Zeke made his way to the changing room. His fists were clenched and his mouth set in a determined line. He had managed to get Maximilian's promise! All he needed to do now was follow through with his part of the deal.
He arrived at the changing room and put on his armor for the final time. He sat on one of the luxurious benches and reviewed his plan for the fight. Fighting Leo would not be easy, even under these favorable conditions.
Zeke would be unable to use any of his normal strategies now that he was stripped of his magic. Still, he could count on his passive spells to give him an advantage. He took out two gold coins from his pouch. He gently placed one on the knuckles of each hand. The round discs could be seen dancing across his fingers a moment later.
The coins started out rolling from knuckle to knuckle, but soon they were flying across his outstretched fingers as if controlled by magic. His [Perfect Body Control] gave him incredible dexterity, and Zeke had found that tasks such as this were the perfect way to warm up.
At first, he had struggled to do this exercise with both hands simultaneously. However, his improved mind allowed him to adapt quickly. For a long time, Zeke had overlooked what a huge advantage this was. It had not been readily apparent from the beginning, but he could master mental challenges with ease. The ability to control his hands independently from each other while executing complex movements had only taken him a week to master.
He snatched both coins out of the air and put them back in his pouch. Now that his mind and body were stimulated, it was time to start planning. His biggest advantages were his [Perfect Body Control] and his [Perfect Spatial Awareness]. The passive spells could not be turned off and Zeke intended to use them to their utmost in the coming fight.
Leo would not be able to use any ranged spells, so it was safe to assume that their entire battle would take place inside his sphere of awareness. Next was his [Perfect Body Control]. Zeke would use the spell in different ways. The obvious one was to refine his movement during combat. However, he had a couple more tricks up his sleeve. On the one hand, he would reduce the sensitivity of his pain receptors to around 50%. He couldn't risk flinching during this fight, not when the stakes were this high.
The other ace Zeke had prepared was a more complicated affair. He had learned that in stressful situations, the body actually secreted a hormone into the bloodstream that improved the body across the board. When he injected a large dose of the hormone, it would increase heart rate, blood pressure, and blood flow to the muscles and vital organs. Additionally, it opened up the air passages in the lungs, and improved mental alertness.
His current theory was that this was a natural way for the body to cope with stress and danger. He had named the hormone: "Power Juice", but after learning more about its exact functions, he was starting to rethink the name. This was only one of the different chemical reactions that Zeke had discovered over the past months. The human body was indeed a marvel, so many complex tasks and reactions were taking place without people noticing.
Zeke had long since learned how to use those natural chemicals. He had developed a routine that would put him in the ideal condition for fighting. While in combat state, his body would be constantly injected with different hormones that would improve his functions. The downside was that he would be utterly exhausted if he kept it up for too long. He only had minutes at best.
A smile spread across his face as Zeke imagined the shock on Leo's face. He was excited about the coming fight. After making his preparations, his confidence was at an all-time high. He didn't want to underestimate Leo, but his advantages were plentiful. He couldn't imagine that he would still lose to Leo under those circumstances.
The familiar knocking on the door alerted Zeke to the passage of time. The moment had arrived for the final to begin. He stepped out of his changing room and made his way to the gate. He was immediately allowed access by the excited staff member.
"Good luck!" the man said. "I've bet a lot of money on you, don't let me down, kid."
"I'll do my best," Zeke replied with a wry smile as he stepped past the man.
The moment Zeke stepped out into the open, he was met with the thundering applause of the crowd. It was dawning on him that his prophecy had actually come true. He had managed to reach the final and from the opposite side, Leo entered as well. The blonde boy was also met with thundering cheers.
The crowd seemed to be cheering for them both equally. They were probably just happy that a commoner-born Mage would win the tournament. Either of the two would do. They came to a halt 50 meters apart and stared each other down. Zeke could see an unwavering determination to win in Leo's eyes. His friend did not lose out to him one bit in that regard.
Zeke could not let that come to pass, however. Leo's future was on the line. He had to win this fight. There was no alternative. He would fight with everything he had. His musings were interrupted by Jorgels booming voice.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! You are going to witness history today! Not one, but two commoner-born Mages have made it to the final round of the tournament. Both of them have stepped over the descendants of the great families to get here. Nobody was able to stop these two! Truly a day to remember!
"Before I announce the start of the fight, there is something that you should all know. I have been informed that Leo has injured his core in the fight against Felix Feuerkranz and is therefore unable to use Magic for the time being."
A hush fell over the crowd. It was clear that they had not been made aware of Leo's condition. The disappointment could be seen on the faces of the people. Zeke smiled at the sour faces of the crowd. It looked like they had expected to eat cake, but had bitten on a lemon instead.
"Usually, this would make our final fight a farce, but not today!" Jorgel continued after a moment, "In a display of unmatched compassion, Ezekiel von Hohenheim has agreed to fight this final without using magic as well. Ladies and Gentlemen, truly a man of virtue! Please, a round of applause for the young man!"
The crowd broke out in a cacophony of cheers. The wall of noise was almost like an attack as Leo and Zeke were drowned in the excited exclamations of the crowd.
"Blood Dragon! Blood Dragon! Blood Dragon!"
The chant was soon picked up by every member of the audience. Zeke raised his staff above his head, causing the chant to break up into countless voices yelling different forms of encouragement.
"Alright, that's enough!" Jorgel interrupted. "There is one last thing that I need to verify before the match. Leo, you told me before the tournament that you have already decided on the family that you are going to join. Can you tell us what house that is going to be? It would make the final more interesting if we knew who was facing off against the von Hohenheim house."
The crowd calmed down immediately upon hearing this question. Leo was very popular with the common people. They were interested to see who he would choose. Leo's determination wavered slightly as he shot Zeke a helpless gaze.
"He is going to join the 'von Hohenheim' house," Zeke answered in Leo's stead. Jorgel was shocked by the claim. He looked between Zeke and Leo, trying to figure out if the boys were playing a trick on him.
"Truly?" he finally asked. Leo merely nodded. Zeke knew that his friend didn't particularly enjoy making a spectacle of himself in public. He, on the other hand, had gotten a taste for dramatic announcements. He would not let this chance slip away.
"Who else?" Zeke questioned in a loud voice. There was silence in the arena as people waited for him to explain his cryptic statement. Zeke let the tension build for a moment before repeating himself, "Who else was he going to join?"
There was another pause as Zeke looked around the arena. He acted as if he was waiting for somebody to reply. After hearing no answer from the crowd he nodded contently.
"That's right! Nobody!" Zeke proclaimed. "There is only one house that is fit for a talent like Leo: The von Hohenheim House. Today, we claim this tournament, but this is not going to be the last time you will hear from us. Mark my words, people, times are changing and we are on the rise!"
The crowd broke out into cheers again. Zeke smiled wryly. He was getting the impression that they would cheer at anything at this point. The message had not even been meant for the commoners. His statement was directed at the nobles. The change he was alluding to was the release of the meditation research. So much would be different if the common man was not just a powerless figure to be pushed around. Zeke could already imagine the angry look on the noble's face as the mage's association released the technique to the public. There would be chaos, the empire might even have to stall its upcoming plans.
"I see," Jorgel said as he shot Zeke a disapproving look. It seemed that the announcer was getting fed up with his tendency to make unplanned speeches. "Be that as it may. It seems that this year is truly a grand victory for the von Hohenheim house. It is not often that two members of the same house meet each other in the final. Good luck to both of you!"
Zeke returned his attention to his opponent. Leo was watching him with hungry eyes. He had never averted his gaze from Zeke the entire time. Like a predator that was observing his prey. The feeling was truly unnerving. He could feel the hair on his neck stand up as he met Leo's gaze. There was something about his friend that triggered some kind of primal fear. In response, Zeke could feel his heartbeat speed up. It seemed that the dragon heart would not take this challenge lying down.
Out of the corner of his eye, Zeke could see the fat man stepping up in front of the gong. It would only be a matter of seconds now. He started to flood his system with all kinds of chemicals to optimize the condition of his body. His muscles swelled, his lungs extended, and his mind cleared up. The last of his preparation was taken care of. In the remaining seconds before the fight, Zeke studied Leo intently.
He had noticed earlier that Leo had swapped his usual broad-bladed saber for a different weapon. At his waist was a thin rapier, with a blue blade. He felt like he had seen the weapon before, but couldn't place it in the short term. Still, the change was a smart move. Leo couldn't quite match him in strength, so a more agile blade would give him the advantage.
Zeke's eyes scanned the rest of Leo's equipment before returning to his friend's eyes. As expected, Leo was still looking at him. The moment their eyes met, the sound of the gong could be heard.
BOOOOONNNGGGGGG!
The two of them walked towards each other with unhurried steps. Zeke tightened the grip on his staff. This was it. He had waited for so long for this fight! Less than two meters separated them as both of them came to a halt simultaneously.
"No hard feelings, no matter who is going to win?" Leo asked with a smile.
"Doesn't matter to me, since I will be the one left standing," Zeke replied with a smirk of his own.
"I hope you can back that up," Leo responded as he drew his rapier. The blade was catching the light, giving the weapon an otherworldly quality. Zeke also hefted his staff. He would aim for center mass with his first strike, making it harder for Leo to dodge.
The sun was still going strong. Even though it was already late afternoon, the arena was still brightly lit through the open roof. They had gotten into their position, each waiting for the right moment to attack.
Leo tilted his blade slightly, directing a ray of light right into Zeke's eyes. In the next moment, he attacked. Zeke responded without delay. He had long since switched to his [Perfect Spatial Awareness]. With a roar, he met Leo's attack with one of his own.
Under the watchful eyes of the thousands of spectators, Leo and Zeke finally began their fight.