Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: The Sixth Candidate (3)
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“Hey, look who it is! Naban! That you, Naban?”
A sudden burst of excitement.
Theo and Naban had just finished their conversation and were heading back to the banquet hall when they stopped at the sound of the voice.
A man was striding toward them.
His hair was tousled like a lion’s mane, but his eyes gleamed with a noble sharpness—a handsome man.
‘Torkel Ragnar……!’
Theo clenched his fist at this unexpected encounter with a rival in the race for the throne.
Naban greeted Torkel with a somewhat awkward expression.
“Yeah, hey. Uh, long time.”
“Man, it’s been forever. After the Awakening Ceremony, I begged you to show your face, but you never even poked your nose outside. Felt pretty slighted, you know?”
“Family stuff, and, uh, wasn’t feeling great. You know, that kinda thing.”
“You could’ve at least shown up to the alumni gatherings. You know how bad I wanted to drag you into the Black Iron Knights?”
“Did you…… now?”
“Anyway, how’ve you been? Even better running into you here.”
Naban always dealt with people cynically.
But with Torkel, he seemed flustered, off his game.
Like his energy was getting drained?
Torkel was famous for his charisma, so maybe it just didn’t work on him.
‘A pessimist facing a super social butterfly? Something like that? Kinda funny.’
It was a side of Naban Theo had never seen, so he watched with curiosity.
“……So, Iyan, that guy—he’s in our Black Iron Knights now. Funny, right?”
“Yeah, uh, yeah. Seems that way.”
“Oh, I was gonna ask how you’ve been holding up, but I ended up yapping about myself. Sorry, man.”
“N…… no. It’s nothing.”
“Anyway, who’s your friend here? Looks like you’ve snagged yourself a celebrity.”
Torkel’s gentle gaze turned to Theo.
‘He knew it was me all along.’
Theo was now certain: Torkel had come for him, not Naban.
Rumors of a new sixth candidate, receiving the Orb of the Sword—enough to rattle the complacent top five.
Theo bowed politely in greeting.
“Theo Ragnar. It’s an honor to meet the esteemed Black Iron Knights Captain.”
Torkel’s smile widened.
He extended his hand.
“Torkel here. Finally meeting the guy I’ve only heard about. Heard you went to the White Dragon Knights. Shame. Wanted you on our side. Tsk!”
“Thank you for the generous offer. But the debt I owe the Demon Dragon is too great.”
“I see. Just wasn’t meant to be. Still, we can keep a good relationship, right? Our Black Iron Knights and the White Dragon Knights team up plenty.”
“I’d be honored to maintain a good relationship with you, Torkel.”
“Hahaha. Quite the smooth talker, aren’t you?”
Torkel clearly liked Theo’s polite yet confident demeanor.
That made his regret all the sharper.
“Damn, now I really want to steal you. Wish I could make you a better offer…….”
Torkel glanced toward the banquet hall and gave a wry smile.
“But too many folks would try to cook me alive right now…….”
“……?”
Theo didn’t catch Torkel’s meaning but figured there was more to it and tried to release the handshake.
But,
Tremble—
His hand wouldn’t budge.
Torkel watched him with a mischievous grin.
‘He wants to test me?’
See how I react.
No reason to refuse.
The Ragnars were a traditional northern martial house.
Talks boiled down to power.
Whoooosh—
Theo’s mana surged, pushing back Torkel’s grip.
“Oh.”
Interest flickered in Torkel’s eyes.
Even seasoned swordsmen would struggle to shake that pressure, yet he brushed it off easily.
But what surprised him more,
‘He broke free before I could even read his mana’s essence.’
His goal had been to gauge Theo’s mana, observe its traits and nature calmly.
But it ended before he could.
‘He’s hiding plenty more. Hasn’t had the Orb long enough to fully assimilate it……. Dad must be thrilled.’
Disappointing, but he’d gleaned something worthwhile.
‘Fun, isn’t it?’
Before, he’d only worried about his older brothers, always the pursuer.
Now, he was the pursued too—novel sensation.
Not unwelcome, of course.
Strife was the Ragnar essence.
Reject it, find it bothersome, and you’d be culled.
“Thank you for your consideration, Torkel.”
“What’s with the ‘Torkel sir’ between brothers? Call me bro in private.”
“Understood. Brother.”
“Told you to keep it casual—‘brother’ works.”
Theo didn’t miss that Torkel had acknowledged him.
Torkel glanced between Theo and Naban, changing the subject.
“So, how’d you two meet? Doesn’t seem like a likely pair.”
“We crossed paths investigating the Ceres Merchant Guild.”
“Huh? Back then? Naban, what were you doing there? Oh, the involvement suspicions?”
Torkel seemed unaware of the full details.
Naban nodded flatly.
“Yeah. That’s when I swore loyalty to him as my lord.”
“……Huh?”
Torkel tilted his head, baffled, and Theo’s gaze snapped to him.
But Naban stayed nonchalant after dropping the bomb.
Unpredictable as ever.
“That’s all there is to it. No more to discuss—I’m out.”
Naban waved dismissively, as if annoyed, and left.
Torkel reached for his shoulder in surprise.
“Hey! At least finish your—!”
BOOM!
Before he could, an explosion rocked the banquet hall.
Theo, Torkel, and departing Naban all whipped toward it.
And in that moment, they saw it.
Whoooosh!
A ferocious wave shaking the banquet hall, the sky above, even Susun Palace.
-Screeeam!
-What’s happening!
-T-The Demon Dragon and O-Origin Dragon collided!
-It’s a fight of the Nine Dragons! Nine Dragons clash!
The three bolted toward it without a word.
* * *
Crackle! Crackle!
Whoooosh—
Two fierce auras clashed repeatedly.
The tables and furnishings around them had long been shattered, and people watched from afar with terrified eyes.
A natural disaster unfolded before them.
Just their auras alone caused this—were they really human?
Some even doubted it.
But the culprits, Wolfgang and Julius, paid no mind.
“What…… did you say, White Dragon Knights Captain? Heh heh heh. Must be my old ears playing tricks—hallucinations in my age.”
“Oops. Guess at your age, you should be shut away smearing shit on the walls. What business brings you here?”
“……You call that speech?”
“Didn’t hear right? I’ll repeat.”
Julius’s lip curled sharply.
“Wanna get beat to death?”
“How dare you!”
Whoooosh—
A gale erupted from Wolfgang, sweeping outward.
Sparks seemed to fly over his wrinkled eyes.
But,
Boom!
Wolfgang’s mighty aura crumpled under immense pressure from above.
As if a colossal dragon glared from beyond the barrier.
“……!”
Wolfgang froze stiff.
The alcohol buzz vanished in an instant.
‘Damn!’
Then it hit him.
That day.
When that insolent White Dragon senior swordsman lost an arm, and Julius stormed the Elder Council alone.
Over half the elders representing Ragnar ended up with limbs twisted backward.
Including himself!
“Didn’t I make it clear?”
Julius dropped the formalities.
His low voice dredged up Wolfgang’s buried memories.
-If you use this as an excuse to harm that child, or pull any sneaky shit. No! If tears fall from that child’s eyes again. Then.
“I went easy for your sakes back then, but no second chances.”
-I’ll rip your arms off those shoulders just the same.
Why did that apocalyptic dragon’s chilling warning overlap with Julius now?
“W-Wai……!”
Wolfgang cried out in panic, but,
Crunch—
Julius had already yanked Wolfgang’s right wrist the opposite way.
Boom boom boom!
Their auras collided fiercely, threatening to crumble the palace in one go.
Sweat beaded on Wolfgang’s forehead.
But the bout ended swiftly.
Grind—
A gruesome crunch of bone dislocating and shattering,
Splurt!
His right arm tore clean off.
Spurt—
“Aaaugh!”
Wolfgang howled, suddenly one-armed.
Amid the spraying blood fountain, Julius’s eyes blazed fiercely.
-E-Elder Council Leader!
-Protect the Elder Council Leader!
-The White Dragon Captain assaulted the Leader!
Chaos erupted around them.
Swoosh swoosh!
Swordsmen dropped from the sky, blades trained on Julius.
-Law Swordsmen!
-The Law Court’s here……!
“White Dragon Knights Captain, you’re under arrest for assaulting the Elder Council Leader. Come with us.”
The speaking Law Swordsman said the words, but tension etched his face.
Julius hadn’t even glanced their way.
No response.
‘Gotta isolate him before this blows up……!’
The Law Swordsman bit his lip, sensing the storm.
「Captain!」
「Don’t worry. I’ll handle this.」
「That’s not what I—!」
Evelyn couldn’t comprehend Julius.
She knew he cherished his knights, but this was a political blunder, putting him on the defensive.
No visible harm to Evelyn anyway.
The Julius she knew was a quirky, fun-loving idler, but with depths rivaling Ed’s in scheming.
Yet now? Pure emotion.
As if it were his own affair.
‘…….’
Evelyn’s eyes trembled, staring at Julius’s broad back.
“Guh……! Over some woman, you make me like this? White Dragon Captain! Unless you’ve lost your mind!”
Protected by Law Swordsmen, Wolfgang straightened and bellowed.
A swordsman’s arm was pride and life.
He’d lost both today.
“Be grateful I didn’t rip that one off your shoulder too.”
“You mad bastard—!”
At the arrogant words, Wolfgang’s eyes bulged, and
“White Dragon Captain! You’ll explain this properly—!”
Whoosh!
More arrived from the sky, radiating mighty auras.
The Law Swordsmen’s faces hardened.
The dreaded scenario unfolded.
Each Elder expert’s aura might fall short of Julius alone, but together, they blanketed the hall.
Wolfgang was a faded puppet, sure—but still the Elder Council’s head.
Insulting him challenged the Council itself.
“Perfect timing. You, you, you, you.”
Julius, unflinching, pointed at familiar faces one by one.
The elders scowled, confused,
“Faces from that Elder Council day, right? So you remember what I said?”
Quick-witted elders paled rapidly.
“No need for fuss. Each of you, stick out an arm. I’ll cut ’em nice and pretty.”
“……!”
“……!”
“……!”
“Your arrogance pierces the heavens!”
Whoosh—
Clang!
The elders’ auras sharpened, blades drawn.
No more mercy.
Julius drew his own coldly—as if that’s what he wanted—when
“At my daughter’s birthday banquet, you dare cause this—?”
Crash!
The hall’s thick killing intent shattered like glass.
All eyes—Julius, elders, crowd—turned to the Susun Palace roof.
There,
Backlit by the moon, Susun Palace Lord Ice Dragon Niel glared coldly down at the hall.