Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Jackson Cutter (1)
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Jackson Cutter had arrived at the Copperhead Count's estate one step behind Demian Haksen.
“What? You expect me to use a dump like this?”
Jackson Cutter looked around the tent the servant had shown him to and flew into a rage.
It was cramped, and the floor was covered with just a few worn hides.
The only furniture was a bed and a single desk.
“Do you even know who I am? I’m Jackson Cutter, the Ogre Slayer!”
Jackson Cutter bellowed at the servant. The servant trembled as he replied.
“The head butler knows as well.”
“And he still assigned me this shithole? Are you people insane?”
“B-but sir, if you tell me...”
The servant protested innocently.
Jackson Cutter let out a deep sigh. As the servant said, yelling at the underlings wouldn’t change a thing.
“Get out. Now.”
The servant fled the tent as if his life depended on it.
The moment the servant stepped outside, Zack Noire entered.
“It was noisy even from out here.”
Zack Noire said in an emotionless voice.
“Master, that’s just it. They know who I am, but they still stuck me in this pathetic tent. How am I supposed to put up with this? Of course I had to complain...”
Jackson Cutter whined in a aggrieved tone.
Zack Noire grabbed Jackson Cutter by the throat.
“Gah!”
“I give you some leash, and you start thinking I’m a pushover? Do I look like someone who’s here to listen to your bitching?”
“S-sorry... I’m sorry!”
Jackson Cutter cried out desperately. Only then did Zack Noire release his grip.
“Keep a low profile here. If you cause a scene and get kicked out of the tournament grounds, I won’t forgive you.”
“U-understood.”
“Remember this. Your goal is to win the jousting tournament.”
Jackson Cutter glanced at Zack Noire’s expression and asked.
“But Master, why do I have to win the jousting tournament? Couldn’t you tell me the reason...?”
“It’s absolutely necessary for my aspirations.”
“Your aspirations... You mean reaching the Master realm?”
“Exactly.”
Master.
The supreme realm called the domain of true superhumans.
Others would call it madness. Reaching the Master realm was next to impossible.
But Zack Noire’s expression was utterly serious.
“So, how does me winning the jousting tournament tie into your aspirations...?”
Zack Noire glared at Jackson Cutter.
Jackson Cutter quickly shut his mouth. Pushing further would surely end badly.
“I’m going to investigate the Copperhead Count and the other participants. You stay put and prepare for the jousting tournament.”
“Understood.”
“One more thing. If you run into Demian Haksen, ignore him.”
“Huh?”
Jackson Cutter stared at Zack Noire in disbelief.
The reason Jackson Cutter had entered this jousting tournament was to expose Demian Haksen’s true nature.
It was unbearable that trash like Demian Haksen was far more famous than him.
And now, ignore him?
“There are too many unclear points about Demian Haksen. He might be the biggest wildcard among the participants.”
Zack Noire said in a grave tone.
“Don’t touch him until I verify the truth behind the rumors.”
“But... Master, you saw it too. How pathetic that guy is.”
On the day Jackson Cutter had beaten Demian Haksen, Zack Noire had been nearby.
He had even watched the entire beating.
And yet, he was giving this order?
“Are you dissatisfied with my command?”
Displeasure crept into Zack Noire’s voice.
Jackson Cutter hurriedly bowed his head.
“I-I’m sorry.”
“Then follow it.”
Zack Noire drilled the point home one more time before leaving the tent.
The moment he confirmed Zack Noire’s presence had faded, Jackson Cutter spat in contempt.
“What a coward.”
Zack Noire always acted like this.
He pulled back at the slightest suspicious sign.
This time, he was clearly spooked by the rumors about Demian Haksen.
“And if you’re gonna give orders, at least explain them properly. What does me winning the jousting tournament have to do with becoming a Master?”
Their relationship was less master-disciple and more master-slave.
Zack Noire had trained Jackson Cutter from the start only to use him for his own ends.
“I’ll show you. Once I reach Mid-class, you’re the first one I’ll kill.”
That said, separate from his contempt for Zack Noire, he had to acknowledge his teachings.
Zack Noire had spent years researching swordsmanship and mana cultivation methods to reach the Master realm.
That knowledge had elevated a mere thug like Jackson Cutter to Low-class in no time.
Jackson Cutter’s goal was to learn more from Zack Noire and climb to Mid-class.
“Sitting around here is just pissing me off more.”
Jackson Cutter stormed out of the tent in irritation.
That was when he bumped into Sophia Russell emerging from the tent opposite his.
“Oh, Sophia. Feeling cooped up too?”
“Jackson!”
Sophia shouted gleefully and threw herself into his arms. Jackson embraced her.
“I was getting bored stuck in the tent.”
“See? We’re on the same wavelength. I was feeling the same.”
“Perfect! Let’s go for a walk!”
Jackson Cutter wrapped his arm around Sophia Russell’s waist.
That’s when the two were wandering the tournament grounds.
“Is that really Demian Haksen?”
Jackson Cutter came face-to-face with Demian Haksen.
“Great to see you like this.”
* * *
When his face hit the ground, Jackson Cutter’s mind filled with questions.
Why did this happen to me?
The instant their hands touched, Jackson Cutter had unleashed all his strength.
He’d meant to twist Demian Haksen’s arm and slam him into the dirt.
But Jackson Cutter was the one who’d been reversed. He couldn’t even figure out how.
“J-Jackson!”
Sophia Russell screamed right beside him. Jackson Cutter got up from the ground and said.
“I’m fine. I’m totally...”
His body wobbled as he tried to stand. His head spun. Nausea kept rising.
“Oho, tough guy, huh? You take a clean hit to the jaw and you’re already up?”
Only then did Jackson Cutter realize.
Demian Haksen hadn’t just flung him to the ground recklessly.
He’d adjusted the angle to deliver maximum impact to the jaw.
“You fucking bastard...!”
The Demian Haksen in Jackson Cutter’s memory was a pathetic fool who only did stupid things.
A pitiful man who’d begged for his life after getting pummeled by Jackson’s fists.
To eat a hit from a guy like that? The humiliation burned.
“Guess the rumors weren’t total bullshit after all.”
Jackson Cutter ground his teeth. Rage overwhelmed his reason.
“You’re not planning to end it with this little prank, are you?”
Jackson Cutter gripped his sword hilt.
Demian Haksen glanced at his brother and shrugged.
“Abel, see that? He’s the one who went for his sword first.”
“Brother...”
Abel Haksen sighed deeply. Still, he didn’t try to stop Demian Haksen.
“If you’re going to do it, make an example of him.”
“Naturally.”
Demian Haksen pushed Abel back and said.
“Ready?”
“Yeah, I’m good.”
Even amid his surging fury, Jackson Cutter couldn’t help but be baffled.
Demian Haksen held no weapon in his hand.
“...What are you doing without drawing your sword?”
“For trash like you, this is plenty.”
Demian Haksen stuck out his index finger. Jackson Cutter couldn’t process the situation for a moment.
“...You’re saying you’ll face me with just one finger?”
“Too much for you? I can switch to a stick if you want.”
Demian Haksen looked around as he spoke. Veins bulged on Jackson Cutter’s face.
“...I’ll chop off all ten fingers and make you eat them!”
Jackson Cutter drew his sword.
But the moment he lunged, someone grabbed his wrist.
Jackson Cutter turned to the side in a daze.
Zack Noire.
His master stood there.
* * *
“...M-Master.”
Zack Noire didn’t respond to Jackson Cutter. He only stared at Demian Haksen.
Demian stared back at Zack Noire.
He didn’t show it outwardly, but Demian was genuinely impressed.
Knights faced ever-higher walls as their realms advanced.
It was a hundred times harder for a Low-class knight to reach Mid-class than for a squire to become Low-class.
Thus, the skill gap between higher-realm knights grew exponentially.
A top-tier Mid-class could slay a bottom-tier Mid-class with a single stroke.
‘Impressive. Nothing like that black mage I saw last time.’
Demian recalled Yulan’s leader.
Yulan’s leader was a 7th-circle black mage, specialized in battle-madness school to boot.
The man before him could easily kill a nobody like Yulan’s leader.
“Remarkable.”
Zack Noire broke the silence.
“That pathetic wastrel got this strong in such a short time. Hard to believe.”
Zack Noire scanned Demian with intrigued eyes.
“I’ll apologize on behalf of my disciple’s rudeness.”
Zack Noire dragged Jackson Cutter away. Sophia Russell hurriedly followed them.
“Abel, do you know who that guy is?”
“A Mid-class knight named Zack Noire.”
Demian mulled over Zack Noire’s name inwardly.
Demian had come here for Abel, but also to get revenge on Jackson Cutter and Sophia Russell.
A clash with Zack Noire was inevitable.
‘Looks like I’ll get to see some real swordplay for the first time in ages.’
The corners of Demian’s mouth curved slightly.
This jousting tournament wouldn’t be boring after all.