Well... there's no sign, but shall we try?
Well... there's no sign, but shall we try?
Albrecht felt like he was going to burst with joy. To think he'd requested a duel with that monster!
'You feel the power of that monster too!'
As expected, he wasn't the only one. There were still those who looked down on him, thinking he was just a Water Ability User of the Soi tribe. While the Offensers following Princess Marina were known to be informal, to think they'd challenge someone who had become an Archduke of the Empire to a duel.
It was a huge relief that Gelya wasn't here. If she had been, she wouldn't have let such behavior slide. Albrecht moved quickly. This wasn't the time to just stand by and watch. He lowered his posture, approached Saklasi, and opened his mouth cautiously.
"Shall we head to the Colosseum? Your Highness, Archduke."
The way he lowered his posture made him look like a retainer welcoming a high-ranking noble. Any semblance of royal dignity was gone.
You don't know unless you've experienced it firsthand. That hair-raising [Wish]. Albrecht, rejoicing that he would soon have a companion to share the pain with, took the lead and guided him to the Colosseum.
The ministers of 「Raigen」 who were watching this were also in a broken state after experiencing 'Blood is also water', so they only thought,
'His Majesty has excellent diplomatic skills.'
Albrecht worried that if all the ministers died, the state system wouldn't be able to function, but the system itself was already leaning toward Saklasi, the person who would become a pillar of the new Empire. The 「Raigen」 Kingdom was truly becoming a stooge of the Empire.
"Huh? You want to do this without using [Wish]?"
As they entered the Colosseum, Lauritz made a proposal. By now, Saklasi had given up on using a dignified tone. It was just too cringey.
"Yes! Your Highness, Archduke! This Lauritz! Knows his place! How could I dare ask to be shown even that incredible [Wish]?"
Lauritz knelt on one knee again and continued.
"Risking your displeasure, I ask once more: I wish to feel the pure physical ability of Your Highness, the Archduke, a Transcendent! Only that!"
Saklasi didn't consider it rude at all; in fact, he thought it was a good thing. He had practiced [Wish] quite a bit, but he was struggling with controlling his strength. The difference in durability between Heifer, a fellow Seongwi ability user, and Albrecht was too vast, and the Devil, who was a demon, was too weak, so he couldn't get a feel for it. This was a chance to practice strength control once again.
"What is your level?"
"Imperial Offenser Senior Knight Lauritz! This humble servant is a high-level enhancement ability user!"
However, Lauritz's words shattered the ecstatic mood Albrecht had been in just a moment ago.
It was a golden opportunity to gain a companion who would experience the 'Mist Transformation' that appeared and disappeared like a ghost, and the 'Blood is also water' that only brought despair, just like he did. But this big cat guy had no pride and was asking him to go easy.
'Where did the prestige go, the one that didn't bow down despite the small land and population of your original home, right next to my country!'
These screams of Albrecht were only shouts in his heart. He wanted to say a word, but he couldn't even open his mouth because he was walking on eggshells around Saklasi.
And Marina was just happy with the current situation.
'I can see Saklasi's face for a little longer!'
If it were Gelya, she would have been enraged, shouting, "How dare you challenge the Archduke to a duel!" Especially since Marina had permitted this duel, she would be scolded severely later, but right now, Marina's mind was completely filled with Saklasi.
It was because he intended to leave as soon as he finished his business in 「Raigen」, so her whole heart was already dominated by the sadness of parting.
"Yeah, sure! If you can cut it, you can even cut my neck. I can just reattach it."
"Excuse me?"
Lauritz asked back, momentarily forgetting his formal tone.
"Ah! I apologize. Your Highness, Archduke. But what do you mean by that?"
Lauritz was dumbfounded by such an unconventional permission, something he had never heard of in his life.
'That's right! That monster wasn't just a monster because of his [Wish]!'
The corners of Albrecht's mouth went up again. That bizarre sight was something only Albrecht knew about here.
However, the Offenser Knights and the 「Raigen」 ministers, who didn't know the situation, were just confused by Saklasi's words.
'If you cut the neck, you can just reattach it? Is that a metaphorical expression?'
"Th-that, since you are a Transcendent, you might be able to use Seongwi and high-level [Wish] without drawing your sword, but please, if you could also exclude such [Wish]..."
Lauritz thought, ''Mist Transformation' really doesn't work with physical attacks.' So he took it to mean that even if he tried to cut his neck, it wouldn't be cut at all, but...
"Huh? I'm going to do that."
Saklasi really intended not to use any [Wish].
"Then, didn't you mean that you would neutralize physical attacks with 'Mist Transformation'?"
"I haven't had my ability for long, so I can't explain it well. Just think of me as the ocean."
"Please forgive me. This dull servant still doesn't understand."
"I mean, what's the point of trying to cut the ocean?"
"I beg your pardon?"
In the end, Lauritz's tone reverted to his days as a recruit.
"Anyway, do whatever you want. Anything. You wanted to see the physical ability of a Transcendent, right? Just think, 'Oh, so this is what a Water Transcendent is like.'"
Saklasi began to swing his sword vertically.
"How sturdy are you if you're a high-level enhancement ability user? If I happen to cut you, I'll fix it right away. You heard about the Elixir thing, right?"
He knew about the miracle of 「Minos」. However, apart from that, Lauritz could never answer "yes."
This was because as Saklasi gradually released his strength control and swung his sword, bizarre phenomena were occurring.
Space distorted and flashes of light burst forth. A trail of light flowed along the trajectory of the swinging sword.
'What is that? That light flowing along the trajectory? Is it like an electric ability user's 'Spear of Light'? And why are sparks flying? Was he actually a fire ability user?'
As bizarre phenomena occurred from the sword swung with tremendous force, Lauritz also broke down.
At least Albrecht and Marina, who were Seongwi ability users, understood the situation, but...
'His swordsmanship is amateur, but swinging with that kind of power makes no sense.'
To Albrecht, who had learned the royal swordsmanship of 「Raigen」, Saklasi's sword-swinging looked like that of a complete amateur.
However, in the face of such overwhelming power, swordsmanship was meaningless. If they clashed head-on, neither royal swordsmanship nor imperial swordsmanship would be of any use.
'Was he really offering a hand of benevolence sincerely all this time?'
And Marina, who was already completely broken,
'Saklasi uses water, fire, and electricity!'
she thought, but it was just a bizarre phenomenon caused by Saklasi swinging his sword with overwhelming power.
"Well... there's no sign for it, but shall we duel?"
Saklasi, who had warmed up by swinging his sword without strength control for the first time, said excitedly to Lauritz.
At those words, Lauritz immediately knelt and slammed his head into the ground.
"I didn't know my place. Your Highness, Archduke!"
It wasn't the situation to say, 'I meant let's have a physical ability duel without swords.' Whether he held a sword or not wasn't the point.
'Whatever it is, if I get hit directly, I'm definitely going to die. My body will be torn to shreds, so what's the point of pouring Elixir on someone who's already dead?'
"Huh? Why are you doing that all of a sudden?"
"This lowly servant didn't know the power of a Transcendent too well! I don't think there is anyone in the world who can withstand Your Highness, the Archduke's power."
"No, there is. Do you know Heifer? He withstood it. It wasn't a sword cut, though."
"There is no Seongwi ability user who can suppress a Seongwi Iron ability user who has undergone Minotaur Mythic Awakening with physical ability alone. I really didn't know my place. Your Highness, Archduke."
"No. Let's just do it."
Saklasi had no intention of calling off the duel now. The Princess had said that belligerent beastkin would attack whenever they got a chance. He had already been considerate enough. He had said he could do anything. Yet, for him to overturn the board as he pleased like this was something even Saklasi couldn't let slide.
Lauritz gritted his teeth. He should have realized it when the Raigen King was acting so submissive, but he had been blinded by his competitive spirit. Even when he looked at the Captain, she was just shining her eyes, perhaps out of anticipation for the duel.
'Captain, I think I'm going to die. Please, stop him.'
"Shall I go?"
Lauritz finally made up his mind.
"I am humbled. Lastly... please, I beg you to face me with your bare body only."
"Got it."
He couldn't throw away the spirit of a lion beastkin any longer. With the mindset of, 'What more can happen than dying?', Lauritz kicked off the ground and began to move his body all over the Colosseum.
Kugung! Kung! Kung! Kung! Kung!
Every time an explosive leap occurred with Lauritz's massive bulk, the vibration echoed.
Saklasi thought about Lauritz's speed, 'He's slower than that Chihuahua Count from before.' No matter how much of an enhancement ability user he was, as long as they were of the same rank, it was natural for him to be slower than an electric ability user using the [Wish] 'Raishin's Garb'. Lauritz had much greater strength than that, but it was impossible for him to catch Saklasi's eye.
'Ah! Come to think of it, I forgot about that Count guy?'
Saklasi fell into other thoughts without any tension. Only then did he remember Count Bruno, who must be locked in prison. Including Saklasi, the Emperor and Katerina had also been distracted by the talk of Saklasi putting on a performance and had forgotten.
Taking advantage of the gap where Saklasi wasn't concentrating, Lauritz attempted a surprise attack, aiming for his blind spot. At the same time, Saklasi's hand blade was swung toward the back like a lightning bolt.
'Waaaaaah! I almost died!!!'
The beastkin's unique intuition saved Lauritz. Just before he was touched by Saklasi's fingertips, he instinctively twisted his body and made a sharp turn. That was how he was barely able to escape the trajectory of Saklasi's hand blade.
As soon as he faced death just once, Lauritz, his back soaked in sweat, resumed moving in all directions with his massive bulk, and this time, Saklasi began to move.
Certainly, a Water Ability User of the Soi tribe was on the slow side for a Transcendent's status. While his strength exceeded imagination, his speed fell far short compared to his strength. However, that didn't mean he was slower than Lauritz.
"Block it!"
Saklasi, who had caught up to his back in an instant, shouted and threw a punch with all his might. Lauritz, thinking he had to block it as much as possible to survive, received the blow with both palms.
Kwaang—!!!!!
The massive Lauritz was sent flying to the ceiling of the Colosseum in one go. The sturdy ceiling, cast from Mandite and Orichalcum, was shattered, and Lauritz bounced off and fell to the floor. He had tried to mitigate the blow as much as possible, but he only prevented his body from exploding; the bones in both his arms were completely broken.
Kung.
Lauritz, who had fallen without even being able to take a landing posture, was already in a state of unconsciousness.
Gulp.
In the silence-filled Colosseum, only the sound of the knights swallowing could be heard.