Chapter 497: Heavy Duel

Chapter 497: Heavy Duel

"There they go... Now it's up to Robert."

Roland stood in a somewhat secluded spot in the arena stands. The other spectators, consisting of lesser nobles, merchants, and their guards, had spread out in both directions to avoid him. It was an odd sight, watching these people fear him, but at least it gave him some peace. His gaze settled on his sister, who was clutching her hands near her heart, and his stepmother, mirroring the same anxious gesture. The time for the duel had arrived, and now there was nothing Roland could do to help his brother. If he tried anything, the mages would instantly notice the shift in his mana and likely call off the duel in Graham’s favor.

Name:

Gerhard L 156

Classes:

T3 Spirit Master Sword Knight L6

T2 Spirit Sword Knight L50

T2 Sword Knight L50

T1 Squire L25

T1 Warrior L25

Eventually, his eyes turned to Gerhard and his status, something Roland was already familiar with. His class was a mouthful, but it wasn’t particularly impressive - though not terrible either. This man was likely similar to Emmerson, the first Knight Commander he fought, but at a much lower level. However, Gerhard’s abilities had been artificially boosted by the red crystals, a fact Roland wished he could bring up.

"As if anyone would believe me at this point"

There were side effects to using those blood gems to enhance one’s skills, but with enough money, it was possible to minimize or even eliminate them. People who took them tended to become more irritable and violent which was hardly enough for a formal accusation. The debuff caused by the crystals would eventually disappear, leaving no trace, though it often left lasting effects on the person’s mind.

‘He has no last name. Graham probably chose him as an expendable pawn. Even if Gerhard were caught, Graham could just claim he acted on his own and that it was Leopold who gave him the crystals.’

Finally, Roland's gaze shifted to Robert, who was clad in his latest creation, the "Rune Power Armor Prototype." The Rune Power Armor Prototype that Robert wore was a not only a testament to Roland’s craftsmanship but also to Arion’s ingenuity. The height of the user was close to two meters and with the addition of the armor that put Robert at two meters twenty. Each section of the armor was seamlessly interlocked, giving him the appearance of an imposing iron sentinel.

The armor's core structure was crafted from Dwarven Steel, renowned for its durability and compatibility with enchantments. Its matte black finish absorbed light rather than reflecting it, giving it an eerie, foreboding presence in the arena. Many mistook Robert for a dark knight or even an iron golem monster at first glance. The most striking feature was the chest piece, with angular ridges and an embossed rune circle at its center, faintly glowing with pale blue magical energy.

The shoulders were rounded yet bulky, designed to protect the joints beneath, while the legs were similarly reinforced for maximum defense. However, the true weak point of the design lay in the back - the backpack housing several large runic batteries. These cylindrical batteries were welded shut to prevent them from dislodging during combat, which limited the suit's operational time but provided an additional layer of protection.

All of this was tied together with a simple but crucial design philosophy: protection and power without sacrificing mobility. Roland had designed the armor to be the ultimate balance of strength and speed, taking into account Robert’s natural fighting style.

As an addition, his brother was handed the large mithril sword he had received from Emmerson, along with the black mithril tower shield he had retrieved from the Albrook dungeon. Armed with these two bulky weapons, Robert would have to defeat his opponent, who was protected by his own set of enchanted mithril armor.

‘Good, he came equipped with that armor and the weapons, everything is going according to plan, now just Robert needs to do it...’

A dome of transparent blue energy enveloped the entire arena. Mages stationed at the four corners maintained the barrier, continuously supplying it with their mana. Even a Tier 3 attack wouldn’t be able to penetrate it. Roland could feel the weight of eyes on him as nearly all of Graham’s men were watching, Leopold included. The time for the duel had finally arrived, and now everyone was waiting for the Count to give the signal.

Sir Gerhard’s body skidded across the arena floor, his shield slightly warped from the impact. He scrambled to his feet, shocked by the massive blow he just received. His left arm felt numb and he was off balance. He gritted his teeth together and glanced back at his opponent who was charging forward at a speed previously not shown. The armor’s legs moving at long strides to bridge the distance in just a few movements.

“You just got lucky!”

The man shouted while charging back into the fray, in his mind, backing off would be disgracing both his name and the lords. Robert watched as Sir Gerhard recovered quickly, charging back with fury in his eyes. He could feel the weight of the crowd’s expectations, their eyes glued to the unfolding duel. The man before him, despite his overconfidence, was no ordinary opponent. But Robert was no longer the hesitant, uncertain young man he had been before this duel. The brief success of his counterattack had sparked something inside him, a realization of his own strength and the incredible potential of the power armor he now commanded.

Gerhard rushed forward again, sword raised high, but Robert was prepared. The graphical interface in his visor flashed red, warning him of the exact angle of the attack. With a swift movement, he brought up his massive tower shield, the enchanted mithril edge catching the blow with a loud clang. The sound echoed through the arena, but this time, Robert didn’t just defend. As Gerhard’s blade met his shield, Robert pivoted, using the momentum to swing his enormous sword in a wide arc.

Gerhard barely managed to leap back, his sword deflecting the blow at the last second. The force of Robert’s strike sent a shockwave through the air, kicking up a cloud of dust. The crowd gasped as they witnessed the raw power behind Robert’s attack.

“You’re better than I thought! But you only delay the inevitable!”

Gerhard growled, circling Robert like a predator stalking its prey. He realized that while his opponent might have the advantage in strength and power, he was superior in speed. Another exchange of blows followed, but to the knight’s surprise, even with his agility, he couldn’t land a meaningful strike. Each time one of his precise attacks was about to connect, Robert would either deflect it or force him back with the swing of his massive sword. It felt as if Robert could anticipate his every move, reacting with uncanny precision before Gerhard even made up his mind about his next strike.

“The Azure Lion Knight’s order must have exaggerated about the strength of their knights, if this is all you can muster.”

Robert had finally found a good rhythm and even felt confident enough to mock his opponent, an action that the knight did not appreciate. Sir Gerhard’s face flushed with anger beneath his helm, his strikes growing wilder as his frustration mounted. The seemingly impenetrable defense of Robert’s armor, combined with the unexpected strength of his counterattacks, was starting to wear on the seasoned knight. The crowd's reactions were a mixture of awe and disbelief and the rage on count Graham’s face was starting to show.

“You fool, what are you doing, get this duel over with this instant!”

The man shouted out from his balcony while slamming his hand down onto the large chair that he was sitting on. The other knights and nobility flinched at Count Graham’s outburst but remained silent.

"You dare mock me and my order?!"

Gerhard roared, his voice echoing through the barrier. His sword rained down, now encased in spirit energy rather than lightning, as the charges on his blade had already been depleted. Eventually, he retreated a few steps, cast aside his shield, and drew a large enchanted mithril mace from his left side.

“Even that shield will crack under this!”

With renewed vigor and a weapon imbued with magical charges, he rushed in again. The runes on the mace began to glow bright orange, and he could feel the weight and power of his strike intensifying. He was certain that when it collided with the shield, the enchantment would tear it from his opponent's metallic grasp. However, just before the mace made contact, he heard Robert say something in a hushed tone, words that would alter the course of the confrontation.

“...Activate the enchantment inhibitor.”

The moment his mace collided with the shield, an explosion of magical energies was expected. The runic enchantment on the mace was an advanced version of impact and explosive runes, designed to be highly effective against opponents encased in thick metal. However, for some reason, the runes' intensity diminished, and instead of a powerful explosion, only a minor one occurred.

To make matters worse, his opponent had anticipated this outcome with perfect precision. The massive shield parried the blow, sending Gerhard's hand that was still gripping the mace, reeling back. To make things worse, the defensive runes on his mithril armor were also going pale. They were made to react whenever he was struck by heavier blows but now it seemed like they weren’t working.

“Ha!”

Robert shouted as he swung his blade at the off-balance Gerhard. Seeing the incoming attack, Gerhard contorted his body to evade the strike and used both his weapons to defend himself. It was still possible for him to block the attack if he could accurately predict the blade's path.

“Too simple!”

Gerhard shouted back, raising his defenses at what he believed to be the right moment. However, just before his defense could fully engage, a few runes on Robert’s blade began to glow. They emitted a sharp, resonant clang before propelling the blade forward with increased speed. The enhanced strike collided forcefully with Gerhard's chest plate, sending the man flying while the audience silently watched at something that should not have been possible.