Scarlet

“Now a quick rerun of the rules from yesterday before we begin. The Class I Solo Primary tournament will last for three days, and every single round will be a one on one duel that lasts for five minutes each except for the semi-finals and final rounds. But we’ll go over those again on the third day,” Black shouts, sounding like he wants to just get on with the tournament but is sticking to explaining for some reason anyways as all of us competitors stand in the large black field. “The first round will be on the first day, the second, third, and fourth rounds will be on the second day, and the fifth round, the quarter finals, semifinals, and finals will all be on the last day. And the rules are the same as always, no cheating, no contact with anyone outside of the battle during a battle, no blah blah blah, let’s get this underway! Show us theeee brackets!!!!”

I blink in surprise from my place front in center amongst the competitors, the lot of us being sorted based on our university’s rank, before looking up to find a massive screen showing the equally massive brackets. And the brackets are huge. Which makes sense, considering that there are 145 battles for the first round, with one random lucky student getting a free pass to the second round.

A lucky student named Elizabeth Crow. Someone I’d never heard of before.

Although, while Black is calling it a bracket, it’s more just a long list of one on one battles with a single person left to the side.

Out of nowhere, I’m teleported to a private booth on my own before I look down at the stadium to find the massive black field having turned into a large battlefield. One imitating a frozen wasteland. And in the battlefield are two students with a large countdown at the center of the battlefield.

“Now let’s get these battles underway!!!” Black shouts, sounding excited for the tournament. And the audience seems to be very happy with his impatience, as they immediately begin roaring incredibly loudly.

I kind of feel bad for the people who went first though. Because neither of them likely even had the time to look up who their opponent was on the brackets, much less research them. So they’re both going blind unless they recognize the other.

Doesn’t help that they’re in a frozen wasteland that is currently covered in a snowstorm.

The countdown continues dropping, showing about six seconds remaining. And while I wait, I look up at the brackets myself to search for my opponent. But thanks to the vast number of pairings there, it takes me longer than the countdown to find me.

I’ll be fighting someone named Grace Evans, who apparently – according to the brackets – goes by the title of Conductor.

Guess there are a couple things their magic can be in terms of broad subject with that name. Something about trains, electricity, or music.

I look down at the arena, finding several screens floating high above it showing various angles of the two competitors – one a girl by the name of Lucy Angel and the other a guy named Jorge Raul. And both of them are currently pushing through the snowstorm towards the center of the arena where they clash just seconds later, Jorge using gauntlets made of what looks like crystal, and Lucy using some sort of shield that forms in front of her hands.

Interesting. Definitely a lot stronger Guardians than most of the Guardians I saw in the team tournament.

“The crowd seems to be enjoying this even though it’s just the first fight,” Tar says, and I nod my head in response while backing up and sitting down in one of the comfortable chairs in the private booth.

Yeah. You have to remember that this is a Primary tournament, so every last student that is participating is the best of the best in whatever university they’re from.

Of course, they won’t all be on the level of the ones we fought in the final round of the Tower Siege tournament. But that’s because all five of us there were from the top five universities, the primary students competing in that tournament having been taken out earlier on. So those four aren’t a good benchmark to judge by.

“Interesting… why exactly do you all do these tournaments anyways?” Tar asks, sounding slightly confused. “I know a large part of it is for giving hope to the people, but shouldn’t you all focus more on the demons than fighting each other in things like these?”

I raise a brow at that before lowering it again as I remember this is his first Interschool Tournament.

While it is largely a way to give hope and entertainment to the masses, it also gives the government and the other Guardians a way to learn who is important amongst the newcoming Guardians. Who they should look out for. And who they should send to the front lines.

It is also a good way to train Guardians. Not only does it let us get used to fighting to the death with others, but it also gets us used to fighting contracted individuals with their own magics. And it gets us used to fighting in different situations against various different types of magic, many of which we may not be prepared for beforehand.

And if they get to make a buck off of it, then you know they will. It’s just how the government works, much less the stations broadcasting the tournament, and anyone else involved.

“Hmm, yeah, that does make a lot of sense,” Tar mutters while appearing in the air in front of me and sitting down on my lap. “Guess you can always leave it to humans to think up these bizarre uses for things that others wouldn’t have thought of.”

Yeah, humans are a rather innovative species. And very adaptable. And somehow both very trusting and very distrusting at the same time.

“That… doesn’t make sense,” Tar says while looking up at me from my lap. But I just shake my head and answer out loud, “You and me both.”

He blinks in confusion at that before focusing on the battle again. And I do the same.

You and me both.