014. Blue, Wolf Willie 3
Willie, facing Bin, concentrated his mana into his legs. Shadows overlapped at his feet, creating an optical illusion that made him look like multiple people whenever he moved.
The retainers in the stands gasped in shock at the sight.
"Th-that's Mana of Agility!"
Another retainer added, "Most commoners die without ever reaching that realm... I never imagined we'd see Mana of Agility in the two young masters' match."
Mana of Agility.
Mana was broadly divided into three types: Mana of Strength, Mana of Agility, and Mana of Wisdom.
Each type had families renowned for their mastery, and the Bascon family represented Mana of Agility.
When Mana of Agility was unleashed, it allowed one to manipulate shadows. The degree of mastery varied wildly from person to person.
Those who reached the pinnacle could effortlessly dodge a hundred incoming arrows.
Following the Mana of Agility, a white haze rose from Willie's claws. He had infused them with mana.
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. This ends you!"
Willie aimed to sever Bin's right arm with this single strike. He intended to reduce him to a pathetic, insignificant pest that would never bother his eyes again.
Now that Bin was accustomed to left-side attacks, this was his chance.
Watch his left shoulder and slash down with the right arm.
The claws whipped through the air, trailing white smoke, followed by overlapping black shadows—as if several people were attacking at once.
In the end, the claws sank into Bin's right shoulder.
Puuk.
Though Willie had landed the attack, a doubt crept into his mind.
No, why...?
This strike had been mere deception. It wasn't meant to inflict real damage.
That meant Bin had closed in and thrust his own shoulder onto the claws.
Uncertain whether this turn of events was a gain or a loss, Willie glanced at Bin's expression.
Bin wore a strange smile, even with the claws embedded in his shoulder.
A sly grin.
"...!"
Seeing Bin's face, Willie realized instantly. This situation was a disaster for him.
That smile... He planned for this...!
As Willie had guessed, Bin had anticipated his use of Mana of Agility. He also knew that as an 8th-class knight, he couldn't swing Shabest enough times to catch him.
Even if he attacked, the nimble Willie would dodge without fail.
Thus, he needed a decisive blow.
Bin looked down at Willie with confident eyes.
What the hell is that smug look...?
Willie bristled at Bin's expression. He had never imagined his own past behavior mirrored in it.
That bold smile amid the agony of a torn shoulder.
Through his expression, Bin was telling Willie: I'm above you.
Unable to endure it any longer, Willie raised his voice.
"You pathetic worm, who do you think you're smirking at? My attack isn't over yet."
Willie swung his other claw, targeting Bin's right arm. Black shadows trailed in its wake.
But Bin leisurely lifted the corner of his mouth.
"No, it's already over. The loser doesn't get to choose."
In an instant, Bin swung Shabest toward Willie's chest.
Less than a step away. Even Willie, with his superior speed, couldn't evade.
Blocking with his already-extended claw was impossible too.
The icy blade closed in, its frigid aura making Willie's eyes widen in terror.
"You dare to... against me...?"
Tak!
With a crisp sound, Shabest pierced Willie's chest.
Crackle. Crackle.
In that moment, ice enveloped Willie's entire body, sculpted like a statue carved from frost.
His frozen hands lost their grip, and the claws slipped free.
Thud. Roll roll.
The sight stunned everyone in the martial arena.
"...!!"
Billy and Shirley screamed toward the frozen Willie.
"Will! Brother Willie...!"
"B-brother!"
They looked ready to rush into the arena, but Velvet extended her hand to block them.
"He's not dead yet. Wait. You'll get it from Father."
"... "
Startled, Billy and Shirley glanced around nervously, checking Moden's reaction.
In stark contrast, the crowd buzzed with talk of Willie.
"H-his whole body is frozen..."
"Someone say something. My eyes must be wrong, right? Tell me they are...?"
"Willie, a 4th-class knight... lost to Bin, an 8th-class...?"
The scene before them was unbelievable. Even judging by the rules, with his weapon dropped, Willie had lost—frozen or not.
Some in the crowd voiced their thoughts.
"Young Master Bin wins... Because of that superior weapon?"
"No, even if they gave us a sword like that, could we beat Young Master Willie?"
"Exactly."
"Of course not. Young Master Bin outthought him by several moves."
"And at his age, already..."
As the crowd murmured in agreement, a white haze rose from Willie's frozen form.
Crack! Shatter. Crackle.
The ice encasing him shattered.
A vivid mana glow. Unmistakably 4th-class mana.
But the outcome was already defeat.
Willie, freed from the ice, gasped for breath.
"Hah... hah..."
He had expelled a massive amount of mana at once.
Voices from the crowd reached the newly freed Willie.
Murmur murmur.
His name echoed from countless lips. None of it good, of course.
Willie's body trembled as he clenched his teeth—due to the stares and his siblings' pitiful expressions.
This humiliating sight... I, Willie Bascon, always hailed as the family's prodigy, beaten by the family dunce Bin...?
Humiliation overwhelmed his mind.
Unable to bear the gazes any longer, Willie infused his claws with 4th-class mana.
White mana. A brilliant, vivid light.
Bin glared at him, but having poured all his mana into that previous strike, he couldn't fight back in this state.
"... "
Swoosh.
Just as Willie, eyes rolled back in rage, lunged with claws in hand—
Thud!!
A deafening boom like bursting eardrums rang out, and Willie collapsed onto the marble platform.
The impact shook the entire arena, sinking part of the marble floor.
Willie lay embedded in it, blood trickling from his forehead.
Bin involuntarily swallowed at the overwhelming mana pinning him down.
Gulp.
This suffocating mana...!
It was the same intimidating presence he'd felt before regression.
His body tingling, Bin turned to the stands.
As expected, the massive Moden stood there, face flushed red.
Tombstone, the Bascon family's supreme greatsword, trembled in his grip.
Moden strode toward Willie, half out of his mind.
Crack. Crack.
With each step, the marble floor cracked like shattering glass.
As he approached, Willie's body sank deeper under the gravitational pressure.
Thud!! Thud!!
This was the price for defying the family head's command.
Moden could no longer tolerate it.
Disobeying in front of the retainers was bad enough. But disguising an assassination attempt as a duel was utterly unacceptable.
Even during the match, Moden had agonized over intervening several times.
But it was a sacred duel in the martial arena, so he held back until the end.
Yet seeing Willie infuse his weapon with mana even after the fight ended snapped his restraint.
Crack. Crack.
As Moden drew nearer, Billy and Shirley stomped in panic.
"F-Father, no...!"
"N-no... Someone stop him!"
No one dared intervene despite their cries. Approaching Moden felt like courting death.
Billy and Shirley trembled too, fearing Willie might die.
Even for their own brother, their legs wouldn't move—instinct for survival held them fast.
A moment that vividly recalled a 1st-class knight's terror.
Billy and Shirley weren't alone. The crowd felt chills down their spines from Moden's mana.
"Th-this is the realm of a 1st-class knight...!"
"Impossible. Mana like this from one person...?"
They'd heard tales: a 1st-class knight could topple a family—or even a nation, depending on the circumstances.
But they'd dismissed it as exaggeration, given how few existed.
Now, witnessing Moden, they reconsidered. It might be true...
The massive marble disk cracked apart. And he'd subdued a 4th-class knight without lifting a finger.
Some frothed at the mouth and collapsed under the threatening mana.
Thud. Thud.
Knights sprawled unconscious in the stands.
A stark contrast to the pure-blooded Bascons' natural resistance.
As one fell onto a black uniform, a clicking sound rang out.
Click! Click!
It was Codic.
His skull protruding from the black uniform, he bellowed in outrage.
"...! You wretched fools dare! Do you know whose precious hide this is, to commit such outrage?!"
Despite Codic's grumbling, the crowd was too fixated on Moden to hear.
With no response, Codic sighed.
"Hoo."
Then fell silent.
Using magi here would only draw attention and escalate things.
Eying the soiled uniform, Codic bowed his head toward Bin.
"Hah... My lord, forgive me. I failed to protect your outer skin..."
But Codic cut off mid-sentence.
He sensed immense mana.
The aura shook the surroundings, tilting Codic to one side—like a toppled ostrich egg.
Raising his head, he stared at Moden amid the ominous mana.
A human with mana like this...?!
It was so overwhelming, he doubted Moden was human.
Moden, now at Willie's side, demanded:
"Willie Bascon, have you forgotten this is Bascon territory after wandering beyond the walls?"