The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'
Chapter 205 - Seeking A First Victory Through Love, Blood, & Grit

Chapter 205: Chapter 205 - Seeking A First Victory Through Love, Blood, & Grit

Even from this distance, the illusionist could appreciate how the tall girl’s training showed in each precise grip and the way she minded her feet. She even kept the center of her weight distribution in near perfect places.

All the while, the swordswoman’s tendrils of spirit crawled ahead and around to scout for dangers.

"Qatrand moves like he has done this a hundred times."

Fusand’s observation drew a ’smug’ smile from Elua. She turned her face and showed it in its full ’haughty’ state. He kept his features stable, but for some reason... the sandy haired teen just really felt like that look provoked violence!

"More than a hundred. Just not on quite such a tall tower. Do you think a family like theirs would not want their best to show off how they excel at a place like this?"

The Yecine clearly would not skimp on any skill related to looking good for this crowd! A burst of commotion drew their attention as water ’suddenly’ gushed from concealed ports. The traps had been activated.

"Watch out on my left!"

Qatrand’s sudden warning carried clearly. Several climbers scrambled to avoid being hit or to hold tight as they were - but one lost their grip in the chaos. The cry saved another random competitor from the same fate, though someone else behind them wasn’t so fortunate.

Luckily, the event staff was just as efficient in fishing out the fallen as ever... and all of the ones who fell could swim. Though one exceptionally skinny cultivator looked like a half-drowned cat when sat on the moatside purely from the quick soak.

"Look at that. See how ’he’ maintains awareness of the surroundings even while focusing on ’his’ own climb? Unfortunately... ’he’ did not notice the trap in time - but still instantly warned others in its path."

Even if her words were steady with lecture, Elua’s spirit still held genuine ’admiration’. Warning those competing with you? She would have never!

’Well, unless they would have a clear and tangible further use lined up afterward.’

Her disciples nodded, though they had both caught the soft look in her eyes that had nothing to do with teaching them. The look of affection that definitely did not key them in on her old and ’problematic’ decision process.

Navuill paused on a narrow ledge to catch his breath. The middle section of the tower with smoother handholds had thinned out the remaining climbers considerably. Only the most skilled or determined remained.

The sound of boots scuffing the stone ledge made him tense. Another competitor had reached his spot from a different route. Their stance suggested they had no intention of just continuing up. The man’s emotions sensed through his Astralism were ’aggressive’.

His fingers brushed the flint he kept strapped beside his heavy sword. One spark would be enough - he could guide that ember into something more threatening if needed. The gesture alone made the other climber hesitate.

"Back off or we’ll both regret what happens next."

The man’s eyes darted between Navuill’s hand on his flint and the long drop to the moat below. After a tense moment, he chose to just use the path up, mumbling something about "Yecine arrogance" as he climbed away. The swordsman scoffed at the jab.

"If I was so arrogant, I wouldn’t have hesitated."

His gaze drifted further upward to track Qatrand’s progress. His cousin had steadily pulled ahead of their regional group. Her movement made the difficult topology look deceptively simple and he started to question if they had actually been instructed the same.

’How is she making it look so...easy?’

As he turned back away, the adjacent towers caught his attention. Just like here, other regional race leaders had also broken away from their groups. While there was no actual prize beyond a bit of fame and the glory of the placement... it still made it an impromptu race between the three forerunners.

The sight sparked an uncomfortable realization about his own position. The elders probably wouldn’t be happy if he didn’t finish before too many others. Navuill began his ascent once more.

A noise eventually broke his concentration and he stilled. The wall section far above him shifted, revealing another port about to expel water.

"Take the right path! The left is about to flood!"

He immediately altered his intended route because of his cousin’s warning, watching as water burst forth exactly where he would have climbed had he not paused. The other competitor who had made things awkward earlier wasn’t so fortunate. Their startled cry was followed after a while by a distant splash.

’Well, now only one of us regrets it.’

Navuill resumed climbing, but his thoughts kept returning to Qatrand’s warning. Despite some of their family’s expectations that she only perform ’well enough’ and that he was to try and place higher than the current ’heir’... she had protected him without hesitation.

’Just as she had warned everyone else earlier? She probably wasn’t even sure I was down here.’

He could see his cousin approaching one of the horizontal traversal sections. High above, the handholds led to a single platform where the only obvious way to progress was to move completely around the outside of the tower... before climbing up on the other side.

’She really might win this.’

The thought from the young man carried more pride than bitterness.

---

A series of increasingly distant handholds and very thin foot ledges stretched around the tower’s face. Most competitors would need to take this last part carefully but with enough momentum for each gap. Meanwhile, the final ledge waited tantalizingly above.

Qatrand er Yecine took a moment to evaluate her honest options. Her arms burned warmly from the sustained climbing. While she had deliberately preserved her strength, the height was great and the speed had been necessary to maintain her lead.

The direct route might require several minutes of careful movements so that there were no mistakes. She glanced up and started calculating. Qat wouldn’t call it a ’scheme’ so much as a battle plan. With her height and reach, plus her recent training...

’If I reduce my weight just enough at the right moment...’

The swordswoman adjusted her sword once again, making sure it was secure as she gathered herself to do something some would call this reckless. It certainly wasn’t the approach the Yecine would favor for the event... even if it had an edge of ’power’ and ’offense’ to it. It was unproven.

However, she hadn’t spent months practicing controlled applications of her Element for nothing. Qat had done it for herself and for El. To become stronger. To win.

Her essence field rippled subtly as she manipulated and prepared the gravitational force affecting her body. It felt just sufficient to give her the edge she needed. The swordswoman launched up with a powerful push from her legs.

For a moment she hung suspended in the air with her fingertips stretching toward the last ledge. The distance seemed too far despite her estimation. Then her hands finally extended higher and found purchase on rough stone.

Her muscles strained as she pulled herself up as quick and sure as possible. After crawling across the edge on her stomach, she eventually stood up on solid footing. The bell was even more temptingly close.

’Sorry father, but I’m not here to place only respectably.’

After shaking out her arms, she began the last climb toward the peak. However, despite her shortcut, there were two distant competitors on other towers who had their own tricks and skills. The question was only which would reach their bell first.