Unleash the Chuunibyou!

Chapter 20: The First Rounds

Unable to find a seat in the bleachers where she wouldn't be behind someone that was so tall that she wouldn't be able to see past them, Fumiko gave up after ten minutes of trying to find a spot before she eventually left the area entirely and withdrew Arashi so that she could simply fly over the giant circular wooden stage where the matches would be held. Though instead of flying high enough so that she would be noticed, she few close to the back of one of the bleachers so that she would look as if she would belong there to anyone watching from the front before a short man in a bright-white suit eventually climbed up onto the stage while holding what appeared to be a microphone made from leather.

"Welcome, everyone, to Algus's thirty-second annual fighter's tournament!" The man yelled as soon as he was on the center of the stage with the crowd roaring in cheers immediately afterward. "This year, we have thirty contestants that have entered so I hope that you're all prepared to have an exciting day of cheering on your favorites!"

With the crowd once again roaring around her, Fumiko covered her ears to try and save them from going deaf before she finally spotted Hani on the ground beneath the stage who appeared to be having the same problem as the woman was desperately attempting to ward off the sound.

"With so many contestants this year, we'll need to begin immediately so that we can finish by tonight. So without further ado, let's begin!" The short man announced before pointing towards a long table that had been setup between two of the bleachers that was surrounded by guards. And as she looked at it, Fumiko knew why as several important-looking city officials appeared to be sitting there while waiting for the upcoming fights to begin. Though while she didn't recognize most of the people sitting down at the table, she did see that Rail, her branch manager, was joining them along with what looked like the city's lord seeing as the tall and knightly-looking man just seemed to scream authority from his presence alone. However, what was most amazing about the man was that, even if she was far away, Fumiko was awestruck as she could see that man's massive but glorious blonde mustache even from where she was currently floating on Arashi as it branched out to the sides of his face before each side curled into a swirl.

"Participant's names will be drawn from the judge's table, and once the fight concludes, the victor will continue on to the next set of matches that will be held once everyone has fought at least once!" The small man in the white suit continued. "This process will continue until we eventually have our top three champions! Contestants, are you ready?!"

With the audience apparently being far more enthusiastic about the fights than the actual people fighting, the man only received a few shouts of eagerness and several nods before he turned to the audience.

"Spectators, are you ready?!" The man played to the crowd, once again causing everyone to cheer while both Fumiko and Hani covered their ears. "Then let's begin!"

"The first fight will be Hans against Francis!" The city lord declared. "Please go up to the stage when you're ready."

Watching the mohake guy that had tested her at the adventurers guild and another familiar person walk up onto the stage, Fumiko only now realized that most of the contestants were the same adventurers that had attempted to stop her from joining the guild. And while she'd been looking forward to the fights anyway, now she was even more interested as she would be able to see what her fellow guild members were capable of. Though she didn't have to wait for very long as both men, each carrying large round shields and axes, walked up to the middle of the stage and the man in the white suit moved to the edge of the stage while raising his hands.

"Begin!" The man in the white suit yelled, and instantly the two adventurers moved towards each other and Fumiko was surprised as, even without magic, each of them moved at almost inhuman speeds towards each other. And suddenly she was thankful that she'd managed to root Hans in place with an ice spell right off the bat during her exam as she didn't think that she would have won otherwise. However, even if their running speed was increased and the two met each other in the middle of the arena in a flurry of traded blows, it appeared their their strength and reaction times were inhuman as well as Fumiko could hardly watch their movements while they battled each other, taking hits on their shields and attempting to parry each other's attacks with their weapons until eventually the unknown man went down and Hans raised his weapon in the air above him in victory with the spectators cheering for him as he did.

"The victor of the first match is Hans." The man in the white suit declared before Hans helped the other man to his feet and they both left the stage.

"The next match will be Erral against Hani!" The city lord declared, and Fumiko instantly sat up straighter as she was going to see her friend fight so early in the matches. Though from what she'd just seen, she didn't know if the mercenary would be able to hold her own. But Hani didn't see to be all that worried as the woman began to scan the bleachers until she finally spotted where Fumiko was floating and waved extravagantly, making the small witch laugh slightly before waving back. Though she was also pointing towards the stage in order to try to get the woman to focus seeing as the man in the white suit was already raising his arms again seeing as the two combatants were on the stage.

"Begin!" The man in the white suit yelled, and while Fumiko was now desperately pointing towards the stage in an attempt to get Hani to stop waving, the mercenary didn't seem to understand before her opponent, a rather large man with a spear, ran forward and attempted to stab her. Though before he could, she leaned backwards at the last moment, never seeming to take her focus off of Fumiko as the spear head went in front of her before she grabbed the spear's shaft with her left hand so that her opponent couldn't move and reached back to withdraw her war hammer with her right hand. And just as quickly as the match had begun, it ended with Hani rapidly drawing her hammer and smashing it into her opponent in the blink of an eye, leaving him crumbled on the stage next to her before she dropped his spear down on the ground and sheathed her weapon again.

"T- The victor for the second match is Hani..." The man in the white suit stuttered slightly as apparently he hadn't been expecting for the match to end that fast either. And seeing as the mercenary was now walking off of the stage with a smug look, Fumiko began to wonder just who she'd associated herself with before the crumbled opponent was hauled off on a stretcher and the next match begun.