Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Crushing Defeat and Unleashed Fury
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"What on earth is that fist art…? Does anyone know?"
"There have been several attempts by martial artists to modify the kingdom's fist arts up to now, but… well. It feels completely different from the fist arts we know. I'd say it's fundamentally different altogether. Fascinating."
Ester's calf kick completely ravaged Kenneth's right calf.
Even though he hadn't taken that many hits, Kenneth started limping.
"He's not even a match for her."
"As far as I know, Young Master Kenneth is at the second rank of the kingdom's fist arts, which is pretty decent… Even without aura, I never imagined he'd be this helpless in a bare-handed fight…."
And that wasn't all.
Every time Kenneth tried to close in while wary of Ester's kicks, he ran into trouble.
Ester's rear straight threatened Kenneth's head as it came in close.
Ester's jab neatly targeted Kenneth's nose.
Even if he luckily got in close to replicate a fist art form, Ester annoyingly ducked and created distance.
Then she hammered Kenneth's right leg with another calf kick.
"What an ingenious fist artist!!"
Edward Henry clapped in admiration.
The moves Ester employed were the most practical among all the fist arts he'd seen so far.
Concise and decisive in subduing the opponent.
Setting aside physical conditions and whether aura was used, purely from a technical standpoint.
No fist artist had ever demonstrated more perfect strikes than Ester.
"What a shocking match…."
"I'm not sure how far it'll hold up against demons, but in fights between humans, anyone wielding the fist arts that Sir Ester uses would definitely have the clear advantage."
"Who on earth did she learn it from? I've never seen any hermit masters use fist arts like Sir Ester's."
It wasn't just the fist arts.
What made her practical fist arts even more powerful was Ester's overwhelming dynamic vision.
Unlike Kenneth, Ester was still in her growing phase.
Though she'd been consistently trained by Ian up to now, her physical abilities were indeed inferior compared to Kenneth, who never skipped daily training.
And yet.
She was reacting as if she could predict every one of Kenneth's moves.
As if she could foresee the entire future one second ahead.
Kenneth's every attack missed into empty air by a hair's breadth or was blocked by her guard.
"Huff… ugh…."
Kenneth was steadily worn down by Ester.
There was no upset.
The flow of the spar never left Ester's control.
Blood trickled from his broken nose, and his right leg was numb, making it hard even to stand.
Standing before the ruined Kenneth was a martial artist in Ester's form.
'Why….'
Kenneth wanted to deny reality.
He was a martial artist.
Even if his magical knowledge wasn't deep, he believed his talent for combat surpassed anyone else's.
Even Uriel wouldn't propose a fair 1-on-1 duel against him.
Even if the guy before him was the genius who solved the Millennium Problem, in a fight, he should yield to him.
That was only natural.
But Kenneth's thoughts were directly denied by Ester.
'Me… losing a spar to Ester…?'
Ester began to look like an enormous wall.
Ester broke Kenneth's spirit just by dodging and swinging her fists.
To Kenneth, who had only ever won against others since childhood, his little sister's overwhelming skill was nothing short of a disaster.
His sky-high pride and self-esteem in martial arts began to shatter into pieces.
His own skill didn't measure up to Ester's.
The servants looked at Ester Tristy.
"Young Master Ester is overwhelming Young Master Kenneth like that…?"
"When did he gain such skill…."
The martial artists adored Ester Tristy.
"Just my thought, but maybe that fist art was developed independently by Sir Ester Tristy?"
"At the young age of fifteen?"
"He's the genius who solved the Millennium Problem. It's not impossible."
The hall had become a stage before anyone knew it.
Ester Tristy was the protagonist.
Bathed in the spotlight of attention more brilliant than any lighting, she glared at Kenneth.
What made him stand out was none other than his own pathetic state.
Kenneth twisted his expression.
"Aaaaaaargh!!"
He screamed and charged forward.
The cool-headedness to make rational judgments had long vanished from him.
He moved only to deny this situation.
"……."
Ester silently spun her body.
Backspin elbow.
Kenneth's final extended fist was deflected.
And then.
Ester's elbow struck his jaw.
"Guh…."
Kenneth collapsed limply.
The spectators let out gasps of awe.
It was a beautiful and flashy finish.
"That one landed solidly. He won't be getting up."
"I didn't expect it to be this one-sided…."
"Sir Ester!! If it's not too rude, could we discuss the fist art you just demonstrated…."
More like a fighting match than a spar, the martial artists were ecstatic.
"Ester's victory brings it to an end."
"Indeed."
Zephyr and Uriel could hardly believe their eyes.
Even setting aside solving the Millennium Problem.
Even without Kenneth using aura, to win in a bare-handed fight.
'Ester's talents aren't limited to magic….'
Zephyr looked at the fallen Kenneth and sighed.
'The more time passes, the further the Family Head position feels from my grasp.'
Could he really beat Ester in the Family Head trial?
The tough spar Ester had just shown seemed like a message to his siblings: Even in the field you're most confident in, I can win easily.
"Hmm, to win that one-sidedly… Interesting."
Uriel left his seat.
The last glimpse Zephyr caught of Uriel's face was stiff and displeased.
"Hah, hey, you there."
"Yes, Young Master Zephyr."
"Take my brother to his room."
It was just as Zephyr moved to clean up with the servants.
They couldn't very well leave someone collapsed in the hall.
Smack!!
A sharp sound rang out.
"What…?"
Zephyr turned his head in puzzlement.
Smack!! Smack!!
Ester was swinging her fists at the unconscious Kenneth.
Her punches overflowed with killing intent, to the point where it seemed Kenneth might actually die.
***
-Brother, please give it back. It's Mother's keepsake.
In the memory, I was crying.
When Kenneth took the necklace I cherished under the pretext of needing urgent funds, I could say nothing but beg for it back.
It was the time when my second sister was gravely ill, so I couldn't ask anyone for help.
Porto ignored me, Uriel mocked me, and Felix sided with Kenneth to torment me.
What had Kenneth said to me back then?
I couldn't remember well.
It was such a painful time that maybe the details had been erased from my mind.
Well, it didn't matter anyway.
In the end, I got Mother's necklace back from Zephyr.
Though I couldn't say the past pains were fully resolved.
I just didn't want to stir up more trouble.
Rather than venting my pent-up resentment with anger.
I thought ignoring it would be better for my mental health.
Probably the influence of my previous life.
That's how I'd usually act toward people when I got mad.
But.
When Kenneth slapped Dalpi in the face, and even tried to swing his fist on top of that.
My thread of reason snapped there.
The emotions I'd suppressed until now erupted, and boiling rage dominated my body.
Lava in my chest surged up, scorching my head.
If I didn't smash the Kenneth before me to pieces, I felt like I'd go mad.
So I crushed his nose.
I swung my leg with enough force to break his calf.
He eventually collapsed and passed out, but for some reason, my anger hadn't subsided.
My body moved on its own.
Smack!! Smack!!
"Sh-shouldn't we stop her…?"
Smack!! Smack!!
"Ester!! The spar ends there!! Anything more is dangerous!!"
Smack!! Smack!!!
Suddenly, the thought crossed my mind.
Maybe right here, I'd…
"Young master."
Someone hugged me from behind.
"I'm fine…."
My mind began to clear gradually.
"Aghhh……."
I saw Kenneth trembling under me.
His face, so similar to mine, was utterly wrecked.
"Hah…."
I slowly let out a sigh.
Dalpi said she was okay.
This much warning should be enough.
I slowly stood up from atop Kenneth.
"The spar ends here. Sorry for the disturbance."
Without hesitation, I left the hall with Dalpi.
Even as I entered my room, the hall remained in stunned silence.