584 Above the Above
Apparently Kyaro was hit with a huge debt. But she had no way to pay no matter how much she complained.
Selram then agreed to have her 'hired' as a gladiator in this coliseum.
"Well you see, I was desperate to have a rare dark elf work for me at the time. I did ask for an unreasonable sum. I was hoping she could promote our store's equipment as a gladiator. But, as it turned out, cutie pie is really strong. She paid all her debt in no time. It was victories after victories in record times. Up until her fight against Bal that is."
Apparently Selram didn't think Kyaro would be that incredible.
I knew how strong an elf is because I've seen it first hand but I suppose that's hard to believe until you witness it yourself.
"I chose archery when given the choice between swords or bows. At the time, I believe I would never lose in that genre. Especially since I'm allowed to use Spirit Magic. I can't imagine myself losing. And yet that was my vanity speaking. Balga-sama crushed my conceited self head-on with his strength."
Kyaro narrated how the fight went.
All of Kyaro's arrows were struck down. Even arrows that moved freely in the air via Spirit Magic.
As she was disguising Spirit Magic as Wind Magic, she didn't made it too flashy.
Yet even arrows she shot seriously halfway through the match all got beaten down.
And once Kyaro ran out of arrows with all of Balga's targets intact, he went for the counterattack.
His arrows easily pierced through Kyaro's targets despite the spirit magic's wind barrier protecting them.
His great bow was simply that powerful. No ordinary man can even pull its bowstring. Even trained archers would have to slowly pull and shoot with every arrow nocked.
Yet, Balga rapidly fired without missing a beat. That's not the extent of his strength.
Even though his arrows pierced through the wind barriers, there is no avoiding the effect of winds on those arrows. Yet, how come they still hit the targets? Even the slightest change in trajectory would easily make them miss their marks.
It's because Balga had been observing Kyaro's matches. He only shot after calculating how his arrows would fly after being swayed by the winds and hit the targets in the center still.
Hearing this, my impression of Balga changed to 'He's not normal'.
Selram used the word monster to describe him.
So then what does that make me, someone that monster admitted as stronger than him?
"Hey? Can you use a bow? Bal sung praises of your strength Saito. Won't you have a match with Kyaro?"
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"...What are you talking about? What's in it for me."
In the end I couldn't divert the topic away from this huh. What a let down.
"My? Then what if I hire you. Will you do it? I want to see your strength. Call it a mere curiosity. Don't think too hard about it. You've got this grave looks on your face."
"...I'm not particularly fussed about money. Allow me to decline your offer."
"Oh? Then maybe you'd like another form of compensation? Just tell me anything."
I don't get why she's so insistent on knowing my power.
"Selram-san? What is your real objective? Is there a meaning in me fighting him?"
Kyaro seemed puzzled as well.
"Hm~? Cutie pie, you said you wanted me as your guarantor, right? Which is to say, I'll be your employer now and forever. You have discovered the thrill of being a gladiator in this city. You're pretty affluent too these days, you can already live how you want."
Making a killing. Believing in one's strength. Strength turns into gold. Coliseum dream.
"But that can't go on forever, you know. Your mind is going to rot if you carry on with such a lukewarm conviction. You'll get stagnant if you don't receive external stimulation. That's why. I want you to aim higher, cutie pie. Above the above, see."
"You're talking about that exhibition they're gonna hold I take it? Gotta say, they're going overboard... or not, I guess. It's the one thing everybody living in this city has been wanting realized after all."
"In fact, it's just weird how they never hold it until this point."
Balga and Selram are absorbed in a topic only they know.
Kyaro seems like she got it.
"You two must mean the great combat rally that will be held next year. All gladiators will participate in it... magic, spear, fist, sword and bow. An integrated rally that cross overs classification."
And what does that got to do with me? I have no idea.
Selram who seemingly saw me frowning gave me the concise answer.
"I want you to spar with my cutie pie. To help her climb an even higher height."
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