150 An Audience for Battle
The news sent shockwaves through the surrounding lords.
"The rightful heir? Since when was there another besides Calix?"
"Have you all forgotten? Duke Klaus’s daughter married into Hern."
"Wait—Hern? What in the hell is a Hern doing all the way up here? Shouldn’t they be living comfortably in the Empire’s heartlands?"
"Well, whatever the reason, he does have a legitimate claim."
"That much is true. If his bloodline is real, then there’s no one closer to the Grimaldi name than him."
"Honestly, wasn’t it a joke from the start that Calix was using the Grimaldi name? The last marriage that tied them together was what—centuries ago?"
If the rumor proved true, then Calix County’s entire claim to northern rule would collapse.
Both the nobles supporting Calix and those opposing them immediately sharpened their focus.
However, some of the older lords simply scoffed at the rumors.
"Tch. What a ridiculous story. Ignore it."
"But my lord, shouldn’t we at least send someone to witness the duel?"
"There’s no need. Whether he’s Duke Klaus’s grandson or not, he’s just some sixteen-year-old brat. If he can survive even a single exchange against the Wolf-Slayer Harald, I’ll be impressed."
"But does he even need to win? Isn’t this just about proving his strength? Harald might go easy on him—"
"Idiot. Harald is a true warrior. He would never disgrace himself by holding back in a duel. If that boy isn’t strong enough, he’ll be crushed."
To the older lords, the outcome was obvious. If William was really going to fight Harald, he was walking straight into a massacre.
Even within Harald’s own territory, the people had similar thoughts.
"Lord, are you really going to fight our master?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Here, drink this. Fresh deer’s blood."
"...Deer’s blood?"
"It strengthens a man. You must prepare well—Lord Harald could seriously injure you."
William was left speechless.
No one—not a single person—was worried about Harald.
They were all entirely convinced that William would lose.
Rather than question whether he would lose, they were only worried about how badly he would be injured in the process.
Some even admired his courage.
"It’s truly impressive. To challenge our lord just to prove your strength—I respect that!"
"Here’s a tip—don’t try to overpower him head-on. Find the gaps between his big swings."
"...."
The sincerity of their concern left William and his group bemused.
They weren’t underestimating him in mockery—they genuinely thought he had no chance.
"This is a strange experience," William mused aloud. "I’ve already fought two major battles, yet here I am being treated like a fresh recruit."
"It makes sense," Raymond replied. "Northern territories tend to be... isolated. They don’t get much information from the outside world. Only major events spread, and even then, the Empire covered up most of the details regarding your previous battles."
"Well, regardless of what they know, Harald is a powerful warrior," William admitted.
He recalled the massive axe that Harald had swung in battle.
His attacks weren’t particularly complex—no unnecessary tricks, no elegant techniques.
But his raw power alone made the mere thought of deflecting him seem laughable.
A lesser warrior would crumble beneath his sheer presence alone.
"But I’m not just any ordinary knight."
Closing his eyes, William turned his focus inward.
The paths of mana within him, once smoothly polished, had expanded even further after his awakening.
His enhanced physique had grown stronger, allowing him to wield more power than ever before.
For the first time in a long while—
He had found an opponent who wouldn’t simply be overwhelmed in a single exchange.
A true challenge.
A small smirk crossed his lips.
I’ve changed, he realized.
Once, he had feared every battle.
Now, a part of him was actually eager.
On the day of the duel, William stood in the town’s main square, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
Typically, noble duels were held within private training grounds—but this was an exception.
The purpose of this battle was public recognition, and a crowd was essential.
He scanned the gathered spectators.
’Plenty of people showed up.’
His eyes flickered toward several knights standing among the townspeople.
They weren’t from Harald’s own forces.
They had been sent from other territories, acting as representatives of various noble houses to personally witness the outcome of the duel.
’They must have traveled fast to get here in time.’
It had only been a week, and yet, a significant number of nobles had sent observers.
That meant one thing—
They’re interested.
And that was exactly what William wanted.
Even before stepping into the ring, he had already succeeded in capturing the north’s attention.
All that remained...
Was to win.
His fingers idly traced the edge of his sword’s guard as he waited.
Eventually, he began to grow bored.
Then—
Clang!
The city’s inner gate rumbled open.
William’s gaze snapped toward the entrance as a familiar figure emerged.
Harald.
The massive warrior strode forward, his battle axe slung over his shoulder.
William smiled slightly—
Only for his expression to freeze midway.
Because next to Harald...
Bound in ropes...
Was Torik.
William blinked.
’Wait. Why the hell is he out of prison?’
"Did I keep you waiting?"
"No, you arrived just in time. But… the one behind you…?"
William couldn’t simply ignore the unexpected presence of Torik.
Even though Harald spoke as if nothing was out of place, this was not part of the original plan.
An unexpected development could complicate things.
Sensing William’s unease, Harald gave a wry smile.
"Don’t mind this fool. He’s just here to stand and watch—like a wooden plank."
"Can I ask why?"
"He’s… my final regret."
At those words, William understood immediately.
A son who wanted to tear down the very traditions his father had fought to uphold.
Their relationship was already beyond repair.
But still—Harald wanted Torik to witness this battle firsthand.
To see something.
To feel something.
Perhaps, deep down, he still wished for his son to understand the weight of what he had tried to cast aside.
William said nothing more.
Torik, on the other hand, remained silent, staring away from them both.
Understanding the situation, William simply nodded and stepped forward.
"Very well. When shall we begin?"
"There’s no need to keep the audience waiting. Draw your sword."
Boom.
The heavy axe hit the ground, sending shockwaves through the dirt.
William immediately noticed the difference.
’That’s no ordinary axe… Is it an artifact?’
A relic from an ancient age, made with techniques lost to time.
Even low-grade artifacts were priceless, and a mid-tier one could be worth as much as a noble house’s heirloom.
And from the power radiating off it…
This was no mid-tier artifact.
William let out a small laugh.
’So you really aren’t planning to hold back, huh?’
Shhhk—
With a smooth motion, William drew his sword.
It wasn’t an artifact, but adamantium-forged steel.
Enough to withstand even an artifact’s force.
In this battle, there would be no cheap tricks—only raw skill would decide the victor.
"May this duel be an honorable battle, worthy of the Eight Masters."
Raymond, standing as the official witness, completed the formal rite of combat and stepped aside.
The moment he did—
BOOM.
Harald exploded forward.
An unnatural speed.
William nearly let out a chuckle.
’It’s the artifact!’
The runes hidden along the axe’s blade flickered to life, unleashing a wave of magic.
A normal knight wouldn’t have even considered facing him head-on.
They would have staggered back, searching for an opening.
But William—
Met force with force.
His blade swung at full strength to meet the incoming axe.
A thin blade against a massive war axe.
The moment they clashed—
KAAAAAANG!
A sound like thunder tore through the air, shaking the ground itself.
Fwaaaash!
Palmyr, a knight of the Calix County, felt his legs tremble.
The shockwaves from the battle rattled through his very bones.
If it had been him standing in that ring—
One single clash like that would have shattered his arms.
But those two?
They had already exchanged multiple blows of equal force.
’Ridiculous… it’s absolutely ridiculous…’
Harald’s strength was immense, but at least that made sense.
He was a veteran, known for slaughtering wolves in his youth, a seasoned warrior whose name still carried weight among old noble families.
His massive frame, his years of training, his artifact’s magic—
With all that combined, it was understandable that he was this strong.
But that boy…
’How is this even possible?’
Palmyr’s gaze locked onto William.
Sixteen.
Average height.
Minimal battle experience.
Not even wielding an artifact.
’And yet… he’s matching Harald.’
BOOM.
Another shockwave burst outward.
As the battle raged, both warriors took a brief step back to assess each other.
Then—
"Hahahaha!"
Harald suddenly laughed.
A booming, raw laughter, filled with exhilaration.
Even now, his eyes still flickered with astonishment.
’I expected him to have some hidden tricks… but this?’
Harald had given everything from the start.
Not to win, but to teach William what it meant to fight in the north.
If the boy had crumbled under the pressure, he would have known he had no place here.
Because sheer willpower wasn’t enough in the north.
Here—experience and raw strength decided survival.
Even if William lost, Harald expected him to at least try some desperate gamble.
Some clever maneuver, some reckless trick.
But instead—
William was beating him with pure power.
Like a rising storm.
His heart, which had remained dormant for so long, pounded with life.
It wasn’t just battle-frenzy.
No—he was seeing something greater.
This wasn’t some reckless child.
This was a legend in the making.
An heir to greatness.
A hero, yet to be born.
’Maybe… maybe the north can be united after all.’
If this young warrior stood at its center.
If he truly inherited the will of Grimaldi.
"Are you satisfied?"
Harald turned his gaze back to William.
Even after all those earth-shattering blows, the boy still stood strong.
His breathing was even, his stance steady—and a confident smile played on his lips.
"Ha! Damn right, I’m satisfied!"
Harald gripped his axe.
"But you still have more to show, don’t you?"
"If you’d like—"
William’s aura ignited.
A wave of blue mana radiated from his body, visible to the naked eye.
The watching knights gasped.
"Visible mana manifestation!?"
"What kind of monster…!?"
For mana to be visible, two things were possible:
Either the user had absolute mastery over it, to the level of a Sword Saint—
Or their raw mana reserves were so overwhelming that they barely qualified as human anymore.
In either case—
It meant William was far beyond ordinary.
"Hah… in all my years, I’ve never been this shocked before."
Harald clenched his axe.
He wanted to continue.
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To see what other secrets William was hiding.
But his body—even enhanced by the artifact—was starting to falter.
"One last exchange?"
William nodded.
"Sounds good. Come."
"Hahaha! You really are something!"
Harald grinned, stepping into an attack stance.
In battle, the one who moves first controls the flow.
And so—The final clash began.
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Alright, my loyal readers… Today’s court is adjourned. From this day forth, updates shall be limited to three chapters per day—no more. ⚔️📜
Alas, my reserves are dwindling, and I must pen more chapters. Yet, the lack of support for this tale weighs heavy upon me… My enthusiasm wanes. 🏰😞
I ask but one favor of you—Golden Tickets and a wealth of reviews! Shall this humble request prove too burdensome? 🎖️📖✨
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