Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: The Grand Finals
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"Finally, the finals! The finals are about to begin!"
Waaaaaaaaah!
As the swordsmanship tournament, which had spanned half a day, reached its climactic finale, the crowd erupted in even more fervent cheers.
Moreover, with one of the finalists being the champion of the mounted lance competition, the audience's anticipation and excitement had swelled to unprecedented levels.
"Will Sir Eugene win this one too?"
"Who knows! Holy Knights are said to be skilled in swordsmanship and wield holy power on top of that."
"Holy power? I hear that only works on monsters."
"Hey now! You can't underestimate the power of prayer and faith! There are countless tales of knights emerging victorious in duels through deep devotion."
"Yeah. There's even a story about a knight on the brink of death in the demon realm who recited a prayer and sprang up, slicing through all the monsters."
Most of it was absurd nonsense or childish prattle, but there were plenty of realistic takes too.
"Anyway, if Sir Eugene wins, it'll be a Twin Crown!"
Twin Crown.
The term for a knight who claimed victory in both the mounted lance competition and the swordsmanship tournament.
Including the Winslon Earl's knightly tournament, only a handful of knights had ever achieved a Twin Crown throughout history.
It took not just exceptional skill but an incredible stroke of luck to emerge from the joust unscathed and then win the sword tournament.
"Twin Crown, huh. If Sir Eugene pulls it off, it'd be the first in how long?"
"Sixteen years. No one's done it since Sir Crapomos."
"Didn't that guy become an imperial lord? Rumor has it he even got an earldom there."
"I heard he became king. Married into it real well."
Regardless, it was proven fact that knights who claimed the Twin Crown skyrocketed in status.
Thus, the crowd's expectations for the impending sword fight only grew.
"Master, you okay? If that Holy Knight's weapon cuts or stabs you, your Night Clan identity could be exposed."
Mirian spoke worriedly to Eugene, who stood in the center of the arena awaiting the Holy Knight.
"I'm fine. You stay hidden so you don't get spotted. Just in case."
"Got it!"
In case there was another like Lanslo with similar abilities, Mirian swiftly ducked into the leather pouch.
"The finalists! Champion of the mounted lance event! The black-haired noble youth! The Black Knight, Sir Yaan Eugene! Facing him, the other finalist! Apostle of the gods and guardian of the faith! The pale oath's Vitos Iod!"
Eugene ignored the gaudy announcer in his colorful garb and fixed his gaze on his opponent rising from the opposite side.
'Hm?'
Eugene narrowed his eyes slightly.
He had seen the Holy Knight, in the midst of lowering his visor, pop something into his mouth.
'What the? Ah, no way?'
A sudden realization made Eugene's eyes turn icy cold.
In the meantime, Holy Knight Iod strode to the center of the arena.
'To reach the finals without a single injury means he's at least on Dirhit's level. And Holy Knights all use the same sword style.'
Eugene recalled his past-life clash with Yung Dirhit.
Back then, he hadn't awakened to Origin.
Still, having drained quite a bit of human blood, he wasn't exactly weak. If anything, he was around the level just before entering the Tiwin family dungeon.
'I knew nothing of swordsmanship. I just relied on instinct and vampire strength.'
That's why he was no match for Yung Dirhit.
Toyed with, utterly.
Dirhit could have ended him in moments if he wanted, but he dragged it out, pretending to struggle for dramatic effect.
"Unbeliever."
At that moment, the Holy Knight halted a few meters away and growled low, the words drilling into Eugene's ears.
Shring.
The Holy Knight drew his longsword.
It looked identical to the one Dirhit had wielded in his past life. The silver plate armor, streaked with red, was the signature gear of Holy Knights—just like back then.
"I've already seen through your vile tricks. Today, I'll expose your true nature to the world."
'As expected.'
Eugene smirked coldly beneath his helmet.
A Holy Knight was indeed a Holy Knight.
They must have sensed the aura he'd briefly unleashed during the joust. That's why he'd come armed with a blade meant for monsters and undead, not humans.
And that wasn't all.
What the Holy Knight had just popped into his mouth.
There was only one thing a knight on the verge of battling a hated foe would consume.
'He ate a semi-mana crystal? The mad bastard.'
He hadn't used it in earlier bouts against other knights to avoid suspicion, but had taken it just now.
'It takes about ten minutes for a semi-mana crystal to fully absorb, right?'
Recalling what Romari had told him before, Eugene raised Wolfslaughter.
"Here I come."
The Holy Knight's voice dripped with venom as he assumed his stance. The eerie heat wavering around his body condensed into the longsword.
A mage like Romari might not see it directly but could sense it vaguely—yet here, only Eugene could perceive it.
"Hraaah!"
With a bellowing kiai, the Holy Knight spun his longsword overhead and charged.
It was the Holy Knights' signature style: bewildering swordplay that dazzled the eyes and concealed the attack line.
Swoosh!
The longsword traced a sharp diagonal with a whistle through the air.
An exquisite strike that would have caught past-life Eugene flat-footed—but he twisted aside and slashed horizontally with Wolfslaughter.
Aiming for the armpit gap in the Holy Knight's plate armor.
Clang!
The Holy Knight whipped one hand out with unbelievable reaction speed, deflecting Eugene's blade.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, they'd traded one blow each and swiftly pulled back.
Woooaaah!
Just that single exchange, a duel between masters at the pinnacle of swordsmanship that had the crowd gripping their seats, drew roars from the stands.
As if entranced, the Holy Knight spun like he was bowing, whirling his sword overhead once more.
Shing! Shing!
Eugene tracked the Holy Knight's movements, but his eyes were locked not on the man—on the translucent, heat-haze-like power shimmering along the longsword.
'In my past life, Dirhit's blade burned like fire when it pierced me. I thought it was holy power back then.'
But it didn't seem so.
Whatever the Holy Knight had ingested—doubtless a semi-mana crystal—had granted him some kind of power.
Dirhit had done the same in his past life, and the paladins from the monastery who'd stirred trouble in the labyrinth and died had grown stronger after consuming them too.
Above all, the Holy Knight's impossibly swift block of Eugene's strike with his gauntlet, backed by unnatural strength, proved it.
'In that case.'
Eugene steeled his resolve.
Shhh...
An explosive burst of aura erupted from Eugene's red eyes—invisible to human sight, it coalesced in an instant, enveloping the Holy Knight, who flinched involuntarily.
Even the forbidden power of a semi-mana crystal couldn't withstand the presence of a top-tier vampire.
Swoooosh!
Eugene's body launched like a coiled spring. The Holy Knight, snapping to his senses a beat too late, brought his sword slashing down.
Eugene could have dodged, but he charged straight in.
He knew from experience facing Dirhit before: evading that strike would unleash a storm of the Holy Knight's signature chain attacks.
Dropping low as he closed in, Eugene raised his left hand, gauntlet intercepting the longsword's path.
'Got him!'
Those who consumed semi-mana crystals grew two or three times stronger than usual, so Holy Knight Iod was certain his holy blade would sever the unbeliever's arm.
Clang!
But in the instant the blade met the ominous black gauntlet, Iod's instincts screamed something was wrong.
And as always, it was too late by then.
Crack!
Ignoring the agony of his left arm snapping inside the gauntlet, Eugene thrust Wolfslaughter diagonally upward.
Aiming for the razor-thin gap between the Holy Knight's breastplate and helmet—barely wide enough for a knife edge.
Thud!
The blade pierced under Iod's jaw, skewering his skull and lodging in the helmet's interior.
The Holy Knight stood frozen like a statue, longsword drooping, before collapsing to his knees. Blood then poured from his helmet like a stream.
"......!"
The outcome was plain for all to see, yet the stunned crowd gaped in shock.
They'd expected a grueling final worthy of the name, not an end this swift.
And for a Holy Knight who'd advanced unscathed to lose his life?
"Th-the winner is Sir Yaan Eugene!"
Only after the announcer's flustered call did a massive roar sweep the arena.
Woooaaah!
But not everyone cheered Eugene's victory.
"I won't accept this! Sorcery! That wicked unbeliever used sorcery!"
Charging forth, longsword drawn and bellowing, was none other than Yung Dirhit.
"Holy Knight!"
"Sir Knight!"
"What do you think you're doing!"
Several knights and soldiers rushed to block Dirhit. The nobles in the VIP stands stared in bewilderment.
"You! Think I don't know you killed my comrades with your vile magic? Reveal your true self at once, unbeliever!"
"I have no idea what nonsense you're spouting."
Eugene was mildly thrown but kept his cool.
"And if it's sorcery, seems like your comrade was the one using it."
"Wh-what...?"
Dirhit recoiled.
That reaction confirmed Eugene's suspicions.
"Tricking people with irresponsible drivel—truly the mark of a wicked unbeliever! I'll expose your true nature myself..."
"Then let's test it."
"...!?"
Eugene raised his voice toward Lanslo, who had approached unnoticed.
"What happens if a Holy Knight uses forbidden sorcery? Sir Dulak?"
Addressed to Lanslo, but really for Earl Winslon and the VIP nobles to hear.
"Excommunication, regardless of order. But what do you mean? A Holy Knight using sorcery?"
"Sir! Don't listen to the unbeliever..."
"Silence! This isn't your church! It's Earl Winslon's land! He makes all judgments and rulings here in his domain!"
"......!"
Dirhit shut his mouth, stunned.
Eugene was equally surprised. To see such fiery resolve from the usually calm and gentle Lanslo?
"Just as Sir Dulak says. Sir Yung Dirhit, I won't tolerate disturbances on my land."
Earl Winslon intervened.
Flanked by knights and nobles, he descended from the VIP stands and addressed Eugene.
"And Sir Eugene. You know you must answer for your words just now?"
"Of course."
"Then, Sir Dirhit. You'll answer for yours as well?"
Dirhit's eyes blazed as he stepped forward.
"I swear on my honor! That man slew two of my comrades with evil power!"
"Then prove it. Who goes first?"
"I'll..."
Sensing his chance, Dirhit moved—but Eugene acted first.
"Huh?"
"What the hell is he doing?"
Everyone stared in confusion.
Eugene was stripping the armor from the already-dead Iod.
"You bastard! Dare you insult a Holy Knight's honor? Stop at once!"
Ignoring Dirhit's rage, Eugene fully removed the corpse's armor, drew his dagger without pause, and sliced open the abdomen.
"You filth—!"
As Dirhit finally lost his temper and lunged, Eugene pulled something from the body's gut.
"This is the proof!"
Nobles, knights, and spectators' eyes locked on Eugene's hand.
It was a fingernail-sized gem pulsing with an eerie glow.
And it didn't take long for them to recognize it.
"M-mana crystal...?"
"No! The color's off! That's a semi-mana crystal!"
"A semi-mana crystal!?"
The item strictly forbidden by the Church had emerged from a dead Holy Knight's stomach.
(To be continued)