On the morning of the third day of the magic beast tournament when the semifinals and finals were to be held.

Were cheering for you! Beat em in one hit! [Fan 1]

Do your best! [Fan 2]

Be careful! [Fan 3]

News of Ryoumas advance to the semifinal had already spread all over town. More and more people were calling out to him now even he was just taking a walk.

Thank you very much! Ill do my best! Ill be careful! [Ryouma]

As Ryouma honestly replied, he left the first town. He entered the second town while eating his skewered meat. Then with his dimension magic, he teleported to the service entrance of the arena. Onee by one, he brought out of his Dimension Home five king sticky slimes. He also took out a poison slime and a medicine slime.

Ill be relying on you guys today. [Ryouma]

Ryouma caressed each and every one of his slimes as he said that. After that, he called out to the official inside the service entrance.

Good morning. [Ryouma]

Good morning, Takebayas.h.i.+-sama. Please put on a good show for us today as well. [Official]

Ill do my best. Will you be searching me? [Ryouma]

Ill call the person-in-charge, so please wait for a moment. [Official]

As the official went inside, Ryouma caressed his slimes and waited. While he was waiting, Ryouma suddenly noticed a particular man entering through the service entrance.

(An annoying one came.)

That man was none other than the tamer guilds top senior although it was only on paper Matthew!

Youre [Matthew]

Good morning, Branch Head Matthew. [Ryouma]

Matthew gritted his teeth when he saw Ryouma, but Ryouma continued to act civil on the outside. After a few seconds of staring at each other, Matthew weakly spoke.

So even a b.a.s.t.a.r.d like you managed to get through the main tournament [Matthew]

Fortunately. Speaking of which, I hear youve been busy lately. Is everything alright at work? [Ryouma]

Im taking a break! [Matthew]

Ryouma quickly changed his way of thinking when he saw Matthew since, after all, it wasnt strange to meet him here. Instead, he wanted to ask him why he would show up in the tournament, but before he could, Matthew overreacted when Ryouma mentioned hms being busy at work. That topic was apparently a taboo for Matthew right now.

I see. [Ryouma]

Its not like Ryouma was really that interested, so he just left it alone. Silence continued on again for some time, but before long, Matthew started grumbling as if he was cursing someone or something.

Annoying When I think about it Ive gotten this far What a.s.sistant? If I dont win I wont have anything left. [Matthew]

(Him grumbling like that coupled with how dark the service entrance is sure makes for a creepy atmosphere. And what does he mean by If I dont win I wont have anything left? The winning prize is only enough to cover some living expenses, right? Did he do something desperate?)

Inside that unfavorable atmosphere, Ryouma looked up ahead, praying for the official to come faster. And as luck would have it, perhaps his prayer did have some effect, as the official came not long afte.

Sorry for the wait. [Official]

Please take care of us. [Ryouma]

Then lets begin. [Official]

Having felt the dangerous atmosphere, the official quickly searched Ryouma. After confirming that Ryouma didnt have any magic tools on him, he ordered another official to lead Ryouma to a waiting room.

Now then [Ryouma]

After having been brought to the waiting room, Ryouma first placed his poison slime and medicine slime above the desk. Before the slimes were the dishes upon which the light meals meant as service for the partic.i.p.ants of the tournament were.

How is it? [Ryouma]

The poison slime and the medicine slime didnt react.

So theres no poison in the food then, huh. Good, then next is the water. [Ryouma]

Ryouma is using the poison slime to test for poison and his medicine slime to test for medicine. One of the two slimes will react if theres any mixed in.

As Ryouma was having the slimes test for poison and medicine, Ryouma checked the room for anything suspicious. Ryouma decided to do this mianly because of three reasons. First, because of the reveal of the big slime yesterday. Two, because he reached the semifinals. And three, because Matthew was partic.i.p.ating.

Ryouma was also keeping a watchful eye on the officials. After he and the slimes finished their respective searches, Ryouma was finally able to heave a sigh of relief. There were no poisons or anything out of the ordinary.

So the schedule for today first is the semifinals, after which is rest and if needed treatment for the beasts. Then theres the exhibition match until the afternoon where the partic.i.p.ants and their magical beasts fight against other magical beasts And, ah! Right, theres also the deciding match for the third place. Then after all of that is the finals. [Ryouma]

Ryouma checked the movements of his king sticky slimes as he waited for match time. When the official called him, he left the waiting room, and went toward the stage.

<

.

The host hyped up the crowd.

<

>

Waa!!! [Crowd]

The crowd cheered as a man bulging with muscles like a bodybuilder walked up the arena, leading several ogres.

<

>>

Uoo!!! [Crowd]

Just like the cheers for Roodman, the stage shook at the sound of Ryoumas name. Ryouma walked up to the stage, leading five king sticky slimes, and a poison slime and medicine slime on each of his shoulder.

Up the stage, the two partic.i.p.ants quietly faced each other. They sent their magical beasts forward at almost the same time.

<

>

<

>

At the a.n.a.lysts words, most of the spectators looked at the ogres.

<

>

Moreover, the tower s.h.i.+eld the ogres have equipped are magic tools. They can defend against magic so long as theres magic power remaining in the embedded magic jewel. Its because of these s.h.i.+elds that Ryouma didnt bring any of his magic slimes. With these s.h.i.+elds around, any slime not suited for a melee would be nothing but a sitting duck.

<

>

<

>

>

After confirming that the two partic.i.p.ants were ready

<

>

At those words, the ogres that were lined up raised their s.h.i.+elds and advanced forward. The ogres only have a little s.p.a.ce in between them as room for their attacks. They skillfully kept their distance to cover each other, not even a single one of them going out of line.

Facing them, Ryoumas king sticky slimes were lined up like the character V.

<

>

The ogres moved slowly, but steadily. They gradually closed in on the slimes. There were no fierce movements; the arena was quiet as the audience watched over the two sides. And then the ogre pa.s.sed the center of the arena; the two sides now a step away from each others range.

(Now!)

The moment an ogre took that step, Ryouma ordered his slimes to surround the ogres. Just as the ogre was about to attack the slimes, the slimes suddenly moved. The ogre chased after them with its eyes, but

<

>

There is a gap between the mobility of the ogres and the slimes. Because of that, Ryouma is having his slimes fight by luring the opponent and attacking the moment the opponent is about to attack. It was a battle plan that had a king sticky slime attack an ogre showing its flank or an ogre covering for one of its own.

When the weapons were drawn, the arena underwent a heaven-revolving change, the spectators cheers resounded throughout the arena.

<

>

At the left edge ogres line, the ogre struck with its hammer against the slime, but the slime twisted its body clockwise, dodging the hammer strike by a hairs breadth, causing the ogres hammer to land on its own defenseless knees. Although the ogre grimaced, it didnt break posture.

The slime made the ogre aim for its knees because it was defenseless, but as expected, just once isnt enough to deal a winning blow. Theres no other way but to fight an upfront battle. Fortunately, the slimes have the upper hand in skill, so theyre able to fight one on one against the ogres!

This time an ogre swung the great sword it had in its right hand. It tried to send a slime flying, but at that instant, the slime raised its stick up and dodged the sword. Its body turned into a shape similar to that of a horses hooves as it stretched out a tentacle from its left side and grabbed the sword. Then without letting go, it swung its stick down against the ogre.

The ogre pulled its body, trying to dodge the attack, but the king sticky slime spit sticky slime on it, so it had no choice but to bring its s.h.i.+eld up.

<

>

<

>

As the a.n.a.lyst started to digress, the match continued.

(Its been equal so far, now what Mn?)

Suddenly, the ogres movements changed. The ogres that have been maintaining their distance until now, gradually spread. Its slight, but the gap from in front has widened. Theyre slowly splitting up.

(It doesnt seem like theyre doing it unconsciously so they must have a plan of some sort. It might be best if I a.s.sume theyre trying to lure us in.)

During training, Ryouma would instruct his slimes on what formation to use and the timing to go with it, but after that, he would just let them train by themselves. Because of this, theyve grown such that Ryouma doesnt have to order them on every single detail. Because of that Ryouma was able to keep a watchful eye on the enemy, allowing him to immediately notice the slight change in their movements.

Ryouma focused his mind, and informed the slimes that the opening the ogres were showing was dangerous. Although he couldnt predict what they were planning, with this, the slimes could at least exercise caution.

But a few seconds later. At the center of the five slimes, the king sticky slime that was fighting closest to that gap was forced to dodge toward that dangerous spot.

At that instant, the ogre to the left of the slime bashed its tower s.h.i.+eld against its nucleus. At the same time, the ogre to the right also bashed its s.h.i.+eld against the slime. The two ogres are trying to crush the slimes nucleus!

(Dodge it!!)

As soon as Ryouma ordered that, the body of the slime scattered. The sound of water scattering and the sound of two metal s.h.i.+elds clanging, shortly followed by a staff falling to the ground, resounded.