"Asta, that's my fish! Stop snatching it!"
"What's the big deal? You have so many!"
Under a starry night sky, Asta and Ethan Hayes were sitting by a campfire, happily roasting fish.
It was the seventh day of the competition. On the third day, Ethan had stumbled upon Asta in the middle of a dense forest.
Normally, they should have fought to determine a winner, but Ethan wasn't foolish. Fighting Asta would bring no benefits and plenty of downsides:
Wasted Energy: With Asta's anti-magic abilities, Ethan might even end up injured. Exposure: A battle would draw attention, potentially attracting opportunists waiting to ambush them.
Besides, the situation over the past few days had been strangely quiet—too quiet. The Blacklight Forest was vast, yes, but as people moved around, encounters were inevitable.
By probability alone, there should've been at least one major fight. But nothing had happened. The forest was eerily tranquil, like a sea of silence.
"Asta, don't you think something feels off?" Ethan asked, his brows furrowed in thought.
"Mmmm, not really," Asta replied, his mouth full of fish, words muffled.
Ethan continued pondering. No battles, no noise. Could it be that others who met were doing the same as he and Asta?
The thought hit Ethan like a lightning bolt. If the remaining contestants had allied, the numbers and strategy were entirely uncertain. Eight participants remained, counting him and Asta.
If there were a group of five, that left one solo fighter. It could also be 2-2-2 or 3-3 setups. Whatever the case, it wasn't good news for Ethan.
"I'll play it safe and observe for now," he muttered.
After extinguishing the fire, Ethan leaned against a high branch and closed his eyes.
Meanwhile, the audience watching through the projection stones grew increasingly anxious.
"Get up, Ethan! Don't sleep now!"
"Wake up! The enemy is coming!"
The civilian spectators cursed furiously, while the nobles sneered with smug satisfaction.
On the projection stone, the group of six—Nebula, Langris Vaude, and their allies—were steadily advancing toward Ethan and Asta's temporary camp.
Though moving cautiously, it was only a matter of time before they arrived.
"This is the only area left unsearched based on previous patterns," said Langris.
"Indeed, that Ethan has some skill. Avoiding us for so long isn't easy."
"And Asta too, though I suspect they're together now," another added, their tone dismissive.
As they walked, they discussed their strategy. Asta, being magicless, wasn't taken seriously. To them, his presence in the competition was little more than a fluke.
Meanwhile, Ethan lay alert in shallow sleep. In stark contrast, Asta snored loudly, deep in slumber, oblivious to the danger creeping closer.
"Asta, wake up!" Ethan hissed, shaking him. "Something feels off. We should move."
Though he hadn't detected anyone nearby, an instinctive sense of foreboding gripped him.
"Fire Creation Magic: Blazing Missile!"
A brilliant streak of fire shot through the darkness toward their camp.
Ethan reacted instantly, leaping backward to evade the flames.
"Huh? Is it morning already? What smells cooked?" Asta muttered groggily, rubbing his eyes.
The realization hit him hard as he sat up—he was surrounded by fire!
Summoning his Demon Slayer Sword, Asta swung the massive blade, nullifying the magical flames.
"Oh? A sword that negates magic? Interesting," a voice remarked.
Landing gracefully, Reveil, one of the attackers, stared at Asta with intrigue.
Before Asta could process what was happening, five more figures descended: Nebula, Langris, and their group had arrived.
Holding his sword tightly, Asta stood frozen, his brain struggling to catch up.
"Damn it! They really did form an alliance!" Ethan cursed under his breath from his hiding spot.
He had suspected as much but hadn't expected all six to be united against him and Asta. No wonder the forest had been so quiet—this group was systematically hunting down solo competitors.
Their plan was clear: eliminate the outsiders first. Afterward, they could deal with each other at their leisure.
"They're treating this like a card game…," Ethan muttered bitterly.
Will Ethan and Asta survive against these overwhelming odds? Or is this the end of their journey in the competition?
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