“Ladies and Gentlemen,” the tournament announcer screamed. “Today is a historic day for our precious hero, Julius. It’s our duty and responsibility to keep his legacy alive.”

  The villagers shouted their agreement loudly, and the announcer praised the hero, hyping up the crowd.

  A group of villagers, standing a bit away from the crowd, assessed the approaching foreigners. One of them said, “Look at these skinny rats, thinking they’re going to win.”

  The second one said, “I would hide myself from people’s eyes if I were him.”

  The third one mockingly commented, “All his luck went to his confidence.”

  “Wait, who the hell is that?” the first one asked.

  “Who?” the others replied.

  “That man over there,” he answered. “That physique and aura… it can’t be…”

  [The illustrations will be available only in Patreon]

  “J… Jacha is joining the tournament?” the second one said, shocked.

  “But who is that kid behind him? And that girl?” the third asked.

  “I don’t know about that kid, but the girl’s face is familiar,” the first one said. “Oh, I remember her now. Last year, the kingdom’s university shared a list of top students, and she was on it. I’m sure of it. She’s the only one wearing that weird hat.”

  “The tournament this year is going to be interesting,” the third one commented.

  Pondra, who could hear them from a distance, said, “How rude. They should know my name by now.”

  “They’re looking at us excitedly,” Jacob commented.

  “And after all, Jacha, destiny decided that we’re going to our mission’s location,” Pondra said. “Even so, we came here to return Zoeske.”

  “I hope he’s not being too hard on himself,” Jacob said. “The only evidence we’ve found so far is his shoe.”

  On their way to search for Zoeske, they found his shoe thrown in the middle of the path to this village. (The kid is smart. The place where we found his shoe was actually placed halfway to Julius Village, as a marker that we’re on the right track. He probably remembered the map, or is carrying one, and assumed I did too. It’s some kind of test of my knowledge, and it all indicates that… he wants us to help him,) Jacha thought.

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  The tournament announcer interrupted Jacha’s thoughts. He shouted, “Are you all ready to witness some of the most historic matches in the world?”

  The crowd screamed, “YES!”

  “Then let’s begin. In our first match, we have the first two of our luckiest participants to start the first with us this morning.” the announcer said. “Picky versus Enterno!”

  “Whaa—me, at the beginning?” Picky nervously said under the crowd’s noises.

  “Please come forward, don’t be shy, girl,” the announcer said.

  Excitedly watching from a distance, Jacob was eager to watch the tournament. Pondra, standing beside him, noticed his excitement. She said, “It’s time to teach this kid more magic.”

  Jacha looked at them and said, “Then, I’ll go and check around.”

  “Okay,” Pondra said.

  Picky walked to the center of the arena. She stood there, waiting for her opponent to appear, but suddenly, the girls began to scream.

  "What is going on?" Picky asked. "Oh, is that him?"

  A man elegantly walked to the center of the arena. He was tall, with straight, dark purple hair combed back. He wore an oversized, cozy outfit with a strange design.

  "He is handsome," Picky mumbled.

  When he faced Picky, he said, "Which one of the twins are you?"

  "Huh?" Picky said. "Obviously, Picky."

  He looked confused.

  "What?" she asked.

  "Are you the one who loves monsters?" Enterno asked.

  "That’s rude! Why does it matter anyway?" Picky said. “It seems your personality is not as good as your look.”

  "Hmmm?" Enterno said. "That’s a bit disappointing ?. It seems you’re the weaker twin"

  Picky’s aura heightened after he said that. She glanced at him angrily, upset that he mistook her for her sister and worse, mocking her.

  "Oh, sweetie," Enterno said. "This aura looks delicious, it looks like a fun short game to play."

  Picky, a girl obsessed with magical creatures, had expressed her love for them since she was a few years old, drawing them and talking to them as if they could understand her. As she grew, her love for these creatures grew stronger. She studied their anatomy, their communication, their social structures, and more.

  One day, she woke up and found a monster sitting on her stomach, staring at her as she slept, which startled her and caused her to scream loudly. Afterward, she discovered that at the age of sixteen, she had unconsciously developed her own ability. Combining all of the five positive magic categories, she was able to conjure a monster fully under her control.

  "In this world, there are few people who frame their ability in a special way," Pondra commented. "Some are geniuses, and others have lived in extreme situations that forced their minds to shape their ability based on their personality and needs. Think of it like a survival mode, where your body tries to maximize the usage of every part, and magical aura is considered a part of the body."

  "That sounds confusing," Jacob said.

  "I understand that," Pondra said. "No one is capable of fully explaining this phenomenon yet, but it’s not like all geniuses and survivors magically get ready to use abilities. It’s only a small percentage."

  "I see," Jacob said. "But who is this man anyway? He doesn't seem scared or anything."

  "I’m not sure who this guy is," Pondra answered. "But his aura is strangely calm."

  "Maybe he knows she lacks experience," Jacob said.

  "He definitely knows that," Pondra said. Then she thought (Even though he looks extremely confident in himself and even intentionally triggers her to unleash her full power against him. A calm, collected, and a step-ahead thinker. Amazing.)

  “We have a tight schedule,” the announcer said, “Let the fight begin.”