ROSES HAVE THORNS
Chapter 190 - The Results
["AND THAT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, OFFICIALLY BRINGS A THUNDEROUS END TO THE FIRST PHASE OF OUR GRAND TOURNAMENT!"] Commentator Ken’s voice boomed, matching the wild, echoing cheers of the Eldorian fans.
["Day one has given us blood, sweat, tears, and magic that shook the skies above! But now, it is time for the moment of truth. It is time to look at the leaderboard and announce the final points each team has accumulated today!"
The holographic projection screens high above the stone pit flickered and shifted from Amber’s smiling face to a giant, metallic-textured scoreboard.
["But first, a crucial reminder, as explained by the beautiful Diana Valentine, of the stakes for everyone inside this grand coliseum and those watching across the continent!
["Only two teams will survive today’s crucible to advance to the elimination gauntlet tomorrow. As a refresher on our scoring system: a clean victory in a fatal four-way nets your faction 2 points. Being the last person eliminated by the winner – placing second – nets you 1 point. Placing third or fourth gets you 0 points. The margins are razor-thin, folks!
["The crowd is buzzing and the tensions are rising, so I am passing the mic to our lovely royal host to break down the final standings. Princess Faye, give us the damage!"]
Faye stood up and gripped her microphone with both hands, ["You heard people! Let’s see who stands tall and who falls into the abyss! Everyone, look to the sky!"]
The scoreboard pulsed as a golden light illuminated the first continent’s name.
["Representing our proud host nation, with a spectacular showing of 3 clean victories and placing second four times... TEAM ELDORIA sits at the top of the world with a grand total of 10 points!"]
"""YEEEAAAHHHH!!!"""
""LET’S GO ELDORIA!!""
The southern stands went absolutely ballistic. Thousands of home fans across the stands erupted into a synchronised roar, stomping their feet, waving banners, and popping of confetti into the air.
Down on the Future Academy bench, Amber was happily high fiving a laughing Lily Mathers and the Windgard twins, while even the usually stoic Victor let out a deep sigh of relief.
["But don’t celebrate just yet, because the battle for the second slot might still be a bloodbath!"] Faye’s voice rose over the din, the scoreboard shifting to the next nation.
["Next up are the eastern powerhouses! With a total of 2 clean wins and placing second thrice... TEAM MYRIA finishes the day with a grand total of 7 points!"
The Myrian in the eastern stands let out a proud cheer, clapping in unison. Yamada Ryuuji crossed his arms with a smug grin. Even though they came 3 points behind Eldoria, he was confident that their seven points would easily carry them to the next day.
["Hold your breath, Myria, because the tech-wizards are breathing right down your necks!"] Faye shouted as the third slot illuminated in neon blue.
["Representing the mechanical heights of innovation! Just like Myria, with a total 2 clean wins and managing to secure second place 3 times through pure defensive grit... TEAM TRICEA also sits at a grand total of 7 points! It is a dead tie for second place!"]
A collective gasp rippled through the coliseum and the murmurs of the crowd grew worrisome.
["And finally,"] Faye’s voice carried a breathless drop in tempo as all eyes locked onto the final, unrevealed section of the board.
["The wild card of the western frontier. Crossroads Academy of Riverton. Now, everyone, understand the stakes: since Myria and Tricea are currently drawing at 7 points, if Riverton has achieved 8 points or higher, both Myria and Tricea are instantly eliminated!
["However, if they have less, they are out, and our drawing teams will duke it out. So, let us see! Riverton, with a total of 3 spectacular wins and placing second exactly once... they have accumulated... 7 POINTS AS WELL!"
The giant holographic screen flashed in bright, warning-crimson letters across the entire sky:
ELDORIA – 10 PTS (QUALIFIED)
MYRIA – 7 PTS (TIE)
TRICEA – 7 PTS (TIE)
RIVERTON – 7 PTS (TIE)
The stadium completely froze for a single, breathless second before the southern Eldorian stands erupted in celebration. The others though? The other couldn’t believe the predicament they found themselves in.
["LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS IS JUST MADNESS!" Commentator Ken screamed, pulling at his hair in sheer excitement.
["A triple tie-way! Three nations – Myria, Riverton, and Tricea – are locked in a deadly, three-way draw at seven points apiece! By the strict rules of the Grant Tournament, we cannot end Day One like this!
["Each of the tying factions must immediately choose one representative to step into the stone pit for a sudden-death, winner-takes-all clash! The victor carries their entire continent to Day Two!"]
["Teams, choose your ultimate fighters!"] Faye roared.
Over at the eastern bench, the deliberation lasted for exactly zero seconds.
Ayako gently uncrossed her arms, adjusted her captain’s cap and without saying a single word to her teammates, she took a single step forward toward the arena. Naturally, it was a given. She was the undisputed pillar of Myria’s representatives, and she would personally secure their survival.
Over at the northern Tricean bench, the atmosphere was utterly miserable.
Almost all of their capable representatives were either heavily bandaged, badly bruised, or entirely incapacitated from their previous bouts.
Their captain, Ryan Sindelle, let out an exhausted sigh. He adjusted his wire-rimmed spectacles and glanced down at his glowing, tech-gauntlet.
"Man... I guess I’ll have to pull up my socks and just go out there myself," he said with a pessimistic frown on his face.
"... I can already see the exact, painful result of this match. I’m going to be the bad guy again, but in a different way..." He muttered to himself before stepping out onto the arena floor.
Meanwhile, the western Riverton benches were in a state of chaos. The Crossroads representatives were huddled in a tight circle, arguing loudly.
"We have to send Jason! Did you see his last match? He’s calm, he’s calculated, he can and will beat that Izumi chick!"
"No way, what about Captain Nichole?!"
"Why is this even a damn question?!" Nichole yelled, violently stomping her foot against the stone floor. "Of course I’m the one going out there! I’m the captain of this team!"
The other representatives winced, rubbing the backs of their necks nervously. "Captain... please, look at it logically. You’re... you’re way too reckless. Going off your last match... what if you get so hot-headed you accidentally eliminate yourself? The stakes are too high, no?!"
Nichole’s face turned bright red from anger, her fists clenching as she prepared to shout at them.
"That’s enough everyone. Step down," Jason’s steady voice cut through the argument.
He stepped into the center of the huddle and locked eyes directly with Nichole’s furious gaze. The others tried to protest, but Jason raised a hand, silencing them instantly.
"She is our captain. Whatever the captain says, goes. It’s as simple as that. Besides, let’s stop pretending for a second – Nichole is, without a doubt, the strongest combatant out of all of us. I wouldn’t last a second against Izumi Ayako. I trust Nichole. And I trust that she knows exactly what she’s doing out there."
Nichole’s anger instantly evaporated, and a wide, deeply touched, and incredibly cheerful grin split her face.
She stepped forward and slammed a heavy hand onto Jason’s shoulder. "Ha! See?! He gets it! That’s why you’re my right-hand man, Jase!"
The other Riverton representatives looked at the ground as a wave of collective guilt washed over them. They looked back up at their captain, their expressions shifting into fierce determination.
"""We’re sorry we doubted you, Captain!!!"""
"Go out there and win!"
"For Riverton!"
"Hahaha! You’re damn right I will!" Nichole cheered.
Feeling immensely pumped up, she reached back and grabbed the hilt of her giant broadblade. She ripped the massive slab of iron from her back, resting it casually over her shoulder as she marched with confident strides out into the bright sunlight of the stone pit.
Three anchors. Three captains. One single slot for survival.
["THE STAGE IS SET FOR THE REAL FINAL MATCH OF THE DAY!"] Commentator Ken’s voice reached a fever pitch, the crowd completely electric. ["Factions, get ready!"]
""FIVE!!"" Both announcers cheered in unison.
"""FOUR!!"" the entire seventy-thousand-seat stadium roared.
"""THREE!""" Nichole dropped into a low, aggressive stance, with her giant broadblade beginning to hum with a translucent blue layer of pure mana.
"""TWO!""" Ryan’s black mechanical suit whirred to life, his plasma blades crackling with high-output electrical energy.
"""ONE!""" Ayako stood perfectly patient as her eyes locked on her opponents.
[""FIGHT!""]
BOOOM!!
Nichole transformed into a literal rocket of crimson and blue force. The stone beneath her boots shattered into dust as she shot across the arena floor, completely ignoring the Tricean captain. Her fiery amber eyes were locked solely on the top dog in the pit.
"TAKE THIS, YOU SMUG SONOVABITCH! HAAAAAH!" Nichole swung her massive broadblade downward in a visceral vertical cleave designed to split a mountain.
Ayako’s eyes narrowed slightly. For the first time in the entire tournament, her hands glided smoothly to the hilt of her katana. A flash of blinding silver light illuminated the dirt before–
CLANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!