Musou Slime 75

 Test

75. First Match, Start!

The waiting room is at the same height as the stage of the Colosseum. It's beneath the audience seats.

There are windows there, allowing us to see the stage. We were pressed against those windows.

"Now that the opening ceremony is over, let's begin the first match!"

A tuxedo-clad emcee appears on stage, raising his voice. The crowd erupts with excitement.

It's incredibly electrifying. We couldn't tell from the other side of the audience, but there's a tremendous sense of pressure here.

"Entry Number 1! Team Azudin Workshop!"

As the emcee introduces them, two men emerge from the Colosseum gate. It's the player's entrance.

Seeing them, we hold our breath.

One of the men isn't particularly remarkable. He's muscular, sure, but at that level, adventurers like him are plentiful. He's probably the blacksmith here.

The problem lies with the other man. He clearly stands over 2 meters tall. His skin is deeply tanned, and his fat and muscles make him resemble a golem.

What's even more astonishing is the weapon he's carrying. It's massive. The length of that weapon exceeds even my height, and it doesn't look small compared to the man's giant frame.

And that weapon—

"An axe!?"

It's not a sword but an axe. However, this axe is different from what a lumberjack would use; its shiny decorations and serrated edges suggest it's designed for combat.

"I see... Weapons must be large..."

Irene mutters beside me. Her gaze is fixed on the axe the man is wielding.

"Entry Number 2! Team Bruno Armory!"

Next to enter from the gate are two men, somewhat smaller in stature compared to the previous ones.

That said, compared to the outliers before, these two are quite muscular. You could say they're toned.

They each wield two swords, one-handed swords with no distinctive features.

They might lack a bit of impact, but these two enter confidently without hesitation. They seem self-assured.

"Now, both players, please step onto the stage!"

The two armed men step onto the stage, locking eyes. The emcee interrupts the tension.

"Now, you two will engage in combat! Attacks with the intent to kill are prohibited, and the match will continue until one side declares defeat!"

A healer is waiting beside the stage just in case. So unless it's an instant death, they can be healed.

Still, it's a fight to the death. Craftsmen and adventurers alike are literally putting their lives on the line on this stage.

The two adventurers nod. The emcee raises his right arm high.

"Let the first match begin! Ready, go!"

With the emcee's declaration, the big man swings his axe at the dual-wielding man with full force.

Zdoooon! With a loud noise, a cloud of dust rises. What power.

However, the dual-wielding man is not backing down. Swiftly dodging the attack, he closes the distance to the big man by kicking off the ground.

"Oraoraoraaa!!"

The big man swings his axe even more fiercely, trying to cut down his opponent. If he takes a hit from that axe, it's game over.

It's like a storm that could destroy the venue. There seems to be no way to counter the swinging axe.

However, the match comes to a close in an instant.

The dual-wielding man closes the distance in one breath and avoids all attacks.

With one sword, he deflects the axe and follows through with a kick, knocking the big man to the ground.

"Don't move. You'd better surrender."

The dual-wielding man straddles the fallen big man and thrusts his sword towards his face. The big man lets out a whimper.

It was a brilliant fight. Efficient yet powerful. He emerged victorious unscathed against such a massive axe.

"Well, I give up..."

With the big man's declaration, cheers fill the arena. It's a victory for the dual-wielding man.

While the team of the defeated big man is eliminated from the tournament, the fact that he wielded that shiny axe has been conveyed to everyone in the arena.

There might be job opportunities for blacksmiths and adventurers coming from this. So losing isn't entirely pointless.

Indeed, with such an impact, it will surely remain in the memories of the audience.

"Now, let's move on to the second match!"

With the emcee's announcement, I finally snap back to reality. It's our match next!

We hurry to the entrance gate, preparing ourselves.

"Now, Entry Number 3! Team Danzel Armory!"

My heart races. We start walking slowly towards the stage.

The cheers swell. The grip on the sword's hilt naturally tightens.

But as we approach the stage, I notice something strange: the cheers abruptly stop.