Chapter 150
Chapter 150
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 150
Chapter Title: The Duel with Blue Dragon
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“…If you’re wondering why I gathered you all, as you know, it’s because a duel request flew in from that Blue Dragon Guild we need to crush.”
“Congratulations, Your Majesty.”
“Ooh… Finally, even Your Majesty has a moment like this…….”
[Grrr… How moving.]
“We must have a drink today.”
He’d expected reactions like this more or less, but actually facing them left Yoo Seongwon utterly dumbfounded.
A duel request. A document challenging him to a fight to the death.
In other words, one of the two fighters would end up dead, yet the knights were all beaming like parents gazing proudly at their son returning home in triumph.
“…I knew it’d be like this. A duel request…… Any of you idiots not get it?”
“Yes, it’s a duel request. What kind of knight hasn’t even received one of these?”
“But it’s a shame. Traditionally, your first duel should be over a beauty…….”
“Hmm-hmm, the Contractor is already of mature age, so those days are past.”
“Besides, it’s practically already a done deal.”
All their logic circuits wired straight to ‘chivalry’—just as he’d predicted.
However, duels weren’t a sure thing with 100% odds of victory, so the problem was that he could very well die.
“…What are these guys gonna do if I die…….”
“Then that’s just Your Majesty’s limit.”
“Well, it’s regrettable, but that’s as far as it goes.”
“Still, I believe without a doubt that Your Majesty will win.”
[Remember the burdens you carry. Then you cannot lose.]
Yoo Seongwon grew intensely uncomfortable at the knights’ calm words piling on even more pressure.
In any case, if the Blue Dragon Guild issue could be settled with a duel, there was no better outcome.
It beat them lashing out in a final desperate frenzy, sparking all-out war or some massive incident by miles.
‘No, but something still feels off… They wouldn’t stake something like this without some ace up their sleeve…….’
Since Go Cheonsu of Blue Dragon Guild had sent it personally, they surely had some trump card prepared for the duel.
Otherwise, no one in their right mind would challenge him to a duel after watching his fights.
“Anyway, for now, send word that we accept, then hold a meeting to set the date and location.”
With that, Yoo Seongwon began compiling data on Go Cheonsu and Blue Dragon Guild, even summoning Baek Gayeon and Shin Somi—the two he’d encountered most often within Iron Fortress.
“A duel? That’s not like him at all.”
“I agree. He was never one for fair, head-on showdowns.”
“…Well, now that he’s top dog among the three great guilds, that’s true enough.”
As a former Academia staffer, Yoo Seongwon had picked up bits and pieces himself.
But he’d never properly witnessed the man’s personal strength, leaving many question marks.
From what he’d seen on the battlefields so far, Go Cheonsu usually fled high-risk zones, making his individual prowess even murkier.
“I get that he’s a fist-fighter type, treating his daughter like a son… Right, he got promoted to SS-rank too, didn’t he?”
“That’s right. Officially, he claimed the Blue Dragon’s reward for slaying the S-rank monster Goatman. But the review process and results are all up in the air. I don’t think you’ll lose, but…….”
“Mmgh…….”
That’s what those around him said, but Yoo Seongwon remained gripped by unease, pondering what Go Cheonsu could possibly be banking on for this duel. Nothing specific came to mind.
He wondered if it involved borrowing the Constellation Blue Dragon’s disposition or powers, but he only knew the constellation favored ‘strife,’ leaving no clear answer as his worries dragged on.
***
At the same time, Blue Dragon Guild Master’s office.
“Guild Master, Yoo Seongwon’s side has replied that they ‘accept’ the duel. They’ll inform us of the date and location later.”
“As expected, he couldn’t refuse.”
“It seems certain he’s bound by that ‘chivalry’ of his, just as you predicted, Guild Master.”
“Those corny lines of his, and after watching that endless parade, how could I not know?”
Whether influenced by a constellation or not, the man spouted lines straight out of a cheap hero flick every time he appeared, fighting with his knightly subordinates droning on about honor and justice—it was obvious enough.
That made it 100% certain he couldn’t reject this duel.
“But Guild Master, the issue is how to beat him. As you know, that guy is…….”
“I know full well. A ridiculously strong monster. But do you think I challenged him without a plan?”
“No, of course not, but…….”
“I plan to use the ‘No Grace Formation’ in this duel.”
“That is…….”
No Grace Formation.
A formation that nullifies grace—erasing all constellation graces and awakener abilities for a set time.
Of course, it came with the fatal drawback that the user themselves lost constellation graces and awakener powers, reverting to an ordinary human. But flipped around, it was the perfect skill for fighting stronger awakeners or hunters.
“Exactly the answer for our current situation. It cost two precious skill points and one grace from Lord Blue Dragon, but for greater heights, it’s a necessary sacrifice.”
As a top-tier skill, not just anyone could learn it—it demanded great cost, including grace from Constellation Blue Dragon.
Even then, it didn’t affect monsters influenced by constellations, and for hunters beyond S-rank, it was outright inefficient, so no one had reason or chance to acquire it.
“But will this really work, Guild Master? You’d be… fighting bare-handed too…….”
“Better than clashing with him while awakened. I’ll take that risk.”
As he said, facing Yoo Seongwon—clad in legendary-grade armor with overwhelming SS-rank martial prowess—meant stripping both sides of awakener elements for a far better shot.
In this scenario, human versus human gave him higher odds.
Especially in a duel with just the two of them.
“And looking at his history, his awakener career is barely a year old—the rest is just protection facilities and Academia staff work. Me?”
“Before awakening, you were a special forces operative wielding magistone gear in place of some hunters, Guild Master.”
The pre-awakening history of Blue Dragon Guild Master Go Cheonsu, not widely known.
During the chaos after the Grandmaster’s departure, he’d served in a special forces unit equipped with the newly developed magistone gear, engaging monsters in brutal close-quarters combat at times.
“That’s why I see this as our highest win rate. Lord Blue Dragon granted me grace, sure, but I still carry the skills and abilities from my special forces days. No way I lose to some ex-Academia staffer.”
“But still…….”
“Ah, I get the anxiety. But I have one more ace up my sleeve. Take a look.”
“This is…….”
What Go Cheonsu pulled from his drawer was a syringe gun loaded with a translucent ampule of ominous-looking fluid.
His secretary tilted her head, and he began explaining the item.
“With hunter numbers short, regular troops couldn’t keep up in physical abilities or whatever gaps. So the government pooled their wisdom and birthed this.”
“A drug?”
“Yep. Called the ‘Booster.’ It skyrockets cognitive functions, reflexes, and physical abilities for a time. Side effects? Massive stamina and energy drain—forcing you to IV fluids and bedrest the next day—plus accelerated aging. But we used it anyway. To hunt monsters.”
Go Cheonsu spoke casually, but his secretary’s face darkened sharply at the grim truth.
Likely from before her time, the bitter taste of learning how humans were sacrificed as consumables soured her mood.
“Extremely dangerous stuff.”
“Well, it worked reliably. But only back when awakeners were scarce. Once the Constellation Era hit and they multiplied, we stopped. Awakeners’ alchemy made better potions anyway—effective without the downsides.”
“Then using that……?”
“But here’s the advantage: made purely by human tech, so it works even inside the No Grace Formation.”
“Ooh……!”
The plan: nullify both sides’ awakener abilities, revert to humans—then he boosts his specs with the drug and subdues with superior combat skills.
A hastily devised but thoroughly perfect strategy.
With such a gap in experience and history, Go Cheonsu brimmed with confidence.
No way a peaceful-world Academia staffer could beat a monster-hunting special forces vet doped on drugs amid hunter shortages.
“Hah, luckily his short awakener history makes it clear his strength stems purely from ‘awakening.’ If he’d risen to prominence after 5-10 years, we’d be blind to his background and helpless.”
“Brilliant thinking, sir.”
“And winning via No Grace Formation counts as strife victory, so Lord Blue Dragon’s reward is mine too.”
Go Cheonsu had always leveraged his strengths, squeezing out wisdom to overcome adversity.
This was the optimal plan.
All that remained was honing his fighting style in advance, with the No Grace Formation deployed.
No matter how perfect the strategy, his own hands had to end the enemy—he couldn’t skimp on prep.
***
One week later, Iron Fortress basement.
Yoo Seongwon’s side chose the venue: a secret duel in the internal training grounds.
The judge and witness: Olympus Guild’s Diomedia, unaffiliated with either side, bound by an oath preventing lies thanks to her constellation.
Rules finalized by mutual agreement; today, they’d sign and fight immediately below.
“Alright, let’s do a final check on the written terms.”
Screens displayed details down to the materials of the duel arena’s walls and floor as Diomedia reviewed the duel consent form, agreed upon by both sides.
“First: participants are Blue Dragon Guild Master Go Cheonsu himself and Yoo Seongwon himself. Correct?”
“That’s right.”
“Yes, correct.”
“Victory determined by fighting until one side’s life ends… Both sides agree?”
“That’s right.”
“Agreed.”
“Each side has one observer, who must only watch—no actions or words allowed. Understood?”
…….
…….
Tension mounted with each checked clause.
Once this fight ended, only one survivor.
Both heavyweights—the aftermath wouldn’t be minor. The victor would claim the pinnacle of Korea’s hunter world.
“And the loser’s side must submit fully to the winner, handing over all guild assets while swearing an oath to never resist again—via written pledge and constellation vow. Should the loser refuse pathetically post-defeat, we Olympus Guild, as witnesses, will support the winner’s enforcement.”
Not just submission—the loser wagered their entire guild’s wealth.
Initially, losers paid reparations, swore constellation oaths against future challenges or provocations, or filmed pledges of surrender. But Yoo Seongwon suddenly upped the ante.
‘Might as well go big since death’s on the line anyway. All-in. I swear on chivalry: if I lose, take Iron Fortress ownership, my knights, this organization, my gear, money, equipment—everything. You do the same, or chicken out and die?’
Yoo Seongwon’s side had escalated wildly at the negotiation’s end.
Assuming it stemmed from overconfidence in never losing, Go Cheonsu suppressed inward laughter and calmly matched it—wagering Blue Dragon Guild entirely, artificial island and all.
‘…So this is what they mean by unable to hold back laughter.’
Now, armed and eyeing Yoo Seongwon pre-duel, Go Cheonsu struggled not to crack up.
Likely thinking his awakener edge unbeatable, the fool had gone all-in—but Go had the overwhelming victory formula.
‘Just be careful with the opening move.’
The danger: deploying the No Grace Formation. If his head flew before it activated, nothing more pathetic.
But fortunately, the opponent clueless to why he’d initiated the duel wouldn’t charge to kill from the start—so no vanishing formation.