Chapter 92
Chapter 92
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: Chapter 15: Settling the Ranks (7)
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Martin entered the reception room.
The man with unkempt black hair and stubble that looked like it had just grown in shot to his feet.
This scruffy-looking fellow was none other than Wilhelm von Pezeks.
The aura emanating from him was no small thing, befitting the head of a branch family.
It was just that his servile expression ruined any sense of dignity.
“Long time no see, Wilhelm. It’s been since the Monster Wave incident. I hope you’ve been well?”
“How could I be? Not after what I’ve done.”
“Well, well. It was worth striking the Bittenfeld family first, then. You coming here in person to get straight to the point. And admitting your own mistakes? That’s surprising.”
“……I couldn’t not know. I sincerely apologize to the young lord. I betrayed the previous family head’s wishes and failed in my duties as head of the branch family.”
Thud.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Wilhelm dropped to his knees and bowed his head.
Martin was caught off guard by the unexpected move and clicked his tongue.
‘In my past life, I must’ve really been a pushover.’
In his previous life, Wilhelm had been the first to attack him.
And now, here he was, kneeling in fear.
It really drove home how much his standing had changed.
“I swear eternal loyalty to the young lord! Please, just forgive our family!”
“Come on. Didn’t you just say it yourself? That you failed in your duties as head of the branch family. Since when was loyalty to the main family’s direct line a bargaining chip? I’ve never heard of that.”
“Th-that’s…….”
“Oh, don’t get me wrong—I’m not saying I’ll crush the Pezeks family. Unlike the Rustal or Bittenfeld families, you didn’t betray us directly, Wilhelm.”
Wilhelm’s face brightened at Martin’s words.
But it didn’t last.
The next words dragged him into the pit of despair.
“Still, you’ll have to take responsibility for hanging around with those traitors all this time.”
“R-responsibility?”
“After we put down the Gustin family’s rebellion and end the territorial war with the Royce marquisate, we’ll split up the Pezeks territory. Our main family’s founder took a liking to your first family head and granted you a barony far larger than it deserved. But hasn’t it just led to one betrayal after another?”
Splitting the territory.
That would weaken the Pezeks family compared to the other branches.
Wilhelm’s face twisted in horror as he clung to Martin again.
“I was wrong! Please, just give me one chance!”
“What’s the point of begging forgiveness now? You should’ve thought twice before doing anything worth apologizing for.”
Wilhelm paled at Martin’s mocking—not mocking—tone.
He knew.
Martin was the type to follow through.
His recent actions proved it.
“Wh-what do I have to do to earn forgiveness? I’ll do anything—just one chance, young lord.”
“A chance…… You’d really do anything?”
“Of course!”
“Fine, then. When we suppress the Gustin family’s rebellion, you and the Pezeks family take the vanguard.”
Wilhelm’s face drained of color, turning ashen blue.
He’d heard on the way here that Elders Aren and Marius had joined the Gustin side.
Even without that, the Gustins were in a position to focus purely on defense.
Attacking them after they’d fortified?
‘He’s determined to bloody our family no matter what.’
Wilhelm sighed inwardly.
He wouldn’t lose territory, but there’d be massive casualties, knights included.
The cost of training knights and fighting the battle would hit their finances hard too.
But he had no choice.
Martin’s smile said it all.
‘Refuse, and he’ll seize part of the territory like he said.’
Better to hold onto the land, no matter the immediate losses.
Having decided, Wilhelm spoke.
“Hoo. I accept the young lord’s proposal.”
“You’ve made the right choice, Wilhelm.”
Martin smiled and helped him to his feet.
Then he opened his subspace and pulled out two recording artifacts.
“In the name of the Adalbert family, I promise: if the Pezeks family fights bravely as the vanguard, all your past mistakes will be wiped clean.”
“I’ll do my utmost to uphold the promise.”
Their voices were recorded into the artifacts.
Martin handed one over, and Wilhelm finally exhaled in relief.
He’d pay a price, but he’d saved the family from destruction.
“Separate from the promise, I have a proposal for you, young lord.”
“What is it?”
“How about a one-on-one duel? No taking lives. Oh, we’ll need a referee too.”
“Why?”
“My chances of beating the man who took down the Crimson Death are slim. I want to test myself against you.”
“So you can justify your loyalty by losing to me.”
“……I know it’s pathetic, but yes.”
“If you keep your promise about the vanguard, I don’t mind.”
Martin accepted readily.
Hadn’t the great founder Arelia herself said it?
With the right trigger, his unique ability would reach the 4th circle anytime.
A duel with a strong opponent like Wilhelm was nothing to refuse.
Soon after, the two headed to the training grounds.
* * *
Everyone from Martin’s office followed to the training grounds.
Swordsmanship was their shared passion, after all—they couldn’t ignore a duel between Martin and Wilhelm.
“The first to surrender or take a major wound loses. Absolutely no life-threatening moves. Especially you, Wilhelm—if I see anything suspicious, I’ll step in myself.”
“……I wouldn’t dream of it, even without your threat.”
“We’ll see if you hold out to the end.”
Wilhelm sighed at Vincent’s words.
But only for a moment—he fixed his gaze on Martin ahead.
Martin stared right back.
‘The Pezeks unique ability is spatial teleportation.’
Spatial unique abilities typically centered on the user.
But the Pezeks version ignored that rule.
It could teleport people or objects to any location the user desired, no conditions.
‘Even another spatial ability user can get flung away.’
You could sense the spatial shift and escape, but in the heat of battle, it was a nightmare.
No starting point made coordinates tricky, slowing activation compared to standard spatial arts.
It guzzled mana too, but it was undeniably fearsome.
‘All in all, a solid opponent.’
More than enough to go all out against.
“Let’s begin.”
Flash!
Vincent finally signaled the start.
In that instant, Martin and Wilhelm both used spatial movement.
They reappeared in the center of the grounds and clashed swords.
Boom!
The aura blades collided, sending shockwaves everywhere.
Martin ignored it, gathering wind along his blade.
To unleash Chapter 1 of Arelia’s swordsmanship: Chapter of the Wind.
He swung the holy sword Kaizen wildly, and the winds went berserk.
That wasn’t all.
He gathered wind in his left hand too, which soon turned into crimson flames.
The flames intertwined with the wind and rampaged together.
“No way!”
Christian Haberz, watching Martin, couldn’t help shouting.
And rightly so—the power of those flames was immense.
Even compared to his own fire-based ability, it didn’t fall short. What more needed saying?
“I thought he could only handle wind?”
Vincent approached his daughter Cien, who was judging.
No one would mind him looking away briefly with everyone watching, and he wanted answers.
But Cien seemed unsure too, giving only fragments.
“Well…… Ever since training in the Overlord’s chamber, he started using fire during the Bittenfeld fight.”
“Hm. Reminds me of the main family’s first head. Legend says only he wielded such diverse elements like the young lord.”
“A legend reborn after a thousand years, maybe.”
“Could be.”
Vincent nodded along.
They weren’t the only ones awed.
Lucas and Philip gazed at Martin with reverence.
“Is that even possible? Wielding so many powers without his swordplay faltering.”
“You know the young lord’s genius. Judging him by our standards is wrong.”
“True…… He might really hit 8th circle this year.”
Lucas gaped but kept watching.
His heart pounded.
He wanted to spar Martin right now.
How would he fare against such versatile power? He had to know.
Tremble.
Philip felt the same, his body quaking with fighting spirit.
‘Elders Aren, Marius. You chose wrong.’
Elder Oriana breathed true relief.
Thank goodness they’d bowed to Martin before things got ugly.
But it wasn’t enough now.
Time to prove real loyalty.
Only then could they earn territory as reward.
As each pondered differently while watching Martin, the duel raged on.
But every fight ends, and this one reached its conclusion.
“Gasp!”
Wilhelm yelped in shock.
He’d barely teleported Martin in front of him.
Just one hit left—and suddenly the distance grew.
‘Now!’
Martin seized the opening from Wilhelm’s fluster.
Winds howled at his will, scrambling the coordinates completely.
Then he manipulated gravity to lock Wilhelm’s movements and teleported right in front.
Finally, he drove his flame-wreathed left fist forward with all his might.
Following the Lothar martial art’s thrust technique.
Crunch!
“Gah!”
The fist slammed into Wilhelm’s gut.
With a short cry, he vomited blood and dropped to one knee.
“Young lord’s victory.”
“Whew.”
Martin finally caught his breath at Vincent’s call.
‘Not enough yet.’
He was satisfied with unleashing everything.
But that was it.
No trigger to push higher.
He gazed toward the distant Gustin territory.
‘Would you be different, Mateus von Gustin?’
One of the rare two at 8th circle alongside Vincent.
Martin pinned his hopes on him.
Surely, that man would lead him higher.
That was Mateus’s value in Martin’s eyes.