An active hunter from Hokkaido was thrown into another world - Chapter 81

An active hunter from Hokkaido was thrown into another world

Chapter 81   Mid dragon

First semifinal match.

Two-handed swordsman expert, Blanversh, against the spear-wielding champion Saran endorses.

Hmm, still a captivating and intense match. However, it’s clear that Blanversh is strategically controlling the game. His focus is on disarming the spear.

After several exchanges, he successfully snapped the tip of the spear.

Impressive!

Truly remarkable. This must be a surrender for the spear specialist as well.

Second semifinal match.

The ace of the Mage Guild, Pitor, against the summoner Keyris.

Keyris is still quite young, donning a hood and wielding a simple staff that resembles a rod. Is it used for training?

The moment he entered, the boos from the audience were overwhelming.

The trumpet sounds, signaling the start of the match.

Despite attempts to provoke an attack from the Triceratops, it remains motionless. Taking ample time, an incantation is woven into flames that engulf the Triceratops!

Could this work?

However, the Triceratops strides through the flames, exiting the fiery circle unscathed…

Seemingly unaffected.

In the ancient Earth, with its higher oxygen levels in the atmosphere, massive wildfires were common, and there’s a theory that dinosaurs weren’t afraid of fire. Africa’s dry landscapes often witness wildfires, hence many animals there are unafraid of flames. Especially the rhinos, they are the savannah’s firefighters, stomping out fires they discover.

Next, an icy assault!

A mountain of ice forms around the Triceratops, burying it.

Dinosaurs inhabited tropical-like environments, and they faced extinction due to a massive asteroid impact causing an ice age. This might be a clever move!

A resounding crash! Splintering ice!

The ice mountain shatters in an instant, and the Triceratops goes into a frenzy!

Is this futile too?

Stamping its feet, snorting heavily, it readies for a charge!

Unable to withstand this, the mage flees beyond the battlefield.

Surrender it is.

…With this, the final match is set: Sir Blanversh, the Duke’s champion, against the Triceratops.

How will they fight against it…

In the logical perspective, surrendering makes the summoner the victor. It’s the worst-case scenario for the Hero Church.

“The final match might end up getting canceled.”

“Yeah, seriously. That thing’s just unfair, I think. I feel the same way.”

“Recognizing its victory, I wonder if the Hero System can continue to exist.”

“Well… Disqualifying someone who’s made it to the finals would be embarrassing. We’re just going around in circles, and the finals might start in the meantime.”

For now, the final match is scheduled for the afternoon.

Shall we have lunch?

“This meat is amazing! What kind of meat is this?”

“It’s a blend of deer and boar meat.”

“Oh, I see. I thought deer meat was lean and tough, but grinding it up and grilling it like this is fantastic!”

In other words, it’s a hamburger. An Elven specialty, that is.

Since deer meat is wild game, it lacks fat and becomes dry and unappetizing when simply grilled or stewed. That’s why making it into cutlets and frying it makes it more enjoyable. It’s also delicious to use it as a substitute for beef in beef stew. Cream stew doesn’t work. It’s a total mismatch.

In the Elven village, vegetable oil is precious, so making cutlets is something I haven’t tried since coming here.

When making hamburgers with deer meat, they often turn out dry and charred, which is the worst.

Combine it with fatty meat. That makes it somewhat palatable.

Saran pours water into a pot and uses fire magic to brew tea, serving it in cups.

“Oh my, sister, you’ll make a great wife. This tea is delicious too. I was thinking of going to the cafeteria or a food stall for lunch, but it’ll be crowded. It’s great being at the next table.”

“Oh no, not at all. We’re still learning so many things, and it’s wonderful to have your explanations.”

“Exactly, right? After all, I’ve been watching for twenty years!”

Laughter fills the air.

“What does it mean to become a good wife? I am a good wife.”

“A wife… Wait, are you two a couple?”

“Yes.”

“…People really can’t judge based on appearances.”

I wonder what kind of relationship they thought we had…

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for!

The spotlight is on the final match!

Summoner Keyris and the Triceratops have taken the stage.

Boo, boo, boo.

The boos from the audience are overwhelming. It seems this aspect is the same even in different worlds.

And here comes Knight Blanversh!

The crowd erupts in cheers!

Blanversh is completely covered by a black cloak.

I wonder if there’s some strategy behind it.

“Ready?”

Both parties nod in agreement, and the referee sounds the horn.

The match begins!

Blanversh swiftly removes his cloak, revealing six swords hanging from his waist!

Roar!

The crowd erupts in excitement!

With a fluid motion, he flips the cloak, revealing a vibrant red lining!

He winds the red-lined cloak around the sheath of a drawn sword, wielding it in one hand, and flourishes it in the air.

Could this be… a matador’s style?

Blanversh, are you showing off your dashing masculinity?

Gofu gofu!

The Triceratops is getting excited.

Stomping its feet, it charges forward.

Blanversh deftly sidesteps, flipping his cloak, and elegantly avoids the charge.

Roar!

The arena rumbles as the crowd roars in exhilaration!

Thud, thud, thud!

As the Triceratops changes direction and charges again, Blanversh effortlessly sidesteps once more.

Grrrr!

With a growl, the Triceratops roars!

After evading the Triceratops multiple times, Blanversh finally takes the offensive.

Swiftly evading and maneuvering, he thrusts his sword into the side of the charging Triceratops!

Gwaaaahhh!

The Triceratops lets out a cry of agony, growing even more furious as it charges forward.

However, it’s met by the fluttering of the cloaked figure.

With effortless grace, Blanversh sidesteps and thrusts his second sword!

Incredibly stylish!

“That’s a real blade, not blunted. Not a violation since it’s not against humans. Impressive thinking,” someone comments.

When facing a rampaging dinosaur that bites and claws, blunted swords wouldn’t be of much use, right?

Though I’m not entirely clear on the rules, it’s undeniably impressive.

Bullfighting has faced criticism for its brutality and animal cruelty. Many demand its end.

Yet, seeing it like this, there’s no denying the spectacle.

And they’re doing it against a Triceratops, not a bull. The courage required is unimaginable.

The Triceratops is three times the size of a bull, mind you.

The audience is overjoyed. Thunderous cheers rain down for Blanversh.

Bravo, Blanversh! Bravo, Bravo, Bravo, Bravo! A thunderous chorus of support!

As the charging Triceratops encounters the fourth sword, it tumbles out of the ring.

Roarrrr!

The crowd erupts in deafening cheers!

“… This is bad. Something’s off.”

Saran clings to me.

Woaaahhh!

The Triceratops, which had rolled outside the ring, lets out an odd roar and starts running!

Outside the ring!

Oh no, everyone in the aisle has been flung aside. They’re being trampled!

Officials, referees, and even players who had finished their matches!

“This is… terrible.”

“What the heck is happening!”

The commentator, aka Do-san, rubs his temples.

When something that massive goes on a rampage, there’s no stopping it.

“Let go of Saran!”

“No way!”

Saran clings to me and doesn’t let go.

Screams echo through the arena, and those in the front row are starting to flee.

On the ring, the summoner Keyris runs around with his staff, attempting to cast a spell on the rampaging Triceratops, but he’s too late.

People crawling onto the ring from the aisle to escape the rampaging Triceratops, staff climbing into the spectator seats, soldiers – it’s complete panic.

The Triceratops dashes wildly around the ring, creating more chaos and damage with each pass.

“Saran, we have to do something!”

“I said no! Shin, you can’t get involved in this!”

True, if I were to use a gun in a situation like this, it would undoubtedly lead to major problems later on.

But there has to be something I can do too.

The royal palace wizards are launching attack spells at the Triceratops.

Explosions continue to erupt.

The audience is in a frenzy, rushing to escape.

“Saran, I understand. I get it now. I won’t do anything, so let go.”

After tapping Saran’s arms that held onto me, she finally releases me.

“…Let’s watch over this.”

“…Yeah.”

“Even for a veteran like me with twenty years of watching, this is quite astonishing. There’s no way I can just let this slide.”

What are you saying, Do-san…

Clearly, many people are dying one after another.

Security soldiers are hurling spears from the audience seating and the corridors for officials.

In this era, this is undoubtedly the most powerful weapon.

Spears aren’t often depicted in stories, but in reality, they’ve been the ultimate weapon humans have used to defeat mammoths, elephants, and rhinos, reigning supreme from ancient times to the modern era.

Arrows are also piercing through one after another.

Truly remarkable, these dinosaurs. They’re incredibly tough. While their movements have slowed down, they’re attempting to climb onto the ring.

Summoner Keyris is restrained by the security soldiers who have entered the ring.

He’s shouting something.

The opponent, Blanversh, who had flipped his cape, thrusts his fifth sword into the eye of the Triceratops, which was attempting to climb onto the ring!

“What a guy. What an incredible man!” Do-san exclaims in admiration.

The Triceratops is now flipped over, lying on its back.

Thrown spears from the soldiers are piercing its belly, one after another!

About a third of the audience seats are already empty.

Angry shouts and screams resonate, and the situation seems uncontrollable.

In this world, there are no microphones or speakers, so there’s no way to calm such chaos.

Summoner Keyris is being restrained by the soldiers, wrapped tightly in ropes.

Blanversh looks at him with pity.

It’s like a scene from a movie, the contrast between the victor and the defeated.

The bloodied Triceratops has finally stopped moving.

It’s still breathing, but it’s likely to die from blood loss soon.

His Majesty the King in the VIP box has been observing this situation calmly, but he shakes his head and leaves.

He’s quite different from leaders who tend to give various orders during emergencies.

This society isn’t like the modern world with a complete communication network. The King is watching. That alone seems to affect the soldiers’ performance. Keeping a composed and watchful eye might be a king’s duty. Perhaps that’s how it works.

Nevertheless, this is a significant scandal.

The hosting Heroic Church is likely to face criticism once again…

The tumult in the Colosseum subsided, leaving a murmuring atmosphere. Injured individuals were being carried out one after another. The chaos had resulted in a domino effect of fallen pieces, with numerous spectators now among the injured. In retrospect, it might have been fortunate that we didn’t move from our spot. The tolling of bells echoed, marking the end of the martial arts tournament.

We remained in our seats until the very end, staying within the venue until dusk. We had harbored concerns that something more might occur. It was difficult to leave.

Outside the ring, the dismantling of the Triceratops had commenced. Truly, it would have been impractical to remove that colossal creature from the arena.

“Let’s go home,” I suggested.

“Yeah,” she replied.

“We’ve seen quite a spectacle… The worst martial arts tournament in twenty years,” remarked Do-san, who had stayed with us and began descending the arena stairs.

Night fell.

We reunited with Team Ballistes’ members in the plaza outside the city walls. The night was calm. Despite the large crowd, everyone had set up tents individually and settled for an open-air camp. However, tonight, there was an unusual quietness in the air. Perhaps shock had subdued spirits or it was a collective moment of remembrance for the fallen.

People gathered around tents and wagons, quietly having their evening meals. We were no different. Tonight, in front of our tent as a couple, a lamp hung while we gathered around the fire, simmering a pot.

“Alright, dig in,” Saran said, scooping from the pot into bowls and distributing them.

“Who would have thought it would come to this…” Bartil sighed.

“The martial arts tournament and even the Hero System might be abolished as a result of this,” I added.

“Indeed. At the very least, summoners won’t have another chance to participate,” Bartil continued, reflecting the sentiments of the Lord of Topurus, who seemed inclined to put an end to it. For the citizens, such events were enjoyable, but for the kingdom, they brought only trouble and increased expenditures. It seems that these events may not be as effective as tools for popularity as they once were.

“Such trivial matters, it’s best to put an end to them. I have no desire to come and watch anymore,” Saran stated firmly.

I felt the same way.

We had seen enough of such scenes, and they were not something we wished to witness again.

“My mind is too alert, and sleep eludes me… Perhaps I’ll stay up a little later tonight,” I mused.

“Sounds like a plan,” Bartil chimed in.

Indeed, even the members of Team Ballistes echoed similar sentiments.

Well, if that’s the case, we’ll join in as well.

We set the pot over the remaining embers of the stove, thinking of boiling some tea.