Chapter 171: Butcher vs Black Mask
The Arena did not award prizes only to the champion.
The prizes granted up to third place were all equally valuable items.
The champion’s prize was a Phoenix Feather.
If one placed second, they would receive a Dwarf-Forged Sword.
And the third-place prize was a Floating Stone discovered in an Uncharted Extre Region.
Even if simply sold, it was a material that could fetch 1 Gold.
Kagagagak!
The clashing swords strained against each other before springing apart.
Strength that did not match the size of the build.
Honestly, it was more than he had expected.
Perhaps the Butcher was surprised as well, for she looked Robin over as if assessing him.
Strangely, there was a faint trace of affection in that gaze.
“Didn’t you say you had to win?”
“That’s the plan.”
“How long are you going to keep staring. If you won’t co, I will.”
When he launched light thrust-focused attacks, the Butcher evaded them all.
Not only did she avoid them—she countered at the sa ti.
As if she had anticipated the sword’s trajectory, her interference was no ordinary skill.
Robin’s attacks ca to nothing, and the Butcher seized the flow.
Just like the earlier exchange, a thrust ca in.
Kagagang!
From the much faster speed, there was a clear intent to lock down his movent.
The Butcher achieved her goal of not letting Robin escape.
Rather than retreat, Robin chose to break through, and once more their swords collided.
‘I’m being pushed back.’
Compared to the Butcher’s proper stance as she brought her blade down, Robin’s legs were set too narrowly apart.
After judging that he was losing in strength, he chose to deflect.
Loosening his grip to seize the initiative by turning the opponent’s strength against her.
The scraping sound of blades sliding against each other rang out.
Puhk.
Robin stepped back five paces.
He had failed to deflect the Butcher’s attack.
Just as it seed to flow according to his intention, she suddenly kicked upward and shoved him away.
A heavy pain flared up from his hastily guarded left arm.
“Not bad.”
“You too.”
“How did you know I would deflect your attack.”
“I’m used to it.”
Robin’s gaze toward the Butcher changed.
He had known she was skilled, but she was a far more exceptional swordsman than he had thought.
“It really makes
realize how wide the world is.”
“What do you an.”
“There’s no room for complacency. I’ll have to work even harder. Self-taught?”
“No.”
The probing phase ended here.
He slightly raised the sword in mid-stance and aid for the Butcher’s face.
The spectators erupted in cheers, and Robin’s sword moved without rcy.
Chaechchaechchaeng!
On both sides, blades that yielded not an inch beca entangled.
When one attacked, the other blocked; when one countered, the other evaded.
A question suddenly arose.
Who had taught this person?
“A dazzling exchange between the two! It’s unfolding so fast it’s hard to follow with the eyes!”
“Waaaaaaa!”
No matter what, he had no intention of losing.
Amid the countless exchanges of sword strikes, he mixed in a small feint.
A trap as precarious as stacking a sandcastle, yet difficult for the opponent to detect.
‘It’s coming.’
The Butcher took a stance to bring her blade down from above with all her strength.
Within the slowed passage of ti, Robin stepped back half a pace.
Just enough for the opponent’s sword to graze past before his eyes.
He would force her to her knees in the gap created after the large motion.
That had been his aim, but—
“……!”
As he hastily pulled his body back, the blade grazed his collarbone by a hair’s breadth.
The Butcher’s attack range had montarily extended slightly.
Midway through the downward strike, she had loosened her grip and seized the end of the hilt.
As if she had read Robin’s intention.
“That was impressive. This ti was truly dangerous.”
Even so, the initiative had passed to Robin.
As he charged and swung horizontally with all his strength, the Butcher perford a backflip to widen the distance.
The arena filled with cheers at the high-level clash.
“You, what’s your na.”
“Black Mask.”
“…Fine. Let’s end this now.”
The Butcher’s montum changed.
A stinging killing intent sharp enough to make every hair on his body stand on end.
It was not that he had never seen soone emit killing intent during a match, but this was……
“How many people have you killed.”
He could see it.
The obsession of a killer lurking beyond the mask.
With such thick killing intent, she was surely far removed from an ordinary human.
And the sa could be said of Robin.
Srrng.
He had wanted to finish it with a single sword if possible, but he acknowledged it.
That woman was strong.
He did not know what story she carried, but she must have crossed through scenes of carnage.
“Dual swords……?”
“Why. Never seen a swordsman who uses twin blades.”
“…….”
For a brief mont, the tip of the Butcher’s sword wavered.
It puzzled him, but Robin was not one to miss that opportunity.
Adding a running start to his leap, he closed the distance in an instant.
Carrying his weight into the downward montum, the Butcher had no choice but to defend.
“Black Mask’s fierce offensive! The Butcher is being pushed back!”
If the left-hand sword was blocked, the right-hand sword rcilessly targeted the opening.
Even if slightly outmatched in raw strength, the torrent-like barrage forced the Butcher to step back.
The sword strikes surging from both sides were the pride of the swordsmanship Robin had honed.
“A nail-biting situation! Will Black Mask win at this rate?!”
Amid the dizzying chaos,
Though the Butcher had drawn herself in tightly, she did not give up.
Instead, she released even more killing intent, attempting to shake Robin’s mind.
“What should I do. I’m resistant to ordinary killing intent.”
“Shut up.”
“Sorry, but I’ve won.”
To secure his advantage, he launched an off-beat thrust.
He had never seen anyone block this sequence.
It should have been certain.
Kagang!
The Butcher rotated clockwise around the tip of her sword as an axis and broke the off-beat thrust.
“……!”
“Now it’s my turn.”
A perfectly asured horizontal slash aid for his ribs.
Leaning his upper body back, he hastily raised his sword to deflect it, but the Butcher had already slipped into a blind angle.
With the right-hand sword ant for defense, he barely avoided death.
Chaechchaechchaechchaechchaeng!
Three or four strikes per second ca for his life.
A persistence that gave no chance to correct his stance.
It was like watching a predator that would never release once it had bitten down.
Robin instinctively sensed it.
The swordsmanship of that person lunging like a wild beast was dangerous.
Not simply because her skill was excellent, but because their compatibility was poor.
It was a style that had long studied and developed thods to counter Dual Swords Technique.
Suddenly, the sword of the aged knight ca to mind.
As did the noble lady he had parted with three years ago.
“Where did you learn that sword.”
“A reclusive master.”
Chwaaaaaak.
His left arm was deeply slashed, and blood flowed out.
In return, his diagonal slash toward her upper arm severed the Butcher’s flow.
“Hoo. This isn’t easy.”
“Admit defeat. That’s your way to live.”
There was sincerity in the Butcher’s words.
It seed she too had sensed sothing from Robin’s sword.
But having co this far, he could not surrender.
Setting aside his desire to remove this damned mask,
As a swordsman, his competitive spirit boiled over.
Cheok.
As he let both swords hang down, the arena stirred.
Was the match decided?
Only the Butcher read Robin’s true intent.
“You’ll regret it.”
“Stop talking and co.”
The sword aid at Robin flashed in the sunlight.
In the blink of an eye, the two collided.
As they exchanged strikes, both harbored the sa thought.
Who was the master behind that sword path?
Their duel felt as though the very creators of the styles they had learned were clashing.
Saaak.
A red line was drawn along his nape as the blade grazed it.
Fortunately, it was only a shallow wound, but similar attacks continued to pour in.
However, unlike before, Robin did not remain purely on the defensive.
He deflected only the attacks that could cause fatal wounds and ignored minor cuts.
Preventing the opponent from fully seizing the flow.
Even as he retreated, he did not break his acceleration.
‘Just a little. Just a little more.’
After moving his arms ceaselessly for 30 seconds,
The Butcher took a deep breath.
She intended to decide it.
‘Good.’
Robin was also finished preparing.
Though excluding Fighting Spirit, in terms of sheer power it was his strongest technique.
The mont his arms crossed, the referee shouted.
“Out of bounds! Out of bounds! The winner is…….”
Just before the Butcher’s vertical slash and Robin’s blade collided.
Pakakakang!
His left-hand sword shattered before it even made contact.
It could not withstand the accumulated shock and Robin’s technique.
In the end, only the right-hand sword t the Butcher’s blade.
Kwaang!
With a deafening crash, both were pushed back simultaneously.
A tingling shock ran up the sword.
The impact was enough to numb his grip, but neither fell.
However, regrettably, Robin’s back touched the wall.
“Black Mask out of bounds! The winner is the Butcher!”
“Waaaaaaa!”
He had lost.
Fragnts of the shattered blade lay scattered on the ground, and the Butcher stood proudly.
He had not fought with defeat in mind, yet it was not particularly shocking.
She had been that strong.
The sword he had received upon leaving Stonegoth was damaged beyond repair.
Regrettable, but it could not be helped.
Sheathing Black Mask’s sword, he extended a hand to the Butcher.
“Congratulations. You’re closer to winning it all.”
The Butcher hesitated, then likewise sheathed her sword and took Robin’s hand.
The calluses filling her palm spoke of the grueling training she had endured.
“You resemble him.”
“……?”
“Take off the mask.”
Without warning, the Butcher grabbed Robin’s mask.
She pulled with force, but it would not co off.
“What are you doing. Touching soone’s face without permission.”
“Why won’t this co off?”
“Do you want to see my face that badly.”
The Butcher gave a small nod.
“Then win it all. If you lend
the Phoenix Feather for a mont, I’ll gladly take it off.”
“That’s…….”
“If not, then it can’t be helped.”
‘Well, if I were her, I wouldn’t lend it either.’
If he searched, there must be other thods.
He was about to withdraw his hand and leave when the Butcher did not let go.
“Keep that promise.”
“What?”
“Don’t go anywhere. Wait.”
Leaving behind an answer he had not expected, the Butcher turned her back.
“You’re really going to lend it?”
Thus ended the fierce arena semifinal.
The winner of the other bracket was Nelson.
The Butcher and Nelson advanced to the finals, while Robin would fight once more for third place.
“So you’re telling us to prepare to leave tomorrow?”
“Yes. I’ve secured a decent sword, and once the arena ends, there’s no reason to stay.”
The three who had gathered in Robin’s lodging at midnight listened in detail to what had happened.
Robin, who had unintentionally beco Black Mask, had been able to purchase an expensive sword at a discount from the blacksmith.
Perhaps the owner had watched the match—it was practically obtained for free.
“Do we really have to leave tomorrow? Since we ca all this way, I’d like to look around a bit more…….”
“You’ve enjoyed the food tour enough. Do you have other business?”
Aelin looked full of regret, but she ultimately agreed.
Sigbard had wanted to participate in the arena as well, but that chance had already passed.
Serena said she did not mind either way and followed Robin’s decision.
“Still, Robin, for you to lose. That swordsman called the Butcher must be incredibly strong.”
“I didn’t expect it to turn out like this either.”
“Are you alright.”
“Of course.”
“That’s not what I ant. I’m talking about that knight nad Nelson.”
What Sigbard ant was Robin’s revenge.
Perhaps he could have fulfilled the long-cherished wish he had carried for years.
Was he not disappointed to have missed that opportunity?
“Opportunities like this aren’t common, so it’s a sha.”
“Are you not angry.”
“Rather than angry, I’m looking forward to it.”
“What do you an by that.”
Everyone’s gaze focused on Robin.
“I’ve fought her, so I know. The Butcher will win.”
“Even if Aura use is restricted, the opponent is a knight. And one who’s even a Vice-Captain.”
“That’s why the Butcher will win.”
The Butcher who had countered every advantage of Dual Swords Technique.
Robin had seen through it—her foundation was knightly swordsmanship.
And her sword was far more advanced than that of a knight.
“This is just a feeling. She didn’t seem close to knights at all.”
“Even though her base is knightly swordsmanship?”
“That’s how it looked to .”
When he faced the killing intent that carried her resolve to absolutely win,
He felt that she too had not lived an ordinary life.
“She might even kill him in my stead.”
“No matter what, she wouldn’t kill a knight in front of the Emperor.”
“Who knows. There are plenty of mad people in the world.”
After deciding to leave by carriage once the arena ended,
They went to sleep looking forward to the match the next day.
Why was the final more anticipated than the match deciding third and fourth place?
“By the way, why do you keep questioning only
and not tell
about yourself.”
If he had another chance to et the Butcher, he would strip off that skull mask in return.
With such a mischievous thought, he welcod the next day.
Reviews
All reviews (0)