My Scumbag System Chapter 503: The King of Five Hills

I cracked my neck as the scoreboard timer ticked down. Twenty-eight minutes remained until the initial event. Twenty-eight minutes to devise a strategy for survival and avoid national embarrassment. Given my history, the chances were a coin toss at best.

"So, what's the first event?" I inquired, turning my attention to Isabelle.

She tapped her spear rhythmically on the ground. "It's a combat trial. Eight fighters from each guild will engage in a modified king-of-the-hill scenario."

"And by 'modified,' you mean..."

"There are five hills, each with a flag. Whoever controls the most flags when time expires emerges victorious."

The objective seemed straightforward. I scanned our team, mentally reviewing our assembled roster. We possessed formidable powerhouses like Raphael and Hikari, capable of overwhelming opponents. Stealth experts such as Skylar could covertly seize capture points, while defenders like Natalia could fortify a secured position.

"I assume our team for the first event has already been selected?" I asked, glancing towards Braxton, who had casually approached, hands tucked into his pockets.

"Indeed. It’s you, Natalia, Skylar, Raphael, Isabelle, Hikari, Marco, and Juan."

Juan lifted his head from what appeared to be a standing nap. "Do I have to participate?"

"Yes," Natalia interjected before I could respond. "And if you attempt to sleep during the match, I will freeze your extremities solid."

"Such a troublesome woman."

Braxton drew me aside, his voice lowered. "The Sentinels are deploying Julian. Viper has assigned Kenjiro. The Phantoms, however, are keeping Reyna as a reserve for later engagements."

It was a shrewd tactic, preserving their strongest asset for a more critical juncture.

"What about—"

I halted my question as the crowd's roar intensified once more. Turning to ascertain the cause of the renewed commotion, I saw.

Ah. That explained it.

Veronica Cabana had just made her entrance into the VIP section. Her striking crimson dress shimmered in the sunlight as she acknowledged the adoring fans. Her hair, a vibrant shade mirroring Reyna's fiery locks, flowed in immaculate waves down her back. In contrast to her younger sister's athletic physique, Veronica possessed alluring curves that could easily cause a stir.

And her gaze was fixed directly on me.

"Oh, no," I muttered.

"What is it?" Natalia followed my line of sight. Her demeanor instantly cooled. "Why is she looking at you?"

"I have absolutely no clue."

"Liar."

Veronica offered me a subtle wink before taking her seat next to a visibly displeased Reyna in the competitor's area.

"That presents a rather... complicated situation," Skylar commented with his characteristic dry wit.

"You think?" I ran a hand through the back of my neck. "Let’s concentrate on the match."

Natalia seized my arm, her grip firm. "If you even contemplate—"

"My sole focus is on winning this tournament."

Her eyes narrowed in scrutiny. "Good. Maintain that resolve."

The colossal screens suspended above the arena illuminated with the event's layout. A digital map materialized, depicting five elevated platforms strategically positioned across the arena floor, each adorned with a flag.

"Here's the strategy," I announced, drawing our team closer. "Isabelle will secure the north hill. Raphael, the east. Hikari, the west. Skylar, the center position. Natalia, you'll be our mobile support, reinforcing any area where we face weakness. Marco, Juan, and I will serve as the disruptive force, keeping the opposing teams occupied and off-balance."

"Why am I not assigned a defensive position?" Juan inquired, letting out a yawn.

"Because you'd likely fall asleep while guarding it," Natalia retorted sharply.

"A valid point."

Isabelle nodded in agreement. "An effective strategy. It divides their attention while we establish our control."

"Precisely." I tightened my grip on my bat. "Oh, and one more crucial directive: avoid dying."

Braxton chuckled. "Excellent counsel, Captain Obvious."

"I always strive to provide the best."

A resounding horn echoed across the arena, and the scoreboard abruptly updated:

FIRST EVENT: KING OF THE FIVE HILLS

TIME LIMIT: 30 MINUTES

COMPETITORS: PREPARE FOR ENTRY

The crowd roared with anticipation as gates began to open around the arena's perimeter, ushering in the competing teams onto the battlefield.

Natalia intercepted my hand just as I was about to step through our designated gate. Her violet eyes met mine with intense focus.

"Don't do anything foolish."

I offered a disarming grin. "When have I ever been foolish?"

"Would you prefer the list presented alphabetically or chronologically?"

"That's rather insulting."

"It is, however, accurate."

Leaning in, I briefly brushed my lips against hers. "A token of good luck."

A faint blush tinged her cheeks, but she quickly regained her composure. "If you require luck to win, we may already be in a precarious position."

I met her narrowed gaze with a languid smirk. "Perhaps I simply wished to kiss you."

The words lingered in the air between us—charged with unspoken meaning, deliberate, and precisely aimed to make her falter. It was effective. Her lips parted as if preparing a sharp retort, but she caught herself, a subtle flush ascending her neck. Instead of replying, she placed both hands firmly on my chest and gave me a decisive shove towards the gate.

"Go," she commanded, her voice low and imbued with a dangerous undertone. "Win this. And afterward—I'll permit more than just a kiss."

A thrill coursed through me from the conviction in her voice. It was the kind of incentive that made one feel capable of shattering bones—preferably those belonging to others.

Now that was real motivation.

Stepping through the gate, I found myself on the arena floor, my bat resting comfortably on my shoulder. The crowd's roar enveloped me like a physical force, yet I let it fade, my focus sharpening on the immense battlefield revealed before me. A total of forty combatants were positioning themselves across the arena, a tumultuous mix of guilds, personal ambitions, and barely suppressed animosity.

My gaze methodically scanned the field, assessing potential threats and advantageous openings. Then, my eyes found him.

Julian Valerius stood at the forefront of the Argent Sentinels’ formation, his personalized golden armor glinting under the sun, reflecting light in dazzling, audacious flashes. He appeared as if plucked from a recruitment poster—noble, potent, and radiating an unshakeable belief in his own superiority. The instant our gazes locked, I could almost perceive a furnace igniting within his flawless blue irises. The pure, intense hatred emanating from them was almost aesthetically pleasing in its ferocity.

I couldn’t help myself.

A kiss was sent his way.

His entire countenance twisted—his jaw tightened, eyes widened, and a vein throbbed noticeably at his temple. For a captivating moment, I genuinely believed he might charge at me right then and there, even before the match officially commenced.

Perfect.

"You’re going to get yourself killed," Skylar whispered, gliding past me.

"Probably."

The screens displayed the escalating countdown:

10... 9... 8...

I rotated my shoulders, feeling the familiar hum of the regenerator brace against my skin. My ribs still throbbed from the previous fight with Reyna, but I would endure.

7... 6... 5...

Isabelle took her stance to my left, her spear radiating a green glow, her Aspect poised for deployment.

4... 3... 2...

I grasped my bat firmly with both hands.

1... BEGIN!

The arena erupted into pandemonium.

The simultaneous charge of forty combatants produced a deafening cacophony that echoed off the stadium's walls. I sprinted forward, making my way toward the central platform where three Sentinels were converging.

Time to forge some new acquaintances.

Activating Shade Cloak, I merged with the shadows as I approached the base of the central platform. The Sentinels faltered, their sight of me lost. I reappeared behind the closest one—a burly fellow wielding a hammer—and brought my bat down hard on the back of his knee.

He collapsed with a gratifying snap.

"Sorry, did that hurt?" I inquired, retreating as he swung wildly.

"Nakano!" he roared.

I couldn't recall his name, a probable indicator that he wasn't significant enough to warrant remembering. I evaded another of his strikes and met his ribs with a solid crack from my bat.

The second Sentinel advanced, twin daggers flashing in perfect arcs that would have been aesthetically pleasing had they not been aimed directly at my throat. I deflected them with my bat, the impacts sending jarring vibrations up my arms.

"You don’t belong here," he spat, his voice thick with disdain.

"Funny, your mother said the same thing this morning," I retorted casually, observing his face contort with fury. Then, I activated Steel Body just as his blade descended towards my shoulder.

The dagger rebounded with a sharp metallic clang, as if striking solid iron rather than flesh.

His eyes widened in disbelief, the smug grin vanishing. "What the—"

I afforded him no opportunity to complete his sentence.

I drove my forehead into his nose with sufficient force to hear the cartilage give way. Blood erupted from his face as he staggered back, hands instinctively flying to his injured nose. Without pause, I followed with a powerful swing of my bat directly into his abdomen, causing him to double over and crash onto the ground.

"Two down," I murmured, stepping over his groaning form.

The third Sentinel displayed more acumen than his comrades. He maintained a cautious distance, circling me warily as an energy bow materialized in his hands. An arrow forged from pure, crackling light formed on the string, aimed squarely at my chest.

"That looks painful," I commented nonchalantly, keeping my tone light.

He offered a cold smile, his confidence visibly returning. "It will be."

The arrow launched, swift and direct, a blinding streak of white energy.

I remained still. Didn't even flinch.

It impacted squarely in my chest – and disintegrated upon contact with my skin, sending sparks of light cascading around me in a dazzling but harmless shower. The absorbed kinetic energy surged through my body, a wave of raw power that made my muscles hum with vitality.

Thank you, Kinetic Absorption.

His jaw went slack, his face paling. "How did you—"

I was already in motion, closing the distance between us in three powerful strides. My bat connected with his jaw before he could even contemplate retreat, and he dropped like a marionette whose strings had been severed, collapsing unconscious to the earth.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" I asked his prone form, nudging him with my boot.

The spectators were in an uproar. My gaze shifted upwards, locating my likeness displayed on the colossal screens, grinning madly with three Sentinels lying defeated at my boots.

Perhaps I had indulged in a bit of posturing.

Ascending the stage, I found Skylar already present, her blades slick with crimson as she claimed the central banner.

"It took you quite a while," she remarked.

"I was merely engaging in introductions."

"You truly are quite the social butterfly."

My eyes swept across the battleground. Isabelle had secured the northern platform, her verdant aura enveloping the flag while she simultaneously repelled two Vipers. Raphael was making short work of any challenger who dared approach the eastern platform. As for Hikari...

Hikari was in a precarious situation.

A quartet of Phantoms had descended upon the western platform, overpowering her despite her formidable prowess. I discerned Julian amongst them, his blade a blur of steel as he exploited her disadvantage.

"Skylar, maintain this position. I'm heading to assist Hikari."

She gave a curt nod. "Do try not to perish in a grandiose fashion."

"And where's the amusement in that?"