Chapter 293
The battle between the newly appeared Hero and the Ghost Sword King!
The eyes of the entire continent were on them.
To be precise, the eyes of the people of the Alliance were on them.
This was because the magi of the Magus Empire were preoccupied with the upheaval in the Southern Magus Nation, namely the fall of the Demon King of Azure Flow and the war with the Four Kings' Castle.
Everyone in the Alliance was talking about this duel.
However, the voices were not positive.
“Who do you think will win?”
“The Ghost Sword King, obviously, right? There’s no way some unknown Hero could be a match for the Ghost Sword King.”
“No, in the first place, I don’t even know if he’s a real Hero.”
People first began to doubt the authenticity of the Hero.
It was only natural.
His appearance was as if he had fallen from the sky.
Where he was from, who he was, not even his name was known.
If the Holy Emperor had not personally vouched for him on her own name, no one would have acknowledged him.
“Even if he is a real Hero, it’s impossible. A duel of pure swordsmanship, of all things. Unless they’re the head of the renowned swordsmanship house, there is no one in our Alliance who can face the Ghost Sword King in swordsmanship.”
These were words that subtly revealed their fear of the Ghost Sword King.
“I have no idea what Her Majesty the Holy Emperor is thinking.”
“No matter how politically cornered she is, isn’t she taking too much of a risk?”
“This Holy Emperor was a fine person who stood against the corrupt priests, but it seems she will fall like this.”
“But you never know, do you? The Hero might win.”
“As if. He’ll be a Hero who disappears as soon as he appears.”
People shook their heads.
And so, amidst everyone's attention, the day of the duel arrived.
The location of the duel was a neutral zone between the Holy Empire and the Tri-Alliance.
Countless people had flocked to the site even before the duel began.
Most of them were sent by the various powers of the Alliance to confirm the identity of the new Hero.
‘So many have gathered. The Mirror Ice Palace, the Celestial Magic Tower, the Gold Cross, the Gray Zone, and even the Karn Empire.’
Those who recognized each other’s faces shook their heads.
It seemed as if figures from nearly every nation and power in the Alliance had gathered.
Remarkable figures were often seen.
‘The Young Mistress of the Mirror Ice Palace.’
People looked with surprised eyes at a young elf girl with snow-white silver hair.
The Mirror Ice Palace was a group centered around the High Elves, who were called the nobility among elves.
The next in line to lead, the Young Mistress of the Palace, had come in person.
‘Sir William, the “Fierce Tiger” of the Round Table, is here too.’
The Round Table was an alliance of noble houses.
For reference, the renowned swordsmanship house was excluded from this.
As the foremost noble house in the Alliance, the renowned swordsmanship house refused to be bundled with other families and formed its own independent power.
‘Even Sir Asran, the “Sword of Light” and Vice-Commander of the Karn Empire’s Imperial Guard.’
People gulped as they saw a woman with an impression as hard as steel.
‘It’s obvious his head is going to be taken by the Ghost Sword King, so to think such great people have gathered.’
‘Sir Asran, in particular, must be busy with the affairs of the Karn Empire, so for her to come all this way.’
Currently, the most chaotic place in the Alliance was the Karn Empire.
The struggle for the throne had intensified, and all sorts of factions had begun to get involved.
The Alliance's most powerful military groups, the ‘Renowned Swordsmanship House’ and the ‘White Tiger Order’, were each supporting different successors, and with the ‘Gray Zone’, the Alliance's own den of demons, showing signs of interfering, there were even whispers of a civil war.
‘They’re probably here to win the Hero over for the Crown Prince.’
‘If they receive the Hero's support, they'll be able to seize the high ground in the succession dispute.’
It was only natural, as the symbolism of the Hero in the Alliance was immense.
This was especially true in the current situation, with the Magus Empire's movements being so unusual.
‘That's only if the Hero survives this duel, though.’
‘It’s obvious he’ll become the shortest-lived Hero in history.’
Just then, the flag of the Holy Empire began to appear in the distance.
It was the Holy Emperor's procession.
“We greet Her Majesty, the Holy Emperor!”
The figures in the area all paid their respects to the Holy Emperor in unison.
Although they all belonged to different factions, it was proper etiquette, as the Holy Emperor was one of the three most supreme figures in the Alliance, along with the Pontiff of the Gold Cross and the Emperor of the Karn Empire.
‘Who is the Hero?’
Everyone quickly scanned the Holy Emperor's surroundings.
One figure who seemed out of place caught everyone's eye.
A man with a steel-like impression, his sculpted features were reminiscent of a protagonist from a heroic tale.
An appearance that looked like a Hero to anyone.
“Is that the newly appeared Hero?”
The man pointed out by the people, Evan, stepped forward and shook his head.
“I am not the Hero. The Hero is this person. Everyone, pay your respects to the great Hero.”
“!!”
Only then did the people’s gazes fall upon a figure behind Evan.
He was a boy with blond hair and blue eyes.
It was Chris in disguise.
‘That boy is the Hero?’
‘He doesn't look like it at all?’
People tilted their heads.
Chris was currently disguised with the legendary artifact, the Emblem of the Constellation. Since a drastic change in appearance from his original form could create a sense of incongruity, he had taken on an appearance somewhat similar to his original self.
Therefore, he looked just as slender as his original form.
He looked only like a pampered young noble, a far cry from the image of a powerful Hero that usually came to mind.
They might have been convinced if they knew of Chris's achievements in Stellar Radiance, but they couldn't tell as he was deliberately concealing his energy.
And his impression.
‘…He has such an ill-mannered face. What kind of Hero has such a detestable impression?’
The Hero was frowning slightly, and to anyone, he looked like he had a bad personality.
The feel of an unpleasant and arrogant young noble?
In truth, there was a reason for this.
Chris was in a very bad mood right now.
Seeing the people who had flocked to see him, it finally hit him that he had truly become the Hero.
‘Damn it, and this bastard Evan has no idea how I feel.’
He was infuriated to see Evan looking at him with a thoroughly proud expression.
‘I swear, one day, I will pass this Hero title onto you, Evan.’
He was in the middle of composing his frayed nerves when, suddenly, a rough voice was heard.
“Haha! I see the great Hero! I am William of the Round Table! It is a humble position, but I serve as the head of the War King noble house.”
A man with a physique as massive as a mountain.
Like his booming voice, his impression was also frank and open.
Chris’s eyes glinted with interest.
‘William, this guy was here too?’
He was a person he had a deep connection with in his previous life.
Because he was another one of the Hero’s companions.
‘He wasn't a full member, but a guest member like Istanya.’
Unlike the other members of the hero’s party, he was quite old, currently in his early forties.
‘And unlike the other companions who grew strong late in the game, his achievements were already mature, so he was active from the very beginning of the Age of Ruin.’
His current achievement also seemed to be around high 7-Star.
For a member of the Alliance, who were on the whole underwhelming, it was a tremendous achievement.
There was a reason he was called the Fierce Tiger.
However.
‘It's not enough.’
Chris crossed his arms.
Was it because he had seen so many truly formidable figures after becoming a magus of the Magus Empire?
He felt that it was far from enough.
‘Before the great war begins, William needs to reach at least 8-Star.’
William's other epithet was ‘The Shield’.
The higher his achievement rose, the more the Alliance’s losses could be reduced.
‘The problem is how.’
William was not a genius like Evan or Archmage Ranya, who would grow on their own if left alone.
He would need someone’s help to gain achievements quickly, but the problem was that he wasn't the type to easily listen to others' advice.
‘Unlike his bandit-like appearance, he comes from a prestigious family, so he's a guy with an incredibly strong sense of pride.’
Just look at him now.
Seeing the look in William’s eyes directed at him, Chris let out a smirk.
They were blazing with a competitive spirit.
He could see his desire to put this Hero who had appeared out of nowhere in his place and reveal his true colors.
“But a Hero, all of a sudden. How strange. I may not look it, but this body of mine is well-connected and knows the faces of most up-and-comers, but I’ve never seen you before.”
William, expressing his suspicion toward Chris.
If Chris hadn't been scheduled to fight the Ghost Sword King, he had a face that looked like he would have immediately challenged him to a duel.
The Holy Emperor Istanya, who was standing behind him, frowned, but Chris raised his hand as if to say he would handle it.
‘A duel, he says. I had to teach him a lesson anyway. I might as well use this chance to put him in his place.’
It seemed like a good idea to use a duel as a pretext for giving him a lesson.
‘You should be grateful. My teachings are not something you can receive easily. Of course, since it’s a ‘practical’ lesson, it might be a little rough.’
Having finished his thoughts, Chris opened his mouth.
Unlike the magi, who would just throw a punch if they wanted to fight, the people of the Alliance, who cared about face, first needed to have the groundwork laid.
“I've never seen your face either.”
“…You speak informally.”
“Aren't you doing the same? I am a Hero, so you could say my status is equal to that of a head of a small house like you.”
“…Wh-what? A small house?”
“The War King noble house? I’ve never even heard of it. Was there such a house in the Round Table? The name is certainly very grand, though. The War King? Pfft, ah, my apologies for laughing.”
William’s face turned bright red.
Just as Chris said, the War King noble house was a minor house in the Round Table, only recently gaining momentum thanks to its current head, William.
“This generation’s Hero is quite rude.”
“I only spoke the truth. You, on the other hand, are quite sensitive. If it's because I struck a nerve, then I will apologize. It's a rule that you shouldn't tell someone who is truly lacking that they are lacking. I was indeed inconsiderate.”
“You bastard!!”
Unable to hold back, William drew his axe.
“Head of the house. Refrain from being rude to the Hero.”
Evan said as he stepped in front of Chris.
“Wasn't this bastard the one who was being rude?!”
Evan tilted his head.
“I do not know what you mean by rude. There was nothing incorrect in what the Hero said. Is it not true that the War King noble house is a minor house?”
“Th-this bastard…!”
Hearing that from Evan, who hailed from the most powerful of all the noble houses in the Alliance, the renowned swordsmanship house, made William jump even more.
Meanwhile, the people in the area had expressions of great interest.
‘Picking a fight with Sir William, the Fierce Tiger. Is he insane?’
‘It seems he doesn't even have the eyes to recognize his opponent.’
William ground his teeth.
“Since you have an important duel ahead of you, I will not take action against you here. Instead, bow your head and apologize to me at once.”
It was a generous offer, given that they were in front of the Holy Emperor.
However.
“I believe I'm the one who should be receiving an apology.”
“…What?”
“Didn't you first send a disrespectful gaze toward me, the Hero? Isn't that right, Evan?”
Evan nodded his head, playing along.
“That is correct, Sir Hero. This man was the first to send an insolent gaze toward you, Sir Hero. Apologize to the Hero at once, Head of the house.”
William looked as if he was about to explode.
Fwaat!
In the end, he drew his axe.
“You bastard, I can't let this go any longer. To think a punk like you is a Hero. There must have been some mistake. The result of your duel with the Ghost Sword King is obvious without even seeing it, so I shall first teach you the proper way of things.”
Everyone’s attention was focused on them.
Chris let out a smirk.