Roy admitted he'd held back in earlier fights.
"Now I can cut loose!" Tiona said, her sunny grin giving way to a wild, excited glint.
Roy's strength didn't deter her—it ignited her Amazonian battle lust.
Amazons, a warrior race of women, carried fierce, warlike blood.
Despite human-like appearances, their biology ensured only daughters, requiring them to seek strong mates from other races to pass on superior traits.
Roy's prowess and talent stoked Tiona's primal instincts—a genetic drive to claim a worthy partner.
In Amazon tradition, that meant knocking him out and dragging him off.
Her grin manic, Tiona switched from one-handed to two-handed grip on her claymore.
The massive blade, thrived on heavy, unblockable strikes, not finesse.
Dual-wielding amplified its devastating power, blending strength with surprising agility.
"Keep holding back, and you'll lose!" Tiona roared, swinging the weapon down like a sledgehammer.
The sheer weight, more than the edge, threatened to crush Roy.
Roy raised his sword, parrying the blow. "Strong," he noted, feeling Tiona's power surpass Ais's.
As a level 5 veteran, Tiona's strength rivaled a high-class devil's.
"Let's see who's stronger" Tiona said, her frenzied smile growing.
Matching Roy's block without strain thrilled her.
Her physical strength nearly equaled Roy's, a rare feat.
Tiona, older in experience than Ais, had honed her basic abilities to near-level-6 thresholds, awaiting rank up.
Her berserker-like style—fearless of injury, even inviting trades—made her trickier than Ais, despite similar speed.
Still, Roy saw no issue defeating her.
"Roy, you're reckless! Why fight head-on like before?" Tiona complained after a flurry of clashes, her excitement fading to frustration.
Roy had shifted from direct blocks to deflecting her strikes.
"This sword can't take it," Roy said, glancing at the notched blade, scarred from Tiona's onslaught.
Arena-standard weapons were shoddy, ill-suited for first class duels.
Tiona's claymore held a clear edge in prolonged clashes.
"Then ditch the weapons! Let's brawl!" Tiona urged.
"Skill's part of strength," Roy replied, unmoved. His fists couldn't match his sword mastery.
"Your skills are too unfair! I can't touch you!" Tiona groaned, her face helpless. "You had chances to hit me—why hold back?"
As a battle-hardened warrior, Tiona sensed Roy's restraint, sparing her multiple openings.
"Minor cuts won't decide this," Roy said, shaking his head.
In a friendly duel, drawing blood too freely could turn the crowd against him.
"While I can't accept your feelings, I'm not about to scar a girl who just confessed," Roy added, smiling lightly.
"Ugh, why say that now?" Tiona's ferocity softened, her wild energy shifting to a flustered pout.
Dropping the claymore, she raised her hands. "Fine, I give up!"
The host blinked, startled.
"Miss Tiona, surrendering so soon? You're unhurt and full of fight."
"Keep going, and it's the same result," Tiona said, shaking her head.
"Roy's skills outclass mine, and his strength's no less. I've got no edge. My stamina's burning fast, while he's barely trying."
"He'll find an opening and end me."
Fair enough. The host nodded, declaring Roy's victory. Roy's display had already proven his legitimacy—no one could cry foul.
"Nooo!" Loki wailed, clutching her head. She'd banked on Tiona to crush Roy, recoup her bets, and rub it in Hestia's face.
"Tiona, you useless oaf!"
"Loki, I warned you—you're digging your own grave," Riveria said, smirking faintly.
"Hah, Loki, your child lost too!" Hestia crowed, reveling in her rival's misery.
"Riveria, you get in there! Beat that kid!" Loki pleaded, grabbing Riveria's arm like a lifeline.
"You serious?" Riveria said, yanking her hand free with a scowl.
"I'm a mage, not a brawler. You want me to sword-fight in the ring? I'd get carved up before I could chant."
Mages like Riveria needed time to unleash powerful spells, useless in the arena's tight quarters against a fighter like Roy.
"But my money…" Loki whimpered, heartbroken.
"Money!" Hestia's eyes gleamed.
Her all-in bet on Roy, now multiplied tenfold, was a fortune she'd never held since descending. She was dizzy with it.
"Hey, Roy!" Tiona called, darting close on the ring and wrapping him in a quick hug before letting go.
"I won't give up," she said with a cheery grin, hopping off the ring.
[Congratulations, Host, you earned 200,000 dimension points.]
"That woman!" Hestia snapped, her euphoria shattered by Tiona's bold move.
"Loki, control your child!"
"Control? You think I can rein in that menace?" Loki shot back, her own resentment toward Tiona flaring.
Her next month's allowance, bet on Tiona, was gone.
Read advance chapters at:
200 Stones = 1 chapter
400 Stones = 2 chapter