Chapter 44 - Declaration!

[Kapheira's POV]

-Kwang

-Kwang

-Kuuuffff

-Kwang

-Swoosh

Taking a step back Kapheira, avoided an incoming heavy slash.

Knowing that a follow up was coming, she linked her back-steps to sideways jump.

And she wasn't wrong, a series of flaming slashes flew right after her she jumped. She would have been hit, if she was a bit slower.

But of course, as the genius of younger generation, she wasn't.

Rather, she could go a lot faster, and in fact, she didn't even have to dodge the attack, she could have easily broken it.

But she didn't.

Why?

She wanted to save her energy.

She wanted to be as efficient as possible.

After all, who knew how many more idiots will challenge her tonight?

'And then, there is mother.'

Taking the chance when her opponent had just used a spell, she rushed in.

Obviously, she knew that the boy wasn't as helpless as he showed her to be.

He definitely had a spell or two prepared, but wasn't she the same?

So, going low, she dashed, her hand on the hilt of her sword, as she slowly infused herself with her secondary element – Lightning.

Her golden eyes glowed as she got in range.

In the last second-

"Got you, Kapheira!!"

Her opponent exclaimed, as he unleashed a flaming tornado filled with molten rocks, at an almost point-blank range.

An intermediate spell of highest power.

It would have been quite tough, quite difficult for anyone else to deal with that, but for her?

[Elemental infusion – Third Stage.]

[Thunderclap.]

-CLAAPPPPPP!!!

A small explosion of lightning occurred in the hall, as an electric blue streak rose in the air, going all the way to the top of the barrier, escaping away from the tornado's range.

But escaping was never her goal.

Kicking the top of the barrier, the girl whose body was covered in lightning, launched herself in the eye of the storm.

She bypassed the brunt of the spell, slashed the few molten rocks that the boy managed to send her way, and reached her target, the same boy, who was too flustered to properly respond to her.

-SLASH.

The fire tornado disappeared and so did the lightning, and the only thing the guests could see was – the crackling blue sword that stopped just inches away from the boy's throat.

-Clap

-Clap

-Clap

The crowd clapped, some praising me while others hid their glum faces.

"It was a good match, Callius."

I said as I sheathed my sword, and extended my hand towards the fallen boy, who was my opponent.

Taking up my hand, the boy promptly stood up and spoke.

"It was a good match indeed, Lady Fernsby. Of course, I am nowhere as good as you."

'That's not what you called me during the match~'

She playfully thought, while she gave the boy a fake smile.

"You are just too humble.

Anyways, I will take a break now. It was my 4th consecutive match, so, it's time to give the stage to others."

Finishing the after-battle courtesy, I turned around.

Honestly, the fights were too boring to be interesting.

In fact, they were annoying when you take into account that, I couldn't just smash my opponents.

Why?

Cause, according to my mother, one spell and one skill, that was the limit of what I was supposed to expend, when fighting these small fries.

So, while it was a pain in the ass to do so, I had to fight efficiently, making these fights extremely tiresome.

But well, considering the hellish training I would have to do, if I failed, this was nothing.

Thinking till that, I walked out through the barrier, towards 'my group'.

'My group' being the group of younger generations of my faction.

That's when I noticed something amiss, or a person amiss.

'Rayne, is he not back yet?'

She questioned as she scanned the hall.

And guess what, she found the person in question.

Just-

'Why is he giving out that gloomy atmosphere?'

'He was fine just a moment ago.'

'And he is drinking? He's drinking right now!?'

'Really!, what happened?'

'Should I..., check on him?'

'Well, why not?'

***

[Rayne's POV]

After my little escapade with the Empress, I returned to the party.

Of course, no matter what happened, I couldn't just disappear out of the banquet.

Though, most of my work or should I say objectives, were accomplished, there was still a small one remaining.

And that was to re-establish myself.

But right now, I wasn't in the right mood.

Really.

Not.

In.

The.

Right.

Mood.

Sitting on a corner table of the high-class noble, I secretly lamented today's failure, while slowly sipping wine as I watched the so-called challenges taking place.

These challenges were nothing but a precursor of the main event, the main and the last event of the banquet – The Strongest of the Younger Generation.

Actually, this 'Strongest of the Younger Generation' was a grand tournament that happened in the Alexis Empire, whose winner was, as you can expect, Rayne.

But now, as this was an official imperial banquet, challenges could be made.

Challenges for the title.

And tonight, I expected a lot of them.

In fact, the reason that I revealed my rank at the start of the banquet was to reduce the number of challengers.

'The so-called strongest of the generation slept for the whole year, so surely, he will be weaker than me who trained for a year longer, right?'

Such thoughts were inevitable.

So, to crush such thoughts, I had to crush those who thought like that.

And for that I wasn't in the right mind-

"Hey, what are doing Rayne?"

A sweet voice suddenly sounded from my side.

And I swear, if it wasn't for my superhuman brain, that recognized that voice instantly, I would have jumped up in fright.

Lifting my head, I confirmed that it was her before answering,

"I am drinking wine."

"Yes, I know, I can see that, and that's exactly why I am asking, What Are You Doing Rayne??"

She said as she glared at me.

"I Am Drinking Wine!"

I said matching her glare, not backing down a bit.

And that triggered her.

"You! Don't you want to keep your title!!"

She said as she grabbed my collar in her hands and shook me.

And that...

...funnily improved my mood.

I knew, I was being a jerk, that I wasn't making any sense, and I was being stupid, but someone actually caring about my title was quite refreshing.

"Okay, okay, I am sorry, I won't drink now!"

I said with my head wobbled back and forth.

Only then did she leave my collar alone.

"Really?, What had gotten into you?"

"Did something happen?"

Wow! This girl, really, her instincts were really off-charts.

'Are you a dog?' – was what I wanted to say.

"No, nothing happened, madam next faction leader." – was what I said.

"Eww, at least don't say that sarcastically.

Anyways, do you have a plan?"

"Well, yes, I have one."

"That's good."

But, I wasn't gonna follow it.

I told you that I wasn't in the right mind, to fight right?

It wasn't that I didn't want to fight.

Rather, it was the exact opposite.

I wanted to fight, I wanted to fight so much, I wanted to beat someone up so much, that I knew that I shouldn't participate like this.

But that shake, it shook off my doubts, I will fight, I will win, and I will take out all my frustrations, on my opponent.

"Oh, looks like Eden finished.

So, now is your turn, Rayne-

Huh? Rayne?

Where the hell did he go?"

So, as soon as Eden, the final of the five kids finished, I was already making my way to the barrier, leaving behind a chattering Kapheira.

"He's gone already?"

"This fucking-oops"

'Can't curse here!'

The girl thought, as she rushed after him.

***

I stood in front of the crowd, in the transparent barrier, alone.

Alone but not cowering.

Rather I was enjoying their attention, so a jovial tone I said,

"Good Evening, to Ladies and Gentlemen, to Nobles and commoners, and to the Young and the old.

This is Rayne Von Ellsworth, the first heir to Ellsworth County, and the reason for this gathering.

Now, many of you would be thinking, why am I here?

What am I trying to do?

Well, the reason is simple.

Almost, all of you probably know this, that I went into comatose, that I was sleeping for an year.

It was an open secret, so no need to deny this.

And today's reason of why I am here is closely related to this.

You see, there have been rumors spreading around. There are rumors saying, that I am not the strongest anymore, that I have been surpassed, that I have been outgrown."

I said till that, and took a pause, I looked at the crowd, and felt the atmosphere, feeling it a lot tenser than before.

So, with a smile that was only getting wider by the second, I said, "So to prove such rumors wrong, to crush them, and to show you the gap between the strongest..."

"I, Rayne Von Ellsworth, challenge the whole Younger Generation of the Empire for a duel!"

I said, those words in a deep voice.

Deep enough, that they resounded in the banquet hall.

My Armor, appeared on my body, followed by a sword, both of them glowing with runes.

My Mana pressure, spread throughout the barrier, making the atmosphere suffocating as I said my last sentence.

"Those who have courage, come up! Accept my challenge!, and prove me wrong!, or keep cowering like the cowards you are!!"

Now that, was finally something Rayne would say.

'Umu, the Crazy Young Master, should stay crazy!'