Here’s the first chapter I promised.

The Preceding Hero and the Arena

The Magic Clad Martial Arts Demonstration’s arena had an unusual structure.

I’m not sure if they drew in ocean water or something, but a large amount of water was making waves in the gap between the audience seats and the stage.

It was a shape where the stage was surrounded by water.

This was probably an arena that assumed the shape of the real competition in Galarie.

Appropriate of its name of the Metropolis of water, surely this arena also exists in Galarie.

「「「Waaaaaahhh!!」」」

Having cloth bibs attached to the front of my chest and on my back that plainly had the number 36 written on them, I was enveloped in the gazes from the surrounding participants and in the cheers from the audience seating.

There wasn’t as many seats as there were in Lizwadia but even the standing rooms were filled.

Looking at how roused up they are just from the preliminaries, I could tell how popular the Magic Clad Martial Arts Demonstration was.

Now then, going by this cloth bib’s number, there’s a large number of participant that surpasses 30 people. Rather, since it looks like I’m the last one, there are 36 people.

Every one of them are either martial arts masters or guys that seem to have great skill.

「Looking at these guys, it’s my win.」

There is a guy that believes in and doesn’t doubt his own victory,

「Shuu, shuu!」

and a guy that isn’t negligent in image training.

「I’ve done intensive training in the Nordyold Labyrinth just for this day. If it’s me, I can do it!」

A guy who’s encouraging himself and aiming for victory.

「Kukuku……Tonight’s sword is thirsting for blood……Kuhi, kuhihihihihi!!」

A guy occupied by a sword brimming with evil.

「I, all you, chew all up.」

A guy who has already stopped being human.

Various warriors have assembled.

……Rather, I’m amazed that those last two were able to enter!

The ones that admitted them are also dangerous, aren’t they.

And the one that stood out among them, was the woman in the nun’s habit that couldn’t calm down maybe because she was restlessly looking around at the audience seats, Bernadette.

「What are you doing?」

「Eh, ehh!? Why did Yashiro-san come here!?」

When I called out to her, Bernadette was surprised and had a huge movement that could interpreted as over-reacting.

What Bernadette meant by “here” was probably about being on top of the stage.

「Well, some stuff happened.」

「？」

When I casually turned my eyes away, they went to that blond fox jerk that had a certain presence about him that did not surround the normal humans and Wolf Tribesmen.

「? Was there something with that boy?」

「He says that he’s Vodan-shi’s son.」

「Eh? He’s from the Fox Tribe, right? I can see a fox’s tail and stuff.」

「He’s probably an adopted child or something.」

Maybe because he noticed us, the fox jerk looked at us and smiled with a broad grin.

「Kacchi~n! What is with those eyes that seem to be looking down on us! Yashiro-san, I’ve decided. I’ll defeat that person myself!」

*Shaka*. Bernadette took out a Magic Gun. However, the Magic Gun she took out was a gun that I didn’t recognize.

「It’s the shotgun specified 『Misteltein』!」

Ah, it’s true that it looked like a Magic Gun that Bernadette carried. However, the length of the gun barrel was extended, and furthermore, a hand grip that slides up and down the gun barrel was attached.

「Fufufu……It’ll be a big haul with this!」

Bernadette spun the gun around her finger, making a humming sound. Her eyes were quite scary.

「Ladies and gentlemen!! We have kept you waiting long enough. From here on out is the opening of the Galarie Magic Clad Martial Arts Demonstration Preliminary Tournament!

Please take a look at figures of the total of thirty six warriors that will be fighting with their lives at stake in order to go to the main competition!!」

「「「Uooooooohhhh!!!」」」

Then the announcer in the commentator’s seat shouted into the mic, the spectators replied with cheers louder than the voice that came through the mic.

「That’s some, wild enthusiasm.」

「That’s natural, Yashiro-san. It’s because it’s a fight where they’ve bet on who will appear at the Main Competition of the Magic Clad Martial Arts Demonstration held in Galarie!」

「In that case, aren’t there too few entrants?」

That’s right, even though it should be such a festive situation, there are surprisingly few entrants in this preliminary round.

「Ahh, so it’s about that. You’ll get serious injuries if you come with a resolve of treating this as a trial of strength. Or rather, you’ll die.」

「Ha? Die? ……Ahh, of course, no matter hard you try, there are unforeseen accidents after all, right.」

「No, you’ll be killed.」

「……Ha?」

Ever since the dangerous words like “die” and “kill” started appearing in Bernadette’s words, my instincts called out 「This is dangerous! Please evacuate immediately!」 again after a long time.

……I, I’m getting a bad feeling about this.

And then, my feeling would once again become realized.

「Well then, let’s now continue on with the rules of the Magic Clad Martial Arts Demonstration! The rules are simple! By either making your opponents unable to fight, getting them off of the ring, or dropping them into the water, the last one standing will be the winner!!」

In response to the words of the meaninglessly high tensioned announcer, 「Uoohh!」, cheers were once again raised.

「Th, that was way too simple. Didn’t they skip over some important parts? Like you can’t kill or you can’t use weapons unless they have blunt edges or something?」

「No. This is the tournament’s one and only rule. Not caring about anything other than that is also the true charm of the Magic Clad Martial Arts Demonstration, you know?」

Huh? Wasn’t it because the Magic Clad Martial Arts Demonstration chaotic from being a no rules, serious battle that all of the nations worked hard to lay out some rules?

Rather, it’s a freakin’ battle royal. Isn’t that a total repetition of the errors of the past!?

「There seemed to be some people that held some doubts in this rule, but of course, what the spectators wanted was match that was thrilling and had impact. Though it is a bit savage.」

Though you say it’s savage, you’re just continually spinning your gun. You’re awfully energetic about it, aren’t you?

The glint in your eye is pretty sharp after all.

「Well then, without further delay, let the match begiiiinnnn!!」

Still, I’ve been had. If it were going to be like this, I shouldn’t have fallen for that fox jerk’s provocation.

When I let out a sigh with that nihilistic feeling, the toll of the bell of the match’s start and Bernadette’s pulling of the trigger of the shotgun that she pointed at me was roughly at the same time.