Chapter 330: Prelims Start! Even Though the Strongest Members Should Be Assembled There Are Unexpectedly Many Anxiety Elements?

We who arrived at the arena separated from the sightseeing group and headed to the west entrance gate.

Morning is prelims to decide the teams that will appear in the final tournament.

Advancing to the final tournament is 16 teams.

All 298 teams are divided into 16 and prelims are held with about 18 teams each.

Prelim content is extremely simple. 18 teams fight all at once and the team of those standing to the end remains.

We wait near the entrance gate to be called.

As expected today anyone has the possibility of becoming an enemy so the surrounding air is more piri than yesterday. It does not seem we banqueted friendly from yesterday daytime.

Apparently in prelims so that powerful teams do not clash teams the knight-order captains belong to are not called at the same time.

We were called around 13th. We waited quite a bit so I do not know which number.

"Alright. Let us go! Beaver!"

Duran "Beaver!"

Iria "..."

Steisan "..."

Mazorov "..."

Kuu, what is going on with this team!

Steisan and Mazorov who cannot put out voice cannot be helped but Iria get a hold of yourself!

Forget the huge-monitor anal incident!

There is a little anxiety but well if we do not hit a knight-order-captain team we will probably not lose in prelims.

Passing through the entrance gate we advanced appropriately inside the arena.

Snow was not piled inside the arena. Whether manpower or skill I do not know but they probably eliminated it by some means. Underfoot there is also no particular muddy appearance.

Teams that already entered are scattered so we advanced appropriately to a place with low population density.

There is probably advantage and disadvantage of initial position but well anywhere is fine.

Perhaps there is a thought of wanting to show a cool place to the king the north side has a little more people.

"Let us do the south side."

Over there Iferaski and the others will also be easy to see.

We moved near the south spectator seats.

And.

"A-aah..."

Iria who saw the huge monitor began trembling. Ordinarily only the figures of knights entering from the entrance gate are shown but she probably recalled yesterday.

"Iria. Calm down."

"Th-that is so. You must not mind anything."

Steisan also perhaps minding Iria or feeling awkward her movement is stiff and the armor creaks gikogiko.

Prelims let us manage with me and Duran and Mazorov three people.

Ah. That is so.

I put my helmet against Mazorov’s helmet and talked in a small voice.

"Elf-san. I have a request."

"...What?"

Fullru who grasped the intent of course in a small voice.

"I want you to make it so I can talk with the people in the royal tent with conversation-possible wind magic."

"Nn. Fine. Which human?"

"Sitting around exactly the middle, age one or two above Fullru I wonder. A little younger feel than Iria or the Lian sisters, lots of frills purple and white dress, purple hat with white lace and flower decorations."

"A woman..."

"I leave it to you. That child is royalty. I want to request her so we can sell ice cream at tomorrow’s banquet."

"...Got it."

Fuwa...

A gentle wind blew.

"Ah. Maybe no good."

"Eh?"

"Defense magic is stretched."

"Ah. I see. Come to think of it the royal tent is protected."

"But it is not much so I think I can break it."

"If we break it will magicians notice?"

"Uun. I do not know. I cannot think they release magic power all day stretching a barrier and I think they are imparting magic power to the space. Therefore I think it will not be noticed from destruction as cause but they are protecting important people right? Then they are probably always confirming the barrier state so maybe they will notice..."

"Then impossible huh..."

Requesting Charlotte seems difficult so later I will request Ana.

While doing this and that entrance of prelim-appearing teams ended.

Total 90 people. Unexpectedly spacious.

Battle Power measurement...

Alright. Ones that go to 4 digits are few.

Max even 1200.

With this me and Duran and Fullru alone can win I suppose.

"Alright. Everyone listen. First what we emphasize most is to defeat them understandably so they also understand in order to obtain ransom. And to negotiate ransom do not knock them unconscious. Therefore let us go with the strategy Elf-san proposed earlier."

On the way moving from the bus carriage to the arena we discussed strategy but among us the only one who can attack a wide range without killing is Fullru’s wind magic.

Because defeating the opponent is fine (strictly if from the knees up they touch the ground it is considered combat-incapable) first with Fullru’s wind magic we eliminate opponents below a certain level.

Giesch announced match start.

Appearing athletes raised fighting spirit and spectators raised cheers.

However those cheers immediately change to screams.

"Then Elf-san. Please."

"Nn. I will go a little strong! Taaaaah!"

Zugooooooooooooon!

Accompanied by pressure as if a giant hammer from above a lump of wind fell.

We wrapped in a wind cocoon feel nothing but the knights on the match field fall batabata.

Sand dust rises and fills the entire surroundings’ field of view.

"Oi. Are the spectators okay, this."

"Nn. I wrapped the match field like a ring and from the center changed it to an updraft so there should be no effect on surroundings."

"I see. Then fine."

Gashon, gashon.

I cannot see from sand dust but the knights dragged into the wind vortex are probably colliding in the match-field center.

At the same time the spectators’ screams settled a sand-dust pillar rose from the match-field center toward the sky and vanished.

In the center several tens of knights piled becoming a small mountain.

And.

"Quite a few remained."

"If I go serious I would kill so I held back okay?"

"Ah. I know."

About 10 were standing.

In other words of 85 we swept 75.

They are standing scattered so there seems no team that was all safe.

"Alright. Mazorov rest. Steisan stand by as is. Remaining enemies I will defeat."

"I will also go."

"Iria. Are you okay? If you are not in full condition you may rest okay?"

"If I stand on the battlefield poor condition cannot be an excuse. Besides with my skill I can recover any number of times from about some mistakes."

"...Got it. Then I will take the right 4, Iria the center 3, Duran the left 3. If Iria struggles me and Duran will follow up."

"I am dissatisfied that Masaharu takes more people than me but only now that is fine."

"No, wait both of you."

"What is it Duran."

"I do not doubt Iria-dono’s ability but will you not leave this to my lord Masaharu and me."

"What do you mean Duran-dono?"

"Umu. Swearing by capybara I say as I said now I do not doubt Iria-dono’s ability. Defeating all enemies alone would also be easy. What I worry about is rather Masaharu-dono."

"Eh? Me?"

I greatly exceed remaining enemies in Battle Power and no alluring female knights who would bewilder me remain so I think there is no element of losing.

However if Dura-san says it there is no mistake.

"Alright. Let us do as Duran says. Iria preserve power for the main battle."

"Got it."

"Then lord. This one will follow up so take the van."

"Ah. Let us go!"

I started running toward the nearest right enemy group.

Just what is Dura-san worrying about?