Chapter 74: Arrival Of The RimsonEmperor

For those that want to know why I left the group I have made a post explaining this. The link is as follows:

Explanation

If you are not interested at all, just enjoy the chapter and ignore this.

「Alright, we won! Did you see my performance, Hind-dono, Yumir-dono!?」 (Tobi)

Oh, sweet, it's so sweet...this confectionery tastes good and it has a nice fragrance and texture.

It was something I made and brought here called Baklava that used pie dough, this is good.

There are nuts within the many layers of dough, and the exterior is coated in syrup.

Recently, I've become obsessed with trying to cook various things in the game by bringing in real life recipes.

You can actually get a real taste of the food here, but as expected, your stomach doesn't really fill up.

The four of us were absorbed in chewing the food.

「Wait, they are relaxing over there!? What about the impressions of my match!?」 (Tobi)

「Mogogogo! Mogomogogogogo, momoh!」 (Yumir)

「Yumir-dono, I don't get what you are trying to say...」 (Tobi)

「Not bad! You should just witness our next fight! Is what she said.」 (Hind)

「Hind-dono, how did you understand her!? Yumir-dono is nodding like crazy so what you said was right too!」 (Tobi)

Somehow, at the very least they were easier to understand than those puzzling words she said during the Basilisk fight.

Tobi and his partner Mitsuyoshi, descended from the arena and immediately got closer to where we were.

It was the first time Selene-san met Mitsuyoshi, so she used Riizu to conceal herself.

「They sure are a cheerful bunch, Tobi-kun's guild members.」 (Mitsuyoshi)

「Mitsuyoshi-dono...they are too cheerful, though there are times where I can't keep up with them...」 (Tobi)

Though I believe he shouldn't be the one to talk. There are times when Tobi gets pretty bad too.

I offered Mitsuyoshi-san, who was next to Tobi a Baklava.

Since quite a while ago, I get the feeling he wasn't really looking at us but at what I was holding...I wonder if that's the case?

「Ah, did my desires show up on my face? The truth is, I have quite the sweet-tooth, thank you.」 (Mitsuyoshi)

He expressed his thanks with delight, and took a big mouthful of the Baklava.

He's eating it that delightfully, as the one who made it, it makes me really happy.

I also gave Tobi a slice, and it looked like there would be leftovers so I shared them among the female crowd that were looking at us close by.

It got a favorable reception when it came down to taste, and a mysterious sense of unity was born in the vicinity when everyone was eating the same thing.

In an instant, the air in the area was wrapped in a sweet fragrance...ah, feel free to have some herb tea too.

Once Tobi and Mitsuyoshi-san were done, they said that they would log out, and we watched the matches while not being very interested.

「If you walked around the arena selling food, wouldn't that be quite profitable...?」 (Hind)

「Hind-san, there are already players taking action who had the same idea, you know?」 (Riizu)

When I uttered that while watching the matches carefreely, Riizu pointed at the other side of the arena.

Wearing similar clothes, there was a multitude of players that looked to be part of the same guild walking around selling food.

I see...I mean, if it's something I'd be able to come up with, there would be other people that came up with the same idea.

The only thing that was banned was opening gambling of your own after all, I believe this kind of thing is honest business by using the arena.

While we were relaxing like that, the match we were watching was over and it was finally time for our match next.

「It's finally our turn!」 (Yumir)

「I'm sorry to say this when you are getting fired up, but the opponents haven't come you know, Yumir-san?」 (Riizu)

「Ah? What does that mean?」 (Yumir)

When Yumir showed bewilderment, Selene-san looked at Riizu's opened screen from the side.

After that, she nodded in agreement and said this.

「It's true. They seem to have contacted the developers in advance, they have withdrawn from the tournament.」 (Selene)

「Which means...」 (Hind)

Seems like our opponents will be NPCs.

The arena was getting noisier.

It seemed like the players were also interested in NPCs taking part, they were eagerly waiting for them to make their entrance.

There wasn't anyone absent until now from group H after all.

Half of the seats in the arena were for NPC use, but I haven't seen anything that stood out yet.

Though we were already in the arena waiting.

I wonder where they'll come from...when I looked around thinking that, a light shone from above the arena.

The ones that came out from it...

「It's me!」

「Your majesty, this is the last match of today. After the end, as planned...」

「Annoying! Official business or whatever, I'm telling you I'll take care of those after we return to the castle!」

「Guess we can leave it at that. We'll come tomorrow to the arena again, so there are matters we have to attend in advance.」

The one that shouted 「It's me!」, had the name Grado・Ardi・Sajis displayed on top of his head.

The arena froze, however, before the name the word 『Emperor』 was clearly attached. It was not an hallucination.

Armor that was bright red and a black mantle with gold embroidery, red hair and thick eyebrows...fine chiseled looks, eyes with double-edged eyelids...if I had to describe my first impressions on him in one word it would be 「Passionate」.

His physique was ordinary, but maybe it was because of those features, he looked quite impressive.

「It seems like we have made you wait...well then, take up your weapons visitors! I'll personally be your opponent!」 (Sajis)

Due to those words, we came to our senses and the audience suddenly got really excited.

The one that came with him was a young man, seeing this situation, he gave a sigh and descended from the arena.

Could it be...that the emperor plans to fight alone?

「Hey, Hind. We, is this us being lucky?」 (Yumir)

「No, from what the emperor said when he entered the stage, it seems like he has been going around every match where there was an absence. We are probably not the only ones in this situation.」 (Hind)

「He was...filling the holes alone?」 (Yumir)

「Seems like it. I mean, he's standing there alone as if it were natural.」 (Hind)

Basically it means this.

The NPCs that are filling in = everyone is the emperor (sponsor)...I wonder what are they even thinking? The developers in charge of this event.

Once his majesty pulled out his golden sword, the word READY appeared.

Being unable to calm down because of the unexpected event, we readied our weapons in a hurry.

「Don't worry, I'll hold back. Though, you are free to come at me with everything you've got...here I come!」 (Sajis)

The red lump of mass, rushed towards us.

I was an idiot for believing the words of the developers.

They said they were going to be quite strong, but now I feel like sending them over 50 emails asking them about it.

...The emperor Grado had terrifying skills.

Sword skills and offensive magic, qiqong, on top of that he even had healing magic, he could freely use any type of skills and was overpowering us.

In other words...

「「We can't beat him!!!」」 (Yumir and Hind)

I shouted along with Yumir.

How do they want us to beat someone like him!?

He has about 10 times our HP, his MP recovers at really high speed, and now that I'm looking at it, it's displayed that his level is 100.

Though it's true that they restricted him quite a bit since he's not instantly killing us but...

Even if we slowly shave off his HP, he'll heal instantly, it feels completely useless.

His HP hasn't gone under 90% even once, so that brings us to my previous question.

「What's wrong, is that all you got? If we end up like this, this would make you guys the most disappointing ones among the people I've faced today...」 (Sajis)

「You said we were a disappointment...? I can't forgive that!」 (Yumir)

「Wait, Yumir! He's taunting you, don't fall for it!」 (Hind)

My voice failed to reach her, Yumir's HP, who put emphasis on offense went into the red zone very fast.

Looking at that situation, I started chanting 『Revive』.

「I lost!?」 (Yumir)

Like that, she took a hit and became incapacitated.

The emperor looked at the sky and placed his sword on his shoulders, and made a disappointed face.

「...So it ends like this? In that case, we'll stop the mat-」 (Sajis)

「...Is that what you were thinking?」 (Yumir)

「What!?」 (Sajis)

The revived Yumir, pierced the emperor's armor in the chest area.

I used 『Magic up』 on Yumir, and immediately after that...

「Eat this!」 (Yumir)

「Nuuh!」 (Sajis)

She used 『Burst Edge』 when her MP was at around 80%.

The magic power that ran throughout the sword exploded from within the emperor's body.

It was judged as a weak point, and it was a blow that was a critical hit but...

「That was a splendid combo...!」 (Sajis)

The emperor forcibly removed Yumir's sword and his HP showed that he was at 85%.

This is quite the difference in strength.

「To honor your efforts, I'll get a little bit serious.」 (Sajis)

「「No, thanks.」」 (Yumir and Hind)

「No need to be shy.」 (Sajis)

「「We are not!」」 (Yumir and Hind)

It fell on deaf ears.

The emperor quickly put away his sword and started chanting a spell really fast.

Yumir tried to stop him, but cruelly, the spell was done casting in an instant.

Seeing that, I began running towards Yumir as a follow up.

「Burn to ashes! Raging Flame!!」 (Sajis)

It was released along with that oppressive scream, a gigantic fireball that could easily engulf a whole person.

It was a fire・wind mage skill, among the skills you could acquire until level 40, it was the one with the highest offensive power.

Seeing that we wouldn't be able to avoid it, I cast 『Resist up』 on myself and positioned myself in front of Yumir.

The fireball closed in in front of me and burst.

「Nuooooh!! It's hoooooooooot!!」 (Hind)

My HP was reduced to 50% in one go, but a Shinto priest's magic resistance is not for show!

A knight's magic resistance is also top class among vanguards, but Yumir probably won't have been able to endure it since her HP was low after she was revived.

I cast 『Area Heal』 immediately after the fire settled down, and healed both our HP.

For some reason, the emperor was just standing there and watching us. He didn't try to disrupt my spell or chase after us, he wasn't moving at all.

Once I thought that it was weird...

「Hahahahaha! I see, I see!」 (Sajis)

He started laughing loudly, and this time he showed an expression that he was content with the exchange of blows until now.

I don't get it, but it looks like he understood something...

After that, he descended from the arena and said this to the young man after he called him.

「We are returning, Skia.」 (Sajis)

「Is it fine already?」 (Skia)

「I'm satisfied. If I had to say, they might be the strongest ones today.」 (Sajis)

「Oh?...That's quite something.」 (Skia)

「I take back what I said about you being a disappointment, Hind, Yumir! I look forward to meeting you tomorrow. Keep on winning!」 (Sajis)

After declaring that one-sidedly, the young man called Skia chanted a spell and they disappeared from our sight.

The arena fell silent, and it was called that we were the victors.

A WINNER! appeared and danced in front of our eyes.

We heard a few scattered applause from the audience, but I believe their heart wasn't in it.

We stood there unable to move from that spot, we could only stand there dumbfounded.

「...Ah? Hah!? I don't feel like we won at all though!? What's thiiiiissss!!?」 (Yumir)

「...You said it!! Ah, I don't feel satisfied at aaaall!!!」 (Hind)

I shouted along with Yumir, and that pointless scream resounded throughout the audience.