The arena pulsed with anticipation. A small coliseum just outside the capital had been reserved for the "Linked Hearts Exhibition Duel," and word had gotten around fast. Spectators from rival guilds, curious adventurers, opportunistic merchants, and far too many fans waving suspiciously suggestive banners had gathered in the stands.
Banners like: "My System's Ready, Harem King~" and "Team Lava Queen!" …and someone had brought a life-sized plush duck labeled "Final Boss."
MC stood in the center of the ring, doing his best not to pass out from secondhand embarrassment. "Why are there so many people holding marriage proposals?"
Lina grinned beside him, twirling a flame-etched spear. "You're famous now, dummy. You've gotta get used to fans."
Ciel huffed, arms crossed, armor gleaming. "Idiots, all of them. This isn't a love story, it's a strategic demonstration."
Iris, calm as always, adjusted her hood while preparing scrolls. "Technically, it is both."
"Both?!" MC yelped. "No one said anything about 'romantic undertones' in the marketing materials!"
Kaela adjusted her gloves, cracked her knuckles, and said, "Marketing materials were handwritten by you and said, quote, 'Come see a totally professional, definitely normal guild do cool things and not be weird at all.'"
"...which was a lie," Luna added, already setting up magical barriers.
With the opening bell ringing, the announcer — a bard with too much flair and not enough volume control — shouted into the crystal amplifier. "WELCOME TO THE EXHIBITION DUEL! Linked Hearts versus Iron Fang Alliance! Let the sparks, and possibly feelings, fly!"
Ciel groaned. "They're already making it weird."
"Too late," MC muttered, watching the Iron Fang team stretch and flex. They looked competent. Strong. Normal.
Then came the first match: 3v3, light combat rules, no fatalities, no fusions (after The Duck Incident, this had to be specified). MC sat out the round, but cheered from the sidelines, mostly just trying to look normal and not like someone who could sneeze tornadoes.
Lina opened the match with a flourish of flames, weaving a blazing dance across the arena. The crowd roared. Her opponent — a dual-blade rogue — dodged skillfully but was clearly outmatched in raw flash.
"Go, Lava Queen!" someone shouted. "Set his pants on fire!"
"You got this, Hotstuff!" shouted another.
Ciel, waiting to tag in, scowled. "Who even calls her 'Hotstuff'?"
MC blinked. "Uh... probably me. Once. Maybe twice."
Her glare could have shattered shields. "You—!"
Suddenly, a rogue darted toward their side, blades flashing, aiming for a tag.
Ciel stepped in, blocked, and counterattacked with clean, precise strikes. No fire. No drama. Just lethal grace.
The rogue skidded back. "Woah. Okay. You're scary."
The crowd switched tones fast.
"Knight Queen!"
"Discipline Mommy!"
Ciel turned red. "I WILL END YOU ALL."
But just as she knocked the rogue aside, Lina's flame spear flashed past, barely grazing Ciel's shoulder. Not hard. But enough to earn a long, tense pause.
"Oh no," MC whispered. "Not here. Not now."
"You did that on purpose," Ciel said, turning slowly.
Lina smirked. "Wasn't my fault you cut in early."
"That was MY opponent."
"You seemed slow, so I helped."
MC bolted upright. "Girls, now is not the—"
Ciel dropped her sword and cracked her knuckles. "You want to finish this here?"
Lina's spear spun into a ready position. "Thought you'd never ask."
And suddenly, the duel turned into a duel within a duel. Their teammates just backed off, nodding to each other as if this were inevitable.
The crowd caught on fast. "Fight for his love!" someone screamed.
"You kissed him first!" another shouted.
"I KISSED HIM FIRST!" Ciel shouted.
"Technically it was me," Lina shot back. "Healing mouth-to-mouth after the mimic incident!"
"That's not a kiss!"
"It counts! Ask the System!"
Both charged.
Steel clashed against flame, sparks flying, neither holding back. The announcer lost control of the match. The Iron Fang guild wisely vacated the field.
MC sat with his face in his hands. "This is so off-script…"
Kaela munched on a snack beside him. "This is better than a soap opera."
The duel intensified — not just in power, but in emotional subtext. For every strike, there was a snarky comment. For every dodge, an old grudge reignited.
"Stop hogging him like he's some trophy!"
"I wouldn't have to if someone didn't act like a knight with a crush!"
"I DO NOT HAVE A CRUSH!"
"You literally confessed during the FirstBus boss fight!"
"That was a heatstroke-induced hallucination!"
"You gave him your sword!"
"I WAS DYING!"
They clashed again — flame against fury — until Luna finally erected a barrier between them, cutting off the match.
"That's enough," she said firmly, "unless you want to trigger another fusion mishap."
Both froze.
Slowly, awkwardly, the girls backed away from each other, cheeks flushed, weapons lowered.
The crowd erupted into cheers. Confetti flew. Someone threw a bra.
Later, backstage, MC sat on a bench, wiping sweat from his brow.
"I'm gonna need hazard pay."
Lina and Ciel stood at opposite ends of the room, arms crossed, both refusing to look at each other.
Kaela poked her head in. "Good news — we're trending again."
MC groaned. "Please tell me it's for our fighting skill."
"Mostly the kiss argument. But also... you might have a fan club now."
Ciel twitched. "I hate everything."
MC looked up with a tired smile. "Hey... you were both amazing."
Both girls stiffened, then muttered at the same time.
"T-thanks, idiot."
And the war — err, exhibition — would resume another day.
END OF CHAPTER 84