Chapter 575: The Grand First-Year Combat Festival: The Semifinal Matchups

The next day arrived as usual, peaceful on the surface, with the morning light spreading across the streets of Britannia while the Royal Academy slowly returned to its usual rhythm.

After the excitement of the previous day’s Combat Festival, the city surrounding the Academy had not truly become quiet.

There were still people discussing the matches.

Some were more interested in the possibility of Vera and Diane facing each other.

And there were those who had already begun discussing the two Ashenlockes who had made it into the semifinals.

For the Royal Academy, the break had only delayed the Combat Festival.

It had not stopped it.

In the academy residence of Ezra in the East Wing district...

Ezra was already moving around inside his home.

As usual, he had cleaned the house, trained, eaten his breakfast, freshened up, and checked on Lucy’s progress in her Meditation Advancement.

He had gone through all of those things without rushing.

His morning routine was something he could follow almost without thinking about it.

Once he had finished everything he needed to do, Ezra finally settled down.

He was seated on his favorite long couch, his back resting against it while his head leaned against the throw pillow at the end.

One leg was stretched forward while the other remained slightly bent.

In front of him, the Holographic television screen displayed the BNC Broadcasting Group’s Analysis Program.

The screen occupied a good portion of the room, and the pale light from it reflected faintly across the furniture and the floor.

Ezra watched without much expression.

The two broadcasters had already been discussing the remaining Young Alchemists for some time.

Their conversation was mostly focused on the semifinal matchups, although they had spent quite a while discussing Vera and Diane.

Ezra listened quietly.

***

"So, you’re telling me that because Lady Vera Ashenlocke lost when her and Lady Diane Bergwyn were still young children, that she will lose again to Lady Diane Bergwyn? I’m sorry, but you have lost me."

The first broadcaster said while shaking his head in disagreement with what his fellow broadcaster had said.

His hands moved slightly as he spoke, making his disbelief obvious even through the Holographic Screen.

"But why not?"

The second broadcaster asked, finding it strange that this had even become an argument.

"Lady Diane Bergwyn is already known for amazing feats, but I’m sorry to say as well, Lady Vera Ashenlocke hasn’t shown many feats to compete against Lady Diane Bergwyn."

"So, Lady Vera Ashenlocke didn’t just beat Sir Ravenor Burnwick with amazing skill, huh?"

"There you go again with Lady Vera Ashenlocke beating the Young Lord of Burnwick. Even the Young Lord of Burnwick wouldn’t be able to take on Lady Diane Bergwyn and be sure of a win."

The first broadcaster shook his head again.

The discussion continued between the two men, each one presenting his own view of the upcoming semifinal.

***

Ezra continued watching the program with his plain black eyes fixed on the Holographic Screen.

The more he listened to the two BNC broadcasters talk about Diane and Vera, the more curious he became about what had happened between them when they were younger.

It was not something he had ever paid much attention to before.

But...

"I have only seen Vera lose a few times, and that was against Veda, then when we sparred."

Ezra said to himself calmly, as slowly sat up straight.

His posture changed from someone relaxing on the couch to someone who had suddenly become more interested in the information being presented.

He reached down beside the couch and grabbed his space bag.

He placed the space bag on the floor.

Then he opened it.

At that moment, Ezra’s thoughts returned to Vera’s fight against Ravenor.

She hadn’t made use of Mass Alchemy to create new firearms during that battle.

Instead, she had relied on the firearms she had already created before the match.

That decision had made sense.

For someone like Ezra, who possessed a variety of firearms that most people in Britannia had never seen before, the same approach could give him another way to fight.

There were firearms he normally wouldn’t reveal during the Combat Festival.

Some were better suited for specific distances.

Others had greater destructive power.

Some had uses that would only become valuable against particular opponents.

Although, the Combat Festival had already forced him to reveal more than he normally would have liked.

There were still weapons that remained hidden.

Ezra reached into the space bag and pulled something out.

The long body of a Barrett M107 emerged from the bag.

He placed the weapon across his legs and looked over its worn body.

The marks on it were not severe, but Ezra could tell from the condition of several parts that it needed maintenance before being used again, especially if he wanted to utilize the circuit system functions integrated in the sniper.

"I did make use of it for a while now, but the power is definitely something I will need if I’m going to face any of the three."

Ezra turned the sniper rifle slightly.

His fingers moved across the body as he checked the condition of the weapon.

He examined the parts that required attention before lowering it.

The Barrett M107 wasn’t something he could simply pick up and use without preparation.

If he was going to depend on it against one of the remaining Young Alchemists, then he needed to make sure every part was working properly.

He carefully continued checking the sniper rifle’s body parts.

At the same time...

***

"Mr. Maxwell is definitely someone who the Young Alchemists should fear. His firepower in his Alchemy Path is out of this world."

The BNC broadcasters had moved their discussion toward Maxwell.

"And what Alchemist rank did you say he is in, again?"

"From what I myself analyzed, Mr. Maxwell could be in the Meister Alchemist rank."

"Isn’t that beyond the Alchemist rank of both Flowers and Mr. Ezra Ashenlocke?"

"Sadly, yes."

"Wow, I’m really wondering who Mr. Maxwell truly is."

"But speaking about Mr. Ezra Ashenlocke, any thoughts?"

The second broadcaster paused briefly before answering.

"Well, to be honest... he did beat Lady Willow Derlis, Lady Fatima Drakes, and Sir Desmond Derlis, who are considered top Young Alchemists for their age, but..."

He hesitated.

The expression on the broadcaster’s face became more thoughtful.

"Ahhh... With his inventions, which make it difficult to really predict his approach in a battle and how well he counters, I feel anyone facing him will have to be very careful, but I don’t think he will be able to defeat any of the other Young Alchemists."

"Not even Lady Vera Ashenlocke? You know they are both Gun Alchemists."

"No... he can’t beat Lady Vera Ashenlocke."

***

Ezra heard the words clearly.

Somehow, hearing them say this, when he already knew how difficult it would be to face the remaining Young Alchemists, annoyed him a little.

It wasn’t because the broadcasters were completely wrong.

That was the irritating part.

Ezra narrowed his plain eyes toward the Holographic television screen.

He had already begun piecing the Barrett M107 back together, carefully reviewing the parts that needed to go through maintenance.

A small metallic piece rested between his fingers, while he examined it before fitting it back into its proper position.

Click.

The broadcaster’s voice continued in the background.

Ezra paid attention to some of it, but his focus had shifted back toward his own preparations.

The fact that the BNC had already begun discussing the weaknesses of the remaining Young Alchemists only made him think more seriously about his own.

He knew that his inventions gave him options.

But options were not the same thing as victory.

If the opponent was stronger, then he had to find a way to make his weapons matter.

That was what he had always done.

He continued checking the Barrett.

Then the broadcasters’ discussion changed again.

***

"Now, finally, I think it’s time to drop the Matchups of the Tenth Round we have all been waiting for, before we welcome our guests to give us their views on the Matchups and who would win and why."

The first broadcaster said brightly.

"I’m really excited."

The second broadcaster added while looking back at the Holographic Screen behind them.

The BNC logo was displayed across it, along with the banner for the Analysis Program.

Then the display changed.

The logo disappeared.

Four separate images appeared.

Ezra.

Vera.

Diane.

And Maxwell.

Each image occupied its own section of the screen.

The four portraits began rotating in a circular motion.

The movement continued for several seconds.

The images shifted around one another, slowly rearranging themselves while the broadcasters waited.

Ezra’s fingers stopped moving for a moment.

His attention returned completely to the television.

He watched the four images rotate.

Then finally...

The display changed.

Two sections appeared.

Box 1: Ezra Ashenlocke vs Maxwell.

Box 2: Vera Ashenlocke vs Diane Bergwyn.

***

Ezra stared at the screen.

His eyes settled on the first box.

His own name.

His own image.

And opposite them...

Maxwell.

For a moment, he said nothing.

The room remained quiet apart from the voice of the broadcaster continuing from the Holographic television.

Ezra looked at the matchup again, then once more.

There was no confusion on his expression.

And since there was no need to wonder who he would be fighting anymore.

Ezra reached for the remote beside him.

He pressed the power button.

The Holographic Screen vanished.

The room immediately became quieter.

Ezra lowered the remote and returned his attention to the Barrett M107.

He finished placing the Barrett’s parts into a different bag before placing that bag inside his space bag.

His movements remained steady.

There was no sudden rush.

But the moment he knew his opponent, the purpose behind his preparation had changed.

He was no longer preparing for an unknown semifinal opponent.

He was preparing for Maxwell.

Ezra stood up.

He stretched his arms and shoulders after sitting for so long, allowing the tension in his body to loosen before turning toward the room.

He switched off the lights.

The residence became dim as the morning light from outside became the main source of illumination.

Ezra walked toward the door and left his home.

Outside, a Noble Steam Carriage was already waiting for him.

The vehicle’s polished body caught the morning sunlight, while a faint trace of steam escaped from the engine system.

Ezra approached it without wasting time.

Before entering, he looked up.

The sky above Britannia was bright blue, with only a few clouds drifting across the distance.

The morning air was cool enough to feel against his face.

Facing Maxwell, huh.

He thought to himself.

The name remained in his mind.

That means I have to prepare more.

Ezra entered the Noble Steam Carriage.

The door closed behind him.

The carriage soon began moving through the academy district, carrying him toward the private workshop building center in the First-Year Academy District.

He needed to service the Barrett.

And he also needed to make some other things.

The upcoming fight wouldn’t be something he could treat casually.

Not that he treated any fight casually in the first place.

Maxwell had finally displayed the power of Sun Alchemy in front of the entire Royal Academy.

And he had done all of that while still holding back some things Ezra was sure of, after reviewing Maxwell’s fight against Ravenor.

But it didn’t mean he also didn’t see through Maxwell’s strongest weakness too.

The Noble Steam Carriage continued through the streets.

Steam escaped from the engine in short bursts as the vehicle moved along the road.

Ezra remained seated inside, his eyes lowered slightly as he continued thinking.

Because now that he was going to face Maxwell...

He had to be ready against the power of the Sun.

Time passed as it always did.

The next break day went by with many things happening as well.

Ezra spent part of that time preparing, while the Royal Academy continued moving around him.

People rested.

Some discussed the matchups that had been revealed.

The spectators who had watched the previous day’s matches continued rewatching the battles through the BNC Analysis Program.

The two days of rest slowly disappeared.

Then the real big day arrived.

The Tenth Round of the Grand First-Year Combat Festival.

"Wooooaahhhh!!!!"

The arena was filled with loud cheers and applause.

The enormous crowd rose together in a standing ovation as the High-Ember Couple of Sailor performed on the main stage.

Their voices carried through the arena as they sang the Royal Academy Anthem and the Britannia Anthem.

Patrick had already welcomed the Dukes and the Queen of Britannia, and now the entertainment had taken over the arena before the matches began.

The couple continued performing.

Their music spread across the enormous structure, and the crowd followed along in places where they knew the songs.

Some spectators sang.

Others clapped along with the rhythm.

Several young nobles and non-nobles stood beside their seats while enjoying the performance, while others remained seated and watched the stage with bright expressions.

The cheers continued loudly as the entertainment went on.

The excitement of the Tenth Round had already begun before a single Young Alchemist stepped onto the Combat Festival platform.

The arena was full once again.

The Holographic Screens hovered above the seating sections.

The banners of the Royal Academy and Britannia were displayed around the arena.

Inside two waiting rooms...

The atmosphere was much quieter.

The noise from the arena could still be heard faintly through the walls.

Two remaining Flowers sat calmly inside their respective waiting area.

One was sleeping.

The other was lazily seated on her chair, already looking bored.