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Chapter 100: Clash
The Fake Prince
The mont I threw back at Ergo the sa words I once heard from Seron, his face twisted with unrestrained fury.
“Ha.”
A short, incredulous breath escaped him, just as it had from Seron before.
At the sa ti, rage burned in Ergo’s eyes.
“As the cousin of the Third Princess, I was willing to overlook your rudeness.”
But that seething rage began to spread around him.
Ergo wasn’t called one of the Six Stars for nothing.
The golden aura of murderous intent radiating from him pressed heavily upon .
“You’re crossing the line.”
But I was no stranger to such deadly auras.
I had faced the fury in Isabel’s eyes, stood my ground against Nikita’s murderous intent when she was consud by the remnants of an ancient dragon.
At this point, Ergo’s aura was nothing more than a mild discomfort to .
So, I smiled.
“What’s the matter? Are you frightened?”
Another provocation.
“This, you want this, don’t you?”
I raised Parazon’s sword in my hand.
Ergo’s eyes naturally followed it.
The sword of Parazon—a treasure I had worked tirelessly all sumr to obtain.
My original plan was to trade it for the Sword of White Dream, Ergo’s goal from the start.
But knowing the value of Parazon’s sword, I decided to use it as leverage for more.
“Do you think I’ll simply overlook today’s insolence?”
“I hold you in high regard, Ergo Parazon. Especially when it cos to political matters; I am well aware of your skill.”
I handed the sword to Iris.
She quickly understood my intention and accepted it.
“I have just transferred ownership of Parazon’s sword to Lady Iris.”
Ergo’s brow twitched.
“This ans that the parties in this transaction are now Ergo Parazon and Lady Iris.”
A sword of historical and cultural significance—the Parazon sword—being handed over by the Third Princess of the Empire to Prince Ergo would undoubtedly go down in history.
This exchange would symbolize a strengthening bond between the Hysirion Empire and the Kingdom of Parazon.
Moreover, it would solidify Ergo’s position as a prince who reclaid a national treasure in the eyes of his people.
Would Ergo really want such a historic mont tarnished with scandal?
I could say with certainty—he wouldn’t.
Of course, today’s rudeness wouldn’t make it into the history books, nor would I face any punishnt.
In fact, this transaction would overshadow Seron’s earlier insult of calling Ergo a “fake prince.”
To call the successor to a kingdom’s throne a fake was grounds for controversy in Parazon.
Ergo was impulsive and prone to emotional outbursts, but he wasn’t a fool.
He quickly realized my intention to bury Seron’s remarks alongside today’s events.
“…Do you take for a fool?”
Yet, despite his realization, his anger burned even hotter.
“You ntioned a duel? Fine. I’ll indulge you. But.”
Ergo ground his teeth.
“If your life ends in the process, so be it.”
“Agreed.”
My imdiate answer left Ergo montarily stunned.
“In exchange, Ergo Parazon, you must apologize for your actions toward that girl earlier today.”
He stared at , dumbfounded.
“…You’re not seriously saying you’ve gone to these lengths, wagering Parazon’s sword, just to demand an apology for so girl?”
Ergo’s disbelief was evident in his expression.
I smiled again.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.”
Ergo stared at as if I were a lunatic.
“For you, Ergo Parazon, it’s simple. Duel , take the Sword of White Dream, exchange it for the Parazon sword, and return to your holand. Oh, and don’t worry—I have no intention of killing you.”
Well?
Feeling uneasy now?
Ergo remained silent, his gaze fixed on .
Soon, he let out a hollow laugh.
“Very well.”
Ergo’s traits were [Pride] and [Sadism].
These two traits fueled the fire in his heart.
A fire to utterly crush .
“Once you’re dead, tell the god of the afterlife that it was Ergo Parazon who killed you.”
And so, the duel was set.
* * *
There was no point in delaying.
Ergo wanted to destroy imdiately, and I felt the sa.
We slipped away from the professors’ watchful eyes and moved to a clearing in the nearby forest.
“Hannon.”
As I followed Ergo, Iris called out to .
Caught up in this sudden situation, I assud she was worried.
“If Ergo seems like he’s in danger, I’ll step in.”
So, she was telling to go all out.
Iris wasn’t concerned in the slightest about losing.
After all, she knew I had already faced and defeated Nikita, who was consud by the remnants of an ancient dragon.
Among the Six Stars, only Eve could possibly rival Nikita.
Using dragon magic, she was that strong.
But I defeated Nikita and saved Iris.
Naturally, her evaluation of was extrely high.
“Understood, Lady Iris. I’ll leave it to you. I might rough him up a bit.”
“Leave it to .”
After our conversation ended, Ergo ca to a stop.
The clearing was surrounded by trees, blocking the view from the outside.
It seed to have been created by a recent lightning-induced fire.
It was perfect for a fight.
“I’ll say it again.”
Ergo raised his hand, and swords flew out from his waist, filling the air around him.
The belt at his waist was a special artifact called a “space pocket.”
It allowed him to store an infinite number of swords, including famous ones.
“I’m fighting to kill you.”
I had asked for this, after all.
If I died today, I would have no excuses.
“Take responsibility for your words.”
Ergo turned his gaze toward Iris.
Iris, who had taken on the role of judge for this duel, raised her hand above her head.
"Begin."
At the mont her hand ca down, Ergo unleashed his Sky Swordsmanship.
Swords filled the sky, all hurtling toward in unison.
Each sword resembled the fangs of a ferocious beast, flying fiercely through the air.
Yet, I stood still, doing nothing, as if I were a person accepting death.
Ergo watched this scene with a look of incomprehension, but he did not stop his Sky Swordsmanship.
If I had given up, he would strike down.
If I had a plan, it would have to be a head-on breakthrough.
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Swords ca flying from all directions, aiming to pierce .
It was as if a storm of swords were raining down.
Even with such a spectacle before , I did not flinch.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Monts later, Ergo's eyes widened in disbelief at the sight before him.
All the swords he had launched had reached .
From a side view, I looked like a porcupine bristling with spikes—an extraordinary sight.
However, among all those swords...
Not a single one had pierced .
Mystery
A Body of Steel
For , sword attacks like these cause no harm whatsoever.
Perhaps my clothes were torn slightly, but my body remained unscathed.
Ergo's eyes narrowed in shock.
Now, even he must have realized: between him and , our compatibility was the worst possible.
"Ergo Parazon, Your Highness," I said, brushing aside the encircling swords with a casual sweep of my hand.
"Did you not declare you would kill ?"
A grin, full of provocation, spread across my lips.
Sorry, but you'll never kill .
With a stomp on the ground, I surged forward.
Ergo, seeing this, began to recall his swords.
Swords chased closely from behind while others flew toward from ahead.
Facing them, I swung my hand like a sword.
Clang! Clang!
The flying swords clashed with the edge of my hand and bounced away, all of them.
Seeing fight barehanded, Ergo furrowed his brows.
This kind of combat was new to him.
Rushing in unard was usually no different from suicide.
But with each sword I deflected and each step I took closer, Ergo's expression hardened further.
I was an unyielding tank, impervious to his attacks.
The overwhelming pressure my advance placed on Ergo's entire being was unmistakable.
When I finally reached him, would Ergo be able to stop ?
The pure killing intent radiating from my body gnawed at his mind, raising an endless chain of doubts.
I had no intention of giving him ti to co to any conclusions.
My footwork grew more precise.
I gathered strength in my legs and raised my guard even higher.
Closing the distance between us was my specialty.
Back in my active days, I had used this technique to disorient countless opponents.
I narrowed his thoughts and boxed him into a corner.
The killing aura emanating from my entire body constricted Ergo like a vice.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The number of deflected swords increased.
As the distance between us shrank, the intensity of Ergo's Sky Swordsmanship grew fiercer.
Yet, still, not a single scratch was left on .
When Ergo's face finally froze completely, I reached him.
A gap.
I traced a single line connecting Ergo's head and hands.
Following that line, my hand shot forward like a sword slicing through the air.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
My hand halted abruptly right before Ergo’s face.
Around my hand, swords had converged and interlocked, forcibly stopping my advance.
The circular formation of swords almost looked like a blooming flower.
The pressure was imnse, locking my arm in place and preventing it from moving forward even a milliter.
As expected of the world's most renowned swords, each exuded an extraordinary aura.
Between the gaps in the swords, Ergo’s eyes t mine.
“Rember this,”
Ergo said, his voice breaking through the shadows of the swords.
“This is the insurmountable gap between you and .”
At that mont, the swords gripping my wrist suddenly grew heavier.
With the sudden increase in weight, my arm was forced down, bending sharply.
Thud!
The force dragged my entire body to the ground.
The swords, like wolves pouncing on prey, pierced deeply into the ground, pinning my joints and limbs.
In an instant, I was immobilized.
“It seems you’ve wrapped yourself in so mysterious power that makes you immune to swords.”
Then, wielding a greatsword, he swung it violently toward my face.
“If you can’t be cut, then I’ll simply strike you unconscious.”
Just as the greatsword’s massive sword was about to smash into my face, a light flashed from my arm.
Boom!
A magical engraving activated, creating an explosion that dislodged the swords pinning .
The sword of the greatsword was now inches from my face.
I stretched out my right hand, catching the sword mid-swing.
Crrrrack!
A sound like tal warping echoed.
Ergo froze in place.
That was because my fingers had pierced through the sword of the greatsword.
Of course, the fingers belonged to .
“Didn’t you say this was an insurmountable gap?”
I clenched my fingers tightly.
Creak… Crrrack—
The sword of the greatsword crumpled like paper.
Between the warped sword, my red eyes glead.
“Let’s see if you can say that after all your swords end up like this.”
Clang!
Sword Breaker.
The mont Ergo’s greatsword shattered into pieces.
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