Divine Beast Ascension

“A favor? For merely asking that the boy enter the ring in place of a beast?” Ingall replied with a question. “If I remember correctly, didn’t that boy of yours defeat one of my beasts single-handedly within seconds?”

“Just because the boy knows how to fight doesn’t mean I’m willing to send him up so easily,” stated Zelsh. “We agreed on sending out our strongest, and that’s Tilgron at the current moment. So if you plan to ask for a favor, you’ve only got a few seconds before I let Tilgron enter the arena.”

Rhyner went quiet without any more comments. But King Sardin pushed a little more, “I think it’s only natural that everyone wants to see the boy fight. This is a celebration of our candidates’ performances in the provincial qualifier. Then we should let all three members of the provincial team participate. Shouldn’t we?”

Bobbing his head from side to side, Zelsh said, “Maybe. Maybe not. Each king is allowed to choose their own combatants. And you want me to relinquish that right to allow you to choose for me? … Like I said, it will cost you a favor. And you have till the count of three. One!”

“How about you select him to go against my combatant, then? That’s not too big a deal,” Ingall immediately asked, not letting Zelsh use a countdown to intimidate him.

“... It will still cost a favor, but a smaller favor.”

Ingall teasingly sighed at Zelsh’s statement, “Oh, is that so? What kind of favor are you trying to milk from me? And why should I value watching a boy fight so highly?”

“No clue. You’re the one arguing that you want to see him in the arena,” retorted Zelsh.

.....

“Only because I feel it’s necessary that the provincial team understands what their new teammates are capable of,” Ingall reasoned. “Wouldn’t you say the same thing, Rhyner?”

But Rhyner’s mood was oddly distant all of a sudden. “Well, I’m not sure. As the one who presented Oliver to Zelsh before I became a king, I already have an idea of what Oliver can do. So it’s not the most pressing thing now that I think about it.”

Shaking his head, Ingall realized that he had been verbally played. But Ingall wasn’t so easily disheartened. He was a king cultivator after all. “Hmm… How costly will this favor be?”

“On paper, it will be beneficial for both of us,” answered Zelsh. “It will have to be discussed in a more private setting, should you agree. But I’m sure you can already imagine what I’m going to ask for.”

“... Very well. Since it’s a small favor, then I agree.” Ingall Sardin smiled and nodded at one of his candidates.

That candidate stood up and bowed to the Tundra Tiger with a smile, not being any smaller than it. When Tilgron leaped into the arena, the beast candidate followed along with a human from Rhyner Region.

Before the fight was underway, Oli realized that he had long forgotten about someone.

‘Eeole, where’s Burt?’

‘Who?’

‘Really?’ Oli telepathically sighed while the three candidates started walking apart in order to get into formation. ‘Don’t play dumb with me. I remember my fight with Burt vividly. And I distinctly remember how you were the reason for my arrival in the Trighton Territory in the first place.’

‘Hm, you mean Burttin Trighton?’ Eeole replied, acting as if Oli had misspoken at first. ‘I know exactly where he is.’

‘And where is that?’

‘Somewhere that doesn’t involve you and is out of reach,’ Eeole answered. ‘Keep focusing on the Mortal Championship for now. Eventually, you’ll be ready to hear about what I’m planning for cocky, little Burt.’

Oli didn’t pry any further. After some time away from Eeole, Oli had almost forgotten how tricky could be with his words. But quickly remembered when it was and wasn’t worth it to pry harder for information. So Oli just focused on the fight about to begin.

Standing ten krin away from his opponents, forming a triangle, Tilgron showed a hint of a smile. It meant a lot to him to be called the strongest candidate, especially after Vant’s victory at the interprefectural exhibition and King Zelsh laughing boldly and confidently about Oli for the past two years. That’s why the Tundra Tiger saw this moment as his chance to prove himself worthy to represent Rot Region in such a way.

Standing for Sardin Region was a Flame Mane Lion, hungrily staring at Tilgron. “It’s an honor to finally meet and face the great Tilgron! We’ve all heard about you and I’m ecstatic to fight another accomplished feline.”

“Thank you. I look forward to facing you as well,” Tilgron admitted while greedily staring back at the lion. He was just as eager to face another feline with a king-grade bloodline.

The human from Rhyner Region stood tall but relaxed. Glancing at both big cats, the man let loose an awkward chuckle, “I see… I’m just the appetizer, aren’t I?”

“That depends,” answered Tilgron. “What are your names?”

“Nabeer of the Flame Mane Lions!” roared the huge cat with the fiery mane around his neck.

“I’m Saltor Trighton, son of Rhyner Trighton.”

Both big cats immediately included Saltor in the intimidation fest. From the man’s name alone they knew taking him lightly would only lead to their defeat.

Nodding slowly and bowing his head to both competitors, Tilgron reintroduced himself, “I’m Tilgron, a son of the Permafrost Province and student of Rot Region, pupil to High-king Jeerda and King Zelsh. It’s a pleasure to stand and fight with you two today.”

From introductions alone, everyone on the banquet balcony knew they were about to witness a great fight.

The battle against Netra could be considered a great or even perfect battle. But this fight was going to supply everything a crowd could possibly want to see.

All three kings were silent as the combatants steeled their gazes and already started the fight in their minds.

“... Start whenever you like!” Zelsh boomed from the balcony.

Zzrch!

Saltor was the first to react to Zelsh’s starting cry. Covered in lightning, Saltor zipped toward Tilgron with a sly grin. A sword appeared in his hand as well. With it, Saltor hacked down the rising ice pillars trying to stop him.

At the same time, pulses of fire echoed out from under Nabeer’s paws and embers sparked from the inside of Nabeer’s throat. He broke into a full sprint with Tilgron as a target.

Without a word, the lion and the human man were already tag-teaming the supposedly stronger combatant.

But Tilgron only smiled wider. Though his rushed ice pillars were either getting hacked down or melted to nothing, the Tundra Tiger was getting more excited by the second. Tilgron hurried back a few steps before leaping into a backflip.

At the tip of Tilgron’s tail was an icy atlatl. However, there was something different about it this time. Rather than doing a front flip to add momentum, the atlatl and its ice spear were pointed at Tilgron’s rear. And the moment Tilgron did a back flip to escape the human-lion duo, that ice spear was hurled straight for Saltor.

Neither Saltor nor Nabeer flinched at the attack. Nabeer stormed forward as he had planned with flaming breath trying to reach the tiger and weaken the launched spear. That proved to Tilgron that he had chosen his target correctly.

Some flames managed to reach the spear. But the spear was too fast and aimed at someone else, making it impossible for the reactionary flames to do anything more than make the attack slightly weaker.

So Saltor traded the attack with one of his own. Suddenly, light began to gather around his sword. Then, the light-bearing blade sliced the spear in half. One half of the spear still grazed Saltor’s face due to how fast the ice spear had been going. Yet Saltor didn’t seem to notice at all. Light essence was already gathering at the cut and repaired the sliced flesh.

With Saltor a few steps behind due to repelling the attack, Nabeer was a second closer to Tilgron. And the tiger eagerly bounded forward to clash head-on with the lion.

Covered in ice essence armor, Tilgron leaped into the lion’s flaming breath and lashed out with his claws.

Nabeer reacted by defending himself with flaming claws and breathing an even larger torrent of flames. He too was ecstatic to face a feline beast as noble as his own clan.

CRRSH!

Just when the lion was about to clash with Tilgron’s icy claws, they were pulled back into a front tuck. And along with Tilgron’s front flip came an ice spear hidden from within the flames. It wasn’t as large as the one that struck Saltor due to the encompassing flames. However, it was more than large enough to deal some serious damage at such a close range.

The ice spear was hurled and driven into the lion’s shoulder. Yet the lion never cried or yelled from the pain. Nabeer simply smiled and used the chance to get even closer to the target.