“Everyone remembers the rules, right?”
Killing is prohibited.
Stepping out of bounds or losing consciousness is considered a defeat.
The Knight Division is forbidden from using magic or magical tools, while the Magic Division is prohibited from using aura.
The first two rules require no explanation.
The unique clause is the last one, which was established for fairness.
“It’s unlikely to happen, but absolutely no enhancement magic. Even a small accessory with magic on it must be removed.”
Magicians are greatly influenced by terrain.
However, the sparring arena is a barren plain.
Geographically, knights have the advantage.Adding buffs on top of that would be shameless.
“And finally, again, this is unlikely, but magicians must not use aura.”
“That’s strange. Was there really a need for that clause? Magicians normally can’t use aura anyway.”
“…Limberton, do you ever even try to figure things out on your own?”
“Why would I? You or Bellman always explain everything anyway.”
There’s a precedent for this rule.
“Sigh, it’s because, in the past, the Knight Division taught a knight a single spell, transferred them to the Magic Division, and entered them into the competition. They were covered in enhancement magic cast by others and decked out in magical tools.”
As a result, ‘One-Second Invincibility’ was banned.
If someone took a hit barehanded and remained unscathed, people would immediately suspect they were using Indestructibility.
“You’re up to something weird again.”
“It’s a strategy.”
“And what exactly are you planning to do with that?”
“You’ll see.”
As Limberton and I were leaving the waiting room, Aslay, who had been leaning against the wall, spoke.
“Boss. Limberton.”
“Hm?”
“I have something to say.”
His expression was serious.
There was still time, so a short conversation wouldn’t hurt.
“Let’s talk inside.”
Unlike before, only the three of us entered the waiting room.
Even Limberton seemed to sense the atmosphere and glanced around.
What was he about to say?
Aslay opened his mouth.
“First, I want to express my gratitude. For showing kindness without asking about me, despite my past as a so-called barbarian.”
Limberton gulped and widened his eyes.
“Well, I just kept my mouth shut because it seemed like a sensitive topic.”
Judging by his awkward tone, he had been very curious.
But it wasn’t just Limberton.
Aslay was an outsider from a more open culture.
His presence at Frost Heart, an academy reserved for nobles, was highly unusual.
People had bombarded him with questions, but he had always brushed them off, claiming Imperial language was difficult.
But now…
Was he seriously about to tell his story here? Out of nowhere?
“I’m not sure how well I’ll explain it, but I want to share my story with you two.”
It was unexpected, but when I thought about it, not entirely strange.
This was a place where nobles gathered.
Naturally, Aslay’s relatives were present as well.
No wonder he had been so silent earlier—he had been conscious of them the whole time.
“To start, I was born a noble.”
Limberton flinched in shock.
“What?”
“But due to certain events, I was raised by a tribe.”
I already knew this, but I listened carefully out of respect.
His family’s land overlapped with barbarian territory.
Historically, such regions were always fraught with conflict.
The family lord claimed the land as his own and committed massacres.
The native barbarians fought back through war and raids.
“As time passed, the divide deepened. My biological father was particularly infamous—more obsessed with reclaiming the land than any other family head. Then, one day, I was born.”
And Aslay was taken hostage.
“While my father was at war, a tribe infiltrated the fortress. They planned to use me as leverage.”
It was a tragic story, but at least the people who kidnapped Aslay were among the gentler tribes.
They were few in number but powerful, valuing peace and avoiding war.
Even they, however, eventually succumbed to pressure from other tribes and took drastic measures.
Their decision must have also been driven by a desire to end the war.
“But my father refused to negotiate. To him, I was a son that didn’t exist. Unaware of this, I was raised by the elders, never understanding why some tribes looked at me with such hostility…”
Limberton awkwardly nodded.
“Th-That must have been rough.”
“Rather than suffering, I was confused. When I came of age and first heard the truth, my mind was in turmoil. But I never resented anyone. Living among them, I understood why things had to be that way.”
After learning the full story, Aslay bid farewell to the tribe and entered the civilized world.
It was a decision of his own will.
“I am ignorant. I’m familiar with the rawness of life, but everything outside is full of things I don’t understand. I chose to learn. I wanted to understand why conflicts arise, and to do that, I needed to experience the life of an imperial citizen.”
But Aslay’s biological father was not pleased.
His long-lost son had returned, raised by the very barbarians he despised, with their culture deeply ingrained in him.
As a traditional noble, he could not accept that.
“And so, when I returned, I wasn’t even given my family name.”
To get rid of the headache I posed, my father exiled me to Frost Heart, a convenient place for troublesome noble children.
“It was here that I learned how to live in this world, thanks to you and Limberton. I’ve always been grateful. That hand you extended to me during the entrance exam was truly a stroke of luck for me.”
Aslay finished his story with a bitter smile.
It was surprising to hear such a heavy tale at this moment.
Normally, this would be something shared after a deeper bond had formed.
Come to think of it, thanks to the crisis that came earlier than expected, we had all suffered together, and in the process, it was only natural that a strong bond formed.
“So I feel a little guilty. As I said, my path to getting here was unimpressive. I had no strong sense of duty to become a Pathfinder. I was only focused on observing, learning, and figuring out how to end the conflict between my family and the tribes.”
“For someone like that, you’ve been doing really well. You’ve been training hard too.”
“That’s because I realized, by watching the Boss, that power is necessary to have influence, Limberton.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I simply avoided his gaze.
“Honestly, I don’t know what this duel really means for me, but I still want to win. If my comrades are happy, then I’ll be happy too.”
Aslay stood up.
He walked down the hallway toward the designated area.
As I watched Aslay and Limberton’s backs as they walked ahead, a thought crossed my mind.
Everyone has their own story.
Aslay had the path of a mediator, and Limberton, striving to become a better person, faced many trials on his road to growth.
Leana, Silla, Riamon—the same went for them.
And, of course, the ones we were about to fight also had their own stories.
I had stepped onto a battlefield filled with people carrying heavy narratives.
***
The atmosphere in the spectator stands had become more intense.
The team battle had been entertaining, but what was about to take place now was a competition among the elite.
Beyond recruitment, the audience was eager to witness fights on another level.
From across the dueling arena, Ever Blaze was glaring at us with sharp eyes.
“They seem really fired up. Is it because of the team battle results?”
At Silla’s remark, everyone turned to look at me.
“They finished last because they were terrible. Feeling ashamed would be the normal reaction. Expressing anger instead of self-reflection… how small-minded.”
I did nothing wrong.
If they’re upset, they should’ve at least beaten Scarlett.
“You all remember the order of participation, right?”
The duel order was decided by the chairman.
Even though I had played Aizen Arena countless times, I couldn’t be completely sure who I’d be facing.
There was a pattern to how the matches were structured, but with our team, Mircel, Erucel, and I were major wild cards.
If I really wanted to, I could have scouted the opponents and arranged matchups based on compatibility, but I didn’t bother.
We were going to win anyway.
“Get ready, Limberton. You’re up first.”
Limberton picked up his sword with a determined expression.
I was worried he might be nervous, but he walked forward with confidence.
But why was he using a sword instead of a bow?
Had he been practicing swordsmanship in secret?
Meanwhile, the referee in the center of the dueling arena glanced at the two competitors.
His first opponent wielded a medium-length sword.
Perhaps because all the attention was on just the two of them, the opponent’s face looked a bit pale.
“It looks like our side is in better condition.”
With the wind in our favor, the referee was about to announce the start—
Then, with a loud thud, Limberton collapsed.
“Ugh!”
His opponent’s eyes widened in shock.
And then, seeing Limberton’s eyes roll back into his head, he blinked.
“…Uh, he got knocked out from a single hit to the head?”
Limberton, you bastard!
***
With such a shocking start and a swift conclusion, the audience erupted into boos.
Among them, Aol sat in stunned silence.
“I wasn’t even trying to end it in one blow. I just swung my sword lightly to gauge my opponent…”
The Integrated Tournament was a stage for the academy’s top talents.
And yet, he had been knocked out in one hit.
It reminded Aol of a memory from the past.
A time when he alone won by an overwhelming margin while his entire team suffered crushing defeats, finishing in last place…
Aol glanced sideways at Athera, who was trembling with frustration.
“Surely, the others aren’t on the same level as that little guy, right?”
“Uh, well… the others are definitely stronger, but Limberton… He was actually quite impressive…”
That guy? Impressive?
“He’s had a lot of great moments, and he trained really hard, so… yeah.”
To Aol, it just sounded like the others were only slightly better than Limberton.
“This is hopeless.”
As he despaired, the next contestant stepped onto the stage.
Even from a distance, his golden hair made it obvious who he was.
Aol looked at his eldest son with an intrigued expression.
He was curious to see just how much he had grown.
To read Chapters ahead 👇
CH 221-225 (The Underdog) $3
CH 226-230 (Who am I?) $3
CH 231-235 (Frostheart Vs Wisdom) $3
CH 236-240 (I want to lose) $3
CH 241-245 (Finals) $3
CH 246-250 (Vs Valient) $3
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