Chapter 622

No matter the circumstances around them.

Whether the audience cheered or jeered, regardless of how their comrades fought, or whether the item in their hand was a real sword or not—it didn't matter.

Lucas and Hecate were completely absorbed in each other, exchanging blows with their swords. Neither of them backed down an inch, exchanging sword strikes with their utmost effort.

Years had passed since their graduation.

Both of them had honed their swordsmanship in their respective hells. They were trained in battlefields where not killing meant not surviving.

They paved the way for their respective rulers by washing the roads built of corpses with blood.

Both of them had changed. Their swordsmanship had changed as well.

However—

The core, the essence of their sword principles, remained unchanged.

The foundation of being a swordsman, the basics they had trained together during their school days, stacked at the very bottom, remained entirely intact from that time, and so both of them were reassured.

Though they had each fallen into their own hells.

Both Lucas and Hecate still maintained their selves.

Swoosh!

The wooden sword and the umbrella being pushed against each other, the two knights created distance between themselves.

Hecate, gripping the handle with both hands, slowly lifted the umbrella above her head.

Lucas also gripped the handle with both hands, lowering the wooden sword and crouching down as much as possible.

Hecate, taking the high position, and Lucas, taking the low position. The two knights, adopting completely opposite stances, stared fiercely at each other.

Just like the battle they had on the day of their graduation ceremony.

And then—

The outcome was decided in an instant.

Thud!

Lucas, with a fearsome momentum, rushed towards Hecate delivering a strike as he leapt from the ground.

Hecate, like a matador smoothly dodging a bull, smoothly brought her umbrella down.

Slash!

The wooden sword was cut in half.

It was a reproduction of the graduation ceremony duel. Hecate thought she had won just like on that day. However.

"Ugh!"

The remaining half of the wooden sword did not stop.

Lucas's wooden sword, smoothly continuing its sword path, drew an elegant arc and, the next moment Hecate blinked, stopped right in front of Hecate's neck.

Lucas had anticipated from the beginning that Hecate would cut down his wooden sword and set his sword path such that even with the remaining blade, he could subdue Hecate.

The sword was broken, but Lucas won the duel.

Following Lucas's motion, a whirlwind belatedly swept through, and Hecate's wide-brimmed hat gently lifted into the air before falling to the ground.

Hecate slowly lowered her umbrella to the ground and then raised both hands.

"You've grown, Lucas."

"If it were our school days, the moment you cut the sword would have been your victory."

Lucas also slowly retrieved his wooden sword.

"But in real battle, it doesn't end there."

"Right. There's no teacher to blow the whistle for a draw, no school uniforms to protect us, no school fences... none of it anymore."

Hecate chuckled.

"We've become adults."

The world outside the school was cruel, and both of them had adapted.

The deciding factor was just one. How much more they had mulled over their last duel.

Lucas had constantly pondered how to fight to win in that duel and had drawn his answer. And thus, he proved it.

"I've lost!"

Hecate conceded with a cheerful voice, and Lucas added slowly.

"Next time."

"Huh?"

"Next time, let me hear your answer."

Hecate's eyes widened as Lucas gave an awkward smile.

"How will you move to block this move?"

"..."

"I'll be waiting for our next duel, Hecate."

The corners of Hecate's mouth slowly formed a smile too.

Because Lucas's earnest gaze was really no different from their school days.

"I'm relieved. You've grown, but changed a lot... Yet, you're still you, Lucas."

"You too, Hecate. And."

Lucas slowly turned his head.

"So is our lord."

Lucas's gaze shifted towards the Fake Dragon.

Damien was firing rubber-tipped arrows wildly, and the others were doing their utmost to block them.

"By the way, Your Majesty, are you sure it's okay? The Duchess seems to be really fired up."

"Heh. I'm fired up too."

I cracked my knuckles menacingly.

The 5v5 PVP tactic against the Dragonblood Knights had been established a long time ago.

Since Dusk Bringar sent a declaration of war two years ago, I meticulously prepared for this eventuality.

For this martial arts tournament, we rigorously trained our party members in this tactic from the start to defeat Dusk Bringar.

Almost half of the training period was spent preparing for this.

'Berserkers from the west? Dragonblood Knights? All SSR? Who cares! Bring them all on!'

They are well within the scope of my 'strategy.' I'll use every dirty trick I've prepared in advance to take them down.

"Like a true villain! I'll drag the previous champion down from the ring and wrap the belt around my waist!"

I covered my face with my hands and laughed wickedly.

The main party members exchanged glances... and then smiled kindly at me, as if saying 'let him enjoy.'

What, you guys! If you have something to say, say it!

***

Thus, an hour later.

The main event of this festival, the martial arts tournament, and its climax, the final round, finally began.

The weight of the name 'finals,' the renown of the two parties stepping up to fight, and the lingering sadness for the festival reaching its end...

For various reasons, the audience was packed, and everyone waited for the match with faces full of anticipation.

...Until about 5 minutes ago, that was.

"Aaaaaah!"

"Aaaaack!"

"Run, everyone run!"

"You'll die if you get caught!"

Most of the people sitting in the audience were screaming and running away.

In the sky, dark clouds swirled, and the atmosphere vibrated with suffocating magical power. Not only the people but also the animals in the vicinity ran away with faces filled with terror.

Dragon Fear.

The wide-area fear technique of the dragon species, dominating the surroundings with its mere presence.

No, it wasn't just Dragon Fear... clearly, a murderous magical power was swirling around violently.

Wiping the cold sweat off my forehead, I directly faced the opponent who had caused this situation.

Grrrrr-

Dusk Bringar.

She, walking slowly towards us, looked quite different from usual.

A pair of red horns on her small forehead, a pair of red wings made of blood membranes under both shoulder blades, and a red tail protruding from below her back.

As the eyes wrapped above the cheeks with emerging red scales opened, her amber dragon eyes were completely surrounded by whites that had turned black.

'Dragonblood Frenzy?!'

Using this insane risk technique, here and now?!

I uttered with a grimace.

"Um... Your Grace? Sorry, but this isn't a battlefield, it's a martial arts tournament..."

"It may be warmth that warms the world."

Dusk Bringar responded with something out of the blue.

"But ultimately, it's the blade that kills and saves people. So." (TL Note: Basically, she's saying that kindess may bring warmth to the world, but it's the blade that will actually save people)

Grrrrrrr-!

Dazzling sunset-colored magical power swirled and gathered, then condensed into the form of a giant greatsword in Dusk Bringar's hands.

Swoosh!

The martial arts tournament's restraint orb, meant to limit magical power and hanging on her wrist, couldn't withstand the force and evaporated into thin air.

We all stood with our mouths agape at this unbelievable show of power.

This person, no, this dragon, is serious...!

"I will become the blade. To protect you, I will defeat you, Ash."

Dusk Bringar, pointing the greatsword forward, looked at me calmly.

"If you cannot defeat even me, you stand no chance against the Black Dragon."

"...!"

"If you truly wish to defeat the evil dragon, then overcome this trial...!"

Thud!

Dusk Bringar, kicking off the ground, flapped her wings and soared into the air- then in the blink of an eye, she charged directly at me.

My main party members looked at me with pale faces, as our tactics against the Dragonblood Knights had never included a situation like this.

"My lord?! What do we do in this case?!"

"For now..."

I screamed and turned around.

"Runnnn-!"

Boommm!

At the same time, the greatsword that Dusk Bringar had slammed down exploded with magical power, blowing away the floor of the arena.