At first, Raiden did not want to be the judge of the duel, but due to the request of the second princess of the Empire, Celestina Kaiserfalken Von Germainia. He had complied.
He knew what she wanted.
She wanted to know the difference between Felix and Noah—Who was the strongest among them?
She had always tried to gather strong figures around her. Be it politically, magically or physically strong. And who would not want to associate with Royalty?
The other reason he agreed to her request was due to the voice in his head—Gabriel. He already warned Raiden about Noah, which is why he wanted to stop Felix from fighting.
But that stubborn guy. He gave in to his anger anyway.
The first day of his new life had just started. But even he couldn't have guessed what was about to unfold.
When he signalled for the duel to start, he thought everything should go smoothly. According to him—Noah would win over Felix. How did he know?
The warning from Gabriel to not ss with him and the way he carried himself. It showed—It showed that Noah was not so run-of-the-mill noble who could only boast.
He was a man who had fought for survival. And spat in the face of death itself.
And the air that exudes from him feels like being frozen and burned at the sa ti. He might carry himself with the elegance befitting of a noble, but he never seed like one.
Sir Gabriel, what do you think of him?
[All I will say is—He is holding back. A lot.] Gabriel's reply ca fast, his voice seed like he was deep in thought, analysing the duel that had started.
[That white-haired kid does not stand a chance. This can't even be considered a fight.]
Raiden's eyes widened slightly, his eyes following Noah's movent as he dodged Felix's ice spikes. Is he really that strong?
[He indeed is. So don't ss with him and try to make him your friend—not an enemy.]
Raiden rubbed his chin, drifting into his own pool of thoughts. The fight beca secondary to him as he already knew the outco. Felix will lose.
How can soone change so much in a small amount of ti?
[A person never changes in a small amount of ti—they change over the years. Their past builds them. Block by block. Whether it is kindness that shaped them or...] Gabriel's voice darkened. [... Betrayal.]
KRAKK!
The sound of bones cracking pierced through Raiden's thoughts. His eyes snapped back to the two duelists who seed to be fighting.
His eyes widened at the sight as Felix's body flew towards the other side of the ground, landing in front of other students who ca to witness the duel.
The student's expression changed as their eyes fell on the proud noble—who now trembled with a blood red streaks dripping from his nose. His face was swollen from the impact of the hit. Hands empty as the sabre that he held was nowhere to be seen.
Raiden shifted his gaze to Noah, who was now walking towards Felix with a cold indifference he had never seen anywhere before.
"Did you see? His lightning was athyst!"
"Wasn't he considered a disgrace for not awakening his legacy?"
"Him not awakening his legacy is a lie?"
The students murmured among themselves as they saw the once old disgrace handling a so-called prodigy with relative ease.
You an he awakened?!
[Yes,] Gabriel replied. [Is sothing wrong with that?]
He was a non-awakener. Raiden swallowed dryly. Noah never actually awakened his Blitzfeld Legacy, which a normal legacy holder would awaken at the age of 13.
In the Empire of Germainia, only two families hold a legacy—The First is the Emberhold, with the Legacy of the Fla God Volkrad, and the Second are the Blitzfelds with the Legacy of the Storm God, Thorvian.
The other two ducal houses did not hold any legacies.
BAM!
Raiden's attention was diverted back to the place where Felix had fallen. Noah was kneeling beside him, his fist connected to Felix's face. He could see him telling Felix sothing, but he could not hear what.
And then the horror hit him. Noah raised his fists again and—
BAM!
BAM!
BAM!
CRACK!
He punched his opponent, who lay below. His blows were getting louder each passing second, all of them landing on the white-haired noble's face.
Blood splattered everywhere—on the ground, on the crowd and the splatterer himself.
"D-don't you think he should be stopped?"
"Y-yes, in this rate Sir Felix will die..."
[Raiden, stop him!] Gabriel yelled. Raiden reached for his storage ring without hesitation, pulling out a thin and long blade—a montante. The hilt had the symbol of a ruby, carved blazing lion. The symbol of Emberhold.
Raiden's grip on his sword tightened as mana flowed through it, setting the blade ablaze. But he stood frozen, his body refused to move forward.
Can I really stop him? If he put Felix down, that easily. Then what can I even do...
His figure trembled, his jaw tightened. Gabriel's warning played over and over again, his mind seed to have gotten numb. His breathing beca heavier.
Suddenly, a person blitzed past him. Athyst lightning crackling around her. She had blonde hair and wore a white coat with a black skirt. She held a rapier in her hand, coiling with lightning.
Wh—
"Raiden!" A voice shouted, bringing Raiden out of his thoughts. He frantically looked beside him to find Cynthia, whose jaw tightened. A sabre in her hands. "What the hell are you doing?! This is not a duel anymore! At this rate, Felix—My brother will die!"
Raiden's eyes widened, and his breathing beca normal. He snapped his focus back onto the blood bath. "God damnit," He mumbled, running towards the spot. "Let's go!"
Why did I zone out? No matter how shitty he may be, Felix is my friend. I have to stop this duel.
The three of them—Alea, Raiden and Cynthia stopped right behind him, pointing the tip of their blades towards him.
Noah stopped his punches, his blood-sared face turning slightly to give them a small, cold glance. His silver eyes studied them with cold precision, making Raiden shudder even more.
But he steeled himself and declared. "Noah, stop! The duel is over, you have won." His grip on the sword tightened, and the flas that erupted distorted the air with their heat.
"If you don't, we might have to take action," Alea spoke out, her expression of indifference shifted into sothing else—perhaps a worry for her fiancé.
"Noah, please stop..." Cynthia let out in a soft voice. Her grip tightened on the sabre's hilt. "This isn't like you..."
Noah stood up, his expression unreadable. "He has not conceded yet." He stated coldly, turning around to face the three. "Do you really want to obstruct a duel? A tradition that is held sacred by all nobles."
"Noah, he is already unconscious. It is over, you have won." Raiden's eyes snapped back to Felix, who was unrecognisable. His face could not even be made out, it thrashed into a bloody pulp. But the relief was that he was still breathing.
Noah did not say a word. He looked at them one last ti before turning around and walking away. The situation had been handled. Or so Raiden thought.
"Noah!" Alea shouted out, making Raiden and Cynthia look at her with a confused expression. "Did you know what happened to the guard you injured?!"
Noah halted, but he did not turn around. He just stopped in the spot. Blood dripping from his knuckles.
"He is no longer able to work! Because of you! And now, you do this?" Her voice trembled with anger. "You do know this will ruin the relations with the Frostholm?! You disgraced the Blitzfelds, your family!"
Sizzle!
Noah raised his arm and whipped around, lightning crackling at his palm. His calm expression turned into that of sothing else—sothing like fury.
[Lightning Bolt]
A bolt of purple lightning shot out from his palms, hissing past Cynthia and Raiden. It hit Alea right in her left shoulder, sending her flying. Her pupils rolled back, her mouth wide open.
"The Blitzfelds... are not my family."
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