Chapter 19: True Education for the Trashy Fiend (1)
Lennox, the man-hunter. From a young age, she had viewed men as inferior, and as the years passed, that belief twisted into outright hatred toward them. Men should never dare compare themselves to women; they ought to keep their heads bowed at all times. Even meeting a woman's eyes was forbidden, and anyone who broke that taboo deserved the agony of shattered bones to atone. Convinced of this, she would indiscriminately assault any men she encountered on the streets, reveling in her power and building her sense of superiority over their crumpled forms.
Of course, there were women who couldn't stomach such brutality, but to Lennox, even they were no better than beasts in heat, protecting the weak. She crippled every woman who opposed her, and in time, her infamy drew followers, allowing her to build a vicious organization that became a force to be reckoned with in the city. At its peak, the group rivaled the size of a full army division.
But that power was crushed by the hands of the Three Knights who served Renes. As their leader, Lennox was sentenced to life imprisonment for her heinous crimes. Yes, unless she truly repented and reformed, she would never see the light of day again. The saga involving her had seemingly come to a peaceful close... or so it seemed.
"Hah, you want me to fight in the arena?"
In the prison housing the worst criminals, Lennox reigned as the inmates' boss, passing her dull days—until the day the lord herself paid a visit. Lennox let out a scoff at Renes's words, utterly incredulous.
Renes. The master of this city, the very enemy who had thrown her behind bars. Lennox burned with the desire to snap her neck at the first opportunity, but Renes, reading those murderous thoughts with ease, remained utterly composed as she explained her business.
"It's not a bad deal for you. Put on a good show, and I'll reduce your life sentence to just ten years."
"Hah, ten years? And if I screw up again, you'll just toss me back in here. You call that a negotiation?"
Even with a life sentence, a sworn repentance to the gods could earn her parole. Yet Lennox refused to fake remorse, even for a moment. Instead, she bided her time, waiting for a chance to unleash the sadism pent up from prison life. Beat worthless men to death, then slaughter the women who fawned over them like lovesick animals... That was her purpose, her reason for living in a world soaked in violence and blood.
"You're consistent from start to finish, aren't you? After rotting in here for years, you'd think you'd wise up a bit."
"If you're done, get lost. Keep strutting around trusting those fancy knights of yours, and I'll send you to hell."
"Aww~ Why do you hate me so much? Our views differ, sure, but I'm not all that into men myself."
"...Disgusting bitch."
Genuine loathing. Lennox spat the words without restraint, viewing Renes as utterly vile. Without the Three Knights at her side, she would've torn her throat out long ago... Unable to act on it, Lennox seethed in rage, waiting for her to leave. But to Renes, the criminal's irritation was irrelevant. What mattered was reviving the city through successful arena spectacles—and scum like the one before her would make perfect seasoning.
"By the way, your opponent this time is a male gladiator."
"What? A man fighting in the arena?"
Yes, that would pique a man-hater's interest. Smirking with certainty, Renes continued.
"To put on a better show, we've brought in a male fighter. He performed impressively in his debut, so we're ramping things up for the next one."
"Heh. So you picked me to make it more thrilling?"
"If you're not thrilled, feel free to refuse. I can find someone else..."
-Kwang!!!
The iron bars of her cell rang violently as the spot her hand gripped crumpled and tore free. The result of her immense mana. Lennox stepped out through the gap, flaunting her power and her excitement.
"Sounds perfect~ A chance to pulp a man in front of the crowd."
Life sentence or reduction—none of it mattered. If she could unleash the violence she'd bottled up in prison, she'd sell her soul to the devil. She knew it was bait, but she couldn't resist biting.
"Heh, I figured you'd go for it."
As the deal with the fiend was sealed, the city's authority figure felt a thrill like never before. No matter the outcome, this show would be more electrifying than the last.
****
And so, here she was in the arena. Adrian flexed his fingers inside his gauntlets, sweeping his gaze over the surroundings.
Was it because a male gladiator was unprecedented? Far more spectators filled the stands than he'd expected, including men who had no business being there. Probably dragged along by their lovers' hobbies. To him, they were just polluting the sacred battleground where women clashed.
'Not entirely bad, though. Showing weaklings like them what happens when a man gets crushed.'
Not direct violence, but displaying bloodshed indirectly would break their spirits just fine. Convinced, Lennox strode to the arena's center and bellowed.
"Listen up, all you rookies here! By contract with the lord who dragged me out, I'll be fighting that man over there."
She jabbed a finger toward the man opposite her.
"Don't expect mercy. The lord knew what I am and still called me, so blame her for whatever happens here."
Her bold declaration of doing as she pleased rippled through the crowd. Most reactions were disgust and contempt aimed at her—but she caught the undeniable excitement too. They wanted to see a man cornered, slammed to the ground, begging a woman... A perfectly understandable desire. Dominating and suppressing men was women's instinct, after all.
"That getup to seduce women?"
Eager to feed that anticipation, Lennox mocked the man before her. Cloaked in just a mantle and skimpy armor like underwear, he replied with a hint of uncertainty.
"Uh, it's not what I wanted. That woman... the lord gave it to me and said to wear it."
"Excuses. You could've refused if you hated it. Putting it on means you don't mind deep down, right?"
"No, that's taking it too far..."
"Like it or not, wearing that means you've already submitted. That's the problem with men—no spine, just blindly obeying women."
She despised them for it. If she'd played her cards right and become a politician, she'd have harvested seed for breeding and sent every last man to the slaughterhouse.
"Listen up. I'm gonna hit you full force, smash you down, stomp your head, corner you, beat you senseless, then grab your throat and show everyone your blood-soaked defeat up close. Sound fun?"
No bluff—just a sincere murder threat. Every man she'd faced before had always surrendered in tears to such intimidation. Men couldn't beat women, after all. All they could do was beg for their lives.
"...Doesn't sound fun, but I get one thing."
Yet this man didn't flinch. He raised his mace straight and spoke calmly.
"I don't need to hold back for you."
Hold back. An act no man would ever show a woman. Renouncing it meant no mercy—and could only be seen as him, a man, looking down on her.
"Kuhahaha! Hilarious! Of course—the woman who called me out expects some guts!"
Crushing that arrogant prick would be pure joy. Her body surged with mana, the torrent expanding into a whirlwind that overwhelmed the entire crowd. A presence that could dominate every spectator here. Only Renes's Three Knights surpassed it in the city—which meant a far inferior man had no chance.
"Let's have some fun, then!!!"
So he'd crumble pathetically here. With that certainty, she lunged. He quietly assumed his stance, channeling power into his mace.
And in that instant—crackle! The weapon vibrated fiercely. Feeling the air tremble and spread, Lennox's eyes locked onto the aura erupting from his body.
"Wh-what..."
Mana surged. Immense mana no man should wield—more than even in her own fist.
-Boom!!!!
That powered strike batted her fist aside and slammed her face. Sent flying, Lennox hit the ground hard, her dazed mind struggling to process.
"Keh, heuk... What the hell..."
A man knocked her down? Impossible. Men were inferior to women. That was the unchangeable truth of this world. How could she be sent rolling by his attack?
-Bang!!!!
But Adrian's mace shattered her beliefs again, smashing her body once more.
"Gahk!!!"
As the air was crushed from her lungs and weakness flooded her, his voice faintly reached her ears.
"A bit late, but Helia—the one who taught me to fight—once said something."
The woman who'd once seemed unbeatable, the one who'd defeated her, had trained him.
"That my talent alone surpasses even hers."
Despite being a man, his potential far exceeded hers.