Chapter 139
Chapter 139
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: The Great Warrior Duel
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Seeing the smirk on Lee Si-woo’s face, Adrian managed to calm his excitement and regain his composure.
And he admitted it.
He had subconsciously looked down on Lee Si-woo, and because of that, he hadn't even tried to judge him properly.
‘I get that he wants to screw me over. But I don’t know what he truly wants. Why on earth did this guy accept my proposal, and why is he trying to backstab me?’
What made Lee Si-woo so hard to gauge was his unclear objective.
He had made a plausible offer, and the man had accepted it.
But now he was revealing their partnership to a scion of the Graves family?
And he was being completely honest about everything?
This wasn't just the work of a madman; it was as if he wanted them both to go down together.
Having organized his thoughts, Adrian sat on a nearby sofa and spoke in a heavy, low voice.
“A tax audit. That will end it.”
“Is that really true?”
Acumen’s face lit up, but Lee Si-woo threw cold water on his hopes.
“It’s useless. I’ve already started the acquisition process.”
At Lee Si-woo’s words, Acumen growled.
“Alma. You’d better back off while I’m asking nicely.”
Lee Si-woo chuckled, sitting on the sofa opposite Adrian and crossing his legs.
“Oh, my dear third brother. Are you still this slow on the uptake? If I’d intended to listen to your ‘nice words,’ why would I have touched that company? I made my move precisely because you weren’t even on my radar.”
“You son of a bitch…”
Pames grabbed the shoulder of Acumen, who looked like a rabid dog about to lunge at Lee Si-woo.
“Acumen. There are too many eyes on us.”
“…Don’t stop me. I don’t think I’ll be satisfied until I wring that bastard’s neck today.”
Lee Si-woo shrugged and retorted sarcastically.
“Brother. Anyone listening would think I’d just stand by and watch while you try to wring my neck.”
Pames shot back in a cold voice.
“Shut up, Alma. To think you’d borrow outside help to swallow a family member’s business? Have you no shame?”
“What’s there to be ashamed of? Second brother is living with his in-laws just to swallow the family whole.”
As Lee Si-woo poked a sensitive spot, Pames’s nose flushed red and he yelled.
“Who’s living with their in-laws! I live at the main house!”
“Ah, you lived at the main house? I didn’t realize, since it’s so hard to see your face. Well, I guess you were busy wiping the asses of those summoner scumbags.”
Pames was so dumbfounded he couldn’t even manage a hollow laugh.
At the same time, he found Lee Si-woo’s attitude strange and grew wary.
‘This bastard. How can he be so reckless? Does he have something to fall back on?’
Anyone could see that what Lee Si-woo had done was an act of betrayal, and the fault lay with him.
But for him to be so brazen?
It was incomprehensible unless he had an ace up his sleeve.
So Pames let go of Acumen’s shoulder and took a step back.
He wanted to see how Lee Si-woo would handle the rampaging Acumen.
Acumen strode up to Lee Si-woo, leaning in so close his nose almost touched Lee Si-woo’s forehead.
“You want my company, and I want to protect it. Fine, then how about a Great Warrior Duel?”
“A Great Warrior Duel… Interesting.”
“Brothers can’t be shedding each other’s blood, so we’ll have to send our warriors to fight.”
“The stakes? The mercenary company?”
“Yes, my mercenary company. I’ll bet Khan.”
“What do you mean, *your* company? It’s already mine. The acquisition is almost complete.”
“Are you really trying to see this to the bitter end? Should we start a war?”
“It’s fine for me to put up the mercenary company as a stake. It’s already my company, so I’m betting my own stake. But you can’t, brother. Hmm? Right? Who gave you the right to bet my property as your stake? Or maybe… brother. Do you have no conscience?”
Acumen grabbed Lee Si-woo by the collar and snarled.
“You son of a bitch…! How dare you speak of conscience! You despicable traitor to the family!”
“Watch your mouth. A traitor? I’m a savior, rescuing a company from the hands of an incompetent CEO.”
Adrian, who had been silent until now, spoke up.
“Acumen. Alma’s words aren’t entirely without merit. So why don’t you ask him what stakes he wants?”
Pames warned Adrian.
“Vampire. You’d be wise not to get involved. You’ve already gotten on our bad side.”
Adrian sighed and said.
“I’m getting involved precisely because I’m on your bad side. For better or worse, that damn bastard has become my ally.”
“So? You’re going to keep playing along with that Alma kid?”
“I have to. It’s distasteful, but we’re allies.”
Surprised by Adrian’s cooperative attitude, Lee Si-woo raised an eyebrow.
‘Look at this. He’s letting it slide even after I caused such a scene?’
Despite Lee Si-woo stirring up trouble without any warning, Adrian had decided to stand by his side.
Maintaining an alliance with the insufferable Lee Si-woo must have been a difficult decision, but stepping back and calmly assessing the situation, it was a good judgment call.
Since Adrian’s goal was to sow discord within the Graves family in the first place, there was no better ally to exploit than Lee Si-woo.
Adrian mediated between Lee Si-woo and Acumen in a calm voice.
“Acumen. The reason Alma is being so reckless is that the company acquisition is already in its final stages. So, it’s not appropriate to use that as a stake. Propose something else. That’s the only way Alma will agree to your proposal. Or… don’t tell me you’re not confident you can beat him?”
Falling for Adrian’s light provocation, Acumen glared at Lee Si-woo with wide eyes and said.
“You. What do I have to bet for you to take the deal?”
“Your Family Stake.”
Acumen was slightly taken aback by the unexpected condition.
“My Family Stake? You need that?”
“Yeah. Bet that. Then I’ll accept the Great Warrior Duel.”
“You want my Family Stake…?”
Only then did Acumen realize that Lee Si-woo had been after his Family Stake from the very beginning.
This crazy bastard was genuinely aiming for the position of successor.
After a moment of thought, Acumen nodded his head, accepting Lee Si-woo’s offer.
“Fine. I’ll bet my Family Stake.”
“The date?”
“Why drag it out? Let’s do it the day after tomorrow.”
“Okay, see you the day after tomorrow, then.”
As it seemed the two had reached an agreement, Pames stepped forward.
“How about we broadcast this Great Warrior Duel?”
Pames’s sudden proposal made Acumen frown.
“Broadcast? Why would we do something so embarrassing?”
“Because this matter is practically a dispute between the Vampire family and the Graves family. The public should know. They should know that the eternal number two acting out of line is a pathetic act of someone desperate to drag their reputation through the mud.”
As Pames arbitrarily tried to raise the stakes, Adrian scowled.
“This is strictly a personal matter between Acumen and Alma. Why are you trying to frame it as a conflict between our families?”
“Why? Because the moment you got involved, it ceased to be a personal matter. So cut the crap and stop trying to squirm your way out of this. Prepare your Great Warriors. You bring two. Alma brings two. I’ll bring two. And Acumen brings two. We’ll hold a 4v4 Great Warrior Duel.”
“Ha, I don’t know why things are suddenly heading this way… but first, isn’t this too disadvantageous for me? Everyone knows that Alma’s connections are pathetic.”
This time, Pames asked Lee Si-woo.
“Alma. Not confident?”
Lee Si-woo let out a long yawn and said in a relaxed voice.
“Do I look like I’m not confident?”
Seeing Lee Si-woo’s nonchalant, almost insincere attitude, Adrian gritted his teeth.
The guy seemed to have absolutely nothing to rely on.
Pames scoffed and said to Adrian.
“That’s what he says. Hmm, with Alma acting like that, you wouldn’t be the only one to chicken out in embarrassment, would you, Adrian?”
Adrian replied reluctantly.
“…Let’s do it.”
“Hmph, no need to look like you’ve just swallowed shit. It’s Alma’s Great Warrior Duel, after all. Whether you win or lose, it won’t affect you, right?”
At the sly taunt from Pames, who spoke as if he had already won, Adrian shot up from his seat in irritation.
The fact that he had to team up with Lee Si-woo in a broadcasted Great Warrior Duel did not sit well with him.
After Adrian left, with only the loving brothers of the Graves family remaining, Lee Si-woo spoke.
“Well then, brothers, I’ll see you the day after tomorrow. Ah, and you’re not children, so don’t go crying if you lose.”
As Pames and Acumen exchanged glances as if to say, *what is wrong with him*, Lee Si-woo also left the bar, just as Adrian had.
***
The next day, news that a Great Warrior Duel would take place between the Graves family and the Vampire family appeared on social media.
-BinC777 Tomorrow. Graves and Vampires are having a Great Warrior Duel. Scheduled to be broadcast.
└ ??? Is this for real?
└ Isn’t this Binche’s account? Then it’s real. Binche is a Royal, isn’t he?
└ Wow, isn’t this the first Great Warrior Duel between the Four Great Families in almost a decade?
└ A decade? It’s been over twenty years.
└ Who do you think will win?
└ Graves, obviously. It hasn’t been long since those vampire bastards surpassed the summoners to get to 2nd place.
└ Anyway, everyone except Graves is a nobody.
-BinC777 Actually, the Vampire family is at a bit of a disadvantage in this duel. On the Vampire side, two of Adrian’s Great Warriors and two of Alma Graves’s Great Warriors will participate, while on the Graves side, four Great Warriors from Acumen and Pames will participate.
└ Huh? Why is Alma on their side? Holy shit, did he backstab his brothers?
└ What, the Vampire side is a total mishmash? How did this even happen? It’s a complete mess.
└ ?????? Alma and Adrian? What is this chaotic combo?
└ But is Alma even in the same league? That guy is a complete piece of trash.
└ Kasta is the trash. Don’t you know Alma schooled him a while ago after he pulled some crap?
└ Dude above, get a grip lol. This is Binche’s account.
└ Yeah, I’m not scared of some beast who devoured his own father. Besides, a Count family? lol. How pathetic.
-BinC777 The official announcement is up. The format is a tournament. No level limit for Great Warriors. No species restrictions. No rules. Ah, and I’ve memorized the ID of the last commenter. You’re dead.
└ Wow, no level limit for Great Warriors;;; Look at that bravado.
└ An unlimited tournament? My god… this is just a contest of who has the best connections.
└ Adrian is at a huge disadvantage because of Alma. What kind of connections would a moron like that have to put forward as Great Warriors?
└ Oh, I’m not scared one bit even if a nobody like you, Binche, has my ID lol. Don’t get scared when you find out who I am~
└ Is the guy above even a noble? ㅎㅎ
-BinC777 Oh, and Alma’s side requested a betting site to open wagers. The official odds are public.
[Alma, Adrian] 5.15 : [Pames, Acumen] 1.73
└ lololol 5x odds lolol even with Adrian on their side lolol
└ Bet your house on that and you’ll have five houses!
└ Aren’t the odds messed up? No matter how much of an idiot Alma is, 5x with Adrian on the team?
└ Isn’t this seriously worth a bet? At 5x odds?
└ Morons. Put your life savings on Pames’s team. A safe 1.7x return on your assets. What a steal.
└ But what kind of confidence does Alma have to request a betting site?
└ I think they only accept it if you bet on yourself… He must be out of his mind.
└ But Binche-nim, who are you betting on? Give us a hint.
-BinC777 I’m betting on Alma’s team. Life is all about one big score. Ah, for reference, I threw in 30% of my family’s assets. If you want to get rich, just follow me.
└ ??
└ ???
└ Are you sane?
└ L... lol...
└ Didn’t I tell you? Binche is an idiot.
└ Did this bastard’s brain turn to mush after he stabbed his father in the back? Or was he always this much of a moron?
Seeing the endless stream of hooks and ridicule in the comments on his social media, Binche turned off his smartphone and muttered.
“How can a sparrow know the will of a hawk? Life is about grabbing the right rope. And the rope I’ve grabbed is Crown. You idiots.”
***
On the day of the Great Warrior Duel.
Pames had rented the largest Great Warrior Duel arena in the capital.
Spirit cameras sent by broadcasting companies dotted the sky above the colossal arena, which could accommodate a total of 100,000 spectators.
Binche, with dark circles under his eyes, pressed his thumbs firmly beneath them as he surveyed each team’s formation.
‘Acumen… hmm, he just picked out the two aces from his mercenary company. I heard they’re skilled enough to rank within the top 150… Well, that’s decent.’
Binche then turned his attention to Pames’s side.
‘Pames… my god! He brought two High Rankers from within the top 100? And in the 70s, no less! Huh, this is… a little nerve-wracking…’
Having thrown in a whopping 30% of his family’s assets the moment the betting odds were posted, Binche couldn’t help but feel nervous.
If he lost this money, it wouldn’t end with a simple, “Oops, you made a little mistake.”
No, if things went badly, it could disrupt his family’s cash flow and earn him harsh reprimands from his vassals.
‘But still, I’m not worried. I am the only one who knows that Alma is Crown… Huh? Adrian’s team is here. Over there… huh? Wha-what is that?’
Binche’s jaw dropped as he identified the two Great Warriors Adrian had brought.
It was impossible not to be shocked upon seeing their faces.
And not in a positive way, but a negative one.
‘Those two… aren’t they rankers from Adrian’s family? Their rank was… in the low 100s, wasn’t it?’
Warriors who were neither overwhelming nor underwhelming.
Binche couldn’t hide his disappointment at the lineup, which looked like a token effort.
‘Adrian. That detestable man is just planning to save face this time. That’s how little he trusts Alma. But, I know. He is Crown. The master of The Decapitators clan! The Great Warriors he brings? Hmph, they must be at least super rank… ers… in the top 50…’
Binche’s eyes fell upon Lee Si-woo.
He was struggling, gripping the tail of an incredibly fat dragon, while the pot-bellied pig of a dragon was desperately scratching the ground with its claws, trying not to be dragged along.
-No! I don’t wanna fight!
“If you ate, you better earn your keep, you pig!”
-Eeeeh, give me another job! Like breathing! Or mukbang! Or if not that, then sleeping!
“Is that a job! That’s just playing and eating!”
-Eating delicious food is a sacred labor!
“I won’t feed you.”
-That’s cheap! You’re so cheap! I’m gonna pout now! I’ll fly away from your embrace!
“You think you can fly with that body? You damn pig!”
-I’m not a pig! I’m a dragon!
Watching the spectacle the two were making, Binche’s smartphone tumbled from his grasp.
His despairing voice fell over the smartphone, which lay forlornly rolling next to his trembling feet.
“Am I… screwed?”
Gambling was a shortcut to ruin.