Ch.105105. In the Wild

‘Everyone’s gotten so high and mighty.’

The voice of Vivien that I’d heard yesterday suddenly flashed through my mind. Now I could understand what those words meant.

“Are you the famous Sword Apostle? I’ve heard a lot about you. As for me, I’m known in the world as ‘Middle Strike’… though I’m far inferior to an Apostle like yourself.”

Daros spoke to Charlotte with a smirk. At his slick tone, the faces of those watching the situation turned pale. Rex hurriedly turned his head to look at Charlotte. She ignored Daros’s greeting with her usual expressionless face.

[What a fearless fool.]

As Rex let out a sigh of relief, Kaordix burst into laughter. Rex couldn’t laugh. But he agreed with Kaordix’s assessment. Should this be considered arrogance? Standing straight-backed before an Apostle, putting on airs, and behaving like some common street thug. Rather than arrogance, wasn’t it just incredibly stupid?

A day had passed since Vivien’s visit.

The members of the Edenhar Viscounty, including Rex, and the newcomers Vivien had brought gathered in one place.

“Quite an audience we have.”

Daros whistled as he looked around. News of the sparring match had quickly spread to everyone. As a result, the training ground was packed with soldiers and knights who would normally be training their bodies, as well as servants who would be performing various chores.

“Should I introduce myself again? Pleased to meet you. I’m Middle Strike Daros. You’ve heard of me, right? I’m here today to teach this boy a lesson, but don’t be too scared. You might break a bone or two… but you won’t die.”

Rex blinked with an awkward expression. Most of the people around him had similar expressions. Not understanding the meaning of those gazes, Daros chuckled and ran his finger across the tip of his nose.

“Let’s see. So you’re the kid Charlotte took in. You don’t seem particularly skilled—I’d guess you’re around mid-Revelation level. Eighteen, right? That’s a decent achievement for your age, but it won’t be enough to survive in the harsh world of Awakeners.”

“Lady Vivien?”

Rex opened his mouth with a dubious voice. This person seemed to be under some serious misunderstanding, but how on earth had the information been conveyed to make him talk like this? Conveying this meaning with his gaze, Vivien responded with a bitter smile and sent a mental message.

[They just couldn’t understand, so I told them it was a ‘guidance’ match. Sorry.]

At those words, Rex let out an involuntary laugh. Indeed, this was a guidance match. The positions of who was guiding whom had simply been reversed. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a lie.

‘That aside.’

Daros was still snickering to himself, explaining where he was from, what battles he had distinguished himself in, and how valuable today’s opportunity was. Since Rex had little interest, he let it go in one ear and out the other.

Instead, Rex stared at the people standing behind Daros.

The two people behind him were more to Rex’s liking than Daros. At least they weren’t spouting nonsense. He could identify who they were even before they introduced themselves, as Daros had already blabbered about them.

The man with a sharp appearance and a face full of scars was Wild Wolf Zaide. Next to him, the woman with a bored expression was Explosive Flame Maya. Neither of them showed any particular reaction even when their eyes met Rex’s.

What was surprisingly impressive was that both were Awakeners who had entered the latter stages of Sacred Flame. Rex had guessed they must have some talent since Vivien had personally recruited them. Still, their level was more outstanding than expected. His interest ended there. Rex looked at Daros, who was still running his mouth.

“When I first decided to make my living by the sword, I was seventeen. I’m thirty-three now, so that was already sixteen years ago. At that time, I was in some province of Calderia…”

“Who will be sparring first?”

“Huh?”

Rex pointed at each of the three people one by one.

“Wild Wolf, Explosive Flame… what was it again? Ah, right. Middle Strike. I’m asking which of you will start first. I don’t particularly mind if you all come at me at once.”

It was a remark that might seem rude at first glance. Zaide remained silent, but Maya frowned and tilted her head. Daros was different. He responded more directly.

“What are you saying, kid?”

His tone was calm, but his eyes were fierce, as if they would burst into flames at any moment. Until just now, he had been snickering and rambling about stories no one had asked for, but his mood changes quite quickly. Showing those yellow teeth won’t intimidate me at all. Rex spoke with a composed face.

“Isn’t time precious? I was asked to spar, not to respond to worthless talk. It’s annoying for both of us, so let’s just get this over with quickly.”

“…What?”

Daros asked back with a dumbfounded expression. He couldn’t understand what courage this boy in front of him had to spout such nonsense. Instead, irritation and anger surged. Not knowing his place, and after an elder had kindly offered advice! To dare show such an attitude! He almost lashed out, but Daros barely suppressed the impulse.

‘Vivien said she wouldn’t take any responsibility for injuries from the match. I was going to show some mercy, but I guess not. I need to correct that arrogant attitude.’

Anyway, once the match started, he could deal with him then. Daros twisted his lips and cracked his neck left and right. Crack. Normally, he would have warmed up more before a match, but dealing with a mere kid didn’t require that much effort.

“Seems like you’re ready.”

Rex muttered in a nonchalant voice and looked back. Chloe, who had been watching quietly, approached with quick steps and handed him a practice sword.

“Is she your girlfriend? Such fair skin and pretty looks, quite pleasing to the eye. Young chickens are always the tastiest.”

“…With that ugly face of yours.”

Daros licked his lips. Chloe returned to her place with a disgusted expression, ignoring the taunt.

“I like that aloofness too. Hey kid, how about handing your girlfriend over to me? Then I’ll specially forgive your rudeness from earlier and personally guide you for a few days. While enjoying some pleasant time with that girl, of course.”

“……”

Rex didn’t answer. Not because there was no need to respond to Daros’s words—no, that wasn’t it. The low-grade, vile desire dripping from that taunt. It made him angry. Yet his mouth remained closed because.

[May I cripple him?]

He was asking for permission. In response to Rex’s mental message, Vivien made a troubled expression and shook her head.

[I’d prefer if you didn’t leave any permanent disabilities.]

[I accepted your request out of goodwill, not obligation. When that goodwill is returned with garbage, must I endure it?]

[Well, that’s…]

[Kill him.]

The voice that cut in sharply was Charlotte’s. Charlotte’s face remained impassive, but her voice was resolute.

[The sight of this worthless insect yapping is extremely irritating. I cannot allow such a ruffian to strut around in my domain. There’s no need to ask Vivien. I, the master of Edenhar, give you permission.]

[Isn’t killing him going too far? It would also complicate your relationship with Lady Vivien.]

[What do you think Vivien is? That foolish man may not know, but Vivien places no value on him. At best, he’s a part that might become useful if well-polished. Vivien has plenty more like him.]

Charlotte answered in an indifferent tone. Vivien’s words followed immediately after. With both voices tangled in his head, Rex’s head throbbed. He pressed his fingers against his pulsing temples and looked ahead. Daros had already moved some distance away and was standing with his arms crossed.

“Getting scared now?”

Daros sneered, flicking his tongue. Seeing that, Rex made his decision.

‘I won’t kill him.’

No matter how he thought about it, killing someone over mere words was excessive. But. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t let the comments about Chloe slide.

So.

‘I’ll make him unable to speak for a while.’

That seemed appropriate.

“…What are you doing?”

Daros asked with a puzzled voice. Rex had put his sword down on the ground. Could it be that he was afraid to start the match and wanted to postpone it? His lips curled up at the sudden imagination.

That smile didn’t last.

“I don’t need it.”

“What do you—”

Rex replied indifferently, opening and closing his palm.

“One fist should be enough to beat you.”

“Well, this clueless youngster!”

Rex had worried Daros might not understand, but fortunately, he wasn’t that stupid.

“I’ll let you have the first move.”

“You crazy bastard!”

As Rex beckoned with his open palm, Daros let out an enraged roar and stomped the ground. His level was mid-Sacred Flame. Though the distance between them was wide, it closed with just one leap. Crack! The dirt ground was roughly torn up, raising dust. Rex’s pupils calmly followed Daros. His weapon was a massive hammer. It was ferociously large, too big for even a large man to handle, yet Daros swung it with ease. If it hit, it would surely dent even a thick iron wall.

If it hit, that is.

“…Huh!”

Daros’s eyes widened. In that instant, until the moment he swung the hammer, he had seen Rex standing there. He had inwardly mocked him for standing frozen like a fool… but he felt no impact. The wind rushed behind where the hammer had passed. Rex’s figure was nowhere to be seen. His thoughts were momentarily cut off by the unexpected sight.

Tap.

A fingertip touched the nape of his neck. An eerie chill ran down his spine. Daros slowly turned his head with a blank face.

“Once.”

Rex withdrew his hand and murmured.

“I’ll let you off once. There won’t be a second time.”

Except for Charlotte and Vivien, who had reached the level of Apostles, no one else in the place had been able to track Rex’s movement. The spectators involuntarily gasped in admiration. Although they had watched Rex closely for three years, this was the first time they had seen him draw out his full power.

That’s what they thought. In reality, he hadn’t even used half his strength, let alone his full power.

The people of Edenhar who didn’t know the situation were amazed,

And the newcomers who had come with Vivien were shocked.

‘What on earth is happening.’

Daros, who witnessed it up close, was even more astonished. In fact, he couldn’t understand what had just happened. To his eyes, it literally looked as if Rex had disappeared for a moment and then reappeared. A blessing that allowed spatial movement? Or was it an illusion? All sorts of questions popped up and then disappeared again.

‘I let my guard down.’

That was the conclusion. He had let his guard down. Daros couldn’t sense any energy from Rex. On the surface, he appeared to be just at the late Revelation level. There was no way his eyes couldn’t track such a weakling. Then, the only answer left was that Rex was using something to deceive his eyes.

“I won’t be fooled twice!”

Daros gritted his teeth and pulled back his hammer. A murky gray current enveloped the hammer. Using Sacred Flame against someone at the Revelation level might be excessive, but having already been humiliated, he intended to return the shame several times over.

Kwaaang! A deafening sound that could tear eardrums shook the air. Once again, Rex slipped away from his spot like a ghost. But this time, Daros could see him. He wouldn’t miss like the first time. Daros’s forearm throbbed red. The hammer was heavy, and an ordinary person couldn’t change its trajectory mid-swing. But! The hammer that was about to strike the ground suddenly shot upward.

“How disappointing.”

The decisive blow was blocked by a leisurely raised palm. Daros looked at Rex with round eyes. Despite receiving an attack powerful enough to topple a whole tree, Rex’s palm was unscathed. No, rather, the hammer was slowly being pushed down. Before he could even think of pushing back, the hammer was wrenched from his grasp.

“Is this all you’ve got.”

Rex clicked his tongue, examined the hammer, and then casually tossed it aside. Thud. Daros, who had been staring at his empty hand in bewilderment, jerked his head up at the approaching shadow.

“I said I’d let you off only once.”

“W-wait…”

“The meaning of the sparring match seems to have disappeared already, but I guess it doesn’t matter.”

Thwack!

A fist shot out in an instant and struck Daros’s jaw.