Black Online

Chapter 215: Semifinals!

The tournament hall was slowly getting filled with spectators.

The Professional League was still underway, and it would take a couple more days to wrap up, so most of the spectators just stayed on the first floor.

It was because the Amateur League was ending today, and the new winner would be crowned as champion.

Seats got filled. The atmosphere was tense and exciting. It was loud, like in a concert.

"...Who do you think will?"

"...Hmm, I don’t know. Remu is the most senior player left in the tournament, and I think he has a really strong chance to win it all."

Couple players whispered among themselves, and then, their sight to the tables was blocked as a group of players walked past them.

They took seats right in front of them, and a couple of them were quite tall, so it was hard for them to see.

"Hey, can y—"

One of them was about to speak, but then his friend stopped him with a grave look on his face, as if he didn’t want him to.

"Don’t... Look at the back of their jackets."

The friend said.

The player looked at the back of the leather jacket. It was just couple words etched on the back.

[Bastard Men]

"Gasp~"

The player let out a gasp, and he quickly covered his mouth and tried to keep his breathing low so he wouldn’t disturb those in front.

It was a bad idea to piss off any member of the Bastard Men, as they were infamous for their short tempers and violent tendencies!

"Why the hell did we even come here to watch this shit? I can’t think of anything more boring than General’s Game."

Disco asked angrily.

He had a funny-looking afro and skin that was the color of caramel. While he didn’t look all that menacing, he had nasty-looking scars crisscrossing his face and arms.

Self-inflicted.

"I agree. This is lame."

Ilya said, who had a chiseled face like a Greek statue and body that seemed to be carved from stone by the greatest sculptor in the world.

"Ilya, you are just pissed that we dragged you out of that bed of yours. Those local whores that you had some fun with aren’t going anywhere."

Kennedy said calmly.

"Is my statement still wrong? None of us care about this shitty little game. Can we just go party? It’s Sun Festival, for god’s sake, and it only happens once in a year!"

Ilya shouted.

"We leave once our captain leaves."

Kennedy said with a cold smile.

"..."

Ilya looked past at Kennedy and straight at Fang Raikou, who was the reason they came here in the first place.

He wanted to come watch because two of his siblings were still competing in the tournament.

"I didn’t think that you cared about your siblings that much, Raikou-chan~"

In that moment, Bonnie said with a smile. He was wearing... interesting-looking clothes that resembled those of a fashion model.

As a scarf, he had a flamingo-pink scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. Over his torso, he had some sort of furry vest. And as pants, he wore tight leather pants that accentuated his long legs.

"I am on hate-watching duty. I hope the shitty little brother of mine gets crushed and embarrassed. I don’t care how Anna does, but she better not lose, as she carries the pride of Fang Family."

Raikou said coldly.

"And Raon doesn’t?"

Disco asked.

"It’s not widespread knowledge that he is part of our family, and it better stay that way. I would be dying of shame if people associated me with that useless shit."

Raikou said angrily.

"Your sister is cute, though. Mind if I try my shot with her?"

Ilya asked.

"...She is not for someone like you, Ilya. You are commoner trash. But sure, go ahead and try, I would be surprised if she lets you keep that head of yours."

Raikou said with a cold chuckle.

"It was just a joke!"

Ilya threw his arms up in the air.

It hurt his feelings to be called "commoner trash," but it was also true, as he came from an ordinary family.

Unlike Fang Raikou.

Kennedy, Disco, and Bonnie were all from wealthy families as well. Not at the level of Fang Family, but still.

Ilya was not like them, but only because of his sheer persistence he was able to get to where he currently was.

He’d earned a small fortune playing Black Online and helped his family to move out of that slum area and into a better neighborhood.

Ilya was also well-aware of his good looks. It could help him get married to some rich young lady.

Since he was close to Raikou, he thought that maybe it would be possible to marry his sister, assuming she would be interested in him.

But he had yet to meet a woman who would not be interested in him!

However.

Anna was batshit crazy, and Ilya was terrified of her. He acted like he wasn’t. But he was.

...

"There are a lot of people in here!"

Della exclaimed as she found seats for herself, her grandfather, and her mother to watch the remaining matches.

They were in the back row, but it still gave them a good view down to the tables, and they could see everything just fine over there.

"It will be way different to have a match in front of so many spectators. The pressure will be very different."

Rock said.

"Do you think he can handle it?"

Della asked.

"I don’t know. This is one thing that I couldn’t prepare Raon for. The pressure of being watched by thousands of eyes. Only time will tell."

Rock said with a sigh.

It also worried Della, as there had been many tournaments where winning candidates lost because of overwhelming pressure.

It was also hard to think while hundreds of people around them would speak, which could interrupt their train of thought.

Which in return could make it so that they wouldn’t be able to control their soldiers, so it was a whole other beast.

"Remu is also an experienced Chi-Go player and has participated in hundreds of tournaments, and those tournaments had more spectators."

Rock said.

It seemed like the odds were stacked in Remu’s favor, and the betting men were also in Remu’s favor.

...

It was time. The clock struck ten.

With high heels, Lady Diana walked down a narrow path between the spectator chairs and garnered everyone’s attention.

"Welcome everyone!"

She said, and she walked over to the tables and spread her arms wide as she welcomed the crowd.

"My name is Diana. I am the lady of this village and the organizer of the tournament. It’s the third day and the final day of the Amateur League.

"It all started with 256 participants, and only four of them are remaining."

Lady Diana said.

She then tapped her cheek, which acted as a signal, and four doors opened from the four corners of the hall.

From those doors, the four remaining participants walked over and stood right beside their tables.

"The first semifinal match will be between Fang Raon and Remu Nicholas!"

"This is Fang Raon’s first tournament appearance, and he has been personally taught by Rock Rose, who also reached the quarterfinals.

"And his opponent will be Remu Nicholas, a veteran with capital V. This is not his first tournament, not even close, and definitely won’t be his last.

"In total, from all his tournaments in Black Online, he had earned a total of 5,424,050 square coins. And he has already ensured that he will also win some of the prize pool here!"

Lady Diana said.

’Over five million? That is insanity. That’s over 50,000 dollars, and then with his Chi-Go earnings, he sure has made a lot...’

Fang Raon thought with an impressed look.

"You may be seated!"

Lady Diana said.

Remu and Fang Raon sat across from each other, but they wouldn’t start the match yet, as the other semifinal pair also needed to be announced.

"And in the other semifinal, we have another newcomer, Fang Anna, and she will be going against Tristan Larry!"

With a smile on her face, Anna waved her hand at the crowd, and her pretty looks gained some instant fans.

However.

There were also players who had heard about her and had heard about how looks could be deceiving—especially in her gaze.

"...Fang Raon... Fang Anna... Are they related?"

"...I know Anna is part of that monstrously powerful Fang Family and her brothers are Raizen and Raikou, but I’ve never heard of Raon.

"...She sure is pretty, but do you think that the rumors about her are true?"

"...What rumors?"

"...You know, she is called Destroyer for a reason, and she is apparently the most merciless person you’ll ever come across."

The people whispered among themselves.

"B-But she looks harmless."

"That’s what everybody has said about her, but then they get a sword shoved down their throats and their insides ripped out."

With a short introduction, Anna and her opponent, Tristan, sat down across from each other.

Tristan nudged his glasses, but then he gazed straight through his lenses at the beautiful-looking young woman.

His eyes look as sharp as those of a hawk.

’Ah... He knows Read.’

Anna thought with a smile on her lips.

It just made things very interesting indeed.