The Duel (2)

"How unfortunate."

A deep shadow was cast over Theo's face as he sat on the luxurious seat overlooking the training ground.

It was due to his disappointment in his youngest son.

Nox had assured him during that meal that he could surpass his twin brothers.

However, despite his boasts, the youngest had failed to live up to his words. This was an issue that could be rightfully questioned as the head of the Reinhaver family. Theo couldn't hide his disappointment.

He had expected something similar to Garon's transformation...

In the end, was this the best it could be?

"Allen and Hatsu. They are both capable, but they can't reach a level of true excellence. Compared to Garon... they fall far short."

Garon, his eldest son, was born with the greatest talent among the exceptional individuals in the Reinhaver family, a prodigy in his own right.

After Theo, he was the one who could confidently claim to be the best swordsman in the house.

Unless something unexpected happened, he would be the one to inherit both the family and the heirloom sword, the Black Sword of Domination. After all, he was one of the top geniuses of the century.

However, as Theo, he believed that even his exceptional eldest son couldn't meet his expectations.

What about the twins who were even less capable?

"Allen and Hatsu have similar skills. Moreover, in terms of their ability to wield the sword and their innate talent, it is difficult to compare them to exceptional geniuses."

Therefore...

Theo von Reinhardt fell for his youngest son's determined attitude.

He saw hope in those resolute eyes that could defeat his brothers, and felt the cold ambition that burned fiercely in his heart.

Theo had believed.

If Nox truly awakened, there might be a chance for him to learn his vision of swordsmanship, the "Black Sword of Fate."

After all, he was not just anyone but the son of the head of the Reinharber family. It was not uncommon for someone to gain enlightenment overnight or obtain some sort of opportunity.

But ultimately, all he could do was bitterly lament the pitiful appearance of his youngest son.

The Black Sword of Fate.

What was it?

It was a style that overwhelmed everything and crushed its foes with unrivaled power. Isn't subjugating the opponent with sheer force what the Black Sword represents?

That defensive posture and multiple bruise that couldn't even be concealed.

This enough put anything beyond into the realm of meaninglessness.

As Theo reached that conclusion, he was about to rise from his seat.

Hm?

Suddenly, a strange energy began to flow in the octagonal training ground.

The movement of Theo trying to stand up momentarily stopped. It was an instinctive sensation.

"Nox... has changed."

Lordwell said abruptly, looking at the patriarch.

After a moment of contemplation, Theo nodded slightly.

"It seems he has some hidden potential."

It's worth observing a little longer. With that thought in mind, he sat back down. As he expected, the battle was about to begin now.

And the one who knew this best was none other than Nox himself.

* * *

"Geniuses and prodigies live in different times."

Now, what has become a familiar phrase in his mind was an insight into the limits of innate talent. It was also a praise for those with exceptional talents.

Nox honestly didn't know how great the difference was, how amazing the geniuses were.

But if this powerful sensation he was feeling right now is the time that geniuses live in, then there is no reason for him not to take advantage of this moment. It was incredible.

"Fortunately, my stamina stat increased just as I expected. It would have been better if it increased a little faster... This really feels like it is faithful to Inner Lunatic's difficulty."

Many people might wonder why his stamina stat increased now. However, the reason was surprisingly simple.

Inner Lunatic provides the protagonist with room to grow even in the worst situations, just like in a novel. It's a game programmed for dramatic situations.

Even now, it was the same.

The stamina stat. When pushed to the limit, it increases by 0.1 once. It was designed to do so.

Nox had already anticipated that in this fight. He would reveal all his limits to the twin brothers and be pushed to the extreme. With the small addition he managed to gain before the fight, he would had the minimum 4.

After all, the stat difference was already so drastically different.

"But the feeling is a bit strange..."

An indescribable sensation. He felt it filling his entire body along with the activation of the trait. It was something that couldn't be lightly dismissed.

In the past, scenes like this were expressed with just scripts and short videos.

Since being transported into this game, Nox felt his heart pounding the most at this moment.

That's why, even at a time where not even the smallest mistake is tolerated, he had a random thought and said it.

"This is quite fun."

"What the...!"

Allen in front of him must have sensed that Nox's momentum had changed, so he hesitated and stepped back.

However, he is still a novice who has not yet reached a higher level.

He is merely one year older than Nox. He couldn't truly tell how strong Nox was now.

They say you can only see as much as you know.

If those who have reached the pinnacle of mastery were here, they would surely recognize the incredible power Nox was emanating now.

At least he managed to temporarily increase his stamina by more than three times with the activation of the skill. In simpler terms, it meant that his stamina stat, which was originally 4, became 12, surpassing Allen's by far.

The implications is clear.

Now, those unlucky twins would be no match for him. Furthermore, Allen would soon be defeated. Even though Nox smirked, his mind was racing.

'But I can't let my guard down. The duration of the skill is no more than 5 minutes. I have to find a way to deal with them within that time.'

In the next moment, he thought of an idea.

5 minutes. Could Nox defeat both Allen in front of him and Hartz, who he will face have to face afterwards, within the time span that 'Time of the Genius' was active?

Absolutely impossible. Time is severely limited.

Then... there was only one option left.

"I've been going easy on you until now. But I guess it's getting boring, brothers."

[Skill 'Time of the Genius' activated.]

Using the power of his special skill, Nox looked at Allen and Hartz alternately and said,

"Let's finish this as quickly as possible. Come at me together."

Those words filled the arena with a suffocating silence.

Even the powerhouses overseeing the duel seemed taken aback, as if they couldn't comprehend it. The only thing present was the lingering stillness, representing the gravity of the situation.

Nox slowly shifted his gaze towards his father and the head of the family, Theo.

As expected, the challenge caught his attention.

The reason he provoked his twin brothers from the beginning, starting from the restaurant, was to draw Theo's interest towards himself, the youngest son.

The plan succeeded.

Ordinarily, the lord of the house wouldn't be bothered to observe such an inferior duel. The fact that he is now watching my duel means he sees something peculiar or potential in me.

I exerted pressure on my throat and spoke to Theo.

"Father."

['Time of the Genius' has 4 minutes and 48 seconds remaining.]

Nox took a deep breath and continued.

"Please allow me to fight my two older brothers."

* * *

Talia was stunned, recalling what Nox had just said.

So... was Nox saying he would fight both brothers at the same time?

She couldn't possibly comprehend the point of his actions. She was just a fourteen-year-old girl. It was only natural for her to doubt Nox's intentions.

"Fight me all at once," such words would be a disgrace for a knight. "Since you're not worthy opponents, I'll deal with you all at once." It must have meant something like that.

That's why knights in a duel never utter such words.

In that sense, Nox was the worst as a knight.

Mocking others' efforts so easily could lead to severe consequences. It was a hasty judgment, and if he loses the fight, he would lose a lot himself.

It would be more than just becoming a laughingstock.

"Why on earth would he do such a thing...?"

At that moment, Talia saw his lavender-colored pupils. She saw the faint radiance emanating from Nox's unwavering eyes, and at the recieving end of his gaze, she saw Theo, with his cold expression.

In the subtle tension flowing between them, Talia involuntarily swallowed her saliva.

Then she heard Theo's solemn voice.

"I permit a 2-on-1 battle."

"My Lord!"

The voice of Lordwell, who was by Theo's side, could be heard. He was concerned about Nox's well-being. Though he heard that Nox had been training hard lately...

Still, how could his bit of training compare to the twin's many years, not to mention facing both at once?

If he were to receive a blow here that left an unhealable wound here, it could haunt him for the rest of his life.

"Father!"

The two brothers were also visibly resentful.

However, there was no change in Theo's expression. Seeing this, Lordwell and the twins didn't say anything more.

Reinharber Family. Here, the words of the patriarch were equivalent to the emperor's words. No one dared to contradict them.

"Then, let's change the rules."

The referee immediately revised the duel format according to Theo's words.

2 against 1. An unprecedented battle.

An "unfair" fight like this over the right to enter Eldin was a first in the history of the family.

But Nox remained unfazed. How is that even possible? Nox von Reinharber, the weakest member of the family. The family's disgrace.

No matter how much he trained in the past month, he only ran around the training grounds every day. He had never properly trained in swordsmanship.

Many had even offered to teach him how to wield a sword, but it was of no use.

He firmly rejected their suggestions, saying, "This is my business, so I'll handle it on my own. And if I want to wield a sword, what would I even be able to do with this weak body?"

It wasn't an incorrect statement.

Nox was born with a weak body, and physical training was essential to improve it.

But if you asked whether that alone could lead to victory in a swordsmanship duel, you could confidently say no.

Unless one possesses overwhelming talent, it wouldn't be easy.

And not just any exceptional talent, it would be impossible without overwhelmingly genius talent. There was no other way.

Some are born with overwhelming talent simply because they are direct descendants of the family.

Even less are born with talent regardless of being commoners or nobles.

Many recalled the moment when they decided to stop pursuing swordsmanship. It was a decision that brought shame as a knight but was also the sweetest choice.

They no longer had to put in the ardous effort.

Talent can come to someone as a blessing and reach the pinnacle of irrationality for someone else. It can destroy people and lift them up.

That's what talent is.

But what about Nox?

The skill to deflect the sword a while ago.

It wasn't the skill of someone who believed in his own talent. It was as if he had known that it would turn out this way.

Clang! Clang!

Flames rose from the tips of Allen and Hartz's swords.

But Nox showed no signs of being flustered. He was actually smiling.

How could the weakest and disgraceful youngest member of the family make such an expression?

Until now, he had simply... not blossomed his own talent, was that it?

Even the referee, completly forgetting his role as a mediator in the battle, was completely captivated by the boy's swordsmanship and watched him.

* * *

"The remaining duration of 'Time of the Genius' is 1 minute and 32 seconds."

[With the effect of 'Genius in Swordsmanship and Martial Arts,' proficiency in 'Lower-level Swordsmanship' is increasing.]

As the system message popped up, the more Nox swung his sword, the more he could read the trajectory of his brothers' attacks.

Gradually, his strikes became smoother, and he quickly began to familiarize himself with the swordsmanship they were using.

Actually...

A knight's swordsmanship was often passed down as a secret, and imitating someone else's swordsmanship was considered impolite.

But Nox's current situation didn't allow him to consider such things. He just had to survive. He had to do his best for that, regardless of the method used.

That's all there was to it.

Clang!

Nox precisely deflected the twin's two incoming strikes at the same time.

Instead of just brushing them off, he completely pushed them back, causing both brothers to move back. A scraping sound could be heard as their feet slid on the ground.

The two brothers looked at each other with astonishment.

But that was a foolish mistake. It was something that should be avoided the most in a battle.

"Don't lose focus."

During the activation of Time of the Genius, Nox couldn't hear anything.

Or rather, he did hear, but the sound entered his ears very slowly, making it difficult to comprehend the information.

But when he spoke, it was different. If he spoke a little slower and clearer, his intention was clearly conveyed.

So he said it. It was too late for them too learn their lesson anyway.

"Haah...."

He gathered his strength into his sword.

Gripping the sword with one hand instead of both hands, Nox sprinted forward and penetrated the gap between the retreating brothers.

While the twins were still confused, he had already drawn all the trajectories of their swordsmanship in his mind.

There was no need for any particular understanding. It was simply the realm of a genius.

It meant that the adjustment of his characteristics was working properly.

With force in his wrist and a slight rotation of his body using his left foot as the axis, the sword in Nox's right hand began to dance.

Although it was a practice sword, its sharpness was already surpassing that of an actual sword.

Next came the lower thrust, upper slash, and vertical stab. They were all techniques he had learned from his brothers a while ago, after receiving many strikes from them.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of his sword relentlessly striking their bodies shattered the silence and echoed throughout the training grounds.

Nox's sword finally made contact with his two brothers.

"This... can't... be... happening!"

"Zen... jang...!"

Faint voices intermittently reached Nox's ears, causing his heart to race. But his sword didn't stop.

It simply kept shooting towards the two opponents in front of him.

Swish! Swish!

Their clothes were torn.

Their bewildered gazes were fixed on him as they struggled to block his sword, confusion the only thing evident from their expressions.

How could Nox, the disgrace of the family, have changed like this?

Such questions must have be flooding their minds.

But do they realize that it's already too late?

Nox smiled.

"Now you'll know, even if you don't want to."

['Time of the Genius' has expired.]

That's right.

After a fleeting moment, as Time of the Genius also ended, Nox's stuffy ears began to clear, and he could hear the sounds around him properly again.

After seeing his fallen brothers, he sheathed my sword.

Then he walked forward.

At the end of his steps stood referee overseeing the duel.

Nox calmed his pounding heart and calmly spoke.

"The match is over, right?"

"...Y-Yes! The winner is... Nox von Reinharber-sama!"

The referee seemed to regain his senses and shouted as such. It was the moment the duel came to a safe conclusion.

And at that moment, he could meet the overbearing eyes that pierced through the back of his head.

The being he addressed as father.

Margrave Theo von Reinharber looked at him with an expression of interest.

Nox smirked.

'Yes, you must want to use me now

But if you try to use me.

I, too, will use this family.

And in the very end.

When the family falls, I will establish my power elsewhere and reclaim my memories!'

...It was a bit cliché, but that was his goal.

After a light bow, Nox walked back to his room, avoiding the gaze of the margrave.

For some reason, none of the servants talked about him like they used to.

Nox, who was known as the disgrace of the family, had emerged victorious against the twin brothers. It was a natural change.

A dizzying sensation mixed with a relief filled him.

Meanwhile, at that moment.

Talia von Steeliner, a bold and decisive girl, quickly stood up from her seat and began to run.

For some reason... she had to have a conversation with Nox right now.

That thought had taken hold of Talia's mind.

"Miss!"

Her maid, Emma, cried out and chased after her again.