Shadowfall Kingdom
Vincent
Tournament Grounds
King Raymond
Loyd walks toward the center of the ring. The commander of the Tank Division stops him by raising a hand.
“General Kaijuu, if I may.”
General Kaijuu had been heading for his starting position. He turns as the commander steps into the ring.
The man is enormous—twice General Kaijuu’s height. His name is Shirley Moonwood. Yes, he’s a man. His level is 328.
The reason he is not the general is simple.
He is stupid.
He cannot command for shit.
His entire division consists of muscleheads. If not for his mild-mannered vice commander, Phillip Surges, they would have charged headfirst into every skirmish we’ve ever faced.
Shirley drops to one knee and lowers his head. General Kaijuu takes an involuntary step back in surprise.
“My General, if it please you, may I request a hand-to-hand bout?”
General Kaijuu collects himself. He clears his throat to the side before responding.
“No weapons.”
“Please, if you would be so kind.”
“…Alright.”
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They move to the center of the arena.
Shirley gestures for the crowd to close in. The remaining commanders who have not forfeited step into the ring. Roka and Felmina run past me and join them.
We form a massive circle around the two fighters.
The new ring is roughly twenty-five meters in diameter. Those at the front—including Roka, Felmina, and myself—sit down. Those behind us kneel. There are easily a thousand spectators. I hope everyone can see.
Loyd steps forward. He does not bother with the megaphone this time.
“The challenger—Commander of the Tank Division, Sir Shirley Moonwood!”
The crowd explodes.
The two take their positions, standing roughly five meters apart.
“START!!”
They do not move at first.
Then an even more intense red aura blooms around General Kaijuu.
He steps forward.
The concrete tiles beneath his feet fracture as he approaches.
Shirley grins and settles into his stance.
He throws a hook.
General Kaijuu steps back, catches his arm, pivots—
—and hurls the massive man over his shoulder.
Shirley slams into the ground. The impact cracks the arena floor and sends shockwaves through the stadium.
We feel it beneath our feet.
“Gah!”
Shirley scrambles up and charges again.
General Kaijuu’s red aura fades. He weaves through a storm of blows with ease.
Shirley’s breathing grows ragged.
General Kaijuu looks untouched.
Then the red aura flares again.
He sprints forward and leaps.
A superman punch.
I’ve only ever heard of it.
Is he seriously doing this in live combat—WHAT!?
“Block this.”
Shirley crosses his arms in front of his face.
The first blow lands.
Then another.
Then another.
General Kaijuu drives Shirley backward nearly ten meters with the barrage.
Shirley drops to one knee.
His legs tremble as he tries to rise.
His guard slips.
General Kaijuu walks toward him slowly, eyes locked, drawing back his fist.
“I give up.”
General Kaijuu lowers his hand and extends it.
Shirley stares at it, stunned.
“Good match.”
Shirley reaches for the hand—then fakes and collapses forward instead.
The crowd goes insane.
Roka and Felmina’s high-pitched screams rupture my eardrums. I clap my hands over my ears.
Damn it.
The commander of the Covert Corps forfeits immediately.
Then the commander of the Magician Corps proposes a match.
He draws a line roughly three meters in front of himself on our side of the arena. General Kaijuu stands at the far end again.
If General Kaijuu crosses the line, he wins.
The match proceeds much like the one against Archer—until the final spell.
A rock cannon.
Mike Turner fires it.
General Kaijuu stops just short of the line and smashes the projectile midair with his wooden sword.
The rock is the size of my head.
I glimpse the red aura again.
The crowd roars.
Then, calmly, General Kaijuu steps over the line.
“Victor: General Kaijuu!”
The stadium erupts.
