Sub.04[edit]
Baggage City had previously been a regional city in Eastern Europe. For being in Europe, it had remained relatively untouched by history. The city was lined with rectangular concrete buildings, but this was primarily due to the city having been developed to combat the cold. The city had been forcibly taken over by the military during World War 3 because it was expected to function well as a central point along the railroad network along which materiel was to be transported. However, before the urban buildings could be destroyed and the military facilities could be constructed, the war had quickly ended, leaving the base in a state of half-completion.
Normally, the city would have been returned to its original residents at that point, but that was not the case. It was said to be due to military interests, but a lot was unknown about the process by which the military ended up selling Baggage City to the Anti-Academy City Science Guardians.
The four dome-shaped arenas were the main symbol of the city and a cross-shaped arrangement of high-rise buildings was built between them. The materiel and barriers brought into the city during the war gave a strange accent to the cityscape and a number of unmanned weapons that had not been returned to Academy City were set up in various places.
The lack of complaints from the original owners of the very valuable city plus the strict guard held by the weapons gave Baggage City a very dangerous aura.
Or perhaps it was their plan to compete with the incomprehensible technology of Academy City.
(It doesn’t really matter.)
Saflee Opendays thought as she walked down the tunnel-like passageway that led to the ring.
(As long as I can accomplish my objective, it doesn’t matter whose help I get.)
Saflee took a step out into the immense light filling the exit of the tunnel.
A great explosive noise rang in her ears. The noise was a combination of the loud music prepared for the tournament, the cheers of the spectators in the seats filling the area outside the fence surrounding the circular ring, and the shouting voice of the announcer coming from the giant speakers. The multiple loud noises created a giant spiral of noise that filled the giant arena. It had a way of forcing people into a more excited state, which was not a good thing for the contestants who wished to remain calm. It was possible the ones making the noise wished to get the contestants worked up to the point that it became a violent fight between berserkers.
The entire area was large enough to play baseball or football in, and the ring for Saflee and the others was like a giant birdcage in the center.
The circular ring had a diameter of 30 meters.
Compared to normal martial arts rings, that was rather large, but compared to the size of the entire arena, it did seem like nothing more than a birdcage. The dome’s ceiling had several huge screens hanging down which were displaying information on the matches. This was mostly due to the distance between the spectator seats and the ring, but it did bring doubts as to what was gained by seeing it in person.
The instant Saflee exited the tunnel into the ring that was completely cut off from everything else by a chain-link fence, cheers and light washed over her and a thick fence dropped down like a guillotine behind her, cutting off the way back.
(The floor is reinforced concrete? Are they insane? A single throw could take out all of someone’s organs. This is more dangerous than some idiot with a knife or a gun.)
In contrast to her elegant-looking dress, Saflee wore only flat-soled sneakers on her feet, and she frowned as he checked the feel of the floor through them.
As she did, the shouts of the announcer who was keeping a safe distance reverberated throughout the arena as they were amplified by the giant speakers.
“This is the 35th match of the first round, but over 20 matches still remain! This is a tournament, so the first round is at the bottom of the pyramid and is the longest! Let’s get this over with and get on to the next match!!”
(What a horrible performance.)
Saflee frowned.
“Over here, we have Saflee Opendays!! While all the others are strange people who insist their ninjas or UFOs or parasites will not lose to Academy City, this blonde fighter is taking on the Natural Selector with nothing but pure martial arts!! Should we call her reckless or should we praise her skill for making it this far unarmed? The time has come for her to prove her true worth!!”