"So Amari is going against Rachel first? Did you talk to her about it?" I asked, glancing at Mom, who was standing next to me in the arena stands. The morning sunlight poured through the high arches, glinting off the barrier that sealed the fighting ground. The smell of dust and anticipation filled the air, mingling with the distant cries of vendors hawking snacks to restless nobles.
"Yes, we had a brief discussion about how she should not let her emotions control her actions," Mom said, settling herself into her seat with the kind of calm that came from experience, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of concern.
"You think she's going to mop the floor with her," I said thoughtfully. There was no arrogance in the words—just a quiet observation. I knew how powerful Amari had become, how rigorously she had trained.
"…I don't know. A lot can happen in half a year," Mom admitted after a pause, folding her arms and leaning back.
"Yes, that's true. But both of them changed a lot in the last half year," I reminded her. My voice carried a note of quiet conviction. "She participated in a raid the other day that significantly increased her level."
"Amari should win," Mom said finally, her tone returning to the certainty of a commander making a call.
Just then the announcers entered their booth above the arena. The crowd erupted, stomping and clapping. Trumpets blared, and banners were raised, their crests fluttering in the wind.
"Ah, it seems like it's going to start," I said, raising my eyes to the booth.
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Isn't it a good day for some blood and fights?" The first announcer bellowed, his voice magically amplified so it rattled the air.
"This guy is getting annoying," I muttered, while Mom let out a short grunt in agreement.
"First up, we have the all-lovable Saintess competing against the child killer, Amari Draig! Will justice win, or will the murderer keep on killing?!" The second announcer cried dramatically, his voice dripping with fake sympathy. His words drew murmurs from the audience, some jeering, others shouting Amari's name. I saw his partner glare at him from the corner of his eye, clearly annoyed at his choice of words.
"Where is Kayda?" I asked, realizing the other announcer wasn't her but some angel-loving replacement.
"She will be on the arena floor to make sure what happened before doesn't happen again," Mom explained, her tone grim.
I sighed. "And you don't think this will put a lot of pressure on her?" I glanced down at the arena, watching Amari enter from one side and Rachel from the other.
"Nah, she'll be fine," Mom waved me off, but the slight hesitation in her voice made me question whether she even believed her words.
'Sometimes I just don't know what she's thinking,' I thought, tapping a clawed finger against my thigh. My throat felt dry, so I reached into my storage.
"Hey, give me one as well," Mom said, holding out her hand without even looking.
"Sure?" I said, pulling out two cans and tossing one to her. She caught it effortlessly and popped it open, the hiss of escaping fizz barely audible over the crowd's roar.
"Kitsuna," she said after a sip, "can you please clarify what your backup plan is?"
"…It's to make them underestimate me," I answered simply, eyes still on the arena. I avoided her gaze on purpose.
"Oh, alright. I guess you will use that."
"Hmm, that might be good too. Alright, I will have that in mind at the time," Mom said, and I caught the faintest edge of approval.
"Yeah, I'm also busy leveling up," I added with a smirk.
"Where are you leveling up?" she asked immediately, narrowing her eyes.
"That I'm not going to say."
"Fine." She took another sip, watching the fighters prepare. "Ah, there are Kayda and Amari."
My gaze followed hers. "Hmm, why is Rachel dressed like that?" I asked. She was clad in heavy armor that shimmered faintly with enchantments, her movements slower but deliberate.
"Full magic resistance armor?" Mom guessed, her brow furrowing.
"Yeah, I doubt that will work," I scoffed, shaking my head.
Looking down at the arena, I saw Kayda standing between them, arms folded, lips moving as she spoke. Surprisingly, I couldn't hear anything despite the amplification runes. A sound barrier. My eyes flicked up to Mom.
"Kayda didn't put up a barrier," Mom said, handing me her scroll.
"What do you mean—" I started, but she tapped the screen. A direct feed.
"What do you mean this is all part of evolution, Rachel!" Amari's voice rang sharp from the device.
"Amari, you won't understand if I explain it like this. I must show you the way," Rachel replied calmly as she unsheathed a broadsword that glimmered faintly in the light.
"Seriously, I can't understand you anymore. We were such wonderful friends not even a year ago. Why?" Amari's voice cracked, pain flickering through her words.
"Why? Amari, you showed me where I belonged. The Draigs took me away from my rightful place when I was younger," Rachel said, her voice laced with conviction.
"What? Is it now a revenge story?" Amari expressed her feelings with incredulity and disappointment.
"A saintess will never harbor hate, even in revenge. I do not hate the Draigs," Rachel said, smiling serenely, as if her words made any sense.
"Then what is all this? Why invade?" Amari's question made me sit forward slightly.
"Invading? No. We are liberating this kingdom," Rachel said firmly.
Mom let out a grunt beside me.
"Liberating? "Could you please clarify if you fully understand what you're expressing?" Amari tilted her head, eyes narrowing.
"Of course I do."
"No, no, you don't realize what you are doing. It's been like this for years with you. You always jump into things without fully considering the consequences, acting impulsively instead of thinking things through," Amari said, a small smile playing on her lips despite the heaviness in her tone.
Rachel's expression hardened. She suddenly dashed forward, her broadsword whistling as it arced toward Amari's waist.
Kayda stepped back, letting them clash.
Amari, without even flinching, caught the sword with her bare left hand. The steel screeched against her skin but didn't cut. Her grip tightened.
"Thank you for proving my point. Rachel, did you forget who my mother is?" Amari asked coldly, glaring down at Rachel, who was straining to pull the blade free.
"Let go!" Rachel snapped, her composure finally cracking.
"Sure." Amari smirked, coating her right hand in mana before slamming a palm into Rachel's stomach. The blow sent Rachel flying several meters back, skidding across the dirt, her sword tumbling from her hands.
"Oh, they really are quite resistant to magic," Amari said, eyeing the untouched armor.
"So it cancels magic?" I asked, glancing sideways at Mom.
"Yeah, but it also means Rachel can't use her light magic," Mom said, her tone cutting with practicality.
I facepalmed. "Hmm, so Amari should win this before Rachel removes her armor."
"Yes, but then Amari can't go all out with her magic. They're in a stalemate right now," Mom explained.
"Hah, not really. This is your daughter," I scoffed.
"...right?" Mom asked, not sounding as convinced.
Down below, Amari pulled out two daggers. "Alright, let's do this the hard way, Rachel."
"Heh, as if you, a sage, can use those," Rachel yelled, snatching her sword back and charging again.
"Yeah, but then again, I am a Draig," Amari replied smoothly, her daggers spinning in her grip. She easily deflected Rachel's clumsy swing and drove a blade into her arm.
"Ugh," Rachel groaned, clutching the wound. She slammed her free hand into the ground, a shockwave of light magic bursting outward. Amari leapt back, avoiding it.
In midair, Amari conjured several glowing orbs of raw mana and hurled them down like stars. They pelted Rachel, forcing her to stagger and block without any chance to counterattack.
"Why is she just using mana without any element?" I asked, intrigued despite myself.
"Elements won't work at all against resistance armor. But mana might slip through eventually. It's also cheaper to use," Mom explained, and I realized she was right.
"Ah, I see. I didn't know that."
"Now shut up and let them go on," she snapped.
Rachel lunged again, her moves increasingly desperate. Amari sidestepped, her daggers flashing. In a fluid motion, she slashed down and severed Rachel's arm.
"Aaagh!!" Rachel screamed, collapsing to her knees as blood splattered the dirt.
"Give up," Amari said flatly, eyes sharp.
"I would never!" Rachel shouted, staggering back. Light erupted from her wound, reshaping bone, sinew, and flesh. Within moments, her arm had regrown, whole again.
"Of course," I muttered.
Rachel lifted her new arm and unleashed dozens of light spears. Amari calmly raised a shimmering barrier, the attacks clattering harmlessly against it.
"You are still as weak as ever," Amari said coldly. She closed the distance in a blink, blades poised for the finishing strike.
"And the winner is Amari Draig!!" The announcers suddenly cried in unison, cutting the fight short. The crowd gasped, confused.
Kayda had stepped in, standing between them.
"What is the meaning of this?" Rachel demanded, panting, her eyes wide with frustration.
"Rachel, it seems your parents have withdrawn you from the competition," Kayda said evenly, her hand resting on Amari's shoulder to calm her down.
Rachel's face smoothed into serenity far too quickly. "I see. With an eerie calm, she said, "Until next time, Amari."
Her tone made me shudder.
"I'm going. The next few fights don't mean much to me," I said, standing up.
"Isn't it Katie next?" Mom asked.
"No, she's just before Zagan's fight. Don't worry, we'll be watching those two," I said with a nod.
"Have we even seen Zagan in the last few days?" I added as we walked.
"I found him, and he'll be showing up. Don't worry," Mom said, her voice holding that tone that made it clear she wasn't telling me everything.
A few minutes later, we entered Amari's changing room. She was sitting on the bench, toweling her face, her expression taut with frustration.
"Why did they back off like that?" she asked immediately, eyes flashing as she looked at us.
"I don't know," Mom admitted, her gaze scanning her daughter critically as if searching for unseen injuries.
"They most likely realized you were about to cut her armor apart before finishing the fight," I said, shrugging.
"Tsk, I thought I was masking that part," Amari muttered.
"You weren't doing it enough," Mom said, shaking her head.
"Yeah, well, with them calling her a Saintess and all… Breaking her equipment was probably the only way I could humiliate her," Amari grumbled, tossing the towel aside.
"We understand," I said, my tail flicking once behind me.
The room settled into a heavy silence, but we all knew this wasn't over—not with Rachel.