Over a month passed.
Leon finally returned to Astera, a pack on his shoulder and Dumpling hopping excitedly behind him.
The sky was clear, and a sea breeze brushed his face.
The familiar clamor and the ring of metal on metal washed over him with a long-lost sense of belonging.
Stepping into the plaza, he immediately heard the booming of gongs and wave after wave of cheering.
"The Arena Challenge is about to start!"
"I heard someone in the High Rank division is going for a ten-win streak record!"
"Hurry, hurry! Go grab a seat! If you're late, there won't even be standing room!"
Leon paused briefly but continued toward the Workshop. He needed to deliver the Kirin materials to have his gear made first.
"Meow! Rookie! Aren't we going to watch?"
"You go ahead. I'll head over in a bit."
"Meow... Then I'll wait too. Didn't you say you'd make me new gear?"
"How about Legiana?"
"Legiana? Why not Kirin, meow?"
"Legiana first. We'll talk about Kirin next time."
Man and cat chatted as they reached the Workshop.
The Astera Workshop was as bustling as ever. Blacksmiths were drenched in sweat, hammers clanged incessantly, and the air was thick with the scent of metal and furnace oil.
Leon stepped inside, met by a wave of heat.
"Yo, if it isn't Leon!" Sitting behind the counter, the Second Fleet Master didn't even look up; he recognized the footsteps. He continued, "Heard you ran off to hunt a Kirin alone. You're a tough nut to crack if you actually made it back."
"Not tough, just lucky." Leon set his pack on the counter, untied the straps, and spread a set of shimmering Kirin materials across the workstation. Faint sparks of electricity still jumped across some of the scales.
The Second Fleet Master's eyes narrowed, and he gave a rare nod of approval. "Not bad, not bad at all. The quality is top-notch. Is this... a Kirin horn? Skin and tail too? Tsk, tsk. Looks like a clean hunt."
"Please, make the full set. Prioritize the dual blades." Leon paused. "I want to augment the weapon for affinity. Give it as much of a boost as possible."
"Heh, so you finally learned about augmenting, kid? Don't worry, I'll handle this personally," the Second Fleet Master grinned.
"How long will the gear take?"
"The first version of the weapon will be ready tomorrow. As for the armor set, it'll take three days at the earliest."
"Fine." Leon nodded and turned to leave.
Dumpling hopped onto Leon's shoulder. "What about my Legiana gear, meow?"
"Don't rush. I'll get it made tomorrow."
"Meowww! This is cat cruelty!"
Amidst their bickering, they returned to the plaza. By now, the atmosphere of the Arena Challenge had reached its peak.
People were everywhere. The spectator stands were packed, and even the outer cargo crates were crowded with people standing to catch a glimpse.
Gongs rang out repeatedly. In the center of the field, a burly man clad in thick bone armor held a hammer high.
"Looks like a Low Rank match." Leon scanned the arena.
"Meowww... They're fighting real monsters, meow!" Dumpling's tail puffed up as he crouched on the railing, staring alertly at the arena.
"Just like last time," Leon explained calmly. "However, the monsters in the Low Rank division are relatively weaker."
No sooner had he spoken.
A low roar echoed from the sidelines as a medium-sized, mottled-scaled Anjanath was led into the arena, snarling under the control of handlers and iron chains.
It left deep furrows in the ground as it struggled. A heavy iron collar was clamped around its head, saliva dripped from its jaws, and its eyes remained full of unbridled ferocity.
"An Anjanath again, meow..." Dumpling murmured, his voice tinged with a hint of excitement.
Around the perimeter of the field, retractable fences and blast-proof iron walls completely separated the audience from the combat area.
But for the hunter in the center—once you entered the arena, there were no safeguards.
The hunter on the field had finished his preparations, gripping his hammer with both hands, his body coiled like a tensed bowstring.
"Arena Challenge—Low Rank Division—"
"The second match begins now!"
Dong!
At the sound of the gong, the iron chains fell away.
The Anjanath roared and lunged at the hammer-wielding hunter.
The hunter rolled to dodge. Stomps, sweeps, and roars came in quick succession. He relied on experience and anticipation to avoid several lethal strikes, but his stamina was draining fast.
Leon watched the field, his expression unreadable.
"The moves are decent, but the execution is too rigid. Footwork is lacking. If he doesn't break the head before the five-minute mark, he'll be forced on the defensive once his stamina runs out."
"Can he... win, meow?"
"Depends on if he can survive the next frenzy." Leon explained evenly. "Anjanath's consecutive lunges after it enrages... a Low Rank hunter who hasn't trained for it can easily be severely injured."
Sure enough, just past the four-minute mark.
The wing-like membranes on the Anjanath's sides flared out, and its entire body radiated a berserk aura. It lowered its frame and lunged three times!
The first lunge—evaded with a roll.
The second lunge—cut off the hunter's escape route.
The third lunge—a direct hit!
Bang!
A massive impact shook the arena. The hammer-wielding hunter was sent flying, his bone armor mangled. He slammed into the edge of the arena, half his body embedded in the debris.
Seeing this, the referee immediately waved a flag:
"Challenge failed!"
"Time: 4 minutes and 58 seconds!"
The medical team rushed onto the field and carried the injured man out.
Amidst low murmurs and sighs of disappointment from below, the crowd's energy didn't cool; instead, it began to heat up.
A true Arena Challenge never sugarcoats the danger.
Every match is a genuine trial of life and death.
Soon, the gong rang again.
"Low Rank Division—Match 3."
"Long Sword Hunter—Yuri!"
"Low Rank Division—Match 3."
"Long Sword Hunter—Yuri!"
Following the introduction, a lean, fit young person in bone armor walked slowly into the arena.
The Long Sword on their back reflected a flash of cold light.
Everyone assumed Yuri was male, but only Leon knew she was actually female.
Leon's gaze sharpened as he whispered, "It's her."
"It's Yuri, meow!" Dumpling hung off the railing, shouting, "Go! Go Yuri, meow!"
Yuri bowed her head in respect and walked steadily toward the center.
This time, the opponent before her was still an Anjanath, but it appeared significantly larger.
The Anjanath stomped into the arena with a deafening roar, iron chains clanging. It was already filled with ferocity before it even broke free of its restraints.
"Why is it another Anjanath, meow... But this one looks even meaner than the last." Dumpling's tail puffed up even higher, his voice trembling with a bit of unease.
Leon narrowed his eyes and judged, "It's a size larger. Likely a mutated individual of the one from before. It will frenzy faster and have a higher aggression level."
In the arena, Yuri looked up, her eyes as calm as still water.
Without wasted motion, she smoothly drew her Long Sword. The blade sliced through the air in a clean, sharp arc, letting out a faint hum.
"Arena Challenge—Low Rank Division—"
"The third match begins!"
Dong!
The iron chains crashed to the ground, and the Anjanath roared as it charged.
It launched an assault almost instantly, its massive frame like a heavy tank, cracking the ground beneath its feet.
At the same time, Yuri moved.
She didn't dodge. Instead, she lowered her center of gravity, stepped forward, and swept her Long Sword—
Clang!
The blade accurately struck the Anjanath's neck. Although it didn't break through the hide, it successfully disrupted the monster's momentum.
"Meow!? She blocked it head-on?" Dumpling almost fell off the railing in shock.
"It's the Long Sword's 'Foresight Slash'," Leon explained in a low voice. "Her timing is impeccable. She used her reflexes to break the impact's trajectory..."
On the field, Yuri didn't stop. After the slash, she dashed to the flank, her blade carving several consecutive strikes that left trails of cold light.
The audience erupted in a sudden wave of exclamation!
"So fast!"
"How did she dodge that?"
"Is this kind of technique even possible in the Low Rank division?"
The Anjanath was forced to turn, roaring as it swiped with its claws.
Yuri had already predicted it. She shifted half a step, angled her body to avoid the strike, and landed a reverse slash on the back of its leg, instantly making the Anjanath stumble.
Finally, a spark of approval appeared in Leon's eyes.
"She's grown."
"Yuri is in great form, meow!"
"It's not just form; she's completely mastered the Anjanath's attack patterns," Leon explained slowly. "She has read this monster's movements inside out."
In the arena, Yuri's momentum grew.
She didn't clash with the Anjanath head-on. Instead, she rotated through 'Foresight Slashes', 'Draw Slashes', and 'Spirit Slashes'. Every strike was precise, and she never overextended.
Her style was incredibly efficient—
Speed as her blade, technique as her shield.
Three minutes.
The Anjanath roared as it entered its enraged state. Muscles swelled, saliva flew, and its eyes were bloodshot!
"Here it comes," Leon's voice tightened.
The Anjanath opened its massive jaws and lunged three times!
First lunge—she dodged with a rolling thrust.
Second lunge—she used the momentum to create distance.
Third lunge—Yuri's silhouette twisted slightly in the air. She spun half a turn with the momentum and swung her Long Sword upward!
—Slash!
A lightning-fast strike cut straight across the Anjanath's face.
Blood sprayed.
The monster crashed to the ground.
The entire arena went silent for half a second—
Before erupting into deafening cheers!
"Challenge successful!"
"Time: 5 minutes and 12 seconds!"
Leon didn't say anything, simply giving a slight nod.
Now, Yuri stood before the Anjanath's carcass, her tall, clean-cut silhouette illuminated by the sun.
She didn't look back or wave to the crowd. She simply sheathed her Long Sword in silence.
Yuri looked up toward the stands—
Her gaze locked right onto Leon's.
The two of them stared at each other from across the distance.
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