Prepare for the second contest.

After Juaela escorts Eva away to be redressed and to emotionally recover, along with the other contestants (perhaps left under the gaze of the crowd a little too long), it isn't much longer before everybody is redirected to a nearby ring, like one to hold a sumo competition. Delphi continues to sit on your shoulder with her arms crossed, pouting quietly to herself after being unintentionally used as a toy of sorts, though she did seem rather comfortable on her former seat. You and the others prepare to observe whatever Elok and this master of ceremonies have in store next.

Just as you thought, the ring has been drawn white through packed dirt like a proper place for fighting. It gives a generous amount of room, though after what you saw last, you can't imagine it's a simple ring-out competition anyway. There's a second one adjacent as well.

"Come one, come all, to yet another battle of might and wits! Are you all prepared to see yet another game? Put your hands together once more for our competitors, who have already been selected after a small change in wardrobe," announces the elf. "This time around, they will square off in two separate matches simultaneously, and then the winners of both bouts will face each other to determine the true victor."

The first to step forward, representing Team A, is Anastasia Phairgem the fiery-haired cleric who so rudely tried to exorcize your banshee back before you rescued the queen. She appears as she did in the lineup prior, though her top has been swapped out. Now she has a small, black sports bra tied tight on the back with a tiny metal ringed hole near the top. As the audience cheers, she shyly places her hands upon her busty assets--something you've yet to see from her, as when you first met, she was garbed surprisingly conservatively, unlike many in this empire. Her holy armour is on her no longer, however. Now she's wearing gym shorts and quite a small garment over her chest, causing her cheeks to promptly match her hair.

Next up is Team B. This time, it's a man, and of course it's the flirty gentleman of vanity Cid. While the men of this contest wear gym uniforms to match the aesthetic, so longer, looser shorts unlike what the girls wear (so unfair), his shirt has been exchanged as well. He wears a top to match Anastasia's, which is quite the unexpected sight. While he doesn't seem comfortable, he doesn't seem all that bothered, but it raises the question of what exactly is instore for these competitors.

Juggernaut, the mysterious hulking man of metal, has been chosen for Team C. You still can't tell what this creature is. Are they man or machine? You've yet to hear them speak nor have you seen any flesh. Strangest of all, they've still been given shorts though they're worn over the bulky metal plates, and they even have the sports bra on, though it's been tailored to fit around as well, albeit barely.

"This seems a little unfair," you comment under your breath.

Lastly, your Team D's very own Niki Vakila is up next! Naturally, such a change in wardrobe fits her perfectly. Her dark toned thighs shine beneath the tight-squeezing shorts to match the colour of your team, and her new sports bra reminds you of things she's worn in the past. That being said, she fidgets with the material as it appears perhaps too small over her ample bosom, which has been mostly the case for the other three, especially Juggernaut if that counts. She's used to specific garments, mostly to hide both of her markings, so she's likely self-conscious about this. However, her eyes practically light up upon view of the two dirt arenas. Despite her might, she bounces up and down like an excited child at the prospect of fighting hand-to-hand, wrestling, or whatever this could be. That's her element.

"If you will follow me, Niki and Juggernaut," says the bard, gesturing her hand to beckon them over towards the closer ring. "Now stand close, facing one another."

Niki might be strong, but this armoured monster looms over her. It doesn't matter much, of course. Niki could probably be placed head-to-head with anything and she'd be ready for the challenge, so such scare tactics will fail.

Juaela continues. "Now, Anastasia and Cid, please do the same over there."

Cid smiles confidently as they near one another. "Well aren't I a lucky man?"

The cleric swallows. "What ever do you mean?"

His smile turns into a grin. "To be paired up with such a beautiful woman."

"You can't say that! We aren't even married!"

"Uh--" His eyes glance to the distant Lady Vex, but the little devil gives a shrug in response. "Listen. I wasn't talking about marriage."

Meanwhile, the master of ceremonies withdraws what appears to be a thin rope with a hook on either side. She idly approaches Niki and Juggernaut as they stare one another down, and the other two bicker behind her. She then slips the hook of either side into each competitor's sports bra. Not yet explaining, she moves to do the same with the others, leaving Niki looking down with a confused blush in her cheeks.

"What is this?" she asks, though her question falls on deaf ears.

Next, all four of them are told to bring their hands behind their backs. Soft ropes are used to bind them there.

"Hey!" Niki yells out again. "You can't just tie us up and not explain!"

"Careful," the bard finally says with a wiggle of her finger. "Move around too much, and your top will pop right off."

Niki purses her lips, unsure of how to respond.

After both pairs are secured together, the bard holds up her mic and gathers the attention of the crowd once again. "All right, everybody! Allow me to explain the rules, because this shall be new to all, even the competitors themselves. As you may have guessed, this will be a sort of fighting competition, but a simple match of strength alone would be dull, would it not? Therefore, the condition to winning is simple. Remove your opponent's top, and you win!"

Now that definitely made the audience cheer.

"What?!" Niki shouts.

Anastasia looks around frantically. "N-No. I didn't agree to this..."

Cid on the other hand somehow grins even wider, like some sort of devil (though that makes sense all things considered). "Oh this is going to be fun."

The announcer continues speaking. "First rule is no using your hands. That is why they are bound after all! Second, no spells. Third, as soon as your top comes off, you lose. Fourth, no outright attacking your opponent, not with kicks or headbutts or anything like that. Lastly, there is an alternate method of victory that does not have to involve undressing your opponent."

"Boring," Delphi comments quietly on your shoulder.

"And that is if you are able to leave the circle! Unlike other fighting contests, leaving the ring in this game means you win automatically."

Vivi taps her finger on her chin. "I see. The circle itself is rather wide, so it would take quite a few steps to get out. But you're bound to your opponent by your top, so simply leaving just pops yours off. This truly is a brilliant game."

You glance to the witch. "I think you're overanalyzing something perverted."

After clearing her throat, Juaela smiles wide and clenches her fist in the air. "Are you ready? Then let me count you down. Good luck and have fun... Three. Two. One. Fight!"