The family settles onto the stone benches overlooking the vast arena floor. Below, the packed earth of the fighting pit is a stark contrast to the nervous glint of steel from the gladiators waiting their turn. Dust motes dance in the slivers of sunlight that cut through the open-air stadium.
Daniel and Elisa are in their element, a cheerful, talkative pair explaining the finer points of gladiator techniques and strategies to Arthur. They make playful bets on each match, with the loser having to do the dishes.
Arthur does his best to follow along, but his eyes are glued to the arena below, trying to drink in every impossible detail.
I'm really watching gladiators fight in an arena, he thought, a genuine, childish grin spreading across his face. This is amazing! I want a piece of this action... though I suppose I wouldn't last ten seconds in this little kid's body.
His thoughts are cut short as the arena announcer's voice booms across the stands.
"And now, for our next bout of the afternoon! Hailing from the Royal Knights, the pride of the capital, AMANDA KNIGHT! And her opponent, the ferocious challenger from the wilds, the beast warrior known only as... SLASH!"
Just then, one of the knights they had seen earlier enters. "Look, Arty! It's that knight who talked to you earlier."
It's really her! I get to see a knight fight. This day just keeps getting better! At this point, he no longer needs to "pretend" to be an excited child. He genuinely feels like one.
Amanda walks into the light, carrying the classic shield and longsword of the Royal Knights, her white cape pristine against the dust of the arena. From the opposite gate, her opponent emerges: a beastman with long, gray hair pulled back in a crude leather-strapped ponytail, hefting an enormous iron greatsword.
The fight begins with Slash charging, a blur of fury and steel. Amanda, by contrast, seems almost frozen, showing no reaction until the last possible second. With a fluid, almost casual motion, she raises her shield. The beastman's heavy sword meets it with a deafening CLANG that excites the crowd, but the knight doesn't even flinch.
She answers his ferocious attack with a lazy, half-hearted swing of her own sword. Slash sidesteps it easily, a confident smirk on his face, and presses his advantage with a flurry of new blows. But it's useless. Amanda parries each strike—one with her shield, the next with her blade—with a bored, methodical grace, as if she were swatting away annoying flies.
Realizing his current approach is futile, the beastman falls back and unleashes his last resort. A guttural, bestial howl echoes through the arena as his features twist, becoming more lupine, more predatory. A dense, red aura of pure fury erupts around him, and his muscles bulge, his frame growing slightly larger. He lunges forward again, and this time, Amanda is forced to give ground, her casual blocks now strained efforts against his frenzied assault.
"Look, Dad! That's the famous berserker mode of the beastmen race, isn't it?" an enthusiastic Elisa asks.
"It is," Daniel confirms, a proud smile on his face. "Your mother used to have a similar transformation when she was younger. But she's on another level now—she has perfect control, without the rage. It's why she calls her ability something else. As far as we know, she's the only one who's ever mastered it to that degree."
"Mom's incredible," Elisa breathes, her eyes glued to the fight, shining with admiration.
Amanda plants her feet, digging her boots into the packed earth. The time for toying with him is over. Her voice rings out, clear and filled with power as she begins the incantation.
"Holy light that illuminates, protects, and renews. I pray to the heavens that you materialize and protect this servant from all evil. I offer my will as tribute. Sacred Shield!"
As the final words leave her lips, a column of golden light descends from above, enveloping her. The light solidifies into a shimmering, translucent barrier around her body. Now, when the beastman's frenzied attacks connect, they rebound harmlessly from the golden aura.
With her defense now absolute, she goes on the attack. She steps forward, weathering a blow that would have previously sent her reeling. Her counter-attack is a single, brutally efficient thrust—not with the blade, but with the pommel of her sword. It connects with the beastman's temple with a sickening crack. His eyes roll back in his head, and he collapses to the ground, unconscious.
Without a second glance at her fallen opponent, she turns and walks towards the arena exit, her shield heavily dented and her sword's edge chipped and ruined.
A mental 'ping' alerts Arthur to new information. He instinctively pulls up his status window and stares, his eyes wide. A new tab had appeared: 'Spells'. And listed under it was a single entry: 'Sacred Shield'.
His mind floods with a torrent of frantic thoughts.
What? I can use magic now? How? Do I have to say the incantation? I can't remember all of it. Damn it! No, wait... calm down, Arthur. Think. A new thought cuts through the panic. Wait a second... did I just learn a spell by watching her cast it? It has to be 'Innate Mimicry'! That passive skill! Okay, okay, calm down. For now, just watch. See if anyone else uses a spell.
But to his disappointment, the remaining fights are purely physical. After a few more matches, the announcer calls for an intermission before the main event.
This is my chance, Arthur thinks, turning to his father.
"Dad, I need to use the restroom," he says.
Daniel lets out a soft chuckle at his son's formal tone. "The 'restroom'? My, aren't we proper today," he teases gently. "Alright, son. Let's go."
When they reach a corridor deep inside the arena, Daniel stops.
"Elisa, you stay here with your brother. I'm going to grab us some snacks."
"Okay, Dad," she replies, then points down a side hall. "Arty, the restroom is right over there. I'll wait for you here."
Seeing his chance, Arthur ducks into an empty side corridor, supposedly on his way to the restroom. This was the perfect opportunity to test his new ability. He pulls up his spell list again and discovers he can expand the entry for 'Sacred Shield'. Doing so reveals the full incantation, and as he reads it over and over, his analytical mind starts to break it down.
Okay, there's a logical structure here, he thinks, piecing it together. First, "Holy light that illuminates, protects, and renews"—that's defining the source and its properties. The primary function here must be 'protects'. Second, "I pray to the heavens that you materialize and protect this servant from all evil"—that's the command, giving the magic its form and purpose. "I offer my will as tribute" has to be the mana component, where I fuel the spell and set its power. And finally, "Sacred Shield"... that's the trigger word. The activator. It all makes sense. But saying it all out loud... that's still way too embarrassing. Is there a way to cast this without reciting the whole thing?
Arthur focuses, mentally assembling the components of the spell: function, form, power. He's been training his mana control since he arrived in this world; his reserves are already substantial, even for an adult. He pictures the flow, the construction, the final trigger. He pushes his mana into the mental construct.
For a brilliant, fleeting moment, a shield of golden light flickers into existence around him. It's unstable and vanishes almost instantly, but not before emitting a powerful, attention-grabbing flash.
It worked! A triumphant grin spreads across his face. All those nights spent DM'ing RPG campaigns for my friends actually paid off!
His triumph is short-lived. Seconds after the flash, a figure appears at the end of the corridor. It's the knight from before.
"Hello again, little man," Amanda says, her eyes wide with undisguised shock. "Did you... did you just cast a holy element spell?"
"Hi. Uh, I don't know... Did I?" Arthur stammers, his mind racing for an excuse.
Great. Just great. I've been seen, he thinks, his initial pride turning to cold panic.
"Kid, where did you learn to do that?" she presses, her voice a mix of awe and suspicion. "Holy magic is incredibly rare. Few can use it, and almost no one can master it."
"I-I don't know," Arthur says, trying to look small and innocent. "I just thought your fight was amazing, and I was just... pretending to do what you did."
"I see," Amanda says, though her expression says she's not entirely convinced. "Well, that would make you a prodigy, you know. I'll be keeping an eye on you, Arthur Anvil. If you still want to be a knight when you're older, come find me."
"See you," he mumbles. With a final, curious look, she departs, passing Elisa in the corridor. Arthur knows this is far from over.
"Arty! There you are! What are you doing? I was waiting for you!"
"Sorry. I ran into that knight lady and we were just talking."
"Okay, but don't just wander off like that! You had me worried sick!"
"Sorry," he repeats.
She really was worried, he thinks, a pang of guilt cutting through his relief. I got carried away by the excitement. I have to be more careful.
The siblings meet up with Daniel, who returns with an armful of snacks, and they settle back into their seats to watch Christina's fight. The trio is busy chatting and eating when the announcer's voice booms across the arena.
"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for! Tonight's MAIN EVENT! In this corner, the challenger from the deep Forest of Tar, the minotaur... TOR-UN! And in the other corner, your hometown favorite, the legendary beast warrior... CHRISTINA ANVIL!"
As the two champions enter the arena, the difference is stark. Tor-un is an enormous minotaur, hefting a massive, battle-worn axe. Christina carries a similar weapon, but its craftsmanship is clearly superior.
"Dad, why isn't Mom wearing any armor?" Arthur asks. "Her opponent is huge. Is she really going to be okay?"
Elisa laughs. "I get why you're asking since you've never seen her fight, Arty. But trust me, Mom's incredible. This minotaur is nothing for her."
"It's good you have so much faith in your mother," Daniel says gently, "but this minotaur is no pushover. And underestimating an opponent is the biggest mistake a warrior can make. Your mother got to where she is because she always assumes her opponent is stronger. Today, she has fun in the arena, but it wasn't always like this. Never forget that lesson."
"Okay, Dad. I'm sorry."
"It's alright, as long as you've learned," Daniel says to Elisa, before turning to Arthur. "As for your question, son. Your mother claims armor restricts her movement. The truth is, she just likes showing off that she doesn't need it."
"But does she have to be practically naked?" Arthur asks.
"According to Aunt Emma, it 'helps draw the eye'," Daniel replies with a conspiratorial laugh.
"Oh... That makes sense."
"You're a little too young to be saying that makes sense," Daniel chuckles, then adds, "Actually, it's a habit she picked up from the Amazon warriors she trained with years ago."
"Amazons? For real?" asks Arthur.
"For real. They're incredibly proud warriors. They tend to show off their bodies to display their strength and beauty. I've only heard stories, but your mother lived with them for a time before we met. You can ask her about it later."
"I totally will," Arthur says, his eyes shining.
A hush falls over the crowd, the roar of thousands dying down to a tense, expectant murmur. Across the arena, the minotaur, Tor-un, paws at the packed earth with a heavy hoof, his breath coming in loud snorts. He tightens his grip on his axe, a bundle of raw, anxious power ready to be unleashed. Christina, on the other hand, seems to be in another world entirely. She rests her own enormous axe on her shoulder as if it were a broomstick, a small, confident smile playing on her lips. For her, this isn't a life-or-death struggle; it's a performance, and she's savoring the moment.
A deep, resonant GONG echoes through the stadium, signaling the start of the match.
The minotaur roars and charges, his massive axe cleaving the air. Christina, in contrast, is a picture of calm grace. She waits until the last possible second, then pivots away from the clumsy swing with a spinning leap. Her own axe flashes in a low, horizontal arc, biting into the minotaur's thigh.
Tor-un bellows in frustration and swings again and again, his powerful blows meeting only empty air as Christina flows around him, a blur of motion too fast for the lumbering giant to follow.
After toying with him for a moment longer, a decision flashes in her eyes. It is time to end this. She leaps back to create distance, then shoots forward. She ducks under his desperate, final swing, and the flat of her axe blade cracks against the minotaur's knuckles with surgical precision, sending his weapon clattering to the ground. Before he can even register the loss, she spins, and the handle of her axe slams into his back, forcing him to his knees. In the same fluid motion, the cold steel of her blade comes to rest on his shoulder, inches from his neck.
The fight is over. The minotaur, defeated, yields.
Christina gives the cheering crowd a wave, her eyes finding her family in the stands, before turning to her opponent with a respectful nod. "Thank you, Mr. Tor-un. It was a good fight."
"I am the one who thanks you," the minotaur says, bowing his head, "for the honor of facing the legendary Scarlet Panther."
The celebratory dinner is a warm and lively affair. It's late by the time the family is walking home, the streets of the town now quiet and bathed in lantern light. Their path is suddenly blocked by a figure in the pristine armor of a Royal Knight.
Another one? Arthur thinks, a flicker of amusement mixing with his curiosity. You can't walk five feet today without bumping into one of them.
"Good evening. My apologies for the late hour," the knight says, his voice formal. "Am I addressing the Anvil family?"
Daniel and Christina exchange a questioning look. "You are," Daniel replies cautiously. "Is there a problem?"
"No, sir. My name is André Copper. I serve in Miss Knight's squad," he explains. "She sent me with a request. She would like to speak with you at your earliest convenience. She is waiting at the nearby inn."
Another silent, curious glance is shared between the parents before Daniel gives a slow nod. "Very well. Lead the way."
The family follows the knight through the quiet streets towards the inn, and towards a conversation Arthur suspected would change things yet again.