Mr. Kingston Pecan strode onto the platform with the casual confidence of a game administrator surveying his domain. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! I hope you're all ready for today's level!" His smile was dazzling, but there was a glint of something sharp in his eyes, a cunning fox. He was, after all, the top-ranked Earth Manipulator, a man whose raw power could make the land itself disappear.
[Level 1: Checkmate The King]
"We decided to give an award to the winners and, of course, those who failed who also did their best in the game," Ms. Samantha announced, her voice echoing with an almost predatory excitement. "The overall winner will receive 300 points, the first-round winners in each set will get 200 points, and even those who lose will be awarded 100 points for their effort!"
A holographic screen shimmered into existence, displaying the rules of the game.
The game, Mr. Pecan explained, was a single-elimination tournament called Checkmate The King. The goal was simple yet brutal: steal the opposing team's crown.
The stakes were high, and the time limit was strict: 60 minutes. If neither team succeeded within the time limit, they were both disqualified and received no points at all.
The overarching rules of the tournament still applied, adding another layer of pressure.
The game was a twist on Mujika, a chess-like game from the world of Zeraschia. Each participant was randomly assigned a specific role, each with a unique item that had to be worn or held. Failure to do so meant immediate disqualification.
* King (Crown): The heart of the team, the King must remain at their base but can fight to protect their crown.
* Queen (Choker): The most versatile piece, the Queen can move freely to attack or defend, either with the Knight or on their own.
* Knight (Ring): The primary aggressor, the Knight's sole objective is to penetrate the enemy's defenses and steal the crown.
* Rook (Bracelet): A steadfast guardian, the Rook must stay by the King's side, serving as a dedicated protector.
* Pawn (Armlet): The foot soldier, the Pawn can only fight alongside the Knight, forbidden from forging their own path.
Before the game began, teams were given a few precious minutes to plan their strategy in their designated stations.
A plot diagram of the single-elimination bracket flashed onto the holographic screen, listing the teams that would face off.
WHITE (W) vs BLACK (B)
SET A: Holy Knights vs Odin's Valkyries
SET B: Sirens vs Pacifiers
SET C: Sol vs Luna
SET D: Astrals vs Naomi
SET E: Sacred Nuns vs Ancient Sisters
SET F: Sparrows vs Crystals
The list continued, a sprawling web of potential matchups. The crowd buzzed with anticipation as the teams split into their designated "black" and "white" sides to watch the first battle.
While everyone else was getting situated, Mr. Pecan began to work his magic. With a slow, deliberate wave of his hand, the pristine arena began to contort and shift. The smooth, metallic floor cracked and buckled, transforming into a desolate expanse of broken stone and crumbling archways.
A ruined city materialized before our eyes, with jagged pillars reaching for the sky and ancient rubble providing ample cover. The air grew thick with the smell of dust and decay, a perfect, eerie backdrop for the battle.
"What's our plan?" I asked Clydelle, my voice barely a whisper.
She shook her head, her gaze fixed on the holographic screen. "The roles are assigned at random for each match. We can't plan until we're in the game ourselves."
"So we just... improvise it?" I asked, a knot forming in my stomach.
She gave a decisive nod. "Exactly. Now watch carefully."
[First Round:]
[SET A: Holy Knights Vs Odin's Valkyries]
As if on cue, Set A, the Holy Knights and Odin's Valkyries, were called to board the pods that would transport them to the newly formed ruin. The pods hummed to life and zipped them away, disappearing into the vast, open space of the arena.
When they arrived, the players stood at opposite ends of the crumbling city. In front of each of them, the designated item for their randomly assigned role materialized in a flash of light. A crown for the king, a choker for the queen, and so on.
"Once all of you have worn the materials given for your assigned roles, the game will start immediately," Mr. Pecan announced, his voice booming across the arena.
Clydelle leaned closer to me. "Who do you think will win?" she asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Uh... I dunno," I replied, honestly.
"Let's make it a bet," she said. "The one who loses has to come up with our strategy."
My mind whirled as I realized what she was proposing. "WHAT?! I DON'T WANNA!" I shrieked, instantly drawing the attention of those around us.
Clydelle gave me a sharp look. "Shhh! Lower your voice!"
I mumbled a quick, embarrassed apology, bowing my head shyly to the people who were now staring at us.
"Are you in?" she asked again, her smile widening.
Suddenly, a loud buzzer blared across the arena. The holographic screen flickered to life, and in bold red letters, the words appeared: THE GAME HAS STARTED!
"I don't want to," I insisted quietly, my eyes darting from the screen back to Clydelle.
"Why not?"
"I'm not good at planning, and we're dealing with serious circumstances!" I hissed.
Her tone softened slightly, but the seriousness was still there. "Sari, you must learn. I won't be with you forever."
"Arghdt...!" The sound of my frustration was swallowed by the crowd's roar. "Alright," I conceded, my heart sinking. "I mean—"
"No withdrawals," she said, her smile returning. "Now watch carefully."
I let out a sigh of defeat, but I knew she was right. I turned my attention to the screen, my eyes glued to the unfolding battle between the Holy Knights and the Odin's Valkyries. It was a high-stakes game of living chess, and the winner would be determined by a single, perfectly executed move.
The colossal hologram screens hung high above the battlefield, a shimmering spectacle against the digital sky. They were a window into the scenery of the game, a live broadcast of a war between two formidable teams.
Each screen display the players' vitals, their moves, and their roles. It was here, amidst the dazzling display of information, that I first learned of Athena. Her role was simple yet pivotal: rook of the black team.
The black team moved with a calculated grace. Three pawns and a knight huddled together, a compact unit of deadly intent. A solitary figure, their queen, stood at a high vantage point—a branch of a gnarled tree, 80 yards from the enemy. She was a silent sentinel, a lookout with a hawk's gaze. Deeper in their base, a trio of power waited. Their king, queen, and rook stood together, the heart of their defense.
Meanwhile, the white team approached, their own chess pieces moving with purpose. A knight and two pawns closed in, a mere 10 yards away from the black team's valkyries, ready to engage.
"So, who do you think will win?" a voice asked beside me.
I shrugged, my eyes still fixed on the screen. "I have no idea. You?"
She chuckled, her shoulders shaking with a nervous energy. "Same here." I could tell she was on edge, a feeling that only intensified as she continued to press me for a prediction.
Then, with the suddenness of a lightning strike, the game changed. As the black knight confronted the white team's vanguard, the black team's positions shifted. The knight, the three pawns, and the lookout queen instantly swapped places, a masterstroke of tactical wizardry.
"Woah!" I exclaimed, my breath catching in my throat. The collective gasp of the audience echoed my surprise. The move was a beautiful, devastating display of strategy.
The screen zoomed in on the two central figures of this new confrontation. Arthur, the white pawn, spoke first, a note of grudging respect in his voice. "That's surprisingly impressive."
Elios, the black queen, simply replied, "Thank you."
"But it won't increase your chances of winning," Ryuujin countered, a glint of defiance in his eyes.
"Then show me what you've got," Elios challenged.
A slow, predatory grin spread across Arthur's face. He unslung an enormous sword from his back, its polished steel catching the light. "Sorry, it's not his turn yet. I'll be your opponent for now."
The battle began in a blur of motion. Arthur lunged, and Elios dodged with impossible speed. But a bloody line appeared on his cheek. It wasn't a direct hit, yet the damage was done. "I can't believe you got away with that," Arthur chuckled, a hint of awe in his voice. "An class A monster would've died. But don't get too excited. You're still not a worthy opponent."
Arthur swung again, his movements a symphony of controlled force. This time, Elios didn't escape unscathed. Jagged cuts appeared across his body, even though the sword never touched him.
Ate Clydelle, sitting beside me, leaned in, her voice a hushed whisper. "Did he just release those from the force his sword exerts against the wind?" Her eyes were wide with disbelief.
"If I'm not a worthy opponent, why are you still wasting your time on me?" Elios taunted, a sly smirk on his face.
Arthur's grin faded, replaced by a cold, hard stare. "Indeed, I have no reason to play with you." He raised his sword, and a blinding light erupted from its blade. "Light Magic: Multi Light Slash!" The air filled with visible discs of pure light, each one a harbinger of destruction.
Elios was almost overwhelmed, but he reacted faster. "Switch Magic: Deflector— Duplicate Attack!" A swirling vortex of energy appeared, swallowing Arthur's magic whole. In an instant, and in a second the vortex spat the attack back out, doubled in power. The resulting explosion rocked the entire arena, and I was sure Arthur was gone. But as the smoke cleared, he stood there, completely unscathed.
"That would've taken almost all of my HP bar," I mumbled, my mind reeling.
"That's incredible," a man in front of us said, his voice full of wonder. "His basic attacks were so lethal they could slice Elios. Imagine what that magic could've done."
"What do you think?" Ate Clydelle asked, turning to me.
"What do I think?" I scoffed. "What happened just now proves that we can't be one of the nine warriors. They're just too powerful."
She rolled her eyes. "That's not what I meant. I want to know which side you're on."
"Isn't it obvious? The Holy Knight, of course," I replied.
Ate Clydelle patted my shoulder, a knowing look on her face. "The Holy Knights are known for their massive amounts of chakra, intelligence, and strength. But the Viking Empire—the black team—are known for their brute strength and their strong will. They'll do whatever it takes to win."
"Oh, so that's why you think the Valkyries might win?" I asked.
"Yeah," she replied, a confident smile on her face. And with that, we turned our attention back to the screens, watching in rapt silence as the battle continued to unfold.