The Transmigrated Author
Chapter 50: Round 1

[Pinnacle Academy Stadium 4 - Arena D]

[11:00 AM, Monday]

Stepping onto the stage, the roar of the crowd exploded, crashing against me like a physical wave.

Sunlight streamed through the open dome, illuminating the arena's vast scale. Multiple battles raged on circular platforms, each a group of chaos and colour. Flags decorated with the Academy's insignia fluttered overhead, adding to the festive, yet competitive atmosphere.

I stood my ground, momentarily overwhelmed by the sensory assault. But even in the massive crowd noises, I realised I had to lock in. A worker in a bright orange vest approached, her smile strained under the pressure of the buzzing crowd.

"Stage to your left, Mr. Rel," she directed, her voice barely audible over the roar. "And remember, no unnecessary roughness!"

I nodded curtly, my gaze already scanning the adjacent platform. My opponent, Christopher Kurtado, stood waiting, his Gauntlets were shining in the sunlight.

Sniff... Sniff... SNIFF

But what struck me first wasn't his imposing physique, but the pungent odour that flowed from him. It was like mixed of sweat, old cheese, and something I couldn't quite place. It wrinkled my nose, and my eyes were close to tearing up.

Christopher grinned, revealing teeth stained yellow by what I hoped was just cheap tea. "Finally," he boomed, his voice laced with arrogance. "Took you long enough, pipsqueak. Ready to be sent packing?"

Packing? I think he should pack some deodorant Jesus...

As I met his eyes I blinked a few times getting rid of the tears, "Depends," I replied, my voice calm yet chilling. "Are you ready to lose?"

Christopher's face darkened, after hearing my words. "I don't think I'd ever lose to a scrawny runt," he spat.

"Excellent," I replied, enjoying the opportunity to get under his skin. "Then I suggest toothpaste after this match."

"Ready!" The announcer's voice boomed.

...

"Fight!"

The moment the announcer declared the start, the air smelled of tension or odour...

Christopher charged his gauntlets filled with mana. the smell kept throwing me off but I should be okay.

his stench was almost visible that I could see it so I danced around him, avoiding each strike that had an amplified wind attribute that came from his fist.

"You smell like a walking biohazard," I continued, wincing at my own words. "Perhaps I should quarantine you with a sleep bolt."

"Don't underestimate me, runt!" he roared, still charging with his gauntlets held high. The metallic scent spiked, nearly knocking me off balance.

But instead of dodging, I stepped aside, letting the reeking wave wash over me. Christopher stumbled, confused by my inaction. His attack faltered, leaving him momentarily vulnerable.

Christopher's face contorted in rage, But I ignored it, focusing on chipping away at his defences.

A well-placed kick to the shin, a jab at his elbow, a swift punch to the stomach each blow insignificant on its own, but together, they chipped away at his overconfidence and built my rhythm.

"Pathetic attacks, runt!" he roared, charging forward. The stench spiked, and I could feel myself getting more dizzy as time went by. Dodging attack after attack It was hard to aim my crossbow at him because of that eerie smell...

"Seems your fumes haven't quite dulled your reflexes," I wheezed, landing a glancing blow to his chest. Does this guy even get affected by his smell? There's no way that this man should be allowed in a garden.

As fury contorted his face, he closed the distance with surprising speed. The stench became suffocating, my vision blurring at the edges.

I fumbled for my crossbow, but it was too late. He was inches away, the smell was way to overwhelming. Panic threatened to consume me, but then, I dropped my crossbow and clenched my fist.

With my whole body off balance, and my eyes unsteady I threw a wild punch, aiming for his chest.

Then for what felt like minutes that had gone by my fist connected with a sickening crunch. A cry of surprise erupted from Christopher, his body flying backward.

[Luck has amplified the attack!]

[Critical Hit!]

[Your attack has sent your opponent flying!]

He tumbled over the edge of the platform, disappearing with a thud. The silence that followed was deafening. Had I...?

The announcer's voice finally broke the spell. "We have our first winner of the 2nd match by a shocking knockout, Rel Laurence!"

As I stood there, the stink slowly dissipating, the enormity of what had happened hit me. I had won, not with arrows no abilities, but with a single punch.

huh? I guess I'm lucky after all.

But I felt like I could throw up at any moment.

Stepping off the Arena D stage, I held my breath, desperate for a single whiff of clean air.

My lungs felt like sponges soaked in sweat and stench, and I practically ran towards the nearest exit, ignoring the cheers and congratulations echoing behind me.

Reaching the student lobby, I collapsed onto a corner bench, inhaling deeply. Each breath was a revelation, a symphony of pure, unadulterated air.

I closed my eyes, savouring the sensation, feeling like a drowning man finally reaching the surface.

SNIFFFFFFF....

HAAHHHHHHHH

"Rel?"

A voice was calling out to me but I just kept breathing in the cold fresh air.

"Relllllllll" I could hear his voice sounding more annoyed but I couldn't get enough of it.

"Earth to Rel," he repeated, tapping my forehead lightly. "You okay? You look like you just discovered the fountain of youth."

I blinked, my eyes stinging from the harsh lighting, and found Jan hovering above me, concern etched on his face.

I remained glued to the sensation of cool air filling my lungs, momentarily speechless. "Air," I finally croaked, voice raspy. "It's... glorious."

Jan gave me a puzzled look. "Air? Isn't that, y'know, the stuff we normally breathe?"

I scoffed, though it came out more like a wheeze. "Normally? You have no idea what I just endured. It was like... like..." I struggled to replace words to describe the smelling assault I had faced.

"Imagine the worst gym sock you've ever smelled, fermented tenfold, then add a generous helping of overheated machinery. Then imagine breathing that in for ten minutes straight."

Jan's face twisted in disgust, his amusement dissipating. "That bad, huh? Sounds like a biohazard zone."

"Biohazard doesn't even begin to cover it," I muttered, reliving the fight in flashes of Christopher's smell having an effect on my mental health.

But the victory felt…different, somehow. It wasn't just about winning; it was about appreciating the most basic things, the things we often take for granted. Like clean air...

Jan kept looking at me hysterically but we talked for a while, the stench fading with each passing minute.

Ring!!!!

Suddenly, both our watches buzzed the notification for the next round of the tournament. We were in different brackets and thank god I was lucky not to be placed in the same bracket as Jan.

"Looks like that's our queue," Jan said, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "But remember, Rel, next time maybe try a less olfactory-based strategy."

My face twisted at the thought of Jan saying that, the sound was surprisingly clean and normal. "Yeah... Whatever man."

Jan waved off goodbye and I checked my watch for the next match.

[Axel Saint Rel Laurence]

[Group E]

[Matches Completed: 1]

[Match number:4]

[Opponent: Reece Keffy - [Arena C] ]

[Time: 12:00 AM]

*Arrive 15 Minutes Before The Battle For Checks*

As I checked on the map on where I should go to teleport, it guided me to the hallway to the left which was the location of the IDS station to Arena C.

As I approached, a man greeted me from behind the console.

"Destination?" he asked, his voice flat.

"Arena C," I replied, meeting his eyes as I patiently waited.

He tapped away on the keyboard his expression betraying nothing. "Standard pre-teleport check?"

The usual routine followed: arms spread, sensors scanning for irregularities. Unlike the earlier attendant, this one didn't even blink. Just a monotone "Clear" when the scan finished.

With a reassuring hum, the booth bathed me in blue light. The familiar sensation of shifting realities washed over me, the world dissolving into swirling energy.

[Pinnacle Academy Stadium 3 - Arena C IDS Station]

[11:25 AM]

I was transported to the Arena C IDS Station and I walked down the long hallway until I arrived at the lobby.

Shortly after I went to go replace a secluded corner in the lobby, I adjusted my equipment, set a timer on my watch for a quick power nap, and closed my eyes.

_______________

Authors Notes:

- The way critical hits work for Rel is that the damage inflicted fluctuates based on the opponent's remaining health. If Rel's opponent has higher health than him, the critical damage scales to a percentage of Rel's strength stat.

- Critical Hits are flashes of black lightning that only Rel can see which is purely for visual effect.

- Jan Is currently in first seed for averaging a knockout of 2.3 seconds, Louise falls behind with a time of 2.8, followed by Valencia with 3.2 Seconds.