Chapter 187
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 187
Chapter Title: Melissa's Rampage
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Unlike the unshakable confidence on Corral's side that they would emerge victorious, the atmosphere around Bata was strangely tense.
"Will this be okay?"
"Honestly, I have no confidence, but we can't back down either. Individually, our specs are superior, but the truth is we're at a disadvantage overall, so for victory, we need to strategize..."
While Ospa sought solutions rather than denying the current situation, his friend Gale Traban wore a peculiar expression.
"This is a headache. If we just hand this over, Corral will use it as an excuse to expand their influence... What on earth is Young Master Leon Cascadia thinking, stirring up this mess...?"
Honestly, to the three of them—excluding Parel and Melissa—Leon was still a rather unfamiliar figure.
They had heard the rumors, but they had never properly witnessed what kind of person he was.
And now, out of nowhere, he had seized full authority and escalated things, leaving them wondering if the guy was in his right mind.
Of course, seeing Parel's unwavering trust made them think it couldn't be entirely baseless.
"Young Master Parel, are you really sure this is fine? Since it's just us, I'll be frank, but those two blockheads from Corral—rotten personalities aside—have solid skills. Even if you can somehow hold off one..."
"Didn't you just advocate for the fight earlier, Young Master Gale?"
"Th-that's because they mocked Bata and even insulted the Count, so I got heated for no reason."
House Traban viscountcy wasn't particularly close to House Cascadia, but they were nobles of the same kingdom.
Parel nodded firmly at Gale's question.
"You can trust Brother Leon."
"The problem is that Young Master Leon isn't participating in this duel. From what I know, Lady Melissa Cascadia is only at the early stages of Sword Expert. Even if she made miraculous progress in that time, it wouldn't be enough."
The publicly known realm of Melissa was early Sword Expert.
That was the level officially recognized by the kingdom, so they believed the same.
Of course, it wasn't a low realm by any means.
Considering Melissa's age, it was impressive, but in a situation where they had to face such strong opponents, it felt lacking.
Above all, the most serious issue was that the duel was about to begin, and Melissa still hadn't arrived.
"Damn it, if we're outnumbered in terms of forces, we at least need to devise a strategy..."
As they fidgeted anxiously, Gordon Rosbell, the vanguard of Corral's side, approached from afar.
"Why only four? Where's Countess Melissa Cascadia?"
When no one answered, he sneered.
"All that trash talk, and now that it's time, she's scared and run off? Whatever. We're only sending three anyway."
He spoke calmly and chuckled, causing the others' expressions to sour.
It was blatant disregard for their side.
"She'll be here soon."
"Sure she will."
The more he said, the worse Bata's side looked.
That was when it happened.
"She's here! Huh?"
Lady Robel, who had been scanning the surroundings, shouted and then froze solid.
And for good reason—Leon was walking over, carrying the limp Melissa slung over his shoulder like a sack of luggage.
"Wh-what the hell is that?"
Even Gordon Rosbell muttered in stunned bewilderment at the absurdity.
"Everyone's gathered. Perfect. Hey, get up already."
He tossed Melissa down like luggage, and she hit the ground with a thud, groaning as she slowly rose.
Leon then leaned in close to her ear and whispered.
"You know, right? Lose, and you're dead. Win no matter what."
A black aura rippled around Melissa, as if the rage from the depths of her abyss was spilling out.
As everyone stared in stunned silence, Leon spoke up.
"The one who subdues an opponent or pushes them out of the training grounds is eliminated. The last side standing wins. Losers leave without a word."
Leon calmly confirmed the agreement with Gordon.
"No interference from outside either. Any changes, speak now."
"Hah. You lot better not break that rule."
"Good."
Leon, unperturbed, patted Melissa to wake her fully.
"What are you doing? How long is a noble lady going to lie there sprawled out?"
Melissa flinched at his words and slowly pushed herself up.
She then lifted her head.
But those who saw her expression shuddered momentarily.
It was the eerie chill emanating from her hollow eyes.
"Right. It's all because of those bastards."
She muttered as if gaslit, causing Gordon to frown before returning to his position.
Corral's side consisted of Gordon, Karim Selbun, and the boy from the Eastern Continent, Cheonryeong.
"C-Countess? At least a minimal strategy..."
"Defense."
Melissa drew the bastard sword from her waist as she spoke.
Shiiiing...
For some reason,
it felt like a dam of suppressed emotions had burst, sending chills racing across their entire bodies.
Parel wasn't the only one who sensed it—the others did too.
"Countess? What do you..."
"Everyone, defensive formation."
Among them, Melissa had the deepest understanding of strategy.
So they moved according to her order without hesitation.
But when she didn't take her position, they looked puzzled.
"Countess?"
Piiiing!!!
With the starting signal, Karim and Gordon at the front of Corral's side charged.
"Countess?! It's started!"
"Defense."
She barked shortly and took a step forward. Only then did the four realize.
What her "defense" truly meant.
"Tch..."
Melissa's hollow eyes gradually sharpened with focus.
At the same time.
KABOOOM!!!!
A massive surge of dense aura exploded outward.
She spun the bastard sword effortlessly, lowered her stance slightly,
and as she poised to thrust, she shot toward Gordon at incredible speed.
"Ngh?!"
Gordon Rosbell, startled by Melissa's unforeseen velocity, hastily raised his sword to block.
But Melissa's blade came down indifferently, as if his defense meant nothing.
BOOM!!!!
An overwhelming force poured out tyrannically, crushing the terrain around him into a shallow crater.
"Guh?!"
Gordon staggered under the unexpected pressure.
But he was talented, of course. He reacted immediately.
However, Melissa fluidly spun her sword, recovered, and kicked his unbalanced leg, toppling his stance with a sharp thwack!
She pressed the attack relentlessly.
It was bold and lightning-fast.
Claaaang!!!
"You bitch?!"
Gordon's hands buzzed with pain from barely blocking the strike from an unexpected angle.
The thought that a split-second delay would have snapped his arm sent cold sweat pouring down his body.
Of course, Corral's side wasn't just taking it lying down.
Karim Selbun swiftly flanked Melissa's rear, muffling his presence as he closed in at tremendous speed.
If he grabbed her from behind, she'd be eliminated immediately.
Gordon pushed forward to hold her attention.
But by the time he refocused, Gordon was rebounding off Melissa—without even realizing how—and crashing into Karim.
Since teaching Melissa the Heavenly Demon Swordsmanship, she hadn't seen much real combat.
Most of her training consisted of getting unilaterally thrashed by me and Luna.
It was the kind of grueling regimen that would have broken an ordinary person long ago.
People naturally lose confidence after repeated defeats.
"Wow, sis is doing great!"
Arsha, wrapped in a blanket with the hatchling, spoke up, and the little one chirped in response.
It probably didn't understand.
Just reacting because its perceived parent, Arsha, was talking.
For now, since it was a hatchling, she had deployed a basic barrier around it to prevent its draconic aura from leaking out and causing a stir.
The King of the Golden Domain had its own territory, summoned by Arsha, but for this one, her vicinity was its nest.
"Worth teaching her."
Luna and I had gone easy on Melissa during training—to a degree.
Though our definition of "easy" differed vastly from the norm.
Having endured that repeatedly, even Melissa didn't know her true level.
That's why this was happening.
"We tormented her like a rat out of habit, but she learned to turn it against them."
"Yeah. You and I argued a lot about that approach. Taught her well."
"At her current level, how far do you think she can handle?"
"Cold assessment? In this state, she'd beat even an upper Sword Expert."
Upper Sword Expert.
A realm far above mid-level Sword Expert, one full stage ahead of where Melissa lingered.
Available power, aura quantity, physical enhancement scale.
Any metric favored the upper expert, but Melissa had been tempered in extreme situations.
Plus, right before the duel, her body had undergone massive reinforcement, making her far stronger than before.
In that context, Melissa at mid Sword Expert.
Corral's two idiots were merely approaching mid-level, still stuck at early stages.
The implication was simple.
Against the current Melissa, even all three couldn't win.
On the other hand, the boy from the Eastern Continent, Cheonryeong—drawing his sword with a slightly surprised look and building his momentum—was different.
He was at least mid Sword Expert.
A true prodigy among those gathered here.
Claaaang!!!
No sooner had the words left than Melissa kicked Gordon and Karim flying, raising her sword and turning toward Cheonryeong.
The onlookers gasped at Melissa's unexpected prowess.
The four in defensive formation, overwhelmed by her consistent domination of the two, muttered blankly.
"What is this?"
"She's handling two by herself..."
It wasn't just a close back-and-forth.
Awe rose at Melissa pressing them without even breathing hard.
Now in such a situation, they pondered their own roles.
"What can we even do?"
"Looks like Countess Melissa ordered the formation to keep us out, so we're useless."
"That's not true. We have to do something."
"Intervene there?"
"Hmm..."
Melissa had already subdued Corral's two and was now facing off against the Eastern Continent's Cheonryeong.
And Corral's pair, slumped in defeat, weren't causing any trouble.
They just glared at Melissa with hardened faces.