Chapter 94 : Chapter 94
Chapter 94 The Finals.
The waiting room is silent. Not only the waiting room but the arena is also silent.
“Phew.”
Maxim, having calmly composed his breathing, opened his eyes. He lifted Dawn placed beside him. Sunlight through the window caressed Dawn’s blade. Deep violet color swept down Maxim’s pupils.
“Let’s go.”
Maxim, having strengthened his resolve, strapped Dawn to his back and left the waiting room.
The hot sun illuminated the arena. The people filling the spectator seats watched Maxim walking toward the arena.
“Maxim!”
A child’s voice like a pebble was thrown into the silence-filled arena. This created a thick ripple.
The spectators shouted ‘Maxim! Maxim! Maxim!’ with one voice with all their might.
Maxim, who stepped up onto the arena, looked around the spectators with the corners of his mouth raised.
“So early.”
Maxim, snorting, waited for the appearance of his opponent, Dwight.
“D! WIGHT!”
The cheering on the opposite side was formidable as well.
Flower petals fluttered. Flower petals so bright red they looked like drops of blood.
Dwight came out of the waiting room wearing a sword engraved with the royal crest.
People’s cheers shook the arena.
“It is truly good for brothers to meet like this.”
Dwight said to Maxim standing opposite him.
“Brothers. Right, we were. It’s sudden? That we are brothers. But you see. I feel a bit off about that.”
“What do you mean?”
“Have you people ever thought of me as a royal family member?”
Maxim slowly scanned the 3rd Queen, Louis I, and the nobles, starting with Dwight.
“You must have many regrets.”
Dwight approached Maxim with a benevolent smile. And whispered in his ear.
“Anyway, it will all disappear when you die. Have a lot of regrets even now.”
Maxim scoffed looking at Dwight.
“What regrets would there be? It was very good not rubbing against you all.”
“If thinking so makes your mind at ease. Do as you wish.”
Dwight stepped back treating Maxim with a disdainful gaze.
“Now! Let’s start! Make this place enjoyable with that ignorant sword of yours. I will also entertain everyone with Philip that speaks the spirit of Poinus.”
Dwight lifted his sword high into the sky. The silver blade shone beautifully. Everyone seeing this exclaimed with ecstatic faces. Among them, words like ‘I want to touch it’, ‘I want to use it’, ‘I want to see it up close’ came out.
And Maxim.
“Bullshit.”
Reacted differently from the ecstasy.
“What?”
“Where did you bring a knockoff and show off? That is Philip? King Philip III’s beloved weapon, Philip?”
Philip in Maxim’s memory was crudeness itself. It had a pitch-black cast iron blade, not a sleek silver blade. Philip had no time to shine. Because it had to cut people endlessly. It is said the blood on the blade was wiped whenever there was a chance, but the traces couldn’t be erased. It turned dark red when it caught the light. People who saw it said it was terrible.
Maxim had a similar impression. So Dwight’s words couldn’t help but be absurd.
“What does a guy like you know to blabber recklessly?”
“I know. Probably better than you?”
“Crazy bastard.”
“We’ll see who the crazy bastard is.”
Dwight, saying there was nothing more to hear, strongly stimulated his mana circle.
The mana that rose above the mana circle emitted a dark brown light.
Over the blade of Philip held by Dwight, things like small thorns were densely situated.
“Come! Attack with all your power. I will show you what the true sword of Poinus is.”
Maxim looked askance at Dwight who took the basic stance of Poinus swordsmanship.
“What did you pick up and eat in those few days?”
“……What? Eat what?”
Maxim pointed at Dwight’s chest. The place where the mana circle is located.
“Going from 3rd Circle to 4th Circle isn’t something done quickly like flipping an egg, you see.”
“mocking other’s efforts. As expected, you are a hopeless guy.”
Dwight stomped his foot and aimed for Maxim’s neck.
Clang!
Dawn and Philip met and vomited sparks.
“There’s a lot missing to discuss a true sword. What could be missing?”
Dwight’s eyes became fierce encountering Maxim’s ridicule.
Clang! Cla-clang!
Dawn shook. Maxim’s body, taking the impact, was pushed back little by little. His knees lowered little by little. Eventually, his left knee touched the floor.
“You were arrogant, but it’s laughable!”
Philip, spewing dark brown energy, aimed for Maxim’s head.
Kaboom!
A giant crack appeared on the floor Maxim was treading on.
Philip, which struck Dawn hard, bounced back.
“How long will you only block!”
Bang!
Kaboom!
The shock shook Dawn and flowed into Maxim’s entire body. But Maxim didn’t make any sound of pain. He didn’t frown either. He just breathed calmly and closely examined Dwight’s gaps.
“I will reveal right here that you bastard! Are the poison of our Poinus!”
Dwight’s attacks continued endlessly.
The spectators repeated exclamations and sighs.
“Ma, Maxim.”
“The difference was this big?”
“Ah…… should I have dragged it on a bit more?”
Odekerkh, Adellian, and Piontek spoke regret seeing Maxim’s struggle.
However, Michelle and Egbaldo watched the situation indifferently.
Thud!
Maxim’s body was pushed back largely. A single long line left by Dawn continued on the floor.
“Cough!”
Maxim spat out a thick clot of blood.
Dwight raised the corners of his mouth looking at Maxim.
“You have a nice-looking face.”
“My looks are indeed good. Compared to someone.”
“Your head has gone crazy from the shock. To say such nonsense.”
Dwight walked step by step toward the center of the arena.
Maxim corrected his grip on Dawn and straightened his posture.
“You stay right there.”
Dwight, standing in the center, said while sticking Philip into the floor.
At that moment, tree vines sprang up from the floor and bound Maxim’s legs.
“O, oh no!”
“Dangerous!”
“Get out! You can get out!”
Odekerkh, Adellian, and Piontek cheered for Maxim as if vomiting blood.
Dwight scoffed looking at them.
“You cannot move until I permit it. So don’t waste your strength.”
Maxim, whose legs were bound, glared at Dwight.
At this, Dwight clicked his tongue and pushed mana into Philip.
New tree vines sprouted and bound Maxim’s arms and torso.
“Behold! This cruel person in front of you all!”
Dwight’s shout.
The spectators hearing this were puzzled.
“What is he saying?”
“Who is cruel? Maxim?”
“Seeing him speak while tying him up, must be right?”
“But what is cruel?”
“He’ll tell us. Let’s listen quietly.”
As the spectators’ murmuring subsided, Dwight nodded and looked around them.
“The one who made my brother Hans a mess! That is Maxim!”
At Dwight’s words, the 3rd Queen’s eyes grew infinitely large. She jumped up from the chair she was sitting in and glared at Maxim. If her maids nearby hadn’t stopped her, she would have run down to the arena immediately.
“Is it real?”
“Maxim did that? Does that make sense?”
“Maxim was the one who lived getting beaten by Hans.”
“Exactly. Such a kid made Hans like that? Does it make sense?”
Spectators doubting Dwight’s words.
“Was it true that he took drugs and got strong to get revenge?”
“Right, I thought something was strange. Getting strong suddenly and coming to the finals.”
“Can you get strong by taking drugs?”
“Did you forget Barthe already? He became strong like a monster.”
“Ah! Right. Then it means there are side effects?”
Spectators believing Dwight’s words.
Dwight, seeing the divided opinions, raised his hand high.
“It is true that my brother Hans bullied Maxim. But he did not drive him to death. But that cruel guy destroyed my brother and made him look at death. But there is a bigger problem than this!”
Louis I looked at Maxim with a frowning brow.
Maxim was watching Dwight with a face steeped in fatigue.
“Your Majesty.”
The captain of Louis I’s guard opened his mouth carefully.
“It is fine. Let us watch.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The guard captain stepped back and observed the surroundings. Although he heard it was fine, he circulated his mana circle and raised his vigilance in preparation for any potential disturbance. The subordinates who noticed the captain’s action acted the same as him.
“That guy is colluding with Uresra’s spies! Being able to become strong overnight was also because Uresra gave him drugs.”
Maxim made a sound ‘Phew’ and shook his head.
“You want to ask for evidence. You want to ask if I didn’t get strong through effort. So I say.
Maxim himself is the evidence. Is there anyone among us who hasn’t tried? Everyone here has tried. But did you become ridiculously strong? No. Look. Maxim became strong in an instant. How could that be possible if not for drugs? How could a guy who is always at the bottom of the school come up to the finals? Do you need other evidence? Here! Look!
Where is Barthe? Who is he cheering for?”
The spectators’ gazes turned toward Barthe standing next to Piontek.
“Right. It’s really so.”
“Wow, shit! He colluded with Uresra just to become a little strong?”
“Ha! Crazy bastard. A guy to sell out the country.”
“A bastard called a Prince.”
Many spectators ground their teeth and exposed anger.
Adellian, Odekerkh, Piontek, Michelle, Barthe, and Egbaldo looked at Maxim. There was anxiety and worry in their eyes. But what was even greater than this was expectation. The expectation that he would definitely break through this nonsensical situation.
“Predictable. Predictable. Not even a speck of newness. Tsk tsk tsk.”
Maxim sighed and tore off the tree vines binding him with strength.
“What?”
Dwight made a face of disbelief. Because tree vines made with 4th Circle magic couldn’t be torn with ordinary strength.
“Since I’m watching without a word, do you see a person as a retard. Hey.”
Maxim pointed at Dwight while holding Dawn.
“A traitor is blabbering as he pleases. Everyone behold! I! At this spot right now! Will execute that cruel traitor! Anyone who wants to stop this, speak right now!”
“That guy really has a talent for saying nonsensical things nonchalantly? Hey, if asked to raise hands if they want to die, would you raise yours?”
Dwight aimed for Maxim’s heart with his sword instead of replying.
Clang!
Dwight’s arm cut through the empty air. Philip was trembling. He spat out a gasp, surprised by the unexpected situation.
Maxim looked at Dwight with sharp eyes.
“From now on, it’s real. Brace yourself firmly.”
Maxim infused mana into Dawn. Dawn, which had been dull until now, emitted a faint light.
Thump.
Dwight lifted Philip to block Dawn falling onto his forehead. His arms trembled as if the heavy impact was substantial.
“Try blocking hard with that sword you bragged about so excitedly.”
Dawn moved at a substantial speed creating afterimages.
Dwight couldn’t believe it. Since the giant sword moved fast enough that it was hard to track with eyes.
Clang!
Clatter-clatter!
Clang!
Head, shoulder, waist, leg.
Dwight frantically blocked the attacks that stormed in so he couldn’t breathe. But it wasn’t perfect. Big and small wounds appeared here and there on his body.
Maxim stepped back, shaking off the blood on Dawn, and glared at Dwight.
“I have a lot to say. But since I’m treated as a traitor, I don’t want to say anything? What should be done?”
“……Why ask that to me…….”
“Before you talked about brothers or whatever, now you mean we are strangers? Then it can’t be helped.”
Dawn, loaded with mana, drew a smooth line and aimed for Dwight’s shoulder.
Clang!
Tang!
Philip broke.
The severed blade flew and stuck into the inner wall of the arena.
Dwight looked at Maxim and Philip alternately with surprised eyes.
“Why? Is there a problem? Ah, there is a problem with character?”
Maxim corrected his grip on Dawn.
“But you see? I also have a problem with character?”
Maxim’s corners of the mouth went up swoosh! and a cruel smile filled his face.