A name on the rise

After doing the very last thing he needed to do, Dago finally could not hold on any longer and let his body go limp with exhaustion.

He closed his eyes and let gravity drag him down.

He could not muster an ounce of strength or a trace of mental power now.

Just let me land like this and lie down for a while.

Wind whistled past Dago's ears, tossing his disheveled black hair against his cheeks.

Eyes closed and expression peaceful, Dago waited for the moment he reached the ground. Some wizard down there would catch him anyway.

It was over. As far as he was concerned, this combat trial was well and truly over.

He had defeated everyone he wanted to defeat and achieved every goal he had set himself.

But he was so tired. All he wanted now was a good nap.

Thump!

Disturbed by the soft, muffled sound, Dago opened his eyes.

To his surprise, he had not landed on the solid paving of the combat plaza. Instead, some force had caught him, depositing him on a broad, reasonably soft web cushion.

"You really outdid yourself, kid. You even defeated Violet! A bloodline carrying the aura of an Old One, and you pulled off a feat like that at the late first-ring stage. Unprecedented! Damn it, you're so outstanding even I can't help getting jealous."

The fellow who had caught him in midair with a web kept babbling all manner of jumbled exclamations and praise.

Dago could not resist interrupting him.

"Shut up, big spider! You're as noisy as an oversized mosquito!"

"Urk!"

The spider Abochild cut off abruptly and sulkily closed his mouth.

Dago had only enjoyed a brief moment of quiet when he felt Abochild stop with him at a certain spot.

He propped himself