Chapter 76: Great Night (1)
Although I spoke confidently, I was tense. That was only natural. Reculrus had reached a realm rarely seen even among the strong.
‘If we speak purely of realm, he’s comparable to Count Reinhardt Withers. And this is without his power fully restored…’
He was, quite literally, no different from a monster.
‘How strange. In the Martial Alliance, experts of the Peak Realm (Hwagyeong) could be counted on one hand. Yet here, there are dozens.’
Even excluding the Seven Apostles of the Demon King, Reinhardt, and Zeke Fritz, powerful individuals were everywhere.
At this point, it was downright terrifying.
Then—
“Your attention is wandering. Do you really have the leisure to do that in front of ?”
Puhwaaaak-!!
A whip made of blood struck my entire body. The attack was so heavy that the impacted areas burst apart.
But the wounds quickly healed. Priest Frey had restored with divine power.
Frey’s face was pale. He looked as if he might collapse at any mont.
It seed treating the Saintess while also paying attention elsewhere was too much of a burden.
‘I need to minimize injuries. If I collapse before the Saintess wakes, everything will be over.’
Garan seed to think the sa. Unlike , who had montarily frozen, he was evading the attacks.
Every ti he moved, his muscles twitched violently. Even without words, I could tell—he was pushing his body beyond its limits.
Pupupupupung-!!
The blood whip swept through all directions. The terrain itself began to change from the impact.
Crack!
Reculrus’s whip even shattered the labyrinth walls. Walls that even a warrior’s body couldn’t break—yet he destroyed them effortlessly.
And even then, his expression remained relaxed. As if this much didn’t even tax his stamina.
‘Each of his attacks is lethal to … This is absurd.’
I couldn’t even get close, let alone counterattack. I was barely managing to dodge.
At this rate, I was nothing more than prey being toyed with.
My mind began to spin rapidly. If this continued, defeat was only a matter of ti.
As if to prove it, Reculrus’s attacks gradually grew faster.
As though he were testing our limits.
At that mont, an idea flashed through my mind.
“Reculrus, I challenge you to a one-on-one duel.”
“…Oh?”
And that idea worked surprisingly well.
“A duel? One-on-one?”
A smile ford on his face.
“Are you trying to buy ti, or are you truly confident you can defeat ? Logically, I’d assu the forr.”
His heterochromatic eyes stared at .
“But the competitive spirit you hold denies that. Young warrior, such spirit is reserved for those you can defeat. Do you truly believe you can beat ?”
“We’ll only know if we try.”
“How interesting. Your earlier insolence now feels like nothing more than a mischievous joke. A one-on-one duel… I wonder how many centuries it’s been.”
That was practically acceptance.
‘The first bait worked. Now I just have to hope the next one does too.’
I steadied my thoughts and continued.
“A simple duel is boring. Let’s add one condition.”
“A condition? You’re trying another trivial trick.”
His eyes turned cold, his interest fading.
“I’ve seen many humans like you. I’ve wasted ti on pointless proposals before.”
“You haven’t even heard it yet.”
“Human conditions are all the sa.”
“In the North, warriors have a tradition.”
I ignored him and continued.
His eyebrow twitched, but soon he crossed his arms.
“Go on. I’ll hear it all before I decide.”
“Exchange One Strike. Northern warriors take turns delivering a single blow each.”
“Exchange One Strike… I take back what I said. That is quite interesting.”
At those words, Garan looked at in disbelief—as if asking when such a tradition ever existed.
I ignored his gaze.
Of course he wouldn’t know. I had just made it up.
‘But this is the only way.’
Reculrus was far too fast. Even if everyone here attacked together, they wouldn’t catch him.
And even if we sohow landed a hit—
His body was like an indestructible fortress. Hadn’t he taken Kazan’s sword strike barehanded?
That was why I created this “tradition.”
“The rules are simple. We exchange one attack each. That’s it. You may defend—or not.”
“Interesting. Very well. I’ll let you go first, as thanks for teaching this culture.”
The mont I nodded—
My heart throbbed sharply.
‘This…?’
I looked at Reculrus. He smiled.
“It’s a contract. If you win this duel, I’ll let everyone here leave unhard.”
“…And if I lose?”
“Then beco mine.”
His eyes burned with madness.
“Now that I look closely, I see it. Young warrior—you too bear Solar’s Blessing. That one wouldn’t grant such a blessing to just anyone. You must have hidden potential even I couldn’t see.”
“You an beco your subordinate?”
“Don’t like it? Then I’ll add another term. Even if you lose, I’ll spare everyone here. I may miss taking the Saintess’s heart, but having a new subordinate is far more valuable. You won’t refuse, will you?”
“I accept.”
I answered imdiately, without hesitation.
“Leon!”
At my words, Retina cried out in shock—but it was already too late.
‘A contract… So it wasn’t just a simple promise.’
I could feel it instinctively.
If I broke it, I would die.
‘Foreign mana has been engraved into my heart. This must be the contract. If I break it, my heart will rupture.’
A truly cruel magic.
‘But that doesn’t matter right now.’
Either way, I didn’t want to play along with his sches. More importantly—
This was an opportunity.
Against soone I would lose to a hundred tis out of a hundred, I had gained a chance to win.
I slowly closed my eyes, sharpening my focus.
Wooooong—!!
Waves began to ripple around . The air itself responded to my will.
Then—
Paaang-!!
Red mana burst from my entire body with an explosive sound.
“…Impressive.”
At that overwhelming aura, Reculrus muttered in admiration.
Kwaaaaaang-!!
A terrifying fighting spirit gathered around my sword.
It wasn’t inner force.
It was pure will to fight—directed at my opponent.
‘This has to be everything.’
This was a battle of who would fall first.
Each strike had to carry everything I had.
Paaaaaaang-!!
My sword shot forward with a chilling tearing sound.
Like a serpent snapping at its prey—
And in the blink of an eye, it reached him.
Kwaaaaaaaang-!!
A deafening roar exploded, as if the world itself were splitting apart.
Kwauaaaaaa—!!
A violent shockwave swept across the battlefield.
People staggered. So were even blown away.
Dust rose thickly. The ground cracked. The air itself seed to tear apart.
Then, as the shock subsided—
I saw it.
Reculrus, standing completely unhard.
“Not bad.”
He spoke casually, a smile curling his lips.
“For a human, that was quite—cough!”
Suddenly, he vomited blood.
Chunks of flesh mixed in the stream.
His eyes trembled in shock.
“What… is this—?! Uweeegh!!”
It didn’t stop.
Once, twice, three tis—he kept vomiting blood.
I looked at him with a conflicted expression.
He was full of openings. If I attacked now, I could kill him.
But I couldn’t move.
Because of the contract.
If I broke it even once, I would lose this duel.
And losing ant becoming his subordinate.
So I stayed still, suppressing my regret.
Soon, Reculrus regained his composure. His expression returned to calm.
“Human. What is your na? I wasn’t going to ask before making you my subordinate… but now I must know.”
“…Leon.”
“Leon… the sa na as an ancient Grand Warrior.”
Again, a Grand Warrior.
All the strong ones seed to know their ancestors.
Just how great were they?
Every ti they spoke of them, their eyes filled with reverence.
It irritated .
The one standing before him now was —not so ghost of the past.
‘Where are you even looking?’
My eyes burned.
“Oh, my mistake.”
He apologized.
But his attitude had completely changed. He no longer treated lightly.
“Now that I know your na… it’s my turn.”
Reculrus slowly took his stance.
My eyes sharpened.
‘He’s taking a stance? Against ?’
The old him would never have done that.
To him, I was nothing more than an insect.
Not worth the effort.
Yet now—
He stood seriously.
Was it respect?
Or acknowledgnt?
Either way—
It ant the next attack would be on an entirely different level.
I tensed every muscle in my body and reinforced myself with inner force.
This was a one-on-one fight.
No help. No healing.
I had to endure on my own.
I focused everything on him, sharpening my vision to its limit.
Then—
Flash—!!
My vision turned completely white.
And with that—
I lost consciousness.
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