Chapter 635: The First Duel
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 635: The First Duel
"Great, I thought I was late."
Muen slunk into the competition venue, snagging a copy of the match schedule from one of the teachers maintaining order. He let out a sigh of relief.
"I’m actually the last one up. Talk about luck."
"You better hope it really is just luck, kid."
A voice—three parts grief, seven parts resentment, and ninety parts pure, unadulterated obnoxiousness—suddenly echoed right beside him. Muen nearly jumped out of his skin.
Once he regained his composure, his cheek twitched. He turned to look at the bloated, ghostly figure that had appeared out of nowhere.
"You're still alive, Pink Bear?"
"Thanks to a certain someone, I was only beaten half to death. Fortunately, I’m thick-skinned and sturdy. A quick nap was all it took to recover."
Veins throbbed beneath the pink fur of the bear-shaped creature. Its forehead twitched as it crowded Muen, who kept backing away out of guilt until he hit a wall. With a menacing expression, the bear growled, "On the other hand, a certain brat looks like he had a very productive night... Well? Is the Empress’s skin soft? Do her feet smell nice?"
"I... I don't know what you're talking about."
Muen’s eyes darted around. "How would you know what I did last night? Don't go slandering my reputation! I’ve always been a man of impeccable moral character..."
"With that 'drained-to-the-dregs' look on your face, anyone can see what you were up to."
The Pink Bear clicked its tongue. "I have to admire you, kid. Playing that hard at a time like this? Aren't you afraid of ending up dismembered one of these days?"
"Ahem. As they say, the greater the risk, the greater the reward." Muen puffed out his chest. "As a man, how can I let a little thing like a cleaver scare me off?"
"Bold!" The Pink Bear gave him a thumbs-up.
"Cough, cough. So, strictly speaking, I was also nearly half-dead last night..." Muen said tentatively. "How about you be the bigger man, Imperial Uncle Ancestor, and just let me off the hook?"
"...Fine." The Pink Bear moved aside. "I'll let you go for now."
"Huh?"
Muen was stunned by how quickly the bear had folded. He stared at the Pink Bear with deep suspicion. "You... you didn't do something else to screw me over, did you?"
"You brat. When I mess with you, you act like a coward; when I don't, you get all fidgety. Have you really been conditioned into some weird submissive role by Celicia?"
The Pink Bear looked at him with utter disdain, as if it couldn't bear to associate with a weakling who had surrendered so easily to a woman.
"Then why..."
"Do you think I'm really that bored? That I spend every waking moment thinking of ways to prank you? I have my own business to attend to, you know."
The Pink Bear inconspicuously tucked a stack of pamphlets into its costume and patted Muen’s shoulder with grand magnanimity. "I just think you're somewhat useful... no, I mean, since we're practically family, I can't bring myself to be too hard on you. Don't go misinterpreting my kindness."
"This is getting more and more suspicious..."
"Heh, no point talking about that now. You didn't come here just to bicker with me, did you?"
"Of course not. I'm here for the competition."
Knowing he wouldn't get anything out of the insufferable bear by staring, Muen turned his attention back to the matter at hand.
"It’ll be a while before it’s my turn, though. I might as well take the chance to check out the others... Huh?"
"What is it?"
"I didn't expect Ariel to be the very first one up." Muen looked at the name on the list. "And her opponent is some guy named Barlow..."
"Barlow Kentf. A very famous young genius from the Kingdom. They say he was born with godlike strength—a man of unrivaled bravery."
"Oh?" Muen looked at the Pink Bear in surprise. "You actually know about stuff like that?"
"Hey, who are you looking down on? I am the great Duke Oranriel, after all. Isn't it natural for me to know these things?"
With that, the Pink Bear leaned in close to Muen with a mysterious air. After a cautious, thief-like glance around, it pulled a small pamphlet from its chest and lowered its voice.
"So... I happen to have a detailed dossier on all the Kingdom's participants. Everything from their known abilities to the scandalous rumors whispered in the shadows. For example, this Barlow guy—word is he has a massive obsession with large breasts and loves hitting on married women. He even did time in prison for it. He's a total pervert. I suggest a brutal public execution on the stage!"
"Since we're close, I'll give it to you for only two thousand Emiel. It’s a steal, I swear!"
"..."
Muen was speechless. This bear was asking for two thousand Emiel for a trashy pamphlet containing information he’d just given away for free in a single sentence.
This damn bear was a member of the imperial family, two generations senior to the current King. By all rights, he should be one of the most powerful figures in the Empire... so why was he always so money-grubbing? And why was he always so genuinely broke?
In that regard, he and Ariel probably had a lot to talk about.
"This is the tragedy of a man whose finances are controlled by a woman..." Muen sighed.
"Shut up. You buying or not?"
"No."
"Tsk. A Duke's son, and yet so stingy." The Pink Bear tucked the pamphlet away indignantly, but then immediately pulled out two betting chips and leaned back in. "Then how about a wager on who wins? You can't watch a match without a little skin in the game."
"...Are you really that desperate for cash?"
"Things are tight lately. Don't give me that lip, especially since I haven't settled our previous tab yet."
"...Fine. But is there even any suspense? Ariel is obviously going to win."
"You have that much faith in that flat-chested little girl?" The Pink Bear’s eyes widened, looking at Muen as if seeing him for the first time. "You don't actually have a thing for the flat ones, do you? I mean, she’s pretty and her legs are long, but... damn, you really aren't picky! Give me five thousand right now, or I'm telling Celicia!"
"If I wanted to keep my life, I wouldn't even dream of such a thing." Muen rolled his eyes. "I just have confidence in Ariel's strength."
She was a Soaring Phoenix protagonist, after all.
Forget some "Invincible Brute" named Barlow; even if she were facing a thousand-year-old hermit or an Evil God possessing a hermaphrodite, Muen would bet on Ariel every single time. If there was one person in this world with the most faith in Ariel, it was Muen.
"True, that ironing board does seem to have the edge." The Pink Bear didn't know anything about "protagonists," but he had a sharp eye for power. "Then let's bet on how many minutes it takes. I'll take ten minutes for five thousand."
"I'll..." Muen rubbed his chin for a moment. "I'll bet on three minutes."
"Three minutes?" The Pink Bear was surprised again. "The other guy is the 'Invincible Brute,' you know. That’s a bold claim. Do you know something I don't? Is he actually a total fraud?"
"No, I don't know anything about Barlow. But I know Ariel."
Muen glanced toward the special VIP box where Celicia was seated behind one-way glass. Ariel wouldn't miss a prime opportunity like being the opening act to show off.
Besides...
"You said it yourself, didn't you?"
"Said what?"
"Barlow likes big breasts."
"..."
*
"Ariel Bugard, Saint Maria Academy."
"Barlow Kentf, Kingdom National Magic Academy."
On the stage, the two parties exchanged names and bowed. Once the head referee confirmed they were ready, the environment of the entire arena suddenly shifted.
The smooth floor transformed into rugged mountain stone. Lush greenery sprouted everywhere. The stage, which had been barely a hundred meters wide, suddenly seemed to stretch beyond the horizon.
In an instant, the arena had become a dense mountain forest.
Secret Rite: Omni-Simulation.
The young geniuses participating in this exchange were already at a high level of power. A standard stage couldn't withstand a full-scale duel between them. Thus, Saint Maria Academy had brought out this massive mechanism, created by a legendary master of alchemy, to allow the combatants to go all out.
Ariel looked at the realistic surroundings, feeling her blood begin to boil. This was more like it! This kind of setting really got her going.
Sure, she couldn't see the audience from here, but it didn't matter. She knew that Celicia was watching her intently right now!
"Oh? So you're my opponent?"
As she was daydreaming, Barlow took the initiative to speak.
Ariel looked up. Barlow Kentf was a giant of a man, over two meters tall, with a bare torso and muscles like coiled pythons. He had been born with a powerful physique; it was said he could take down several grown men at the age of ten. Once he began cultivating, his physical strength grew exponentially, allowing him to kill magical beasts with his bare hands. In the Kingdom, he was known as a "Humanoid Ferocious Beast" and the "Invincible Brute."
Compared to him, the slender Ariel looked as fragile as a sheet of paper.
To an outsider, it looked like an unfair fight. Compared to a genius like Barlow, who had been famous since childhood, Ariel—who had risen quickly but hadn't yet made a name for herself outside the academy, and hadn't even participated in the Saint City Trial—had no notable achievements to her name.
Her fame wasn't even a tenth of the gossip surrounding Muen Campbell.
"Your weapon is a sword? And it's wrapped in bandages... looks like a good piece of gear." Barlow was quite relaxed, feeling that the Academy sending out a "beanpole" like her was a sign that they were running out of talent. He chatted idly before the fight began. "But it's a bit of a pity."
"Pity? What's a pity?" Ariel asked, puzzled.
"You're not really my type." Barlow’s gaze swept over Ariel’s chest. Barlow, whom even his own people considered a pervert, currently had eyes as pure as an infant's, devoid of any worldly desire. "If you were a bit bigger, I might have gone easy on you. But since you're that flat, I can't even find a reason to hold back. What a waste, hahahaha!"
"..."
In the stands, a few people snickered.
Amidst Barlow’s boisterous laughter, Ariel silently slid her Heavenly Fire Greatsword back into its sheath.
"Hmm? Are you scared?" Barlow blinked and grinned. "It's not too late to surrender, you know."
"No, I have no intention of surrendering."
"Oh? Then why put away your weapon..."
"I just feel..." Ariel’s face went blank as the corners of her mouth curled upward into a terrifying, jagged grin. She spoke one word at a time: "Using a sword on you... would be far too merciful."
*
"A bet's a bet. I win."
Muen hummed a little tune as he snatched the five thousand Emiel from the Pink Bear’s hand.
The Pink Bear’s cheek twitched. He stared at the stage for a long time before clicking his tongue. "Tsk, tsk. Brutal. Absolutely brutal. How can she be so heartless? That little girl has no manners at all. Couldn't she have saved a little face for our neighbors?"
"Heh. Not calling her an ironing board anymore?"
"...Forget it. I value my life." The Pink Bear scratched his head and sighed. "Young people these days... they just get scarier and scarier."
On the stage, the realistic environment created by the Omni-Simulation was a total wreck. The dense forest looked like it had been hit by a hurricane; most of the trees were either reduced to splinters or knocked flat in a radial pattern.
And Barlow, who had been talking so big just moments ago, was currently lying unconscious in a massive crater that looked like it had been caused by a meteor strike.
The crater wasn't the result of magic or some grand technique. It had been punched into existence, blow by blow, by a furious Ariel.
Yes, with her fists.
She hadn't even drawn her Heavenly Fire Greatsword. She had used nothing but her bare hands—a display of raw, primitive violence that made everyone’s skin crawl.
The "Invincible Brute" had reached his limit by the two hundred and fifty-first punch. He had lost consciousness completely. Now, his face was unrecognizable, swollen to twice its size, with more broken bones than anyone cared to count. He lay there like a heap of wet mud.
"Terrifying. Truly terrifying." Muen pocketed the money. Even though he had expected this, seeing the carnage still made him shiver. "As expected of Ariel. Her physical strength is monstrous."
Then again, what protagonist doesn't train their body? Especially a woman like Ariel, who was determined to build a crystal palace.
But speaking of which...
Muen suddenly had a thought. I feel like, according to the timeline, Ariel is even more ferocious than she was in the original book. What's different about her now?
Harder training?
Ancient ruins?
Was she fueled by the grief of seeing Liya that one time?
Or did she eliminate the 'distraction of women' that was slowing down her sword?
Or maybe...
Muen thought about it seriously for a moment and reached a conclusion.
"It must be that," Muen clapped his hands, certain. "Black Bread is amazing!"
Pink Bear: "..."
The Pink Bear remained silent for a long time, staring at Muen. For some reason, he had a premonition.
Sooner or later, this kid was going to end up just like Barlow—beaten into a pig's head by Ariel.
His premonitions were usually spot on.
*
"Alright, just kidding."
Muen counted the bills in his hand to make sure the sleazy bear hadn't shortchanged him. It wasn't a huge amount of money, but it was money he’d earned with his own hands—and from the Pink Bear, no less—which made it precious.
"I'm done playing. I'm going to find Celicia while there's still time."
Before leaving, Muen took one last look at the Pink Bear and suddenly asked, "By the way, I forgot to ask—what's that on you?"
"On me?"
"Those are bloodstains. Who did you fight?"
"Oh, this? While I was... 'friendly-like' offering some help to our foreign friends, some brat who didn't know his place tried to provoke me. So, I taught him a lesson."
The Pink Bear patted his costume nonchalantly. "I didn't realize I got blood on it. How careless of me."