Chapter 39
Barbarians surrounded the area.
Most of them were excited by the duel between Suhyeok and Harald.
Kasar had somehow mixed into the crowd.
“Hahaha!”
A barbarian slapped Kasar’s back.
“Bearded human!”
He laughed.
“You’re interesting!”
Then he pointed at Kasar.
“Are you secretly a barbarian?”
Kasar laughed loudly.
“Hahaha!”
He drank from a large cup.
“You people are more entertaining than I expected!”
Then he looked around.
“Got any more alcohol?”
He licked his lips.
“You need drinks for something like this.”
The barbarian laughed.
“Hahaha!”
He raised his hand.
“Kasar is an educated human!”
Then shouted,
“Bring more alcohol!”
While Kasar enjoyed himself without a care...
Damian sat in a chair prepared nearby.
His expression was dark.
He clenched his fists against his knees.
Then quietly asked Ventus, who stood beside him,
“...What if Daniel is pushing himself too far because of me?”
Damian stared toward Harald.
“He’s fighting the Barbarian Chief.”
His voice trembled.
“No matter how strong Daniel is...”
The elves and barbarians were small in number.
Yet the Aen Empire still could not simply wage open war against them.
The reason was not only lack of justification.
It was their overwhelming military strength.
Strength humans could barely oppose.
Ventus watched Harald.
“...That appears to be true.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“Harald is different even from other barbarians.”
Then he explained,
“Those tattoos covering barbarian bodies...”
His gaze moved over Harald’s back.
“Their size and shape represent strength.”
Damian looked.
His shoulders trembled.
Harald’s back was completely covered.
There was almost no empty skin.
It was on an entirely different level from other barbarians.
Damian immediately stood.
“W-We should stop this!”
His face became desperate.
“They consider Daniel a benefactor.”
“They probably won’t kill him.”
“So I should go instead...”
Ventus answered coldly.
“That won’t matter.”
Damian froze.
“I don’t know every detail about barbarian customs...”
Ventus continued.
“But once they begin a warrior’s duel...”
His eyes remained on the arena.
“It doesn’t end until one side dies.”
Damian’s face fell.
“In other words...”
Ventus looked at him.
“There is nothing Your Highness can do.”
“Urgh...”
Damian lowered his head.
Ventus studied him for a moment.
Then...
He looked toward Kasar.
“Do you see that idiot?”
Damian followed his gaze.
Kasar was drinking happily.
“He isn’t worried at all.”
Ventus’s expression became tired.
“He’s drinking like a fool.”
Then he asked,
“Does he look any different from usual?”
Damian could not answer.
Kasar really did look exactly the same.
Carefree.
Loud.
Almost as though he had never learned how to worry.
Ventus continued.
“Of course he looks the same.”
Then he said,
“Because he truly isn’t worried.”
Damian blinked.
“T-Then why...?”
He suddenly stopped.
His eyes focused on Kasar.
Though Kasar seemed to be drinking and laughing...
His gaze never left Suhyeok.
Ventus looked forward.
“He trusts what he experienced.”
He sighed.
“I hate agreeing with that idiot...”
But then his voice became firm.
“I also don’t believe the Squad Leader will lose.”
Damian looked at him.
“V-Ventus too?”
Ventus remembered one week ago.
A battlefield.
His first meeting with Suhyeok.
......!
Ventus had been shocked.
In all his years...
He had never seen swordsmanship like that.
Then...
A new Squad Leader had arrived.
From this point forward, I am Daniel Crocus, leader of Squad Ten.
Suhyeok had spoken calmly.
I look forward to working with you.
Ventus secretly investigated him.
Nothing strange appeared.
A tenant farmer’s son.
No connection to swordsmanship.
An ordinary soldier.
Yet...
Kasar challenged him.
And lost before he could do anything.
AAAAAGH! This is driving me crazy!
Kasar had screamed.
How can I not land even one hit?!
He pointed at Suhyeok.
Squad Leader, how are you doing this?!
Then...
One night...
Ventus followed Suhyeok out of the camp.
Suhyeok stopped.
What is it?
He turned around.
Did you come to request a spar like Kasar?
Ventus stared at him.
...Who are you?
He drew his sword.
I don’t believe the tenant farmer story.
Suhyeok answered simply.
“A Player.”
Ventus froze.
......!
He had heard of Players.
But he had never seen one.
Strange beings discriminated against within the Empire...
Almost as much as the other races.
Ventus drew his sword.
The result...
Was obvious.
He lost.
He never even saw Suhyeok move.
Before he could resist...
A blade was already against his neck.
It was not simply a difference in skill.
There was a wall before him.
A wall Ventus could never cross.
He lowered his sword.
...I lost.
Before Suhyeok returned to camp...
Ventus asked him one question.
What did he plan to do from now on?
Suhyeok’s answer left him speechless.
“Within one month...”
Suhyeok’s voice had been calm.
“I’ll end this war.”
Then...
“And I’ll win.”
Even remembering it now...
The answer sounded ridiculous.
No one in hundreds of years had accomplished such a thing.
Ventus gave a faint smile.
Then he looked toward Damian.
“Your Highness should also trust what you have personally experienced.”
He looked toward Suhyeok.
“The Squad Leader will win.”
Harald finished preparing.
He struck his sword against his shield.
CLANG!
The barbarians began chanting.
“OOH! OOH! OOH!”
Their voices shook the area.
Then the cheering slowly faded.
Harald laughed deeply.
“Hehehe.”
He looked toward Suhyeok.
“You know about a warrior’s duel.”
Harald looked interested.
“I didn’t expect a human to understand barbarian culture.”
He raised his sword.
“Under Odin’s name...”
His voice became solemn.
“What do you wish to gain from this duel?”
Suhyeok looked directly at the necklace around Harald’s neck.
He answered without hesitation.
“The Warrior’s Token.”
Harald laughed.
“Hahaha!”
He touched the necklace.
“So you know what this is.”
Harald raised his weapon.
“I accept your proposal!”
Then he declared,
“I, Harald, Chief of the great barbarians...”
His killing intent exploded.
“Demand your life...”
Then he looked toward Damian.
“And the life of the human king!”
Suhyeok looked toward Damian.
Damian looked afraid.
But...
He nodded.
He had accepted the risk.
Suhyeok drew Seong-a.
A message appeared.
[Target available for Trait Plunder.]
·
Strong Mind (S)
·
·
Valhalla Sword Dance (S)
·
·
Strong Body (A)
·
·
Indomitable (A)
·
[Condition: Kill the target.]
Barbarians were special.
Not simply because they were strong.
Their true strength...
Was an unbreakable mind.
The same was true for elves.
That was why Ideological Control did not work on them.
Suhyeok raised Seong-a.
“Form Change.”
Seong-a responded brightly.
[Okay!]
[Ego Sword ‘Seong-a’ activates Skill ‘Form Change (S)’.]
[Weapon form changed to ‘Rapier’.]
[Rapier effect activated.]
[Weak-point attack power greatly increases.]
[Agility stat doubled.]
[Due to Seong-a’s current growth limit, duration is restricted to 5 minutes.]
The shape was familiar.
A rapier.
The same type of weapon Mihyeon had once used.
Harald rubbed his chin.
Then laughed.
“Hahaha!”
His eyes narrowed.
“As expected.”
“You’re an Otherworlder.”
The moment he finished speaking...
Harald lowered his body.
Then charged like a bull.
A violent gust exploded outward.
