As Jester and Roth prepared for the upcoming fight, another team approached. This duo was unlike any they had encountered before. One was a dragon—yet not an ordinary one. He possessed a humanoid form, complete with a long tail and curved horns, a true hybrid between dragon and human. The other was a giant, but not just any giant. He towered over even his own kind, his immense stature making ordinary giants seem small in comparison.
"Hello," the dragon greeted, her tone friendly, yet laced with something else—something that hinted at hidden resentment.
Jester nodded. "Hey there! How are ya?"
The giant responded in a deep, rumbling voice, "We're doing good, thanks. By the way, my name is Loki, and this here is Silvia." He gestured toward the dragon.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Jester, and this is Roth," Jester replied.
The giant gave a slight nod before speaking again.
"We will defeat you today. It is not our time to lose," Loki declared, his voice firm and unwavering. His gaze locked onto Jester. "I've heard a lot about you. Let's see if you live up to the rumors—Jester, the Wild Card."
Roth had always known Jester was powerful, but he hadn't realized just how much until now. For someone as formidable as Loki—a giant among giants—to have heard of her, it meant her reputation was far greater than he had imagined.
But there was no time to dwell on that. The fights were about to begin.
As the names of the first contestants were announced, Roth was surprised to hear that he and Jester would be fighting in the opening match. Without hesitation, they stepped into the arena, where their opponents awaited them—an elf and an ogre.
The elf was stunning, her beauty almost ethereal. She wore a flowing dress that, at certain angles, resembled delicate flower petals. Her long black hair cascaded down her back, framing her striking blue eyes. Though she appeared to be around seventeen in elf years, her true age in human terms was closer to four thousand.
Beside her stood the ogre—a stark contrast. He was large, brutish, and utterly unremarkable, with rough, grayish skin and a face that lacked any defining features beyond its inherent ugliness. Unlike his elegant companion, he wore no extravagant clothing or armor, just a crude set of battle gear. The only thing of note was the massive sword strapped to his back.
Roth clenched his fists, glancing at Jester. Their first fight was about to begin.
"I'll take the ogre, you handle the elf. Let's win this together," Roth said firmly.
"Got it, Snail. Let's go!" Jester replied, her tight-fitting costume suddenly shifting colors.
Roth clenched his fists. He still didn't fully understand how to control his power. As a dragon, his abilities had come naturally, almost instinctively. But in this form, he wasn't strong enough to wield them at full force. However, there was something he could do. He remembered a spell—one he used as a dragon to unlock his abilities without suffering any consequences.
The spell was called Desire.
As he whispered the incantation, a sword materialized in his grasp. It was nothing special—just an ordinary blade. But against an ogre, it might be enough.
As he gathered his focus, Jester murmured a spell of her own.
"I am the Wild Card."
At her words, ten spectral Jokers appeared in a perfect circle around the elf, trapping her inside. The first Joker began to shift, like a spinning wheel of fate. It had three possible outcomes—Instant Kill, Nothing, and Punishment.
The elf's eyes widened in panic. "What is that? What are you doing!?"
The Joker landed on Punishment.
Jester grinned.
Suddenly, the elf collapsed to the ground, her body wracked with uncontrollable laughter. She gasped for breath, unable to stop.
"I'm done with my rival. Hurry up and finish yours already, Snail," Jester called out, her voice filled with impatience.
Roth nodded, tightening his grip on his sword as he charged at the ogre. The beast was fast, but Roth was stronger—and he had no intention of losing. Their blades clashed in a relentless storm of steel, neither fighter giving an inch. They struck, dodged, and countered, locked in a battle of endurance.
Then Roth noticed something. The ogre wasn't reacting to sound.
He's deaf... He only relies on sight.
A plan formed in Roth's mind. If he could get behind the ogre, victory would be his.
Acting quickly, he executed his strategy with precision. First, he struck hard, knocking the ogre off balance for just two seconds—that was all he could manage. But it was enough. In that brief moment, he slipped behind his opponent.
With one swift, calculated slash—it was over.
The ogre's body split in two, collapsing lifelessly onto the battlefield.
Roth turned, glancing at Jester's fallen opponent. The elf lay still, her once-beautiful face frozen in an eerie expression of joy. Her lungs had given out—she had laughed herself to death.
The match was decided.
Victory was theirs.
The king of the arena rose from his seat, his voice booming across the battlefield.
"The first match is over! The second will begin in 2 days. Winners, leave the arena immediately!"
Roth and Jester exchanged a glance before stepping away from the battlefield, the echoes of their victory still lingering in the air.
"We won!" Jester cheered, stretching her arms behind her head. "Snail, it's getting late. Where are we even supposed to sleep?"
She turned toward the King of the Arena, an impatient glint in her eyes. "Hey, King, this place is like a prison. Where are the dorms?"
The King, standing tall on his throne, barely spared her a glance. "All contestants will be moved to their designated dormitories shortly," he said, his voice calm but final.
Before anyone could respond, a deep hum filled the air. The very ground beneath them trembled as golden light surged across the arena, swirling around every fighter. The magic felt dense, pressing against Roth's skin like an unseen force trying to smother him.
Then—everything blurred.
For a split second, Roth felt weightless, his body stretched through space as if he were being unraveled. When the disorienting pull finally stopped, his feet hit solid ground.
He blinked. The arena was gone.
Instead, he stood in a long, dimly lit corridor. The air was thick with magic, crackling faintly in the silence. The walls, carved from smooth stone, pulsed softly with an eerie glow. He could hear the distant murmur of voices—other contestants, no doubt, adjusting to their new surroundings.
Jester appeared beside him, groaning. "Ugh. I hate teleportation. Makes me feel like I left my stomach behind."
Roth took a slow breath, steadying himself. He had more important concerns. This wasn't just a dorm—it felt like something alive. Something watching
Jester stretched her arms with a satisfied sigh. "Hey, I just thought of something funny," she said, grinning mischievously. "This is probably your first time sleeping in the same room as a girl, huh?"
Roth stiffened. His face instantly turned red. "Wha—wha—what?! O-Of course not! I've... I've slept in the same room as a girl before!"
Jester leaned in, her smirk widening. "You're blushing."
"I am not!" Roth shot back, turning his face away, but the heat in his cheeks betrayed him.
Jester burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Oh, this is gold. Anyway, I'm gonna take a bath now. Don't peek." She winked before walking off.
Roth groaned, covering his face with one hand. "Stop it..." he muttered.
His heart was still racing.
Roth was still blushing, but it was late, and he needed to get some sleep. Tomorrow, one way or another, he would get the answers he was looking for. Just as he was about to climb into bed, the bathroom door swung open, and Jester stepped out—wearing nothing but a towel.
Roth's face turned crimson. His brain short-circuited for a moment before he practically shouted, "W-What are you doing?! Put some clothes on!" He quickly turned away, squeezing his eyes shut.
Jester chuckled, completely unfazed. "Relax, I'm gonna get dressed now."
"O-Okay, just... just do it fast!" Roth stammered, still facing the wall. "I can't think straight when you're like that!"
Jester smirked. "Aww, someone's shy~ Hehehe."
Roth groaned, burying his face in his hands. This was going to be a long night.
Roth lay in bed, finally ready to rest after the exhausting day. Just as he was about to close his eyes, Jester suddenly hopped onto his mattress, grinning mischievously.
"Let me sleep with you!" she declared.
Roth's face turned red. "W-What?! No way!"
Jester pouted, her mismatched eyes gleaming with playful determination. "C'mon, please? I need a huggy-huggy!"
He sighed, rubbing his temples. "How old are you, twelve?"
"I'm seventeen, thank you very much!" she huffed, crossing her arms. Then her expression softened into something almost pleading. "Pleaseee?"
Roth hesitated, but the look in her eyes made it impossible to say no. He sighed in defeat. "...Fine. Just don't get any ideas."
"Yay!" Jester beamed, slipping under the covers beside him. "Thanks, Snail."
Roth turned away, still blushing. "Yeah, yeah... Just go to sleep."
With a satisfied smile, Jester snuggled in, and soon, the two drifted off into the night.
Roth couldn't sleep. The thought of lying next to a woman was too much for him. He lay awake in the middle of the night, staring at Jester. She was beautiful—her black hair framed her face perfectly, and her brown eyes held a depth that was hard to look away from. And, of course, her costume only added to the effect.
Roth had a sudden thought—Jester wasn't human. So where was her core? And what even was her core? The idea was too much to handle, and before he knew it, he was shaking her awake.
"Hey, Jester. Jester!"
She blinked at him sleepily before smirking. "Yeah, Snail?"
Roth hesitated. "Where… and what is your core?"
Jester stretched, then grabbed his hand, hugging it playfully. "You really wanna know? You might not be able to handle the truth."
His heart pounded. "W-what do you mean?"
Jester leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "My core is…"
Roth's face turned red as she drew out the moment. He held his breath.
Then she grinned mischievously. "My core is… the Joker card! Hahaha! You know, I really love teasing you."
"The pressure you put into that was really not needed, Jester," Roth grumbled.
"But your face made it all worth it! Hahaha!" she teased.
"Stop it," Roth muttered, turning away.
"Okay, okay. Goodnight then, Snail."
"…Goodnight, Jester."