—Who is he? —I couldn't help asking the obvious question.
—When you reach Silver, you'll meet him —Paul replied, extending his axe.
I had already seen it in combat, but I had never truly looked at it before. With a handle and blade made of pure silver, it bore reliefs shaped like small bull horns. The haft was wrapped in an electric-blue cloth that hung from the end like a bull's tail.
—Babe. That's the name of my axe, and of my good friend.
Babe was, without a doubt, the name of the blue ox—Paul's inseparable companion. So it didn't surprise me in the slightest that his main "star" carried the same name. Looking at his axe, I finally understood what he meant: that Forger of Stories could turn legends into something tangible…
—In life, it was nothing more than an ordinary axe. I bought it from an old man in the village —he finished with a booming laugh—. But you see, kid, this little axe, the one I used to cut down hundreds of trees, was soaked in my blood, sweat, and tears like few things ever were in my forest.
"Knowing him won't help me at all… What story could I tell?… The story of a part-time employee working odd hours for mediocre pay, trying not to get mugged at night."
That sense of not belonging tightened around my chest once again. Who would have thought? To my left, Paul Bunyan and Gerónimo; to my right, three of the most important Venezuelan figures in history. And me… who am I?
From the sky, as if a gong had struck and silenced all chatter at once, a red beam traced itself across the stellar dome. Everyone present prepared for the start of the fight, standing up, and instinctively, I did the same.
The image of a colossal being was projected across the firmament: an axolotl, just like Axio, but reddish in color, with six legs and a much stockier build. Thin whiskers stretched across its face, and between its upper limbs it held a bread pipe; every time it puffed, the smoke transformed into stars in the sky. Its deep voice made the entire arena tremble:
—This duel is authorized… —it declared with authority, before vanishing once more.
[Capricorn Duel: Arthur Pendragon – Platinum Rank VS Rachel Lionheart – Gold Rank][One-on-one battle, no wagers. The winner will take the Platinum rank; the loser will be demoted to Metal rank.]
The punishment felt excessive. I, who had barely survived my first real battle, couldn't imagine being forced to climb at least ten stages like this again. Yet for everyone else, this seemed to be just another day at the office.
As soon as the gong in the heavens faded like dissipating thunder, the battle began. The impetuous young woman was the first to attack. With her sword raised, she lunged toward the knight, who, with astonishing calm, lifted his blade and met the strike.
The clash was instantaneous.
The swords collided at the center of the arena with an impact louder than the gong itself. Sparks flew in every direction, tracing the paths of steel with each movement and illuminating the faces of a crowd stunned into silence by the roar. Every new exchange unleashed a wave of heat that spread like an invisible fire among the spectators. Both blades radiated pure energy, to the point where it felt as if two lightsabers were crashing into each other. The sheer speed of the blows stirred the air into violent currents with every swing.
I was left bewildered, practically hypnotized. I had never seen anything like it. Not even the most over-the-top anime scenes could compare to the reality unfolding before my eyes. Every strike was a roar; every clash, a flash so intense it forced me to squint at times.
At first, the fight seemed evenly matched. At moments, Rachel pushed Arthur back; the next instant, the king made her stagger, reclaiming ground. It was a once-in-a-lifetime display of swordsmanship.
—It's incredible… —I let out, unable to tear my eyes away.
Paul whistled beside me.
—That's right, kid. That's the big leagues. Nothing like your fight in Aries, huh?
I didn't want to think about it, but it was true. I couldn't even imagine fighting at that level. I hadn't even held a weapon in my hands yet, and now, right in front of me, I was watching two titans cross blades—titans I might inevitably have to face someday.
"How terrifying… how enviable… and how wonderful."
Right now, I'm nothing more than a nobody. It's something I'm slowly coming to accept.
But I had tasted the result of effort: the system, my companions, myself. I didn't know how, or when, but someday I would reach that level. It was a promise I made to myself, standing before this clash of near-divine tiers.
A seductive voice slid down my spine, raising goosebumps along my neck as it whispered:
—Isn't it thrilling to watch two great ones clash?