Chapter Three:
Inescapable Hurt
1
I RUN A LITTLE SHOP IN THE ROYAL CAPITAL. Business is…well…it’s all right, I suppose. I’m leaving the store to my wife today and heading to Aslan Magic Academy. There’s a duel on today that I just have to see. I don’t think I’ll be too late coming back today, but I guess I should buy a little something on my way home to keep me in the wife’s good graces…
Today, it’s top of the first-year class, Luke Witharia Gilbert’s, first public rank duel…I really can’t wait. I’ve been watching Aslan rank duels for years now, so I know best of all that the first years this time around are really something special. First, I saw that match between Blue Flame Beast and Ice Queen. I’m so spoiled by the big, showy magic battles of the upperclassmen, so to be honest, I hadn’t expected much out of the two of them. Their duel was seriously shocking stuff, though, when I actually went out to see it. Those flames had such pure strength, I still remember how they literally heated up the whole arena, lightin’ a fire in all of us. Then there was Ice Queen, who froze the flames and everything else. That sent shivers down my spine—“incredible” doesn’t even begin to describe her.
So then, that got me wondering about the highest-ranked first year. A while later, there was the first victory of Little Thunder God and the birth of Hero—both students who really got the crowd going. Personally, I cheered so loud for both of them that my voice was hoarse by the end. But heck, that’s exactly why I want to see the best they’ve got. If they’re so amazing, then just how much better is this first-rank student? I want to see him so badly, I just can’t wait.
My expectations have just been growin’ day by day…but it took so long for a single one of his duels to come. How come nobody challenged him? Everyone else is powerful too, so why didn’t they even try?
Today’s the day I figure that out.
I entered through the crowd doors, and once up the arena staircase, I found half of the seats already filled by others who had gotten there early. I picked out the best spot of what was left and took my seat.
“Hey, I figured I might see you here. Can’t miss this one, eh?!” said a voice beside me.
“Well, well!” I exclaimed, turning to see a familiar face. “If it ain’t Butch!”
He’s an acquaintance…runs a little bar in the city, and he’s just as big a rank-duel fan as I am. We got to know each other after we met a few times at the arena.
The two of us spent a while chatting the time away. It was only natural that we would lapse into such lively conversation, given our shared interests. We were still talking when the announcement came.
“Attention. The ranked duel is about to begin. Polpon Revy Dina Milestia in 72nd place, versus Luke Witharia Gilbert in 81st place!”
The announcer’s voice sounded inappropriately sluggish—a feeble prelude to what was to come.
We didn’t get a great commentator today, huh… I thought to myself. Regardless, my excitement was already reaching its peak. The other crowd members clearly felt the same, almost shaking the arena on its foundations as they raised their cheering voices.
“All right, it’s here at last!”
“Yeah! They’re finally gonna fight!”
The two students entered, and the sight amped up the crowd’s voltage even higher, making them cheer even louder, their expectations rising to new heights.
“That’s him…”
That was the first time I ever saw the boy—Luke. From the very second I laid eyes upon him, some sort of deep instinct kicked in, and I knew in my heart that he was evil.
“Begin!”
But once the duel began, none of that seemed to matter anymore. The outrageous spells that the two of them began to use left me speechless.
What is that…? What the heck is that…?!
I encountered a dragon once, back when I was just a kid. I learned later that the dragon I saw was just a child itself, only just born into this world…but I still have clear memories of the primal fear I felt in that moment, like my blood was boiling in my veins. That moment taught me the true hierarchy of living beings. I felt I could do nothing but wait for my own death in that dragon’s presence, and it took years for me to recover from the nightmare.
If a passing adventurer hadn’t saved my life back then, I wouldn’t be here today. I don’t know why, but…I feel an incredibly intense and weirdly similar emotion filling my heart today too. This time though…it’s an intoxicating fever burning inside of me. It’s not fear.
That was how awesome their battle was—I forgot to breathe.
“Aha ha ha ha!”
He’s a demon king, I thought to myself when I heard his evil laughter. That’s the evil that the bards are always singing about. The lord of monsters, using his great power to plunge our world into fear and darkness. I don’t know if such a thing could even exist…but if it could, this is what it would look like, no question. Ah…I just want to see what this kid is going to do next! Does that make me his fan? Even if it does, I don’t care! I want to watch his duels so badly!
When I came to, everyone in the arena was on their feet and clapping their hands with enthusiastic abandon.