Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: The Semi-Finals Begin
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"The quarter-final matches will now resume. Solberg Cayenne and Mac Ties, to the arena."
Solberg Cayenne was the prized disciple of Jeffrey Enders, the Empire's finest swordsman.
Even for a direct descendant of one of the four great families, he was not an opponent to be taken lightly.
He might even be the strongest opponent Mac had ever faced among his peers.
'I wonder how he'll handle this.'
I watched the match with eyes full of anticipation.
It was a chance to see what methods Mac Ties would employ against a powerful opponent.
In the end, Mac was eliminated in the quarter-finals.
The combination of a mid-tier earth spirit and the Imperial Sound Lock Sword was quite formidable.
It allowed him to move the arena floor to change positions or grab an opponent's ankle at a crucial moment.
But he was up against a bad matchup.
Solberg Cayenne sensed the spirit's presence and didn't fall for Mac Ties's tricks.
Ultimately defeated, Mac came down with a look of disappointment and waved at me.
"Looks like you’re the only one of us left, Ray. Good luck."
"Thanks."
I returned the greeting and turned my gaze back to the arena.
A short while later, my own quarter-final opponent was announced: Eric, the heir to Count Karzan.
I had saved the Karzan knights from those Felton bastards before, but it was hard to call that a connection.
After all, I had left without even revealing my identity.
Honestly, compared to the main tournament opponents I'd faced so far, Eric's skill level was considerably lower.
So much so that he would have to admit defeat without even exchanging a few blows with me.
"I've lost."
With a somber expression, Eric let his practice sword hang low and walked off the arena floor before the referee had even declared the winner.
He had realized there was no point in struggling fruitlessly.
I quietly moved to the waiting room and watched the next match.
* * *
The rest of the quarter-final matches were hardly worth watching.
The princes defeated all their opponents.
Isabel put up a good fight against Frantz, but she was ultimately defeated.
I glanced over at the grandstand.
Despite his third daughter's defeat, Kairam's expression remained unchanged.
'Did he not have any expectations for her in the first place?'
To be honest, Isabel was a direct descendant who had been largely overlooked, overshadowed by her older sisters.
She currently had no support from any of the family executives.
So, it was no surprise that her loss to the Empire's second prince didn't seem to affect him much.
After a day's rest, the first match of the semi-finals finally began.
Perhaps because it was the final day of the selection tournament, large display boards were set up in the waiting room and stands.
'Putting it up like this really makes it stand out.'
Match 1: Ellington vs. Ray
Match 2: Frantz vs. Solberg
My first opponent was the third prince.
Honestly, it didn't matter who I faced first.
I just had to chew them all up, advance, and seize victory.
But then, I heard the students in the stands starting to murmur.
"I can understand everyone else, but this damn donation-track student…"
"Looking at him on the bracket like this, he really sticks out."
"No matter how talented he is, does this even make sense?"
"We’re seeing the impossible with our own two eyes, aren’t we?"
"Still, don’t worry too much. Their Highnesses the princes will surely take care of him, right?"
"Yeah. You need guys like him to show up every now and then to make the tournament interesting."
It seemed they were speaking loudly on purpose, as their voices reached all the way to the waiting room.
Ellington's earlobes turned red, and he averted his gaze to a random spot.
He seemed quite embarrassed by the way they were inadvertently praising him.
Just then, the referee's shout drew everyone's attention.
"Ray Carter, Ellington Vertos! To the arena, promptly."
At the referee's command, I walked out nonchalantly.
Standing in the arena, I saw that the third prince's face was the same as usual.
It seemed he had decided to set aside trivial emotions and focus on the selection tournament.
Ellington looked at me with interest and spoke.
"I didn't expect you to make it this far. I heard this was your first year holding a sword…"
"And?"
"That wasn't a provocation, so don't misunderstand."
"I didn't misunderstand. I just don't like it when people beat around the bush."
"Oh? Is that so?"
"Weren't you trying to recruit me?"
My blunt words made Ellington's expression twitch slightly.
This wasn't a conversation to be had in such a public place.
However, the third prince soon revealed some of his intentions.
He probably thought it would be more advantageous to be straightforward.
"I was on the fence before, but this selection tournament convinced me. I can say with certainty that you are someone I need."
"That's a bit surprising."
"What is?"
"I didn't expect you to answer."
"Being straightforward is part of my charm, even in the relationship between a lord and his subject. What do you say?"
I showed no reaction to Ellington's subtle proposal.
I was pleased that he had made a move before Frantz, but the direction of my mission had changed.
'I'm the one who gets to choose, you little prince.'
I smirked, shrugged, and replied.
"I don't serve anyone unless they offer the best terms."
"What does that mean?"
"I haven't even heard Frantz's offer yet, have I? I'm curious what he's willing to put on the table. Besides, you haven't promised me anything yet."
"…Something has gone wrong here."
"Anyone can make empty promises about taking care of someone. We're not living in chaotic times; you seem a bit too romantic."
The third prince shook his head.
He seemed to realize what mistake he had made.
'If you want to win someone over, you have to come with your hands full. That's how you increase your chances. This gloomy bastard, trying to get me with empty words.'
Seeing my shameless expression, Ellington forced his contorted face into a neutral one and slowly nodded.
"We'll talk about that later. For now, let's focus on the match."
"I was trying to, but the referee is being too lenient."
Venderford's instructors were not so lenient as to allow idle chat before a match.
But the contestant was none other than a prince.
No matter how much the school pursued equality, they couldn't treat royalty carelessly.
They could only awkwardly avoid them to a certain extent.
As if he had heard me, the referee immediately shouted the signal and backed away.
At last, we began to cross swords.
Clang! Chaaang—!
The initial clash was not much different from my fight with Kamil.
We both used the Imperial Sound Lock Sword, meticulously aiming for each other's openings.
But as the fight wore on, I couldn't help but be surprised.
'This guy… he's surprisingly strong.'
It wasn't that his strength or the power of his aura was outstandingly potent.
And yet, Ellington was more skilled than any opponent I had faced at Venderford.
His natural shifts in balance, his precise swordsmanship that exerted just the right amount of influence exactly where needed.
On top of that, he had the decent physical ability to execute proper attacks.
'In a word, should I say he has good sense? I feel like I'm being pushed.'
Currently, I was only using the Imperial Sound Lock Sword with the Velgart Energy Arts.
Furthermore, since I was continuously maintaining the Seven-Joint Face-Changing Technique, the aura consumption was considerable.
Without the assistance of my Demonic Soul, I would have had a much harder time.
However, I was hesitant to draw out the true power of the Demonic Soul as I had against Kamil.
Unlike that time, figures far stronger than me, like Kairam and the captain of the Royal Guard, were present.
Considering the Demonic Soul's stealthiness, I probably didn't need to worry too much, but it was better to be cautious.
So right now, I was...
'Fighting with my hands and feet tied is really uncomfortable.'
Of course, that didn't mean I intended to lose to Ellington.
Finding a solution and making a move even in difficult situations—isn't that what true skill is all about?
Clang! Clang!
The third prince was launching precise attacks, mixing the early forms of the Imperial Sound Lock Sword into its middle sequences.
The rhythm was so tight that I had to move my sword without a moment's rest.
Even a single mistake would be fatal.
Ellington was currently deploying his aura at near-maximum output.
'But he doesn't have a decisive blow.'
He could have worn down and defeated any of his previous opponents this way.
But I didn't fall for the third prince's tactic.
Instead, I controlled the tempo and broke the flow of his swordsmanship.
Thwack—!
It was just a light kick.
As the tip of my foot struck his knee, everything fell apart.
Losing his balance and staggering badly, Ellington stared at me with a look of disbelief.
He seemed to have no idea what had just happened to him.
"Your footwork was too predictable. If you want to deceive an opponent, fancy footwork is essential."
I gave him a hint with a smirk, and Ellington's face flushed slightly.
The situation had just made it look as if he were learning swordsmanship from me.
But the third prince quickly composed himself and spoke with gravity.
"As expected, ordinary methods won't work on you."
The Imperial Sound Lock Sword and the Velgart Energy Arts were secret techniques of the Imperial family, passed down since ancient times.
And he called them ordinary techniques?
Then again, for a prince, it made sense to think that way.
He would surely have learned far more powerful sword arts and aura techniques.
I shrugged and raised my sword.
It was a sign to cut the chatter and continue the fight.
But then, Ellington's aura changed drastically from what it was moments before.
Swoosh!
The air grew heavier, his presence sharpened like a blade. I had a feeling something big was about to happen.
I watched the third prince's eyes, which were beginning to glow with a pale blue light, and swallowed dryly.
"I didn't think I'd have to bring this out so soon. I was originally saving it for my foolish brother."
And then, Ellington shot toward me like a bolt of lightning.
In a mere instant, he had closed the distance.
Shuk!
'This is…!'
Seeing my opponent's movement, my eyes widened in an instant.
The move Ellington had prepared was more powerful than I had anticipated.