The crowd fell silent, their gazes locked on the two figures standing at the heart of the square. Blades were drawn, pointed at one another's throats, and the atmosphere grew heavy with the tension of imminent violence. Zeth had already assumed a combat stance, his posture sharp and brimming with hostility, while Cerios stood unfazed. His twin blades remained at his side, sheathed, as if his opponent were unworthy of the effort.
"For you," Cerios said calmly, his voice cutting through the stillness like steel, "I need only one blade. You may repent here and now, or continue and suffer the consequences."
Zeth smirked, though the sweat at his temple betrayed his nerves. "Seriously? I don't even remember offending someone like you. I don't care who you are. This is my duel, and if he hides behind you, he'll be branded a coward." He tilted his chin toward Angel, who stood awkwardly between them, caught in the crossfire of hostility.
Yet deep inside, Zeth felt a gnawing dread. This guy… I can't fight him. My instincts are screaming that he's dangerous.
Angel's thoughts were no less troubled. Damn it, how did it come to this? I agreed to a duel without even realizing who I was facing! This isn't just reckless—it's suicidal. I need a way to turn this around before it's too late.
Then, as though answering his silent plea, the system's familiar voice rang in his mind.
[You have sufficient gold to perform a summon. Would you like to summon? Yes or no?]
Angel blinked, bewildered. Summon? How would that help in a duel like this? Still, desperation outweighed doubt. Whatever. Yes. I'll summon.
[The user has confirmed. Automatic summoning will commence.]
Angel braced himself, expecting the familiar glow of a magic circle, the flare of light that usually heralded a summon. Yet nothing happened. No sound, no radiance, no dramatic spectacle.
What? Where's the magic circle? Did it fail?
[You have successfully summoned: 'Basic Swordsmanship' (E) (Type: Passive).]
Angel's eyes widened. Wait—you can summon skills too?
[System has detected duplicate summons. 'Merge' function unlocked. Would you like to merge the two Basic Swordsmanship skills?]
"Yes!" Angel nearly shouted, though only in the silence of his mind.
Before he could process what had just happened, Zeth's voice snapped him back to reality.
"Mister, get out of my way before I decide to cut you down myself." His eyes narrowed, deadly serious.
Cerios, however, simply smiled. "Then try, if you can." His hand began to drift toward his blade, the weight of his killing intent pressing down on the crowd.
But before the clash could begin, Angel stepped forward and seized Cerios by the shoulder. "Step back. Lend me one of your blades." His voice carried no hesitation, only a resolute confidence that startled even Cerios.
Without question, Cerios unsheathed one of his blades and handed it over. The crowd, sensing the shift, erupted into whispers and gasps. Phones were raised; the duel was now being broadcast live across multiple platforms.
Angel's eyes locked onto Zeth's. "This ends here. I won't allow your bullying to continue."
The system immediately stirred again.
[System has detected that the user is wielding a blade. 'Advanced Swordsmanship' has been activated.]
[Blade proficiency increased. Advanced techniques will be automatically acquired.]
A gust of wind swept through the square as the two combatants launched themselves forward. Steel clashed with a resounding clang, and sparks danced with each collision. Their duel became a whirlwind of slashes, thrusts, and parries, neither giving the other ground. The crowd could scarcely keep up with their movements; every exchange was faster than the blink of an eye.
Zeth's natural swordsmanship allowed him to keep pace with Angel's newfound skill, but there was one critical difference: their weapons. Zeth's longsword, infused with raw mana, was sturdy yet ordinary compared to the weapon Angel now wielded—the Moon Blade of Cerios, a weapon carrying deadly enchantments and hidden techniques.
Angel exhaled sharply, gripping the blade with both hands. With a single sweeping motion, he sliced the air. Invisible currents surged forth, manifesting into two crescent-shaped wind slashes.
Zeth's eyes widened. He raised his sword in defense, only to hear the sickening crack as the weapon snapped in half.
"My sword—!?" Zeth staggered back in disbelief. "What the hell is this?"
"It's over, Zeth," Angel said firmly, lowering the blade. "Don't ever come near me with your arrogance again."
Zeth's face twisted in frustration. "You… what did you do? You weren't like this before, yet suddenly your presence is overwhelming!"
Angel's gaze was cold. "It's my ability. You don't need to understand it. This duel is finished. Cerios, let's go."
At his command, Cerios vanished into the system's inventory. The duel ended, but through the countless livestreams, word of Angel's sudden power spread rapidly. Guilds across the kingdom took notice, their scouts already drafting his name onto their lists.
As Angel walked home under the fading glow of the evening sky, memories weighed on him. Not long ago, he had been nothing more than a porter—a nameless figure burdened with carrying supplies for defenders. Now, he was one of them. The duel had marked a turning point, a step onto a stage where every action would shape not only his fate but perhaps humanity's survival itself.
Exhausted, Angel collapsed into his bed. "I've got a long way to go," he muttered, burying his face in a pillow. "If it weren't for Cerios's Moon Blade, my chances of victory would've been less than fifty percent."
The moon climbed high, casting pale light through the window. Sleep claimed him swiftly.
But not all rested.
[A unit has unconditionally summoned itself.]
In the corner of the room, Cerios emerged from the system. His eyes, calm yet sharp, lingered on Angel's sleeping form.
"I'm sorry, Master," he whispered. "I cannot allow anyone who points a blade at you to live. No being shall defy you and walk away unpunished."
With a fluid motion, Cerios slipped into the night. His movements were swift, calculated, silent. It did not take long to find Zeth, drowning his anger in drink at a nearby tavern.
Disguised beneath a mask, Cerios sat beside him.
"Heh, who are you supposed to be?" Zeth slurred, squinting at him. "That outfit—it looks like—"
Before he could finish, Cerios drove a concealed blade into his throat. The strike was clean, silent, merciless. Zeth collapsed, lifeless, without so much as a cry.
The system flared violently.
[Error detected. Unit has summoned itself without authorization. Troubleshooting in progress… Error corrected.]
Cerios vanished back into the system's inventory, leaving Zeth's corpse slumped at the tavern table.
The next morning, sunlight streamed into Angel's room as he awoke to a barrage of system notifications.
[Multiple gods have taken notice of your existence.]
[Some gods have chosen to watch you.]
[The Minister of the Dead Kingdom watches you.]
[The Beholder of Thundering Clouds watches you.]
[The Seer of the East watches you.]
[The Ruler of the Four Seas watches you.]
[Congratulations, Angel Cruz. You are now observed by deities who govern the cosmos. You may soon receive blessings as divine sponsorship to aid you on your journey. The system wishes you the best of luck.]
Angel sat upright, staring at the glowing text. "Gods…? And they're watching me?" His lips curled into a faint smile. "So this is the next step. A new goal."
With resolve hardening in his chest, he began preparing. His first dungeon awaited, and with it, the path of a true defender.