NOVPUB
Chapter 102: Last Round, Coversation
"Now that the break is over, let us start the final round without further ado," the spiky-haired Executive announced with a smile. "For this round, I, Jerelen Gold, will decide the rules."
The twenty final Tamers stood in the center of the battleground, which had turned normal from its previous wilderness transformation.
"In this round, there will be two phases. In phase 1, there will be duels."
Jerelen looked at the Tamers below and waved his hand as his soul energy transformed into wood energy that soon took the shape of a big wooden pumpkin with a hole above. Inside were wooden balls with numbers carved on them.
The pumpkin went to John first as Jerelen continued speaking, "There are twenty balls inside, each having a number from 1 to 10."
"Pick up the balls and decide your duels, but first, the top 10 scorers of the last round will pick the balls. After that, the other 10 will pick up the balls."
"The matching numbers will fight in order of their numbers. The ten winners will move to Phase 2."
John put his hand in the bowl and pulled out a wooden ball.
It had 10 carved on it, glowing with green sparks.
"Bro is last again, hahaha."
"That’s called fate."
"The bettings are fucking open, boys!"
"Bet all the goddamn money on John Wicked getting the first rank!"
"I did think Rakin had a chance against him before the last round’s fight. Not anymore."
"Pfff...John’s odds are awful. We’ll win 2.5% of the bets we make on John. Looks like the bookie knows our boy John is winning this."
As the Tamers picked out balls from the lottery bowl, Jerelen said, "Those who have picked up their balls can go stand on the pillars at the border."
"Picked up balls..." John muttered as he looked at his ball. "That sounds wrong."
After all the tamers picked up their balls, the two Tamers with the (1) number balls stayed in the stadium.
It was between a girl in her early twenties and a nineteen year old boy.
"The fighting rules of this phase are simple. You will fight alongside one Pet Monster at a time until one side has lost all Pet Monsters one by one. It’s a clear and cut elimination combat. You will not attack each other, but only each other’s Pet Monsters."
"Now, let us start the first battle."
Both Tamers summoned a Pet Monster each and began fighting.
The duels were between the top 1st to 10th vs the 11th to 20th rank scorers.
But this was a proper fight against each other instead of against spirit-tech generated Monsters.
The girl was previously 17th ranked and the boy was 10th ranked. But in the end, the girl won the duel.
"Ummm, John. Can I ask you something?"
John turned his head to the pillar next to him, where his opponent was standing. It was a girl with blue hair in a curtain bang hairstyle. She had blue crystal earrings which were a tad darker than her hair, and wore a black & dark-blue designed wrap dress with an Ouroboros shaping pattern on her sleeves.
Her name was Jibril Edens, and John couldn’t help but steal a glance at her rather sizable melons.
Blinking once, he gazed at her eyes and replied. "What do you want to ask me?"
Jibril bit her lips, her cheeks turning a bit red.
’Huh?’ John blinked a few times, his mind racing. ’Oi, what are you thinking?’
"Can we...erm, eat dinner together tonight?" Jibril asked, her eyes looking at John and her hands balled up in nervousness. "I will book the reservation, and then after eating, we can roam around a bit."
"A date, eh?" John chuckled and sized her up. ’She looks like a nineteen year old or twenty...welp, that’s fine by me.’
"Yes, a date," Jibril said with a faint blush. "You will get a line of girls anyway, so I thought I would take my chance since you are nearby."
’You look like you have years of experience, John.’ Jibril said in Magic Whisper.
John laughed in Magic Whisper and replied. ’How old do you think I am?’
Jibril blinked at him, observing. ’Well, your height, body, and that face with a thin beard... I’d say you are over twenty but below twenty-three.’
"Damn." John raised his eyebrows and created a sleek and polished metal plate to see his face thoroughly, and thought. ’Welp, this is the result of training since toddler. A sixteen-year-old looking five years older.’
’Well, here’s the truth. I am sixteen years old, Jibril. You fine fucking with younger boys?’
Jibril opened her mouth, her face turning red, and closed her mouth again.
’W-What are you saying?!’
John blinked.
’Well, for a bit you were looking at me like you’d eat me, and adding your earlier comment, so I figured you wanted to have a fuck.’
’I...I-’
’Don’t tell me you haven’t had it yet?’
Jibril wanted to bury her face. But she shook her head in response to John’s question as her cheeks puffed slightly, embarrassed to the maximum hearing John speaking boldly about everything.
’Well then, you still want to go tonight?’ John asked with a grin.
Looking at his grin as he asked, Jibril’s heart skipped a beat as she replied. ’If...you don’t mind, then yes...’
’Great.’
As the duels continued, Jibril couldn’t hold back, and magic whispered to John. ’Can we talk about something while watching? Like...why are you so powerful? I mean, your mastery of Blood Alloy Sculpting is formidable. The gun and magic bullets you have are the most powerful arsenal among us, without a doubt. Can’t dodge, and can’t defend. Once caught in that net-bullet, it’s over, right?’
’Haha, yeah. That trap-net bullet is my masterpiece so far. Took me the longest to make it possible. As for your question... an honest answer? I think it’s because I am a genius who also happens to work hard.’
And of course, there were other reasons like he had useful features and a research lab in a private pocket dimension...
’Well, I believe you, John. A genius you are for sure.’ Jibril smiled. ’I am kind of envious, but who wouldn’t?’
John chuckled. ’What about you? Are you still in Silver-rank because of this competition?’
’Kind of. I wanted to break through two months ago, but then this competition was announced, so I postponed. But before that, I still stayed in Silver-rank for one year like many others because of less intense competition for resources and to make sure I get Pet Monsters with good potential, so I don’t waste resources later.’
’Oh, I see.’
Two months were 120 days since a month had 60 days here. Delaying for so many days, and also seeing older Tamers, John knew these Tamers sure liked to take their time living daily lives to the fullest alongside training.
But they also had common worries that John didn’t need to worry about, thanks to his boons.
’You seem to have already gained perfect Monsters for yourself,f and you already progressed so fast,’ Jibril wryly smiled. ’You’ll be another senior Azelis, becoming an Emperor-rank Tamer very fast.’
Jibril felt butterflies in her stomach as she talked with John.
’How come Teacher Azelis became an Emperor-rank Tamer so fast?’ John curiously asked. ’Like, is there anything special about her? I don’t really know about her past.’
’Eh, you don’t know?’ Jibril was surprised. ’Well, according to what I heard, her parents were very strong Tamers, but they passed away in one of the clashes against enemies at one of the islands in the Mysrin Archipelago when she was eighteen years old. Senior Azelis acquired a sizable fortune and stash of resources left by her parents in their territory in the Nexus City and on one of the surrounding Islands of the Nexus City. From then on, she trained extra hard and progressed fast, winning quotas for competitions, winning awesome rewards, and becoming one of the youngest Emperor-rank Tamers.’
John was surprised. He didn’t expect Azelis to have such a backstory.
Thinking of her frequent visit to the Nexus City, it made sense. John also thought that if she hadn’t had revenge, she might also want it and could be searching for her enemies.
John and Jibril talked with their subjects, shifting often, from personal lives to other people to the duels happening in the center.
Time passed, and soon, it was finally their turn.
"Alright, give me your best," John said with a smile.
"I will," Jibril said with a nod, her face resolved while she had an uncontrolled, thrilled smile. ’I’ll give my best and impress you more...hopefully.’
