Chapter 94
Chapter 94
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: Silver Knight Promotion and Bandit Siege
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The Silver Knight promotion exam was quite the grand event.
Those who had advanced to the main tournament would settle their matches through duels on a special stage prepared by the kingdom.
And many people from the capital attended to watch those duels.
Isaac couldn't hide his look of surprise as he gazed at the spectator stands packed full of people.
For Isaac, a sight like this was something he'd never experienced in his life.
At that moment, Janiel approached Isaac.
"Why are you making such a dumb face?"
"......Is it always this many people?"
"Of course. The Silver Knight promotion exam is like a once-a-year festival. Everyone gathers to celebrate the birth of new knights."
"The birth of knights......"
It was a position that a commoner like Isaac would never even have a chance at normally.
That's why Isaac felt a bit hollow.
'......How many people in the kingdom are stronger than these guys.'
Just the ones he could think of off the top of his head numbered more than the fingers on both hands.
Even the ten-man commanders of the Arrowhead Unit possessed the skill to reach the main tournament here.
Of course, that didn't mean the people here were weak.
In fact, looking at it long-term, they had far greater potential for growth.
After all, support played an undeniable role in development.
Isaac felt like he was wearing clothes that didn't quite fit his body.
It had only been a short time, but it was so different from the way he'd lived for the past three years.
"Hoo."
But he had no intention of getting lost in sentiment by constantly comparing situations.
He knew not everyone could be equal anyway. He would simply do his best with the environment he was given.
'I'll chew them all up and spit them out, Vice Captain.'
For now, he would simply give his all to what he could do.
* * *
As the main force of the Black Ogre Band appeared, anxiety began to settle on the faces of the fugitive farmers who had seized their base.
It was almost instinctual.
After all, these were people who had experienced hell at their hands for so long.
"Herilda."
"Yes."
Herilda, responding to Lian, climbed to the top of the railing and soon shouted loudly.
"Everyone, listen!"
Wooong-!
The voice of a woman who couldn't even use mana was tremendous.
Lian looked at Herilda, but she paid no mind to his gaze and continued.
"This is the final battle now. If we survive this fight, we can gain new lives once more!"
Clang!
Herilda raised her sword with both hands and pointed it at the charging main force of the Black Ogre Band.
"Kill those demons...... and we'll live like humans again, properly as people."
Her final words were almost like her own wish.
But with those words, the fear that had been crushing people's hearts vanished.
"Yeah! I'm gonna live like a human too!"
"Me too! We have to get our kids out of this hell!"
"Let's fight! Fight!"
"We're gonna survive no matter what!"
"Waaaaaaaah-!"
A rough roar erupted, shaking the Black Ogre Band's base.
The shout was so loud that the approaching Black Ogre Band momentarily faltered.
"Heh heh heh, those bug-like bastards. They're all huddled together begging to be killed."
"......Don't get complacent, Rolf."
Jexter spoke to Rolf, who let out a low chuckle.
Losing their base was a significant blow.
It was a region where they didn't even need to consider defenses initially, but it had been designed with some defensive structure in mind.
Yet that fortress had fallen to the enemy.
Of course, judging by their numbers, there weren't that many, and they were likely fatigued from a previous battle.
Even so, caution was necessary.
Seizing a base guarded by over a hundred men meant they had some hidden strength.
"Slaughter them all and reestablish order here!"
"Gaaaaah-!"
"It's a blood festival!"
With Jexter's shout, the bandits began charging up the hill, screaming madly.
The thought of losing to mere fugitive farmers didn't even cross their minds.
They only envisioned their slaughter echoing with the farmers' screams.
Until that one arrow flew.
Shiiiiiiek-!
Thud-!
"......!"
With a dull sound, an arrow embedded itself in the chest of a bandit leading the charge.
The power was so immense that the arrow pierced straight through him and into the one behind.
One shot, two kills.
Moreover, the impossible sight of the men being flung backward by the arrow was enough to shatter their momentum.
"C-Crazy!"
"What was that? A javelin?"
"......An arrow."
Jexter looked up toward the base.
There stood a lone man on the railing, bow in hand.
Rolf, who saw him too, furrowed his brow.
"What is that? A kid?"
He looked younger than expected.
Jexter also furrowed his brow at the sight.
This neutral zone thrown into chaos by someone like that boy?
No, he couldn't be acting alone.
There must be some force behind him with others,
"What are you lot doing? Just gonna watch!"
"U-Uwaaaaaah!"
"Kill!"
Jexter's shout reignited the momentarily subdued atmosphere.
Lian watched the bandits charging up the hill and infused his voice with mana, speaking softly.
"No one engages recklessly until they get close. Lure them in as much as possible and then fight."
Everyone gripped their weapons tightly, their faces set with determined resolve at Lian's small but clear voice.
And then,
Swoosh.
Lian raised his bow.
He had no intention of leaving it all to them anyway.
Before they reached the top,
'At least a hundred.'
He would thin their numbers.
Lian grabbed an arrow from the pile stacked beside him and immediately nocked it.
* * *
Shiiiiiik-!
As the sword thrust straight at him, Isaac stepped forward, lowering his stance.
Splat-!
The extended blade barely grazed over Isaac's head.
At the same time, the eyes of the man whose helmet was visible inside shook greatly.
This moment he thought was perfect timing.
He hadn't even anticipated the opponent closing the distance while lowering his posture.
If the timing had been off by even a blink, the blade would have dug into the man's forehead.
But the opponent closed the gap without so much as twitching an eyelid and looked up.
Chilling!
Though his whole body stiffened in an instant, the man hurriedly withdrew his sword and swung at Isaac again.
Before his sword could even rise toward the sky.
Crack-!
"Gah!"
The moment his sword collided with the opponent's side, a clear sound anyone could recognize burst from the man's mouth.
His ribs had broken.
It was only because it struck with the flat of the blade that it ended with a few ribs; if it had been the edge......
"Grk-!"
Overcome with pain, the man dropped to one knee and collapsed.
Even wearing light armor, this destructive power.
'H-How, with that small build......'
He had already heard the rumors about Isaac spreading throughout the Silver Knights.
But,
'They said it was overhyped......'
Quite the opposite.
The rumors seemed understated compared to his actual skill.
The man tried to stand somehow,
Stagger.
He wobbled and fell back to the ground.
At that moment, the referee watching rushed in.
"Stop! Winner, Isaac-!"
""Waaaaaaaah-!!""
The moment the winner was declared, cheers erupted from the spectators.
The stands weren't even half full yet, but the reaction was at this level.
Isaac panicked at the unfamiliar situation but turned away with a nonchalant expression, pretending it didn't faze him.
'Now...... top 16.'
With this win, he had entered the top 16.
One more victory, and he would secure a spot in the final top 10, qualifying him for the knight order.
Snicker.
Isaac let out a small chuckle.
He wasn't interested in such things to begin with. Just,
"As long as it helps Sir Lian, that's enough."
He simply reaffirmed the reason he came here.
As he came down from the duel, Janiel was waiting for him below.
He looked as relaxed as ever, but unlike usual, his expression as he looked at Isaac was somewhat stiff.
"I knew you'd win."
"Thank you."
He knew why he was tense.
His own round-of-16 opponent was Sharrk.
"I wish you luck."
"Thanks."
Janiel lightly waved at Isaac's words and walked off somewhere.
He probably needed time to compose himself right now.
As Isaac entered the area with the waiting rooms, Sharrk was standing at the entrance to the waiting room path.
Sharrk looked at Isaac.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
"Do you know who my next opponent is?"
"Janiel Roximak. You're fighting him, right?"
"......Yeah."
Word among the people was that this was the real final already. But Sharrk thought differently.
"There's a lot of talk about you in the unit."
Sharrk, who had been leaning against the wall with arms crossed, took a step toward Isaac.
"More guys are taking interest in your unit, and plenty are watching to see how far you'll go in this promotion exam."
Sharrk's expression hardened coldly.
"I'm going to beat Janiel in the next match and head to the finals. If you make it there too, we might meet."
And the real reason he had been waiting here.
"You're not gonna be satisfied just making the top 10, right?"
"Of course not."
"Then come to the finals. I'll crush you decisively there and show the entire kingdom the prestige of the Silver Knights."
It wasn't about looking down on him for being a commoner.
But losing to this guy, who started from way behind, could tarnish the nobles' pride.
That's why Sharrk had to beat Isaac more thoroughly.
"I have a rough idea of why you're here...... but regardless, I'm looking forward to our match."
"I have no intention of belittling the Silver Knight Unit's ways or their efforts. But even setting that aside......"
Isaac looked Sharrk straight in the eye.
"I will raise my unit's prestige."
"I'm expecting it."
With those words, he passed by Isaac.
Left alone, Isaac watched him go, then turned and walked the opposite way.
* * *
"Waaaaah-!"
"Sharrk, go for it! I closed up shop to cheer for you!"
"Janiel, fighting-! Show them the power of the Roximak family!"
The heat seemed to boil over even before the match began, more than any other.
The two men took the stage amid the crowd's cheers.
Janiel and Sharrk.
Janiel, now on the stage, asked Sharrk.
"Did you meet Isaac?"
"Yeah."
"I get what you're thinking......"
Shing.
Janiel slowly drew his sword.
His blade glinted in the light, and with that, Sharrk drew his as well.
Janiel said to Sharrk.
"You won't get a chance to fight that guy. You're dropping here. Still, do your best. Even if you lose, with your skill, you can claim one of the remaining two spots."
Excluding those who made the final eight, two more from the eight losers in the round of 16 would be decided through a loser's bracket.
At Janiel's words, the corner of Sharrk's mouth twitched up.
"You're one to talk."
Swoosh.
Sharrk raised his sword.
By now, his eyes were sharply fixed on Janiel.
Looking at such a Sharrk, Janiel's eyes also cooled.
Finally, Janiel assumed his stance and said.
"I'll break you here...... and prove I'm the strongest Silver Knight."
With those words, Janiel charged at Sharrk.