Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Inield, whose entire body was trembling in agitation.
âIs he at the level of an advanced Expert?â
Inieldâs behavior was completely foolish, but the energy coming from him was similar to an advanced Expert. He was definitely not weak. There was a good reason for Morell allowing the duel.
However, neither Inield nor Morell managed to discern Raonâs might. They were likely thinking that he was an intermediate Expert based on what he showed on the outside.
âHeâs certainly skilled, but heâs somewhat sloppy.â
Compared to his pressure, Inieldâs prowess wasnât exactly sturdy. It didnât look like he had much experience with actual fights.
âArgh!â
Inield ground his teeth, glaring at Raonâs huge club.
âAre you looking down on me? Draw your sword immediately!â
He pointed at Heavenly Drive, which was hanging around Raonâs waist.
âThis sword has never been used. Itâs too good to be used against you.â
âYou damn bastard! Iâm really going to killâŠâ
He started swearing but stopped himself after taking a glance at the princess behind him. He was extraordinary in a bad way, considering he was paying attention to the princess in such a situation.
âWhatâs happening here to cause such a crowd?â
âThey are apparently having a duel. Moreover, itâs between Zieghart and Balkar!â
âTwo of the Six Kings? Thatâs crazy!â
âWoaaah!â
Since they were in front of the city hall, which usually had a large amount of traffic, people had gathered and surrounded them in no time.
âI wonder whoâs going to win.â
âSadly, the outcome is already decided.â
âItâs obviously Balkar.â
âWhy? Zieghart is also one of the Six Kings.â
âThe blonde guy with long hair is Inield. Heâs a student of Morell, who is a 5th-circle magician. I heard his fist, which uses two attributes, is really outstanding. On the other hand, the handsome fellow over there looks young, and his name isnât famous either.â
âHey guys, stop talking so much and come here to make a bet! We canât just sit by when something this great is happening!â
Since there were so many people, they naturally started to gamble. However, most people believed that Inield would win after hearing about his fame.
âHaa, fine. Iâll make you regret not drawing your sword.â
Inield smiled gladly upon hearing the spectators praising him. He really was a consistent guy, considering he wasnât angry and excited anymore after a bit of praise.
âGet ready to kneel and beg for forgiveness in front of the princess after you lose!â
Inield equipped his combat glove, then gathered his hands in front of him. He chanted a spell to accelerate the flow of his mana, and his whole body started to radiate with it.
âWe are starting, right?â
Raon smiled coldly and kicked the ground. He reached the area in front of Inield in the blink of an eye, then swung the clubâwhich was the size of an adult body.
âWh-What? Shield!â
Inield panicked while chanting a buff spell, hurriedly using shield magic. A blue barrier appeared in front of him, but it was pointless. Everything was equalized by a club.
Clang!
The shield was shattered like glass, and the blunt club smacked into Inieldâs ribs.
Smaack!
With a frightening sound like a shattering boulder, Inield was bounced back like a ball, falling his head-first to the ground.
WhooshâŠ
The jaws of the dozens of people surrounding them dropped at the sight of the steam coming from Raonâs club.
âWh-What?â
âThat movement just nowâŠâ
âI almost couldnât see anything!â
âHow did he do that with such a bigâŠâ
It wasnât just the spectators. The Balkar Kingdomâs magicians also turned pale and stiff.
âInield!â
Morell used his mana to shout, and Inield, who had collapsed on the ground, hurriedly stood.
âHuff! Huff!â
He was breathing heavily and his whole body was drenched in cold sweat, but he looked rather intact considering that he had been hit by a club.
âI knew it.â
Raon snickered, looking at the ring on Inieldâs right hand.
âIs it an artifact?â
He felt like he was hitting a bag full of beans when he smacked Inield with his club. As expected of the Balkar Kingdom, which was famous for their artifacts. He mustâve been wearing an artifact to enhance his physical defense.
âY-You bastard! How could you do that?â
Inield screamed, his eyes red.
âWhat?â
âWhy would you attack me while Iâm preparing? You coward!â
âPrepare? What preparation?â
âI was casting buff magic! How could you attack during that? Donât you have any honor?â
He called him a coward while looking around him, as if he was the victim of unfairness.
âCoward?â
Raon swung the club onto his shoulder, tilting his head.
âAre you going to say that on the battlefield as well?â
âWhat?â
âIâm asking whether you are going to ask to stop because you arenât ready when a blade is right next to your neck.â
âTh-This is different from that! This is a duel!â
âA magician started to cast a spell during a duel. Isnât that pretty much the starting signal? You were the one that made the first move here.â
âTh-ThatâsâŠâ
Raon looked coldly at Inield, who was unable to answer, his lips trembling. He continued to speak.
âA magician using their magic is the same as a swordsman drawing their sword. If you want a duel where the opponent waits for you like playing house, you should do that at home instead.â
âD-Donât humiliate Balkar!â
âIâm humiliating you, not Balkar.â
âWhat you said doesnât concern me, butâŠâ
âYou talk way too much.â
Raon swung his club. The powerful wind pressure crushed Inieldâs voice.
âAre you doing it or not?â
âArgh, I wonât be careless anymore!â
Inield jumped back, quickly beginning to cast buff magic. All kinds of buffs, including haste, strength, and iron skin, seeped into his body.
ââŠâŠâ
This time, Raon stood still and watched until he finished casting all of his buffs.
âYou fool! Itâs pointless for you to try and keep your honor now!â
âI wasnât standing still because of honor, but because it would be annoying if you started whining once again.â
âYou are all talk!â
With fire in his right hand and wind in his left hand, Inield disappeared from view. His presence reappeared behind Raon. He wasnât moving quicklyâhis presence literally disappeared, then reappeared. It was the short-distance movement spell, Blink.
âDie!â
Inield thrust his fist in a systematic path, storming with wind and fire. The powerful attack was directed at Raonâs ribs. It was a childish attack, an attempt to return what he had suffered.
âThatâs too obvious.â
With no agitation at all, Raon stomped the ground and turned his body around. The powerful force coming up from his ankle turned into a rotation of his waist as he swung his club.
Whoosh!
The powerful strike of the club clashed with Inieldâs magic fist, mingling with wind and fire.
âYou idiot!â
Inield snorted, watching as Raonâs club approached him. He had a fast reaction speed, one befitting a swordsman, but he seemed to have the classic smooth brain of a swordsman as wellâafter all, he was trying to pierce through the combined magic of the fifth circle spells Wind Torrent and Flame Dagger with a mere club.
âIâll burn you up immediately!â
He was about to concentrate more mana in order to burn that handsome faceâŠ
âHuh?â
The club that shouldâve burned up a long time ago was right under his nose.
âWh-What is happening?â
Even though it was a big club, it was just made out of wood. He couldnât believe that it was crushing his magic instead of burning up from the powerful heat.
âNo way, is he actually using aura with his club?â
The bigger the weapon, the blunter it was, the more difficult it was to use aura. That was the reason there were so few hammers or morning star masters in comparison to sword masters.
However, that crazy guy seemed to be using aura with his club. Inield thought he was all talk, but he actually seemed skilled.
âKwaaa!â
Inield shouted to increase his mana, but it was pointless. The club bludgeoned through the fifth circle combination magic with its tremendous power.
âB-Blink!â
Inield eventually gave up on the engagement and withdrew. He was planning to aim for an opening by using another spell after backing off.
âI-I did a good job getting out of there. I wouldâve been beaten up again otherwi⊠Huh?â
As he was breathing a sigh of relief and watching his magic melt away, a shadow appeared above his head. When he raised his head to look at it, a huge club was falling down on him, hiding the sun.
âAhâŠâ
His mind went blank. His lips parted, and he was unable to even think about using Blink or Shield.
âBlink wonât work anymore.â
Raon smiled faintly, then slammed the club down.
Whaam!
With a shockwave powerful enough to make a crater on the ground, Inield fell. A significant amount of shock was absorbed, probably because the artifact was still functioning.
âNice, you can take a beating.â
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A frightening light reflected in Raonâs eyes as he raised the club.
âW-Wait! Wait! I los⊠Kuaah!â
Before Inield could surrender, Raon smacked him with the club once again.
Smaack!
Along with a wind fierce enough to turn the sand covering the ground into a whirlwind, Inield soared towards the sky.
âItâs really nice that you wonât die even if I beat you up at full strength.â
Raon grabbed the club with both hands, then sent Inield flying as he fell.
Slaam!
Alongside the tremendous sound of exploding air, Inield slammed into the ground in a sprawl. Two of the rings he was wearing on his hand became dust and scattered into the air.
âKeuhâŠâ
Apparently, he didnât have any other shock-absorbing artifacts except for the rings. Inield was unable to stand and just kept groaning.
âD-Donât killâŠâ
âI wonât kill you.â
Raon looked down on Inield with the club on his shoulder.
âBut you tend to speak a bit too much. You should practice silence for a while.â
He smacked his mouth while saying that.
Smack!
Along with a pleasant sound, teeth fell out of his mouth.
âKrrrâŠâ
With his head knocked back, his eyes rolled back. He wasnât dead, but he was going to suffer for a while.
Raon shook off the blood from the club and smiled slightly.
âItâs refreshing.â
Raon didnât care about whether or not he liked women or tried to attract their attention, but Inield had used Raon in order to get the princessâs attention. Raon felt so refreshed, as if he had managed to relieve his stress by beating the other man up because he talked too much and acted like a child.
Thatâs so harshâŠ
Wrath shook his head while looking at Inield, who was as limp as a rag.
The King of Essence wouldâve finished him in a single strike instead of giving him so much pain.
âI still controlled my strength.â
If he really used his full strength, Inield wouldâve died from the first strike. He went easy on him, despite how it looked.
Humans are just so cruel, despite being weak.
âNot really. Killing him is moreâŠâ
As Raon was shaking his headâ
[You managed to invoke Wrathâs admiration.
Strength has increased by 1.]
âOh.â
The system came to give him stats, then left.
Wh-Whatâs wrong with it? When did the King of Essence ever admire you?
âYou admired my cruelty.â
N-No, that was just a figure of speech!
âYou are a king, right? And the great king of Devildom on top of that.â
Y-Yes.
âIt canât be just a manner of speech when it came from such a great king. All your words must be meaningful, mustnât they?â
ThatâsâŠ
âAnyway, itâs nice that I got stats from beating a weakling like him.â
Wrath ground his teeth as he looked at Raon, who was checking his stats.
D-Damn it. You are so damn good at running your mouth.
That greasy Inield just talked too much, and Raon was good at running his mouth. Wrath could feel it every single time that he couldnât win against him with words.
I shouldnât face himâŠ
* * *
[Translator â Kyangi]
[Proofreader â Harley]
* * *
Creak.
The spectators, who were blankly staring at Raon, finally snapped out of it upon hearing the collapsing sound of the ground that Inield was slammed into.
âZieghartâs young swordsman apparently won. And with an overwhelming difference, on top of thatâŠâ
âGasp!â
âAm I dreaming right now?â
âItâs my first time in my life witnessing someone using an aura on his clubâŠâ
âDoes Zieghart even teach their students how to use clubs nowadays?â
âItâs so crazy. He doesnât even look twenty years old yetâŠâ
They swallowed nervously while examining Raon, who defeated Inield so easily.
âD-Did Sir Inield really lose?â
âMoreover, he lost to a club, not even a swordâŠâ
âW-Wasnât it because he was careless?â
âNo way! He even used Blink! He just couldnât dodge it!â
âHow could thisâŠâ
Balkarâs magicians stared at the collapsed Inield in disbelief, their lips trembling.
âWell, since the duel is over, the stakes shall be redistributed. Those that bet on Zieghartâs victory, come this way. The odds are four to two!â
The person that started the bet quickly raised his hand.
âI got a jackpot!â
âIâll prostrate in Zieghartâs direction every day from now on!â
âZieghartâs handsome swordsman! Iâll buy liquor for you today!â
âM-Me! Itâs me!â
The Light Windâs familiar cheerful voice was mixed in between the people rejoicing over the money they got from gambling.
âUhahaha! Itâs a jackpot!â
The red-haired elf, who had participated in the bet at some point, was giggling as he looked at the twenty gold he had in his hand.
âI knew it was a good idea to borrow money before coming here. I never lose when I bet on Raon! It wouldâve been perfect if I had a bit more money to beâŠâ
âRimmer.â
As Rimmer was taking the gold and laughing, Morell grabbed his shoulder.
ââŠWhat is that guy?â
Morellâs astonished face couldn't be called merely surprised anymore.
âIs he a monster that Zieghart is secretly raising? How could he be hiding an energy that even I couldnât detect? What the hell is that guy?â
âItâs my first time seeing that expression on your face.â
Rimmer smiled, putting the gold in his inner pocket. It was his first time seeing him so flustered, since Morell was an extremely composed person despite being a fire magician.
âHave you ever heard of the Sword Demon of Habun Castle?â
âAre you talking about that crazy guy that defended the collapsed castle wall from below during a wave?â
âYes. That crazy guy is him.â
âI see. Habun Castleâs Sword Demon was a Zieghart swordsman, just as I expected. However, I didnât think he would be that young.â
Morell narrowed his eyes as he looked at Raon. He didnât care about his defeated student or the bet anymore. He was simply filled with surprise over Raon.
âRather than the past, Iâm more looking forward to his future. You should watch him closely, since he will become a lot more famous soon enough.â
âStop boasting. Heâs indeed amazing, but thereâs a similar one in BalkarâŠâ
âI wonât accept it!â
The two people looked to the right, where a sharp voice suddenly spoke.
âI wonât accept a duel like this!â
Princess Jayna was walking towards Raon, biting her red lip.
* * *
Raon tilted his head, watching as Jayna got in the way.
âWhat are you not accepting?â
âThis match!â
Jayna glared at Inield under her feet and continued.
âI didnât accept it!â
âBut the duel was performed with the consent of your groupâs leader.â
Raon pointed at Morell, who was watching them with surprised eyes.
âHeâs not the leader, I am!â
Jayna confidently pointed at herself. It certainly could be the case. Prestigious families often put their successors in as leaders, in name only, in order to have them gain experience.
However, he wasnât going to overlook the matter just because of that.
âThat wonât do.â
âWhat?â
âIf you were going to say that, you shouldâve said it before the fight ended. Telling me that you wonât accept it when the fightâs already over is pretty much proving your bad qualities by yourself.â
âI-I couldnât talk aboutâŠâ
âMoreover, this man was using Balkarâs name and Zieghartâs name.â
Raon pointed at the still-unconscious Inield with his chin.
âThe fact that you didnât stop him when he mentioned our respective affiliations means that you implicitly allowed him to do so. Are you going to keep insisting on it despite having staked Balkarâs name? I guess your kingdomâs name has no significance.â
âHeâs right. She shouldâve stopped earlier if she wanted to.â
âI know, right? Itâs already all over, so why is she acting like that?â
âThe way she keeps insisting after itâs all over is so ugly.â
The spectators whispered, their voices barely audible to Jayna.
âUghâŠâ
As they scornfully looked at her, she scowled intensely.
âSh-Shut up! This fight was wrong from the beginning!â
âFine. Then Iâll give you a chance.â
As she was screaming at the spectators, Raon picked up the club from the ground.
âIf you fight and win against me, Iâll nullify the previous match.â
âF-Fight? Between you and me?â
âWhy are you so surprised? Did you think Iâd just overlook it with no price?â
âIâŠâ
Jaynaâs gaze was directed at the bloody club. It looked like she couldnât say that she wanted to fight after seeing the club that beat up Inield like a dog just a moment ago.
She swallowed nervously and turned around. She was looking at Morell, but he was just silently watching her. He seemed to be telling her to just admit defeat.
âNo! Balkar canât lose to Zieghart!â
âIf you donât want to admit it, you should fight me instead of squawking like that. Come at me.â
Raon smiled coldly and raised the club. An energy even more powerful than when he smacked Inield was flowing on the club, aimed towards Jayna.
âUghâŠâ
Overwhelmed by that tremendous pressure, Jayna couldnât even open her mouth. She just stood there with trembling hands.
âDo they specialize in running their mouths? All of them are all talk.â
âMay I take over that one?â
While Martha was smiling coldly, a pleasant voice could be heard among the Balkar Kingdomâs knights.
âIs this another idiot?â
Raon turned his head to see which idiot yielded to his instincts again.
A knight in his late twenties that wasnât exactly tall, but had a sturdy build, stepped forward. His eyes were clear and straightforward unlike Inieldâs. He seemed interested in his might, rather than the princess.
âMy name is Zatice, from the Balkar Kingdomâs Torrent Knights. If itâs not a problem, Iâd like to try stopping Sir Raonâs sword.â
He politely saluted with his sword after walking up to him.
âAre you confident?â
âNot yet.â
Zatice confidently said that he wasnât confident in winning. However, he said ânot yetâ. That meant that he believed he would win one day. Although his might didnât even seem to be at an intermediate Expert level, he could feel an unshakable will that surpassed his level.
âBalkarâs knight, huhâŠ?â
Since Balkar was a magic Kingdom, magicians were their main force rather than the knights. It was rumored that the knights had no power nor passion, to the point where they were called the magicianâs meatshields, but Raon couldnât feel anything like that from him.
âFine.â
Raon nodded and raised his club.
Zatice lowered his posture, raising his thick sword diagonally. He wasnât trying to avoid or retreat. He seemed to intend on stopping his attack, just like he said.
âThat wonât do.â
Raon slightly tilted the club in an instant. It was a trajectory that could never be deflected.
âHmph!â
Zaticeâs focus was at an extraordinary level. As soon as he noticed the clubâs distorted direction, he gave up on deflecting it and focused all his power on defense.
Slaaam!
The clash between the club imbued with a mighty energy and the sword imbued with sturdy aura created a compressed shockwave.
Whoosh.
Amidst the subsiding gray current of air, Zatice could be seen holding a shattered sword. Even though the sword was broken, and he was kneeling, he still hadnât collapsed. Even though he must have been feeling an extreme amount of pain, he was gritting his teeth to endure it, still holding his broken sword.
âI-Iâve lost.â
Zatice acknowledged his defeat, smiling faintly. However, his eyes were glittering even more than in the beginning. It looked like he managed to feel something from it.
âNot all of them are idiots.â
He fought fair and square, and acknowledged his defeat. Befitting the name of a famous Kingdom, not all of them were idiots. The man named Zatice had the potential of reaching a higher place as a warrior.
âArgh! He lost again! Why are those idiots acting up to ruin it for me?!â
However, Jaynaâs opinion seemed to differ. She glared at Zatice, who was spitting blood from his mouth, and burst the bubble of peace just as the situation was being settled.
âThis also happened because he decided to act up on his own, so I wonât accept it!â
Raon was irritated by her childish reaction.
âPrincess Jayna.â
Raon put down the club and stood in front of Jayna.
âIâll tell you this as the vice-squad leader of the Light Wind squad of Zieghart. If you speak recklessly one more time, Iâll consider it an offense against Zieghart and draw my sword.â
He tapped his scabbard, and the energy wave heâd been hiding so far burst from him like a tidal wave.
Whaam!
The overwhelming power crushed not only Jaynaâs spirit but also her emotions. Raon was the one that was dominating the space.
âAwwâŠâ
Jayna bit her lip, sinking to the ground. She started breathing heavily, unable to endure Raonâs frightening pressure.
âAnswer.â
âHuffâŠâ
Raon didnât decrease his pressure. As Jayna started to drool from her mouth, Morellâwho had been hanging backâwas standing behind her already.
Whoosh!
The heat appearing from his hand pushed away Raonâs pressure, cutting off the rope of aura that was seizing Jayna.
âThatâs enough.â
Morell grabbed Jaynaâs trembling shoulder to pull her back, shaking his head. Her eyes lost focus, as if she were unconscious.
âSniffâŠâ
Considering she couldnât even look in his direction, the fear seemed to have deeply engraved in her brain.
âSheâs still immature, as she was raised as a sheltered child of the Kingdom.â
âThereâs no reason for us to be considerate of that.â
âYou are right. Iâll apologize in her stead.â
His eyes looked surprised and agitated rather than apologetic. It looked like he was extremely surprised at the fact that he hadnât managed to grasp his prowess in the beginning.
âWe will get going, then. We will withdraw from this matter, just like we promised.â
âWhere are you trying to go?â
Raon stood in Morell's way as he tried to leave.
âHmm?â
âI didnât say yet what I wanted after my victory.â
âWasnât the loser supposed to leave?â
âSir Morell said by himself that the terms for this duel was the loser obeying the victor.â
âUgh. What do you want, then?â
âYour student taught me something great.â
Raon pointed at Inield, who the Balkar Kingdom's knights were carrying on their backs.
âThe Light Wind squad will use the Balkar Kingdomâs magician squad Salaman as their servants until the end of this mission.â