CHAPTER 89

Josef said it was okay to lose.

The young man who always prepared for the worst had already prepared for the possibility of Vlad's defeat. The knights of Bayezid, who willingly offered Vlad the opportunity to spar, also did not see a high chance of Vlad defeating Stephen.

No one would expect that he could barely beat the count's son, who had received the best education since childhood.

Not even the teacher, Zayar, or Alicia, who entrusted him with honor.

And even Godin, who was smiling outside the duel arena just like before.

But still, just once.

"Go for it."

Even a king has some exprections from his subjects.

"Let's see how good you really are."

Now that he is the one carrying his own honor.

Vlad had no shame in struggling to get here.

※※※※

Clang-!

Thunk-!

Flames burst forth every time the swords clashed.

The knights of Bayezid watching the duel found themselves unconsciously clenching their fists.

"Good. You're doing well."

"Just keep it up. Just like that."

It was the greatsword parrying technique taught as if cramming it into a tight schedule.

Nevertheless, Vlad was managing to fend off Stephen's sword as they had taught him.

Even staggering, he gritted his teeth.

He avoided thrusts using length and dodged downward slashes using weight.

As it was an extreme stance difficult to use in real combat, Vlad's strategy effectively ate away Stephen.

"You little rat!"

Therefore, the only way to reach Vlad was with a horizontal cut with the ferocious range unique to the great sword, but even that was not feasible.

Thunk-!

'What a bastard!'

Godin said that the blonde kid in front of him had only been holding a sword for a year.

But the counterattack he was currently executing was far beyond his experience; it was a clever maneuver that skillfully countered advanced techniques.

"How long do you intend to keep running away!"

Vlad approached the duel with a thorough focus on defense, as if he had given up on attacking altogether.

Stephen knew that Vlad wouldn't be able to keep evading and blocking like this forever, but the problem was that when that moment came, he himself would still be constrained by his stamina.

Because the weapon called a greatsword is harder and heavier than other weapons, it is a weapon that places a much greater physical burden on its owner.

'Damn it!'

Stephen felt as if he were wading through a swamp.

From the battlefield created by Bayezid to Vlad's poised stance, and perhaps due to his mood, even the increasingly slimy ground beneath his feet.

Even the air felt heavy, as if everything in Deomar was hindering him.

"Is it because you came up from a lowly place? Your method is extremely dirty!"

For these reasons, Stephen was growing impatient.

Vlad could afford to lose, but Stephen couldn't.

No, even struggling against an anonymous knight like this was humiliating in itself.

"Even the mother who gave birth to you will turn her eyes away if she sees your shabby appearance now!"

Seeing Stephen resorting to taunts involving his parents, Vlad couldn't help but smirk.

Stephen's lips twitched as if he couldn't bear to endure it, but to the bystanders, this provocation was nothing short of a greeting.

"...Impossible."

And even if his mother were here, Vlad knew she wouldn't scold him for what he was doing now.

It was clearly a disadvantageous and precarious situation, but Vlad was steadily moving forward, one step at a time, toward victory.

"....!"

In an instant, a trail of flashing silver light.

From his sharply forged stance, the blow stretched out like an arrow and flew towards Stephen's face.

It was an attack that could not be easily responded to because it was a movement that had never been shown before.

"This bastard..."

"Did you call me?"

A trickle of blood ran down his cheek. The tip of the lowly knight's sword that he had ignored so much passed by Stephen's cheek.

"..."

Godin, who was standing outside the duel as a spectator, was momentarily startled by the recent strike.

The attack was shallow as it was aimed at speed, but it caught everyone off guard.

'It's getting closer.'

Godin noticed that the gap between Stephen and Vlad was narrowing.

It was proof that Vlad was also aiming for victory in his own way.

All the achievements the boy had accumulated so far had been possible because someone lent a helping hand, and they were honors to be shared by everyone.

But now, as a knight bearing his own honor, Vlad wanted nothing but his own victory.

"If Count Gaidar sees you now, he'll be jumping in joy, right?"

"..."

A taunt should not end in a hollow echo.

It must approach as a real threat, and if it can humiliate the opponent, all the better.

Just like what Vlad was doing now.

"This... this bastard..."

Stephen's eyes began to burn with red streaks as he watched Vlad, who was taking a leisurely stance again, as if this was a provocation.

"This."

Unable to bear it any longer, an aura began to bloom from the tip of Stephen's sword.

Raising one's aura is the act of bringing one's world out into the world.

That much mental power is consumed, and the consumed mental power eats away at your physical strength.

Godin clicked his tongue when he saw Stephen, who had been wonderfully caught up in the boy's intentions.

"You've come this far, but..."

Sensing the changing atmosphere of the battlefield, Zayar quickly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"You'll have to hold on well from now on."

Zayar, who was standing as an observer, was watching the scene in front of him with keen attention.

He was prepared to rush into the battlefield at any moment, anticipating the worst-case scenario.

"Die, you despicable bastard!"

[Here he comes!]

The true terror of greatsword skill lies not in individual powerful strikes, but in the relentless flurry of attacks that follow without pause.

As it is a weapon that is not easy to switch between offense and defense, it is a weapon that must achieve results with one launch.

Hence, only the relentless onslaught of attacks can offset the greatsword's weaknesses.

"Ugh!"

Boom! Crash! Boom!

The ground trembled from all directions, and showers of dirt began to rain down.

It was as if an earthquake had occurred, making it difficult for Vlad to maintain his balance.

"Take this!"

With anger fueling his swings, Stephen's aura followed by the explosion of the field.

The torn grass and dirt rained down like a downpour, obscuring Vlad's vision.

[Still, you have to see it!]

Following Vlad's dizzying movements, Stephen's enraged sword was poised to strike.

'Damn it!'

It was a situation he had orchestrated, and the intended result was clear, but facing the reality was not so straightforward.

The world Stephen had painstakingly built with the support of Count Gaidar still possessed formidable power that Vlad found difficult to contend with.

Had he maintained his usual pragmatism, it might have been different.

'Forward!'

Perhaps he could fight to a draw if he continued to evade.

Even if he were to lose, there would be some achievement to gain.

But Vlad no longer wanted to evade, flee, and await the next opportunity.

"..."

There, ahead, was the knight who had shattered his nest.

That day, he had fled from the knight's enigmatic smile and escaped from Shoara, but he no longer wanted to retreat in front of that man.

"Aaaah!"

Watch closely.

Now, I have the right to stand tall.

I've done my best to get this far.

For some, it may have been a qualification given at birth, but for Vlad, it was a product of struggle.

He had never stopped fighting for the opportunity to extend his sword just once.

'I see it!'

There was a small opening.

Amidst the storm-like flurry of attacks, there was a small gap that could reach Stephen.

[To the left!]

In an instant, a hefty blow struck his shoulder.

"Urgh!"

Following its owner's will, the armor imbued with the breath of children desperately twisted Stephen's trajectory.

It was armor from the Holy Knights who were more confident than anyone else in following God's will.

"How dare you!"

The characteristics of the greatsword made it difficult to counter in close quarters due to its length.

Though Vlad's assault, with its unbelievable speed and bizarre movements, managed to disarm Stephen, he had already familiarized himself with several ways to counter vulnerabilities.

"Argh!"

Strong and resilient.

Stephen's robust physique, inherited through his blood, was a formidable weapon in itself.

Stephen's sudden kick plunged into Vlad's abdomen.

Furthermore, Stephen's now free left hand was swiftly approaching Vlad's face.

"Will that do it?"

"Urgh!"

Yet Vlad merely braced himself, taking Stephen's blow to his forehead.

"You lunatic!"

Larmund's shining forehead was clearly imprinted in the boy's memory.

The old knight, who was now retired, spared no effort in teaching Bayezid's knight who would be in charge next.

[Now!]

For one moment, just this single moment.

The boy gave his all for a leap aimed at the gap.

A noble person can rise again even if he falls, and a wealthy person can recover even if he fails.

However, in the back alleys, where you only have to aim for one chance, you have to risk everything on that one chance.

Just like the boy now.

"Die, you bastard!"

There's no need to look anymore.

The opponent is right in front of him.

Unable to give up his sight, Vlad approached closely, waiting for the world to burst forth from him, as he closed his left eye.

A noble world. A prepared world.

That's why Stephen's world looked down on him.

The tip of the sword of Vlad who had crawled up from the back alley reached the target.

Along with his own world bursting forth in white.

In front of everyone present.

The white snake entwined around the tree let out a loud cry along with Vlad's world.

※※※※

"Am... am I right?"

Blood was seeping from Stephen's neck.

If the blade had gone a little deeper, Stephen might have met his end.

"So... Can I receive a fair price?"

The final moments of the silent duel.

The boy's sword had reached the nobleman's neck, and someone had intervened to block the sword and protect the nobleman.

"Answer me!"

"...Yes."

Finally, it reached him.

Knight of Blue Moonlight.

The sword under the moonlight that he had longed for was finally seeing him.

"So give it to me. You too."

That day, I lost my nest.

I begged for my life with a messy piece of meat.

So now, I must also receive something in return.

"A knight takes a fair price. Godin of Gaidar."

A rightful cause, rightful qualification.

And a rightful outcome.

Vlad crawled up to this point to obtain the current outcome.

So it's only natural to demand a price for victory.

"As the price for this duel, I demand Stephen's sword."

A knight only takes a fair price.

The one who first taught him that was the knight of the blue moonlight, who was now looking at him right in front of him.

The tearful boy and the trembling nobleman with the coldness at his neck.

The knight of the blue moonlight blocking the boy's sword and the one-eyed knight enveloping the boy.

Amidst the entangled swords of the participants and the spectators on the dueling ground, the priest who upheld the will of God declared with a trembling voice.

"The, the winner is the knight of Bayezid, Vlad of Shoara!"

The boy's blonde hair was shining under the shining sun.

Just like everyone else here, today they would all pay attention to the victory of the devotee boy.

It was the moment when the boy's sword finally reached the world above.