Chapter 237
‘Who would have thought he’d bring the Sun Duke as a notary?’
Werner’s headache began as the unexpected unfolded.
If he tried to find another excuse, the Sun Duke would surely not stand by.
In other words, the only way out was to defeat Yan by any means necessary.
Annoyance flickered in Werner’s eyes.
‘Cleaning up afterward will be difficult, but I might have to resort to that method to ensure victory.’
He did have a last resort he could rely on.
However, using it would result in severe long-term consequences.
He would have to live almost like a cripple, and the Sun Duke might expose it, narrowing his position.
Shake, shake.
‘The Sun Duke isn’t one to blab.’
Of course, this might just be his own delusion, but he had to rationalize it that way for now.
And if there were any signs that the Sun Duke’s health wasn’t normal…
A murderous glint appeared in Werner’s eyes.
* * *
Yan glanced towards the castle gate before turning his head to meet the gaze of the Sun Duke. In his eyes, there was a mix of indifference, a hint of curiosity, and disbelief.
The curiosity was about the kind of battle he would face against the Eastern Duke. The disbelief was about the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ he had mentioned when summoning him.
Yan was confident he could turn that disbelief into certainty, having witnessed Werner using dark magic in the past.
“Why is it so quiet near the castle gate?” Yan remarked. “It should be bustling with the knights of Armenia and the Eastern Duke’s territory clashing.”
Since the Sun Duke’s arrival, there was neither the sound of clashing swords nor any sense of hostility. The Sun Duke must have taken some measures.
Yan’s guess was correct. The Sun Duke chuckled and replied, “I dislike noise, so I applied a bit of pressure.”
“I brought them here to hone their skills, but you’re too much,” Yan grumbled, not entirely seriously.
“Too much? Shouldn’t you be grateful?” The Sun Duke’s unexpected question made Yan frown momentarily before he realized what he meant and laughed.
Why bring the knights here? To let them experience what they learned in war. While battles to the death have their benefits, the risks are clear. Some might die, and others might lose limbs.
The Sun Duke’s intervention removed those risks. Under his pressure, no one could swing their swords at the enemy.
Moreover, ‘Even enduring the Sun Duke’s pressure would be enlightening.’ If they overcame it, they would gain even greater insights. Facing the pressure of a top-tier imperial superhuman is like confronting inevitable death.
Realizing the Sun Duke’s consideration, Yan bowed respectfully. “I misspoke. Thank you.”
“Good. But are you sure about this?”
“…?”
“This is the Eastern Duke’s territory. Even a stray dog has an advantage in its own home. Not much is known about the Eastern Duke, making it hard to detect any tricks.”
Yan couldn’t help but laugh at the Sun Duke’s words. He never expected the most noble man in the empire to use a common saying like ‘Even a stray dog has an advantage in its own home.’
“Why are you laughing?” The Sun Duke frowned at Yan, annoyed that his advice was met with laughter.
“Sorry, I got distracted for a moment,” Yan apologized, exhaling deeply before looking towards the Eastern Duke.
In the distance, the Eastern Duke was receiving a sword from a butler who had rushed over. Yan smiled as he watched.
“No matter what the Eastern Duke does, we can just crush him with force, right?”
The Sun Duke blinked in surprise. “Crush him?”
The Eastern Duke was known as a second-tier superhuman, a strong opponent on par with himself. And Yan planned to crush such a strong opponent with force?
The Sun Duke had expected Yan to use his usual cunning to overcome this challenge. But Yan’s words suggested otherwise.
Regaining his composure, the Sun Duke exerted his pressure on Yan. The knights fighting at the gate, the two young knights who had just reached the superhuman level, and the second-ranked knight of the Eastern Duke’s territory all fell to their knees under his pressure.
But…
“He’s holding up?”
Yan showed no sign of kneeling. The Sun Duke noticed Yan’s calm expression and laughed.
“You’re not even trying, are you?”
Yan’s serene expression indicated that the Sun Duke’s pressure wasn’t reaching him. This could only mean one thing.
“Haha, incredible. You weren’t just recklessly trying to overcome this situation.”
Yan had challenged the Eastern Duke with confidence in his victory. In other words…
“Congratulations. You’ve become the youngest second-tier superhuman. You’re now the greatest talent in the empire. No, you’re already a complete powerhouse.”
Yan had reached the level of the four dukes. The Sun Duke’s high praise made Yan smile as he walked forward.
In the distance, the Eastern Duke, now ready, was walking towards Yan. Watching this, Yan spoke.
“Not yet. Acknowledge me after I defeat the Eastern Duke.”
With a swift motion, Yan drew Ascalon from his waist and charged towards the approaching Eastern Duke.
* * *
Yan was the first to strike.
He flew towards the Eastern Duke, swinging Ascalon without giving him a moment’s respite.
BOOM! BOOM!
Each clash of their swords echoed not with mere sounds but with thunderous roars. With every exchange, massive shockwaves rippled through the surroundings.
“Is this… the battle of superhumans?”
“I’ve never seen the Eastern Duke fight before.”
The knights of the Eastern Duke’s territory, who had rushed over, stopped their own battles to focus on the duel. The Sun Duke’s presence had rendered further fighting meaningless.
The knights of Armenia, who had followed, were also left speechless by the spectacle before them. Yan was fiercely clashing with the Eastern Duke without yielding an inch.
“Of course, there’s a gap. How could anyone beat someone who can hold his own against the Four Dukes?”
“Your rationalization is pathetic.”
“Enough, you two!”
As Cruel and Roman seemed ready to argue again, Charles shouted, separating them. They had been unable to go all out against the Knight of Roses due to the sudden intervention of the Sun Duke. His dazzling swordsmanship had kept them on the defensive, and just as they were getting used to it, the Sun Duke had appeared and disrupted the fight entirely.
Having not had a proper battle, the two had almost simultaneously broken free from the Sun Duke’s pressure, leaving their hierarchy unresolved.
Cruel and Roman glared at each other, exchanging words.
“I’ll crush that annoying face of yours no matter what.”
“If you can. But can you?”
Just as their conflict was about to reignite,
SWOOSH!
A sword strike from Werner, deflected by Yan, shot towards them. Werner’s swordsmanship, considered top-tier even in the empire, was too powerful for them to block.
As Cruel and Roman raised their swords in panic to block the incoming strike,
CRASH!
The strike was split in two and dissipated. The Sun Duke, observing the fight from afar, had waved his hand, shattering the attack aimed at the knights.
Feeling the threat to their lives dissipate, the two sighed in relief, clutching their chests. At that moment, the Sun Duke’s calm voice reached them.
“It’s noisy. Watch quietly.”
The two widened their eyes and clamped their mouths shut.
* * *
Werner gritted his teeth as he faced Yan. Initially, he thought he could handle it, but as time passed, Yan’s attacks grew fiercer.
BOOM!
“Ugh.”
Now, it was becoming increasingly difficult to block each strike. He wasn’t sure what trick Yan was using, but one thing was clear.
‘That sword is the problem.’
Werner’s gaze shifted to the sword in Yan’s hand. That mysterious blade effortlessly tore through his aura as if it were paper. At first, he thought it was Yan’s skill, but as time went on, he realized it was the sword’s ability.
‘I should have deployed my domain from the start.’
Werner regretted not going all out to gauge Yan’s strength. Now, the situation was so dire that even a fraction of a second could decide the outcome. If he tried to gather mana to deploy his domain now, Yan would seize the opportunity to decapitate him.
Grinding his teeth, Werner swung his sword at the dozens of sword energies flying towards him.
CRASH!
With a thunderous noise, the ground beneath him caved in. Even though he blocked the attacks, he couldn’t completely dissipate the force contained within them. Werner’s body was gradually accumulating fatigue. If he couldn’t turn the tide, he would be the first to collapse.
At that moment, a voice echoed in Werner’s ear amidst the battle.
-Envy, you look like you’re struggling. Want some help? The Sun Duke watching over there is a bit annoying, but if you create an opening, I can handle that guy. I’ll keep the Sun Duke occupied until then.
Werner’s lips trembled at the voice. It was another of the Seven Deadly Sins sent by the Emperor. Judging by the voice, it was ‘Pride.’
It was humiliating, but ‘Pride’ was one of the strongest among the Seven Deadly Sins, even stronger than himself. If he stepped in, he could hold off the Sun Duke for a while. If the Sun Duke wasn’t in perfect condition, he might even be able to kill him.
Yes, this was the best choice. It was a golden lifeline for someone in danger. But if he accepted the offer, his pride built up over the years would be shattered.
Werner’s eyes momentarily turned black. In that instant, the flowers spread around him began to scatter their petals according to his will.
Werner shouted at the top of his lungs, “Do you think I would lose to someone like this!!”