Chapter 102: Territorial Fight (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 102: Territorial Fight (2)
“I wasn’t really trying to pick a fight.”
The veins on Verga Rayphelt’s forehead pulsed with suppressed rage. Without a word, he flicked a handkerchief in my direction.
It was a white cloth embroidered with the emblem of Märchen Academy—a grimoire and a sword crossed in tandem. The intent behind the gesture was unmistakable: a formal challenge.
I caught the fluttering fabric before it hit the ground.
“I challenge you to a duel. Fight me like a man, boy.”
Brawling within the academy grounds was a surefire way to get slapped with disciplinary action. However, dueling in a designated arena was perfectly legal. In fact, the faculty actually encouraged it.
The reasoning was simple: ‘Duels help hone the practical skills necessary for real combat.’
Like any other prestigious academy, this place followed that same philosophy.
Verga’s voice was a low growl, reminiscent of a prowling tiger. His entire demeanor screamed 'apex predator.'
If this were back in Korea and we were arguing over a seat in a study hall, I might have snapped back with something like, ‘Does your name have to be on the chair for it to be yours?’ and dragged out a verbal spat. But since my goal here was to trigger a specific sub-event, there was no need for a war of words.
“If I win, you’ll stop talking shit, right?”
The surrounding students gasped, their eyes widening in disbelief. Their reactions were so synchronized they practically deserved an Oscar for Best Ensemble Cast.
“Hmph! I like your spirit, boy. I’ve always enjoyed educating juniors who lack a sense of respect.”
Verga’s expression darkened as he lowered his voice. He turned his predatory gaze toward a male student standing nearby.
“Hey, you.”
“Ugh!”
The student flinched. Judging by the red brooch on his tie, he was a freshman like me. He looked like he wanted to bolt the moment Verga addressed him.
“Be the referee.”
“Ah, y-yes! Of course!”
Threatened by a glare that dared him to refuse, my fellow classmate had no choice but to accept, his face pale with fear. A formal duel required at least three people: the two combatants and a mediator to oversee the rules.
“Follow me.”
With that, Verga turned and marched toward the arena.
For some reason, a crowd of students began to follow us, drawn in by a collective mob mentality.
I’m not exactly the Pied Piper here, people…
We arrived at our destination shortly after. Since it was located near the training grounds, the walk was brief.
The arena complex was divided into three main sections. We headed for Duke Hall, the arena specifically dedicated to the Magic Department freshmen.
The grand building was further partitioned into four quarters. Verga and I took our positions in one of these sections, standing a fair distance apart.
Just like in the original game, ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, spectators for this sub-event began to fill the second-floor stands. I estimated about thirty people had gathered. While it didn't fill the entire hall, it was a significant turnout considering the arena was usually empty this time of day.
Presumably, the crowd was here because my opponent was an elite member of a faction within the Four Constellations. Watching a fight was entertaining enough, but it was even better when one of the participants was a local celebrity.
Oh, Tristan and Isaac’s older sister are here, too.
I spotted Tristan Humphrey and Eve Ropenheim as I scanned the crowd.
Were they at the training grounds earlier? Whatever, doesn't matter.
I turned my focus back to the man in front of me. Rumors were definitely going to fly after this.
Well, it should be fine. Alice isn't the type to get suspicious over something as trivial as a duel.
“Your name?” Verga barked.
“Isaac. I don’t have a last name.”
“I am Verga Rayphelt. Since standard duels are a hassle, let’s do this the manly way.”
“The manly way?”
I knew exactly what he meant, but I played dumb to let him set the terms.
“We take turns exchanging a single blow. The first one to lose consciousness loses. A normal duel is fine, but wouldn't it be pitiful if you got knocked out without even getting a chance to swing?”
Of course it would, my good sir.
In truth, I couldn't beat Verga in a fair, high-mobility duel.
Though, if I had to, I could probably use my wits to drag it out for a bit.
Verga possessed strength that matched his massive physique and a level of speed that was terrifying for someone his size. In a standard fight, the odds of me losing were high. However, under Verga’s specialized 'manly' rules, I had the chance to land a single, full-power strike with perfect accuracy.
With my current stats, it’s worth a shot.
I flexed my right index finger, loosening the tension in my muscles. There was also something I wanted to test out. Verga was going to make an excellent punching bag—I mean, test subject.
“Alright. Who goes first?”
“I’ll give you the initiative. But mark my words: if you can’t knock me down in one hit, you’re going to regret it.”
...I really need to avoid the 'waking up in the infirmary' ending at all costs.
“Referee! Start the match!” Verga roared.
“Ugh! Y-yes! Verga Rayphelt versus Isaac! Begin!”
The student referee raised his arm and chopped it down, signaling the start.
Verga glared at me, his bulging muscles twitching with anticipation. He braced his legs and squared his shoulders, preparing to tank my attack.
His greatest strength was his formidable defense—a monstrous combination of high-level protection magic, innate elemental resistance, and a naturally sturdy physique. To clear this sub-event, I needed a decisive blow that could pierce all three layers at once.
I can't just go for the vitals or the throat.
Vulnerable spots were a trap. Verga’s basic protection magic was most concentrated around those areas. During my first playthrough of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, I had naturally aimed for the groin, only to find out the man had balls of literal steel.
However, there were certain areas where his protection magic was relatively thinner.
But that’s only because the damage can penetrate deeper there.
Even then, if the attacker didn't meet a certain threshold of power, striking those weaknesses was still useless. Furthermore, given Verga’s high elemental resistance, casting a standard elemental spell—even at max power—was a losing move for someone at my level.
So, how did the protagonist, Ian Fairytale, beat him?
He used an ability that was incredibly rare among Magic Department students. He defeated Verga using the one thing a mage should never use to compete with a knight.
Raw physical prowess.
The strategy for this sub-event was to strike Verga’s weakness with overwhelming physical force. To win, I had to completely subvert common sense.
Don't aim for the obvious vitals. Instead, as a mage, overpower a knight using pure strength.
I prepared a spell to augment my physical capabilities. Even if the power was dampened by Verga’s resistance, it would still be leagues better than a normal punch.
I planted Zhonya’s Staff into the ground and muttered under my breath.
“Eden, I’m counting on you.”
*
“A mere commoner competing for supremacy with an elite of the Black Tiger? Hah! What a joke!”
Tristan Humphrey, the arrogant blond noble, sat with his legs crossed in the stands, watching the confrontation with a sneer. His lackeys quickly chimed in.
“Is there even a point in watching? Isaac is going to get slaughtered!”
“Senior Verga Rayphelt of the Four Constellations... I heard he’s never lost a duel to a Magic Department student. His elemental resistance is so high that most spells are just a tickle. He only came up with these 'turn-based' rules because standard duels were too boring.”
“And Isaac dares to act tough in front of a man like that? How pathetic.”
Tristan chuckled as his subordinates gossiped.
“It’ll be quite the show. Hurry up and entertain me with your pathetic defeat, commoner.”
After the humiliations he had suffered at Isaac’s hands, Tristan was eager to see him crushed by a senior.
Isaac...
Eve Ropenheim sat nearby, biting her lip. She hadn't expected Isaac to actually accept the challenge. He could have just walked away or given up the seat.
He has too much pride... Verga is on a different level.
She chewed her thumbnail anxiously, praying for Isaac’s safety.
The referee declared the start of the duel. But then, Isaac did something strange—he set Zhonya’s Staff down on the arena floor.
He’s discarding his weapon?! Is he trying to surrender?
No, look at his eyes...
He wasn't surrendering. Isaac’s usually gentle expression had turned ice-cold, sharpened by absolute focus.
In a heartbeat—
Whoosh!
“...!”
With explosive speed, Isaac lunged forward as if he were a coiled spring suddenly released. It was a movement far too agile for a typical mage. His physical capabilities caught everyone, including Verga, off guard.
As Isaac accelerated, a circular ring of stones partially manifested in the air, floating behind his back.
「Rock Armor (Earth Element, ★4)」
A layer of stone skin formed in the air and fused onto his right arm.
His [Synchronization] with Eden was at its peak, allowing him to manifest a portion of the spirit’s traits. It was a partial summon.
A gauntlet of solid rock encased Isaac’s right arm, glowing with a dull brown light. Veins of golden mana pulsed through the stone like molten circuit boards.
[Rock Armor].
The power of the partially summoned Eden synchronized perfectly with Isaac’s own strength. Since the equipment was forged from his own mana, it felt weightless to him. Its only purpose was to add mass and destructive force to his strike.
He’s a mage, yet he’s trying to win with a punch? Is he insane?
Typically, a wizard keeps their distance, unleashing spells from afar. The closer a mage gets to a warrior, the higher their chance of death. Close combat was supposed to be their ultimate weakness.
Usually, when Verga fought mages, they scrambled to pelt him with long-range spells. He only allowed them the first move out of a sense of mercy.
But Isaac was charging him like a bull. By equipping [Rock Armor], he was clearly intending to settle this with a physical clash.
It was unthinkable. And yet...
Foolish.
In Verga’s eyes, Isaac was still just a mage. Choosing to fight with brute strength instead of magic was like throwing away a sword to attack with a twig.
“Come at me, you brat!” Verga roared, his muscles rippling as he braced for impact.
Isaac’s stone fist slammed into Verga’s torso.
BOOM—!
“Ugh...!”
A shockwave rippled through the air. The sound of the impact was like a cannon firing at point-blank range.
The fist buried itself into Verga’s left ribs. His massive frame was momentarily lifted off the ground. Blood sprayed from his mouth as the air was forced out of his lungs.
Compared to this punch, a boulder launched from a catapult would have felt like a gentle breeze. The impact was that devastating.
“Ughh...”
Verga groaned, clutching his abdomen with both arms. His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the stone floor.
Isaac stood perfectly still, looking down at him. His gaze remained cold as he watched Verga writhe in agony.
The crowd had expected a different scene. They had imagined Verga standing tall, laughing off a weak spell before crushing Isaac. Instead, the reality was the exact opposite.
The arena fell into a deafening silence. The students stared, their expressions frozen in shock.
Thud.
Verga, drenched in cold sweat and struggling to stay conscious, finally slumped forward, completely blacked out.
Only then did Isaac close his eyes and dismiss the partial summon. The [Rock Armor] crumbled into dust, and the floating ring of stones faded away.
How...?
Eve’s eyes trembled. Tristan and the other students were no better.
Isaac turned to the referee. The student, who had been staring at the unconscious Verga in disbelief, jumped and hurriedly raised his left arm.
“D-duel over! The winner is Isaac!”
No one cheered. A heavy, oppressive silence permeated the hall.
A system window, visible only to Isaac, flickered into existence.
[Level Up!! Your level has increased to 83!]
[You have gained 2 stat points!]
[You have unlocked the achievement ❰One Punch Man❱! You have gained an additional 15 stat points!]
Isaac dismissed the windows with a casual flick of his wrist. His eyes softened back to their usual gentle state as he looked down at the fallen Verga and bowed slightly.
“Thank you for the duel, Senior.”
The word 'EXP' was conspicuously absent from the system messages.
Without another word, Isaac quietly exited the arena.
The result had completely overturned every prediction. The fact that an elite member of the Four Constellations' Black Tiger had been one-shotted by a Magic Department freshman—one who wasn't even in Class A—sent a shockwave of incomprehensible disbelief through the stands.