Chapter 111 Coliseum

Bill's eyes softened as he reminisced about the past, "Yeah, the fighting part was fun. I still remember the stinging pain when, for the first time, she was able to match my fist. We were evenly matched in strength, fighting until exhaustion, trading punch after punch. That was fun, I won't lie."

Wara's eyes glinted with interest as he leaned forward, eager to hear more. "Really? That sounds exhilarating," he said, his voice laced with excitement. "Tell me more about it."

Bill shifted in his seat, a faint smile appearing on his face as he recalled the memories. "Yeah, it was something else," he said. "We would go at it for hours, no holds barred. It was fierce, you know? Each of us tried to anticipate the other's moves, trying to find the perfect opening to land a hit. The adrenaline rush was insane."

As Bill and Wara continued their conversation, Suzuka found herself growing bored and restless. Eventually, her eyes grew heavy and she dozed off, lost in her own dreams.

Several hours later, she was abruptly awoken by Wara's voice. "Wake up, Helen," Wara said, shaking her gently. "We need to get going. We still have some daylight left, and we might as well cover some distance."

Suzuka rubbed her eyes groggily, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. She looked around, feeling disoriented and a bit confused. "Where are we?" she asked, still half-asleep.

Wara chuckled. "You really did doze off, didn't you? We're still in the forest, at Bill's cave. It's time to move on. We have a long way to go."

Suzuka nodded, trying to focus her thoughts. She stretched her limbs and stood up, feeling stiff from the long period of inactivity.

As Suzuka and Wara prepared to leave, Bill approached them with a small, beautifully carved box in hand. "Little girl," he said, his voice slightly shaking, "It's a bit late but Happy birthday. I got you something."

Suzuka's eyes widened in surprise as she took the box from Bill's outstretched hand. She was touched by the gesture, knowing that Bill wasn't one to celebrate events like birthdays. "Thank you, Bill," she said, smiling warmly at him. "You didn't have to do this."

Bill shrugged, trying to downplay the gift. "It's not much, just something I found and thought you might find some use."

Curiosity got the best of Suzuka as she carefully opened the box. It was full of silver dragon scales. She gasped at the sight of it, admiring the intricate details and the way the light caught on the delicate scales.

"It's gorgeous," she said, looking up at Bill with a grateful smile. "Thank you so much."

Bill nodded, looking slightly embarrassed by the attention. "I'm glad you like it. These are silver dragon scales, they will not sell for much but you might find other uses for them."

Suzuka smiled warmly at Bill, feeling a sudden surge of affection for her friend. "Thank you, Bill. This means a lot to me."

With a final exchange of words and farewells, Suzuka and Wara left Bill behind, feeling grateful for the unexpected act of kindness from her friend.

Wara and Suzuka didn't rush back home; instead, they took their time and spent a few days to return. When they finally returned to the guild, Wara went straight to his office to finish up some paperwork while Suzuka made her way to Dr. Jenkins' office to complete her MBPU rank-up documents. Wara had already informed Dr. Jenkins about her arrival, so she was able to sign the necessary documents quickly and easily. She is now officially a 3-star magic box power user.

Suzuka was relieved to have completed her paperwork and couldn't wait to take the rest of the day off to relax after their long journey. She thanked Dr. Jenkins for his help and made her way back to the guild hall, where she planned to take a nap and catch up on so much-needed rest. 

As she passed by the training hall, she heard the sound of clanging metal and the grunts of adventurers as they practiced their moves. She couldn't resist the urge to watch, so she peeked through the door to see a group of skilled adventurers sparring with each other. She recognized the tall, strong-looking man who was sparing with another man. It was Maximus, the number one ranking of the guild. 

Lost in thought, she didn't notice the approach of one of the adventurers until he spoke up. "Hey, you're Helen, right?" he said. "I've heard a lot about you. I'm Keegan, by the way."

Suzuka was taken aback by the sudden introduction but quickly recovered and smiled. "Hello Keegan, nice to meet you," she said.

As Keegan flashed a friendly smile, he leaned in and asked, "So, have you decided to join the Grand Minotaur Tournament? Maximus over there is itching to test his might against the Minotaur, but as for me, I think I'll sit this one out. The competition is a bit too steep for my liking."

Suzuka's eyes widened with surprise as she realized she had completely forgotten about the tournament. "Oh my goodness, I can't believe I forgot! When is it starting?" She asked, eager to know if she still had time to register.

Keegan let out a low whistle. "Better hurry if you want to compete. The tournament starts tomorrow, and registration closes today. If I were you, I'd be sprinting over to the coliseum right about now. But hey, you still have a few hours, so don't lose hope just yet."

Suzuka hurriedly made her way back to the Mystic Oasis Inn and quickly dropped off her box of dragon scales in her room. Without wasting a second, she bolted out the door and sprinted towards the coliseum. She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins as she thought about the upcoming Grand Minotaur Tournament.

As she ran through the bustling streets, she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous about the tournament. The competition was fierce, and she knew that she would be up against some of the best fighters in the land. But Suzuka was determined to prove herself and emerge victorious.

Finally, Suzuka arrived at the Coliseum. She could see a long line of eager fighters waiting to register for the tournament. Without hesitation, she joined the line and patiently waited her turn.

As she waited, Suzuka couldn't help but overhear the conversations of the other fighters. Some were boasting about their strength and experience, while others were nervously discussing their strategies for the tournament. But Suzuka remained calm and focused, knowing that she had trained with Bill the minotaur and could hold her ground against him.

Finally, it was her turn to register. She stepped up to the counter, where a stern-looking official was waiting to process her registration.

"I'm here to register for the Grand Minotaur Tournament," Suzuka said confidently.

As she stood in front of the desk, the official looked up at her and studied her for a moment, as if sizing her up. Finally, the official handed her a registration form.

Without wasting any time, Suzuka quickly filled out the form, making sure to provide all the necessary information. Once she finished, she handed it back to the official, who then handed her a number to wear during the tournament.

As Suzuka reached for the number, the official stated, "The registration fee is 45 silver." Suzuka's heart skipped a beat, as she did not expect the entry fee to be so high. It was almost all of her coins, but she was confident that she could win the tournament and earn back the money.

With determination, Suzuka handed over the money to the official, who accepted it without any change of expression. "Good luck," the official said in a monotone voice, clearly unimpressed by her confidence. Suzuka took the number and walked away, ready to prove her worth. She was excited and ready to face the tournament.

It was getting late, and with the registration done, Suzuka went back to her room at the Mystic Oasis Inn. She went to sleep early to be full of energy for tomorrow's events. The morning came, and the weather was great. She readied herself and went to the Coliseum. The Grand Minotaur Tournament was about to begin, and Suzuka was ready to give it her all.

As Suzuka woke up early in the morning, she felt a burst of excitement rush through her veins. The sun was just beginning to rise, and the sky was painted with a beautiful orange hue. She quickly got out of bed and began to prepare herself for the tournament.

She took a nice hot spring bath to get her blood flowing and put on her battle gear. Suzuka checked her weapons and made sure they were all in good condition before heading out. As she made her way to the coliseum, she felt the adrenaline pumping through her body.

Upon arriving, she saw a sea of people already gathered around the arena, eagerly waiting for the tournament to begin. Suzuka could hear the excited chatter of the crowd, and it made her heart race even faster. She made her way through the crowd to the registration desk, where she was pointed in the right direction for the participants.

Suzuka looked around, taking in the sights and sounds of the coliseum. The arena was massive, and the crowd seemed to go on for miles. She could feel the energy and excitement of the spectators building up, and it was contagious.

As she walked towards the waiting area, she saw her opponents gearing up and getting ready for the tournament. The tension was high, and everyone was in their own little world, mentally preparing for the battle ahead. Suzuka stood quietly, taking deep breaths to calm her nerves.

Finally, the announcer's voice boomed through the coliseum, signaling the start of the tournament. Suzuka stepped out onto the arena floor, and the crowd erupted into cheers. She could feel the energy pulsing through her body as she took her place on the battlefield.

The atmosphere in the coliseum was electric, charged with anticipation and excitement. The commentator's voice boomed through the Coliseum, commanding the attention of the massive crowd.

"Welcome, welcome, ladies and gentlemen!" He declared with infectious enthusiasm. "Are you ready to witness the ultimate showdown of the year? The time has come for the most talented fighters to face off against each other, to prove who is the strongest, the bravest, and the most skilled. And let me tell you, it's going to be an explosive battle!"

As the crowd roared with excitement, the commentator continued to pump up the energy. "In this first round, we have an elimination round! That's right, folks, we're separating the wheat from the chaff, and only the cream of the crop will make it to the next round. Out of a hundred fierce combatants, only twenty-eight will remain. The stakes are high, and the tension is high."

The anticipation in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. The crowd was on the edge of their seats, eager to witness the raw power and skill of the fighters.

"So grab on to your seats, folks!" The commentator shouted, his voice booming. "It's time to see some serious action, as these brave warriors battle it out for the title of champion. Get ready to witness the thrill of the fight, the thrill of the victory, and the agony of defeat. Let's get this party started!"

With those words, the first round began, and the sound of clashing weapons and the roar of the crowd filled the coliseum. The fight for supremacy had begun, and no one could predict who would come out on top.