Aurora Scroll

Viers followed Jessica who walked wearing a long coat. She had taken alleys and roads with few people. Her steps showed signs that she was used to it. Viers, a professional thief plus spy, followed her without her realizing it, even though she was alert to her surroundings.

Hmm, her aura is like someone that is going into battle. Curious.

She entered a warehouse at the edge of the town, went to the back, and went through a door that had two guards with the physique of sumo wrestlers. She was allowed entry after showing some trinket, which Viers didn't have.

Viers confidently approached.

“Your permit?” One of them asked.

“I have my permit,” Viers waved his hand.

“You have… your permit,” the guards’ mind was scrambled.

“He can go about his business.”

“He can go about his business,” the not-Stormtrooper said.

Viers sauntered in like a boss.

***

Well, well, this is a surprise.

Viers felt like he had gone into the mine area in video games. There were even minecarts and such. However, there were no enemies or miners here, only passengers.

Jessica and Viers, along with several others, rode on the minecarts before the driver took them away. The trip was like riding a rollercoaster.

I believe this is a smuggler’s road. We’ve been going for a while. Must have left the Ebon Wall City already…

The passengers stayed silent and didn't talk to each other. They all wore cloaks or some other thing that hid their appearance, including Viers. He just went along for the ride until the minecarts stopped.

Viers was still underground but there were hundreds of people around here. The place was massive and had a fiery atmosphere.

Ah, so that’s how it is.

Viers nodded in understanding.

***

“Ladieeees and gentlemeeeen! Welcome! To the Ultimate Strikers main eveeeent!”

The spectators responded to the announcer's opener with a hype similar to a major football match.

“Of the fifty-six participants, we’ve got the best eight! Tonight, we bear witness to the one worth bearing the title King of Strikers! Enteeeer, ye who name yourself strong!”

From the dark side of the arena, the fighters entered one by one. They each had their own entry visual effect and the announcer introduced them with flashy words.

“-And our sixth contender, this lady got strikes but an even hotter body. Jaguaaar J- GWAH!?”

The second female contestant that appeared, made a clawing motion at the announcer and he evaded. For his rude remark, no doubt. Just as she did, the wall behind him had a gash. The man was twenty meters away from her but the attack reached.

The crowd went wild.

“What did I tell you, folks? This jaguar got some teeth! Feisty! Jaguaaaarrr Jessieee!!!”

Viers didn't need eyes that could see through clothes to know she was Jessica. She wore a tightfitting jaguar-patterned fighting suit and mask but it was unmistakable.

But Jaguar Jessie? Come on, you’ve got no better ring name than that?

After the eight contestants all appeared, the first match came along shortly.

“Bets here! Bets here! Place your bets for your favorite!”

A guy, one of many, went around the stands where people watching were seated to take bets.

The first match wasn't Jessica’s so he got some time to look around the arena.

This is an underground fighting match, which should be illegal. The people should be coming from several neighboring places, not just Ebon Wall. Hmm… There are VIPs over there… and two, no, three Level 4s here.

Viers was just one among the many spectators and didn't invite any attention. He should be in no danger but just in case, he had his Level 4 lifesaving treasures primed and ready. Then he gazed downward, at the colosseum-like arena. He was far at the back but it didn't hamper his match-watching at all. There were big screens, but his eyes could see the minute details better by watching directly. The magic items that served as camera replacements were only able to catch a blur from the high-speed movements.

A wave of cheers rose from the audience as one of the fighters landed a critical hit.

The ones fighting are all Level 3s but some are at higher cultivation than others. Unless some anomaly appears, all should be a close match.

Sometime later, the announcer's hyper voice reverberated throughout the arena, announcing the name of the victor.

“Second match, Jaguar Jessie versus Red Hand!”

Jessica’s not the weakest nor the strongest. Among the eight, she’s in the middle cultivation-wise… Guess whether she would win this tourney will depend on her combat skills. The two are about equal in strength and I haven't seen them fight. Mmnn, it’s a hard call to guess the winner out of the two.

“Begin!”

Jessica closed the distance with the signal; her punches and kicks were very fast. Red Hand was forced to be defensive.

As expected of a body Pathseeker. Her basic spec is higher than mine. Those strikes of hers are not bad.

Red Hand launched his own barrage of attacks. It was a bizarre attack that drew blood from Jessica. Viers raised an eyebrow.

A bone came out from his arm?

Now it was Jessica’s turn to be pressured.

Red Hand is a body Pathseeker too. Whoa, next he elongated his arm?

The stretched arm was also growing sharp nails. Jessica managed to counter by stepping into Red Hand’s chest but while her fist landed on his chest and the spectators cheered, there was no damage.

He made a bone plate above his skin to absorb the impact…

“Hic… The lass will lose.”

Viers turned his head to the man who spoke beside him. It was a middle-aged man with booze breath holding a booze bottle. He spoke not to Viers but to his companion.

“Oh yeah?”

“Red hand… It seems he is the inheritor of the Gurshaq clan. About twenty years ago, they were famous around here. Their body is adaptable and versatile in defense and offense. They-”

Viers made a bad face hearing the guy speak. It was the veteran watcher that served as an exposition vent trope. Viers met a lot of people like him in the Chinese cultivation stories. They usually were the perpetrator that made a single new technique of the MC turned into a whole chapter of exposition.

“What? You got a problem, kid?” The man said to Viers. It was hard to not notice Viers’ expression.

“Nothing.” Viers had no desire to entertain him and left. His booze stink was even added with cigarette smoke. Just one was already unbearable for Viers so he moved away.

To the man’s credit, there might be some truth to his exposition because he was at the upper tier of Level 3 but Viers just didn't care about every side character’s backstory.

After he was sufficiently far away, Viers watched Jessica’s match again in peace. He would like to think he was a calm and reasonable person. There was no need for a confrontation every time. Having less of unnecessary egos would save a lot of energy and time.

Red Hand… That guy’s way of fighting is almost like the combination of Luffy’s elasticity, Kimimmaro’s bone generation, and Mahito's bizarre transmutation. Compared to that, Jessica is the orthodox body Pathseeker. She uses her powerful body combined with martial arts. What’s your next step, Jess?

Viers and Jessica had done mock battles before but neither were revealing their cards so Viers didn't know Jessica’s capabilities. If things went on unchanged, Jessica was indeed on track to lose.

Amidst the barrage of attacks, Jessica let a few land on her while guarding her vital spots to land a blow at Red Hand, this time with a palm strike that glowed with Victa.

“Oho,” Viers hummed in interest.

Most people in the arena thought Red Hand would shrug off Jaguar’s blow like he did previously but those that understood knew the match had been decided.

Jessica turned around while Red Hand was paralyzed. And then, the referee called for Jaguar Jessie’s victory when Red Hand dropped to the ground and was unresponsive when called.

Viers saw the earlier booze exposition guy’s mouth blabber at high speed while looking surprised and the man beside him was listening intently. Viers could easily imagine what they were talking about.

“One hit that overturns the match! Unbelievableeee! This jaguar is hungry and on the hunt tonight!” The announcer announced in his over-the-top way.

Actually, it's three strikes of penetrating palm that injures the opponent’s inner organs… Even against me, it would be effective. If our Unreality Field neutralizes each other.

Red Hand was taken away in a stretcher by the medical team because he wasn't dead. Just like his name, his hands were dyed red by Jessica’s blood.

But none of them are fatal wounds. Jessica should be fine for her next round.

The next match began shortly, before the audience cooled off. Apparently, like the two matches before it, the participants were also body Pathseekers.

Viers hated tournament arcs in stories. When he was a child he didn't mind, such as YuYu Hakusho and Dragon Ball. After he became a young adult and started reading Chinese power fantasy novels, the overdone and stretchy tournament arcs made him allergic to them.

But since it was just for this night, Viers could tolerate it.

It also helped that the matches were like kung-fu action flicks.

Viers liked martial arts movies, courtesy of Jackie Chan. In the modern age, there were Ip Man and John Wick movies.

The fights between these body Pathseekers resembled those scenes. All in all, Viers considered himself entertained.

“Now, for the final round that you all have been waiting for… Let's give a round of applause to Jaguar Jessie and Bearwearer! These two fighters will prove who among them is the best!”

Jessica managed to reach the finals. Her opponent was a male beastfolk.

“Final Round… BEGIIIIN!”

Jessica in her battle stance looked gallant.

Bearwearer became literally, a bear.

A Dire Ursa… Not a small fry monster. Beastfolk techniques can be fascinating sometimes. Bearwearer transformation is like my monster transformation at a glance but the principle behind them is different. His is more like druid magic.

Jessica wrestled a bear in the final round.

***

Later that night, after most of the audience had left the premises, Jessica walked out from the backstage. Under the cloak that she was wearing, she sighed.

“Nice match, Jessica,” Viers said while clapping. “A shame. You were so close.”

Her heart skipped a beat but she didn't show her surprise to Viers.

“I think you mistook me for someone else,” Jessica denied with a slightly altered voice.

“I don't think so, right, Tim?” Viers said while looking behind her.

“Eh? No way!” Jessica hurriedly turned around.

There was no one there.

“KI~ RA~!” Jessica realized she was tricked and got a bit miffed. She turned around while clenching her fists.

“Hello there,” Viers raised both of his hands while grinning. “Fancy meeting you here.”