Gacha Harem System

Silence filled the air as Lukas simply stared at the hand, before looking up at the young man in front of him.

"What did you say your name was again?" He asked.

"Ansel Potter." The guy grinned. "I came to see the person I’d be standing against in the ring today."

"I see." Lukas said, a frown on his face. Ansel’s hand was still stretched towards him, but he made no move to shake it.

The air turned awkward, and Ansel retrieved his hand with a chuckle. "Surprised, right? I just wanted to do research on my opponent before fighting, but no matter how much I searched, there was almost nothing on you, so I decided to come myself."

Lukas could understand that. The guy had struggled to enter the top sixty-four, and then he’d been placed against a stronger opponent. This was probably his last resort to fish for information. That didn’t mean Lukas had to give it to him.

"You’ve seen me now," he said. "So what do you want?"

"If you don’t mind me asking," Ansel grinned sheepishly, "what is your class and skill?"

Lukas couldn’t help but laugh at his audacity. "I do mind, actually. So, I guess you’ll have to wait until we’re in the ring to find out. Can’t let you plan how to counter me before the fight starts, can I?"

Ansel grinned. "Figures. Well, that was worth a try."

He took a step back.

"I guess I’ll see you later."

He waved, then walked away.

"You know, he’s not so bad a competitor," Akira said as she watched him go. "Polite and all that."

"He’s in a competition and that polite to his opponent?" Melody frowned. "I don’t get it."

"That’s because you’re too competitive." Akira said.

"Or maybe I’m willing to fight for what matters." Melody shot back.

"And maybe the prize for the competition doesn’t matter to him." Akira shrugged. "Not everybody could be competing to win. The guy might just be competing to stand out, you know."

Lukas thought about it. They both had a point. But at the end of the day, he was still going to win.

They made their way to the gate, and Lukas could swear that this time, the crowd that was passing through was somehow larger than last time.

This time, everything moved faster, as it seemed the City Lord had installed more guards at the gate, making the process quicker.

However, this also had the effect of making the crowd denser, with people bumping into each other.

Lukas felt several people bump into him, but paid them no mind. Everyone was practically touching as they inched closer and closer.

Eventually, they arrived at the gate, paid the exit fee, and began making their way to the stadium.

Once they were in, Lukas kissed his wives goodbye, attracting a few looks of jealousy from passersby, then made his way to the arena.

Unlike yesterday when there had been hundreds of chairs for the competitors, there were now exactly sixty-four chairs, spaced exactly apart.

Lukas chose one and sat, and as the other competitors arrived, they took their seats. Soon, whispers began to fill the air as a woman walked in.

The crowd parted, as if afraid to touch her. But the feeling wasn’t out of fear, but admiration.

Lukas turned to look at the commotion, and saw the woman making her way to one of the seats.

She wore brown battle leathers, complete with fingerless gloves, and knee-high boots. There was a black cape around her neck, flowing down to just above her ankle. And on her face was a dark mask, its surface designed to resemble a lion.

But the most notable thing about her was the fact that no one could feel even a hint of her aura.

Lukas’ eyes narrowed, his brain tingling in remembrance. He’d met this woman before! The woman who’d bumped into him after he’d registered for the tournament.

And there was also one other person who matched this description, so it had to be her.

Morgana Le Fay.

Lukas exhaled slowly. She’d read his script that day. She knew his name, his rank, and his classes. But he knew next to nothing about her.

If they ever met in a fight, she’d have the upper hand, because she could read up all available information on the classes he was using, and devise a strategy against him.

But that didn’t mean she’d win. He had more up his sleeve than anybody knew.

Another commotion started up, this time on the other side of the arena.

Lukas watched an indistinct figure enter, making his way to an empty chair.

"Is that him?" Lukas heard one of the spectators speak excitedly to whoever was with them. "Is that Liam Walker?"

"Yeah! That’s him! I heard he spent the entire night hunting so that he could ascend to A-rank. Some even say he’s already A-rank."

"Wow. Look at the resources at his disposal. If he isn’t already A-rank, that’ll be a waste, don’t you think?"

Lukas stared at the man in the distance, keeping an ear on the gossip. He heard them speculate on what Liam’s second class would be.

While he was sure everything they were saying was untrue, there could be a hidden nugget of information inside it all.

Soon, the screens above the arena lit up, and a high-pitched whine filled the air, showing it was time to begin.

Everyone’s eyes immediately went up, and a second later, Rollo descended into view. He zipped down, before slowing to a hover a few meters away from the ground.

Silence filled the air without him even having to ask for it.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he spoke, his voice calm. "I welcome you to the second day of the Prodigy Tournament."

Cheers filled the air, the spectators clapping in excitement.

"Today, the knockout round of the tournament will begin." Rollo continued. "The first sixty-four shall battle before the eyes of the people, and from the dust, the best thirty-six shall emerge."

"Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready?"

"YESSSSSSS!" The thunderous roars of the spectators filled the air.

"Let the games begin!"