Chapter 120
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: Judgment Duel
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The main estate of the Dark Magic House.
Within the magnificent estate that showcased the prestige of the Duchy of Baron, there was a particularly lavish and spacious room.
It was Eshid's chamber.
“…”
A heavy silence hung in the room.
Before, it had bustled with all sorts of Majin coming and going, but now, no one came to see Eshid.
*Damn it, it's all because of that bastard Christian.*
Eshid ground his teeth.
His current isolation was because of that trial.
Though he had lost the hearts of the Majin by revealing his own ugliness, Eshid blamed everything on Christian.
*It won't be long now. It all ends when I take that bastard Christian's head in the judgment duel today.*
The majority of the vassals who had followed him had already shifted their loyalty to Christian.
But they would soon realize.
The foolishness of their choice.
*Christian, I swear I won't let you die a peaceful death.*
Eshid repeated grimly to himself.
He felt no tension whatsoever.
The bastard was a 4-Star.
He was a 5-Star.
He could win as easily as playing with an insect.
Finally, the long-awaited voice was heard.
“Young Lord, it is time for the duel.”
“Right.”
Eshid rose from his seat.
He followed a servant through the estate's corridors and arrived at the training grounds, the site of the duel.
Countless Majin had already filled the training grounds.
A Majin standing guard announced the arrival of the main figure.
“Young Lord Eshid has arrived!”
A hush fell over the training grounds.
Eshid's brow twitched.
Normally, a roar of cheers would have followed.
But now, everyone just sent cold glares his way.
*They'll all regret this.*
Eshid gave a slight bow to Marquis Langham, who was seated in the judge's seat above, before stepping onto the dueling grounds.
Then, as if to show everyone, he raised his sword high.
A pillar of darkness shot up.
The Majin in the stands stirred at the sight of the Black Aura Blade he displayed so ostentatiously.
They had confirmed with their own eyes that Eshid had truly reached the Elder Class.
*He's not just a provisional 5-Star who's barely learned the Black Aura Blade, but a true, proper Elder Class.*
*Can Young Lord Christian really win?*
The Majin thought with grim expressions.
Most of the people here were cheering for Christian.
During the last trial, Eshid had abandoned his followers, while Christian had protected those who were his enemies.
How could they not cheer for such a remarkable person?
But no matter how positively they tried to think, his chances of victory seemed slim.
There were even some who thought this:
*If Young Lord Christian is in danger of losing his life, I'll intervene, even if it means breaking the law.*
These were the ones whose lives Christian had saved during the trial.
Of course, outside interference in a judgment duel was a grave crime.
But these were lives they had nearly lost because of Eshid.
They were alive thanks to Christian, so they intended to help him no matter what.
Just then, a low voice was heard.
“Is Christian not here yet?”
Everyone shot up from their seats in surprise.
“Greetings to the Lord!”
The Old Lord had appeared.
Even Marquis Langham, who had been in the high seat, came down and knelt.
“My Lord, what brings you here?”
“Heh heh, pay me no mind. This old man simply came to watch.”
Nordian added another remark.
“It's the duel of a disciple I've taken in my old age. Wouldn't I have to come and see?”
“!!”
The arena was plunged into astonishment.
The Lord's disciple?
Who?
For a moment, the Majin looked at Eshid.
But they all soon shook their heads.
It couldn't be Eshid.
*Then… could Young Lord Christian be the Lord's disciple?*
*This is a first!*
Many had received Nordian's teachings.
But not a single one had been acknowledged as a disciple. This was because no one had ever met Nordian's incredibly strict standards.
The Majin nodded, thinking that if anyone could be Nordian's disciple, it would be Christian.
*Young Lord Christian is certainly worthy of catching the Lord's eye.*
*From talent to character. He's perfect in every way.*
Meanwhile, Eshid's face turned red.
*That damn Christian.*
In fact.
Eshid had hoped to become Nordian's disciple in his youth.
But after seeing Eshid's aptitude just once, Nordian had said.
*“You are not worthy of my teachings.”*
After that, Nordian never gave Eshid a second glance.
Perhaps it was from that moment.
That a sense of inferiority began to coil in Eshid's heart.
Eshid clenched his teeth and said something he would never have imagined saying.
“My Lord, may I dare to make a request?”
“What is it?”
“If I defeat Christian today, would you accept me as your disciple instead?”
Everyone in the arena looked astonished.
Even for Eshid, how dare he make such a request of the Old Lord?
“Child.”
“…Yes, my Lord.”
Nordian spoke in an indifferent…
…and therefore, even colder voice.
“Your greed exceeds your station.”
“!!”
A rejection without a second thought.
Eshid's face turned pale.
“Besides, I already believe the winner of this duel will be my disciple, so your proposal isn't even worth considering.”
“…”
Nordian ignored Eshid and ascended to the high seat.
Eshid lowered his head in humiliation, his fists trembling.
*Damn it. Christian, I will not let you get away with this.*
At last, it was time for the duel.
But everyone wore a puzzled expression.
Christian wasn't there yet.
*What's going on?*
*Why isn't he here?*
As such questions spread.
“I'm late!”
Christian appeared, panting for breath.
Everyone looked shocked.
Christian's appearance was far from ordinary.
“Young Lord? Are you alright?”
“Is that blood?”
Not only were his clothes completely tattered…
…but gruesome wounds were visible through the torn fabric.
Dried blood was everywhere.
His face was also pale, as if he were about to collapse.
This was to be expected, as he had come straight here without any rest after battling the demonic beasts of the borderlands and fighting for his life against Sherard.
Meanwhile, the Majin, unaware that Christian had been to the borderlands, tilted their heads in confusion.
*What in the world has he been training in?*
*He seems to have gotten stronger than before.*
*Among 4-Stars… no, he's close to the Upper rank. He's raised his level of achievement again in just a month?*
The Majin with discerning eyes noticed that Christian's level had risen another step and wore expressions of astonishment.
*But it's still not enough. At that level, he can't possibly be a match for the Elder Class Young Lord Eshid. Especially not in such an exhausted state.*
Eshid, who had reached a similar conclusion, smiled wryly.
“What do you say? You look exhausted. If you wish, I can postpone the duel.”
“No, that's not necessary.”
Chris shook his head and stepped onto the dueling grounds in his wretched state.
“My current condition is more than enough to deal with the likes of you.”
Eshid's face hardened instantly.
“You must be out of your mind, eager to die.”
“God, you're noisy.”
Chris spat coldly.
“Are you a fake Elder Class made through human sacrifice, so you lack the confidence to swing your sword? Stop talking like those Alliance bastards and come at me.”
“!!”
Eshid charged violently toward Chris.
A dense Black Aura Blade surged forth.
The darkness of ruin plunged down upon Chris.
“W-What?!”
“Why isn't he dodging?!”
Seeing Chris watching the attack without flinching, the Majin in the stands cried out in alarm.
But then.
Chris raised his sword.
The Black Sword flared up like a flame.
It was a Black Sword of pitch-darkness, its Magi so pure it was admirable.
But compared to the Black Aura Blade crashing down from above, it was shabby.
“Is he trying to block it? That's reckless. He has to dodge!!”
Only another Black Aura Blade could block a Black Aura Blade.
No matter how outstanding a Black Sword was, it couldn't withstand a Black Aura Blade.
Just as everyone expected a catastrophe.
*Fwaat! KWAANG!*
A violent explosion erupted.
It wasn't the sound of the Black Sword shattering.
It was the impact of two intense energies colliding head-on.
The unspent energy spread outward in a circular shockwave, and everyone in the stands stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
“…He blocked it?”
“With a Black Sword against a Black Aura Blade?”
Chris could be seen standing perfectly fine.
His sword wasn't broken, and he hadn't suffered any internal injuries.
Eshid's face contorted in a deep frown as he shouted.
“What kind of trick did you use?”
“A trick?”
“Yes, if it wasn't a trick, there's no way you could have blocked a Black Aura Blade!”
Chris scoffed.
“You don't even have the eyes to see. Then again, that must be why you could only barely reach the Elder Class through human sacrifice. A greedy bastard with no skill or talent.”
“!!”
Eshid swung his sword with a furious expression.
As if to give Chris no time to use any tricks, countless sword strikes rained down in the blink of an eye.
A continuous barrage of strikes possessing both speed and power.
It was a fierce attack worthy of the man who was once the most likely candidate for Grand Prince.
But once again, the unbelievable happened.
Chris's Black Sword deflected every single one of the Black Aura Blades that poured down like rain.
Without any wavering.
Steadfastly.
“N-No way…”
“How?”
Everyone stared at the scene in astonishment.
Their faces were as if they were witnessing an impossible illusion.
Only a few high-ranking Majin discerned the cause of this bizarre phenomenon.
*The will imbued in that Black Sword is so powerful that it's overwhelming Young Lord Eshid's Black Aura Blade.*
Realizing this, the high-ranking Majin were even more astounded.
You couldn't imbue a Black Sword with will in the first place.
It was shocking enough that he had accomplished the impossible, but to strengthen a Black Sword to the point where it could rival a Black Aura Blade?
Just how strong was the will imbued within it?
*No, it's not just on par. It's actually starting to overwhelm it!*
Eshid's complexion was growing paler by the second.
With each clash against Chris's Black Sword, his internal injuries were accumulating.
An unbelievable sight.
“You…!!”
Just as Eshid clenched his teeth and tried to summon an even stronger Black Aura Blade.
Chris suddenly lunged inward.
“Want me to tell you why your Black Aura Blade can't beat my Black Sword?”
*Whoosh!*
He swung his sword.
Eshid's arm was knocked back.
He swung again, and Eshid was pushed back two steps.
He was being clearly overpowered.
Chris spat with a contemptuous voice.
“It's because you're a fake Elder Class.”
“!!”
Fake.
Half true, half false.
The achievement Eshid had reached was real.
The Black Aura Blade wasn't fake either.
But the core was missing.
“What kind of will did you even establish?”
Chris sneered.
If Eshid had established a firm will.
If he were a proper Elder Class, he wouldn't have been pushed back so pathetically.
“No, did you even establish a will? What do you have besides your monstrous greed?”
Eshid's eyes became bloodshot.
“Shut up!!”
*FWOOOSH!!*
The Black Aura Blade erupted madly.
Following it, a secret technique of the Dark Magic House unfolded.
Dark Magic Art, Fifth Form.
Linked Black Spears.
Aura blades like javelins rained down on Chris from all directions.
The onlookers' eyes widened in surprise at the intense momentum.