The Duel for Athena
“What the hell are you talking about all of a sudden! I said I’d cut off your arm!”
Geum Taeyang’s sudden declaration of a one-on-one duel against Athena had caught her completely off guard. The emotional high she had been riding moments earlier vanished, replaced by a grave expression as she pushed herself upright. Why was he doing this? If he followed through on his words, he would have to seek out Chieftain Conan and formally propose for her hand. Once that happened, his actions would become a binding public vow, carrying real consequences. Should he lose the duel, he would have to sever an arm or gouge out an eye—and as a fellow tribesman, he would effectively be exiled from the Gaia Tribe. How could they possibly stay together after that?
“Taeyang, if you lose the duel, you’ll have nothing left! We won’t be able to be together.”
The proposal would fall apart before it even began.
“I already told you. I don’t lose. So I’ll propose within the next few days, and in the duel I’ll defeat you completely—leaving not a single scratch on that beautiful body of yours. That’s the kind of man who deserves to be the husband of Gaia’s Tesadar.”
Yet Geum Taeyang looked as though he had already made up his mind. With unwavering resolve, he laid out his plan to Athena and rose to his feet.
“No! I can’t agree to this!”
Athena shot up as well, her face flushed with anger, blocking his path.
“Whether you agree or not doesn’t matter. Once I speak with the chieftain, the vow will activate regardless of your will. And let me ask you this, Athena—when we duel, will you hold back? Will you fight half-heartedly because you’re worried about my arm flying off? You won’t. That’s the pride of a barbarian and the duty of someone who has made a public vow.”
Once their duel began, Athena would pour every ounce of her strength into defeating him, even knowing full well what defeat would mean for Geum Taeyang. Only then would the Mohican Tribe’s vow retain its power. That unbreakable bond was how the Mohicans had survived all these years.
“I feel the same. Protecting my woman’s body is the duty of a barbarian man. If you can’t understand that, then I’ll be the one disappointed in you, Athena.”
What future could a barbarian male have if he allowed his beloved’s arm to be severed? Even if his own limbs remained whole, the Great Mother might shield him, but the Gaia Tribe would become a laughingstock among the other clans. And Geum Taeyang was the tribe’s second-in-command—the deputy chieftain. He had considered all of it.
“That… that may be true, but…”
There was nothing selfish or wrong in his words. Athena found herself unable to argue further.
“It’s going to rain. Let’s head back to the village.”
The conversation was over. Geum Taeyang quickened his pace.
Athena watched him go, her eyes filled with worry.
“You’re going to propose to Athena?”
The next day, Geum Taeyang stood before Chieftain Conan Barbara, who had just returned from an external matter. Because Geum Taeyang had sent word in advance that he had something important to discuss, Great Mother Sophia Barbara was also present. In the presence of the tribe’s highest authorities, Geum Taeyang declared his intention to propose to Athena. The moment the words left his mouth, the white-haired Siakan Conan Barbara’s eyebrows twitched.
“That is correct, Chieftain.”
The air inside the central tent shifted in an instant. Yet Geum Taeyang remained calm as he confirmed his answer to Conan.
“Taeyang…!”
Great Mother Sophia, kneeling beside the chieftain’s chair, stared at him with wide eyes and softly called his name.
“Do you understand what this means?”
Conan was no longer simply Geum Taeyang’s adoptive father. He had become Conan Barbara, chieftain of the Gaia Tribe and the strongest warrior of the Mohicans. His voice and gaze carried the same overwhelming charisma as the Siakan of his prime.
“I do. If I lose, I will forfeit an arm or an eye and leave this place for the sake of the tribe’s peace.”
But Geum Taeyang did not falter beneath Conan’s presence. He held his ground, his own aura steady and strong.
“Conversely, if you win the duel, you may do as you please with Athena. Very well. My adoptive son Geum Taeyang is a Mohican warrior and a true barbarian man. There is no need for unnecessary words. If you have made a vow, then clash and bear the consequences. The date of the duel will be set within the next few days. Be ready.”
Without the slightest hesitation, Conan accepted the request. It was recognition. Had Geum Taeyang shown even a hint of fear or wavering before his transformed presence, Conan might have tried to dissuade him as a father. But the young man standing before him was no longer the dying child rescued from the ruins fourteen years ago. He was a barbarian warrior who understood the weight of his vow and was prepared to stake everything on the outcome.
“Taeyang!”
After receiving Conan’s permission, Geum Taeyang stepped out of the central tent. Great Mother Sophia hurried after him, her voice urgent.
Geum Taeyang stopped and turned, offering her a reassuring smile.
“I know what you’re worried about, Great Mother. Nothing like that will happen. I will win. I’ll make sure neither you nor Athena gets hurt.”
His eyes shone with love for the Great Mother and unshakable confidence, asking her to believe in him.
Great Mother Sophia smiled as well, moved by his declaration.
“Yes. You will do it, Taeyang. This mother believes in you.”
Her smile carried the unwavering trust and love a barbarian woman gave to a man worthy of her faith.
‘Wow, this feels more like a festival than a duel. Two people might lose their arms in this atmosphere?’
Just as Conan had promised, the date of the duel between Geum Taeyang and Athena was set within a few days. Geum Taeyang had expected it to happen immediately, so the week-long preparation period surprised him—until the day arrived and he understood the reason. In barbarian society, a duel of this magnitude was treated as a grand festival, an event meant to invigorate the entire community. Already, colorful decorations adorned the Gaia village, and tribespeople were donning their finest traditional garments while preparing food.
‘Athena’s been living at the Gaia Shield training ground. She’s really taking this seriously.’
Athena had already entered full combat mode. Believing that seeing Geum Taeyang’s face would weaken her fighting spirit, she had avoided him for the past week. Feeling he should not appear idle amid the tension, Geum Taeyang had been training in a secluded corner of the village when an unexpected visitor appeared.
“Ah! I didn’t expect to see you again so soon!”
The guest was someone he had never anticipated.
“Yes, it’s good to see you again, Deputy Chieftain Geum Taeyang.”
It was none other than the woman he had personally hosted at the guest tent twenty days earlier—Princess Nadia Jasmine of the Grace Kingdom and head of the Jasmine Merchant Guild, the Desert Flower.
“Ah, I see. So the news has already spread to the outer tribes.”
“Yes. I originally thought I wouldn’t be able to stop by the Gaia Tribe this time, but I changed my schedule. How could I not come to witness the duel between Gaia’s Tesadar and the deputy chieftain, especially when marriage is on the line?”
Geum Taeyang and Nadia once again sat inside the guest tent. With the entire Gaia Tribe busy preparing for the duel and even Great Mother Sophia being pulled in every direction, Geum Taeyang had taken on the role of host. Nadia had returned to the Grace Kingdom only to set out for Galatea once more. She had planned to meet only the outer Mohican tribes without venturing too deep, but along the way she had heard a tantalizing rumor—that a duel of great significance had been arranged within the Gaia Tribe.
“It seems what I saw back then wasn’t wrong after all? That there’s something special between you and Tesadar Athena.”
Nadia sipped the herbal tea Geum Taeyang had prepared and brought up their first meeting.
“Was it that obvious?”
“Yes. Very much so.”
Geum Taeyang, already aware that Nadia held roughly sixty percent goodwill toward him, responded smoothly to her words.
“When you were talking about the academy, you kept glancing at Tesadar to make sure she wasn’t being left out. That was the first time I’d ever experienced something like that—someone speaking with me but paying more attention to another woman.”
She confessed the emotional shock she had felt that day.
‘Heh, she looks polite on the surface, but she’s still the Desert Flower who thinks the world revolves around her. Of course she would feel that way. A guy who doesn’t fawn over her must have seemed strange.’
Geum Taeyang clicked his tongue inwardly. Nadia had learned proper etiquette through her extensive external dealings, but at her core she was royalty—a high-ranking princess of one of the continent’s prominent royal families. No matter how much finishing school polished her manners, the habit of looking down on others occasionally slipped through, especially when it came to matters between men and women. Every man in her world had always focused solely on her, desperate to please her. Yet this barbarian from the sticks had spent their entire conversation looking after Athena instead.
“I heard that if you lose this duel, you’ll lose an arm or an eye and be forced to leave the tribe?”
Geum Taeyang continued the conversation with an easygoing expression, pretending not to notice the real thoughts behind her words. As the talk progressed, Nadia rose and walked toward the sunlit area inside the tent. She expressed deep interest in the upcoming duel—the very reason she had altered her travel plans to visit the Gaia Tribe.
“Theoretically, yes. But in reality, it won’t happen. Because I’m going to win.”
Geum Taeyang had responded amiably to other topics, but the moment the duel was mentioned, his tone sharpened like a blade, leaving no room for idle chatter.
“It feels like you already know what I’m about to say.”
The quick-witted Nadia caught the meaning behind his attitude.
“…”
Geum Taeyang remained silent—an implicit confirmation.
“Yes, you’re right, Deputy Chieftain Geum Taeyang. I’ve already investigated Athena Tesadar extensively while considering cooperation with the Gaia Tribe. She’s an extraordinary warrior. Two promising Mohican warriors lost their arms dueling her.”
Paying no mind to his reaction, Nadia continued.
“I also know what kind of duel it was. After analyzing it from every angle, I don’t see any chance of victory for you. So if things went badly, I was planning to extend a hand from my side.”
Nadia Jasmine was an absolute ruler who always obtained what she desired. A man she found appealing had appeared. But that man had cared for another woman even while standing before her peerless beauty. Now that man faced a crisis—and to her, it seemed like an opportunity.
“However, after actually meeting you and seeing how you face this crisis… honestly, you’re strangely unshaken. So much so that it’s almost embarrassing for someone like me who had already placed heavy odds on your defeat.”
She had intended to watch quietly and offer help only if Geum Taeyang fell into despair. But the man standing before her radiated an almost incomprehensible confidence.
“Do you plan to attend the duel?”
“Yes. I’ve already set up a temporary camp beside the Gaia village.”
In any case, Nadia would remain until the day of the duel.
“Then watch with your own eyes and satisfy your curiosity. You’ll see exactly what kind of man I am.”
Geum Taeyang extended a formal invitation that bordered on provocation.