Ch.106106. In the Wild

For a while, I had been determined to silence him, but I still intended to take the duel seriously. Vivien’s request was to humble the arrogance of these rookies. If I ended the match too quickly, leaving my opponent unable to do anything, the purpose of the duel itself would be lost.

While basic combat techniques are important for a Sacred Awakener, most of their power comes from blessings and abilities. Since the duel began, Rex hadn’t used any of his powers—neither Sacred Flame, Radiance, nor any of his blessings.

I thought I’d given him quite a handicap, but what I overlooked was that Daros’s skill level was far worse than I had imagined.

“Gak!”

His jaw twisted violently from my punch, and with a short scream, Daros’s eyes rolled back. That single blow had already ended the duel. Even though Sacred Awakeners have tougher skin and greater endurance than ordinary people, their inherent weaknesses don’t simply disappear. Those weaknesses can be overcome at higher levels of mastery. Daros hadn’t reached that level yet.

Normally, I would have stopped here. I had no interest in one-sidedly beating up a helpless person.

Today was different.

‘He’s insane.’

Maya the Raging Fire watched with a pale face, cold sweat running down her skin. Thwack! Daros’s abdomen caved in from a sharp palm strike. His choking gasps were drowned out by the following barrage of blows. Not even three minutes into the duel, Daros looked like he had been beaten for days, his body a complete wreck.

Objectively speaking, Daros deserved this beating. He had looked down on someone he’d just met and insulted a girl who was clearly close to him. Maya had always despised Daros. She had been certain that his vulgar attitude would eventually be punished.

Nevertheless, she couldn’t bring herself to enjoy watching Daros get thrashed.

‘He’s on a completely different level.’

The blond young man—Rex, was it? She’d heard he was only eighteen. Although Daros’s words had been crude, Maya partially agreed with him. The part about not knowing one’s place. This was an opportunity arranged by Vivien, yet instead of accepting it humbly, they had foolishly suggested attacking all at once.

It was a misconception. The one who didn’t know their place was herself.

‘This guy is eighteen? He seems at least knight-level!’

She had always considered herself a genius. That was natural. At thirty, having reached the latter stages of Sacred Flame was rare anywhere in the world. Particularly as she was a Sacred Awakener blessed by Iriana, the Flame Goddess, renowned for her firepower. She had received offers from all kinds of organizations. When she joined under Vivien, the Golden Apostle, among countless suitors, she felt like someone special.

No, it wasn’t just a feeling—she was special. Her title became known throughout the world, people flattered her, and she could see admiration in their eyes. Having been chosen by Lady Vivien, Maya’s future seemed bright. Perhaps she could even reach Radiance before forty. She had become intoxicated by such whispers.

But the real genius had already climbed to those heights long ago.

“…Huh!”

Maya unconsciously gasped. Rex had somehow approached very close and was staring directly at her. Her reaction was like someone who had seen a ghost. Not understanding the reason, Rex tilted his head with a puzzled expression.

“Who’s next?”

At those words, Maya glanced behind her. Thanks to Rex holding back, Daros wasn’t dead… but his condition was horrific. His joints were twisted in various directions, and his bones seemed broken, hanging limply. The worst was his face. Below his crooked nose, blood streamed from his mouth, which was missing several teeth.

Despite having reduced a person to a half-cripple, Rex’s expression remained terribly cold. His first impression had been that of a simple, innocent young man. This dissonance made her even more afraid to step forward.

Of course, Daros was a despicable person. But wasn’t this a bit excessive? Maya’s face grew even paler.

“Excuse me.”

“Y-yes?”

“Will you be going next?”

“Well, I… I…”

Maya looked anxiously at Vivien. Noticing her gaze while watching Daros being carried away on a stretcher, Vivien turned her head. She smiled gently and shrugged.

[I won’t force you if you don’t want to.]

Maya couldn’t use telepathy, so she couldn’t respond to those words. Vivien had said she could give up, but hesitation delayed her decision. The image of Daros being beaten flashed through her mind. If she continued with the duel, would she end up the same way? Maya swallowed hard and glanced at Zaide. He was staring at Rex with his usual gloomy eyes, though they seemed a bit more dejected than before.

“…I’ll go first.”

After a brief deliberation, she made her decision. Maya stepped forward with a determined expression. Though her level was higher than Daros’s, the difference wasn’t dramatic. Given Daros’s helpless defeat, she would likely meet a similar fate.

Despite knowing this, she didn’t back down, not out of competitiveness or a desire for improvement.

It was the pressure of the spectators’ gazes and the need to meet Vivien’s expectations. All these factors drove Maya to move despite her fear.

“First, I’d like to apologize for the rudeness earlier.”

Rex blinked at the sudden apology. Rudeness? He searched his memory but couldn’t recall any wrong Maya had done to him.

“Daros. Even though I dislike him too, we’re still colleagues. I bear some responsibility for not stopping him when he was spouting nonsense. If I may explain—”

“It’s fine.”

“Pardon?”

Rex answered with a slight smile.

“The one who needed to be punished has been punished enough, so there’s no need to apologize further.”

Though he couldn’t be certain, Daros would likely need months of consistent treatment before he could recover. This was sufficient retribution for his loose tongue.

Enough thinking about him. He wasn’t worth the attention.

“I’ll let you attack first.”

Maya’s attitude was much more likable compared to Daros. Perhaps she had become polite after seeing what happened to him, but that didn’t matter. Having received an unexpected apology, Rex intended to make this more of a proper “duel.”

Maya didn’t thank him for the courtesy. Instead, she instantly summoned her energy and lunged forward. She was clearly superior to Daros. She didn’t let her guard down and gave her all from the start. Her speed was impressive too. Late-stage Sacred Flame—equivalent to an apprentice knight. Maya’s skill was similar to Rex’s before he met Shaharon.

What would happen if he fought his past self now? Of course, after three years, it wouldn’t even be a contest. His past self would die in less than a minute.

Above all, Maya was weaker than Rex from three years ago.

“…I concede.”

Ten minutes had passed. Seeing Maya biting her lip tightly, Rex removed his fist that had reached her chest. He could have ended it much earlier but chose not to. While the previous duel’s purpose was to beat Daros, this one was meant to guide Maya.

She understood that. Maya bowed her head with a gloomy expression. Unlike her fears, she hadn’t sustained major injuries, but that fact only hurt her pride more. It meant she had been subdued so easily.

Nothing… had worked.

Neither her diligently trained swordsmanship nor her Red Flame Blade bestowed by the Flame Goddess had even grazed Rex’s clothes.

“Next.”

Despite giving her all, not even a single drop of sweat flowed from Rex’s skin. This fact made Maya even more disheartened.

“Only you remain.”

As Maya retreated with a dejected expression, Zaide, who had been silent throughout, rose to his feet. He closed his mouth and looked around. The spectators watching the duel were eyeing Rex and Zaide with keen interest. They weren’t expecting a particular outcome from the duel. Rather, they were anticipating how Zaide would be defeated.

“My name is Zaide.”

However, Zaide had no intention of satisfying their expectations. The corner of his mouth, marked with a large scar, twisted slightly.

“Young man. You are strong.”

He acknowledged what needed to be acknowledged. Rex’s prowess had been a great shock to him as well. Was it possible to achieve such mastery at that age? It shattered all the common sense he had held until now. Arrogance, they said. He had never thought of himself as arrogant. Perhaps Lady Vivien had been displeased with them. Zaide chuckled.

“Before we determine the outcome, I’d like to introduce myself. Is that alright?”

“Yes… sure.”

Rex scratched the back of his head awkwardly. Zaide raised the corner of his mouth and looked at Vivien.

“I was born in… a nameless village where slaves lived together. Every morning I woke up to the lash of a whip, ate a piece of rotten bread, and went into the mines. No parents, no siblings. I was always alone. I spent most of my days breathing in dust in dark tunnels.”

“……”

“As these hellish days repeated, one day, an opportunity came. The overseer who whipped the slaves daily had passed out drunk. An opportunity that might never come again. When I came to my senses, I had taken the pickaxe in my hand and struck his head…”

“……”

“Are you listening?”

Rex, who had been yawning widely, hastily nodded.

In truth, he hadn’t been listening. He understood that Zaide had some kind of tragic past, but did he have to be so verbose? This wasn’t even telling his life story from beginning to end.

He hoped it would end quickly, but unfortunately, Zaide cleared his throat and continued his story.

“Anyway, after wandering battlefields as a mercenary, I happened to meet Lady Vivien. Lady Vivien, to someone as insignificant as me…”

As Zaide’s story grew longer, the focus disappeared from people’s eyes. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Charlotte blurted out:

“The conclusion is that you owe Vivien a great debt, so this fellow should repay it, isn’t it? Why are you dragging this out? Stop with the useless talk and get started already.”

“…I still have more to express about my mindset.”

“Is your mindset to make us all die of old age? Or to drive us mad with frustration?”

“Well…”

When Charlotte snapped at him, Zaide looked at Rex with a regretful expression.

‘What do you want me to do?’

Rex maintained a sour expression and pretended not to notice. Zaide’s gaze shifted to Vivien, who smiled bitterly and avoided eye contact.

Zaide muttered in a disappointed tone.

“…I suppose I’ll end my story here.”

“That’s truly a shame. I was listening intently.”

“I understand. If there’s an opportunity, I’ll tell you the rest later.”

“No, that’s really not necessary.”

“Don’t be modest. Well, before that, we should settle this duel first.”

Zaide raised both hands and said:

“I am different from those who were defeated by you. If you treat me at the same level, you’ll regret it. You should be on your guard.”

Zaide meant it as a warning, but Rex responded with a bright smile:

“Let’s start quickly.”

I thought I was going to die waiting.