Chapter 307
“So it seems. Since you dared to insult the imperial family, how will you atone for your crime?”
Marquis Valmond gritted his teeth.
“…My apologies. In my confusion, I inadvertently committed an act of rudeness.”
“And not that you were inwardly disrespecting my person?”
“!!”
“If that were not the case, you wouldn't be showing such an arrogant attitude even while asking for forgiveness.”
Chris looked down at Marquis Valmond with a cold gaze.
“Kneel at once and ask for forgiveness properly, according to etiquette.”
Marquis Valmond's fists trembled. It was an order he could never follow.
‘How dare this country bumpkin who came from who-knows-where.’
A murderous glint flashed in Marquis Valmond's eyes.
‘I might as well just do it.’
Just as Chris had suspected, he was harboring malicious intent. He had received an order to find an excuse, request a duel, and cross swords with the Hero. If possible, he was to inflict a fatal wound and make it look like an accident.
‘Rather than bow my head to a punk like that, I'll duel him right now.’
Just as the people who sensed Marquis Valmond's intentions wore anxious faces, wondering if a storm of blood was about to erupt, another voice cut in.
“My, my. This generation's Hero is quite something. I like that.”
Clap, clap.
With the sound of applause, a man with a roguish expression walked toward Chris.
“I am Heinz, Vice-Commander of the White Tiger Brigade. Yikes, you're not going to accuse me of insulting the imperial family too, are you? I'm not an imperial citizen, just an outsider.”
Chris looked at the Vice-Commander of the White Tiger Brigade.
“To be honest, I'm not interested in anything else. I came to this banquet because I'm curious about the Hero-Prince's skills. How about you show us those skills that are so renowned?”
At the straightforward duel request, everyone in the hall once again drew in a sharp breath.
“No, I refuse.”
“Hmm? How disappointing. You put on such a grand show, but are you all talk?”
“No, the likes of you are not worthy of being my opponent. You are lacking.”
“!!”
The smile vanished from Heinz's face.
Chris looked at Marquis Valmond.
“You come at me along with him.”
“!!”
“That should be just about the right level for me.”
The hall fell into a commotion. To think he would face the Commander of the Imperial Guard and the Vice-Commander of the White Tiger Brigade at the same time.
That wasn't all.
“Marquis Valmond, if you can so much as touch the hem of my clothes, I will forgive the rudeness you've shown me today.”
He was looking down on Marquis Valmond completely, and then,
“Hein… what was it? Well, I suppose there's no need to remember. There isn't even a speck of a chance you'll touch my clothes, so there's no need for me to promise you any reward.”
He treated the Vice-Commander of the great White Tiger Brigade as less than the dirt under his fingernails.
The atmosphere around the two men sank rapidly.
Heinz smiled darkly and spoke to Marquis Valmond.
“Marquis Valmond.”
“…It's Marquis Valmond.”
“Anyway, Marquis Valmond. We may be enemies, but it seems like a good idea to join forces today. To teach that arrogant Hero-Prince a lesson.”
“Hmph, I don't need your help. I alone am more than enough.”
Marquis Valmond stepped forward.
“You will regret this. Receive my sword. Hyaap!”
Flash!
An intense, brown Aura Blade cut through the air.
But the Hero's reaction was strange. He was just blankly staring as the attack flew toward him.
“Huh?”
“D-danger!!”
Marquis Valmond also furrowed his brow. But he didn't stop his attack. Behind him was the second prince, the most likely candidate for the next emperor, so he judged that he could get away with killing the new prince during a duel.
‘Die!’
But it was at that moment.
Something incomprehensible happened.
The moment the Aura Blade was about to cut through the Hero's body.
WHAM!!
Sparks flew before Marquis Valmond's eyes. With a delayed shock as if he'd been struck in the face with a hammer, his head snapped back.
“Keok?!”
Drip, blood trickled from his nose, and he could see the Hero flexing his fist.
“What did I say?”
The Hero raised the corner of his mouth.
“I'm about to yawn. Both of you, come at me at once.”
The banquet hall grew quiet.
Everyone was staring at the duel with looks of horror.
‘N-no way?’
‘How is that possible?’
Marquis Valmond. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Karn Empire, at the level of a Mid 7-Star. This was not a level to be dismissed as 'mere'. Unlike in the Magus Empire, those at the 7-Star level or higher were extremely rare in the Alliance. Instead, they maintained a balance of power with an overwhelmingly larger number of common soldiers and knights than the Magus Empire.
‘The Vice-Commander of the White Tiger Brigade is also a Mid 7-Star powerhouse.’
Such powerful men had joined forces, yet the duel was completely one-sided. No, would it even be right to call it one-sided? It was closer to a complete mockery.
An unbelievable scene was unfolding.
First, there was Marquis Valmond.
Fwaat!
His sword cut through the empty air. At first, it was just Aura Blades, but now he was pouring out his unique ultimate techniques with all his might. As befitting the Commander of the Imperial Guard, each and every attack was incomparably fierce. They weren't just powerful; they even possessed a sublime quality that drew admiration, but it was all useless.
“Is this all you've got? Try a little harder.”
In contrast, the swordsmanship displayed by the Hero was exceedingly simple. He was using the basic swordsmanship that beginners learn, but surprisingly, the empire's greatest ultimate techniques unleashed by Marquis Valmond could not break through that simple sword.
‘I may not look it, but I've reached the level of a Sword Master. A guy with fundamentals this poor could never be my opponent.’
Poor. These were not words to be said to the Commander of the Imperial Guard, but by Chris's standards, it was true. Of course, it wasn't that Marquis Valmond's level was low. A Mid 7-Star was a level considered among the best in any prestigious Magus House. However, in terms of substance, the difference was stark.
‘He's a guy who's lived his whole life getting fat and acting high and mighty.’
How many real combat situations would the Commander of the Imperial Guard ever have to swing his sword in? It was clear that, at some point, he had neglected his swordsmanship training.
‘This is why his openings are so glaringly obvious.’
Chris let out a dry laugh and swung his sword.
SMACK!
A loud sound echoed from Marquis Valmond's cheek. He had struck him across the cheek with the flat of his sword. He wasn't cut, but the mental blow from the humiliation was immense.
“Kuaaaah!!”
He let out a roar of fury and unleashed an even stronger attack, but again, WHAM!!
He hastily covered his face and retreated.
A deathly shock descended upon the hall.
‘What, this is impossible?’
‘He's no match for him at all.’
What was even more terrifying was that the Hero hadn't even revealed his true power yet. Just then, a sharp voice rang out.
“Marquis Valmond, you should step back now.”
It was Heinz of the White Tiger Brigade. He was in a similar state, looking as if he'd taken quite a beating as well. His once-roguish face was covered in bruises.
“What did you say? How dare a street mercenary punk like you! And it's Marquis Valmond!”
“Right, Marquis Valmond. I said, shut up. I'm in no mood to listen to your whining.”
“!!”
Heinz brushed his fallen hair back and stepped forward.
“It seems I have underestimated you, Your Highness the Hero.”
“Saying that after getting beaten up just looks pathetic.”
“…I will show you my true skills. I request a duel of real combat.”
“!!”
The hall stirred. Unlike the Magus Empire, the Alliance placed several restrictions on duels. In particular, when those of the 6-Star level or higher dueled, Will-techniques and Miracle-techniques were forbidden to avoid fatalities. But now he was suggesting they remove those restrictions.
“No, absolutely not.”
“To request a duel of real combat with a member of the imperial family!”
A few sensible nobles objected, but Chris nodded his head.
“Fine. But there's a condition. I don't care if it's Will-techniques or Miracle-techniques, but the two of you must join forces properly.”
“!!”
“You have to consider my position, dealing with lacking fools like you. Please, allow me to have a duel worthy of the name.”
Heinz and Marquis Valmond ground their teeth. The two of them stood on Chris's left and right, as if to surround him.
“…Do not regret this.”
“What happens next is not our responsibility.”
“*Yawn*. Do the White Tiger Brigade and the Imperial Guard duel with their mouths? This is getting really boring. May I yawn for a moment?”
“!!”
A dangerous glint appeared in both of their eyes.
Marquis Valmond was the first to move.
“Haaaaap!!!”
The Aura Blade took the form of a giant white lion and leaped toward Chris.
That wasn't all.
A miraculous ability was imbued within it.
The white lion roared, pressing down on Chris's body.
‘An intimidation-type miraculous ability.’
It was a combined attack of will and miracle that aimed to immobilize the opponent before the white lion tore them to shreds.
Next, Heinz moved.
Swish.
Heinz's weapon was the art of throwing daggers. As if performing a magic trick, countless daggers shot out from his sleeves and flew toward Chris like a storm.
This wasn't a simple metaphor.
The daggers truly showed wild variations, creating a vortex centered on Chris. Displaying paths that were physically impossible.
‘A trajectory-altering miraculous ability.’
It wasn't just one.
‘There's also an accuracy-type miraculous ability imbued in them. Some of those daggers must be set to hit me 'unconditionally'.’
Chris whistled inwardly.
Although they were both Mid 7-Star, Heinz of the White Tiger Brigade was far stronger than Marquis Valmond. It seemed to be because the White Tiger Brigade, at least, experienced real combat in various ways.
‘Of course, not that it matters.’
Chris twisted the corner of his mouth.
Fwaaaah!
For the first time since the duel began, a radiance enveloped Chris's sword. It was the Mana of Radiance, the symbol of a Hero.
“Watch closely. This is the sword of a Hero.”
He swung his sword.
It was a quiet, single strike. Insignificant compared to Marquis Valmond's white lion or Heinz's vortex. As if it would be crushed at any moment.
And yet.
A moment of silence passed. As if time had stopped. The roaring white lion, the fierce vortex.
“W-what?”
It was the moment the people who couldn't understand what had happened tilted their heads in confusion.
Marquis Valmond's and Heinz's eyes became bloodshot, and their bodies trembled.
“What, you two?”
“Keoooook!!”
“
Gush”
Both of them suddenly vomited blood, and at the same time.
CRASH!!
With a sound like shattering glass, the white lion, the vortex, everything collapsed.
“H-how?”
Heinz, on his knees, let out a sound of disbelief.
“When you expose such an opening, wouldn't it be stranger if I
couldn't shatter it?”
“W-what…!”
Heinz wore an expression of incomprehension. In reality, it hadn't happened because he was lacking. It was simply that Chris was just that extraordinary.
‘Because this is my new miraculous ability, 'Pierce'.’
If his previous miraculous ability, 'Single Point', made an attack hit where his will was directed, 'Pierce', as its name suggested, was a miraculous ability that aimed for the opponent's opening and pierced their core. It was a cheat-like miraculous ability that could display its power not only when directly attacking an opponent, but also when facing miraculous abilities and will-techniques like these.
“Looks like it's about over. What a boring duel.”
The two of them bit their lips hard.
“In any case, since it has ended like this….”
Chris was continuing to speak. Suddenly, his expression hardened. It was because he saw one of Heinz's daggers rolling on the floor.
“Wait, what's this? Isn't this poison?”
“!!”
“Did you dare to use poison in a duel?”
Heinz had a flustered look on his face.
“What are you talking about? There's no way I would…!”
“Force that man to his knees at once! Now!!”
The imperial knights stationed at the banquet hall pointed their swords at Heinz with bewildered faces.
“…Is it really poison, Your Highness?”
“Yes, take a look.”
The face of the imperial knight who received the dagger hardened. There really was poison on it! And it wasn't an ordinary poison.
“Don't tell me, this poison is?”
“Yes, it's the poison of the Venomous Demonic House.”