Chapter 21: Blind Trust (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 21: Blind Trust (3)
Thrust into a proxy duel he had never asked for, Kevin’s face paled. He was just as bewildered by the sudden turn of events.
"You want me to fight a proxy duel against Sir Chris? That makes no sense. I'm just a novice who picked up a sword a week ago, but Sir Chris is a skilled warrior who can use a 2-Star Aura!"
It was a natural reaction.
Chris.
Who was he?
He was the disciple of Jonathan, Commander of the Dmitry Knights, and a genius swordsman recognized throughout all of Dmitry. He wasn't an opponent an ordinary person could handle.
Moreover, Kevin had never been much of a fighter, and he was still just a teenage boy. No matter how often people said you never knew the outcome of a fight until you tried, some battles had their results set in stone from the very start.
Roman spoke.
"I know. I know you're at a disadvantage. But is there anything you actually stand to lose by failing in this duel?"
"...No, sir."
"There is something you must keep in mind from now on. There are countless people in this world stronger than you. Blood Fang, who oppressed your family and subjected you to violence, was one. Chris, who is staring at you right now as if he wants to devour you, is no different. Will you back down every single time just because your opponent is strong? If not, you need to look at this situation differently."
A boy in his mid-teens.
Kevin was young.
He was still at an age where he needed to be cared for, but since he had chosen to become a sword, he had to live differently from now on.
"A duel is not a life-or-death battle. All you stand to lose here is the frustration of defeat and some physical pain. If so, doesn't this seem like an excellent opportunity? A chance to clash with all your might against an opponent vastly superior to you. Even if physical pain accompanies the process, I do not believe it can break your will—the very same will that drove you to sever your own arm in the pursuit of strength."
There were boundaries in life.
The life of a commoner.
The life of a noble.
And the life of a swordsman, who had to risk his life to become strong.
Looking at Kevin, who was still just a teenage boy, Roman told him to completely tear down those boundaries.
Just as he had cut off his own arm.
To face his enemy, Chris, head-on.
He had to show that he could swing his sword at Chris with sheer, venomous spite.
"What on earth are you afraid of?"
Gulp.
Kevin swallowed hard.
His relationship with Roman had been a series of choices. Roman never forced a path upon him; instead, he showed him how to walk on his own two feet to follow him.
His throat felt dry.
Chris.
To think he had to fight someone he had only ever looked up to while watching the knights' processions. It was a reality he could never have imagined before. But from the moment he severed his arm, Kevin had become a different person.
"...I will try."
He steeled himself with venomous determination.
Seeing Kevin grip his sword tightly, Roman let out a faint smile.
Kevin and Chris.
The two faced each other.
With their physical builds alone proving how lopsided the fight was, Chris felt his blood boil.
To think I have to compete against a complete novice.
He felt miserable.
Just look at his opponent. Kevin's stance was a complete mess.
He had thought Roman must have had a reason for proposing a proxy duel, but the way the boy held his sword while glaring at him was truly pathetic. There was absolutely no trace of experience as a swordsman. He was full of openings at a single glance, and his lower body was so off-balance that Chris doubted he could even defend himself properly.
The past week.
The time had been far too short to fully digest any teachings. Just as Chris thought, Kevin was no genius. He didn't even deserve to be called a swordsman yet.
Therefore...
Pathetic.
A sense of shame washed over him.
At twenty-five, Chris had been learning swordsmanship under Jonathan since childhood. The blood, sweat, and tears he had shed as a swordsman made up the vast majority of his life, far outweighing his time as an ordinary commoner. The sword was his pride. Combining his innate talent with an effort that surpassed anyone else's, he had achieved the remarkable feat of reaching the 2-Star realm in his mid-twenties.
If he could enter the 3-Star rank before turning thirty...
He, who had been dismissed as a mere countryside talent, would instantly rise as a shining star of the Cairo Kingdom.
That was the kind of person Chris was.
Just because he was rotting away in Dmitry didn't mean his talent was something to be looked down upon.
I don't know what he's thinking, but he's wrong this time. Even variables have their limits. If I lose to Kevin, I will completely give up my life as a swordsman after this match.
It was a desperate resolve.
In truth, he didn't even want to duel. However, the reason he stood there holding his sword with such determination was because of the look in Kevin's eyes.
"Everything about you, from head to toe, is incredibly annoying."
Eyes filled with venomous determination.
Kevin was serious.
He was approaching this duel with absolute sincerity, as if he truly believed he could defeat Chris.
That made Chris even more furious.
His opponent didn't know his place.
Because Kevin didn't realize how pathetic and lowly he was, he dared to face someone who had dedicated over a decade of his life to the sword, despite barely having swung one himself. Chris acknowledged Roman. Roman, whom he had clashed swords with directly, was a man worthy of respect. But Kevin deserved to be punished just for that look in his eyes.
I'll end this in under a minute.
His grip on the hilt tightened.
Right then.
"Begin."
At Roman's signal, Chris immediately kicked off the ground.
There was no reason to drag this match out. Chris closed the distance in an instant, targeting the openings of the still-dazed Kevin.
Thwack!
A dull sound echoed.
Whether by intent or sheer luck, Kevin managed to block Chris's attack by a hair's breadth.
But that was all.
The sheer difference in strength sent Kevin's arms flying back.
With a panicked expression, Kevin tried to cover his exposed chest, but Chris's kick slammed into his abdomen before he could react.
Thud!
"Argh!"
Kevin screamed.
The massive impact made his head spin, and that single kick sent him flying backward. In truth, the match was decided with that one blow. Instead of pressing his advantage further, Chris glanced at Roman to see how he was judging the situation.
Is he telling me to finish it properly?
Roman remained calm.
His silence explained the rules of the match. Chris withdrew his gaze and immediately went after Kevin again.
Let's end this in one go.
His sword aimed for his opponent's arm.
Kevin, who had been groaning in pain just a moment ago, suddenly scrambled to his feet and threw his body aside to dodge Chris's attack. The sharp sound of wind slicing through the air rang in Kevin's ears. Goosebumps erupted all over his body at the realization that his arm would have easily shattered had the blow connected.
The difference in skill.
It was clear.
Chris was an insurmountable mountain. Yet Kevin, immediately after dodging, swung his sword in what could barely be called a counterattack.
Swish.
The sound of the sword was different.
It was slow and light.
Chris easily brushed the attack aside and drove another kick straight into Kevin's abdomen.
Thwack!
"Ugh!"
Kevin choked back a groan.
Even Kevin, who had endured the pain of severing his own arm, staggered, his face turning so red it looked ready to burst. Yet, despite the heavy impact, he didn't fall. He barely managed to take a step back to avoid the follow-up attack, but he was so helpless and weak that the duel was practically meaningless.
A completely one-sided match.
It was strange.
Roman had proposed the duel with such confidence, yet Kevin showed absolutely zero qualities of a winner.
What on earth is his intention?
Ten paces away, Roman watched the scene unfold.
He had said that the proxy duel meant using Kevin as his avatar, yet he wasn't giving any verbal instructions. In the end, it was going exactly as expected. Even if Roman had shared some secret method, it wouldn't have changed the outcome. But the sheer futility of the match made Chris feel angry instead.
Thud! Thud!
A rapid succession of blows.
Kevin's arms trembled violently.
Willpower alone could not withstand Chris's onslaught. As Kevin's stance crumbled, Chris's strikes rained down all over his body. This was actually Chris showing consideration. Even though they were sparring with wooden swords, Chris deliberately refrained from swinging at perfect openings, wanting to avoid inflicting fatal injuries on his opponent.
Even so.
The difference in level was glaring.
No matter how desperately Kevin struggled, he could not overcome the wall that was Chris, a man who had trained for over a decade.
Finally.
Thud!
"...Gurgle."
A fist slammed into Kevin's abdomen, causing him to spit up bloody foam.
Kevin staggered, his knees about to buckle. Looking down at him, Chris spat out in an angry voice,
"Just give up already."
The match was over.
There had already been several opportunities to end it, and Chris had only held back out of consideration.
However.
Kevin held on with sheer grit.
Forcing his trembling legs to stand, he pointed his sword at Chris, determined to block the next attack.
Why is he going this far?
Kevin's state was wretched.
Having rolled on the ground multiple times, his clothes were reduced to rags. Through his torn shirt, his bruised, red abdomen was visible. He spat out blood. The thick blood dripping from his mouth—likely due to a severe impact to his internal organs—sent a chill down Chris's spine.
He was at his limit.
At this rate, things could get truly dangerous.
Chris's common sense could not comprehend why Kevin kept raising his sword when the outcome was so obvious.
"Don't mistake yourself for someone great just because you managed to block a few attacks. From the very beginning, and throughout this entire duel, I haven't used my full strength even once. I could have smashed your fragile head in during our very first exchange, but because this is a duel, I held back. That is the difference between you and me. I don't know what you were thinking when you agreed to this, but for an ordinary person who doesn't even know how to use mana to hold out this long, I think you've done well enough."
He spoke the truth.
The duel between Chris and Roman had been different. Chris couldn't defeat Roman even when giving his all, but against Kevin, he didn't even need to try.
A mere fraction of his power.
That alone had reduced Kevin to this wretched state.
And this was the limit of Chris's patience.
"I'll say this one last time. If you show any more intent to fight, prepare to be crippled."
It was his final warning.
And his final consideration.
Kevin was merely a puppet. There was no reason to take his anger out on him.
But when told to accept reality, an absurd laugh bloomed on Kevin's face.
"Pfft, haha..."
He laughed.
As if he couldn't hold it in, Kevin didn't even try to hide the laughter bubbling up from inside him.
Then, with a smirk, he spoke.
"Let's go until the end."
He adjusted his grip on his sword.
He knew Chris's words weren't wrong.
However.
This duel, which seemed completely one-sided to everyone else, was entirely different in Kevin's world.
From beginning to end, Kevin was following Roman's instructions. Therefore, he had absolutely no intention of giving up this fight without Roman's command.