Chapter 81 - 29: Talent
"Everyone! I Hope you are enjoying the fights so far, So many talented users have already been displayed, I hope you are enjoying watching this young but scary girl, take out even more people near the beach! Where is she from?" Said the commentator.
"Come on, son! You can do it!" Shouted the audience as they watched.
"I\'m betting all my money on the Silver-haired girl!"
"It\'s a 3v1 there\'s no way that she can-"
"DAMN IT! She won!"
Inside of his carriage, Kurt watched the fights along with the audience and advisor.
"Who\'s she? I\'ve never seen someone be able to cast spells so fluidly and accurately..." Said the advisor.
"... I-I wonder..." Replied Kurt with a nervous smile.
"Eh? Folks! It looks like there\'s an even more heated battle occurring inside of the forest! We\'re switching up the channels!"
The image which was being displayed to the public changed. What was being displayed now was 2 young mages battling each other.
"What do we have here? Could that be the eldest son of the Astronima household!? Who is the unfortunate man that has ended up as his target!?" Asked the commentator.
"I\'m betting on the Astronima, son!" Shouted a man from the audience.
"Me too! Take all my money!"
"Calm down! You all can\'t vote on the same person!"
The camera got a closeup of the two people fighting, and the battle itself.
"That\'s..." Muttered Kurt.
A grin formed on his face as he muttered, "Let\'s see what the saviour of my daughter can do... Isn\'t the right John?"
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*Boom* A loud sound resonated throughout the forest
It all happened in a split second.
John\'s ice lances were propelled straight at him, when all of a sudden, a small orb was formed. As if it was attracting to them, the ice lances changed directions and hit the orb.
"*Cough* what was that..." John muttered as he leapt back.
\'Did he say saint-class...? And wormhole..?\' John wondered.
He looked over at him and in front of him was that small orb.
John kept his guard up and continued to observe him as he waited for his next move, when all of the sudden, the Orb started to pull him in.
"Mumble... mumble... mumble... mumble... Velox," John whispered.
John propelled himself further back and barely managed to avoid the trees.
"I see..." He muttered.
\'Wha? Did he realise it was a fake chant?\' John thought, feeling surprised.
"See what..?" John asked.
"You\'re able to use both \'silent chant\' and \'quick chant\' Not to mention even I can\'t understand it... I tried reading your lip movement but I couldn\'t make out anything you were saying..." He muttered.
That was because John wasn\'t really saying anything.
"You, what\'s your name?" He asked.
"I have no reason to tell an enemy my name," John replied.
"Then... I\'ll go first, my name is Victor. Victor Spadius Astronomia." He said.
"Alright, I\'m John." John replied.
"John... Very well, I\'ve decided to spare you. It\'d be a waste to get rid of you before you reached top 30. Consider yourself lucky." He said.
"Sparing me... I guess you could use that as an excuse for running away." John replied.
"Hmm, is that so... Don\'t assume everything you saw was all I had." Victor spoke.
"Right back at you." John replied.
Hearing this, a small smile was formed on Victor\'s face as he gave John a bow. Despite having a rather cold look, he seemed rather pleased.
"Well then, I look forward to fighting you again soon. This time, let\'s both go all out." Victor suggested.
After he said that, he vanished.
"God... Who knew that there was such a talent in this group of 100..."
The number of badges he took was lower than John\'s. But he was just as strong, or at least that\'s how it looked.
"I have a feeling that there are plenty more... I wonder what\'s going to happen when there are 30 left..." John thought.
"This is an announcement. 75 players remain. Hidden rule will be announced when 60 players remain." Said the voice.
\'Hidden rule..? I\'m going to need to find those 3 fast... I wasted too much time fighting victor.\' John realised.
"I wonder how everyone\'s doing..." John muttered as he began looking.
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"Woah!! What an intense fight, from both sides! They seemed to agree on a truce at the end. Magnificent!! Who was that kid who fought victor?!" Shouted the commentator.
"N-No one won, so I\'m keeping my money."
"Y-Yeah, a truce counts as a draw"
"Who was that kid... Why have I never heard of him? Able to fluently silent and fast chant without making any mistakes on two different elements... And his movements... They weren\'t that of a mage... He was agile..." asked the advisor.
"Oh, him? Ah, I forgot to mention. He\'s my daughter\'s saviour, but I don\'t know much about him."
"Savior?! What are you talking about?" She asked.
"He\'s an adventurer. His party took the exam together with my daughter. He encountered her on her travels and kept her safe." He replied.
"Are you telling me...? That me... The Advisor of the exam failed to notice such a talent?" She asked.
"Seems so." Kurt replied.
"I-Impossible... Once the exam is over, I\'d like to have a word with that boy..."
"Feel free." Kurt stated.
\'That surprised look on her face, even though she\'s always arrogant, is a sight to see. John certainly is strong, but is that all he has..? What he\'s shown so far, is just slightly above Alfred\'s abilities... If it was true what Alfred said, that he was able to stop that shadow wolf mage from the dark guild... Then there must be more to his power…\' Kurt surmised.
"But..." Kurt muttered.
\'He must have a reason to hide it... And as thanks for saving my daughter, and for doing a job I as a father should have done. I will continue to support him.\' Kurt thought.
"Did you say something?" the advisor asked.
"No, nothing at all" Kurt replied with a smile.