White Face ended up winning the fight against Northern Breeze. The skill the former had was sophisticated even though a little on the strange side. He exhibited techniques that were very unique to himself—and probably a select bunch of other people.

"Weird. If I wasn't mistaken, that White Face seems to have used a form of specialized technique," Erenol said.

"Specialized technique? How'd you know about that stuff?" I asked.

Maun leaned forward curiously as well.

"Don't forget where I lived! And I saw Sir Leiran all the time," she said.

"Sir Leiran..." I repeated. "I wonder what happened to him?"

"Yeah...Anyway, I know how those people are like," Erenol whispered to me as we watched. "There are usually clans dedicated to their own styles of martial arts, though they are highly dependent on the Temple still. The wisdom and knowledge that the monks possess cannot be passed down to outsiders, so they have to come under the direct tutelage of the Temple. I've seen many of their members in the palace. I'm actually kind of scared they would recognize me..."

"So the Temple has a monopoly on the knowledge?" I asked. "Martial arts, I mean."

"Technically? They do," Erenol said. "The barest of knowledge is freely disseminated to the general populace, so it won't be difficult to train up that point—though guidance is not guaranteed. Clans focus on specializations on certain types of elements. People have to rely on the basics from the Temple though, because the Way of the Gods is sacred and fundamental to all forms of martial arts."

"So this sacred thing...must be very important if they don't want it being carelessly passed down?"

"The knowledge...has to be kept pristine, I think?" Erenol tapped on her mask where her lower lipped was supposed to sit. "To prevent it from being corrupted or used carelessly."

"That part, I can understand perfectly."

"The Temple is very open-minded, though. I actually like this bunch a lot. They do not forbid their disciples form branching out and finding their own path...However if these clans want to pass down their knowledge, they still have to send their heirs to learn from the Temple. Isn't it fascinating?"

"Did you learn this in the palace too?"

"I always wondered about it...ever since I learned I was a Conduit. But I was never allowed to practice. Kids would usually be trained at a young age if they were."

"The mistresses never talked of such things to me..." I sighed. "I know what they wanted for me. If possible, I'd just have grown up and done something different. But I ended up taking this path still. Talk about inevitable."

"Well, they taught you other things. I don't think they were expecting things to turn out this way either. They probably didn't want you to be in such a troublesome circle."

"They did say that as well, but them teaching it to me would've been nice. I just feel like they tried to shelter me too much."

"Ah, well...I can't speak for anyone, but, like I always say—you know how adults are. They always try and do their best but it's not enough sometimes. Life is stuff."

"Is stuff?" Did I hear that right?

"Yeah, it is stuff."

"No. It is tough?"

"Yeah! It is stuff! What did you think it was?"

"Eren, you're not saying your Lovardi right."

"What is it supposed to be?"

"There's a small difference between stuff and is tough. It's going to be very hard to say them."

"Why are you nitpicking? You understood anyway."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine."

The host's voice rang throughout the arena. "Mushroom Soup and Morning Glory! Please come up on the stage!"

There were cheers of hilarity at the mention of the names.

"I'm cheering for the soup!" Erenol exclaimed.

"You're fighting next though."

As if the soul had left her body again, she deflated and curled up in her corner. To my shock, she even began sobbing.

"Ah...I shouldn't have done that," I said.

Maun nodded. "Yeah. Not a good idea," he signed.

"Do you guys think that that Black Flame is also from a clan?" I wondered. "Would he have those kind of techniques too?"

Erenol was still lifeless. Like a moving corpse, she spoke but her words didn't come out comprehensible. I scratched my head, feeling awkward at the silence that replied to my question.

"I'll just assume he did. He seems the type to be," I said.

"Why do you keep worrying about him?" Maun asked me. "Does he bother you? Should I beat him?"

I laughed. Maun's enthusiasm was amusing. "He just gets on my nerve for some reason. Not to mention Eren will be fighting him. Don't get too arrogant just because you ranked on top. That guy seems to be more experienced than you. Don't ever underestimate anybody."

Perhaps I was just feeling competitive. He did make me feel bad about how I performed back in the last phase of the tests—if my guess was right about him being that dude with me. I was very tempted to show him up and beat him. But, like my pessimistic self, I didn't think I stood a chance.

I should get a bit of Erenol's positivity, but I wasn't sure if I was in for the bitter disappointment in case I failed.

Then again, that never stopped me from feeling competitive.

"Mushroom Soup and Morning Glory on stage!" the host exclaimed. "Let the fight begin!"

We hang around watching the fight unfold between the soup and the flower. To be quite honest, it looked like a high definition video game with really poor character designs. Moreover, a mushroom and a flower were even fighting one another. From a certain perspective, the guys looked like they just stepped out of a kid's game.

As time drew nearer to Eren's fight, she lost even more of her will. I didn't know how to comfort the girl, but she started turning into stone.

In the end, Mushroom Soup, a crowd favorite, won. With the map of the competition, Mushroom Soup would be facing White Face, the winner of the second round and Maun, as the Silent Dragon, would be fighting Stone Guardian.

The first half of the competition was finally done.

"And the last fight of the day!"

Eren fell back from her seat and landed soullessly on the ground.

"Eren, are you okay?" I asked.

"Mom, I see you," she cried. "Have you come to take me?"

I shook my head and sent a kick to her ankle. "Get up, idiot. Go out there if you don't want to be kicked out. You're after redemption, aren't you? You're not even close to getting it. Are you giving up now?"

As though I had stoke the fire, Eren flared with newfound will and determination and stomped her way to the stage. I sat back down while Maun scratched his head.

"She's...very strange," Maun signed.

"Ha. That's quite normal, actually," I replied. "She's always been like that...ever since we were kids. Must come with that toxic environment."

"How long have you been friends?" Maun asked.

"I think...seven years already."

"Wow! So long!" His silver violet eyes twinkled. "Can we be friends that long too?"

"Nothing's impossible," I said. "But let's aim beyond that."

"Beyond six years?" His mouth went agape. "Then how about for life?"

"Why not?"

His cheeks went red with excitement. "I've never had friends for life!"

"Of course you hadn't. If you had, you'd probably be dead."

"Oooohhhh."

"If you don't mind me asking..." I trailed off. "What happened to you? You know...when you ended up in Oblivion? Or are you not ready to talk about it?"

His mood took a sudden downturn. I knew instantly he didn't want to speak of those matters. I quickly steered away from the topic and asked something else. "Sorry. It's okay. What's your element? Can I ask that at least?"

"The Abbot said it's life," Maun said. "I...can't really die easily because of that."

That made sense. He had such strong vitality that it made sense. He was even able to resist the frost from before. I was tempted to ask why he had scales, but I assume this wasn't the place for that. After all, the walls had ears and he didn't seem ready to talk about it as well.

"I see. Then you might outlive me," I said with a grin.

"Why?"

"Remember?" I switched from spoken language, quieting my voice as my hands moved, and said, "My element is death."

He watched my hands and nodded, mouth going round. "Oohhh. But who said you're going to die?"

"Says nature and the circle of life," I replied. "Then again...I don't think I fit in that anymore," I whispered, then turned to focus on Eren's fight that was starting.

She would kill me if she realized I wasn't paying attention. Knowing that girl, something as simple as attention was enough to make or break her day. She would need all of the cheering she needed to help support her positivity.

"Now, we see Weeping Siren and Spring Cloud against one another! I look forward to the start of the second half! Give us a lot of entertainment, competitors! And a-one, a-two, a-threeeee! Start!"

Though they were far away, I could just imagine Eren taking a big gulp as she faced the person with the cloud costume across of her.

Both regarded each other warily. Spring Cloud deftly slipped into a fighting position, wrist gracefully turning toward the sky as he crouched low like a tiger.

"What kind of pose is that?" Eren asked loudly.

"Idiot, just get into the first position!" I said under my breath. "Since she probably doesn't have any style she knows like these people do, she'll have to rely on the basics."

"Is that bad?" Maun asked.

"With Eren, it's currently uncertain. Let's hope for the best but expect the worst," I said. "Hopefully, our practice had and will help her out."

Eren took the first stance of the Movement of the Seven Dragons, knowing this wasn't the right time to run her mouth or unnecessarily aggravate her opponent without having tested the waters. Though Eren lacked considerable skill in combat, she had high empathy at the very least. I hoped this would work for her—or that she would know how to make it work for her.

Spring Cloud swept in aggressively. He moved in to take the first attack and set the rhythm of the fight. He swung his fist and directed a swift punch Eren's way. Eren weaved to the side, lifting an arm to parry the blow.

"Good! Retaliate!" I screamed.

Eren was a little slow in countering, but she threw in a punch herself. Unfortunately, Spring Cloud was already expecting her move. He evaded and caught her wrist, pulling her back and forcing her headfirst into the pavement. Eren managed to steady herself that she didn't squash her face, but she wasn't fast enough to avoid the kick that sent her wheezing.

"Get up, Eren! Get up!" I yelled, heart thudding.

Spring Cloud launched back and sent another foot down. I was tempted to look away but I had frozen still, anticipating the next moments.

Thankfully, Eren rolled away in time. She didn't get struck in a crucial area, but her arm got the brunt of the attack instead.

I looked away when I heard a crack. And though I expected to hear Eren crying from the pain, I didn't hear so much as a whimper. I didn't know whether to be glad or worry. I turned back to the fight and saw that Eren had gripped her opponent by the ankle with her free hand.

I didn't know how she did it, but the next moment, she had successfully pulled him off balance. Spring Cloud landed on his backside and Eren moved in to plant a kick in his private region.

Maun and I cheered.

It was clear Eren was a little lacking in the skill department, but at least she was able to retaliate. Though this Spring Cloud also had considerable power, Eren managed to match up to him somehow.

But now that she'd broken an arm, she would have a lot more trouble keeping up with her opponent. Though I wouldn't say Spring Cloud was faring any better either. Man or woman, that part of the body was always very sensitive.

"You think I'm giving up?!" she exclaimed. She wasn't contented with just one kick. She landed another and another.

"Uh..." I trailed off. "His eggs are most probably as good as scrambled."

"Well, he broke her arm," Maun signed.

"True."

I don't think I'd have to worry so much about this girl.

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