The Final Debate

This time they were warped into a spacious room with a black display sitting at the back packed with numbers spanning from 100 to 500 in sets of 100. Above the five rows were five different topics.

“Is this fucking...jeopardy?” He and Lyra were together at a table with a blazing blue buzzer while the speed demon sat adjacent to them in its own large chair.

“This...er, seat is rather...uncomfortable for me…” Lyra shivered as her tail squished against the seat. They did not accommodate her.

“There's no way this demon thing has played this game before. It’s something from my world—but why?”

“What are you talking about?” Lyra replied with a stunned look on her face. It was as of Raze was a madman. “This game is called Quora. It’s a game that asks various questions from different genres where you can gain points to win special rewards. It was a famous game to play when guests visited my village.”

Raze starts to lose his temper. “That’s just Jeopardy! Why are we playing Jeopardy?!”

He slightly calmed down when the words once again formed in the air. "There has been a new winner for the second trial. They may make any request that will only affect this last and final match. Whoever has the most points at the end of the game will be determined as the victor. The two teams are tied up at 1-1. There will be no ties. This is a zero-sum game."

“Yo, scorpion—I got an idea.” He excitedly whispered in her ear with a demonic grin plastered across his face.

Lyra’s eyes widened for a moment, but she nodded in agreement. "I see. That is most interesting, but just like you." This was life or death. I can’t let my stubborn pride get in the way when someone else’s life is at stake.

“...I would like the game questions and answers to be accepted in Common Tongue—the most generic and widely used language of this continent.”

The demon tilted its head when it noticed it has received no physical or mental debuffs. It screeched like a banshee. “SKREEAORA LEHAA DJA! SHHE SKSKSD LOOROA! [You are going to regret not handicapping me. I have perfect knowledge of this worlds history from my Lord!]”

The spotlight shone onto Raze and more words begin to form. "Pick your topic. You are first."

“Right.” Raze stuck out his tongue at the demon before directing his attention on the display board. “Let’s do ‘World Wars’ for 500.”

The words responded to his answer. "Who led the human race into the War of Malog in the Old Days?"

Raze goes to slam his hand down on the buzzer, but before he can even move an inch, the sound of the buzzer reverberates through the room. He cocks his head to see the demon smily with his rows and rows of teeth at him. 

“SLORAHAD DHAHDD! [Who is General Tullias the fourth!]”

"Incorrect language to answer in. Cannot comprehend the response. Moving on to the next person..."

Lyra beat Raze to the punch and slammed the buzzer herself. “Who is General Tullias the fourth.” She puffed out her chest with a satisfied smirk.

"Correct. 500 points have been added to your team’s balance."

Sure enough, 500 points floated above Lyra and Raze in bold letters. Meanwhile, the speed demon was twisting and turning its head in confusion. It couldn’t comprehend why his answer wasn’t accepted.

I am unsure why that woman was chosen over me, but I have plenty of time to take the lead and win in the name of my Lord. No one is faster than me! He thinks to himself. Little does he know…, the speed demon thought to itself. 

“World History for 500,” Lyra said in a calm and collected voice. She was beyond elated, feeling like she was on top of the world.

I didn’t expect the scorpion to be such a history nerd. What a loser. Still...if she gets us out of this, I might be able to look past it. What is it with beast-kin girls being good at games? Well, I need to show my skill here so I don’t look pathetic when Komoria asks what happened. Raze was feeling left out, but winning was still at the forefront of his mind. 

"What year did Demon Lord Recta fall to the new Demon Lord?"

Once again, the moment the question was finished, the speed demon scratched at the buzzer.

“OLLAH SCREE FFRAAA! [What is 307 AE (Ancient Era)]”

Once again the system gave him the same answer: "Incorrect language to answer in. Cannot comprehend the response. Moving on to the next person..."

This time Raze made it first to the buzzer. “1023!” He spoke with such gusto that almost anyone could believe him at face value. 

"Incorrect. 500 points will be reduced from your total."

“Shit! I was sure I had it.”

Lyra knit her eyebrows and pursed her lips. She seemed about as angry as she was when she first met Raze. But when she opened her mouth, she continued to speak in the same cool and prideful tone as always. “...Raze. Please allow me to answer all the questions from here on out. I am sure you are well-versed, but I have spent my time since I was a young hatchling, reading about history and war and the many wonders of the world. Have some faith in your companion.”

At her polite but—to Raze's ears—condescending tone, he spat and sulked with his arms crossed. “Whatever... I was just trying to help…”

“...” She ignored his sour attitude and relaxes her shoulders to keep a clear head.

Meanwhile, Aknoth, the speed demon, could not believe his many eyes. What the fuck is going on?! Why does the system keep ignoring my answers when it could understand me before…?Maybe they made my words harder to make out with their request. How cowardly. I’m going to try to be as clear and concise as possible with the next answer.

“SRROAM FHAHA ROAGH! [The Bite of 1087!]” Aknoth pounded his claws on the table and leaned in, eagerly waiting for the words to appear again.

"Incorrect language to answer in. Cannot comprehend the response. Moving on to the next person..."

Are you fucking with me? What is this chicanery?!

More and more time dwindled on but the exact same scenario played out like clockwork now that Raze had been put into his place. Aknoth would instantly answer the question, but due to him speaking in a foreign tongue that the game master could not comprehend at the moment, his answer is ignored, allowing Lyra to effortlessly take over the game.

There were only a few questions left now. Aknoth stood at a pitifully solid 0 points, while Lyra stood tall with over 6,000.

Aknoth was mad at the start, but now he was seething with rage and malice. Why, why, why?! Why will they accept this woman's answer, but not my own?! I have said it right every time without fail only to be ignored! That does it! If I can’t win because of their cheats, I shall make this place their tomb!

“SCRRRA DHAHAHA FDROAOAA!!!” The demon leaped forward on all fours onto his table and sprung off of it like a cat at where his foes sat.

Raze balled his fist, rearing to go; fighting was something he knew he could win at. 

Lyra didn't even move a muscle, instead curling her lip into an uncharacteristically scheming smile that had only been seen on Raze in the past. A blood-red barrier caught the demon right in its tracks before slapping him harshly to the ground.

Raze imagined it to be equivalent to a ping-pong ball being slapped onto the table. 

"Attacking an opponent in a non-combat trial is a violation of the rules. You will now be terminated immediately."

The Speed Demon disappeared, running around the room in defiance as it prowled for an opening. The more circled the pair, the less ground he traversed until he was barely able to move at all. He was trapped. Four scarlet barriers had surrounded his quick frame, prevented him from escaping. They came closer to him each and every second until his body began to compact from the pressure.

“SKRAAAAA FJHRAA ![This is bullshit!!!]” Then all four barriers smashed together, reducing the speed demon to a pile of purple mush.

“That ape got what he deserved, heh.” Raze spat on his mangled corpse with a grin.

“He was an honorable opponent until that last stunt. Truly a shame...” Lyra looked down on his mangled body parts with slight sadness.

Another message appeared in the air. "Congratulations on your victory in the Trials of the Labyrinthian. Due to it being a combined victory, the only award I can offer at this time is teleportation to the location of your choice. Please try again in the future!"

“That's a shame, but whatever. Take us to the home of the Basilisk Queen!” Raze shouted to the heavens, making sure this entire complex could hear his words.

The white light appears one last time, taking them away once more.