THE ADVENTURER OF EDEN
4.4 "Star Tournament (center)"

Now the Star Tournament has reached the "knock-out round" where there are 16 participants who are preparing after the Battle Royale Round yesterday. Their duel is ready to be carried out.

the 5 knights of the Star Knights, the 4 Adventurers of the Guild, the 2 Priest Sanctums and the remaining 4 were individuals were those who entered the round of 16.

"Hmmh.you're first, Shiki! Get ready for the arena!" Warren says. "And your opponent is a Star Knight, be careful!"

Shiki nodded, waved her hand and understood. "ok...!"

Everyone clapped as soon as Shiki and his opponent, the tenth-seat Star Knight, Goorner Voord walked into the Star Arena.

Shiki looked at him, a man who was quite old. A two-handed sword he was using now as his main weapon. But what makes this man so striking is his thick armor that seems to protect him from various attacks.

"I don't underestimate you, Adventurer. In the previous Battle Royale, you fought well." said Goorner, he took the horses to fight now.

Shiki took out both of his black blades, and prepared to fight as well. "Hmph, you didn't underestimate me until you put on that big armor...! Maybe too!"

The Goorner leaped to attack, swinging his sword sluggishly so that it could be read by Shiki without looking at it with the power of his eyes.

Shiki wanted to slash, hit by his armor until it broke. Goorner was quite annoyed to see his armor broken, he swung his sword again and Shiki lowered his head to dodge.

(He's nimble...! I guessed it!) think Goorner.

Then he knew Shiki was going to attack, and Goorner hardened himself and his armor. "You won't be able to damage my armor anymore! The hardening!"

"High time..." Shiki also had a skill that increased the sharpness of his two knives.

CRATZ! Goorner was startled, Sir Leonard and the audience were also shocked because Shiki was splitting the Goorner's thick armor.

(So...! The Adventurer's Armament was stronger than the Goorner.) Leonard thought. (What an incredible fighter.!).

"Damn it!" Goorner was upset and his sword swing could be avoided by Shiki casually.

Shiki sharpened one more knife, and then... "Wind Cutter!"

CRATZ! "GOSH!" Goorner spewing blood received a sharp wind attack from up close until he fell defeated.

"Woooh!! Just incredible! Everyone applauded impressed; "a Star Knight was defeated so easily...! "Shiki" from the Adventurers Guild did it...!"

"What do you think of that man, Sir Rackham?" Benzu asked, he is still an ordinary knight.

"Shiki from the Adventurers Guild... I never expected the Adventurers Guild to have such a strong person again." said Rackham. Benzu blinked hearing that.

Elsewhere, Leonard told Goorner about losing to those around him. "Goorner lost not because he was weak, but because his opponent was too strong, that simple."

...

The next battle is Vira vs. The Duma.

"I can't bear to fight women, but my opponent is a strong "mage. So I'll be serious and I won't hesitate...!" The duma pulled out his sword.

Vira raised both of her hands. "Can I give up? I was originally just following along. I don't dwell on melee enemies."

"What?!" The Duma was shocked to hear Vira giving up.

"You don't like to fight women either.The knights are, their weakness is women because of their knightly ways." Vira smile said that. Duma frowned hearing that.

Dion and Warren drove easily. Dion defeated the Twelfth-seat Star Knight. Warren who faced the Priest Sanctum and defeated him commented about his opponent who had a surprising fighting style.

"It's the first time I've seen a Priest fight, and it's a surprising fighting style." Warren said, seeing the Priest he was fighting was taken away unconscious.

***

The round of 8 was held that very day; dion made the first match, and defeated his opponent, who was a wrestler from the East Area with quite a fierce fight.

While Leonard defeated his opponent also easily, the eleventh-seat Knight, the Duma. The clear difference in strength between the two was visible, yet Leon encouraged the Duma; "Don't worry, Duma! You fought well! You will continue to grow stronger!"

"Thanks, Sir Leonard." The duma whose armor was shattered and his sword broken was awakened by Leonard.

The first semi-final was already in sight; dion "flash" from the Adventurers Guild vs. Second-seat Star Knight, Sir Leonard Redstone.

"Wahoo! I'm going to fight Leonard! This is a golden opportunity to show my power to the world!" Dion excited.

Shiki smiled hearing that, Dion is indeed strong and confident. Shiki believes he can win even though Leonard's fighting ability using a sword is extraordinary.

"Hey, Shiki! If we both win, we'll face off!" Warren embraces Shiki; "I always win against you in a panco fight, so I will win also in a duel in the semifinals...!"

"certain." Shiki smiled, she had never fought against Warren before, yet she knew how powerful her comrade was.

"True, let's make the final later as the final "Adventurer Guild...!" Silva appeared and said that; "I wish the three of you a lot...!"

"Yes!" Shiki, Dion and Warren smile.

...

The third match in the round of 8, Shiki faced a thin man wearing a mask. He was wearing a thin sword that tipped upwards, he smiled.

Shiki remembered how he fought in the previous round, a smooth and fast sword style, then defeated the Priest of Sanctum. Different from Goorner that Shiki defeated before.

"Let's start, "Shiki" the Adventurer." The man darted and Shiki was startled, she darted without using "Gust" which is wind-throwing magic.

Shiki dodged, and attacked back. The man's speed was quite good as it could read Shiki's attack.

But Shiki spun around and kicked the man from above fiercely. He held back with both hands and was thrown.

"Wind Cutter!" Shiki shoots his magic attack at the man who is thrown. He managed to dodge, then made a quick step towards Shiki.

Shiki uses his "eyes" and evades the hunusan earlier. Shiki saw a large gap, and then; "Gust!" darting slashed at the man with an X on his stomach.

"OOOOOOOOH!!!" Everyone cheered happily, Shiki managed to defeat the man earlier.

Shiki looked at the man, and the blood coming out of his chest was slightly different from the blood it should have been.

"His blood color...brown red?!" Shiki.

"Hehehehe..." The man could still laugh after being defeated. "Look at your knife..."

Shiki was shocked, he saw that both of his black blades were chipped and rusty. "What are you doing...?! Though "Hassaikai" is made of black iron from the Eastern Continent!"

But Shiki did not get an answer because the man was unconscious. "Sad...! It's bad!"

In the castle, King George Blackmore III watches with a smile with his eldest son who is also the first-seat Star Knight, William Blackmore.

"So that was your plan, William. Lfs nice... The military will win again in the end." George praised William.

"Of course, I've paid the "bandit" price, father." William smiled, he was the one who planned this.

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"This is "the liquid of aging"..." Silva looked at the liquid that Shiki took from his opponent in the top 8. "This aging in question will have no effect on the human body, but on objects, and even weapons with magical energy."

"This is a rare item, the only place you can find this liquid is in the Northern Continent."

"You mean this is from your hometown...!" Shiki was upset. "Hassaikai becomes blunt and rusty... This is the worst situation, damn it!"

Shiki was annoyed to the point of kicking the wall there, fortunately not destroyed. Silva calmed Shiki down by patting her on the shoulder; "I understand your annoyance. Let's think about it with a cold head...HM?"

Silva saw someone walking towards them, he was the Priest Sanctum that Shiki's previous opponents had defeated in the last 16.

"Shiki from the Adventurers Guild, right? Congratulations on reaching the semifinals."

"Who are you?" ask Shiki. Silva blinked, he realized this Priest who defeated the man that Shiki defeated in the top 8 earlier.

"Name doesn't matter, so I'll hold my purpose... Both your guns are rusty, aren't they? Let me "treat him"..." The priest said, Shiki and Silva were shocked to hear that; "Treat?!"

"Right, I'll return both of your black blade blades as normal." He said; "Give it to me..."

So Shiki nodded, receiving help from the Priest Sanctum to treat both of his knives, and simultaneously...

"(The winner is the fourth-seat Star Knight! Walter Caucius!)"

"Warren defeated...!" Shiki.

"When only 5 minutes, means the opponent is very tough...!" silva said; "And he's your opponent in the semifinals tonight, Shiki..."

Shiki sees his opponent, the fourth-seat Star Knight, Walter Kausius. The strong man with his sword who had a special trick and defeated the fourth Strongest Adventurer in the Guild, Warren.

"What about my two knives?" Shiki nanya on the Priest Sanctum.

"It's back..." The priest gave it to him, and Shiki was surprised and pleased that "Hassaikai" was back.

"That's great! Thanks!" Shiki happy.

"What magic are you wearing? Don't tell me it's healing magic." asked Silva in astonishment.

"No, it's a special magic that I didn't have time to use in this tournament. I can-"

"How do I pay you with this?" tanya Shiki cut her words.

"No need to worry, it's free. I just want to help you, "Shiki", because I see a fate that draws from you." The priest smilingly said that.

***

The semifinals begin, and the duel between "Adventurous Guilds vs. Star Knights" as he semifinals bring together each of the remaining participants of them.

"Star Knights vs Adventurers Guild! This has never happened before!"

"It seems that the four of them are the strongest, we can't miss two of their fights...!"

Shiki watched with Vira and Silva. The badly injured Warren is still in the treatment room. Many of his ribs were crushed, even though his opponent was a Knight.

Dion confronts Leonard, the second-seat Knight. Dion grinned and Leonard looked at him seriously, as the sound of shouting "the fight begins...!"

Dion instantly gushed lightning all over his body and shot towards Leonard. Dion attacked up close, and Leon dodged backwards, he drew his blue-colored sword;

(The driver is magic, flowing loosely on his body without a hitch. Usually the lightning magic user will feel pain like being pricked by a needle before releasing his magic.) Leonard thought. (But this guy doesn't seem to feel that.).

"Thunder Spear!!" Dion drew it to Leonard, but held it with his sword.

Leonard turned around, he swung his sword and Dion dodged, then realized something had happened just now as Leonard slashed; "Huh?"

Leonard darted at him and Dion unleashed an even greater bolt of lightning. "Relin Bolt!" A bolt of lightning came to Leonard, but the great lightning was sucked into Leonard's sword.

CRATZ! Leonard slashed rapidly to the chest wound Dion's body, and defeated him.

"The winner is determined and clear...!! Sir Leonard is back to the finals for the fourth time!!!!"

"Dio...!" Shiki's worried.

"You see that, chief? The lightning magic that Dion unleashed..." Vira doesn't believe it.

"Yes, sucked by Sir Leonard's sword. So the rumor is true..." Silva knows the rumors about Leonard; "He is a "anti-magic sword" user"..."

"Anti-magic sword...?!" Shiki was shocked to hear that.

***

The second semi-final battle was about to begin. Shiki fought the fourth-seat Star Knight "Walter Kausius", this man who defeated Warren easily, had a special magic from his sword.

Shiki saw Warren smile, tell him. "You want revenge? Your friend I beat pretty badly, you know. If I'm more serious, I'll probably crush all his ribs."

"Revenge is stupid. I always thought so from childhood." replied Shiki; "However I stand there is only one reason.beating you and going to the final!"

"(Second semi-final match.began....!!)"

"You can't, because me and my abilities are the best fit to defeat Sir Leonard!" Walter prepares to unleash an attack, and Shiki comes forward to him.

(Stupid...! This is the same scenario as the previous game!) Walter is optimistic; "It seems you want to be the same fate as your friend!"

"Shock's Wave!" Walter unleashed a sound wave attack on the approaching Shiki, and yesterday's situation was the same as this, with Warren being taken for granted.

But Shiki was different, although the sound waves could not be seen, she could feel the path of her magical energy and jumped dodging the attack, then retaliated with; "Slicer Wind!"

Walter was shocked, then retreated evasive from Shiki's attack earlier. "How can it?!"

Shiki darted down, he kicked Walter in the face. Then he complained of a clash between the sword and the knife. Shiki understands Walter's abilities;

"Strong sound waves, you need to do a jiggle of it before you use it! That's why I won't make you do it!"

"Damn...!" Walter is upset, Shiki guesses easily how his sword attack ability works.

"Don't underestimate my sword skills! I'm the fourth seat!" Walter shouted annoyed.

Shiki feels Walter is getting stronger, his ability is certainly better than many opponents before. Shiki believes the style of the sword is the same as Leonard, the second chair.

However Shiki with eyes that became red gems, looked at all the directions of his attack and saw a clear gap.

As Shiki focused on it, Walter took a few steps back and quickly released his soundwave slash. Shiki was shocked; (So that's what he was after.!).

Shiki can't dodge Walter's attack now. He felt three times the tremors shake his body which made him feel pain in his bones.

Walter knows that his attack is weak, which is why he's preparing for the next, stronger attack.

However Shiki does not allow that, he uses; "Tempest!" His entire body released the wind, this was a "Buff" that increased his speed...

"High Seizing!" Shiki sped up quickly, breaking through Walter's sound wave attack that hurt his bones; "He broke through!"

Shiki slashed Walter's hand until it bled heavily; "GAKHHH!!!!" Walter screamed in pain by holding his right hand, everyone was shocked and the Knights were shocked to see that;

"Grandler!!" Shouted Benzu.

Leonard frowned.

(Damn it.if it goes deeper my hand will break! This guy..!) thought Walter.

"(The winner is determined...!!)" The host's voice rang out; "(Shiki of the Adventurer Guild is the winner!!)"

"What?!" Walter was shocked, everyone cheered happily.

Walter shouted annoyed. "I can still fight!! Don't be stupid! I can win!"

"(I don't think you need to be so ambitious, Walter. There's still a two-year tournament for you.)" The voice of someone speaking, he was Duke Robert Stardust.

"Duke Robert Stardust...!" Walter shocked.

"(You are the "successor" of Sir Rackham and Sir Leonard. So you better admit defeat and think about what you need to improve. If you fight more than this, you'll lose your right hand, and if that happens.)"

"His Majesty the King and Prince William will probably decide to get you out of the Star Knights" Duke Robert Stardust said with a smile.

Walter was shocked, and he fell silent. There was a chance that it was true considering that the King and his family were extremely proud of the power of the Star Knight, so it could have happened if Walter had lost to Shiki shamefully.

"You won, Shiki of the Adventurer Guild." Walter said that, he left the Star Arena limping.

"(And for you, Shiki-kun.)" Duke Robert Stardust spoke to Shiki; "(Congratulations that you made it to the finals, I look forward to the two of you getting a "good ending" in the finals tomorrow..."

Duke Robert Stardust smiled and Shiki looked at him seriously.

The final is held tomorrow; Shiki of the Adventurers Guild vs. Sir Leonard, the second seat of the Star Knight.

...Chapter 4.4 "Star Tournament (middle)" - completed...