As the training ground became fully surrounded, Leo began to tremble with unease. He wasn’t alone. The armed merchants who had followed them clutched their weapons tightly, glancing nervously at the encroaching soldiers. Only Ghislain appeared completely unbothered, casually surveying their surroundings. The surrounding forces remained still, merely holding their position. A heavy silence hung in the air. After a moment, Baron Magvel appeared, flanked by a dozen knights. Baron Magvel smirked as he looked at Leo. "So many of you came. Are you planning to fight right here and now?" "N-no, we’re here purely for peaceful negotiations," Leo stammered. "Oh? Afraid I’d order my soldiers to cut you down?" Leo said nothing. No matter how he explained it, their presence with armed men could only be interpreted as provocation. The onlookers who had come with the baron likely already anticipated what was about to happen. They had surely been thoroughly briefed by the baron himself. Baron Magvel took his seat, raising a hand. "Well, we should proceed with the duel, regardless of the outcome." At his signal, one of the knights stepped forward. This knight, though skilled, was not likely stronger than Bandr, the baron’s late ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) chief knight. Defeating Julien seemed out of reach. Still, Baron Magvel intended to proceed. If, by some miracle, his knight won, it would make everything much easier. "Let this ‘Julien’ or whoever step forward." Julien gripped his sword tightly, his nervousness evident. But before he could move, Ghislain placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Take a break this time." "Why? Are you planning to go instead?" Julien asked, relief flickering across his face. Ghislain shook his head. "You’ve already defeated the baron’s best knight. Why lower yourself to fighting someone beneath him? It’s unbecoming. Let someone else handle it this time." "Who?" Ghislain turned to Kyle with a smirk. "Kyle, you’re up." "...Fine. If the captain goes out for every little fight, it just looks desperate anyway," Kyle muttered as he stood up. "Good grief... For the record, I’m stronger than Julien." Kyle drew his sword, stepping forward with determination. "Julien might be my rival, but he’s not stronger than me." "Sure," Ghislain replied nonchalantly. "In fact, I only let him have the captain’s spot because you told me to! If it were purely based on skill, that spot would’ve been mine." "Got it." "I mean it. I’m better." "Noted." "...You’re so annoying," Kyle huffed, stomping forward. Though Kyle and Julien often sparred, it was hard to definitively say who was stronger. Still, Kyle’s confidence wasn’t entirely misplaced. As Kyle stepped into the arena, the knight who had been waiting scowled. "Are you mocking me? Why isn’t your captain coming out?" This knight had been present during Julien and Bandr’s duel, so he had prepared himself thoroughly. He wore heavy armor, carried a shield, and was ready to prove his worth. But now, instead of the captain, this young mercenary appeared. The knight felt insulted. Kyle grinned, pointing his sword at the knight. "Don’t worry. I’m stronger. Just stick your neck out and let’s get this over with." Kyle’s carefree and irreverent demeanor contrasted sharply with the knight’s serious attitude. Though Kyle wasn’t entirely free of nerves, he didn’t feel the overwhelming sense of responsibility that weighed on Julien. "If it looks like I’m going to lose, I’ll just run. You all can handle the rest." That was the extent of Kyle’s planning. "You insolent—!" Clang! The knight lowered his visor, ready to fight. He gripped his sword tightly, intending to finish this as quickly as possible. The two rushed at each other simultaneously. The knight swung his sword first. Clang! Kyle blocked the attack and moved swiftly, aiming for the knight’s flank. But the knight’s shield deflected the blow. Clang! Clang! Their swords clashed repeatedly as they exchanged strikes. The knight’s movements were slower but precise, his heavy armor and shield providing excellent defense. Kyle, wearing light leather armor, was much faster, darting around and landing several hits on the knight’s armor. Clang! Clang! Dents began to appear on the knight’s armor, and small tears formed in some places. However, Kyle couldn’t inflict any significant damage. The armor absorbed most of the blows, leaving the knight largely unscathed. "Tch," Kyle muttered, biting his lip. The heavily armored knight was proving to be a tough opponent. If Kyle had the raw strength to overpower him, he could’ve ended the fight quickly. But moving and fighting at the same time made it difficult to land a decisive blow. The knight wasn’t without skill, either. He adapted to Kyle’s movements, focusing on defending vital areas while countering whenever possible. The prolonged fight took its toll on both of them. Clang! Clang! The knight’s shield absorbed blow after blow, while Kyle continued to evade the knight’s heavy swings. Though Kyle’s strikes were more frequent, the knight’s defensive focus kept him standing. The duel dragged on, drawing the attention of everyone present. Even Baron Magvel seemed intrigued, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "That mercenary is more skilled than I expected," the baron muttered. He had assumed that any knight he sent out would eventually lose. But the current duel was closer than anticipated. Clang! Clang! Clang! Kyle shifted tactics, feinting attacks to force the knight to move defensively. With each feint, the knight grew more fatigued, his heavy armor and shield weighing him down. Meanwhile, Kyle moved with increasing agility, conserving his stamina and waiting for the perfect opportunity. "Dark, are you ready?" Kyle whispered. "Of course, bro," Dark replied, perched on Kyle’s shoulder. Despite the intense battle, Dark had stayed close to Kyle. At Kyle’s signal, Dark nodded with a resolute expression. Clang! Kyle clashed with the knight’s shield one more time before retreating. The knight, struggling to keep up, raised his shield defensively. But his exhaustion showed in the unsteady movement of his arm. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺 Kyle suddenly lunged forward, hammering the knight’s shield with a series of rapid strikes. Clang! Clang! Clang! The relentless assault forced the knight to stumble back, his stance faltering. Gritting his teeth, he swung his sword in a desperate counterattack. "Now!" Kyle shouted. With a flutter of wings, Dark flew from Kyle’s shoulder, landing squarely on the knight’s helmet. "What the—!" Blinded, the knight panicked, shaking his head to dislodge the intruder. But Dark clung tightly, refusing to let go. The knight flailed, swinging his sword wildly in an attempt to regain control. At last, he dropped his shield to grab Dark. "Never forget me!" Dark declared dramatically before leaping away. Thud! Dark disappeared, and the knight’s vision cleared—just in time to see Kyle lunging forward with a cold smile. Clang! Kyle’s sword struck the side of the knight’s helmet, denting it deeply. Though the armor didn’t break completely, the impact staggered the knight. Before he could recover, Kyle struck again, targeting the same spot. Crash! The knight’s helmet finally gave way, and Kyle’s blade pierced through. "Urgh..." The knight let out a short groan before collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud. Boom! Standing over the knight’s lifeless body, Kyle ran a hand through his hair. "I told you—I’m stronger than Julien." Ghislain watched him with an unimpressed expression. "Wow. Truly inspiring," Ghislain muttered sarcastically. I thought Kyle would win. After all, his swordsmanship and mana techniques were far superior to those of the knights, and his innate talent was exceptional. Moreover, Kyle had undergone customized training directly under me. Even if his opponent was a heavily armored knight, it would be more surprising if Kyle lost. But to think he’d use Dark to pull off such a trick. It was true—Kyle was more resourceful and quick-witted than Julien. "Wowwwww...!" "Kyle wonnnnn!" Julien and Deneb clenched their fists and cheered softly. Regardless, the fact that Kyle had won was something to celebrate. However, the others remained quiet. Even though they were glad their side had won, it wasn’t the kind of atmosphere where they could openly express their joy. The heavy silence filled the area, choking the air. Step, step, step. Ghislain slowly moved his sword and then shouted loudly. "As promised! We’ve won the duel, so this land now belongs to the Raks family! Ah, Leo—since the soldiers who once served the baron have fallen, you, as a member of the Raks family, should take on the title and govern this territory. By the way, what about that empty seat we talked about earlier?" Ghislain’s cheeky smile only served to further bewilder the surrounding soldiers and knights. Leo and the mercenaries stood frozen, trembling in fear. After a long pause, Ghislain asked loudly, "How about this—would you like to nullify the terms of the duel and let us leave peacefully?" As he said this, Ghislain let out a sly chuckle, adding, "I told you—I’m not cut out for being a merchant." "Y-yes..." Leo stammered. "But looking at this situation, you’d make a good baron." "W-what does that mean...?" "Ruling well is also a skill. Leave it to me now." Shrugging off Leo’s grip, Ghislain stepped forward again and raised his voice once more. "Anyone who understands the situation, listen up! Lay down your weapons and avoid unnecessary deaths. This is your chance to surrender and swear loyalty to the new lord!" Naturally, none of the soldiers or knights moved. They wouldn’t dare accept such a shift in power, especially if it meant losing their lordship. Baron Magvel finally broke the silence, speaking slowly. "You truly are fearless fools." Rising from his seat, he pointed sharply at Ghislain. "It’s clear now. You all orchestrated this whole thing, didn’t you?" "What orchestrations are you talking about? My lord, it’s time for you to pack your belongings and prepare to leave. As for the witnesses, please spread the word that this duel was conducted fairly and justly." Baron Magvel was no longer the rightful lord of this land. The legitimacy now lay with Ghislain. But the witnesses exchanged uneasy glances with the baron. They had come prepared to lie on his behalf, to twist the outcome as needed. After all, they had been part of the plan from the beginning. Baron Magvel chuckled, his shoulders shaking as he spoke. "Yes, at this moment, you have legitimacy. Legitimacy is an important thing—it can start wars, garner the support of people, and so on. But do you know what’s more important than legitimacy?" "What is it?" "Power. Overwhelming power can crush legitimacy. Especially when there’s no external interference to expose the truth." Baron Magvel clenched his fist as he spoke, his voice growing colder. Ghislain merely chuckled in response. The baron’s expression hardened further at the sound of Ghislain’s laughter. "No one will help you. In other words, even if you all die here, the truth will remain buried forever." As he finished speaking, Baron Magvel raised his hand high. Clink, clink, clink. At his command, the heavily armed soldiers surrounding them began to move. It was a declaration that he would kill everyone here, legitimacy be damned. Leo and the mercenaries trembled violently, shrinking back in fear. Even Julien, Deneb, and Kyle instinctively took defensive stances, hiding behind Ghislain. The three of them stared at Ghislain, silently hoping he had a plan. Facing the advancing soldiers, Ghislain spoke up. "By the way, there happens to be a priest from the Deana Order here. Are you planning to kill a holy servant of the gods?" "Hmph. Who would care about a lowly priest abandoned by even their gods?" It seemed even nobles had some lingering respect for the divine, or perhaps they were just cautious of appearances. Ghislain smiled faintly and began to slowly move his hand in a complex motion. His voice grew colder as he spoke. "Baron Magvel." "...What is it?" "You’ve just thrown away your last chance." "What are you talking about?" "You think power is more important than legitimacy? You’re mistaken..." Ghislain stepped forward, lowering his body slightly as he extended his staff. The mana stored within his core began to flow, responding to his mastery of magical reinforcement. Though fifth-dimensional mana was less stable and less efficient than pure mana, the sheer quantity Ghislain could manipulate was enough to compensate. Combined with his skill and experience, which had already surpassed human limits, he was more than prepared to handle the soldiers before him. "Boom!" Blue mana began to swirl around Ghislain’s staff, condensing rapidly. A feral grin spread across his face. "I also happen to like settling things with power." Boom! In a flash, Ghislain shot forward like a bolt of lightning.