[Kitsu POV]
As I glanced up at the commentators' booth, where Kayda and another guy were sitting comfortably above the crowd, I muttered under my breath, "Guess commentators are still a thing here." My ears twitched with every roar of the audience, and I wondered if Kayda had volunteered for this or if someone had forced her into it. She looked far too invested, eyes gleaming with that smug grin of hers as if she'd been waiting for this moment all day.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, please give a round of applause to the first group!" Kayda exclaimed, her voice carrying clearly across the arena thanks to the enchanted crystals surrounding the stage. The cheer that followed was loud enough to shake dust from the rafters, kids stomping their feet and waving banners as if the game were some kind of national holiday instead of a bloodbath disguised as sport.
"Hm. I wonder if killing anyone will disqualify you," I said idly, letting my gaze sweep over the crowd of children gathered in the arena with me. The group was massive, easily filling the circular battleground like ants swarming over crumbs. My tail flicked lazily behind me as I studied their nervous stances, their overexcited expressions, and the faint glow of mana that leaked from some of their weapons. A few looked confident, most were terrified, and the rest were trying too hard to look like they belonged.
"Let's get into the rules first," the other commentator announced, his tone sharp and commanding. "Rule number one: We will not tolerate spells that pose a risk to spectators." He let that settle for a moment before continuing with a deliberate pause. "Rule number two: Killing is permitted. Good luck, people."
The shift in tone—from strict to almost gleeful—earned a ripple of noise from the crowd. Gasps, cheers, and even a few worried cries mixed together, feeding the hungry energy of the stadium.
"Well, that answers my question," I muttered, lips curling into a grin. "But wait, wasn't this tournament supposed to be for kids under sixteen? Did something change?"
"Of course it's only children," came a voice beside me. I turned my head slightly and found a boy, maybe fifteen, standing with his arms crossed. His armor looked polished but too big for him, like he'd borrowed it from an older brother. He puffed his chest out as if that would make him seem braver. "This tournament is exclusively for those under the age of sixteen."
"Then why," I asked, tilting my head, "do we have the right to kill people?"
He smirked, leaning closer as if he had the perfect comeback. "Terrified, you'll kick the bucket, huh?"
A snort escaped me before I could stop it. "Pfft, nah. That just makes it way funnier." I grinned back at him, flashing my fangs, and he actually flinched. His bravado cracked, and that alone made this conversation worth it.
"Don't listen to him." Another voice chimed in, higher pitched and matter-of-fact. I shifted to my left and spotted a small girl dressed in what could only be described as a witch costume, complete with an oversized hat that wobbled every time she moved. She stood no taller than my waist, clutching a crooked staff carved with glowing runes. Her eyes were sharp, though, far sharper than her adorable appearance suggested. "No one will actually die. There's a special barrier around the stadium to keep everyone safe."
She puffed her chest with pride as she explained, clearly pleased to be the knowledgeable one.
"Alright then," I said, creating two chakrams in my hands with a casual flick of mana. They weren't anything fancy—just circles of ice with razor-sharp edges and a simple cross handle in the center to balance the weight. They gleamed faintly in the light, humming with cold energy. "So I can go ham."
The air buzzed with anticipation as the commentator shouted again. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen, let's get this show on the road!" Bells rang out across the arena, their chimes echoing like war drums, marking the official start of the battle.
"Get the fox first!!" someone shouted. I turned just in time to see the boy from earlier pointing directly at me, rallying his little squad to target me first.
"Good decision," I said calmly, eyes narrowing as I raised one chakram, "but you guys are far too weak."
Before they could even lunge, I hurled one of the spinning disks at him. It cut through the air with a vicious whistle. But I didn't even watch it connect. My focus was already on the small witch girl, tracking the direction her mana flared. She'd started chanting, her staff glowing dangerously.
"Sorry, Senpai," she said suddenly, her voice filled with a strange respect. "But you are too strong."
"Thanks," I replied, flashing her a sharp grin. "By the way, you're older than me." I moved in a blur, feigning a step before flickering behind her and making a mock chopping gesture at her head. The illusion of her body split, vanishing into sparks.
Not bad. Not perfect, but not bad.
'Not a terrible spell,' I thought as a shadow passed over me. I looked up, my eyes widening slightly as a massive fireball descended from the sky, still active even though I'd "killed" her illusion. 'But it's slow.'
"Kill her now!!" someone else screamed, and suddenly three kids leapt at me from behind, weapons raised. My tail whipped instinctively, striking them with a heavy blow. Steel clashed, sparks flew, and when the dust settled, only the severed tip of my tail lay on the ground. The rest of me was fine.
I let out a sigh. "Now, where are those angels?" My eyes scanned the crowd. I'd caught a glimpse of shining white wings earlier, and my instincts told me they'd come for me soon enough.
"What is this?" someone muttered, just as my tail swung wide again, smashing a few overeager attackers aside like broken dolls.
There had to be around twenty-five hundred kids in this first group. Even just running around and picking them off would take too much time. But if I went wild… if I really cut loose, I could flush out the ones I was looking for. The angels wouldn't be able to hide.
"Hey, brother, can't we kill this disgusting thing first?" A clear, young female voice echoed from above.
I tilted my head back, spotting them. Two angels, their radiant wings glowing faintly in the dim arena light, flew low to the ground, glaring at me with disdain. Their golden hair caught the light, and their pristine white armor looked untouched by the chaos below.
"I agree, sister. She looks and smells foul," the other angel—her brother—said with a sneer.
I grinned, baring my teeth. "I suppose the sentiment's mutual. You two practically drip arrogance."
"And you're not arrogant?" Another voice rumbled from behind me, deep and steady. I turned slightly, catching sight of a much larger boy pushing through the crowd. His presence was heavier than the others, and the way the children parted around him made it clear he wasn't just another weakling. His armor was dented and scarred—he'd fought plenty before.
"I suppose I am," I admitted easily, my grin widening. "But the difference is, I can back it up."
He raised a brow at that, sizing me up like a butcher inspecting a cut of meat. "We'll see about that, won't we, brother and sister?"
The angels nodded in unison, their eyes never leaving me.
"Three on one, huh?" I chuckled, twirling my ice blade lazily. "Still a bit unfair… but it does sound more interesting."
"Older brother, she thinks she actually has a chance," the sister scoffed, hiding her unease with laughter.
'I should check their stats,' I thought. My eyes flickered, focusing on them.
Name: Older Brother
Level: 287
Class: Unknown?
I blinked. "Wait. Your real name is… Older Brother?"
The angel nodded in agreement, clearly proud of this fact. "I see you can analyze us. Good. It seems Azales' artifacts are working."
My gaze flicked between them. "The levels are 287 and 276, and the girl is at 198. "Wow, you guys really are overprotective of her." I chuckled, my tail swaying. "Almost a hundred levels lower than you two, and still you hover like scared hens."
'Might be a problem if their classes are rare,' I mused. But angels only ever take holy classes. Paladins, priests… at best. Annoying, but manageable.'
"You have quite the confidence," Older Brother said, eyes narrowing. "Even though we are five times your level."
"Levels don't mean much to me," I said flatly. Six days of fighting Marquis Anabald nonstop had taught me that well enough. "I've bled against things far worse than you."
I formed a longsword of jagged ice in my hand. The blade gleamed wickedly, frosted breath curling off its edge. "Want a demonstration?"
The angel's brows furrowed. "What are those?"
"Ice weapons," I said sweetly, tossing the sword like it was nothing. "Want a closer look?"
The blade whistled toward him.
"Shit!" he swore, throwing up a glowing shield of holy light. The impact cracked the shield, shards of radiant energy scattering into the air.
"Sorry," I said, my tone turning razor sharp. "But you're going first."
In the same instant, I vanished from in front of him, reappearing right behind his sister. Her eyes widened, too late to react.
Sling!
"Khaaaa!!" Her scream tore through the chaos as my blade carved across her back. She plummeted, wings shattering mid-fall, feathers scattering like snow as she crashed to the ground.
"Oops. Missed." I grinned, stepping over her trembling form. My boot crushed her wing, and she shrieked again.
"You monster…" she hissed through the pain, glaring up at me.
"Oh, thank you." I swung my blade casually, sending out a wide arc of frozen mana. The ice cut clean through her neck. Her body dissolved into fragments, leaving only the memory of her presence.
The elder brother's howl of rage split the air. "You dare, junior?! You dare!"
"Why so mad?" I asked, tilting my head. "Because I clipped her wings? Or because I killed her?"
He charged. But before his blade could fall, mine did. A single swing of ice sliced him in half, armor and all. His holy blade cracked like cheap glass, his body vanishing before it even hit the ground.
I blinked. "…Wait, what? You guys can't be that weak."
The younger brother's cry echoed in my ears. "Older Brother!!"
"Nope," I muttered, looking between the fading fragments. "Guess levels really don't mean much. The girl almost dodged me. She was actually the strongest."
I stomped my foot, releasing a surge of mana. Frost spread outward in an instant, racing across the battlefield like a tidal wave. The entire arena froze over, a storm of jagged ice consuming everything it touched. Kids screamed, angels leapt into the air in desperation, but my ice followed relentlessly, tendrils lashing upward to drag them down.
When the storm settled, only a handful of angels still hovered in the sky. No humans. No demi-humans. There were only feathers and frost.
"Ah," I said softly, spotting a familiar face among them. "So you really are here."
Beeb!!! The end bell rang, shattering the silence.
"And that concludes the first group!" the commentator shouted. "Congratulations, everyone!"
Kayda's voice followed, dripping with forced cheer. "Well then, ladies and gentlemen… that was certainly… something. One person eliminated everyone else, so it was a bit boring. But don't worry! Tomorrow's second group will be fighting!"
I frowned slightly, scanning the arena. "So the barrier just reverses time? Interesting. Guess I should bounce."
"Kitsuna, how have you been?" a soft voice called. I turned, my eyes narrowing as I spotted Rachel, smiling at me with that familiar warmth.
My hackles rose. "A warning. Leave before you get yourself killed." I measured her defenses instinctively, noting the divine aura around her.
"Sorry, Kitsuna. I can't do that." She clasped her hands gently, her eyes shining with conviction. "The God of Light gave me a second chance at life."
My stomach twisted, a shiver running down my spine at the way she smiled. "I'm fairly certain I was the one who did that. Not that fucktard."
"I gave my warning," I said, shrugging. My voice came out colder than the ice still clinging to the arena floor.
"Don't worry, Kitsuna," she said softly. "I will save you from them."
I barked out a laugh, sharp and humorless. "From whom?" My tail lashed once before I turned, walking away without another glance.
Her words lingered behind me like a curse.