Ch.257One-Side Game

I’m fucked.

That was the conclusion that Betem Ar Kaiser, a warrior of the Beast King tribe who claimed to be the strongest in Bekya, reached after careful consideration.

He had grown up receiving praise from those around him simply for being born as a white tiger in a tribe that worshiped the white lion totem.

He had grown up healthy even as the men of the village fell one by one to the plague, and had acquired the Berserker skill even before reaching adulthood.

However, Kaiser was still just one person of the Beast King tribe, and by extension, of the beastkin society.

Although different from their own customs, he was well aware of the status that a “Guide Feather” held, and had heard countless times about how powerful the Guardians of the Elves and the Mages of the Humans were.

It was not a choice but a necessity to know about the Cat Folk, who might one day join hands again as neighbors and become allies on the great pioneer front, and conversely, about the Elves, who might side with the pioneers and become hostile to the beastkin.

What about the Dwarves, then?

Although they are only regarded as a group of technicians due to their vulnerability in battles against monsters, their strength and endurance, honed through mining work, should never be underestimated.

Moreover, the high-quality weapons and extraordinary inventions they create would be more than enough to turn the tide of battle, making them a race that should not be turned into enemies, even if they couldn’t be made allies.

And finally, the Dark Elves, who could only be objects of fear due to how little was known about them.

From what he had heard, they were the opponents most feared by the Elves, and a terrifying race that could freely wield dark magic despite not being monsters.

What did it mean that such beings had emerged one after another from a single carriage?

‘Does this mean they will all become enemies? Every race except the Beast King tribe?’

Strictly speaking, he couldn’t say that “every race except the Beast King tribe” was an enemy since he hadn’t yet grasped the intentions of the Silver Wolf tribe and the White Rabbit tribe, but in the current situation where a powerful figure from the once-allied Cat Folk stood shoulder to shoulder with the pioneers…

It was difficult to think that the White Rabbit tribe, who were said to be living together with the pioneers in their village, or the Silver Wolf tribe, who were said to be getting along well as neighbors across a lake, would now take the side of the Beast King tribe.

Even Kaiser, with his Berserker skill, could make that judgment.

‘Of the 15 who followed me, not even half are useful. If we fight head-on, we will definitely lose… no, defeat here is one thing, but what comes after is the problem!’

It would be fine if the pioneers and the Beast King tribe became lifelong enemies.

But what if the Elves, the Dwarves, the Cat Folk, and the Dark Elves, and even the White Rabbit tribe or the Silver Wolf tribe and other beastkin tribes turned their backs on them?

Even that was just an optimistic calculation of ‘Beast King tribe vs. other races,’ and in reality, there was even the possibility of it becoming ‘Beast King tribe from Bekya vs. everyone else.’

Kaiser desperately racked his brain.

He had chosen a life-or-death battle, assaulted and imprisoned the matriarch of the tribe, and even brought children along as he rushed out to raise the curtain on a war with the pioneers.

He had even boldly declared, “Let’s have a fair fight. Prepare for battle!” So there seemed to be no way to back out now.

If so, then defining this fight as one between ‘the pioneers and the Beast King tribe’ was the only way to prevent the future of the Beast King tribe from falling into the abyss.

“Ahem!”

Therefore, Kaiser pretended to maintain a dignified attitude while catching his breath, which seemed about to give out at any moment.

He didn’t even have time to realize that all six people facing him had noticed that it was just an act.

“Each one of you is a worthy opponent! I can hardly contain my joy that such an honorable battle will mark the beginning of my war!”

“Oh? And so?”

“However! The consensus of our Beast King tribe is the thorough rejection of pioneers! We do not have claws aimed at neighbors who have lived on the same land since ancient times!”

“So? Are you suggesting that all our forces should step aside, and just the two of us humans should fight against your 15? That’s an extremely cowardly proposal for someone who claims to be from a tribe of warriors.”

“Nonsense! A warrior of the Beast King tribe would never resort to such vile tactics!”

After responding to Jessica’s pointed remark, Kaiser extended his thick finger toward me and shouted.

“You, man! What is your name?”

“…C-rank adventurer, William J. Kim.”

“William J. Kim! I, Betem Ar Kaiser, who leads the warriors of Bekya, ask you! Are you willing to settle this fight as a duel between men?”

“Uh… so, you’re suggesting a one-on-one duel between you and me to determine the outcome?”

“Exactly! For you who are numerically inferior and must consider the positions of each race, this should be a proposal worth considering! I promise that even if your side loses, the other five will be safely sent back as the defeated party!”

“…Alright. But the location of the fight will be in the center of your village. And on the condition that you release the moderate faction led by Matriarch Marinda and have them attend the duel as witnesses.”

“I accept those conditions! Everyone, prepare to return!”

Success!

Kaiser desperately tried not to show the emotion on his face while inwardly cheering.

The weapons called guns that the pioneers used were certainly not to be taken lightly, but Kaiser had also perfected an amazing technique that could deflect magic bullets fired at close range after much contemplation and effort.

Now was the time to prove before everyone that the pioneers’ guns no longer worked against the warriors of the Beast King tribe, and to avenge decades of humiliation by crushing the body of the detestable pioneer man.

Moreover, this side even had the justification of proposing a one-on-one duel to avoid friction with other races, so the four races, led by the Elves, would not be able to rashly take the side of the pioneers.

A strategy that secured both justification and practical benefit, and could even break the will of the moderates—a perfect three-birds-with-one-stone plan.

He couldn’t help but feel proud of himself for laying such a perfect foundation at the beginning of the war.

That was what Kaiser thought, but that joy and pride—

‘THWACK!’

“Kuheck…?”

—was shattered before Will’s punch, who hadn’t even drawn his pistol.

~ ~ ~ Beast King Tribe Village, Central Square ~ ~ ~

‘THWACK!’

“Kuheck…?”

As the white tiger-headed Beast King tribesman fell down foaming at the mouth with a sound that shouldn’t come from a human body, the eyes and mouths of the Beast King tribe members sitting around the square watching widened.

Not just the hardliners who followed Kaiser, but also the moderate faction members who had been released from imprisonment, and even Gashu who had come to ask us for help.

“W-what just happened?”

“Did the pioneer defeat the Beast King tribesman with pure strength…?”

“That’s not all. That guy dodged Kaiser’s attacks three times with his eyes closed.”

“Is he a monster…”

The Beast King tribespeople murmured, unable to believe the sight before their eyes.

Yes. As they said, I fought without drawing my gun, with my eyes closed, gave Kaiser the first three attacks, and then knocked him down with pure strength.

Considering the difference in physical abilities between humans and the Beast King tribe, this should never have happened.

‘Good thing there’s no doping test here. If this had been in the arena of Hell’s Garden, things wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.’

I had expected from the beginning that it wouldn’t be difficult to win a one-on-one duel with Kaiser.

He was proud of having honed his skills to counter magic bullets, but no matter how great the skill, it would be meaningless against magic bullets fired while time was stopped.

But winning that way would ultimately make the ‘gun’ the main protagonist of the victory, which I thought would make it difficult for the hardline Beast King tribespeople, including Kaiser, to accept their defeat.

So I went into the carriage compartment saying I would store my shirt and gun, summoned a strength enhancement potion as a toast to glory, and downed it in one shot.

I faced Kaiser bare-chested, closed my eyes, and provoked him by saying ‘I’ll give you the first three attacks.’

Enraged to the tips of his hair, Kaiser activated his Berserker skill and charged straight at me, and using my danger detection ability, I dodged three attacks and knocked Kaiser down with just two punches.

“Well, our boss Kaiser, who was calling for the extermination of pioneers, has fainted with foam in his mouth… I think this means I’ve won, right?”

“Y-yes… I acknowledge it. The winner of this duel is the pioneer, William J. Kim!”

When the Beast King tribesman who was acting as the referee made that declaration, everyone gathered in the square had to accept the result of this fight.

Matriarch Marinda and the moderate faction members who had been imprisoned seemed relieved that the situation had been resolved to this extent, while the hardliners who had followed Kaiser, believing only in his strength, seemed unable to find their bearings for what to do next.

On the other hand, the women of the party who knew the truth about this duel were staring at me with expressions that clearly revealed what they were thinking:

‘Hmm~ Even so, isn’t drug doping cheating?’

‘Although it was to break the fighting spirit of the hardliners, honestly, it’s hard to see it as an honorable match…’

‘Doesn’t matter, does it? They were the ones who acted dishonorably first.’

‘Yeah. There was no rule saying you couldn’t use magic or drugs. A win is a win.’

What.

Why.

What.