What? What kind of power is this
The mont the axe and sword touched, he realized; if they were to engage in a direct contest of strength, he would quickly be overwheld by this man.
'But strength is not everything.'
If Ulan has monstrous strength, he'll overwhelm him with speed.
Taking a short breath, Himl lunged forward with imnse force.
Ratatat!
His strikes poured down like a torrential rain.
He deliberately aid for areas that were difficult to defend, gradually inflicting wounds to slow him down, and then finishing him off with a single blow.
The battle continued.
However, he failed again this ti.
Ulan either blocked or dodged almost every attack. He had no injuries; his body clean. Himl bit his lips tightly.
It was because he felt a sense of urgency for a mont.
'No, I'm still in a better position.'
In the battle that has continued so far, Ulan has only blocked or dodged Himl's attacks. He didn't attack, and even a counterattack didn't co back.
This could only an one thing.
He must be busy blocking his attacks. Himl was so sure.
'However.'
There was one thing that was bothering him.
Every ti the axe and sword clashed, he felt a peculiar unease. The feeling that he had felt once in the distant past was transmitted through his hand.
But he quickly pushed the thought aside.
The only thing that mattered now was defeating Ulan. He launched another relentless flurry of attacks.
How much ti had passed?
Himl's complexion gradually changed as he continued his assault. He felt sothing strange.
'For soone who was only concerned with blocking and dodging..
all of his defenses and dodges were too perfect; not a single scratch on his body.
That ans he's blocked or dodged every single attack so far. And there was sothing else, sothing strange.
Ulan's expression.
At tis, he looked at Himl with a puzzled expression, sotis seemingly frustrated.
Ulan's montum suddenly changed.
"........."
The distance between them closed in an instant and soon, the axe flew through the air, tearing through the air.
Too late to dodge!
Himl gritted his teeth and swung his sword as if to parry the attack, attempting to redirect it.
Kraaaang!
With a brief clash, he barely managed to deflect the attack. However, the force behind Ulan's axe struck him, pushing him backward.
Huk, huhuk!
His breathing was montarily disrupted.
The blow had just shaken him.
His breath, roughened from the recent exchange, gradually steadied as he opened his eyes. His gaze was filled with disbelief.
This can't be!
He had co to realize sothing with that last attack.
Ulan was at a higher realm than Himl. Simultaneously, he recognized the source of that strange unease he had felt earlier.
In the past, before he attained the title of a Knight...
there had been an encounter where he had exchanged blows with his father, Count Deorg. It was during that encounter that Himl had first been introduced to the realm of Masters.
And now, Ulan's attack mirrored that encounter from the past
Th-this ans...!
He realized it with a start.
Ulan wasn't an expert; he was sothing far beyond. Perhaps he hailed from the sa realm as his father, Count Deorg.
'No, it can't be!'
He shook his head violently; the disbelief in his eyes was palpable. However, the heart that had been shaken once did not calm easily.
anwhile, at that ti.
Ulan stared at him intently.
The first ti their weapons had touched.
Himl instinctively sensed Ulan's strength and dodged the attack, moving back. A comndable talent, to be sure.
'However, that's all.'
There was nothing special about it.
Ibella, on the other hand, was different.
In the sa situation as before, she didn't back away, but rather closed the distance. She tried to create a gap that didn't exist and throw an attack.
And the result.
She created a gap that didn't exist.
This was the talent.
Himl, on the other hand, couldnt do that.
A glaring gap in talent. Ulan squinted his eyes. As if in disbelief.
'That's a swordsmanship genius?
A genius representing the Empire?
Doubt started to creep in.
So he moderated Himl's attacks to see if there was any chance.
However, there was nothing.
'So finally..'
He tried to test if there was anything hidden through a surprise attack. However, it was no different; not even close to Ibella, who used the surprise as an opportunity to fight back.
Ulan ca to a conclusion.
'It looks like Dilia was mistaken.'
This man was no swordsmanship genius.
He had no talent for swordsmanship. He was just soone who knew how to wield a blade, nothing more. He was barely even comparable to Ibella.
'I'll have to tell her when the match is over.'
That she was wrong.
After thinking about it, Ulan grabbed the axe.
It was ti to end the match.
There were three conditions for victory.
Destroying the opponent's weapon or making them incapacitated. Or the referee intervenes.
Of the three, Ulan chose the first option. He channeled his spirit into his axe and aid to slice through Himl's sword.
Woowoooung!
With a surge of power, the axe glowed a fiery red.
"No, wait!"
An urgent voice suddenly called out.
It was Himl. Hastily spreading his palms out in front of him, he shouted, a little nervously, "I have an offer for you."
"An offer?"
"Yes! If you will concede this match to , I will work with you to accomplish your goal."
An out-of-the-blue offer.
Ulan shook his head, "Do you know what my goal is?"
"Of course I know. I'm a man too."
The answer ca with a strong sense of conviction.
It was sowhat unexpected, but Ulan quickly understood. n naturally sought strength and desired powerful weapons, so Himl must have guessed as much.
'But'
It wasn't entirely satisfying.
Ulan's goal was to reach the level of a Transcendent and obtain the most powerful weapon. It was sothing Himl couldn't possibly help with.
But then, out of nowhere, Himl said, "And you're after her body, aren't you?"
"Huh?"
"I'm talking about Ibella."
Himl's lips twisted into a wicked smile.
"If you concede this match to , I'll have Ibella brought to your room tonight. I'm willing to bet my family's na on it."
".........."
"You don't have to worry about being caught. Even if you're caught, there's no problem. After all, she is a lowly woman from birth. If you want, you can see her every night..."
However, Himl could not finish his words. It was because he suddenly felt short of breath.
Without even having ti to wonder, a terrifying oppressive feeling crushed Himl's body.
"Gulp! Eugh!"
His body felt like it was pinned to the ground, unable to move. His arms and legs shook like leaves, and he struggled to breathe. At that mont, Himl realized the cause of this phenonon.
"........!"
The reason was Ulan.
It was the strong killing intent that made his whole body shiver.
A killing intent, the likes of which Himl had never experienced before, radiated from him. It was the killing intent of soone who had entered the realm of a Master, an overwhelming presence that no one except another Master could hope to withstand.
As Himl's complexion grew paler by the mont, Ulan's tightly sealed lips finally parted, "I don't mindbeing called a barbarian."
It was true. Ulan didn't care about labels like being uneducated or uncivilized, lacking culture or manners.
However...
"......touching my friend is an exception."
Himl had tarnished Ibella's honor with re taunts, and Ulan stared at him, his eyes filled with anger and disgust.
"Even if you spout such nonsense about , Ibella's honor is not sothing to be trifled with."
After a huge burst of anger like a volcano, Ulan suddenly stopped his killing intent.
"Huff! Hngh!"
As soon as he was able to breathe, Himl's face turned pale as a sheet. Now he was certain. Ulan had passed even the realm of an Expert; he was a Master.
"Ugh, ugh... No, no!"
Was it because he realized the terrifying truth? Or was it because he was almost unconscious under the killing intent?
Himl slumped to the ground, backing away slowly. But he didn't let go of the sword.
He kept his dry gaze fixed on Ulan.
"So apologize," Ulan said. As if to show the last generosity.
"Go find Ibella right now and apologize for defiling her honor. Then I'll let it go as if I didn't hear what you just said."
".....What? A, apologize?"
? To that woman?
Himl looked dumbfounded. Even though he was trembling with fear, he gritted his teeth and shouted.
"If I won't do it.!"
"Then I will restore the defiled honor in place of my friend. In the barbarian way.
The crimson pupils glead ominously.
Himl flinched for a mont. But just as quickly, he gritted his teeth, "Ooh, don't be ridiculous!"
His face contorted with a mix of sha and anger. He clutched his sword tightly and roared, "You're the one who should apologize! I am the only heir to Count Deorg! His only successor!"
As if deciding he couldn't win on rit, Himl was brandishing his family's power behind him. It was a truly despicable sight.
Perhaps that was his true nature.
Amid Himl's futile resistance and ugly struggles, Himl's sword suddenly pointed at Ulan, "You, kneel before this instant. If you don't, I will crush you, your family, and that lowly wench of yours!"
.........
Ulan looked at Himl with an emotionless face.
After a mont, he suddenly dropped his axe.
Himl's face flushed with color at the sight. Letting go of the weapon ant conceding the match.
"Hahh, good, that's how it should be."
As he let out a sinister chuckle...
Ulan walked towards him, thudding his feet. Himl watched him with a twisted expression, seemingly enjoying the spectacle.
"That's right, kneel before . If you give up the match and leave, I'll let you off the hook. What, what is it?"
But Ulan did not stop.
Eight steps, seven steps, six steps.
The gap between them gradually decreased, and with each step Ulan took, Himl felt an inexplicable chill creeping over him.
"St-stop! Don't co any closer!"
So, he swung his sword, threateningly. But Ulan continued to advance, and Himl imdiately attacked him.
And at that mont.
Grab!
Ulan grabbed the sword; without gloves, just with bare hands.
The sharp blade grazed his palm, and a few crimson drops of blood dripped down the blade.
"You, you ignorant bastard!" Himl shouted in frustration.
At that mont, the Mark of a Hero on Ulan's back flashed for a mont. Whether he knew it or not, Himl wrinkled his face and shouted, "Okay. I'm going to cut off your finger!"
In the mont when he was about to swing his sword with force...
Kwaduk! Paaah!
suddenly, the sword shattered in mid-air.
It couldn't withstand the force; the sword shattered into pieces, leaving Himl in shock.
"W-what! My sword...! Kehuk!"
His voice choked as he struggled to breathe.
His sword had been shattered, and Ulan's giant hand was now grabbing him by the throat.
Ulan then raised his face close to Himl's and growled with the intention of devouring him.
"I only draw my weapon when facing a fierce monster or a warrior."
"If it's a cowardly imitator like you, there's no need to use a weapon."
"Gulp! Gakkk!"
"There's no need to use a weapon against a coward who is not a warrior."
And Himl belonged to the latter category. He didn't have the qualifications to be called a warrior, at least not by Ulan's standards.
"Watch with your own eyes. What happens when a coward who pretends to be a warrior defiles the honor of a warrior."
After Ulan's words, Himl suddenly felt his body levitating.
What the hell are you going to do? He wanted to ask, but his voice couldn't escape his constricted throat. Then, at that mont...
"Huh?"
Himl's vision darkened.
Soon after, a terrifying sound followed.
Kwaduk!
Along with the sound of sothing breaking, his slightly open mouth was filled with dirt.
A sticky and muddy sensation filled his mouth. Before he could even comprehend it, excruciating pain overwheld him.
"Kuh, ahh!"
His nasal bone was completely crushed.
Himl was now pinned upside down to the ground.
His face had been impaled first, and his face was directly smashed in the arena floor. His shattered nose allowed crimson blood to flow freely.
But Ulan didn't stop.
"Kuuh, aah!"
After grabbing the back of his neck...
Ulan spun around.
With a calm gaze, he directed his attention towards the stands. More precisely, in the direction where Ibella was.
Ibella, with widened eyes, seemingly shocked, t his gaze.
While locking eyes with her...
Ulan slamd Himl's head into the ground.
!
The deafening noise reverberated through the arena.
The impact was strong enough to make one wonder if Himls head would split open. There was no need to worry; he had no intention of letting him lose consciousness so easily.
Uuung! Uuuung!
Ulan's spirit wrapped around Himl's skull.
This way, his head wont be crushed. He would only experience agonizing pain.
G-hehe!
Himl's face was covered in blood.
All of his teeth were knocked out, and his speech was slurred. As he realized what had happened, he begged for rcy through a stream of bloody tears.
"Hehh, please, please,...!"
"Not yet."
But it didn't work on Ulan. He glared into Himl's eyes and spoke, "This is the honor your foul tongue has sullied. Only your blood can wash it away."
Ulan slamd Himl's head into the ground again. If he didn't want to bow his head, he would make him do so, even if it ant doing it this way.
Kwah!
His head hit the ground, and the floor cracked.
Squelch!
and a puddle of blood ford.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Was it because of the repeated pain? Himl, who was shaking, slumped over.
Did he faint?
It's okay, though. He could use the spirit to stimulate his brain and wake him up quickly.
And just as he was about to do so
"Th-that's enough!"
"Stop the battle! Stop it!"
the referee intervened.
They seed to have been shocked by the suddenness of the scene and had just co to their senses.
Ulan, on the other hand, frowned.
Of course, he needed more blood to cleanse the tarnished honor completely.
'That ans the atonent couldn't be completed today...'
He would have to continue this later.
If Himl had regained his senses, he would have sworn to himself that he would finish what he had started. However, Ulan, who had no intention of letting him go just yet, carelessly threw Himl, who had beco a limp rag, to the ground.
The third match ca to an end.
The bloodstained arena was filled with an eerie silence.
But the silence didn't last long.
The guards rushed in a frenzy.
"He's over there!"
"Bind him imdiately!"
They wrapped him in iron chains.
Feeling a sense of dj vu in this situation, Ulan was once again escorted back to the Student Counseling Division.
(End of Chapter. . . . . . . .Thanks for Reading. . . . . . . . . )
Translator's Notes:-
Sorry for the delay in release. Was caught up in so real life stuff and didn't get the ti to translate.
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