Chapter 77: Day One of the Finals
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Chapter 77: Day One of the Finals
Jack reached the arena in a haze. His mind was filled with dark thoughts, and he was torn.
Images of the professors house on fire sprang uninvited. He saw Valville razed to the ground, five dark forms darting through the streets and massacring anyone on sight. He saw Harambe and the brorillas valiantly stepping up to protect themselves, only to get easily butchered. He saw the light leaving their wide open eyes as their blood stained the ground.
There has to be a way. He boiled inwardly. There has to be a way! Why do they have to be so cruel?
It made no sense. Why would they slaughter hundreds of people over a small disagreement? Were they animals!?
He chuckled darkly. They were. It didnt matter. He refused to escape by himself while leaving everyone else to die. He would find a way or die trying. Worst case, he would just beg for forgiveness and damned be the Daoor simply fight to the death.
Before he knew it, Jack found a random seat and sat down. He was surrounded by strangers who gave him a wide berth. Belatedly, he realized Brock was still on his shoulder, and he looked over with sadness. Im sorry, little bro he said, though this is partially your fault.
Brock replied in monkey, but Jack didnt understand. He wished Brock could talk. At least he seemed appropriately sad.
As Jack was lost in thought, he didnt notice the crowd calming down. It was only when the head judges voice pierced the arena that he raised his cloudy gaze.
People of Earth-387 and honored arena spectators, the final round of the tournament is starting! she declared excitedly, riling up the crowd. Jack only heard mockery and fakeness in her voice. Starting today, the sixteen finalists will fight each other in elimination matches. There will be four rounds until the winner is decided. Four days of the best fighting this newly-Integrated planet has to offer.
The people cheered again. Jack chuckled grimly. Four days until the real war starts.
Without further ado, I will now announce the first rounds pairings as produced by our randomizer. The first fight is Dorman Whistles and the Dao of Speed versus Brother Tao and the Dao of the Staff!
The crowd cheered as the two fighters jumped into the arena.
Amithaba, brother Dorman, Brother Tao said, cupping his hands before his chest. Brother wasnt really his first name, but the officials insisted on everyone having a first and second name. This will be my final day in the tournament, but I am thankful to have reached this far. I have made my monastery proud. Let us make this a fight to remember.
If youre strong enough, sure, Dorman said dismissively, settling into a fighting stance. His daggers were poised as mandibles, and he seemed ready to sprint in any direction.
Brother Tao didnt take Dormans disrespect to heart. He only smiled; he knew that Dorman only respected the strong.
Very well. Lets fight!
The crowd cheered. He removed his weapon from his back and held it in both hands, clearly straining a bit. This was the black metal staff hed bought in the auction, the one that weighed a thousand pounds. I have to warn you, brother Dorman, he shouted. My staff is very heavy. If you let it hit you, you might die on the spot!
There is no way youll hit me, Dorman replied with a smirk. Then, he charged out.
Jacks eyes widened. This wasnt the movement Dorman had used in their fights. He sailed over the sand at times, then jagged randomly in any direction. He was fast for a bit, then slow, then fast again, like a worm stretching and compacting as it crawled. This must have been a skill taught by his master, the D-Grade worm.
Brother Tao spun his staff above his head, creating gusts that rose the nearby sand into a sandstorm that obstructed everyones vision. Dorman dived right in. The staff fell like a mountain, but he dodged it easily as he delivered cut upon cut on brother Taos body.
Surprisingly, brother Tao could wield the staff at decent speed despite its weight. He used its momentum to flow from one stance to the next, striking with both ends in a single uninterrupted movement. Unfortunately, this also made him predictable, and Dorman dodged the strikes with great ease.
Fesh Wui reached so high that the head judge had to rush out of the way, then turned and cawed at the arena below and the rapidly ascending notes. He flapped his wings thrice in rapid succession, forming strong gales that impacted the notes and weakened them. Moreover, the gales circled back to him, growing stronger with each flap of his wings until they became a visible force that descended like the apocalypse.
They reached the jagged black notes and broke them apart, twisting Vanderdeckens song into a discordant melody that made everyone plug their ears. Vanderdecken tried to play faster and recover, but Fesh Wui dived through the gap and reached him in an instant. His claws raked a deep gash across Vanderdeckens chest and broke his guitar in two as he was tossed back with a cry of agony.
Resign, Fesh Wui said as he hovered over the broken guitar. The audience booed so abruptly and intensely that even Jack was impacted, and the eagler looked around in surprise.
Why are you booing me? he shouted. It wasnt even nice music!
My guitar! Vanderdecken cried out, ignoring the deep wound in his chest. He waved his hands. Get off it, get off it. Shoo, shoo!
You dare treat me like a pest? Fesh Wuis eyes narrowed.
Resign! Shouts rose from the audience, first one person and then a hundred. Resign! Resign!
Vanderdecken looked around as if lost, then his eyes flashed. Right. I resign! Now get off my guitar, you beast!
Fesh Wui snorted as he flew away, retreating back behind the curtain that hid the scions from the rest of the spectators, and Vanderdecken rushed to hug his guitar even as djinn healers showered him in green energy. Unfortunately, they could only fix him, not his instrument.
How could he? How could he? he shouted at the sky. I swear revenge!
Yeah! The crowd cheered again, wholly swept in Vanderdeckens tragedy. So what if half of them were E-Grade alien merchants and the other half were Earths top dogs? A good show was a good show!
Man, this guy will become earths greatest superstar from now on, Jack thought, remembering that the tournament was televised across the planet. Unless the scions kill him, of course. He grimaced, his fists tightening. The nearby people glanced at him warily as a hint of his Dao aura escaped his body.
The next fight! the head judge announced when Vanderdecken left the stage and the crowd calmed down a bit. Elena Richter and the Dao of Ice versus Rufus Emberheart and the Dao of Supremacy!
Jacks eyes snapped to focus.
The leonine landed on the stage, gazing at the woman opposite him with apathy. She was a member of Ice Peak, one of his underlings. Jack hadnt seen her fight, but he knew she was an ice mage.
I resign, she said immediately. The crowd showered her with booing, but she didnt even look their way. Rufus nodded slightly and jumped back to his section of the arena. So did Elena.
Jack was disappointed. That was so anticlimactic.
The head judge announced the next fight: Shard Presht and the Dao of Momentum versus Jack Rust and the Dao of the Fist!
Jack looked up. He stared at the curtain that parted as the shark-man walked out and gave him a wary look.
Jack grinned. He smashed his fists together. This guy again He just wouldnt stand down, but that was fine. He and the scions were already irreconcilable.
This was the perfect target to vent on.
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Chapter 77: Day One of the Finals
Jack reached the arena in a haze. His mind was filled with dark thoughts, and he was torn.
Images of the professors house on fire sprang uninvited. He saw Valville razed to the ground, five dark forms darting through the streets and massacring anyone on sight. He saw Harambe and the brorillas valiantly stepping up to protect themselves, only to get easily butchered. He saw the light leaving their wide open eyes as their blood stained the ground.
There has to be a way. He boiled inwardly. There has to be a way! Why do they have to be so cruel?
It made no sense. Why would they slaughter hundreds of people over a small disagreement? Were they animals!?
He chuckled darkly. They were. It didnt matter. He refused to escape by himself while leaving everyone else to die. He would find a way or die trying. Worst case, he would just beg for forgiveness and damned be the Daoor simply fight to the death.
Before he knew it, Jack found a random seat and sat down. He was surrounded by strangers who gave him a wide berth. Belatedly, he realized Brock was still on his shoulder, and he looked over with sadness. Im sorry, little bro he said, though this is partially your fault.
Brock replied in monkey, but Jack didnt understand. He wished Brock could talk. At least he seemed appropriately sad.
As Jack was lost in thought, he didnt notice the crowd calming down. It was only when the head judges voice pierced the arena that he raised his cloudy gaze.
People of Earth-387 and honored arena spectators, the final round of the tournament is starting! she declared excitedly, riling up the crowd. Jack only heard mockery and fakeness in her voice. Starting today, the sixteen finalists will fight each other in elimination matches. There will be four rounds until the winner is decided. Four days of the best fighting this newly-Integrated planet has to offer.
The people cheered again. Jack chuckled grimly. Four days until the real war starts.
Without further ado, I will now announce the first rounds pairings as produced by our randomizer. The first fight is Dorman Whistles and the Dao of Speed versus Brother Tao and the Dao of the Staff!
The crowd cheered as the two fighters jumped into the arena.
Amithaba, brother Dorman, Brother Tao said, cupping his hands before his chest. Brother wasnt really his first name, but the officials insisted on everyone having a first and second name. This will be my final day in the tournament, but I am thankful to have reached this far. I have made my monastery proud. Let us make this a fight to remember.
If youre strong enough, sure, Dorman said dismissively, settling into a fighting stance. His daggers were poised as mandibles, and he seemed ready to sprint in any direction.
Brother Tao didnt take Dormans disrespect to heart. He only smiled; he knew that Dorman only respected the strong.
Very well. Lets fight!
The crowd cheered. He removed his weapon from his back and held it in both hands, clearly straining a bit. This was the black metal staff hed bought in the auction, the one that weighed a thousand pounds. I have to warn you, brother Dorman, he shouted. My staff is very heavy. If you let it hit you, you might die on the spot!
There is no way youll hit me, Dorman replied with a smirk. Then, he charged out.
Jacks eyes widened. This wasnt the movement Dorman had used in their fights. He sailed over the sand at times, then jagged randomly in any direction. He was fast for a bit, then slow, then fast again, like a worm stretching and compacting as it crawled. This must have been a skill taught by his master, the D-Grade worm.
Brother Tao spun his staff above his head, creating gusts that rose the nearby sand into a sandstorm that obstructed everyones vision. Dorman dived right in. The staff fell like a mountain, but he dodged it easily as he delivered cut upon cut on brother Taos body.
Surprisingly, brother Tao could wield the staff at decent speed despite its weight. He used its momentum to flow from one stance to the next, striking with both ends in a single uninterrupted movement. Unfortunately, this also made him predictable, and Dorman dodged the strikes with great ease.
Fesh Wui reached so high that the head judge had to rush out of the way, then turned and cawed at the arena below and the rapidly ascending notes. He flapped his wings thrice in rapid succession, forming strong gales that impacted the notes and weakened them. Moreover, the gales circled back to him, growing stronger with each flap of his wings until they became a visible force that descended like the apocalypse.
They reached the jagged black notes and broke them apart, twisting Vanderdeckens song into a discordant melody that made everyone plug their ears. Vanderdecken tried to play faster and recover, but Fesh Wui dived through the gap and reached him in an instant. His claws raked a deep gash across Vanderdeckens chest and broke his guitar in two as he was tossed back with a cry of agony.
Resign, Fesh Wui said as he hovered over the broken guitar. The audience booed so abruptly and intensely that even Jack was impacted, and the eagler looked around in surprise.
Why are you booing me? he shouted. It wasnt even nice music!
My guitar! Vanderdecken cried out, ignoring the deep wound in his chest. He waved his hands. Get off it, get off it. Shoo, shoo!
You dare treat me like a pest? Fesh Wuis eyes narrowed.
Resign! Shouts rose from the audience, first one person and then a hundred. Resign! Resign!
Vanderdecken looked around as if lost, then his eyes flashed. Right. I resign! Now get off my guitar, you beast!
Fesh Wui snorted as he flew away, retreating back behind the curtain that hid the scions from the rest of the spectators, and Vanderdecken rushed to hug his guitar even as djinn healers showered him in green energy. Unfortunately, they could only fix him, not his instrument.
How could he? How could he? he shouted at the sky. I swear revenge!
Yeah! The crowd cheered again, wholly swept in Vanderdeckens tragedy. So what if half of them were E-Grade alien merchants and the other half were Earths top dogs? A good show was a good show!
Man, this guy will become earths greatest superstar from now on, Jack thought, remembering that the tournament was televised across the planet. Unless the scions kill him, of course. He grimaced, his fists tightening. The nearby people glanced at him warily as a hint of his Dao aura escaped his body.
The next fight! the head judge announced when Vanderdecken left the stage and the crowd calmed down a bit. Elena Richter and the Dao of Ice versus Rufus Emberheart and the Dao of Supremacy!
Jacks eyes snapped to focus.
The leonine landed on the stage, gazing at the woman opposite him with apathy. She was a member of Ice Peak, one of his underlings. Jack hadnt seen her fight, but he knew she was an ice mage.
I resign, she said immediately. The crowd showered her with booing, but she didnt even look their way. Rufus nodded slightly and jumped back to his section of the arena. So did Elena.
Jack was disappointed. That was so anticlimactic.
The head judge announced the next fight: Shard Presht and the Dao of Momentum versus Jack Rust and the Dao of the Fist!
Jack looked up. He stared at the curtain that parted as the shark-man walked out and gave him a wary look.
Jack grinned. He smashed his fists together. This guy again He just wouldnt stand down, but that was fine. He and the scions were already irreconcilable.
This was the perfect target to vent on.
Chapter 77: Day One of the FinalsJack reached the arena in a haze. His mind was filled with dark thoughts, and he was torn.Images of the professors house on fire sprang uninvited. He saw Valville razed to the ground, five dark forms darting through the streets and massacring anyone on sight. He saw Harambe and the brorillas valiantly stepping up to protect themselves, only to get easily butchered. He saw the light leaving their wide open eyes as their blood stained the ground.There has to be a way. He boiled inwardly. There has to be a way! Why do they have to be so cruel?It made no sense. Why would they slaughter hundreds of people over a small disagreement? Were they animals!?He chuckled darkly. They were. It didnt matter. He refused to escape by himself while leaving everyone else to die. He would find a way or die trying. Worst case, he would just beg for forgiveness and damned be the Daoor simply fight to the death.Before he knew it, Jack found a random seat and sat down. He was surrounded by strangers who gave him a wide berth. Belatedly, he realized Brock was still on his shoulder, and he looked over with sadness. Im sorry, little bro he said, though this is partially your fault.Brock replied in monkey, but Jack didnt understand. He wished Brock could talk. At least he seemed appropriately sad.As Jack was lost in thought, he didnt notice the crowd calming down. It was only when the head judges voice pierced the arena that he raised his cloudy gaze.People of Earth-387 and honored arena spectators, the final round of the tournament is starting! she declared excitedly, riling up the crowd. Jack only heard mockery and fakeness in her voice. Starting today, the sixteen finalists will fight each other in elimination matches. There will be four rounds until the winner is decided. Four days of the best fighting this newly-Integrated planet has to offer.The people cheered again. Jack chuckled grimly. Four days until the real war starts.Without further ado, I will now announce the first rounds pairings as produced by our randomizer. The first fight is Dorman Whistles and the Dao of Speed versus Brother Tao and the Dao of the Staff!The crowd cheered as the two fighters jumped into the arena.Amithaba, brother Dorman, Brother Tao said, cupping his hands before his chest. Brother wasnt really his first name, but the officials insisted on everyone having a first and second name. This will be my final day in the tournament, but I am thankful to have reached this far. I have made my monastery proud. Let us make this a fight to remember.If youre strong enough, sure, Dorman said dismissively, settling into a fighting stance. His daggers were poised as mandibles, and he seemed ready to sprint in any direction.Brother Tao didnt take Dormans disrespect to heart. He only smiled; he knew that Dorman only respected the strong.Very well. Lets fight!The crowd cheered. He removed his weapon from his back and held it in both hands, clearly straining a bit. This was the black metal staff hed bought in the auction, the one that weighed a thousand pounds. I have to warn you, brother Dorman, he shouted. My staff is very heavy. If you let it hit you, you might die on the spot!There is no way youll hit me, Dorman replied with a smirk. Then, he charged out.Jacks eyes widened. This wasnt the movement Dorman had used in their fights. He sailed over the sand at times, then jagged randomly in any direction. He was fast for a bit, then slow, then fast again, like a worm stretching and compacting as it crawled. This must have been a skill taught by his master, the D-Grade worm.Brother Tao spun his staff above his head, creating gusts that rose the nearby sand into a sandstorm that obstructed everyones vision. Dorman dived right in. The staff fell like a mountain, but he dodged it easily as he delivered cut upon cut on brother Taos body.Surprisingly, brother Tao could wield the staff at decent speed despite its weight. He used its momentum to flow from one stance to the next, striking with both ends in a single uninterrupted movement. Unfortunately, this also made him predictable, and Dorman dodged the strikes with great ease.Fesh Wui reached so high that the head judge had to rush out of the way, then turned and cawed at the arena below and the rapidly ascending notes. He flapped his wings thrice in rapid succession, forming strong gales that impacted the notes and weakened them. Moreover, the gales circled back to him, growing stronger with each flap of his wings until they became a visible force that descended like the apocalypse.They reached the jagged black notes and broke them apart, twisting Vanderdeckens song into a discordant melody that made everyone plug their ears. Vanderdecken tried to play faster and recover, but Fesh Wui dived through the gap and reached him in an instant. His claws raked a deep gash across Vanderdeckens chest and broke his guitar in two as he was tossed back with a cry of agony.Resign, Fesh Wui said as he hovered over the broken guitar. The audience booed so abruptly and intensely that even Jack was impacted, and the eagler looked around in surprise.Why are you booing me? he shouted. It wasnt even nice music!My guitar! Vanderdecken cried out, ignoring the deep wound in his chest. He waved his hands. Get off it, get off it. Shoo, shoo!You dare treat me like a pest? Fesh Wuis eyes narrowed.Resign! Shouts rose from the audience, first one person and then a hundred. Resign! Resign!Vanderdecken looked around as if lost, then his eyes flashed. Right. I resign! Now get off my guitar, you beast!Fesh Wui snorted as he flew away, retreating back behind the curtain that hid the scions from the rest of the spectators, and Vanderdecken rushed to hug his guitar even as djinn healers showered him in green energy. Unfortunately, they could only fix him, not his instrument.How could he? How could he? he shouted at the sky. I swear revenge!Yeah! The crowd cheered again, wholly swept in Vanderdeckens tragedy. So what if half of them were E-Grade alien merchants and the other half were Earths top dogs? A good show was a good show!Man, this guy will become earths greatest superstar from now on, Jack thought, remembering that the tournament was televised across the planet. Unless the scions kill him, of course. He grimaced, his fists tightening. The nearby people glanced at him warily as a hint of his Dao aura escaped his body.The next fight! the head judge announced when Vanderdecken left the stage and the crowd calmed down a bit. Elena Richter and the Dao of Ice versus Rufus Emberheart and the Dao of Supremacy!Jacks eyes snapped to focus.The leonine landed on the stage, gazing at the woman opposite him with apathy. She was a member of Ice Peak, one of his underlings. Jack hadnt seen her fight, but he knew she was an ice mage.I resign, she said immediately. The crowd showered her with booing, but she didnt even look their way. Rufus nodded slightly and jumped back to his section of the arena. So did Elena.Jack was disappointed. That was so anticlimactic.The head judge announced the next fight: Shard Presht and the Dao of Momentum versus Jack Rust and the Dao of the Fist!Jack looked up. He stared at the curtain that parted as the shark-man walked out and gave him a wary look.Jack grinned. He smashed his fists together. This guy again He just wouldnt stand down, but that was fine. He and the scions were already irreconcilable.This was the perfect target to vent on.
