Chapter 91: The Tin Knight and The City of Struggle (10)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 91: The Tin Knight and The City of Struggle (10)
[The ‘Tin Knight’ insists that no matter how powerful the enemy, one must fight with courage for the sake of one’s comrades!]
[The ‘Tin Knight’ strengthens his resolve, vowing to avenge Sophia!]
“What is this lunatic talking about?”
“…Uh, um. Hmm.”
As Dorothea and Adelaide watched the Tin Knight’s usual antics, both thinking, ‘What kind of nonsense is this guy spouting now?’
Damn it, I’m screwed.
Hindler felt cold sweat trickling down his back.
When a man had first approached them on the street with a swaggering attitude, Hindler hadn’t thought the situation was that serious.
Thracus was currently crawling with men unable to contain their overflowing vigor, and among them were plenty of idiots who would hit on any beautiful woman they saw.
He had already chased off two such groups who had tried to bother Sophia today alone, so his first thought was ‘Not again,’ rather than any sense of alarm.
This was especially true since the man appeared to be a single youth, no older than his early twenties.
The result of his carelessness was disastrous.
“Keuk.”
“Ughhh.”
Seven of the nine members of the Iron Stake Mercenary Group were groaning on the ground.
One had gone to call for reinforcements, which meant Hindler was the only one left.
Twirling a dagger slightly longer than his palm as if it were a toy, the young man spoke.
“I told you, my business is with the young lady over there. Why are you all jumping me? Kids these days are just too hot-blooded, that’s the problem.”
You said that after you’d already knocked down three of them, you bastard!
Hindler’s silent scream never left his lips. He was too busy debating whether facing the opponent before him or abandoning Sophia and fleeing would pose a greater threat to his life.
The conclusion came quickly.
The fallen guys aren't dead. But if I run now, I'm dead later anyway, whether by the lady's hand or the knight's!
For the sake of survival and self-preservation, Hindler gritted his teeth and charged.
Aiming for an opening while the young man was casually spinning his dagger, Hindler’s sword thrust toward the man’s chest.
The young man lightly twisted his torso to evade the thrust, then gripped his dagger and struck Hindler’s temple with the pommel.
With that incredibly simple move, Hindler lost his strength and collapsed.
The young man… or so he appeared, was in reality a veteran adventurer who had seen his fair share of years.
Platinum Peter clicked his tongue.
“Honestly, you find guys like this everywhere. It’s like they’re born from dust.”
“What a marvelous secret of life that is. We’ll never have to worry about population decline.”
Peter let out a hollow laugh at Sophia’s composed reply.
“Aren’t you scared, miss?”
“Hmm? Ah, if you’re referring to the food shortages that would result from a population increase, that is indeed a topic worth considering. A terrifying problem, even.”
“No, no, not that. I mean, shouldn’t you be a little scared now that you’ve run into me?”
“I don’t see any reason to feel ashamed, do you?”
At Sophia’s words, Peter looked utterly dumbfounded.
“What? You used an adventurer—a top-class one like me, no less—with false information, and you say you have nothing to be ashamed of? Just how thick is your skin?”
“Well, I do apologize for not waiting until your return. My party is rather busy. But we paid you properly. Did the Kumara party not deliver the letter?”
“They delivered it. Though it was filled with the most ridiculous, nonsensical garbage.”
Peter pulled a letter from his coat and waved it.
“Miss, do you have a conscience or not? If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable so I can pretend to be fooled, wouldn’t you say?”
“Oh? But I wrote nothing but the truth.”
“What kind of bull…”
Peter stopped mid-sentence.
He studied Sophia’s face carefully, a look of bewilderment crossing his features.
“Wait, are you serious?”
“Yes. It’s true.”
“No, why would… Hmm. No, that can’t be right.”
Though momentarily flustered, Peter quickly shook his head.
He gestured toward the sky with his dagger.
“Miss, the weather is quite nice today, isn’t it? The sun is shining brightly.”
“It is.”
“And you’re standing right in the direct sunlight, are you not?”
“I am, but?”
“Does it not occur to you that there’s a major problem with this situation?”
“Hmm.”
Sophia fell into thought.
Then, as if she’d finally realized something, she clapped her hands together.
“Ah, perhaps you have a preference for slightly tanned skin? I have no intention of judging personal tastes, but I believe it would be better to ask such things of a lover.”
Crack. Peter froze as if he’d been turned to stone.
The crowd, who had been watching this spectacle unfold, began to murmur, ‘Wait, what? Was it that kind of fight?’ as they shot Peter lukewarm glances.
For Peter, it was enough to make him want to tear his hair out.
After a moment of trembling, he finally spoke in a grim voice.
“Fine, I get it. You have no intention of apologizing. In that case, I have no choice but to collect my due according to the rules of the trade.”
Peter gripped his dagger once more.
Seeing his somewhat clumsy and awkward stance, some in the audience couldn’t help but chuckle.
However, a few skilled individuals among them saw the flawlessness hidden within that clumsy-looking posture and gasped in astonishment.
It was at that moment.
Clank, clank, clank!
With a series of loud, undignified running sounds, the Tin Knight inserted himself between Sophia and Peter.
Faced with the sharp presence that had closed in on him, Peter reflexively swung his dagger.
Kaaang!
The sound of metal rang out as the sword and dagger clashed.
Not just once or twice, but dozens of times in succession.
Flashes of mana bloomed and sparks flew as steel scraped against steel, yet neither of them backed away. Instead, they moved even closer to one another.
Dorothea and Adel arrived beside Sophia, who was watching the two engage in a fierce melee.
Dorothea clicked her tongue.
“I don’t know if he’s a legendary adventurer or what, but that guy is ridiculously persistent. Judging by the timing, he couldn’t have come after hearing the news. Was he predicting our destination and waiting for us?”
Adel’s eyes widened in amazement.
“To fight Sir Knight and not be pushed back… he’s incredible.”
Adel was right.
The Tin Knight and Peter were exchanging a flurry of blows, and their skills were so evenly matched that it was impossible to say who had the upper hand.
“…Hah!”
Peter’s dagger technique was as free-spirited as his personality.
At times, it struck like a serpent, aiming for his opponent’s vitals. The next moment, it fluttered like a leaf in a gale, deflecting the momentum of an attack.
The dagger itself had a short reach, but the sword energy emanating from it would sometimes extend to the length of a longsword or even longer, slicing through everything in its path.
Kaaang!
The Tin Knight and his equipment, however, were exceptions.
[The ‘Tin Knight’ is impressed by the appropriate level scaling, noting that the difficulty is even higher than the dojo grandfather!]
If Peter’s attacks were reminiscent of the wind, the Tin Knight’s presence was like a great mountain.
No matter what angle or attack Peter attempted, the Tin Knight expertly wielded his shield and perfectly blocked every single one.
Peter’s sword energy could tear through ordinary defenses like paper, but it was useless against the Tin Knight, who perfectly offset the attacks by precisely countering them with his own mana.
His technique, using just enough mana exactly where needed with absolutely no waste, was so superb that even Peter, his opponent, couldn’t help but admire it.
And a perfect defense enabled a more daring offense.
Swish!
Peter’s sleeve was sliced open, and blood trickled down his forearm.
As Peter retreated for the first time to create distance, a strange light flickered in his eyes.
“Hah, I thought you were no ordinary fellow when I saw you last time, but this is beyond my expectations. I’m the type who enjoys ‘adventure,’ not ‘combat’ itself, but… it’s been a while since I’ve felt this intrigued.”
Bang! Peter stomped his heel hard on the ground.
Amazingly, a green, wind-like energy enveloped his feet, and his body floated slightly into the air.
The Tin Knight, who had until now only channeled mana into his sword and shield, was now seen spreading it to every corner of his body.
Just as the two warriors were about to clash again.
Shiver.
A chill ran down their spines, and the Tin Knight and Peter simultaneously leaped backward.
Immediately after.
Kraaaash!
Something fell from above their heads.
The ground-shaking impact caused people nearby to lose their balance and fall.
Everyone covered their eyes and mouths from the spreading dirt and dust.
“Ugh.”
The reason Adelaide was the first to open her eyes was thanks to her countless training sessions with the Tin Knight.
To have one’s vision obscured for long meant an extended period of vulnerability.
Acting on near instinct, Adelaide checked what was in front of her.
And she saw it.
A massive greatsword, so large it looked more like a bludgeon, was embedded in the ground.
A gauntlet, its fingertips as sharp as a beast’s claws, gripped the hilt of the greatsword.
Armor of crimson and black, a masterful blend of metal and leather.
The emblem of a bear was carved on the shoulder. A helmet reminiscent of a tiger.
And a belt that brought to mind a blazing fire.
The mysterious intruder pulled the greatsword from the ground.
Through the visor of the helmet, the intruder’s indifferent eyes scanned the surroundings, their gaze lingering on Adel for some reason.
Adel vaguely realized they were looking at her hair and eye color.
As the dust slowly settled, the crowd began to murmur as they recognized the intruder.
“Is that…!”
“When did they get back?”
“W-what? Who is that?”
“You idiot, you don’t know the most famous person in this city?”
Amidst the growing commotion, the intruder turned their gaze from Adel and spoke.
《That’s enough. If people like you two fight seriously here, this whole area will be blown away.》
The voice that flowed from the helmet had a strange resonance that made it difficult to discern their gender.
It wasn’t simply due to the helmet’s structure; the voice was imbued with some kind of magical power.
Peter replied with a hint of sarcasm.
“That’s not something the person who just showed up by smashing the ground should be saying, is it?”
《It didn’t seem like you’d listen to words. Besides, if we’re talking about what’s unbecoming, you’re one to talk. What do you think will happen to the Adventurers Guild’s reputation if a gold-grade adventurer is heard causing a ruckus on the street?》
“Tch. You’ve got me there.”
Though he grumbled under his breath, Peter obediently sheathed his dagger.
《You too… huh? You already put your sword away?》
[The ‘Tin Knight’ says that since a fun fight in the martial arts tournament is in his future, he is sheathing his sword now for the sake of a speedier plot progression!]
Naturally, the intruder couldn’t hear the Tin Knight’s words.
Though they showed a moment of puzzlement, they seemed to realize he had no intention of fighting for now and simply nodded.
The intruder once again took control of the situation.
《Anyway, if you want to continue this, do it in the tournament. If fighters of your caliber participate, it’s sure to be a huge success.》
[The ‘Tin Knight’ is pleased that his prediction was, as expected, not wrong!]
“The tournament? Hmm. Well, something like that might not be so bad for a change. Is there some kind of decent reward?”
《A hefty prize. A temporary noble title. Well, things like that probably aren’t very attractive to a gold-grade adventurer like you. Alright, how about this?》
As they spoke, the intruder tapped their belt with their fingers.
《This is ‘The Belt of Amaryllis.’ It’s a treasure that greatly enhances the owner’s physical abilities. I took it from the previous champion, so I don’t mind passing it on if a new winner emerges.》
[The ‘Tin Knight’ is pleased! That his! Prediction! Was not wrong!]
The Tin Knight stared intently at Dorothea.
Dorothea’s expression rapidly soured.
Just then, the murmurs of the surrounding crowd reached Adel’s ears again.
“So, who the hell is that person!?”
“My goodness, you dense fool!”
Someone said the name, as if scolding them.
“It’s Kalidahs!! The champion of this City of Struggle!!”