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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The training went on and on as the appointed time for the duel crept closer.
Only 12 hours remained.
I’d pushed my body to its limits, even smoking magic herbs, something I rarely touched, just to stay awake through the night.
And finally… a significant change occurred.
“Ah, damn it. My wrist is dislocated.”
Of course, it wasn’t a positive change.
My wrist bone was dislocated, dangling loosely.
This was already the third time.
Even after setting it back in place, it would pop out again after a few swings.
It wasn’t just my wrist that was creaking.
My whole body was screaming in protest.
While having Undecided by my side activated Guardian Knight, granting me enough stamina to move for a week straight, my body’s durability couldn’t keep up.
So, after pushing myself to this point, had I gained any enlightenment?
“What the hell am I even doing…”
No.
Nothing at all.
I had spent two whole days contemplating and agonizing over the concept of “expanding the range of attack.”
I’d focused all my senses on the tip of my blade, trying with all my might to detect the slightest change…
But in the end, I gained nothing.
My sword still only cut through the air, creating a feeble breeze.
I couldn’t replicate the sharp, powerful wind blade that Transylvania had produced.
‘Something feels different, though.’
After two days of swinging my sword, a small change had occurred in my swordsmanship.
My posture, the way I swung, everything felt slightly, very slightly different.
Well, considering my body had been pushed to its breaking point, it would be strange if nothing changed.
But it was a meaningless change.
It wasn’t like a sudden, mystical realization from a martial arts novel, where my swordsmanship leaped forward and my strikes extended beyond the reach of my blade.
“Damn it. My wrist won’t go back in.”
Crack. Crack.
Forcing my wrist joint back into place, I glanced towards a corner of the warehouse.
As expected, Transylvania was still sitting there, watching me.
In the same upright posture as the first day.
Like a statue, completely motionless.
They just sat there, doing nothing.
They could have pointed out something I was doing wrong, or praised something I did well…
Even when I asked them something, they would subtly avoid answering.
When I looked for clues, they’d just tell me to keep going, applying pressure.
They kept saying they wouldn’t interfere, that I had to figure it out myself…
It was driving me crazy.
They should at least give me some direction.
What kind of teacher were they?
I vowed never to learn anything from Transylvania ever again.
“…Give me your hand.”
“Ouch, ouch.”
Undecided trotted over and grabbed my wrist, turning it this way and that.
I thought she was trying to break it, but…
A moment later, a comfortable feeling spread through my wrist, and it started to rotate properly.
“…Heh.”
Maybe it was because she was a corpse monster.
It seemed she was an expert at setting bones.
Undecided hummed, pushing her head towards me, demanding praise.
Lightly stroking her head, I looked at Transylvania again.
I knew what to expect.
They’d tell me to stop resting and keep going, just like they had for the past two days.
“Take a break.”
“What?”
“There’s less than 12 hours left until the duel. You should get some rest and recover before we start.”
“But I haven’t learned the secret technique yet.”
“It can’t be helped.”
It was absurd.
I didn’t care about the outcome of the duel.
I was willing to go out there with my body in shambles, as long as I could squeeze every last bit of training out of the three days I had to master the secret technique…
But after wasting those precious three days, they were telling me to spend the remaining 12 hours sleeping?
I was starting to get angry.
“Go to sleep. You can’t win against him in your current state, after three days without food or rest. Especially without mastering the secret technique.”
“I don’t need it. I can beat that elf high warrior even without the secret technique.”
I wasn’t bluffing.
I meant it.
This duel wasn’t some sparring match with bare hands and swords.
It was a duel where we could use our full strength.
In other words, I could use Telekinesis, which was incredibly rare.
I couldn’t crush my opponent with Telekinesis, but I could restrict their movements for a brief moment and in a real sword fight where victory or defeat could be decided in an instant, the effect of Telekinesis was immense.
I couldn’t lose.
I’d rather Transylvania teach me properly for the remaining 12 hours…
“Go to sleep.”
“I’m not sleeping until you teach me properly. It’s not fair. What if I couldn’t learn it because I lacked talent, despite your best efforts? But you’ve been sitting here meditating this whole time. What am I supposed to do-”
“Sigh. Undecided, put him to sleep.”
“…Okay.”
“Hey, what are you…?”
Thud.
I felt a tap on my back, and my vision blurred.
My entire body felt drained.
“Hey…”
I reached behind me, my hand touching a small piece of paper.
A talisman, probably.
A sleeping spell…?
“We’ll see each other when you wake up. You’re too exhausted. You need a sound mind and body to grasp the secret technique.”
“You bastard…”
I couldn’t resist the overwhelming drowsiness, and my eyelids closed.
…
I lay on the ground, sleeping like a corpse.
Transylvania looked down at him, feeling a phantom sensation, as if their long-stopped heart was pounding.
“He was so close…”
For the past three days, Transylvania had been holding their breath.
Every time he swung his sword, it was like watching Dakia’s sword come alive.
As time passed, the accuracy became terrifyingly precise.
That was why they couldn’t say a word about his swordsmanship.
Because that one word might have a profound impact.
Because they were afraid that their words, having only created a cheap imitation, would hinder him, who was recreating the original.
They could only watch in silence.
But his body reached its limit before his sword could reach the secret technique that Dakia had failed to complete.
So, they had no choice but to stop him.
“I can’t let this precious body be harmed.”
Transylvania chuckled, caressing his cheek.
The long-lost swordsmanship.
Dakia’s sword, which they had believed they would never see again, had been recreated by him.
He didn’t seem to realize it, but…
“…Stop it. Yoo-jin is mine.”
“Alright, alright. Just massage him while he sleeps. Soothe his muscles after three days of intense training.”
Undecided growled, blocking Transylvania from him.
Transylvania sighed and turned away.
‘The duel will decide.’
He had recreated Dakia’s sword.
Could he perhaps also recreate the secret technique that Dakia had failed to complete before his death?
They would find out during the duel against the rage-fueled elf.
“No audience. One witness per side. And while the outcome of the duel can be revealed, the details of the duel are strictly prohibited from being disclosed? Huh!”
Rex scoffed at the conditions set for the duel.
In the World Tree’s underground chamber.
In that cavern, half-collapsed and turned into ruins, the place once used as the World Tree’s Eye…
What was the point of a duel?
While it was meant to settle personal grievances and assert demands, its entertainment value for the audience couldn’t be denied.
But with no audience, and the details of the duel forbidden from being disclosed by both the participants and the witnesses…
What kind of duel was this?
At first, he thought they were trying to manipulate things, but when he heard that the judge would be the Priestess of the World Tree, he dismissed that thought.
The priestess was already present at the scene.
He couldn’t cheat in front of the priestess.
The priestess wouldn’t make an unfair judgment either.
But then, why these conditions? Why go through such lengths when they couldn’t even cheat?
‘Aha. He’s afraid of being humiliated.’
After pondering for a moment, Rex arrived at a conclusion.
That human didn’t want the details of his defeat to be known.
That was why they minimized the number of witnesses and prohibited the disclosure of the duel’s contents.
Now he understood that human’s psychology.
The already cowardly human seemed even more pathetic.
Rex let out a hollow laugh.
He had been training non-stop for the past three days, thinking he needed to be prepared…
Now he realized it was unnecessary.
“High Warrior Rex.”
“Yes, Priestess. What is it?”
“Could you please… reconsider this duel?”
“…?”
As he bowed his head at the priestess’s call, he was met with an unexpected request.
Rex momentarily doubted his ears and looked up at the priestess’s face.
The priestess was serious.
She was genuinely asking him to reconsider the duel.
“I understand that this is a difficult request. You were the one who challenged them, and they are sending a substitute. Backing down now would deal a major blow to your honor. I’m asking despite knowing all this. Please. Could you reconsider this duel? If you do, I promise to use my influence as the priestess to benefit your career.”
“…”
She clearly understood the implications of withdrawing from the duel.
She was asking him to become a fool, a laughingstock, despite knowing all that.
And the reward for becoming a laughingstock was a vague promise of a slight increase in his chances of promotion?
A mere verbal promise, without any concrete details?
Rex bit back his tongue, suppressing the urge to lash out.
“May I ask why you’re so concerned about that human’s life?”
“It… It’s not because I’m concerned about Heavenly Michael Jackson’s life.”
“Then what is it?”
“I apologize, but I can’t answer that. As the judge, I can’t say anything that might compromise the fairness of the duel.”
Of course it was about the human.
Anyone could see she was terrified of him dying.
Rex lowered his head and spoke again.
“I apologize, Priestess. I can’t withdraw from this duel. I can’t abandon the revenge I’ve dedicated my life to, everything I’ve built up.”
“Is that so…”
The priestess sighed deeply.
As Rex stood up, he couldn’t help but hear her mumble,
“Wouldn’t it be better to lose your honor than your life…”
“One more question, Priestess.”
“Yes?”
“50 years ago, when Transylvania invaded Elvenguard, killed my brother, and escaped… Was there some sort of agreement between the priestess and Transylvania that day?”
“…”
He had always wondered.
Seeing the priestess let that murderer go, he naturally assumed there must have been some kind of deal.
It was just a hunch, he knew nothing about the details of the incident.
But that hunch was so strong that he had believed it without a doubt for 50 years…
Until he met that human, and a seed of doubt sprouted.
The human had seemed greatly offended by the implication that the witch had colluded with Transylvania.
“I apologize, but I can’t disclose classified information.”
“Not even to a high warrior?”
“No.”
“Huh…”
Information that couldn’t be revealed even to a high warrior, the highest warrior class…
Rex scoffed in disbelief.
‘But why is he so late…?’
Less than three minutes remained until the duel was scheduled to begin.
It was basic courtesy to arrive at least 10 minutes early and wait…
Was it because their lifespan was as short as a child’s that their manners were also childish?
Rex sighed and stroked his chin.
If the opponent didn’t arrive by the designated time, it would be a forfeit.
Had they run away because they didn’t want to be humiliated in front of the witnesses and the judge?
Did they lack even the slightest bit of courage?
But then what was that killing intent he had felt for a moment…?
“Sorry I’m late.”
“…?”
A voice came from the tunnel entrance.
Heavy footsteps echoed, thud, thud.
A figure emerged from the dark tunnel.
For some reason, Rex flinched at those footsteps.
An unknown pressure weighed down on him.
He was just a petty thief when they met three days ago…
His aura had changed completely in just three days.
“I overslept.”
This was not someone to be underestimated.
Rex swallowed nervously, realizing this for the first time.
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Oh, he dead.