Shadowfall Kingdom
Vincent
Tournament Grounds
Kaijuu Ryu
"Competitors, take your places!"
They do. Same setup as the previous match.
Shanon readies her shortsword and shield.
Felmina draws her two short swords from the crossed sheaths on her back. She lowers her stance, both blades pointing backward behind her.
I lift my right hand into the air, then drop it as before.
"START!!"
Felmina takes off running, then activates her anti-gravity.
Shanon lowers her stance but doesn’t move.
Felmina goes flying past Shanon’s left side—the side with the shield.
As Shanon turns, Felmina is already behind her—about six meters away.
Her suit is off.
Felmina charges again, this time activating both swords’ Gravity Up and her suit’s Gravity Up.
Shanon finally turns to face her.
Felmina is already swinging—one low, one high.
Shanon lifts her leg to dodge, but she takes the higher blow off-center on the shield.
She goes flying and drops it.
Felmina rushes again.
Her suit is off.
Shanon adopts a kendo stance. Experience is showing.
Felmina charges in again, both swords pulled back to her left.
She swings wildly from left to right.
Shanon bends backward like a limbo dancer, using her sword as support.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Felmina misses completely.
Mid-swing, she accidentally activates Anti-Gravity instead of Gravity Up.
She loses her balance as the swords pull her around instead.
She falls, dropping one of them.
The sword hits the ground, and she can barely keep her grip on the other.
She manages to turn the one she still has off.
She scrambles to her feet.
Shanon’s sword broke when she tried to pull it out of the concrete slab.
Shanon goes to pick up Felmina’s dropped sword.
She tries lifting it and quickly realizes something is off.
Then she smiles—evilly.
They charge each other again.
Shanon runs normally while Felmina shoots forward with Anti-Gravity still activated.
Shanon moves first and does an uppercut swing.
Felmina blocks, but gets sent flying.
She lets go of her sword mid-air, and it slides out of the ring.
She almost does too.
She falls and slides, turning on Gravity Up just in time.
Shanon is already there behind her.
I raise my left hand.
"THAT’S ENOUGH—WINNER, SHANON WILSON!"
Both are winded.
Shanon points the sword down toward Felmina.
Damn. I underestimated Shanon.
I’ll chalk this one up to a difference in experience.
The crowd goes wild.
Shanon drops the sword—it slams into the ground—then helps Felmina up.
Felmina leans on her shoulder as they walk toward me.
I walk forward to meet them.
Felmina lets go and walks on her own.
She limps—she hurt her leg on that last fall, I think.
Shanon’s fine by now.
When they reach me, we stop.
Shanon bows, still tired but no longer winded.
"I’ll be in your care."
I nod.
Then I look at Felmina and hand her an HP potion.
She drinks it. Shanon takes out her own and does the same.
I put my hand over Felmina’s face.
"Sleep."
I catch her as she falls.
I princess-carry her backstage, Shanon following.
As we reach the backstage entrance, I glance back and see the king next to Loyd, giving instructions.
"ALL COMMANDERS ARE TO REPORT TO GENERAL KAIJUU’S LABORATORY TOMORROW MORNING AT 06:00 HOURS. Bring the reports regarding your forces, including numbers and all relevant data. Come with your vice commanders and—"
The voice fades as Shanon closes the door behind us.
Roka is awake, pounding Wilfred’s armored chest.
He has his hands up, smiling awkwardly.
"Roka."
She stops and looks at us.
Her eyes go wide.
"Felmina onee-chan lost?"
I nod.
Wilfred bows to me.
"I’ll be in your care."
I nod back.
I lay Felmina on the bench, giving her a lap pillow while stroking her hair.
Roka joins me on my left.
I look at Wilfred and Shanon, who sit across from us.
"Glad to be working with you."
Wilfred raises a hand with a weird smile.
"General Kaijuu… you love those two very much, don’t you?"
"I do."
Roka goes red—steam practically rising from her head.
"You threw Roka off her game before the match, didn’t you?"
Shanon looks at Wilfred curiously.
"What? How did he—?"
Wilfred puts his hand up.
"Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha, gotcha, gotcha."
Shanon turns beet red and covers her face like Felmina did earlier.
"So th-th-that’s what you said to F-F-Felmina…"
She can barely speak through her hands.
Roka’s eyes start swirling, and she passes out—bright red.
I shift her down and rest her head on my right leg for another lap pillow.
I give them a broad smile.
My face is getting hot too.
I stroke both their heads as I calm down.
"I never wanted them to fight, but they insisted… at first anyway.
I’m glad you two could take their places.
I’ll see you both tomorrow morning at 05:30 in my lab. Don’t be late. You’re dismissed."
They stand and leave.
Shanon is still covering her face.
She walks directly into the wall next to the door.
Wilfred grabs her shoulder, guiding her out.
Then he closes the door behind him.
