Chapter 218
Chapter 218
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 218
Chapter Title: Dragon Slayer 2 (3)
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The Martial Dragon Tournament had ended.
Goetz, who had been carted off to the infirmary without a single unscathed part of his body, finally opened his eyes two days later. Due to his internal injuries, he couldn't even sit up properly and was stuck in bed.
Though his body was recovering quickly, there wasn't much he could do in his immobile state except stare blankly at the ceiling and replay his memories.
'I lost again...'
It was always the case, but this time too, he'd been defeated by Kunter.
And by an overwhelming margin, at that.
'This one hurts.'
It wasn't just his body that ached.
His heart hurt.
No matter how much he tried to act indifferent about defeat, as someone pursuing mastery in martial body arts, he couldn't escape the bitterness of loss.
Goetz gave a wry smile.
'...It was a sacred sword, wasn't it?'
The trajectory that Kunter had used to shred the illusion he'd poured his all into creating—it was unmistakably a sacred sword.
'To think even he has reached the realm of the sacred...'
As far as Goetz knew, Kunter had reached certified 5th dan just late last year.
That meant he'd broken through the wall to certified 6th dan in nearly a year.
It was an astonishing growth rate.
'He wasn't that strong before...'
Kunter's sudden surge in progress one day.
And Goetz knew all too well what was driving it.
'He too... was striving to surpass someone.'
A few months ago, the golden sacred sword that had sent Kunter flying.
Kunter had perfected his own sacred sword to counter it.
Just as Goetz was striving to surpass Kunter.
Kunter Rider was striving to surpass Yuri Holland.
The moment that realization hit him, Goetz muttered something that suddenly dawned on him.
"What happened... in the finals?"
His last memory was Yuri hurling him toward the edge of the arena.
After that, he'd vomited blood once and blacked out.
'It's probably over by now.'
He didn't know exactly how long he'd been lying there, but at least a day or more.
Which meant the finals between Kunter and Yuri were surely finished.
"Who won?"
Normally, he'd have bet on Yuri, but recalling the sacred sword that had blasted him away at the end made it hard to say for sure.
'Well, whoever it was... I missed a hell of a show.'
A matchup between Yuri Holland and Kunter Rider.
He was on the verge of regretting missing what might go down as a legendary bout in Yoram history when—
"Curious who won?"
A voice came out of nowhere, no footsteps preceding it. Goetz's gaze snapped over.
There, leaning against the door with arms crossed, was Yuri.
"Owl...?"
Goetz blinked in slight surprise.
After a moment to collect his thoughts, he smirked and shook his head faintly.
"Nah, never mind."
"Why? You said you were curious who won."
"Your smiling face tells me everything I need to know without asking."
"Oh, yeah, my face is practically glowing, huh? They say even ghosts win bets against me, and the glow of a ghost who beat a ghost to death is always radiant."
"...Never heard that one before?"
"You just did."
She waved it off like it was no big deal.
Yuri flopped naturally onto the bed next to Goetz's.
"Man, infirmary beds really are the best, aren't they? Yoram works the cadets to death but splurges on medical facilities like this—such a contradiction. Guess they ignore the dead but save those on the brink?"
As she grumbled and patted the bed, Goetz grunted and propped himself up.
"...What brings you here?"
"Why? Can't I visit?"
"Don't tell me... you're here to check on me?"
"Pfft, as if."
Goetz made a 'yeah, figures' face.
"...In times like these, a polite 'thanks' goes a long way, you know?"
"I'm not one for empty words."
"...Really?"
"Maybe?"
Goetz let out a small sigh at Yuri's teasing.
"So, what really brings your esteemed footsteps here?"
At Goetz's probing question, Yuri shot up like a spring.
"Ever hear of the Assembly?"
"Hear of it? I'm a member."
"Oh? Nailed it! They said you were from a decent family—guess it's true."
"Our house is respectable enough. But... why bring it up out of nowhere?"
"Oh, nothing much. This Assembly head or whatever showed up trying to recruit me."
Yuri had slipped away while Andres and Yulia's argument heated up and come straight to Goetz.
He gave a quick rundown of what had just happened.
Goetz's eyes flickered with thoughts as he listened.
"The Assembly? Recruiting you?"
Then he gave a wry smile.
'They want to recruit Owl to use as a counter to Kunter, huh.'
Knowing the Assembly's usual vibe, Goetz instantly grasped their intentions.
He advised earnestly.
"Don't join."
"Huh?"
"They'll try to use you one way or another."
Goetz's warning earned a casual ear-pick and response from Yuri.
"What're you talking about? Why kick away a golden opportunity like this?"
"Hm?"
"You know the classic mistake of folks who think they're hot shit and can screw everyone else over?"
"What?"
"They never dream they'll get eaten instead."
"......"
"And by the time they realize their plan's gone wrong, they've already been backstabbed. So here's the thing..."
Yuri fixed Goetz with a meaningful look and opened her mouth.
"You'll be my spy in there."
The bombshell made Goetz's eyes go wide.
"Spy...? Me?"
"Who else am I talking to? Anyone besides you in here?"
"That's true, but... damn, me, spying for the Assembly?"
Goetz clicked his tongue in disbelief.
He had no particular loyalty or sense of duty to the Assembly.
But spying? That felt a bit much.
"Hmm... it could be fun, but why should I?"
To that, Yuri jerked her chin lightly.
"You're lying there because of it."
"......?"
Goetz tilted his head, confused.
Yuri elaborated.
"Who do you think you have to thank for lying there with legs stretched out, breathing easy, chatting with me?"
"......"
"A life debt, you mean."
"Quick on the uptake—nice."
Goetz gave a wry smile at Yuri's firm tone.
'Fair enough... I could see it that way.'
If Yuri Holland hadn't chucked him to the arena's edge, he might've been caught in the finals' aftermath and lost his life.
With a small sigh of resignation, he spoke.
"If a life debt can be paid with spying, it's a bargain, huh?"
"Oh? Sharp with numbers too?"
"But I have a condition."
Yuri's brow furrowed instantly.
"That's not a good answer. Since when do you attach conditions to paying a life debt?"
"My influence helped you beat Kunter a little, didn't it? I softened him up some."
"That influence? Zilch. You went down so fast it didn't matter. That bastard Kunter was full of energy."
"...That stings more than the hits from that Kunter bastard."
Goetz sighed, his face gloomy.
It was true he'd dropped in a flash—no comeback there.
"Then not a condition... just add one more debt on top of settling the life debt with spying."
"You wanna owe me again? I charge hefty interest. Sure about that?"
"As much as it takes."
Only then did Yuri's brow relax, and she grinned wide.
"What's the condition?"
"Once I'm fully healed... fight me."
"You mean a spar?"
"Yeah. Until I leave this Yoram... once a year, spar with me."
Goetz's eyes shone clear as he said it.
'Kunter couldn't surpass Yuri Holland in the end.'
So he'd keep chasing her at breakneck speed from here on.
And Goetz might end up chasing Kunter's back.
No, he definitely would.
'You can't surpass Kunter that way.'
So Goetz changed his target.
Not chasing Kunter, but chasing the one Kunter chased.
Meanwhile, Yuri eyed him with surprise.
"Hmm..."
"Why look at me like that?"
"I figured you'd ask me to play matchmaker with Arin or something. Didn't expect this."
"You knew?! That I like her?"
"Only a moron wouldn't notice you pining in front of Arin. Anyway, the condition's spars with me, not Arin?"
"I'm not the type to bargain with the woman I love."
Yuri gazed steadily at the earnest Goetz.
She nodded.
"Alright, fine. Once-a-year spars... not bad."
Honestly, it suited Yuri too.
She'd been wanting to properly study Goetz's illusion sword anyway.
"But I decide when the debt's cleared."
"No objections."
"Good, deal sealed."
With Yuri's agreement, Goetz perked up a bit and asked.
"So, as your spy, what do I do?"
Yuri's eyes sparkled at the question.
* * *
After shaking hands with Yuri, Goetz began his report.
"Owl, the Assembly agreed to give you what you want."
"Rank?"
"Special."
"Whoa, seriously? There's stuff above top-grade?"
"Only available at upper-year shops for fourth-years and above in special grade, and the price is eye-watering. Most graduate without even knowing it exists."
"Oho?"
"Even special-grade mana elixirs are rare in the Assembly. They were gonna offer top-grade, but I pushed hard for special. Ahem!"
"Good work."
"...Stingy on the praise for the effort."
Goetz grumbled, but Yuri was lost in her own thoughts.
'A special-grade mana elixir, huh.'
Even upper-grade mana elixirs cost a whopping 10 million points.
So what about special-grade, beyond top-grade?
'At least nine figures, easy.'
And that wasn't something even high-year cadets could casually amass, unless they were anomalies like her.
Nor would many have that sum on hand whenever one appeared.
'Which means the Assembly has communal funds and stocks them in advance.'
It'd be weirder if they didn't.
A top-tier organization in Yoram surely had operating capital.
That realization cemented Yuri's conviction.
'That communal fund is the Assembly's real power.'
It made perfect sense.
Did it really make sense for a mere gathering of prestigious heirs to wield such influence in Yoram?
But consider this:
What if the scions from noble houses steadily entering Yoram left their leftover points to the Assembly upon graduating?
Over nearly 50 years?
The sum would be astronomical.
'And the Assembly uses those accumulated points to support incoming heirs from noble houses.'
Repeat that cycle, and their influence snowballs.
'A privilege enjoyed by noble houses capable of consistently passing Yoram's trials, passed down to the next generation to sustain their power.'
Seniors from noble houses leading juniors from noble houses.
Those juniors leading the next wave.
That cycle builds noble house strength.
That was exactly what had flashed through Yuri's mind while watching Andres and Yulia bicker.
And the thought that had struck her then.
'Hang on... wait, then this means...?'
It planted a grand ambition in Yuri.
'The points the Assembly has hoarded and passed down for nearly 50 years... they must all flow to the chairman's account.'
If so, she couldn't touch those.
However.
'The Assembly's warehouse is another story.'
Elixirs or other valuables.
Stocked with communal funds, not for immediate use—so they'd have a separate storage vault.
Thus, Yuri...
'I'm raiding that warehouse!'
She resolved to rob it, as naturally as breathing.