Bermuda

"...I was never told there would be this many people."

Meanwhile, Leonardo Blaine stood stiffly while staring up at the towering outer wall of the arena. Even without looking inside, he could tell from the mass of presence beyond the wall. Countless auras were tangled together to the point it was almost frightening. Nothing had even begun yet, yet the roar and heat of the crowd flowed outward. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

As the drums heightening the atmosphere boomed—thud, thud—his arms moved on their own, pulling the backpack slung over one shoulder into a tight embrace. Today of all days, he felt especially small before the grand structure.

Did I take entering too lightly?

Just how many eyes will I have to endure?

Today he wore an ivory military cap to naturally hide his light-reflecting blond hair and a similarly colored suede jumper. He had also covered his face and neck by draping cloth down from a special mask Mirail made by controlling silkworms, leaving only his eyes exposed.

He was dressed heavily enough that he felt no cold even in Agrizendro territory, famous for its cool and pleasant weather year-round. Yet Leonardo keenly felt both his legs trembling finely while he stood alone among those entering the arena.

Even on the front lines he had never felt like this. Some unknown sensation—excitement or fear—wrapped around his entire body. The mana leaking from him created faint heat gusts and static across his hair and clothes.

Right then, in front of the inspection gates required before entry, members of the Council controlled visitors while shouting.

"Opening ceremony spectators, please enter through gates A-1 to B-15 located in the south and west directions! Please check the main entrance written on your ticket!"

"All test participants, please proceed through east gates C-1 to C-8! This is gate B-11!"

Leonardo, who had been staring forward, glanced around. The signs posted everywhere read [B-11]. Not far away arrows pointed toward entrances for test participants. The markers had been continuing along the path for a while, but only now entered his awareness—perhaps because he had been unconsciously tense.

Leonardo turned and trudged along the arrows. At the same time, he continued thinking and rethinking.

Should I just withdraw even now?

In a place where this many people gathered, he doubted his identity could truly remain hidden. The army, the imperial knights—uncomfortable connections might all be mixed inside.

A few months ago, when he escaped captivity in the capital after being imprisoned in iron bars, he worried future movement would become inconvenient, but the hesitation had been brief. There had been greater goals and desires in the outside world, so he felt no fear stepping before the public.

But... why did his steps feel so heavy now? Because he had to expose himself continuously throughout the entire League, not just once?

They would even watch his battles, predict victories and defeats, and bet money on them. His combat style always focused on killing a target. He worried he might fail to control himself and kill an opponent.

Still, I practiced with Tergio for days....

In close combat, Tergio had been a good sparring partner. What Leonardo practiced with him were techniques of restraint—twisting a neck only enough not to kill, stabbing meridians only enough to cause unconsciousness.

In a way it was no different from shackling himself, but he did not want to become the League’s first death in nearly twenty years.

And above all, that person would surely be watching the matches. He wanted to show only an overwhelmingly impressive appearance.

Lost in various thoughts as he walked for quite some time, the C sector soon came faintly into view. It was easy to distinguish from B sector because a massive partition wall stood between them.

He briefly considered simply jumping over, but did not want to stand out from the start, so he circled widely and entered C sector. The atmosphere around him immediately changed. Not warm excitement anymore—eyes busily scanned the surroundings, searching and measuring competitors.

The fearsome weapons described in the League overview also began appearing everywhere. Some had hulking physiques, some wore bizarre costumes, and one even strolled leisurely holding a savage wolf by a leash.

What, animals count as “match support equipment”?

At that rate someone would bring a demon beast. If someone caught a Dermokas from the peninsula, wouldn’t that be worth a hundred men?

He imagined it, then realized he could not tame a Dermokas. Those creatures would charge to kill before being domesticated and devour even their owner, so that method would never work.

While indulging in the silly thought, he took out a black cloak from his backpack and wore it. Doing this near entrances A and B would have drawn suspicion, but here, with so many mystique-themed participants, even a cloak felt ordinary.

Because so many obviously confident types appeared, even the number and build of the guards at the inspection gate were different.

"This is gate C-1. Test participants, please prepare your identification in advance and cooperate with belongings inspection."

Their voices were cavernous and charismatic enough to suppress a disturbance merely by appearing. Accordingly, the entrants all flocked there as if mesmerized. Leonardo decided to walk further and use the quieter C-4 gate.

He passed C-1 and crossed the fence installed between gates 3 and 4.

Then suddenly, he stopped walking.

......?

Instinctively, he looked back.

Compared to gate 1 it was sparser, yet still an endless wave of applicants filled the wide plaza.

Usually noticing a tail began when one sensed a following presence after making an unusual choice. Moreover, if one had been tailed recently, the senses sharpened further.

Is it that guy from before?

Leonardo narrowed his brow and scanned around. It felt like someone stared at the back of his head while secretly following him. But in a place crowded enough to trip over people, identifying a pursuer was difficult.

"Damn... no time to shake them."

"Why are you just standing there glaring?"

At that moment, a large body shoved his shoulder hard while passing beside him. Distracted elsewhere, Leonardo was pushed a step back. He then looked up at the person in disbelief.

It was a pig-like build—thick body, crude muscles covered by abundant fat. With a toad-like face glaring sideways, it dared call that a face.

A retort—you should be the one avoiding me—rose to his throat, but ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) Leonardo calmly replied.

"Ah, sorry. I’m looking for someone."

Because he apologized obediently, the man who kept staring finally grumbled and moved toward the inspection gate first. Judging from the faint sound and lip movement, he seemed to think “weaklings like this joined casually.”

Leonardo always had a high body temperature and fast metabolism, so his muscles rarely grew large despite exercise and intake. He already disliked being called pretty, feeling it belittling—being called weak was practically a declaration of war. Still, knocking down another participant publicly before the match even began would bring a warning.

In the preliminaries, whatever team you’re in, I will eliminate you.

He muttered through clenched teeth while maintaining a blank expression. Soon after, he looked around again. The following presence had vanished, and the gaze stabbing his back disappeared.

He wondered if that toad had been cooperating with the pursuers to draw his attention. If so, all the better.

He would pull out each tooth and make him confess who ordered it.

The unexpected trigger instantly hardened Leonardo’s wavering resolve. Watching the big man, he lined up at the inspection gate of C-4. Six or seven more people stood between them now, but it did not matter.

"Participant entry time is almost over! Please prepare your identification for swift entry!"

Leonardo pulled out his registration card from his inner pocket and tightened his hood and cloak. His narrowed gaze fixed on the back of the large man’s head, occasionally glancing behind.

He decided this was a good chance to uncover what the pursuer who followed him from Riverside truly wanted.