My Overpowered Bunny Girls

The collision shook the arena.

Nathan’s golden arrow met Arthur’s blade of light in the center of the battlefield. The impact sent a shockwave rippling outward—cracks spiderwebbed across the stone floor, the barrier around the arena flickered, and the crowd gasped as one.

For a moment, neither of them moved. Arrow against sword. Light against light.

Then Arthur pushed forward.

His blade carved through the golden arrow, splitting it in two. The halves dissolved into fading motes. Nathan was already drawing another arrow, his hands moving faster than they ever had. The Overlord’s Authority was still active—Moonlight hummed with power in his grip.

Arthur closed the distance in three strides. His sword swept toward Nathan’s chest.

Nathan activated [Nimble Feet] and dodged left. The blade passed through the space where he’d been standing. He fired point-blank. Arthur raised his broken shield—the remnants of it—and caught the arrow on the metal. The impact sent him sliding backward, but he didn’t fall.

"You’re fast," Arthur said. "But you can’t keep this up forever."

He was right. Nathan could feel the drain. The Overlord’s Authority was consuming mana at a rate he couldn’t sustain. His reserves were dropping fast.

He needed to end this quickly.

---

Across the arena, the rest of the party was fighting their own battles.

Mirko had engaged Bjorn, her Gigantification making her a match for his Berserker strength. Dragon’s Fang clashed against his massive axe. Each blow sent sparks flying. Each impact shook the ground.

"Hmph! You’re strong!" Mirko roared. "But this Knight’s faced stronger! She’s faced dragons! She’s faced gods! You’re just a big man with a big weapon!"

Bjorn grinned. "And you’re a big rabbit with a big sword. Not so different, are we?"

"I am NOT a rabbit! I am a KNIGHT!"

She swung. He blocked. The force of the blow drove him back a step.

Garrett and Red flanked Arthur from the left. Volcan erupted again and again. Red charged whenever Arthur’s attention was elsewhere, horns scraping against the Paladin’s armor. They weren’t doing major damage, but they were keeping him distracted, stopping him from focusing entirely on Nathan.

Kuro had engaged Erik, the Cleric. [Shadow Lock] kept him pinned, but the Cleric’s healing magic was keeping him alive despite her daggers. She needed to finish him quickly.

Shiro fought Freya, the Frost Mage. Dragon fire clashed against ice. The two elements cancelled each other out in bursts of steam and light. Shiro’s [Dragonification] gave her the edge in speed, but Freya’s magic was precise and relentless.

Dillon and Cloudy harried Astrid, the Ranger. Lightning arced across the arena. Arrows flew in return. Cloudy’s static bursts disrupted Astrid’s aim, but the Ranger was fast and kept finding new positions.

Ororo stood at the back, her staff glowing. [Healing Field] washed over the party, closing wounds. [Negate Ailment] absorbed every debuff Freya threw. She was the reason they were still standing.

But it wasn’t enough. Not yet.

---

Arthur broke away from Garrett and charged Nathan again.

Nathan fired three [Mana Arrows] in rapid succession. Arthur deflected two with his sword and took the third on his armor. He didn’t slow down.

Nathan activated [Multi-Shadow Clones]. Four identical Nathans scattered across the arena. Arthur closed his eyes and sensed. He struck the first clone. It dissolved. He struck the second. Gone. The third. Gone.

The real Nathan was already behind him.

He fired a golden arrow point-blank. Arthur spun, his sword coming up to block. The arrow struck the blade and exploded in a burst of light. Arthur was thrown backward. He hit the ground hard.

For a moment, he didn’t move.

Then he laughed.

"You’re full of surprises," Arthur said, pushing himself up. His armor was cracked. His shield was gone. His sword was dimming. But he was still standing.

"Twenty years I’ve been fighting," Arthur said. "Faced monsters. Villains. Gods. Never met anyone like you."

He raised his sword. The light flickered but held.

"You remind me of someone. A man who saved my village when I was a boy. He fought past his limits. He won. Then he died from his wounds." Arthur’s eyes met Nathan’s. "I see the same fire in you. Same willingness to burn yourself out for other people."

Nathan didn’t answer. He couldn’t. The Overlord’s Authority was fading. His mana was nearly gone.

Arthur charged one final time.

Nathan drew his last golden arrow. His vision blurred. His arms trembled. But he held the string back.

Arthur’s blade came down.

Nathan released.

---

The arrow struck Arthur’s chest.

The golden light exploded outward, washing over the arena in a wave of brilliance. When it faded, Arthur was on his knees. His sword was gone. His armor was shattered. But he was smiling.

"You... win," Arthur said.

The referee’s orb-face appeared above the arena. It displayed a celebratory emoji.

𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"Central Federation advances to the finals!"

The crowd erupted.

---

Nathan collapsed.

He hit the ground hard, his body finally giving out. The Overlord’s Authority had drained him completely. His mana reserves were empty. His muscles screamed. His vision swam.

Elise was there in an instant, her arms around him, her voice tight with worry. "Nathan! Nathan—can you hear me?"

He managed a weak nod. "I’m... okay. Just... tired."

"You idiot. You pushed yourself too far."

"Had to. He wasn’t gonna stop."

Mirko appeared beside him, back in her normal size, her pink eyes wide. "Master! You were magnificent! You were glorious! You were—" She stopped. "You were reckless! You almost died!"

"Almost," Nathan said. "Key word."

Kuro materialized on his other side, her dark eyes unreadable. ’You used a new skill. One I have never seen before.’

"I’ll explain later," Nathan said. "Promise."

Shiro knelt beside him, her golden eyes soft. "The Young Lord fought with honor. The Paladin was a worthy opponent."

Ororo approached, her staff glowing. [Healing Field] washed over him. The warmth spread through his body, easing the pain. "Rest, Master. You have earned it."

Garrett and Dillon arrived, both breathing hard. Red collapsed beside Garrett, its wool finally softening. Cloudy coiled around Dillon’s shoulders, her scales dim.

"We did it," Garrett said. "We’re in the finals."

"Yeah," Dillon said. "We are."

Nathan closed his eyes. The crowd was still cheering. The screens were showing replays of his final shot. The commentators were losing their minds.

But all he could think about was Arthur’s words.

"I see the same fire in you."

He hoped that fire wouldn’t burn him out before the end.

---

Later, after the healers had done their work and the party had returned to their quarters, Nathan sat alone on the balcony.

The city lights glittered below. The stadium was dark now, its screens off, its stands empty. The finals were in three days. They would face the winner of the other semifinal match—either the Southern Republic or the Free Territories.

Elise found him there. She sat beside him without a word.

"You used a new skill," she said finally. "One you’ve never shown before."

Nathan was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded. "It’s called Overlord’s Authority. Enhances a weapon for a bit. I unlocked it during the fight."

"How?"

He hesitated. Then he told her the truth. About the Shepherd’s gift. About the Overlord subclass. About the power he had been hiding for months.

Elise listened without interrupting. When he finished, she was silent for a long moment.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" she asked.

"I was scared. Didn’t know how you’d react. Didn’t know if you’d... see me differently."

She took his hand. "I see you the same way I always have. You’re the man I... love. The man who fights for his family. The man who carries too much weight on his shoulders."

Nathan felt something loosen in his chest. "You’re not mad?"

"A little. But not because you kept a secret. Because you carried it alone." She squeezed his hand. "You don’t have to do that anymore. We’re a party. We’re a family. Whatever you’re carrying, we carry it together."

Nathan looked at her. Her silver hair caught the starlight. Her icy blue eyes were warm. She was beautiful. She was his.

"Together," he said.

She leaned in and kissed him.