Chapter 282: My Preparations Weren't Entirely in Vain (1)
Chapter 282: My Preparations Weren't Entirely in Vain (1)
The training ground where the Holy Knights of the Holy Kingdom tempered their bodies.
Because the 12 Paladins occasionally used it, the training ground was built to be exceptionally spacious and sturdy.
Antorius arrived there and declared, "We are about to duel, so everyone clear the area."
The Holy Knights began to buzz at his words.
"A duel? Against that Double Dragon?"
"Is Sir Denar personally stepping up?"
"Mmm..."
Their expressions were a mix of worry and apprehension.
Antorius found his comrades' reactions unpleasant. Of course, the legend of the Double Dragon went without saying.
However, he was Antorius Denar.
Though his mastery of the sword was currently stalled at the wall of the 6-Star Realm... if he added the miracles fueled by his Divine Power...
Even if the opponent is the Double Dragon, I have a sufficient chance of winning.
Well, delusions are free, after all.
Regardless, the stage was set.
The vast training ground was cleared entirely.
"Fuuuuu..."
Antorius exhaled deeply, steadying his mind and body, then stepped onto the platform with eyes wide and sharp.
And as Antorius stood there, brimming with resolve, Patrick spoke.
"Go, Knight A."
"Yes, Young Mas—wait, what?"
"I said, go."
"......"
Oliver looked at him with an expression that clearly asked, What did you just say? Patrick repeated himself.
"Go."
Oliver dithered for a moment before asking, "You want me to face him?"
"Yeah."
"Why am I going instead of you, Young Master?"
"It’s too predictable if I do it, isn't it? There’s no fun in watching that."
"......"
Oliver fell silent for a moment.
Up on the training ground, Antorius shouted in a gruff voice, "What are you doing? Get up here already!"
"Just a second!"
Patrick put his arm around Oliver’s shoulders and whispered in a sly tone.
"Are you going to keep talking back? I told you to go do it."
"No, how am I supposed to beat him? Have I somehow become strong enough to defeat the 'Holy Sword' of the Holy Kingdom?"
"What kind of nonsense is that? Of course you're weak—wait, what sword? The Holy Sword?"
"You didn't know?"
"Who? Him?"
"Did you really not know?"
The Arcana tournament that Patrick had participated in was still hailed as one of the highest-level events in history.
At the same time, the four people who reached the semifinals were referred to as...
The Double Dragon, Patrick Sky Schneider.
The Overlord of the North, Sierion Vyssus Yuzef.
The Empire’s Rising Star, Garcia Reinardo.
The Holy Sword of the Holy Kingdom, Antorius Denar.
That was how they were called.
And upon hearing this explanation, Patrick...
"Of all the things..."
"......"
"To think I’m being treated as a set with these brats."
His expression was one of utter futility and bitterness.
What was it called?
Wasn't this just like those titles given to youngsters when they had a brief flash of fame, like the 'Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes' or 'Seven Dragons and Four Phoenixes'?
Him?
The Radiant Dragon Hero?
Treated as part of a discounted bundle of rising stars?
"This is pissing me off."
Patrick felt even less inclined to deal with the man personally now. He pulled on the arm he had wrapped around Oliver’s shoulder and said, "Go and do it. There are levels to this, and he’s way too much of a brat for me to handle, right?"
"Since when did you care about levels?"
"From today until tomorrow."
"Young Massteeerrr!"
Oliver wailed, and simultaneously, Antorius roared from atop the platform.
"What are you doing?! Get up here!"
"I told you to wait!"
Patrick shouted back before turning to Oliver.
"Listen, Knight A. I won't say much. You caused a massive mess not too long ago, didn't you?"
"That... isn't that over and done with?"
"Hmm? Over?"
"......"
"The word 'over' doesn't exist in my dictionary. You fell hook, line, and sinker for a Dark Mage and threatened the safety of the territory, and it's 'over'? Maybe I should just make your life 'over' instead."
"Haha... Hahahaha..."
Oliver could only laugh.
And then he realized.
"If you want to return to the Duchy alive and well, go fight."
"...Yes, sir."
He realized he had no choice.
As Oliver trudged up to the platform with slumped shoulders, Patrick called out to him.
"Oliver."
"Yes."
Was he feeling sorry for just sending him up like that? Or was he going to give him some advice that could lead to victory?
"If you lose, you're dead."
"......"
"I'm serious. I'm not just saying it."
Oliver felt foolish for expecting anything from a devil.
* * *
Oliver A. stepped onto the training ground with a sluggish gait.
And Antorius Denar, looking at him with a rotten expression, barked at Patrick.
"What is the meaning of this?!"
Patrick picked his ear and replied, "What? You wanted to duel, right? So do it. Go ahead."
"You mean you won't face me yourself?"
"Yep."
"Why? For what reason?"
Perhaps he couldn't ignore the raw emotion in Antorius's cry. Patrick dropped his indifferent attitude and answered with a serious face.
"Because it's a hassle."
"...You son of a..."
Patrick's sincere answer almost made a curse word fly out of the Holy Knight's mouth.
Patrick told him, "Just do it. If you beat him, I'll face you personally."
"...Are you telling me to prove I'm worthy of facing you?"
"Well, it's not exactly that... No, whatever. It's a hassle, so let's just say it is."
"Double Draaaagoooon!"
"Man, your voice is loud. Shut up and just get on with it. Do you duel with your mouth?"
"......"
Antorius bit his lower lip hard.
He looked at Oliver, who had stepped up as his opponent, and said, "I don't know what the reason is... but if you want to step down, do it now."
"...What?"
"As I am now, I don't think I'll be able to control my strength. So, if you don't want to get seriously hurt, step down on your own."
"...Ah, I see."
Oliver understood.
In other words: You're no match for me.
And: Right now, I'm so blinded by rage that I won't be able to hold back against a mere 'Knight A' like you.
Therefore: If you don't want to die, admit defeat and get lost.
That's what he's saying.
He understood the situation. And once he understood...
"This is pissing me off."
"If you understand, then step do—what?"
Feeling a surge of irritation bubbling up from the depths of his soul, Oliver gave a thin smile.
He drew his twin swords in both hands, then gestured with one hand toward the bewildered Antorius, beckoning him.
"Bring it."
"...You little brrrraaaat!"
Kwoooom!
With Antorius's rage-filled roar, his sword clashed against Oliver's twin blades.
* * *
"Finally starting."
Patrick muttered, letting out a wide yawn from below the platform.
Honestly, setting the stage for these brats was exhausting.
"If I tell them to fight, they should just fight. Why so many words..."
Patrick watched intently as the two exchanged blows in a rapid sequence of offense and defense following the initial clash.
Matthew, standing beside him, spoke up.
"Does Sir A have a chance of winning?"
"A chance... No."
If one looked purely at their level of swordsmanship, the two were equal. However, Antorius possessed Divine Power.
The power and utility of the miracles (porténtum) Antorius had shown during the Arcana remained vivid in Patrick's memory.
Unlike Shaolin martial arts, which were imbued with the energy of purging evil, those techniques were closer to authorities that could be applied and used more freely, making them incredibly useful in combat.
So, considering things objectively, Antorius held the upper hand in overall combat capability.
"You knew that and still put him up there?"
"That's right."
When Patrick readily admitted it, Matthew said, "Well, I suppose a battle against a strong opponent will be a good experience for Sir A. Still..."
"Still?"
"No, I just thought it wasn't like you."
"What isn't?"
"No matter how much it's for the sake of gaining experience, isn't your own side losing the fifteenth thing you hate most in the world?"
"That's true."
"To think you'd accept that... I guess you've done some growing up after getting married."
As Matthew spoke with a smirk, Patrick replied as if he found the comment absurd.
"What are you talking about? Accept what?"
"Huh?"
"Didn't you hear what I said? That guy. If he loses, he's dead."
"Were you actually serious about that?"
"I told you I was serious, didn't I?"
"...No, wait a minute..."
Let's summarize the situation.
Oliver is weaker than Antorius.
But if he loses the duel, he dies.
That means...
"Did Sir A do something wrong to you?"
"It's not like there's nothing..."
There was something. Then again, this was Oliver A., the official troublemaker of the Double Dragon Knights.
"Ahem, anyway, it's not because of that."
"Then what is it?"
Patrick continued, his gaze fixed on the platform.
"I'm telling him to learn."
"......"
"How to bite into an opponent stronger than himself."
As he spoke, Patrick's eyes never wavered from Oliver.
* * *
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
A breathtaking exchange of blows unfolded, sparks and aura flying.
Oliver's twin swords attacked Antorius without rest, and Antorius parried those attacks with his single blade.
In an instant, fifty exchanges had passed.
Boom!
Oliver delivered a powerful strike and stepped back for a moment to catch his breath, thinking to himself.
What? This is more doable than I thought?
Oliver was surprised.
His opponent was the Holy Sword Antorius Denar, hailed as the future of the Holy Empire.
Based on the price tag of that name alone, he was a figure placed on the same level as Patrick.
So he had been incredibly tense, but now that he was actually facing him...
"Why are you so slow?"
"What did you say?"
Antorius bristled.
Oliver spoke with an awkward expression.
"Ahem, no, that is... uh..."
I'm not Sir Sanson, so why did I make a mistake like that? To let what I was thinking slip out of my mouth.
Oliver backed away slightly and gave a small bow toward Antorius.
"I apologize. It was rude of me to actually say you're slow even if you are. I was thoughtless."
Twitch.
The man ranked second in the Schneider Duchy for the talent of pissing people off.
That was Oliver A.
Antorius grit his teeth and glared at Oliver.
"Are you insulting me?"
"No, it's not that. I mean, it's a fact that you're slow, isn't it? So I just said you were slow, but if that hurt your feelings, I'm saying I'll apologize."
"......"
"Now then, we're all good, right? Shall we continue?"
"......"
Antorius's face turned bright red. And from below the platform, Patrick burst out laughing.
"Nice! Do more!"
The one who sets the fire.
The one who pours oil on the fire.
They were truly a fantastic pair.
To the point where every Holy Knight near the training ground glared at them as if they wanted to kill them.
And Matthew, who was watching from beside Patrick, quietly took a step away.
I don't want to be treated as being on the same side.