I spent some time waiting for the semifinals, but the quarterfinals weren't bad. One of the fighters was a cute little bunny; he walked on his hind legs, wore a knight's armor, and used a sharpened carrot as a sword. His name was Carotol (a member of the Order of Prevalence, by the way), and he ended up beating a guy called "Valentine," a french guy with a rather eccentric style; he looked like a drag queen or a member of the visual kei scene. Whatever he is, I don't think I'll see him again, but I wish him luck in his music career after this.

  Leona didn't disappoint either; she was quite the sharp shooter with her two revolvers, which were apparently named "Ebony & Ivory," and she was stylish as hell while shooting, doing a thousand somersaults and backflips. I swear I saw her breakdancing for a few seconds. It's safe to say her opponent didn't stand much of a chance.

  There was also Albert Steel in the competition, a work colleague of Lotus. A really nice guy, but his large size was a problem when fighting his opponent, as he took many hits and couldn't get close to him.

  Then I was called back to the arena. "Let's go." Said the employee.

  "And now we begin with the semifinals!" The announcer declared as the audience went silent. "But first, a shout-out to our sponsors who made this event possible: Machina Research, always improving technology!" The audience then erupted not in applause, but in boos; if even a rabbit knight thinks this company is rotten, something's definitely wrong. "Yes, I know, a controversial name, but it was necessary so we could hold the tournament. Now, back to the fight. On one side, we have a newcomer to Gearopolis, who has proven to be quite clever with the whip, completely thwarting the plans of his opponent, Steel. Welcome our dear Saul Smith!" The audience returned to applause.

  "And now, on the other side, we have the unstoppable force, Aubrey!" The audience turned up the volume—it seems that I'm becoming the favorite. "She demonstrated great skill with her punches and was even better at taking advantage of her opponent's mistakes, as seen in her last fight against the prodigy of the Turtle Master Brigade.” I'm grateful to know that my effort was recognized. I may seem like a brute, but I still have a strategy, even if it's just going all out most of the time; the opponent will make a mistake at some point.

  Now about Saul himself, he has blond hair covered by a cap—shame, I like the blondies. And judging by his choice of weapon, a whip, I guess he must be a zoner, keeping me out of his reach, that's just great.

  "Oi!" Saul greeted me. "How's it going, mate?"

  "So you're new here?" I asked, shaking his hand. "If that's the case, why did you choose such a deadly tournament to get to know the city?"

  "I couldn't find a better place." He shrugged. "I'd love to chat, but I think people are getting impatient. Good luck!"

  "I'm going to need it..." I groaned through gritted teeth.

  “Everyone ready? Then fight!”

  Alright, the match's started and I know the weakness of all these long-ranged guys; proximity. So the strategy is obvious—go all in.

  But after a few steps, I get whipped right on the shin, ouch. Before I can run again, the whip catches my ankle, and I obviously stumble. Saul then dragged my body, slamming me against the ground and the walls. After exhausting my energy, he pulls me like a fish on a hook and finishes me off with a punch to the face before I even realize what's happening and fight back.

  "What a beating!" the announcer proclaimed. "Our Aubrey isn't used to fighting against a more tactical style. But is this pure luck coming from Saul? Will Aubrey learn his techniques? That's what we're going to find out!" He read me like a book. It wasn't just strength—it was observation. This is new to me…

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  "Sorry ‘bout that, mate," Saul waved, with a relaxed smile. "Just ‘cause I'm out for a walk, doesn't mean I'm goin’ easy on ya!"

  "Fair, fair. We're here to win, after all." I said, articulating my leg to try and ease the pain.

  “The wheel of fate is turning, action!”

  Okay, I think it's best to change strategy: wait for him to use a move that leaves him vulnerable for longer, especially those heavier whip strikes. However, whip strikes are still considerably weaker than brute force, they just hurt, so I can afford to take a few hits.

  Now with a plan in mind, all that's left is to put it into action. Saul continued attacking, trying to pull me back, but I remained firm with my feet on the ground. Then, when he raised his arm to its limit, I knew the time had come. I sidestepped, stepped on the gas, and went all out, just like I did once against Kenji. He couldn't pull back the whip in time to defend himself, so I hit him with a flurry of punches until he fell to the ground, finishing with an uppercut that sent him flying into the corner.

  "Aubrey has just proven to be quite adaptable," the announcer said. "Waiting for an opportunity and countering the attack! How will Saul deal with this? Let's see!"

  Okay, now I'm familiar with that little dance of yours. This round went by so fast it's not even worth narrating in detail. Saul tried to vary the rhythm and force of his attacks, but it still wasn't enough. I won the round with little effort. Even the announcer wasn't very enthusiastic, despite his efforts.

  "Wow, that was quick," the announcer said. "The third round ended in the blink of an eye, leaving Aubrey up two to one! Saul better have something up his sleeve to stay in the game, otherwise Aubrey will fly right into the final!"

  "I admire the effort, blondie, but I know your type very well. It's over for you!" I tried to provoke him, but Saul's face remained that same relaxed expression of his, so polite it's almost infuriating. How am I supposed to argue with someone like that? And yet, this guy looks at me like I'm someone to be respected. Heh, I'll definitely invite him to the bar.

  "You ain't bad yourself." Saul said. "To be honest, I'm not very good at this whole ‘fighting’ thing, I'd rather be having a drink."

  “I honestly wanted to stay home and play games.” I hunched over, letting my arms fall. “But whether I like it or not, this is something I want. Anyway, let's finish this!”

  “That's what I'm talking about, mate!”

  “Looks like the champion will win something more than just a makeover, how wonderful!” Okay, now you're just making fun of me… “Match point for Aubrey, begin!”

  Now that I feel slightly refreshed, let's finish this! It seems the same applies to Saul, now defending himself better, with more precise strikes and even anticipating my movements, whipping me where I intended to move. We know each other's weaknesses and we'll take advantage of them.

  However, I still have the sharper eyes. Saul tried to attack me with the whip, but it ended up being too predictable, so I retaliated; I grabbed his whip mid-strike and pulled Saul towards me, who in turn was caught off guard. It was the first time I'd seen that look, a genuine shock, as if he'd woken from a trance. I didn't even give him the luxury of falling, because when he approached, I immediately grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, delivered a few punches to his stomach, and threw him to the ground. I admit I borrowed that throw, the "wild throw," from Sol the Bloodedge, my favorite character from RageRed.

  “Ya cable's gon’, matey.” I teased, making fun of his accent.

  “And finally, we're done!” The announcer said as the audience cheered. “Again, Aubrey takes the victory, but Saul also proved to be clever in his fight! Aubrey knows where to go, and Saul can just drown his sorrows!” Okay, now that was a bit rude.

  "Saul!" I shouted. "I know a great bar! Want to go there with me later?"

  "Let's go!" he replied. "If you need anything, I'm on HandBook (a social network), just look for '@GrainOfSaul'."

  “Great. See you later!” Despite everything, I liked the guy. I appreciate a good sense of humor, don't you, Leona?

  I then looked at the scoreboard and… Ah, she could be my next opponent, if she beats Carotol, that is.