Three months flew by in a flash as the day of the competition arrived. The students buzzed with excitement over the annual tournament.
Not only were the fights entertaining, they were even profitable via betting or participation. The lowest tier prizes for the participants were platinum coins, granting the opportunity to take additional courses.
The best prizes, however, were far more enticing. They allowed students to supplement their strength and were essentially favors from the teachers. Participants could request custom fitted armor, specially enchanted weapons, stat boosting elixirs, specially bred beasts, and other exclusive options offered by the faculty.
Bastion planned to participate and aimed to reach at least the semifinals so he could request a smithing instructor to forge the main body of his cannon. It was far too large to commission from an ordinary blacksmith, unlike the autocannon which was just a pipe, a stand, and some delicate parts.
Out of nearly a thousand new students, only 200 registered. Most knew they were simply too weak to compete. Those who did sign up either excelled in a specific stat or were nobles who, like Bastion, had trained intensely since childhood.
The tournament followed a single elimination format. Lose once and you were out.
With 200 participants, there were eight rounds in total to reach first place. Bastion needed just six wins to reach his goal, and he felt confident in his chances.
His first match was against a commoner who prioritized Vitality and wielded a greatsword to compensate for lower damage output.
Bastion used Parry on the initial strike with his shield, nearly disarming his opponent from the sheer force, then followed up with Slash throwing out two clean slashes that shattered the skin-tight barrier protecting his opponent.
The second match was against a Dexterity focused archer.
Bastion might have struggled at level 18, but after three months of diving in the orc dungeon with Lilia and Elyra, they had all surpassed level 25. That milestone unlocked his new skill, Diamond Rain.
He cast the spell across the entire arena, raining interspersed diamonds everywhere while using his shield to block incoming arrows. The archer expertly dodged between the widely spaced diamonds until Bastion triggered Diamond Shatter, transforming the field into a lethal minefield.
With his opponent left with nowhere to run, Bastion closed the distance, shield raised to deflect any incoming arrows.
Forced to take drastic measures, the archer began firing explosive arrows, but they were useless against Bastion's heavy armor. He didn't even bother activating Diamond Armor to resist the blasts.
In the end, the archer was struck down by a surprise Charge and Shield Bash.
The third match pitted him against an accomplished Wind Mage, skilled in hit and run tactics.
Using the same strategy he had against the archer, Bastion tried to trap the mage in a minefield of diamonds, but the mage countered with gusts of wind that cleared the path before the diamonds could explode. It might have worked if Bastion had not reached level 25 and unlocked Diamond Steed.
He summoned a majestic diamond horse, translucent and shimmering in prismatic hues. It stood over seven feet tall at the shoulder, just like his own horse Steve, so he named it Steve as well. He would not be using both at the same time, so it seemed fitting.
Bastion mounted Steve and charged.
The panicked Wind Mage tried to flee, but he had no hope of outrunning a summoned steed.
Bastion lashed out with his whip sword, caught the mage by the ankle, and dragged him across the arena until the mage's barrier gave way.
Bastion's fourth opponent was a glass cannon Fire Mage who stood her ground and launched Fire Bolt after Fire Bolt with impeccable aim.
He initially tried to close the distance while dodging, but she read his movements effortlessly, making it seem as though the Fire Bolts were tracking him. Realizing dodging was futile, he stopped trying altogether.
Activating Diamond Armor, he tanked the blows as he closed the distance, then grabbed her by the neck and squeezed until her barrier shattered, securing his fourth victory.
The match seemed the easiest for Bastion so far, but he could only chalk it up to an advantageous matchup. He excelled against glass cannon mages, opponents most other students would have struggled with, especially given this mage's impeccable aim.
Fire Bolt might have been a basic Apprentice Rank spell, but in the right hands, it was as deadly as rifle fire. With her precision, Bastion could easily imagine how she had torn through the earlier rounds.
His fifth battle was against a Dexterity specialized assassin.
From the outset, Bastion pitied his opponent. He had trained against Elyra for years and knew every trick in the book. Even if this assassin brought something new to the table, Bastion doubted it would be enough.
When the match began, the assassin vanished from sight. But the arena betrayed him, the ground marked clearly with each footstep as he sprinted toward Bastion at full speed.
In response, Bastion coated his whip sword in Diamond Edge and lashed out wildly at the markings. He spun in wide, sweeping motions, keeping the whip in constant motion around himself to ward off the assassin.
To the assassin's credit, he managed to stay just out of reach, dodging blow after blow and lash after lash. He was not only wary of the whip flying unpredictably around him, but also cautious of the shield in Bastion's other arm.
The dance continued until he finally predicted the whip's rhythm, dodging it cleanly as he closed the distance.
Green liquid gleamed along his daggers as he plunged one into Bastion's gut.
The barrier surrounding Bastion shimmered but held firm, designed to absorb damage based on health lost rather than existing as a fragile film of magic.
"Give up. You're poisoned and only I have the antidote," the assassin threatened.
In response, Bastion whispered, "I've finally got you."
The assassin tried to retreat but it was too late.
Bastion yanked the whip sword back, wrapping both the assassin and himself in its spiraling coils.
The assassin tried to use Jump to evade but Bastion had learned from Elyra's ability to dodge vertically. This time, Bastion had softened the ground beforehand, preventing the assassin from using Jump to escape.
The trap snapped shut, capturing them both within Bastion's Diamond Edge coated weapon.
Diamond Shatter.
The diamonds erupted around them, the force directed entirely at the assassin. His barrier collapsed instantly under the impact. Bastion, meanwhile, remained unharmed, protected by his armor.
His opponent sighed before walking out of the arena in defeat, but not before offering a warning.
"You should go find a healer. My poison is strong enough to affect Rank 1 Vitality," the assassin says before turning to leave.
Bastion, however, paid him no mind. He wasn't poisoned at all. The benefits of his Diamond Body, which enhanced his resistance to status effects, combined with his high Vitality, were more than enough to protect him.
Bastion promptly returned to the waiting area, where he could finally take a proper look at the overall state of the tournament.
After five rounds, the participants had been narrowed down to the top eight. Bastion had secured one of the spots, leaving seven others.
Among them were Aurelia, Damian, Julius, Cyrus, and Seraphina, which meant only two spots remained unaccounted for.
Elyra would have certainly claimed one if she had been allowed to participate. Unfortunately, she was not a student.
Lilia had also declined to enter, claiming it was not her area of expertise.
Tobin participated but was eliminated early, fighting like a glass cannon despite being a wind mage.
Aurelia fought as a traditional healer, outlasting her opponents by healing faster than she could be harmed, while occasionally casting spells to wear them down.
Damian was a relentless heavy warrior who fought as if he had no concern for how much damage he took.
Julius moved like a swift and nimble fighter, relying on Dexterity but backed by solid Strength and Vitality. He supported himself with enhancement spells unique to his class.
Cyrus relied heavily on his phoenix while he cast fire spells and hoped for the best. Unfortunately for his opponents, the phoenix was quite powerful and carried him through the rounds.
Seraphina, meanwhile, was prepared for every situation. She threw bottle after bottle, releasing poison, fuel for fire, sticky water, or freezing agents. With her high Dexterity, her aim was nearly flawless, making her an overwhelming opponent.
After a few minutes, the tournament board refreshed, revealing the final two competitors to complete the top eight, along with Bastion's next opponent on his path to his goal.
The last two to qualify were Kael, a Duelist who wielded shadow magic to disorient and outmaneuver his enemies, and Mira, a Dancer who fought with precision and power using gauntlets and greaves forged from Rank 1 Ironwood.
Rumor had it that Kael was an adventurer who earned his spot at the academy through a shadow-infused variant of the Duelist class. Mira, on the other hand, was said to be a fusion of barbarian strength and monk discipline, though her official designation remained that of a Dancer.
Bastion might have paid more attention to his two potential opponents if not for the unmistakable, provocative tone of his longtime self-proclaimed rival.
"I finally have you in the palm of my hands. You won't escape this time," Damian said from behind.
Bastion glanced up at the tournament board and there it was.
Fight 2, Arena 3: Bastion Diamondhart vs Damian Steelhart.
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