Chapter 486
"Yaaaaa!"
Krein screamed, not with a battle cry but a roar, thrusting his sword down. The fierce strike, like a whip, lashed out at Jeron's entire body.
"Kugh...!"
Jeron couldn't withstand Krein’s frontal sword strike, and his hand that held the sword trembled.
'Opening!'
Krein did not miss the moment when Jeron's arm shook. He pressed down on the ground and moved forward, stabbing his sword into his arm.
"Kyaaaaang!"
Explosive impacts echoed as Jeron, spraying blood from his clenched fist, released his grip on the sword.
Blocking Jeron's path from grabbing the sword again, Krein aimed his blade at Jeron's neck.
"I, I give up."
Jeron lowered his head and admitted his defeat.
"Winner! Krein of Zieghart!"
The referee raised his hand and declared Krein's victory.
"Next!"
Krein took a deep breath and flicked his finger at the spectators sitting in the VIP seats.
"Wow!
"That's Zieghart! It's refreshing!"
"He's not even over the age of 30 yet, and he has that kind of courage! Are all Zieghart people like that?"
"He's crazy. No wonder the Light Wind division are called the Hounds of the Wind!"
The spectators seemed to like Krein's bold momentum, and they cheered and shouted for the next match to start soon.
*Thump!*
Unlike his first opponent, Jeron, a martial artist with a long, slender body like a cicada, climbed up onto the arena. He stamped the arena with his spear and then raised his head proudly.
"I am Rogian of the Sekrin family!"
"Krein of Zieghart!"
"Please regulate your breathing."
"No need."
Krein said that he did not need any rest and looked at the referee.
"Hmm..."
The referee, who had been caught looking, climbed onto the arena and examined the two men in turn.
"Are you both ready?"
"I'm ready."
"......"
Rogian answered the referee's question calmly, and Krein nodded his head.
"Then, let's start the second duel!"
As soon as he announced the start of the duel, Krein rushed towards Rogian's front.
"Hup!"
Rogian took a step back and thrust his spear forward. The spear blade, imbued with blue aura, moved forward fiercely.
"Whoosh!"
It was a delicate move that took advantage of the spear's range. It was a formidable attack that would have forced a normal swordsman to retreat, but it did not work on Krein, who had something even more fearsome.
"Kugh!"
Krein did not back down even though the spear blade had torn his shoulder, and he plunged into Rogian's space.
"Hmmm......"
Rogian widened his eyes in surprise, as if he had not expected Krein to come in while being hit by the spear. He moved to the right, sliding like a dancer.
"Where are you!"
Krein rushed forward like a storm, not wanting to lose the momentum he had gained. He slashed down at Rogian's waist.
"Whoosh!"
Rogian tried to swing his spear to defend himself, but Krein's slash was already in perfect form.
"Krack!"
Rogian's spear, which had not fully absorbed the aura, broke, and he fell from the arena and rolled on the ground.
"Huff..."
Krein wiped the blood from his shoulder and raised his chin.
"Next!"
The entire arena fell silent for a moment. Only Raon and the Light Wind division remained motionless, as if it were a matter of course.
"This time, I will challenge you."
A knight who was sitting in the VIP seats on the right side of the arena climbed up. He was a Master level with a heavy aura, like the armor he was wearing.
"I am Hofen from the Holy Kingdom of Sphern."
He was a warrior from the Holy Kingdom of Sphern who had come to Zieghart's lodgings to request a spar.
"Krein of Zieghart."
Krein tapped his shoulder to show that there was nothing wrong with it.
The referee started the duel as soon as he saw that the two warriors were ready.
"Hup!"
Krein held his breath and stepped forward. Hofen's level was different from his previous opponents. He had to pour out all his power from the start in order to win.
"Thump!"
He slashed down, stimulating his muscles all over his body. The aura that exploded along with his body became faster and sharper. The sword energy, sharpened like a needle, curved towards Hofen's armor.
"That's fierce."
Light resembling morning mist blooms from the edge of the sword that Hofen holds in both hands. It was the divine power that the knights of Sphern possessed.
"Kwaguakwagwang!"
The sword enetgy of aura and the sword energy of divine power collided, and the sound of impact like thunder rang out one after another.
Krein was the one who continued the offensive, but Hofen stood his ground, his divine power wrapped around him like a shield.
"Damn it!"
Krein bit his lip as he looked at Hofen's calm eyes.
'If I lose like this, that demon won't be quiet!'
If he couldn't break Hofen's divine power shield and lose, he would be in for concentration-enhancing training. He had to break that shield somehow.
'I have to settle this here.'
After firing off a series of sword energy, he pulled his sword back. He was about to use a technique to condense the sword energy and break through the divine power shield.
"Woowoowoo!"
Hofen, realizing that the attack had ended, condensed his divine power and raised his thick white great sword.
"Now it's my turn."
Hofen swung down his great sword, which was compressed with divine power, as if he wanted to end it in one fell swoop.
"Gah!"
Krein gave up the technique he was using and raised his sword to deflect Hofen's sword energy.
However, he could not withstand the power contained in the great sword, and his arm was folded as he was knocked to the ground of the arena.
"Kerugh, ah, still..."
"It's over."
"Cough, no, not yet...
"Even if you get up, the result is the same."
"Kugh..."
Krein, who had lost the match, lay on the ground, defeated.
Krein tried to get up, but Hofen put his sword to his neck and shook his head.
"You could die if you keep going..."
"Kill me! It's better to kill me! Kill me now!"
He yelled at Hofen as if to kill him right away.
"Uh..."
"The winner, Hofen of the Holy Kingdom of Sphern!"
The referee came over and made a decision when Hofen blinked in surprise.
"Damn it!"
Krein punched the ground in frustration at the referee's announcement.
"Uh..."
He glanced around and got up, then went down from the arena and stood in front of Raon.
"I'm, I'm sorry...?"
"You fought well. In the first and second matches, your opponents were too weak for you to showcase your true skills."
Raon shook his head as he stopped the bleeding on Krein's shoulder, which had been cut open again.
"Really? Then...?"
"But in the third match, you got impatient with your opponent's defense and foolishly gathered your strength, so you got beaten up. Therefore..."
He smiled as he lightly patted Krein's shoulder, who had finished bleeding.
"You're in for concentration training."
"Aaaaaaaaaah..."
Krein screamed, a scream he had not even made when he lost, and foamed at the mouth.
"Next."
When Raon gestured, a Light Wind division swordsman immediately jumped up to the arena.
"I am Pitran of the Light Wind division of Zieghart!"
"Hmm, Hofen of the Holy Kingdom of Sphern."
The referee checked the condition of the two men and started the match again.
"Yaaaaa!"
Seeing that Krein had fought well and was still receiving concentration training, Pitran rushed at Hofen with madness in his eyes.
"Die! Die!"
Hofen's forehead broke out in a cold sweat at the murderous intent of Pitran, who was fighting with madness in his eyes.
'What, what's wrong with these humans!'
* * *
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The duel tournament hosted by the Five Divine Rulers was different from the duel tournament of the Six Kings.
Instead of accepting participants separately, martial artists who wanted to participate in the duel came up to the arena and fought, and the winner stayed and the loser went down.
The winner of this tournament is the one who stays on the arena until there are no more challengers. It was a tournament that was most suitable for a festival.
Since it is more likely to win if you come up to the arena later, the martial artists from famous families and kingdoms did not come out first and waited quietly, but only one place was different.
After sending Krein to the first duel, Zieghart continued to send their swordsmen to participate in all the duels.
Now that the duel has been going on for over 60 times, the duel is being held in a format of Zieghart vs. other forces.
"Zieghart is really enjoying the festival."
"That's right. Unlike other families, they just keep coming up without any hesitation."
"They're refreshing, both the people and the family. It makes me want to cheer for them."
"It's good that the swordsmen don't spare their bodies and fight with all their strength. The sincerity is overflowing from their expressions."
"I can see why they're called the Light Wind division. They're different."
"Zieghart! Win!"
In fact, the Light Wind division swordsmen only wanted to avoid Raon's concentration training, but the spectators seemed to like the Light Wind division fighting with madness, and more than half of them cheered for Zieghart's name.
Raon looked up at the arena while receiving cheers from the spectators.
Ugh..."
Dorian gripped his sword tightly, shaking his shoulders. He bit his lips while observing the flames of astral energy emanating from the opponent's sword.
"Why am I paired with Master level…”
To be honest, I thought the Light Wind swordsmen could hold out a little longer, but suddenly a Master level appeared. A martial artist who had moved beyond the beginner level and reached the intermediate level, and the vice captains fell too easily. The only swordsman left except for the captains was Dorian up there.
Dorian's opponent was Kalon, a direct descendant of the renowned sword family Dephen, known for their swift sword style. He looked like he didn't have much experience in actual combat, but it was clear that he had never neglected his training.
“Surrender.”
Kalon raised his sword and pointed it at Dorian.
“A swordsman can never win if he is afraid of his opponent.”
He gestured lightly, as if to say that he was wasting time and should forfeit.
“Afraid? Of course I'm afraid. But…”
Dorian glanced at Raon, who was below the arena, and bit his lip.
“The one I'm really afraid of is not you!”
He shouted that he was afraid of a real madman and then charged at Kalon. The blades he swung spread out to five and formed a wave of blue sword energy.
“Hmph.”
Kalon scoffed and lightly drew his sword as if chasing a fly.
Kyaaaaah!
It seemed like playful swings, but the result was far from light. Kalon's precise sword technique cut through the waves of energy without mercy.
“Argh!”
Although Dorian tried to charge again, he was hit by Kalon's swift strike and bounced out of the arena ground.
“Kugh….”
He trembled all over as the shock was severe.
“I'm screwed….”
When Dorian thought it was all over and sighed, a shadow fell over his head. It was Raon, with a calm expression.
“V, vice leader?”
“Good job. You held on well.”
Raon helped Dorian up and brushed the dust off his body.
“T, thank you….”
“However, if you hadn't just thrown out your sword energy at random at the end, but had moved while reading your opponent's moves, you could have lasted at least three more moves.”
“Ah…”
Dorian's complexion turned pale as if he had predicted the outcome.
“Therefore, you are also a winner of the concentration training.”
“Kyaaaaah! No! Please!”
Dorian grabbed Raon's pant legs and shook his head.
“Enough, go and get some treatment!”
Raon kicked Dorian, who was causing a commotion, and sent him to the infirmary, and looked up at the arena above.
‘That's going to be tough.’
Kalon was a martial artist who had completed his adaptation to intermediate Master level. He was at the level of competing with Mark Gorton, so even if Martha, Runaan, and Burren were to be sent up one after another, it would be a difficult opponent to defeat.
‘Still, it'll be a valuable experience.'
Facing a different Master level than Mark Gorton would be beneficial for the three captains l. It would undoubtedly be helpful for all of them.
“Martha.”
He signaled Martha to come out.
"Finally, you call me. I thought I was going to die of boredom."
Martha flicked her black hair and headed to the arena. She showed no sign of tension, even though she was facing a Master level..
Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched Martha's back, who was walking with a lion-like gait.
'Her temperament has changed. No, her personality has changed.'
While Martha's temperament had been evolving steadily since encountering the White Blood religion’s leader, lately, she seemed like an entirely different person.
'It's been like this since the training.'
If it were the old Martha, she would never have accepted help from Rimmer, or trained with Burren or Runaan. Nowadays, she was even taking care of the members one by one, so it was said that her soul had changed.
'She must have been influenced by someone, just like me.'
Having gone through a similar transformation, Raon could sense the familiarity of the experience. Martha, who used to be self-centered, was now experiencing significant changes in her life due to the intervention of colleagues and friends.
That's right. The beef girl has indeed changed.
Wrath remarked while watching Martha's back.
The anger that burned in her heart has subsided. Her charm has diminished a lot.
He shook his head, saying that her appearance had deteriorated because the anger had disappeared.
'Isn't it usually the opposite?'
Raon smiled faintly as he watched Martha, who left with a gentle earthy smell.
‘If she handles this well, it might turn out to be a productive day.'
* * *
Martha climbed into the arena and faced Kalon.
'Damn, he's strong.'
Just by looking at the sharp aura emanating from Kalon's entire body, she could tell. The swordsmen standing in front of her was not at a level that she could defeat.
'However...'
She couldn't declare defeat before even fighting.
It was not the style of the Light Wind division swordsmen to back down in fear without even clashing the swords. Even in training, one had to fight with the determination that limbs might be severed.
"The Light Wind division of Zieghart, 1st Captain Martha."
Martha, unlike other the Light Wind division members, clearly revealed her affiliation and gripped her sword.
"Kalon of the Dephen family."
Kalon, as befitting his family's name, also politely revealed his name in front of Martha, who was much younger.
"Are you both ready?"
In response to the referee's question, Martha and Kalon answered with their eyes.
"Start the match!"
He lowered his hand and went down from the arena, but the two warriors did not move.
"Huff...'
Martha didn't charge recklessly as usual. Instead, she awakened the Titan aura in her energy center calmly, scanning the opponent's energy.
'I'll be overwhelmed head-on.'
If he were a warrior of similar level, she could overwhelm her opponent with the firmness of Titan aura, but her opponent was far superior in many ways. She had to wait for an opening, not rush in recklessly.
"Aren't you coming? It's different from what I heard."
Kalon narrowed his eyes as he held his sword in the middle.
"What did you hear?"
"I heard that if they call you an untamed woman, you would charge right away."
"I'm not an untamed woman!"
Martha scowled and kicked the arena. The ground she stepped on was shattered like pieces of dry leaves.
"Oh, untamed sword. I made a mistake."
Kalon smiled as he swung his sword, saying that he knew that would happen.
"If you knew, you should apologize!"
Martha charged forward, looking like she was furious, but her mind was cold and calm.
'Keep your movements concise.'
She had seen Kalon fight Dorian, but he hadn't shown his true strength. She had to take control of the situation by pressing forward with full force from the start.
As Martha infused her sword, which was now glowing yellow, with the power of the earth attribute, Kalon's wrist turned. It was the Swift Sword Style. His blade, which extended like a beam of light, struck down at her neck.
'Why is he so fast!'
She had struck first, but Kalon's sword was the first to arrive.
'Damn it!'
Martha reduced the power in her sword to increase its speed.
The sound of the swords clashing was like a building collapsing.
"Kuk...."
Martha groaned as she pushed Kalon's sword away.
'My hand feels like it's going to tear apart.'
Kalon wasn't utilizing astral energy, but due to the level difference of aura, the Titan aura began to diminish. If she hadn't exerted full power from the beginning, she would have been repelled in a single blow like others.
"As expected of a captain? You're not bad."
"Don't judge me."
Martha bit her lip and stepped forward with her left foot. She drew out the power of the earth attribute and swung her sword.
The force of the blow, which was even stronger than the first, caused Kalon's eyes to widen.
"I thought that was your full power, but it wasn't, was it?"
"I told you to keep your mouth shut."
"You're stubborn."
Kalon lowered his eyebrows slightly and drew his sword down from the middle. His swordplay was fast, accurate, and sharp. It was a sword strike of a Master level caliber.
"Hup!"
Martha held her breath and stepped forward with her left foot. She gathered all of her physical strength and gripped her sword.
‘My strength lies in charging forward.’
Raon had told her that her greatest weapon was her courage to move forward without fear of her opponent.
'I'll show you what the Light Wind captains’ charge can do.'
She exploded her condensed muscles and aura in a single breath and raised her sword. A terrifying aura emanated from the tip of her sword, which scraped against the arena floor.
"This is quite...something."
Kalon nodded his head in appreciation and flicked his wrist, as if shaking off his clothes. His sword, which was filled with sword energy, fell like lightning.
Kaaang!
The second sword strike collided, and sharp shards of aura spread out in all directions.
Kalon and Martha, believing in the aura that surrounded their bodies, exchanged sword strikes in the midst of the aura explosion.
"It would be better if you surrender."
Kalon shook his head as he saw blood spurting from Martha's shoulders and stomach.
"Shut up and just swing your sword!"
Martha poured on even more aura as she was injured, unleashing a barrage of sword strikes. She had abandoned defense and poured all of her aura into offense, but Kalon's sword didn't even waver.
"I'll admit it. If I were a beginner Master level, I might have been pushed back. However....”
The light reflected on Kalon's sword became brighter, and a powerful gust of wind appeared. It was a Swift Sword Style that squeezed the opponent's body.
At that moment, a yellow lightning flashed in Martha's eyes.
'Now!'
When Kalon changed his swordplay in order to quickly end the battle, a tiny opening appeared. That opening was her only chance to defeat him.
Kuuung!
She amplified her heartbeat and caused a berserk state. Her vision turned red and a voice rang in her head.
-Give your body to me! I will kill anyone in the world for you!
A tempting voice calling out to her to give in.
'Shut up.'
Martha bit her lip and pushed that voice away. She took only the power hidden in madness and thrust her sword into Kalon's opening.
Kwaang!
The aura that exploded from her energy center, passed through her heart, and swelled up, caused a powerful explosion at the tip of her sword.
"Kugh!"
Kalon’s sword was pushed back, and he let out a rough groan. It seemed he wasn't aware of the imminent eruption within the berserk state.
Martha trembled her jaw. It was difficult to breathe while maintaining her sanity in the berserk, and it felt like her lungs were shrinking.
'Still, I'll keep going!'
The time she can use the berserk state while maintaining her sanity is extremely short. If she misses this moment, there is no opportunity.
She released the heat and heaviness of the earth with her fire-earth fusion technique. The powerful energy that surged from the ground pushed back Kalon's sword.
Kwaang!
The arena exploded one after another, Kalon's uniform was torn, and a light bloodstain flowed from his lips.
'This way... Ah!'
When she tried to keep pushing forward and end the battle, a different light rose from Kalon's sword.
Zerr!
The sword energy wrapped in double the aura caused by the berserk state was cut off mercilessly. Astral energy. Kalon finally used his astral energy.
"Kugh..."
Kalon frowned as if his pride was hurt, and he pressed Martha with his astral energy.
Tzzzzzzzz!
The aura shields that Martha created around her Titan aura were torn like paper.
"That's it."
The strength gathered on Kalon's sword was now touching Martha's neck. A thin bloodstain flowed from her neck.
"I admit it. To be honest, I didn't think I would have to use my astral energy."
He nodded his head, saying that Martha's skills were far above the rumors.
"You're not far from surpassing me. But not today."
Kalon nodded his head, keeping his sword down, and gestured for her to give up.
"Huuk..."
Martha closed her eyes with a rough breath. The ringing in her head continued as she had not turned off the berserk state yet, and excruciating pain spread throughout her body.
She did not answer Kalon's call and slowly lifted her eyelids.
"I will not say defeat with my own mouth."
"Martha Zieghart!"
"I can't keep backing down."
"This is just a duel! Are you going to risk your life here?"
"You don't know how much I've backed down so far."
Martha bit her lip.
'I have no place to retreat anymore.'
The monster that took over my mother's body is a transcendent who surpassed even the Grandmaster. Even if it's a duel, I can't back down now. The age of being treated with consideration for being young is over. I have to put my life on the line for everything to get stronger.
Ugh!
Martha maintained her berserk state and once again pulled up all the strength in her body.
“White Sword Dragon! Stop her! What is this in a mere duel!”
Kalon looked at Raon as if he thought Martha was crazy.
“Why should I stop her?”
Raon looked at Martha's back for a moment, then turned his gaze to Kalon.
“If this continues, she will die or be seriously injured....”
“The first captain of the Light Wind division is not someone who acts without thinking. She is standing there of her own free will. Whether she dies or is seriously injured, it is her choice.”
He didn't move from his spot, as if he believed in Martha.
The other Light Wind members also looked at Martha with eyes of trust.
Martha bit her lip. Her whole body trembled with the trust she received for the first time from people other than her mother.
In the past, she wouldn't have cared what others did, but not anymore. Their feelings came through to her.
Goooo.
A different emotion from the anger she had lived with all her life warmed her heart.
The majestic energy that rose from the ground she stood on penetrated her body and mind.
An incredibly great joy enveloped her entire body, and the aura that had been exposed to the ground boiled like a bonfire.
Kugugugugu!
The blazing yellow flames that bloomed pushed back Kalon's sword, which was aimed at her neck.
Pududududug!
Martha stepped forward, crushing the arena. Her body shot out like lightning, and then she released a weight like a mountain.
The vague aura that seemed about to disappear twisted, and as it twisted, it created a twilight-like radiance.
“Oh no!”
Seeing the aura entangled in Martha's sword, Kalon panicked and extended his astral energy in response.
Uwuuuwuuung!
Martha swept her right hand down with eyes that seemed to be possessed by the sword. The twilight beast hidden in the heaviness opened its jaws towards Kalon's astral energy.
Kuwaaaaaaaang!
The crimson sunset and the blue waves collided, creating a powerful storm that swept through the arena ground.
