Chapter 9

Tournament Arc:

Friends and Enemies.

"Thank you for accepting my request, Lady Levantine."

"No worries dear, I'll watch over Prim and Celestine doesn't mind her company."

Prim pouted.

After last night, she is angry to her cousin. Well... not so angry more like annoyed.

After last night's incident of her getting lost, she got a scolding from Alicia which is fair. She got distracted and got lost, it's her fault.

But it's no excuse for Alicia to chase away her new friend Mika after he helped her get back to Alicia. After explaining a bit (after she had chased the poor boy), Alicia merely said that he was just taking advantage of her.

"Prim, don't trust people easily." Alicia said last night.

And now she is angry.

"Now, now. Don't frown or your pretty face will get stuck like that." A soft and gentle hand ruffled her hair, it was the Goddess Celestine's hand.

With the blonde-haired goddess amicably teasing her, the pout on Princess Prim's face slowly faded into a soft smile. She looked up at Celestine with sparkling eyes, feeling warmth spread in her chest. It was times like these that she felt grateful to have such a caring and understanding friend like her.

Meeting the Goddess Celestine made her less angry but still annoyed to Alicia.

Right now, Alicia is entering the tournament while leaving her in the care of Lady Claudia Levantine, one of the strongest woman in the Alliance and personal guard to the Goddess Celestine.

"Try to behave while I'm away, Prim." Alicia said as she left, "Yes, cousin." Prim replied, turning to Claudia. "Thank you for watching over me, Lady Levantine." She smiled politely, her anger already fading away with each passing moment.

"Don't mention it, princess," Claudia replied, returning the smile. "I'm here to help and protect you, as I would anyone important to Celestine." Her voice was firm but reassuring, projecting an aura of calm strength that Prim found comforting.

As they waited for the tournament to begin, Prim couldn't help but steal glances at Lady Claudia, admiring her grace and composure. Despite being one of the strongest warriors in the alliance, she exuded an air of refinement and nobility that made her seem almost ethereal.

The same could be said to the Goddess Celestine. Indeed, the Goddess Celestine also possessed an aura of regality and grace that was unmistakable. Even when she was merely standing beside Lady Claudia, the two of them made quite the formidable pair. Princess Prim found herself feeling both awed and humbled in their presence; it was as if just being near them brought out the best in her own conduct.

"Who do you think will qualify in the preliminary, Claudia." Celestine asked to her trusted guard.

"Alicia is a given, your grace. I had trained that girl once and she is promising." Claudia replied, idly stroking Prim's pink locks. "But I would say there a lot of candidates today."

"Oh! Is that so? Who were they then?"

"Well, there is Mai of the Black Dogs." Claudia began. "If she wasn't a mercenary, she'll be a great knight."

"Then there's the Black Dog Mercenaries. There leader, Vult, is a charismatic man and strong. He will definitely qualify with how so many men he had entered in the preliminary melee. I think he has a plan?"

"He's... an interesting character, to say the least," Celestine agreed with a slight frown. "His methods are often unorthodox, but one cannot deny that he has led his troupe to great success." She glanced at Prim, offering her a reassuring smile. "As long as they remain within the bounds of honorable combat, there's no need to worry."

"Hmm, Beardsley really did a good job in managing this tournament." Claudia comments as she observed the jam-packed coliseum. As they waited for the tournament to begin, Princess Prim listened to Lady Claudia and the Goddess Celestine's conversation with growing interest.

"Who is Beardsley?" Prim finally asked, curiosity getting the better of her. She knew that he was the one responsible for organizing the tournament, but she had no idea who he was or why he was so important.

Lady Claudia glanced at her, surprise evident on her features. "Oh, I see you're interested in such matters, princess. Beardsley is the acting regent of Feoh while Alicia is still too young to rule."

"Ah, I see." Prim replied, nodding her head. "So he's in charge until my cousin is older?"

The Goddess Celestine chuckled softly at the young princess' understanding. "Yes, dear. More or less. He's a very capable man; you can trust him to watch over Feoh until Alicia comes of age."

"That's true, your grace." Claudia added. "I've worked with him in the past and must say, he's one of the most efficient and fair administrators I've met."

As they continued to converse, Princess Prim found herself becoming more fascinated by the politics and the complex web of alliances and relationships that the two have. It was a stark contrast to her usual political and management studies back home.

"Is it through that your bound to rule Ur when you come to age, Prim?" Celestine asked softly.

"Yes, Goddess." Prim answered with a nod, looking down in thought. "Ah, I see." Celestine said, a small smile playing on her lips. "It must be quite the responsibility, but also a great honor. Perhaps one day, you'll face challenges like those Alicia is facing now. The path of a ruler is not an easy one, my dear."

Her words hung in the air for a moment, making Prim feel both daunted and inspired. It was true; being a ruler meant making difficult decisions and dealing with power struggles. But it also meant that one could make a difference in the lives of their people and leave a lasting legacy.

Lady Claudia glanced between them, sensing the weight of the conversation. "Don't worry too much about it yet, princess. There's still time to learn and grow. For now, just enjoy the tournament and cheer for your cousin." With a nod, Prim smiled gratefully at Lady Claudia. "Thank you for your advice, Claudia. I'll do my best to take it to heart."

As they continued to wait for the preliminaries to begin, the crowd around them began to grow more restless. The air buzzed with excitement and anticipation as everyone waited for the first fighters to step into the arena. Even though Princess Prim was anxious for her cousin to begin her matches, she couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and respect for all those who had volunteered to compete. It was clear that each and every one of them was determined to prove themselves worthy of the honor in front of the Goddess Celestine and gain her blessings.

But for now, who will be the 20 qualifiers?

In the wide open waiting area of the coliseum, Mika sat and waited.

To the onlookers, he looked asleep as he sat and leaned on the wall. In truth, he is meditating.

Trying to calm the raging bloodlust and thirst for combat.

Having a Lv.6 Aggressive perk is useful in combat. A 70% increase in damage and reaction time had many times saved his life against gunfire, laserfire and the wicked blades of a Gundam or a random grunt Mobile Suit.

But it has a drawback, a drawback he found out too late.

Bloodlust and addiction to combat.

He had meditation in order to calm these 'primal' needs. It's mostly effective but sometimes, he needs to go on a mindless mission to quench the thirst for mortal combat.

He just hopes he can control himself form killing anyone in the tournament.

"Hello there!" A voice cut through his focus. Mika slowly opened an eye, his vision focusing on the young woman standing before him.

It was an elf. An elvish warrior at that.

She has the iconic blond and pointed ears of the elven species. Just like other elves, she dressed very lightly. A black and white leotard uniform that hugged her body, accentuating every bit and contour of her body.

He can even see the linings of her pussy through the tight clothing, showing that she isn't wearing any panties.

"Hi!"

"Uhh... h-hello," Mika stammers, his gaze lingering on the elf girl for a moment longer than he had intended. Her attire was certainly eye-catching, and her lack of undergarments was rather unexpected. He quickly looks away, feeling a bit flustered. "I'm Mika. What's your name?"

"Oh! Hello, Mika!" the elf girl says with a bright smile. "My name is Dante. So, what brings you to this tournament? I just noticed that your too young for this kind of stuff." She takes a seat beside him, flicking her long blond hair over her shoulder.

"Oh, uh... personal reasons," Mika mutters, still feeling a bit self-conscious around her. "And you? Why are you here?"

"Why, to fight, of course!" Dante exclaims, her eyes shining with determination. And she is certainly equipped for it.

Unlike Mika's simple sword and round shield, Dante is equipped with top tier elven gear. A collosal tower shield as tall as her and an elvish long sword.

"Oh wait! That's my friend over there! Lycoris! Yohoo! Right here!" Dante called out to a Eastern looking girl who wandered not far from their position.

"Lycoris?" "Her parents are from the East and fell in love to the candy, so they named their child Lycoris." Dante explained with a smile.

Not long after, the other girl walked over, a prominent frown on her face. "Please don't tell me you like them young, you elven cow." She said with a dead tone.

"Oh, hush you! He's just a boy. Look at him, aren't you worried for him for entering the tournament?" Dante then pulled him into a hug.

Straight to her very huge blossom, which is barely held by her leotard.

Mika was momentarily frozen, his mind unable to process the sensation of Dante's body pressing against him. He could feel her soft, supple breasts through the thin fabric of her uniform, and the scent of her elven perfume filled his nose. Her hair tickled his cheek, and her hand rested gently on his shoulder. He was vaguely aware of Lycoris giving them a disgusted look but couldn't tear his gaze away from Dante.

Then he began to choke due to lack of air.

"You'll kill the boy first before the tournament does." Lycoris facepalmed.

"Oh, you're so mean, Lycoris!" Dante laughed, letting go of Mika and standing up. She stretched her arms over her head, revealing even more of her toned body to the young warrior. "Don't worry, Mika, I'm not going to hurt you. In fact, I'll be helping you by teaming up!" She declared. Mika coughed, still a bit disoriented from the sudden lack of air. He looked at Dante, then over to Lycoris, who rolled her eyes and sighed. "All right," he finally managed to say after clearing his throat. "Team up, you say? That sounds... interesting."

It sounds like a great plan.

The preliminary fight starts with a free for all melee between 100 combatants with only 20 spots to qualify.

That means only the last 20 combatants standing are allowed to enter the next round of the tournament.

Teaming up is not frowned upon and it's a viable strategy to secure spot.

Dante grinned, her pointed ears perking up in delight. "I knew you'd see it my way! Now, let's go discuss strategy. We should probably stick together and look out for each other's backs, yeah?" She began to lead them deeper into the waiting area, her long strides easily keeping pace with Mika's shorter stride. Lycoris followed a few steps behind, rolling her eyes again but seeming to acquiesce to the inevitable.

"Is she always... this bubbly?" Mika whispered to the Eastern woman as they follow the elf's lead.

"Yes, quite." Lycoris replied with a sigh. "She's always been like that. But don't let her cheerful exterior fool you. She's also quite cunning and skilled in battle. Just because she's being nice to you now doesn't mean you can underestimate her." A wry grin tugged at the corner of her mouth as she glanced back at Dante.

Mika nodded, still unsure what to make of the elf girl. As they continued to walk, he got the chance to observe the Eastern woman.

Lycoris has oriental looks. Smooth and fair white skin and long dark hair. Unlike Dante, she is dressed conservatively albeit showing off a bit skin.

She is wearing a small breastplate that only covers her breasts and chest area, leaving her midsection exposed and a small booty shorts with thigh-high stockings and flat shoes. Her arms are covered in steel greaves for her main weapons; a dual saber.

They find a relatively quiet spot near a large tree, away from the main hustle and bustle of the waiting area. Dante plops down onto the grass, leaning back against the tree's trunk, and crosses her arms beneath her breasts. "All right, kiddies, let's discuss some strategy," she says with a smile. "We need to work together to get through this first round. Any ideas on how we should approach it?"

"Well," Lycoris begins, eyeing the other combatants warily, "we should stick close to each other at first. See how the fight plays out, and then we can split up if necessary. We don't want to get separated too early on."

Mika nods in agreement, feeling slightly more confident with their plan already forming. "And if we get surrounded, we can cover each others back." "Heh, you think so, kid?" Dante chuckles, shifting her weight to sit up a bit straighter. "Well, I've been in enough battles to know that sometimes things don't go according to plan. But don't worry, we'll make it work. We just need to be smart and adaptable."

She pauses for a moment, studying Mika's face before asking, "So, kiddo, what's your story? Why are you here, and what made you decide to join this tournament?" Her tone is casual, but there's a hint of genuine curiosity in her voice.

"My teacher suggested it to me. Broaden my horizons and reach further heights."

"Ah, a wise teacher you have there," Dante says with a nod. "So, what kind of teacher are they? Another mercenary like me, or more of a traditional swordmaster?"

"She's a knight. Part of Feoh's local defense against the monsters of the Dark Queen Olga."

" And... she's a very good teacher." Mika smiled. "Well, that's good to hear," Dante replies with a grin. "You're lucky to have someone like that looking out for you. So, what are you hoping to get out of this tournament, besides broadening your horizons?"

Lycoris snorts at this, rolling her eyes. "Don't you mean besides getting yourself killed?" she mutters under her breath. But Dante ignores her, keeping her focus on Mika.

"It's a fair question," Mika says thoughtfully. "I... I guess I want to prove that I'm good enough. Strong enough. To stand on my own two feet." He pauses, considering his words carefully. "And maybe win some glory along the way."

The elf girl nods, understanding where he's coming from. "A noble goal, indeed."

"Glory is a tricky thing, you know," Lycoris interjects, finally speaking up after holding back for a while. "It's easy to chase after it, but it's not always what it seems. Sometimes, the price you pay for glory can be far greater than anything you could ever hope to gain." Her voice is soft, almost melancholic, and Mika finds himself unable to look away from her as she speaks.

Dante, however, is more lighthearted in her approach. "Ah, don't be such a downer, Lycoris. We're here to have fun, too, right? Besides, I think Mika's got what it takes to handle whatever comes his way." She winks at him playfully.

"I hope so," Mika replies with a smile, grateful for the support.

Chapter End

We got two new characters. I based them off from a mobile game I just downloaded.

Next Chapter will be the melee.