Lucas's eyes were glued to the elderly adventurer who had just revealed his identity.
"Brasto?! So he's the adventurer who was at the top of the White Rank before Enea!" Lucas exclaimed, his voice filled with astonishment.
That revelation immediately made several things click in his mind.
'That explains why he was watching us during lunch… He probably wasn't observing me and Aislyra, but Emeralda and Lars, his two students…' Lucas reflected.
"Exactly. I didn't think that old bastard would decide to participate again at his age, but I'm glad I'll have another chance to challenge him," Aislyra said. Her wording was slightly rude, yet her expression showed nothing but excitement and genuine respect.
"Aislyra, that is no way to refer to someone as great as Brasto… Are you still upset about the time he defeated you shortly after you joined the Royal Knights?" Sequoria asked gently.
Aislyra shot her mother an irritated look before letting out a deep sigh.
"A little," she admitted, her tone annoyed but honest. "Especially because I've never had the opportunity to redeem myself. The few times he participated in The Tournament of the Golden Trees, we were never matched against each other. But I'm certain that—even if I admit it wouldn't be an easy fight—if we faced one another now, I would be the one to win."
She finished with a small snort.
Lucas had to suppress a quiet laugh. Still, the fact that Brasto had once defeated Aislyra—even if it had happened decades ago—made Lucas, who had already been intrigued, even more eager to see the veteran in action.
Down in the arena, Brasto smiled confidently at his opponent.
"Come on, kid. Show me what you can do. If you prove you're ready for this tournament, this match might truly become the walk in the park you're imagining. I'm always willing to support the next generation!"
"Shut up, old man!" Regone snapped.
Without hesitation, the beastkin maximized his Physical Enhancement and charged forward, sword drawn and aimed directly at Brasto.
In the fraction of a second it took Regone to close the distance, Brasto calmly reached behind his back and swung the enormous bandaged object into position—astonishingly with only one arm.
When the lion-eared adventurer slashed at him, Brasto blocked the strike effortlessly. The massive weapon, still completely wrapped in bandages, absorbed the blow without so much as a tremor.
Yet Brasto did not counterattack.
Seeing this, Regone launched into a rapid flurry of strikes, his sword flashing again and again as he tried to overwhelm the older man. Every single attack was stopped with the same casual ease, Brasto defending using only one arm.
Watching the boy thoughtfully, Brasto finally spoke.
"Hm… I'm sorry, kid, but with this level of strength and technique, you wouldn't be able to defeat any of the notable participants who fought today. I can see potential in you—I truly can—but it's not enough to let you advance."
His tone remained calm, almost regretful.
"You see, at my age, I never know whether I'll have the chance to enjoy another tournament like this. So I would like to make the most of this opportunity."
He adjusted his grip slightly.
"I'm sorry, but this match ends here."
Regone opened his mouth, ready to protest, but his words were cut short by Brasto's sudden counterattack.
With a single swing of the massive bandaged weapon, Brasto struck.
The impact was overwhelming.
Regone tried to block with his sword, but the blow shattered the blade instantly. In the same motion, the force crushed through the boy's decorative armor as if it were made of glass.
The bandaged weapon slammed into Regone's stomach.
He lost consciousness immediately.
His limp body was sent flying several meters across the arena. Before he could crash into the ground, however, Pinusal moved with surprising speed and caught the unconscious boy, signaling the end of the match with that decisive intervention.
After gently laying Regone on the arena floor, the referee approached Brasto, raised his left arm high into the air, and declared:
"The winner of today's final match is the White-Ranked adventurer—Brasto!"
A tidal wave of applause and cheers erupted from the stands.
"I was worried he'd lost his edge after being surpassed by that terrifying guy named Enea—but clearly that's not the case!" one spectator shouted.
"Thank you, Brasto, for teaching that kid a lesson! Without Primoro around, his ego was getting way too big!" yelled an elf adventurer from the crowd.
"For a human to still have such a powerful physique at that age is incredible… I'd love for him to visit my room tonight…" murmured an elf lady with dreamy eyes.
The arena buzzed with admiration, laughter, and excitement as the first day of The Tournament of the Golden Trees came to a spectacular close.
Brasto responded to the crowd's compliments with a dazzling smile.
"To think that an old man like me can still receive such applause…" he said warmly.
Then his gaze shifted toward the eager elf lady in the stands. Raising his voice so that even the spectators in the highest rows could hear him, he added, "I would gladly spend tonight in your room, beautiful elf whose name I do not yet know. If you are willing, wait for me at the bottom of the stairs leading from the arena. Once I finish my commitments, you may personally escort me to your room."
The elf nearly fainted on the spot, barely managing to keep herself upright as she shouted an enthusiastic, "Certainly!" that echoed across the arena.
Brasto's grin widened even further.
"You truly never change, boy," Pinusal remarked as the medical team carried Regone out of the arena.
"Don't you think I'm a little too old to be called a boy, Pinu?" Brasto replied with a raised brow.
"If we are speaking strictly about lifespan, then from my perspective all humans are children," the ancient referee answered calmly. "But if you no longer wish to be called a boy, then perhaps you should stop behaving like one."
He spoke with the tone of a grandfather gently scolding his grandson.
"Hm. I believe I behave old enough—I even introduced myself as such," Brasto said with a shrug. "But never mind!"
He began walking toward the exit of the arena.
"I'll say farewell for now, Pinu. I have somewhere to be. But what about tonight—" he paused mid-sentence, then chuckled. "No, now that I think about it, I've just made a commitment. How about tomorrow night, after the tournament? We could go out for a drink. Maybe invite that student of yours who's even more perverted than I am. We can talk a bit and perhaps try our luck picking up some girls."
His voice was rough yet cheerful as he waved farewell.
"I'll consider it," Pinusal replied dryly. "But knowing that I would be there as well, I doubt that fool would dare show up."
The referee watched his "young" friend leave the arena, giving him a small thumbs-up to show he had heard his answer.
After a few moments, Chiacchera returned to the center of the field to formally close the first day.
"Ladies and gentlemen! With that brief yet splendid display of strength by the adventurer Brasto, the first preliminary day of The Tournament of the Golden Trees has come to an end! I hope that even if today served primarily as a day of warm-ups and introductions, you still enjoyed yourselves."
She paused dramatically before continuing.
"Tomorrow, at the same time, the second and final day of the preliminaries will begin. I sincerely hope that today's matches and participants have convinced you to return and join us once again!"
Her tone then shifted to a more formal register.
"As the day has concluded, I kindly ask all non-participants and non-tournament staff to exit the arena calmly. Participants who have been eliminated may continue to use their assigned rooms and the arena cafeteria until tomorrow's preliminaries begin. For those participants who are still unable to move, the medical room will remain open and available until the end of the tournament."
She glanced toward the stands as the crowd began to stir.
"Of course, eliminated participants are also welcome to remain as spectators. Entry to the arena will remain free for all registered participants until the conclusion of this edition of the tournament."
Finally, she added with renewed cheerfulness, "Both the bars near the arena and the stalls outside will remain open late into the night for the duration of the tournament. I hope you all take this opportunity to relax, enjoy yourselves, and return tomorrow full of energy! And that's all for today from your presenter, Chiacchera! See you tomorrow!"
At her announcement, the majority of the audience began filing out of the arena. Guards guided the crowd carefully, ensuring that everyone exited safely and without incident.
Chiacchera and Pinusal also departed, leaving the arena floor quiet at last as the first day of The Tournament of the Golden Trees officially came to a close.
'Wow, I didn't think it was possible for a person of that age to move like that or still have such a physique,' Lucas thought. If he had remained human and somehow reached Brasto's age, he was certain he wouldn't even be able to stand properly, let alone fight like that. 'Although now that I think about it, Alberia's body is much older than Brasto's…' The thought surfaced instinctively, but Lucas quickly shook his head, as if physically trying to scatter it before it could fully form.
"That old bastard is truly incredible. He's already quite old for a human, and yet his strength doesn't seem to have changed at all since we first met, back when he was still a youngster"' Aislyra said, her voice carrying a mixture of irritation and unmistakable excitement.
"Aislyra, your wording…" Sequoria began, gently scolding her daughter. Then she smiled. "But Mister Brasto truly is incredible. I can't wait to see what he'll accomplish in this tournament!" Her tone was filled with genuine anticipation.
Lucas nodded in agreement. After witnessing that match, he could fully understand why Emeralda, Lars, and even Sequoria held such deep respect for that man. And yet, considering how boldly he had responded to that elf woman's invitation, it seemed that even at his age he was quite the incorrigible womanizer.
"Mr. Lucas, you look tired. How about we return to your room so you can rest while I prepare your dinner?" Katerina suggested softly.
She was right. Even though he had barely moved from his seat, Lucas felt completely drained. The fatigue was likely the result of the intense emotions he had experienced throughout the day's matches—and above all, the strain of continuously maintaining his Physical Enhancement spell during all the matches.
"Yes, I'd like that, Katerina. But are you sure you want to prepare dinner? Your match was quite intense. You must be even more exhausted than I am, since you were actually fighting," Lucas replied, concern evident in his voice as he struggled, as usual, to look her directly in the eyes.
"Please do not worry, Mr. Lucas. I am your personal maid. Although I am participating in the tournament and doing my utmost to win, my primary duty is to take care of you. No matter how demanding my match may be, I will always reserve enough energy to fulfill that responsibility," Katerina answered in her usual calm, monotone voice. Yet beneath that gentleness, her words carried unmistakable seriousness and devotion.
"I—I understand… then it's fine," Lucas said, slightly intimidated by the unwavering dedication of his maid.
"In that case, shall we go?" Katerina asked, extending her hand to help him stand. Lucas accepted the gesture gratefully.
Aislyra and Sequoria rose as well, and the four of them left the royal cabin together.
As they walked through the arena's corridors, and just as Sequoria was about to part ways with them to head toward her own chambers, the group suddenly stopped. A steady metallic clinking echoed down the hallway, growing louder with each step.
"Well, it seems I arrived just in time."
The sound came from armored adventurer —and so did the voice.
"Hello, Mister Brasto. What brings you here? If you were planning to invite me out for a drink, I certainly wouldn't refuse. Though it seems you already have plans for tonight," Sequoria said with a playful smile as her longtime drinking companion approached.
"I wouldn't refuse that either," Brasto replied with a grin, "but as you said, I've already made arrangements for this evening." He shrugged casually. "I simply came to say hello. Normally, I would have visited the palace a few days before the tournament began, but I wanted to surprise my students. So I registered quietly and entered the tournament incognito."
"Hey, old bastard, why did you decide to participate this year? Have you finally gathered the courage to challenge me?" Aislyra said, stepping forward until barely a centimeter separated her from him.
"If luck allows us to meet in the bracket, I'll gladly grant you the rematch you crave," Brasto answered calmly. "But no—that isn't the main reason. It's somewhat embarrassing to admit, but I was a little worried about my students. Especially Lars. Of course, I also have other motivations, like challenging Enea. I'm genuinely curious to see what he's capable of. Still, the primary reason is to keep an eye on my disciples."
"As always, thoughtful toward the younger generation, you old bastard," Aislyra said, though this time she was smiling openly.
"Of course. The youth and the beginners are our future. Isn't it only natural to care about your own future?" Brasto replied. His expression hardened slightly. "That's precisely why I cannot stand that man called Buio. He eliminated a piece of that future without hesitation. I feel for Minister Scuro, since he appears determined to deal with him. But if I happen to face Buio first, I won't show him any mercy."
His voice began with sincerity and ended in quiet, simmering anger.
A moment later, he relaxed again. Then he glanced down at Sequoria—and at "Alberia"—before suddenly raising his voice.
"Anyway, no matter how many times I see you, Sequoria—Queen Alberia—you truly possess magnificent, breathtaking and gigantic breasts! That alone made coming here worthwhile! Ahahahahaha!"
He burst into a loud, youthful laugh.
"You perverted old bastard! How dare you—!" Aislyra snapped, hand already moving toward the hilt of her sword.
But before she could draw it, two voices rang out at the same time, sharp with shock and excitement.
"Master!!!"
"Master!!"