***
Necroline stood next to the imperial throne. Tatsumi was on the jury. He made the final decision.
The battlefield was quite spacious and round. It was about three hundred meters in diameter. On the site itself there was nothing but a dirt cover. The site was surrounded by a high wall with spectator stands at a height of ten meters from the ground. There were many spectators.
The point of the Strongest Ninja competition was that everyone is paired up and they fight to the death or until one side admits defeat. All known jutsu (combat magic techniques) can be used. Everyone fights for a new title and a new access to knowledge, as well as to be taken by the best teachers in the world.
At this point, all the ninja were standing and warming up. Among them were Caroline, Takasaki, and Kir. Necroline thought she was imagining things, but her eyes didnt deceive her.
It was cloudy weather. It was raining lightly. I wanted to spit on everything and go home to a cozy warm hearth. Around the rain and cold, evoking melancholy and frightening hopelessness. Terrible silence. This silence is unusual. Its like unrelenting noise. This silence is also well audible. All this evoked thoughts about eternity.
The first fight between Takasaki and Shirano from the Bayayanaya clan was announced. Takasaki demonstrated excellent mastery of the Jutsu-Non-Contact Fighting technique. He immobilized the enemy with one glance, for which he was immediately recognized as the winner. Caroline was less fortunate. She was put against the Shinigami. There were seven enemies. The problem is that they bet as much as came from this clan. Of the Haya clan, Caroline was the only one. The girl actively fought back with a spear, but did not attack, which was already bad.
Necroline looked at her friend with mixed feelings.
The winner will meet Takasaki, and there will be one more fight with Kir, Tatsumi said, knowing full well WHAT would follow.
Necroline didnt seem to react at all. She saw that Caroline was already barely on her feet and she was about to be simply killed.
One of the Shinigami clan with all her strength kicked the girl in the chest, and the second one already swung his saber, about to cut off Carolines head.
KER!!! Meline screamed heart-rendingly from the podium, knowing full well that this was the end and Caroline would die now.
But everything went wrong. Caroline had time to notice only a shadow covering her and a stifled scream. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Necroline covered her with herself, and the guy who was brandishing a saber was lying with his throat open.
There are seven men for one weak girl, Necroline twisted her lips contemptuously. Then you better fight me. The right to change!
Necroline first raised her hand, announcing that she was replacing Caroline, and then showed her Shinigamis fist. This gesture meant one thing I challenge you!. Everyone in the stands gasped.
Necrolines violet eyes lit up with an uncontrollable fire of anger and hatred. The speed and force with which she smashed the Shinigami clans ninja finally convinced Zander that Necroline was not quite human, or an unusual person. In the most extreme case, she is a girl with outstanding magical abilities. Although it is possible that such power is given to her by an amulet in the form of an ajar book hanging on a silver chain around her neck.
After scattering all the enemies, Necroline waited for Takasaki to enter the arena.
Tatsumi rose from his seat. He wondered how this fight would start and end.
I dont want to fight with you, the guy said softly, but clearly.
Necroline didnt answer. A dark blue ball of magic formed in her hand. Takasaki sighed heavily and applied his already familiar technique Jutsu-Proximity Fight. Necrolines entire body was paralyzed. She couldnt move, so she just closed her eyes, concentrating on who knows what. Takasaki saw blood pouring through Necrolines body, and the girl herself, overcoming paralysis, began to move forward. In the next moment, Necroline made a dash and pointed her katana at Takasakis throat. Everyone froze. The audience watched with mute admiration.
Necroline lowered her sword and raised her hand, clenching her palm into a fist.
What??? Zander exclaimed in disbelief. She voluntarily declares herself a loser???!!!
Takasaki looked into calm violet eyes and quietly asked:
Why?
Because if you fought at full strength, I would most likely die, the girl answered also quietly and went to her place in the stands.
However, Emperor Tatsumi counted the fight as a draw. He knew perfectly well that if Necroline had fought at full strength, she would have killed Takasaki. Although on the other hand, if the guy wanted to kill her, he would have done it. So it is still unknown how the battle would have ended.
After that, the battles of different clans went on for a long time, but Necroline was the least worried about this.
She suddenly became acutely aware of loneliness. White drops of water fell from the sky. Necroline turned her face to them, tilting her head back. The rain seemed to the girl someones sadness. Someone was crying. But soon she herself will be made to cry, but Necroline will try her best. Otherwise, why did she come here. Clean as drops of morning dew, raindrops ran down her face.
I do not regret anything. Its too late for me to regret anything and nothing! I just wanted to live. Whats bad about it? Necroline shook her head. Beside those standing were sprayed with white hair. The rain bounced off her clothes and off her skin. Rain can wash away everything and even emotions. All the blood has already been washed away, and with it some of the positive and negative emotions. Only neutral thoughts remained, about which nothing good and nothing bad could be said. These are thoughts of loneliness.
Necroline tilted her head back.
I am just a being who will soon disappear. No one will remember me and I will die. Everyone dies only when they are completely forgotten. I dont want to die. Im afraid of Death, but if I have to Ill accept Death with dignity! I will no longer beg for my life, I will fight to the last. But I wont go back there. I dont want! I hate that place! Soon, I feel like Ill lose my friends. They will ask for the truth and, having received it, they will leave me. They will leave me just like my sister. I feel it is close. Soon we will meet with her and then I dont want to think about it, because ideally there will be two corpses, and otherwise only one mine. I dont want to die, but
Necroline closed her eyes. No one will ever understand her, because no one has experienced this. She wanted to cry, but thats the way Adas creatures are. They dont know how to cry.
Zander and Takasaki openly looked at Necroline. They were talking softly.
Shes not really human. Look, waves of magic are coming from her now. From the person such does not happen, the elf has whispered.
If so, then I feel really sorry for her. We need to talk, find out everything. Maybe we can do something to help her? Takasaki looked down and added, Shes a good person. She does not wish harm to anyone.
Are you in love? Zanders face fell.
No, what are you. Shes not my type. She is not kawaii. The girl of my dreams is not a ninja, but an ordinary housekeeper. A little shy and completely feminine. What about Necroline? Takasaki tried to nod in the direction of the girl as indifferently as possible.