Chapter 96
Chapter 96
Ch. 96 .｡.:✧ Duel (2) ✧:.｡.
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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Whenever Rex closed his eyes, a nightmarish memory would resurface.
Memories of powerless days.
That day was meant to be one filled with laughter and happiness.
It was the day his older brother, a high warrior, was to return to Elvenguard after completing his mission.
Applause and cheers erupted from all around.
Just the fact that it was all directed at his brother made Rex’s heart swell with pride.
But that happy day was short-lived.
In the dead of night, as his brother began recounting his heroic tales and mentioned he was thirsty, Rex went to the well to fetch water.
Their house, which had been perfectly fine moments before, was now ablaze.
His brother’s head was severed, held aloft in someone’s hand.
He couldn’t forget that horrifying sight.
Nor could he forget the pale face of the monster holding his brother’s head.
Young Rex, tears streaming down his face, drew the small knife he carried and pointed it at the monster.
At the monster with a pale face, covered in blood.
He knew he stood no chance, but he didn’t back down.
Just as the monster raised its sword, the Priestess of the World Tree stepped between them.
He remembered the priestess saying something to the monster, and the monster nodding in agreement before turning away.
Freed from the fear of death, young Rex lost his grip on the knife and collapsed.
When he woke up, he learned that the monster who killed his brother was Transylvania.
A monster who had regained human intelligence, they said.
From that day on, Rex vowed revenge.
To avenge his brother, to forget the nightmare of that day, and to slay the pale-faced monster and bring justice to the world.
“50 years ago! Do you remember the high warrior you killed in Elvenguard?! I am his younger brother, Rex! I swore revenge while holding my dead brother’s body! I’ve been waiting for this day!”
And now, Rex stood before the monster.
Unlike then, when he had to look up at the towering figure, he was now looking down at him.
He no longer trembled in fear, overwhelmed by its presence.
He didn’t know what kind of audacity brought the monster back to this place, but Rex was determined to avenge his defeat from 50 years ago today.
He was going to slay the monster masquerading as a human.
“Hey! What’s all the commotion while I was go- Huh?!”
“My disciple will fight you in my place!”
“…?”
But the glove he had thrown struck the face of a different human, and the conversation took an unexpected turn.
‘A substitute in a duel? Does that mean I’m not even worth their time?’
Rex gritted his teeth.
This was unforgivable.
Whether it was the disciple or someone else, he would beat them down, forcing Transylvania to step forward.
“No, what are you talking about? Why would I fight in your pla-”
“Hah! As expected of a monster’s disciple, you’re one ugly son of a bitch. You look just like a rat.”
“Take that back.”
Although he had reacted to the insult, the human’s fighting spirit still seemed low.
“With that spirit, you might as well fight in my place.”
“No. Why should I fight?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll teach you everything I know. The best training ground for weapons is the battlefield, and the same applies to swordsmanship. You need to experience real combat with an opponent driven by hatred-”
“That’s not the point. Why should I deal with the guy seeking revenge on you? You clean up your own mess.”
Moreover, the relationship between the disciple and Transylvania didn’t seem particularly close.
As their argument continued, Rex, his frustration mounting, stomped his foot.
“Forget about the coward! Transylvania! Come face me yourself!”
It was you I wanted to kill.
You, who beheaded my brother and mocked him that day.
Rex roared, his fists trembling.
“If it weren’t for that filthy priestess who colluded with you that day!”
He should have finished him off back then.
He should have killed the monster.
But because of the priestess who had let the monster go that day, everything went wrong.
“Priestess? Collusion? What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb! The former priestess let you into Elvenguard and helped you escape, didn’t she?!”
If Transylvania had colluded with the priestess, everything made sense.
Why his brother, a high warrior, had been suddenly ambushed and killed, and how Transylvania had managed to escape their encirclement.
Indeed, the very next day, the priestess was stripped of her position and forbidden from ever returning to Elvenguard.
He heard she was now called a witch.
“Because of that damn witch! After I kill you, I’ll hang her head next to yours and complete my revenge-”
“Hey.”
Rex felt the air suddenly turn cold.
His heart skipped a beat.
Pushing Transylvania aside, the human who had seemed so unmotivated stepped forward with firm steps.
He held the glove Rex had thrown in his hand.
The human stopped right in front of Rex and threw the glove onto his chest, challenging him.
“…!”
As he stared into the human’s face,
“If I win, you take back what you said and apologize.”
“…!”
Rage poured out.
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“Yes, yes. It would have been nice if you’d shown this much fighting spirit from the beginning. Don’t worry, I’ll teach you the secret technique with all I’ve got. If you fail… hmm… well, good luck. The chances of you winning against an Elvenguard high warrior without mastering the secret technique are practically zero.”
“…!”
He couldn’t hold it in any longer.
He should have, but he couldn’t.
He should have been calmer, but…
“But why are you suddenly so fired up?”
“Shut up for a moment…”
The moment Yulia’s name came up, and he heard him say he would behead Yulia, he couldn’t hold back any longer.
Of course, he didn’t regret it.
He would probably make the same choice even if he went back in time.
How could he just stand by and listen to Yulia being slandered with such absurd accusations?
“And collusion with the priestess… I have no idea what he’s talking about. I have no memory of that.”
Yulia colluding with Transylvania and allowing the attack?
Nonsense.
He didn’t know how she was now, but back then, Yulia was a true priestess who cared deeply for Elvenguard’s future more than anyone.
He was completely mistaken.
Blinded by his thirst for revenge, he probably couldn’t see straight.
Then it was up to him to beat some sense into him.
There was no option to just stand by now that he had declared his intention to kill Yulia.
Firstly, because he was furious, and secondly, because the social repercussions would be enormous if that guy actually killed Yulia in the future.
The financial city of Petenburg would fall, and a global depression would engulf the world.
Wars would break out, and nations would be devastated.
If humanity was divided before they even faced the final boss, they would have no chance of winning.
If there was any threat to Yulia, even the slightest one, he had to crush it now.
“Why is the duel set for three days later? Won’t you run out of time to master the secret technique?”
“Setting a deadline boosts efficiency. And…”
And, news of this incident would quickly reach Petenburg.
Although he had deliberately arranged for the duel to take place without an audience to prevent detailed information from leaking out, Yulia would figure out that he was involved based on even the vaguest pieces of information.
It would take at least three days for the news to reach Petenburg and for Yulia to rush here.
That meant, whether he succeeded in mastering the secret technique or not, he had to leave within that time.
‘At this rate, I’ll be caught…’
In the end, he had chosen the lesser evil of allowing Yulia to pursue him instead of preventing the worst-case scenario of her death.
“Alright. Let’s start quickly. Time is running out.”
“It seems our blood ghoul to blood ghoul weapon clash will have to wait.”
“…Not disappointed. At all.”
He had already chosen the lesser evil.
There was no turning back now.
The only option left was to properly crush this misplaced thirst for revenge.
“Alright, then let’s begin. I’ll pass on everything I know about the Dakia Style’s secret technique, created by Dakia and passed down to me.”
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“This is crazy! What are we going to do?”
“What else can we do? Cancel the duel and discipline High Warrior Rex.”
“Duels are a matter of personal freedom. Trying to stop it will cause a huge uproar.”
In the elders’ meeting room, the high elves sighed deeply, puffing on their magic herbs.
They were at their wits’ end over this sudden commotion.
On the day High Warrior Rex returned, he had run into Transylvania, who had illegally entered Elvenguard, and challenged them to a duel.
Moreover, the duel’s representative was none other than Heavenly Michael Jackson.
The hero who had saved Elvenguard.
They couldn’t believe how things had spiraled so far out of control.
“But… this could be an opportunity.”
“An opportunity? What do you mean?”
“Heavenly Michael Jackson has been granted the right to hear the World Tree’s prophecy, Elvenguard’s strategic asset. If High Warrior Rex loses control of his strength during the duel and accidentally kills him, wouldn’t that prevent the prophecy from leaking out…?”
“Don’t be absurd! Elvenguard would never betray its trust!”
“Let’s be honest! Don’t you know which option is more beneficial to our nation?!”
The meeting room quickly descended into chaos.
Stopping the duel was a problem, and so was allowing it.
At first glance, expelling Transylvania might seem like the solution, but even then, the duel would simply take place outside Elvenguard, changing nothing.
“Did you hear the news?! Stop the duel! Now!”
“Priestess?”
Just then, Priestess Mia burst into the room, panting.
She looked more agitated than ever.
“Priestess, we understand your concern for Heavenly Michael Jackson.”
“We also understand you’re conscious of him after hearing the prophecy about your marriageable age…”
“That’s not what I’m worried about!”
Frustrated by their ignorance, Mia shouted.
These old fools still didn’t grasp the situation.
But having briefly witnessed Yoo-jin’s swordsmanship and the power of his magic, Mia could confidently declare.
“High Warrior Rex is in danger! We can’t afford to lose a newly promoted high warrior!”
Yoo-jin would win.
Rex had no chance of victory.
She could say that with absolute certainty.
“Oh, come on. There’s no way a high warrior would lose.”
“Rex is considered the closest to mastering the Merida Style’s secret technique. He’s never lost a spar against human sword masters.”
“No matter how strong Michael Jackson is for a mercenary, surely…”
“Ugh…”
They just wouldn’t listen.
Mia closed her eyes, suppressing her frustration.
They were about to lose Elvenguard’s greatest fighting force overnight.
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[Michael Jackson boutta beat this mf up]
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