Snowbound Flames

Chapter 32: The Battle Tournament

The sun rose over Tempest, marking the second day of the Founder's Festival with a spectacle that had the entire city buzzing with excitement—the Battle Tournament. The newly constructed battle arena stood tall, its walls gleaming under the morning light, ready to host the fiercest of warriors.

The crowd gathered early, filling the seats and creating a sea of anticipation. Rimuru, seated in the VIP section alongside Guy Crimson, scanned the arena.

"This should be entertaining," Guy remarked, leaning back in his chair.

"I hope so," Rimuru replied. "I want to see some real action today."

The arena's announcer, Soka, took center stage, her voice amplified magically to reach every corner of the crowd.

"Welcome, everyone, to the Tempest Battle Tournament!" she called out, her voice greeted by a wave of cheers. "Today, eight warriors will compete for the title of the fourth member of Tempest's Big Four!"

The crowd roared in excitement.

"Our contestants are..." Soka began, as each fighter stepped forward in turn. "The LightSpeed Hero, Masayuki! Beloved by many and renowned for his incredible speed! The Mad Wolf, Jinrai! A ferocious fighter and Masayuki's right-hand man! The Flowing Swordsman, Gaiye! A master of swordsmanship and fluid combat! The eternal rivals, Boyix and Equix! Locked in an endless feud! The mysterious Lion Mask! Who could this masked warrior be?" (The crowd murmured in curiosity, unaware it was Carrion in disguise.) And finally, two of Tempest's own—Gobta, the plucky hobgoblin captain, and Geld, the stalwart orc general!"

The crowd's cheers grew louder with each name, the energy in the arena reaching a fever pitch.

Round 1: Boyix vs. Equix

The first match began with a clash between eternal enemies. Boyix, a dark-haired, wiry warrior wielding twin daggers, faced off against Equix, a brawny fighter armed with a massive warhammer.

The moment the signal was given, Equix charged forward, his warhammer swinging with terrifying force. Boyix dodged with ease, his movements quick and precise.

"You're still as predictable as ever," Boyix taunted, striking at Equix's side with one of his daggers.

Equix grunted but didn't falter, his hammer crashing into the ground with a thunderous impact that sent dust flying. The crowd gasped, but Boyix had already leapt onto Equix's back, locking him in a chokehold.

Equix struggled, trying to shake him off, but Boyix's agility proved superior. With a final twist, Boyix brought Equix to the ground, pinning him.

"Winner: Boyix!" Soka announced, the crowd erupting into cheers.

Round 2: Masayuki vs. Jinrai

The next match pitted Masayuki against his right-hand man, Jinrai. As the two stepped into the arena, Jinrai immediately dropped his weapons and raised his hands.

"I forfeit," Jinrai said with a grin. "There's no way I'm fighting my hero."

Masayuki looked flustered, but the crowd burst into applause, charmed by the display of loyalty.

"Well, that was anticlimactic," Rimuru muttered, crossing her arms.

Guy chuckled. "Don't expect too much. Masayuki knows how to win people over without lifting a finger."

Round 3: Gobta vs. Gaiye

Gobta strode into the arena confidently, while Gaiye followed with the grace of a seasoned swordsman.

The match began with Gaiye launching a series of swift strikes, his sword movements fluid and precise. Gobta barely managed to dodge, his usual goofy demeanor replaced with rare focus.

"You're fast, I'll give you that!" Gobta said, summoning his trusty wolf companion, Ranga.

With a howl, Ranga leapt onto the battlefield, combining his speed with Gobta's agility. Together, they overwhelmed Gaiye, who struggled to keep up with their coordinated attacks.

In a decisive move, Ranga lunged from one side while Gobta struck from the other, forcing Gaiye to drop his weapon and yield.

"Winner: Gobta!"

Round 4: Lion Mask vs. Geld

The fourth match brought Lion Mask, the mysterious warrior, against Geld, the orc general. Geld's towering presence and raw strength made him a formidable opponent, but Lion Mask moved with surprising speed and precision.

Their battle was intense, with Geld's heavy strikes countered by Lion Mask's agile dodges and calculated blows. However, as the fight progressed, Lion Mask used [Lion Cannon Punch] The crowd gasped, and Geld was immediately dazed, Diablo held him up and declared the winner...

"Winner: Lion Mask!"

Semifinals: Boyix vs. Masayuki

The semifinals began with Boyix facing Masayuki. Boyix, still recovering from his earlier battle, was clearly at a disadvantage. Masayuki, however, approached him with a friendly smile.

"Look, I'm not at my best after that last fight," Masayuki said. "How about this: I'll visit the dungeon later, and we can have a real fight there?"

Boyix hesitated, then nodded, stepping down from the match.

"Winner: Masayuki!"

Semifinals: Gobta vs. Lion Mask

Gobta's next match was against Lion Mask, and the two squared off with determination. The fight began with Gobta summoning Ranga again, using the wolf's speed and power to his advantage.

Lion Mask held his own, dodging and countering with calculated strikes. However, Gobta, in a bold move, instructed Ranga to aim for the mask again.

As part of the mask fell away, revealing Carrion's identity to Gobta (and possibly Milim), Carrion immediately raised his hand.

"I forfeit!" he declared, much to the crowd's confusion.

"Winner: Gobta!"

Finals: Gobta vs. Masayuki

The final match was the most anticipated, with Gobta facing off against Masayuki.

Gobta, eager to prove himself, merged with Ranga to unleash a powerful beast form. The transformation was impressive but unstable, with Gobta struggling to control the newfound power.

The crowd watched in awe as Gobta lunged at Masayuki, only to miscalculate and crash into the arena wall, breaking through it.

Masayuki was declared the winner, but he immediately raised his hand.

"The win goes to Gobta," Masayuki announced, his voice filled with conviction.

The crowd, still under the partial influence of Masayuki's Chosen One skill, cheered wildly, interpreting his gesture as a warning of his true power.

Rimuru, watching from the VIP section, was left fuming. "I didn't get to see any of Masayuki's power!"

Guy smirked. "That's the art of his strategy. He doesn't need to fight when his charm does all the work."

Rimuru groaned, slumping back in her chair. "This is beyond frustrating."

The day ended with Gobta celebrated as the fourth member of Tempest's Big Four, and the crowd thoroughly entertained. However, Rimuru couldn't shake her annoyance.

"Next time," she muttered, "I'm making him fight."