord Acedia, ZZZ; Overlord Gula, Dis Satisfactory; and Overlord Invidia, G.
Overlord Acedia did nothing but sleep inside his realm. As long as no one threatened his territory, he did not partake in conflict against anyone. If sleeping dogs were left to lie, they wouldn’t bite—and the same was true of Overlords.
Overlord Gula was wandering around Legendaria, going where the winds took her, and those who stood in her way were fated to be consumed. She was like a natural disaster, growing stronger day by day thanks to her auto-leveling as an Overlord.
Meanwhile, Overlord Invidia’s activities were much more reminiscent of the dark lords and demon kings many players would be familiar with from fiction. She commanded an army—her clan, Underground Sanctuary—and regularly invaded Legendaria to take their rare items, riches, and territory, all while recording it and creating videos to upload online.
Overlord Invidia, G was definitely the most “Overlord-ish” of the three.
There were two reasons why she’d taken action now.
First, her ult could only be used at night.
Second, it was because nearly all the eyes and ears in Gideon were focused in the Central Arena. The unexpected appearance of the foreign Superior had made it attract even more caution and attention than she’d anticipated.
On top of that, Figaro was a participant in the match, while Shu and Hannya were on security duty, drawing them away from any potential danger to Ray.
The uncertain variables that could interfere with G’s plans had been reduced to an absolute minimum.
The only ones here now were Ray and Nemesis, as well as Juliet’s trio—and G couldn’t have asked for a better cast.