Chapter 45: The Tournament
It was already over a month since Ruby has left the Band of Steels, a small and minor village was hosted a tournament by an minor lord of the land the village is on. They were hosting fighting with each other, jousting, shooting at targets, and carrying very heavy rocks on their shoulders for the entertainment of the people of the village.
"Oh! Very strong! Yes." The minor lord commented. "Our skills competition is becoming more famous every year and we have collected a lot of strong fighters."
"Your highness, this is the most important match of this year."
"OHOH! On the one side is the very famous 'Crazy Killer', I heard that he killed about 130 Ursa Majors." The minor lord said as he looked at the tall armored man with a big sword before he look at the unknown Mistralian-looking man, only known by his name as Silat, in an kushan assassin-style armor with katar daggers in both of his hands. "On the other side, we have a black horse who is entering the contest for the first time. His background is unknown. Hm, this is going to be a good one to watch!"
Ruby, who was in the village at the moment for now, was looking at the fight in silent from afar. That was when the fight begun.
The Crazy Killer swung his sword wildly at the unknown fighter, who Silat just keep causally dodging the swings like they were nothing compared to him.
"The Crazy Killer is on the attack!"
"But the mysterious man dodge every blow!"
The Crazy Killer attempt to trust his huge sword at the Mistalian, but Silat's katar daggers split into 3 blades and block the trust before he kick him in the face.
"He used his legs!"
The Crazy Killer was pissed at this before he swing his huge sword at Silat, but that was very move wanted to happen before he use his kater daggers to attack the sword at the side and cut it in two, destroying the Crazy Killer's sword and pointing his katar daggers at him before he spoke. "If I attack from the side, it is very easy to break swords as well as your head."
"I... I surrender."
Silat then retact his kater daggers from him and walk with a unimpressed huff to him as he spoke to himself. "This kingdom's weapon skills are really purely pathetic compared to the other kingdom including Atlas, it's child play for anyone trained like me."
"Wow! That mysterious man is really good! It look he will win this competition this year." The minor lord said. "But... if the champ is won by someone who is from another kingdom... it's kinda sad."
"This is not a competiton, it's more a gathering party of women for tea." Silat comment on the tournament before he notice a girl who enter the area of where he is. That girl is none other than Ruby Rose as she is carry Crescent Rose in scythe mode on her shoulder.
"Who is that girl?" The minor lord ask while Silat remain silent.
"Hey! I'm next, please get in line!"
"I just registered in this fight, please let me go first." Ruby told the man who is shorter than her before she spoke to Silat. "Look like you want to fight with someone more skilled!"
"Does that means... that you're stronger than the last one?" Silat asked.
"Why don't you try me then?" Ruby said happily.
"It doesn't matter to me, it depend on the lord of this land."
"My lord..."
"Hm... ok, I allow it!" The lord said. "This should provide some entertainment."
"He said that already?" Ruby asked.
"Ok then." Silat said as he put out his two katar daggers as he spoke to Ruby. "You have to be prepare for anything. Ready yourself!"
"Anytime!"
"What make you think you are ready now?"
"What you said about weapon skills is true about this island..."
Silat was surprised by that answer before he went silent. "... Fine."
Silat then dash and attempt to trusted his katar daggers at Ruby, but she easily and causally dodge them with her speed semblance, which amazed the people.
"It's a totally different fight then before!"
Silat then reveal he has a hidden blade in his left shoes and attempt to attack Ruby with it, but she block it with handle of Crescent Rose. He reveal he has another hidden blade in his other shoe and attempt to do it again, but Ruby block it again with her left arm, which was covered by a gauntlet. Silat then realized something. 'Both of her arms are immobilized!'
Silat attempt to use this as an advantage, but Ruby then swing Crescent Rose and knocking him off her, which caught him by surprised, before he was sent flying into a wooden fence, which luckly his aura protected him. Everyone were absolutely amazed by her performance before they cheered for her.
"Wow! You're strong for a girl! Would you be interest in working for me?" The lord ask Ruby.
"Sorry, i'm not interest, i'm just here to watch." Ruby answered.
"An, you're a traveler?"
"You might say that in a way."
"Well, I heard that the head of the gang of thieves is a woman who's older than you and is very strong, not even 10 mens can stand against her."
"A woman?" Ruby ask in curiousity.
"You have should heard of them already, from about a month ago. I heard they used to be soldiers. Steel something"
Ruby then grab the collar of the lord before she ask him. "What did you say?"
"Steel. Right... it was the band of Steel!"
Ruby's mind then slowly sink in horror of what she is thinking right now.
A/N: Hell yeah! Things are starting to get moving! And I can't wait to make my most favorite part of this arc, The Holocaust Parter. Which mean only one thing and that thing... is that this part will be based on my favorite part of the Golden Age arc, the Eclipse parter. That part is my most favorite part of the golden age arc. I mean, it is just that good... I just love every single pages of the Eclipse parter due to the dark atmosphere and awesomeness it has.
