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—Could you help me brainstorm about those Arts I mentioned, then, auntie?

...Didn't we already go over this yesterday?

I watched this tape of Leithanian Knights battling last night, and I think I could pull from some parts of it to—

Last night?

Ah...

So you were up late again! I've said before, you need to get your rest!

Looks like someone's back in good shape. Them two old cranks can rest easy now.

Oh! Marcin? Is something up?

Something? Eh... yeah, you might call this something.

This is, um?

Sponsors who came knocking at your door. Thirteen, in all. And there's some pretty high ranked corps looking for you...

Whoaahh. Glorious Shield's the weapons manufacturer, right... so even companies like these are into keeping competition knights?

Oh, they're all Knightclub invitations. They put the numbers there to make you gasp. They're looking to make you a fine puppet, that's all.

Maria! You wouldn't let these capitalists lead you by the nose, would you?! Remember your sister here can outbid these and then some, anyway!

Wait... I'm not falling for anything! Just, auntie, you spending money on me like that makes me feel kind of bad...

Money, my high-heeled foot. If I want to spend it, I'll spend it. I didn't buy this land by agonizing about it, I'll have you know.

(Is that why the 'gardens' here are just 'fields' now...)

Hah hah hah... fair to you, I know you turned every last one of them down. Made a fine family out of nothing but your prize money and a few years of retirement. Hats off.

That said, I'm only here to hand these papers over. Saves Młynar the hassle. Rest of it's up to you two alone. Think it over and if you're okay, come relax over at the bar sometime.

Well... what do you say? Maria?

I've said before, but I don't want our family crest to become a corporate logo... and I know I can't stand toe-to-toe with the rest of them, either. Not as I am right now.

...You're going to press on?

Mm-hm. This isn't just about the money.

When I think of 'Nearl,' the name my grandpa and my parents protected all their lives, I can't imagine it was all just for the numbers and lines of the stock exchange.

So...

Maria... Alright, it sounds like I'll be throwing all of these away, then.

If we're going to make the cut for the Major, we need to get a lot more points, fast—that's the biggest hurdle we face, as independent knights without a Knightclub to hide in.

Remember Szewczyk? Poor man, taken for a ride by his own sponsor. And yet he built up the points to rival nearly an entire team, just on sprint races, and duels alone.

Meanwhile, you had the Knightclubs all wrangling the rules for point transfers, arranging it so their trump cards didn't even need to fight the preselections...

So I'll have to get past all of those Knightclub teams, soon enough...

That's right. That's why we're going to have to take some special measures... if we're not wasting a single qualifier, we only have so many options.

Such as—

Welcommme, one and allllll, to the Fireblade Arena—!

Fifteen teams! Fifteen knights!

Today's match is a one-and-done! We'll see plundering! Crazy battles! Tight escapes and desperate chases! Welcome to the third largest arena in Kazimierz, manmade to unleash the deathmatch within every knight!

What's that? You say one match only earns you one point!? Where does THAT happen!?

Not here, not now! In this match, any valid attack against a fellow knight means a valid score, and that means points! Points, for fat stacks of cash!

But who cares if a bunch of point-grabbers play a game!? No, I know! I know what it is you all really wanna see—

You wanna watch the heroes fall! You wanna watch the great stars crash to the ground! Thaaaat's right! This season's melee matches have a new rule in the mix, the 'Points Off' clause! You hear that, knights? Risk and reward in one!

Where's the spice when your points never drop?! In this match, we're following the 'Predator System!' Let's keep it simple, sister: when someone goes up one, someone else is goin' down one!

Oh, yeah! Believe it, I'm scrapping to see what the do-it-alls do! Our rising stars, swallowed up! It's unprecedented, folks! A match to flip the rankings head to toe!

Thought you could qualify for the Major by wining it up in a bubble bath?! You'd better risk it all right here, right now! Get ready to rumble, because the world's watching!

Don't forget, our sponsored drones from Raythean Industries will be broadcasting every knight's viewpoint non-stop! Our eight registered Knights Association referees won't miss a single detail!

Now, the knights are making their final checks, the crew are fitting their armor with the sensory chips! How many stars will be born today, and how many are gonna eat dirt and taste crushing defeat?!

We can only wait—for the knights—to enterrrrrr—!

What the hell? This guy again? Isn't he supposed to keep to Roar Guards territory?

Guess he found his own rising star, now.

Nah... 'Points Off?' They ever have a 'Points Off' in the melees before?

And they announced this all-new system right before the match started. What, they can just do that?!

Didn't bet on the Association being all this capricious, did we... and it doesn't bode well.

Looks like all fifteen knights are readied at their places! Once the crew are out of the way, the match will officially begin!

A full sixty minutes of battle! Unless every knight is down for the count, this battle goes to the very last second!

Even if your points for this season take a sub-zero dive, you'll still be in the game! Wanna see backs against walls? Last-gasp attacks? You're in the right place, folks!

Hey, Maria Nearl.

—Who're you?

Mmm... just one of your fans.

Alright—! All fifteen knights are signalling ready!

Let's make it quick. The moment the Brassrust Knight healed up, Ashley—my Ashley—sent him straight back to the hospital. Man, the Ingras have been down on their luck for weeks now.

I declare—

Now, Ashley took me right to the playoffs, so I've been a little panicked. Thought I'd try and make up a few points here. But I didn't think I'd find you too, young Nearl.

—Why don't we go for a little tête-à-tête?

A what?

—Let the Fireblade Melee—begiiiiiiiiinnnnn—!

卡西米尔 4下

And eight remain—

No, remain? Flip that around, almost half the Knights in the field have already exited due to injuries!

Wait—as I was saying that, it looks like 'Hoarhair' has taken a point off 'Springwater'—oh! And 'Drifter' Dorka barges in to pick them off! Now that's what I call productive!

Everyone pulling moves on everyone else—this is the glamor of the Fireblade Melee, folks! 24-carat violence!

Light, heed me—!

That's all you're capable of? How the hell did you beat Ingra?!

Your swordhand... is nothing compared to my auntie's!

Heh, I'll tear you right off that scoreboard, 'Nearl!' Watch this!

Ah—behind you!

Uagh—?!

Huh?

Fancy seeing you again, young Nearl. You've got nowhere to run now.

And right after 'Gałązka' comes 'Flametail'! Whoa, way-way-way, how many times has someone come for the Nascent Nearl now? You gotta get your own show, Maria!

God, I hate that guy. You're too loud!

Anyway, we're running out of foes to fight. Looks like we finally get to size each other up, right?

—If all we're doing is measuring, I'll gladly keep you company.

Ooh. Not bad. Your eyes got a lot better since you messed up Plastic.

Hup—

One blink. Open. Shut.

(Below?!)

Gugh—?!

Ohh? Dodged that, did you?

(What did she do just now...? She wasn't that fast—more like just too dexterous...)

Ahh. I see how you held up for so long against Ingra and Szewczyk now... you've got a better foundation than I thought.

Whislash taught you all of that, huh?

Nn-huh. You've got a sharp eye too. You know, you learn pretty quick.

But—

And now you're down one point. I think me and this format are gonna get along just fine.

Keep on like this, and every point you got from capping Plastic's gonna go down the drain, you know that?

Hnnfh—!

Urrrrraaahhh! You stinking little squirrel—!

Can't you just lie down and bite it for one second?!

Hah! Knocked away your weapon! What are you gonna do now, huh?!

Just pick them back up?! Dumbass!

Don't waste your breath! You'll meet your end right here!

—Watch out!