Chapter 69
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: A Calculated Defeat
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Impressive, but only impressive for a 3-Star.
‘This will be over quickly.’
Finally, ten seconds passed, and Usran made his move.
“In gratitude for the Young Lord’s consideration, I will end this in one blow.”
Fwaaa!!!
An intense pillar of darkness shot up.
Even at a glance, its power seemed far greater than the Black Aura Blade the masked woman had used.
An instinctive sense of danger made the fine hairs on his skin stand on end.
A destructive force capable of shattering any barrier surged toward Chris, and just as everyone predicted the end of the match—
Whoosh.
Something faint grazed past Usran’s neck.
He had barely twisted his neck to dodge it.
‘A hidden weapon?’
No.
It was a transparent shard of glass.
‘When?’
There was no time to think.
Again, glass shards flew in from different directions.
Not just one, but more than five shards at once.
They targeted vital points: the neck, eyes, the nerve cluster in his shoulder, the artery in his wrist, and the femoral artery in his leg.
‘Did he make these preparations during his initial ten-second attack? Impressive.’
Usran was thoroughly impressed.
Countless small glass shards floated in the air.
All of them were being controlled by Chris’s Demonic Energy.
“To control that many glass shards at once?”
“How exceptional must his control over Demonic Energy be?”
The onlookers cried out in surprise.
Moving objects by imbuing them with Demonic Energy is a trick possible for a 3-Star.
However, they can barely manage to move a single object at most.
‘No, this isn't simply a matter of rank. Just how outstanding is his innate talent for controlling Demonic Energy?’
Manipulating so many objects simultaneously was something no one else here could do.
It was the moment everyone witnessed firsthand the insane control over Demonic Energy that had only been whispered about in rumors.
“You’ve used quite a clever trick, but it’s a shame.”
Usran shook his head.
Woong.
A black fog rose and enveloped his body.
He had defended his entire body with Demonic Energy.
“Such petty tricks won’t work on me, Usran of the Black Cloud.”
True to his word, the glass shards couldn't reach him. The moment they touched the black fog, they turned to dust and vanished.
His trump card had been nullified.
“I will end this now.”
Once again, a fierce, destructive energy rushed forward.
A desperate situation.
But Chris showed an incomprehensible reaction.
‘Bingo. Just as I intended.’
The glass shards?
Of course, he never thought such a petty trick could actually deal any damage.
What Chris had been aiming for was this exact situation.
‘Knowing Sir Usran's rigid personality, I predicted he would defend his entire body with Demonic Energy without bothering with the glass shards. That's his fighting style.’
To be precise, he was aiming to distract him.
When one covers their entire body with Demonic Energy, a partial lapse in concentration is unavoidable.
Of course, that didn't mean Usran's sword had lost its direction.
Usran's Black Aura Blade was still sharp. It was aimed straight at Chris.
Even with his attention divided, the difference was minuscule at best.
But that was fine. It was enough.
Chris lunged forward.
“Wh-what?!”
“Should we stop him?!”
Usran's eyes widened.
‘Reckless?’
He understood Chris's intention.
He was trying to exploit that slight opening to counterattack.
But it was too reckless.
‘...He has outstanding talent, but he's far too inexperienced. I'll aim for his arm.’
Chris's sword swung upward.
It was a surprise attack aimed at Usran's momentary opening.
But it was meaningless in the face of overwhelming power.
Fwoosh.
The black aura ignored Chris's attack and sliced right through his arm.
Puk!
The sensation of flesh being cut.
Blood spurted out like a fountain, and just as the crowd clicked their tongues in disapproval—
Usran's pupils wavered.
‘...It's not real?’
At the same time.
The image of Christian, who had been spewing a fountain of blood, shimmered like smoke.
It was an illusion!
‘Impossible?!’
Usran reacted with disbelief.
When had he turned into an illusion?
‘Could it be, in that fleeting moment he defended his body with Demonic Energy?’
He had created the illusion when his attention was focused on the glass shards!
Moreover, it was no ordinary illusion.
‘An illusion indistinguishable from the real thing. Don't tell me he applied the principles of the main family's secret art, the Dividing Sword?’
That was right.
After seeing Jupien use the 'Dividing Sword' during the incident with the Extreme Poison House, Chris had applied its principles to create an illusory double of himself.
The Dividing Sword has a characteristic that makes it impossible for even high-level Majin to distinguish between reality and illusion.
But to apply those principles directly to his own body?
That wasn't all.
Just now, Chris's illusion had moved as if it were alive and breathing.
- It would be wise to distinguish between the illusion and your ego.
The advice he had previously given Jupien.
In truth, it wasn't something he had thought of himself.
It was advice he had heard from Ranya, the 9-Star Archmage from the Hero's party.
When you distinguish between the illusion and the ego, the illusion itself begins to move as if it were alive.
The 4-Star realm of illusion magic.
As one at the level of Starlight, Chris was a 4-Star magician.
Therefore, he could also incorporate these principles into his black magic illusions.
Enough to completely fool Usran's eyes, which had been momentarily distracted by the glass shards.
And when the arm was cut, it even created the momentary illusion that he was cutting a real body, causing Usran to recognize the illusion a step too late.
The result was this.
‘Then where is Young Lord Christian now?’
A chill ran down Usran's spine.
He knew where Christian was without even looking.
Behind him.
His back was completely exposed.
“!!”
Usran hurriedly turned.
But it was too late.
Christian moved his sword with all his might.
The other Majin who saw the movement watched with eyes wide enough to tear.
It was not the movement of a mere 3-Star.
Though just a single strike, it was a movement at a level that should only be possible for a 4-Star or higher.
‘Damn.’
Usran knew instinctively.
An exquisite strike coming from his completely exposed rear.
That sword could neither be dodged nor blocked.
‘I have to use my secret technique. But if I do, I can't guarantee Young Lord Christian's life...’
His secret technique was a killing art designed solely to take an opponent's life.
But was that the right thing to do?
Normally, it wouldn't matter.
It was a tradition of the Magitech Empire to never hold anyone accountable for a death that occurred during a duel.
However.
- Thank you for giving me this precious opportunity to learn.
Recalling the polite demeanor that respected his honor, so different from the rumors of a scoundrel, Usran hesitated to use a killing blow.
But then, something unexpected happened.
Christian abruptly stopped his sword.
“...Young Lord?”
Chris sheathed his sword and offered a polite bow.
“Thank you for the valuable lesson. I admit my defeat.”
“!!”
Usran was flustered.
“No, what do you mean by that?”
“You held back, did you not? I am not so foolish as to fail to recognize that. Thank you for your consideration.”
Usran sighed in admiration.
His conduct was admirable from start to finish.
Would any other Young Lord have acted this way? Especially Maisac?
Absolutely not.
Compared to the others, Christian's actions seemed all the more remarkable.
Usran wasn't the only one who thought so.
Everyone in the banquet hall who had watched the duel had similar thoughts.
‘Such an attitude. We were completely wrong about Young Lord Christian.’
Though their factions and the masters they served were different, they were still Majin.
It was impossible for them not to be moved by Christian's repeated respect for the honor of a strong Majin.
Moreover, it wasn't just his polite attitude that was admirable.
‘Maybe catching a 5-Star Majin wasn't just luck...’
Of course, he was still far from adequate.
But what Chris had just shown was something that transcended the level of a mere Star.
Innate combat sense.
And an exquisite illusion art that seemed possible only for a professional practitioner.
Above all, the highlight was the final strike he had shown.
A strike absolutely impossible for a 3-Star.
A single word came to everyone's mind.
‘A genius.’
And not just any genius.
It was an overwhelming talent whose potential was impossible to fathom.
‘Absorbing Dark Magi beyond the 9-Star level wasn't a coincidence.’
Some Majin even had this thought.
‘Even Young Lord Eshid, who was called the greatest genius of the next generation, didn't possess such talent.’
‘Perhaps...’
Some Majin swallowed hard and thought cautiously.
-Young Lord Christian might just cause an upset.
Of course, only a few thought this way.
Still, the fact that some were now predicting Chris's victory, however slim the chance, was a tremendous change.
That's how impressive Chris's performance had been today.
“I wonder if this is sufficient to qualify, as Young Lord Maisac desired.”
Christian said to Maisac.
“You… you…”
“Maisac.”
Chris smiled faintly.
He dropped the honorifics.
“I asked you to show some respect as a fellow Young Lord, didn't I? Or should I start speaking informally to you as well?”
“!!”
Maisac gritted his teeth.
His clenched fist trembled.
‘This arrogant bastard.’
But picking another fight here wouldn't look good.
Maisac was smart enough to realize that much.
In the end, Maisac left with a threat.
“Don’t get too cocky. You’ll be crying tears of blood soon enough.”
“Yeah, I get it. Just don’t go crying to your mommy.”
“!!”
Maisac disappeared, his face flushed red.
His furious expression made it clear he wouldn't let this go.
It was obvious he would try to use his mother's power to oppress him unfairly, but Chris, on the contrary, found it meaningful.
‘It would be better if he resorted to the dirtiest tricks possible.’
Does Maisac even know?
How his schemes will actually help Chris?
Chris planned to use Maisac's schemes as an opportunity(?) to expand his own position within the Dark Magic House.
How is such a thing possible?
Just look at what's happening now.
“Young Lord Christian. May I greet you?”
One by one, Majin began to approach him to offer their greetings!
It wasn't a large number.
Still, it was a scene that would have been unimaginable at the start of the banquet.
“A pleasure to meet you, Sir Karon.”
“You know of me?”
“Of course. You are the second squad leader of the Red Light Knights, are you not? I’ve also heard of your contributions in the recent skirmish against those Gold Cross bastards.”
It wasn't just Karon.
Chris knew the personal details of every Majin in the Dark Magic House.
Not just their titles, but every single contribution they had ever made.
The Majin who spoke with Chris were once again filled with admiration as he mentioned even minor achievements that others would overlook.
His upright demeanor made them wonder why the rumors of him being a scoundrel had ever circulated.
Above all, Christian knew how to respect the honor of others.
Who could not feel favorable toward him?
As the number of Majin coming to greet Christian grew one by one, an unexpected voice was heard.
“May I offer my greetings as well?”
“!!”
A gentle voice.