The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 180

180

Inside the Martial Arts Hall was teeming with wanderers.

At each of the twelve reception desks, more than thirty wanderers stood in long lines, chatting boisterously with their hands tucked into the sleeves of their robes.

The variety of attire, dictated by their respective sects, was so diverse that the types and colors of their robes alone were enough to make one’s head spin.

“It seems every wanderer scattered across the two continents has gathered here.”

Seline responded to my murmur, “Of course. The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Tournament starts in five days.”

Amidst the throng of wanderers, Aki hid behind my legs, then straightened her shoulders and stood resolutely on her own, only to hide again.

“Awoo…”

She still wasn’t used to being surrounded by so many people.

I reassured her by stroking her head. Besides Aki, there were quite a few young wanderers.

Some trembled with fear, while those wearing the robes of major or mid-tier sects were overflowing with confidence, almost to an excessive degree.

‘Hmm, I smell trouble.’

It reminded me of when I went to take the advancement exams in my past life and the entrance exam in this life.

Those who live thinking they’re hot stuff always end up picking a fight with someone…

To prevent her from attracting unwanted attention, I put a bamboo hat on Aki’s head, and she visibly relaxed.

“It looks like it’s going to take longer than I thought.”

Valensidice, who had been effectively blocking troublemakers with his unique, ruthless aura (probably due to dark magic), said that.

“I’ll part ways here and rejoin you on the day of the tournament.”

“Got something to do?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

“Something’s bothering me. I need to go around the city and gather some information. And if there are any potential dangers, I’ll eliminate them in advance.”

There was no need to explain to Seline what those dangers were.

What a reliable guy.

Of course, I would never say that out loud.

I nodded, and Valensidice pulled his robe hood over his head and headed for the hall’s exit.

“So, the other day I…”

“Not even a match for my fist…”

Wherever he passed, the commotion died down as if a mouse had died… only to swell again after he had completely disappeared.

‘Hmm, is my pride getting hurt for no reason?’

Should I unleash the full force of my dragon’s presence for once?

Of course, I’m just kidding. If I did that, it would be complete chaos. Most would foam at the mouth and collapse.

Then the witches would swarm in… just thinking about it makes everything bothersome.

“Haa…”

It was only after yawning about thirty-seven times, bored with waiting, that my arm could reach the reception desk.

“Yes, welcome! Welcome to the World’s Greatest Martial Arts Tournament registration headquarters! How can I help you?”

In response to the receptionist’s greeting, Seline presented the necklace she always cherished around her neck.

It was a branch of the Red Dusk Tree from Fireblossom Peak, carved into the shape of a burning tree, the symbol of the Thousand Blossom Sect.

As soon as she saw it, the receptionist covered her mouth with one hand, but her attitude became much more polite.

“Ah, you’re from the Thousand Blossom Sect! With this, you don’t need to provide separate identification!”

The receptionist was like that, but the wanderers who were boasting and sneering here and there were not. Someone chuckled.

“Thousand Blossom Sect? Isn’t that the one that was wiped out by that fake shaman?”

“They said they were wiped out, so how is she still alive?”

“Maybe she’s good at running away, even if she’s not good at martial arts.”

Whether it’s the Republic or the Empire, people are the same everywhere.

It’s so childish.

With a sigh, I turned around, intending to silence a few as an example, when Seline shouted.

“I am Seline, the first disciple of the Thousand Blossom Sect and one of the Thousand Blossom Dragons.”

A powerful shout containing the power of Mana Heart, so intense that it not only made eardrums tingle but also shocked the brain. It was a technique called Lion’s Roar among the wanderers.

“If you’re going to insult me, don’t be a coward and do it to my face. I’ll crush your petty pride and insignificant sect’s prestige.”

I covered both ears and looked up at her with surprised eyes, but the impact seemed to be even greater for the wanderers.

“Seline…?”

“That Thousand Blossom Dragon…?”

“What, how can they be wiped out if that monster is still alive…?”

Her reputation seemed to be quite formidable among the wanderers, as the riffraff immediately shut their mouths with pale faces.

However, there are always blowhards in every field who have absolute confidence in their skills.

Someone, fluttering a bright blue robe menacingly, appeared with a smirk.

“Hmph, I don’t know what confidence that Thousand Blossom Dragon has to still go around using that name.”

The emblem fiercely embroidered with silver thread on the blue robe was a waterfall.

The wanderers’ sects often used nature as their symbols, and if my memory serves me right, that waterfall emblem is the symbol of the Water Cloud Sect, one of the Six Great Sects, just like the Thousand Blossom Sect.

The young man wearing that robe was about the same height as Seline, who was a head taller than me, so his imposing presence was considerable.

“Moreon, it’s Moreon…”

“The Green Water Azure Dragon of the Water Cloud Sect…”

Every one of the Six Great Sects gave the title of Dragon to their chief disciple, who would later take over the position of sect leader.

Amidst the whispers of the wanderers, Moreon smirked.

“Why couldn’t that great Thousand Blossom Dragon do anything when her sect was being destroyed? Was she too busy seducing that gigolo in the Empire?”

“…”

“If I were her, I’d be too ashamed to even use the title of Dragon. Ha!”

As Moreon laughed, his fellow disciples, whom he had brought with him, chuckled. It was a large group of over fifty people.

Seline was strangely silent. She merely raised the corners of her mouth as if she found it amusing.

As if resenting that, the smile disappeared from Moreon’s face, which had been artificially laughing, and a cold chill overwhelmed the hall.

“Is that girl your daughter?”

“She’s my disciple.”

“Whatever. I’ll crush your nose in the adult division. And my disciple will tear that brat apart so she can never do martial arts again.”

Moreon snapped his fingers, and a boy who looked about ten years old came out from among his group and clasped his hands respectfully.

He pretended to be well-behaved, which was inappropriate for his age, but the wicked intentions in his eyes as he looked down at Aki were clear.

When Aki tilted her head and was about to clasp her hands in return, I grabbed her wrist.

“Don’t clasp your hands, Aki. That’s something you do to someone who is worthy of receiving a greeting.”

“Abut…?”

“Shall we make a bet? Your disciple will be knocked out by Aki in one hit. Just one hit. If he withstands it, I’ll give you five gold coins.”

Where did this Empire brat learn to spout such nonsense to my disciple… At that moment, when Moreon grabbed my collar.

“You’d better take that hand off.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Only slightly, and only for a fleeting moment, I released the presence of the Wish-Fulfilling Pearl dwelling in my soul.

No sooner had primal fear flooded Moreon’s eyes, which had been speechless, than he immediately let go of my collar and jumped back.

Hmm, he has quite excellent reflexes… but still weaker than Seline.

“You listen to people better than I thought, Moreon.”

As everyone’s bewildered gazes were focused on the sudden turn of events, Moreon turned around, adjusting his attire.

“Wanderers only speak with strength, not words… Let’s see if you can be so cocky on the day of the match.”

As Moreon retreated, Seline burst into laughter at his back, as if she felt vindicated.

Tears even welled up in her eyes. After a long while, she turned to me and said.

“He may seem like that, but he’s my rival. We’ve been competing against each other in the tournament with our respective sect’s successors.”

“Who has won more?”

“What, do I really have to tell you that for you to know?”

Seline winked gratefully and turned back to the reception desk.

The cold air and silence that had descended upon the hall due to the nerve-wracking exchange between first-rate wanderers slowly began to grow noisy again.

Perhaps because we were still members of the Six Great Sects, the application, registration, and approval were completed in an instant, and soon Aki and Seline received the number 3.

“Currently, our position in the Six Great Sects is around 3rd place. So, we’re the 3rd seed. We go straight to the main round without having to go through the preliminaries.”

“Preliminaries?”

“Just think of it as a match to filter out the riffraff. It takes place in Teritos’s cargo hold, which is underground.”

“What about the main round?”

“On the deck. Up to 30,000 people can watch. Each time you win a match, you go up a level of the Palaseiom Lighthouse and face off.”

As we left the hall and headed for the lodgings, Aki smiled brightly, her red hair flying in the cool sea breeze.

“Aba, happy badaam!”

Once, her bamboo hat flew off, but Pipi snatched it out of the air and brought it back…

had a pleasantly hot sun and clear, refreshing winds, even more so than central Empire, so it was understandable that she was so excited.

Perhaps because it was right before the World’s Greatest Martial Arts Tournament, there were wanderers everywhere in this vast city, and even inns that would normally be free were fully booked.

If it weren’t for Seline’s connections, we might have had to sleep in the stables.

“Starting today until the match, it’s special training, Aki.”

“Aki, twainin’! Twain Twain! Twainin’!”

“Great! Then shall we go to the joint training ground?”

Just as Aki was about to leave for the training ground, holding Seline’s hand, I called her back for a moment.

Of course, I was planning to follow along with Pipi, pretending to see them off.

Karenden said it was okay, but since it was the largest city in human civilization, there might be some minor dangers.

“Aki, do you remember what happened today?”

“Wemembah!”

“No matter how much you hate your opponent, you mustn’t use your strength for violence. Just think of it as showing off your achievements so far, no matter who the opponent is.”

I didn’t have the confidence to say it as coolly as Headmaster, but I felt I had to say it anyway.

Come to think of it, Headmaster valued the mindset of a mage more than magical skill…

I regretted not being able to provide this kind of education to Touraine properly. I wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

“Strength isn’t for hurting someone, but when you use it to protect someone, that’s when you can truly call it strength. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Aki tilted her head, then clung to my leg and rubbed her face against it before looking up and smiling brightly.

“Aki undahstand Aba!”

“Undahstand, undahstand, undahstand, undahstand, undahstand, not weally.”

That heart-stoppingly cute smile that she often showed only to me.

When I looked at Aki, I unknowingly forgot all my sorrows and smiled foolishly.

It was as if the wounds of the soul, which I thought would never heal in the vast solitude, were being warmly healed.

Wasn’t Aki a gift that Karenden gave me through Alakish for this kind of comfort…?

* * *

The sky on the day of the World’s Greatest Martial Arts Tournament was high and blue without a single cloud, as if commemorating the Day of Terbel, the Sun of Azure Sky.

‘It’s really amazing.’

As I ascended to the deck of Teritos through the main gate while a large drum played a cheerful rhythm, I couldn’t help but be amazed.

‘Is this really a ship?’

Perhaps because Harbadonia’s warship base was in a half-destroyed shipwreck state, it didn’t give me this much of an impression…

The duels took place on the deck, and the spectators’ seats were on the bulwarks [protective walls along the ship’s edge].

This massive ship had bulwarks that were divided into twelve tiers, gradually decreasing in height, so the spectators could naturally sit on them like benches.

Other spectators were bustling on both sides. Wanderers, merchants, mages, witches, swordsmen, assassins, archers, etc., gathered from the ends of the continent.

And the influential figures from the Republic’s Seven Great Cities sat in the bridge, which could be called first-class seats.

The sect leaders and elders from the Six Great Sects and mid-tier sects, as well as the people from the Martial God Alliance, were generally assigned to the first bulwark closest to the deck and sat there.

“There are countless people. It’s the perfect day to assassinate a VIP.”

Just as I was securing a seat as far away from the bridge as possible, I heard a familiar voice, and Valensidice sat next to me.

“When you say it, it doesn’t sound like a joke, so refrain from making such quips.”

Young vendors were enthusiastically hawking their wares, weaving through the benches with boxes filled with sausages, chicken skewers, wine, fruit, and more.

Valensidice ordered melon, pomegranate, and jujubes [a type of date-like fruit], and soon a plate was placed in front of us.

“Valen, Valen, jujube, jujube.”

Valensidice fed a jujube to Pipi, who had landed on his shoulder.

“Where’s your baby dragon?”

“She’s over there on the deck. With Seline.”

“I see, since you’re one of the Six Great Sects, you wouldn’t have participated in the preliminaries held this morning.”

As I picked up a melon with a toothpick, I asked this time.

“So, did you find out anything during those four days?”

“First of all, there are no particular dangers inside the city. As expected, it’s the best of the Seven Great Cities, so the Black Church has no room to extend its influence. The barriers and security personnel are very thorough.”

“That’s a relief.”

Aki was really looking forward to today.

“However, it would be best to find a way to cross the continent without going through the Tersh Archipelago.”

“Are there any ships that don’t pass through the Tersh Archipelago?”

A smile naturally spread across my face as the fruit filled my mouth with happiness. I should feed it to Aki when the tournament is over.

“That’s why you need to find one.”

“But why? Why avoid it?”

“The Black Church organization based there, Slay─”

At that moment, a gong overwhelmed the deck with a heavy tremor, instantly silencing everyone’s commotion.

Soon, three robes fluttered gracefully in the sky, and three witches riding brooms landed elegantly on the bridge.

“The witches of the Yellow Decree, Azure Decree, and Crimson Decree, huh.”

Those old witches with the Teritos insignia on their chests are the governors who lead this . Valensidice nodded.

“It’s proof that values the traditions of the Republic more than anyone else.”

independently established a council of elders, and it is famous for dividing the power of the old magistrates among three people, just like the Three Divine Dragons.

Yellow represents administration, Azure represents civil affairs, and Crimson represents national defense.

All gubernatorial candidates were selected only from witches of blue lineage and were elected only by the votes of those with citizenship.

“We sincerely welcome you to the sacred ground of the Sun of Azure Sky, strangers.”

“We are truly pleased to see so many this year who follow the words of Terbel, who said to attain a dragon-like spirit through the training of the body.”

“All those gathered in ! Let the heavens know the opening of this year’s World’s Greatest Martial Arts Tournament with your shouts!”

The three witches used the power of magic to clearly convey their voices over this vast deck… and soon the shouts of 30,000 people reached the sky.

In that wave of shouts, dozens of large drums led a dynamic rhythm, and gongs and cymbals swirled a sharp melody.

As soon as the governors sat down in a stately manner, using their brooms as chairs, a host walked to the center of the deck.

“You’ve waited a long time! From today, we will begin the youth division of the World’s Greatest Martial Arts Tournament, heralding the beginning of the Sky of Spring!”

Without the Clairvoyance magic that magnified and showed every situation in the arena, it would have been just a black dot, making the size of Teritos feel new again.

“The young wanderers who will decorate the first match are… first, player Fei! A disciple of the Great Azure Sect, which has a long tradition!”

A bald boy with a vermilion robe and a fierce expression walked out and clasped his hands to the audience, and the cheers began to rise.

“The player who will face him is! A member of the Six Great Sects rooted in the Red Mountains! Player Aki representing the Thousand Blossom Sect!”

There was something that made the boiling cheers freeze coldly, or rather, extinguished them with an even hotter flame.

Hair that seemed to have flames dancing enchantingly, still slender and petite, but a provocative dignity felt even from that small frame.

The eldest daughter of the Red True Dragon, Alakish, the daughter Akirea left in this world.

“…?”

“…?”

“…?”

At that time, I had to doubt my own eyes.

What on earth was going on? Aki’s long hair was so… wasn’t it transformed into an adorable shape?

Hair tied up on both sides of her head, in so-called pigtails. How well it suited the Thousand Blossom Sect’s flame-colored robe…

“That hairstyle looks great on Aki?”

And she didn’t seem nervous at all in this much attention, her facial expression was full of composure.

It was then that I was unknowingly wearing a pleased smile.

Aki, who had been rolling her eyes towards the audience, found me, waved her hands wildly, and jumped up and down. Her pigtails, tied up on both sides, fluttered wildly.

“Papaaa, Aki is heeeere!”

Why is that kid suddenly like this?

Too embarrassed, I covered my face with my bamboo hat… like hell I did, I jumped up and waved both hands in return. Pipi joined in.

“Yeah! Do your best, Aki!”

“Do your best, do your best, do your best.”

The general audience was captivated by the heartwarming sight and exchanged smiles.

“Is that the disciple the Thousand Blossom Dragon took in?”

“Doesn’t she even know the most basic etiquette?”

“I guess they hastily took in a kid who received the blessing of fire because the sect went bankrupt.”

“That’s right. According to the documents, it’s only been four months since she joined. The Great Azure Sect will have an easy victory.”

“Truly fleeting. Is this how the members of the Six Great Sects will change?”

The lips of those involved in each sect were sealed with sighs of regret or derisive smirks.

“Then, both players, forward!”

At the host’s command, the two young wanderers stood facing each other on the deck arena and exchanged formal greetings.

Fei of the Great Azure Sect sighed listlessly.

“Seriously, do I have to beat up a girl who probably doesn’t even know the basics of martial arts in the first match?”

“Aki is not a girl.”

“What, was she a boy?”

“Aki is Aki.”

“?”

“???”

Fei took a stance for his fist technique.

A disciple hastily taken in from a ruined sect, I’ll finish her off in one go with the Thirty-Six Fists of the World.

Daaaaaang!

The sound of the gong echoed loudly, signaling the start of the duel, and Fei kicked off the deck with a firm step.

– Listen carefully, Aki.

At the moment when his figure rushed towards Aki’s front in an instant.

– There’s nothing difficult about our fist technique. Joint locks? Tai Chi? Counters? Kicks? You don’t need any of that.

Seline’s voice echoed in Aki’s head, who had completely grasped his movements with her dragon eyes.

– The Thousand Blossom Sect is a sect of true heroes who only compete with this, one fist.

Extend your leg forward.

Twist your waist slightly.

Weave and bind the force of pushing out and the force of turning, and thrust your fist out with all your might.

– When using this ultimate secret technique, you must shout the name of the technique. Sixty-Eight Flashing Fists of Heavenly Fire.

The thought that came to Aki’s mind at that time was that it was really annoying to say each of those things. So, she just shortened it and shouted.

“Aki Punch.”

That was the prelude to the legend of the ‘Aki Punch’, which would later become more famous than the true name of the Thousand Blossom Sect’s ultimate secret technique.