Chapter 121
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Poisoned Chalice
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Attacks rained down from all four directions, making evasion impossible.
But.
“How crude.”
Chris extended his sword.
He didn’t meet it head-on.
He grazed the first surging black spear at an angle, and at that moment, something astonishing happened.
*Fwaat!*
The black spear, made of aura, lost its solid form and scattered to the side!
“W-What?!”
Everyone stared wide-eyed in renewed shock.
This phenomenon occurred because Chris had once again pulled off something insane.
‘I interfered with the core of the aura's pillar using the dominant nature of my dark magi and dismantled it.’
Eshid had reached the lower tier of 5-Star.
It was a level where one couldn't yet manifest aura through will alone.
To manifest aura, technique was required.
But having just reached 5-Star, Eshid's technique was crude. Needless to say, the will embedded in his aura was pathetic.
Yet, he had unleashed a linked aura attack in such a crude state, making each individual pillar of aura even more vulnerable. That was the weakness Chris had targeted.
Of course, even so, identifying the aura's vulnerability in that fleeting moment and dismantling it was a feat only Chris could accomplish.
“!!”
Eshid stumbled backward.
He had realized it instinctively.
That he couldn't win.
But unable to admit he felt fear, he scowled fiercely.
“You...! I won't let you get away with this.”
“Be quiet. Now, shall I take my turn?”
Chris stepped forward.
At the same time, another shocking event unfolded.
Linked Black Spears.
Long spears of darkness materialized around Chris.
It was the secret demonic art Eshid had just used.
“How can you use this secret demonic art? You shouldn't have learned it yet.”
Eshid asked, his expression one of disbelief.
“You just showed me.”
“!!”
“If a half-wit like you can do it, there's no way I couldn't copy it after seeing it once, is there?”
The black spears flew toward Eshid.
However, there was a difference; they flew with a slight delay between them.
As if deliberately daring him to block them.
‘This can't be what decides the match.’
Eshid desperately blocked the black spears.
He blocked four of the five spears, but the strain on his core made him swallow blood, and the final spear ultimately sliced his thigh.
Blood gushed out.
He had avoided being pierced, but it was not a light injury.
Now, Eshid would be unable to move properly.
Exactly as Chris had intended.
‘This is the end.’
Chris rushed toward Eshid.
With a frantic expression, Eshid formed a hand seal.
A layered veil of curses blocked Chris's path, but it was useless.
Chris's black magic was on a level that couldn't even be compared to Eshid's.
In terms of sheer formulaic excellence, even a specialized warlock from the Curse House probably couldn't match Chris.
*Shatter!*
The black magic Eshid had cast was dismantled in an instant.
Eshid hastily followed up by casting a defensive Black Sword Transformation.
Black Shield.
A shield made of magi blocked the way, but this time, Chris simply cut through it with force.
Gritting his teeth, Eshid launched a final counterattack.
He thrust a fully powered black aura blade into the opening Chris created by cutting the magi shield.
Unaware that this was exactly Chris's intention.
Chris's left hand formed a seal.
In a flash.
A flame flickered before Eshid's eyes.
It was the destruction black magic, Dark Flash.
A dark flame magic that temporarily blinds the target.
With the magic exploding right in front of him, the result was obvious.
The tip of the now-blinded sword wavered, and the blade narrowly missed Chris's shoulder.
A wide-open vulnerability.
Dismayed, Eshid hastily threw himself backward.
He was trying to get out of Chris's range, but the injury to his thigh hindered his movements, and Chris was not one to miss such an opening.
Chris's hand moved.
And then.
*Slice!*
Eshid's right wrist flew into the air with a fountain of blood.
“!!!”
Everyone in the arena stared wide-eyed.
Just then, an urgent shout rang out.
“Stop!! The match is over!!”
It was Marquis Langham's cry.
But Chris didn't stop.
‘I can't end it with just this.’
Cutting off an arm was pointless; it could be reattached with healing magic.
He had to either kill him or inflict a blow that even healing magic couldn't fix.
The problem was that the duel had been declared over.
He had to find a way to finish Eshid completely, without making it obvious.
‘Simple enough.’
Chris looked at Eshid's blood scattering in the air.
Using Blood Art, he perfectly analyzed the properties of the blood and immediately triggered a massive resonance phenomenon.
It was a horrific infiltration technique that used blood resonance to destroy the opponent's body from within.
It was a technique he had copied from Sherard, but because it used the opponent's own blood, its power was far more lethal.
The large amount of spilled blood maximized the resonance, and the 100% purity of Chris's dark magi amplified the effect even further.
“!!”
Eshid struggled desperately, raising his magi to counter Chris's Blood Art.
To that, Chris delivered the final blow.
He used the dominant nature of his own dark magi to interfere with Eshid's.
Normally, even with the dominant nature of Chris's pure dark magi, directly interfering with an opponent's magi like this would be impossible. However, Eshid's magi was extremely unstable from the shock of his severed arm.
Like throwing a ball at heavily cracked glass, Chris's dark magi shattered Eshid's magi, neutralizing it.
Eshid was left completely defenseless, exposed to the massive resonance phenomenon created by Chris's Blood Art.
The result.
“Kuaargh!!!”
He collapsed, vomiting a torrent of blood.
Dark, dead blood trickled from the seven orifices of his limp face.
His internal organs were completely destroyed.
He would either die soon or, if he miraculously survived, become a cripple unable to even walk properly.
“……”
A deathly silence fell over the arena.
Everyone was speechless at the completely unexpected outcome.
But they soon came to their senses, and a fiery roar erupted.
“Waaaaah!!!”
“All hail Young Lord Christian!!!”
Chris raised a hand to quiet the cheers and bowed his head toward Marquis Langham.
“My apologies, Your Excellency. By the time you made your ruling, I was already in the middle of casting my Blood Art and could not stop in time.”
Marquis Langham was silent for a moment.
A lie no one would believe.
But what could be done about it now?
Besides, it was an unwritten rule among Majin not to question what happened during a duel.
“…Take Eshid away for treatment. The winner of this duel is Christian.”
“Waaaaaaah!!”
The cheers erupted once more.
The Majin were celebrating Christian's victory as if it were their own.
It was a scene that clearly showed Christian had captured the hearts of the Majin.
Marquis Langham's expression hardened imperceptibly.
Just then, Duke Nordian, who had been quiet below, spoke.
“Marquis, it seems the matter isn't quite finished.”
“……”
“Why was this duel held in the first place? Was it not a judgment duel to uncover the truth of the human sacrifice incident?”
“…That is correct.”
Since Chris had won, Eshid's guilt was confirmed.
Well, with Eshid in that state, it was a rather meaningless point.
Duke Nordian let out a chuckle.
“Then it's safe to say that the boy, Christian, has resolved the human sacrifice incident. Am I wrong?”
“…You are correct.”
“Then wouldn't it be right to bestow a fitting reward?”
“……”
Marquis Langham closed his mouth.
An unwelcome development.
But he could not go against Duke Nordian's will.
“…What reward would be appropriate?”
“Why ask me? I am merely here to observe.”
“……”
“I trust the Marquis will give a suitable reward on his own.”
Marquis Langham was silent for a long while.
Why would Marquis Langham be happy to choose a reward?
While he felt no fatherly affection for Eshid, Eshid's complete elimination from the succession race was an unwelcome development for Marquis Langham's future plans.
To be precise, Christian's unexpected prominence was the problem.
But he couldn't simply not give a reward.
This human sacrifice incident was a major affair that had shaken the Dark Magic House, and above all, it was Duke Nordian's will.
‘…No, I don't need to think of this as entirely negative. This will work.’
A subtle glint appeared in Marquis Langham's eyes.
An excellent stratagem had come to mind.
A way to give a reward that would, in fact, be 'poison' to Christian.
“Come to think of it, that boy's equipment is terrible. Not even a decent magic sword. Tsk.”
Marquis Langham nodded as if in understanding.
“I will open the family's artifact vault for the boy.”
“Hmm, a fine idea.”
“However, may I add one more reward to this?”
Duke Nordian tilted his head.
It was an unexpected suggestion.
“What kind of reward do you intend to give?”
“Considering the boy's achievement, simply opening the family treasury seems insufficient. I intend to use the authority granted to me by the Lord to bestow upon him the greatest reward, befitting his contribution.”
Duke Nordian frowned.
It was uncharacteristic of the snake-like Marquis Langham.
It was suspicious.
But there was no reason to refuse an offer to bestow a reward.
“Do as you wish. This old man has already entrusted all authority to the Marquis; there is no need to seek my permission for every little thing.”
“Thank you.”
Marquis Langham looked toward Christian.
“Christian, I shall bestow upon you a reward for resolving the human sacrifice incident. Come before me.”
“……??”
Everyone wore puzzled expressions.
They couldn't guess what kind of reward he intended to give.
Except for a small few.
The older elders of the family realized the 'identity' of the reward Marquis Langham was about to give and looked on in shock.
‘Could it be?’
‘But that's...? It's too soon for Young Lord Christian!’
And then.
Christian stood before Marquis Langham.
“Kneel.”
Only then.
Did the other Majin realize what reward Marquis Langham intended to bestow, their eyes widening in shock.
Marquis Langham drew the sword from his hip.
It was the 'Dark Sword,' the greatest treasure of the Dark Magic House, symbolizing the head's authority.
The blade, which seemed to contain a darkness deep enough to swallow the sun, was laid upon Christian's shoulder.
“I, Langham de Baron, acting with the authority of the family head, hereby declare that I bestow upon you, Christian van Baron Cazar, the title of Honorary Baron.”
“!!”
A great shock swept through the arena.
Just a barony.
One might wonder what was so special about a mere honorary title with no fief, but that wasn't the case.
For the heirs, the bestowment of a title held great significance.
Titles weren't just handed out to any young lord or lady.
They were granted only to those who had achieved great merits and had their abilities recognized.
No, to be more precise.
Titles were bestowed only upon those who were practically chosen as the next Grand Prince.
In other words, at this moment, Christian had been officially recognized as a candidate for Grand Prince!
But it was no cause for celebration.
This reward was a poisoned chalice. A deadly one, at that.