「Ta-take care, Laurel. Step forward.」


  When I say so, Laurel advances on the quiet stage.

  I checked the faces of those who won from the qualifying matches and found that their mouths are wide open.

  「Two people who want to fight against Laurel, step forward.」


  When I said that, Fuuten stepped forward. Fuuten’s face is blue.

  「If I die, please tell my subordinates to arrange the election…」


  「No, you’re safe. And don’t say something like that or you’ll have a bad luck.」


  When I said that to Fuuten and tried to laugh it off, Fuuten raised a dry laugh and nodded.

  「…I never felt that I’ll be defeated before but, for the first time…」


  Fuuten said so and walked towards Laurel. Everyone got scared because of Soarer after all.

  Even I got scared so it can’t be helped.

  While thinking of such a thing, I turned my face from Fuuten to the other beastkin participants.

  No one volunteers for some reason.

  Kuudai wanted to fight against Lagreat so he won’t volunteer but what’s up with the other participants?

  I looked around the other beastkins and pointed at a rabbitkin with an agreeable gaze.

  Though his shoulders don’t look wide, he has enough muscles in his body.

  「You, fight with Laurel.」


  When I said that, the rabbitkin stretched out and stepped forward.

  「I understand! Apostle-sama! Will I be able to be your subordinate if I win!?」


  When the rabbitkin said that with an amiable atmosphere, the beastkins, who were standing by the wall, suddenly straighten their backs and looked at here.

  I nod to the rabbitkin.

  「Yes. If you can show a good fight, I will make you my subordinate even if you don’t.」


  When I say so, the quiet arena was wrapped in cheers of joy again.

  A new subordinate will be from the country of beastkins.

  Such cry is mixed too.

  「Yoshi! Then I will fight with all I have! I am Richie! Please remember!」


  After the rabbitkin said that, he ran towards Laurel and Fuuten.

  Then the two of them lined up and stood before Laurel, Laurel looked at the two of them.

  「Now, let’s do it casually.」


  When Laurel says so, the two of them smiled and posed similarly.

  「I’ll borrow your chest.」


  「I’ll do everything to my heart’s content!」


  After hearing the response of the two, I opened my mouth.

  「Begin!」


  I gave the signal to start and Richie began running.

  Laurel tried catching Richie with his right hand but Richie parries his hand and quickly kick Laurel’s knee then move to his side.

  「Hard!? How come he didn’t lose his balance!?」


  Richie raised a scream after kicking Laurel. He is now rubbing the foot he used to kick him with both of his hands.

  Well, I created Laurel to act like a wall as a vanguard. I probably have no other member with more defensive power than Laurel.

  While I was thinking of that while watching, Fuuten grasps his fist and heads for Laurel.

  「I’ll show you the power of the strongest warrior!」


  When Fuuten shouted so, he increased his speed towards Laurel.

  He attacked Laurel with his shoulder and knocked Laurel to the ground by lifting his legs with his hands.

  Laurel flung against the ground hard.

  Fuuten used the momentum of the impact the shook down his fist towards Laurel who fell on the ground.

  Although it can’t be seen because of the dust, shock can be felt from the impact of Fuuten’s fist.

  「…Guku!?」


  The one who gave out that voice of agony is not Laurel but Fuuten.

  Fuuten is now holding the fist he swung with his other hand as he jumps back to take distance.

  「…Impossible! What hardness!」


  Laurel slowly stood up as Fuuten yelled.

  「I take pride on my hardness.」


  After Laurel answered with minimum words, he then walked towards Fuuten.

  「Please don’t forget about me!」


  Richi flew from behind and kicked Laurel while saying that as Laurel walks casually.

  It seems that he’s proud of his flying kick skill.

  However, Laurel was unaffected by Richie’s sharp, flying kick. He turns to Richie.

  Laurel grips Richie’s neck, who tried to run away, quickly like it was natural and throws him to Fuuten.

  Fuuten was not able to totally evade him since Richie was thrown splendidly and rotated in the air.

  Like in manga, the two of them were blown off to the wall leaving cracks of their figure as they fell down.

  「The winner is Laurel.」


  I declared Laurel’s victory.

  Though cheers of joy rose in the arena, it seems that there are more who were perplexed on Laurel’s match.

  Relax beastkins. Being perplexed is natural.

  I looked back towards those who are on standby and saw Lagreat and the remaining beastkins.

  Lagreat is looking at me cheerfully.

  「Remaining participants, step forward.」


  When I said so, Lagreat dashes while the other five step forward to the center of the stage with a serious face.

  When I confirm that Lagreat and the others are ready, I opened my mouth.

  「Begin!」


  Along with the signal, everyone started to scatter from their previous locations.

  However, Lagreat smiled fearlessly and did not move from the spot.

  The result? Lagreat won.

  He knocked down everyone with a single blow including Kuudai.

  It ended without anyone of them being able to do anything.

  Only Kuudai was able to react at Lagreat’s speed.

  However, because he chose to have a match of fist to fist, it ended with a single blow.

  「The winner is Lagreat.」


  When I declare so, the arena cheered.

  It seems that Lagreat’s match is the easiest to understand and accept.

  All matches ended in a blink of an eye. All beastkins are cured of their injuries on the stage. I met with Fuuten.

  The warriors are lined up in a row behind Fuuten.

  The beastkins on the stadium are tightly packed.

  Because the reinforcements from the monster flood came in during the tournament, the total number of beastkins increased much.

  「Fuuten.」


  「Yes, I know.」


  When I called Fuuten’s name, Fuuten opened his mouth while looking at the beastkins.

  「Citizens of Hinomoto! Our country will join the international alliance of the countries in the world where the country founded by the apostle of god, Ren-sama, is also a member! It is also has been decided that we’ll participate in air transport industry where goods will be carried through the sky! Those who want to explore the outside world, you can go to Ren-sama’s country through air transport!」


  When Fuuten declared so, a great cheer echoed in the stadium.

  To the great cheers, Fuuten looked around the warrior on the stage and opened his mouth.

  「Warriors! I think that you have felt the strength of apostle-sama’s subordinate-sama’s! Therefore, I asked Ren-sama to let us dispatch warriors regularly! With this, 5,000 beastkin warriors will reside on Einherjar each year wherein they’ll be able to train their mind and body!」


  When Fuuten says so, beastkin warriors raise their voice of admiration this time.

  This is a compromise because Fuuten seems to want this country to be a vassal of Einherjar.

  As a result, my country will obtain 5,000 warriors without spending any.

  It is a splendid result.

  When I was thinking of such a thing satisfied, Lagreat who looked puzzled opened his mouth.

  「Are? My lord doesn’t plan on showing off his power?」


  「…Hnn?」


  To the sudden words of Lagreat, the warriors on the stage began to rustle.

  When I looked at Lagreat while knitting my eyebrow, Lagreat showed a mischievous smile and continued talking while looking at Laurel and Soarer.

  「I sometimes want my lord’s lesson. Right, Laurel?」


  「No, I don’t particul…」


  「I-I also don’t…」


  Laurel and Soarer shook their heads to the left and right in haste to show refusal for Lagreat’s mischief.

  However, when Fuuten heard Lagreat’s proposal, his eyes sparkled and he opened his mouth.

  「Oh, oohhh! A simulated battle between the apostle of god-sama and his subordinate-sama’s! I want to see it by all means!」


  Because of the useless declaration of Fuuten, the venue was wrapped in a great cheer like rage.

  Eh… That’s super troublesome…


  I glared at Lagreat who’s smiling happily.

  ********************