"Good evening, everyone at the venue and watching from home. Welcome to the 24th Kazimierz Grand Knight Tournament! I'm your old friend, Bigmouth Mob.
After countless trials and battles, victories and defeats, Kazimierz will tonight, after three long years, crown a new champion.
Tonight will be a sleepless night for Kazimierz. Tonight, new legends and heroes will be born.
This match will break numerous records overnight: total viewers, foot traffic, and single-day revenue have all exceeded those of any previous tournament.
For the first time in nearly twenty years, two previous champion knights—and both Infected—have met in the final. Kazimierz's two mightiest knights, face to face. To all spectators present, don't forget a single moment of what you are about to witness.
This is a duel that requires no introductions. Let's welcome our champions. First, Blood Knight Dikaiopolis!"
Kazimierz Grand Knight Territory, Central Arena. As Blood Knight stepped into the spotlight, the crowd erupted into roars. Infected or not, they all cried out the same name—Blood Knight.
"And now, Radiant Knight, Margaret Nearl."
The moment Nearl entered the arena, the roars shifted again—this time, unified cries of "Radiant Knight."
"What a rare sight this is, isn't it, Charney?" Daniel said, watching the sea of cheers from a high tower beside the arena.
"They are both knights worthy of the highest respect," Charney replied quietly.
"And so are you. Without you, there would be no Infected knight system today."
Charney was a man of great merit. Though his status in the Commercial Union had always been low, it was because of him that the Infected Knight Program came into being.
When Blood Knight entered the tournament as an Infected, the Commercial Union, still reeling from Nearl's example, absolutely refused to allow another Infected champion. But after Charney's persuasion—and a plan that promised profit—they agreed. Some still dissented, but most didn't argue with profit. The Union always followed the money.
Most believed the emergence of Infected knights came from Blood Knight's strength alone. Few knew that the unassuming Charney was instrumental behind the scenes. Daniel had only uncovered the truth after combing through the Union's files.
"You give me too much credit, my lord. I merely did what little I could."
"No need for modesty around me. Others may not know the truth, but I do."
Daniel remembered vividly how Charney had given his life to teach Markewicz a lesson.
"Now the rest is in your hands. There will be someone coming to learn from you. I'll count on you to guide them."
That student, of course, was the little squirrel from Kjerag. Daniel had initially planned to send her to Lungmen to learn while working, but given the current state of Kazimierz, it was a more fitting place.
"I once thought Kazimierz would never change. I never imagined so much could change in so little time," Blood Knight said from the arena, having removed his crimson helmet, his eyes complex as he looked at Nearl.
Though her ideals had once inspired him to leave a remote border town and come to the Grand Knight Territory, he hadn't believed in them fully.
Infected participating in knight tournaments wasn't new. It just hadn't been publicly acknowledged. In smaller cities, staff would look the other way—especially if bribed. As long as the Oripathy wasn't visibly obvious, infected contestants could slip through.
Sometimes, staff even conspired with infected combatants. Oripathy granted combat advantages, which meant easier ways to fix matches and earn money.
When Blood Knight first entered the circuit, that was the case. His manager had always advised him against coming to the Grand Knight Territory—but in the end, he came.
Blood Knight was a realist. Ideals were fine, but they did little to improve the Infected's situation. It was only after establishing the Infected Knight Corps—thanks to Charney's suggestion—that Kazimierz's Infected began to see real change.
Which was why he had quickly noticed how much had shifted lately. Negative media about the Infected had vanished. The Judiciary had arrested many from the Commercial Union, the National Assembly—even from within their own ranks.
Ordinary people might not notice such changes. They focused instead on things like Candle Knight's wine baths, her hundred male attendants, or the supposed post-match rendezvous between her and Nearl.
Because of that, the bar "Scary Martin" had exploded in popularity. Once empty, it now overflowed every night.
"I have some very good companions," Nearl finally replied after a long silence.
She understood who was behind the changes in Kazimierz. And she certainly didn't fault Daniel's methods as unjust. After all her years with Rhodes Island, she'd seen far too much disaster—and their help was often only a drop in the bucket.
In disasters involving Originium outbreaks, Rhodes Island could treat the severely ill. But changing the overall situation? That was beyond their reach.
"Rhodes Island... if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe a pharmaceutical company could care this much for the Infected."
As an Infected, Blood Knight knew exactly what Rhodes Island had done in the Grand Knight Territory. He himself had received treatment from them. That's why he held such deep respect for the company.
Infected medication wasn't rare on Terra. Even painkillers fetched high prices. But Rhodes Island had the best treatments—and always sold them at affordable prices.
On the black market, Rhodes Island's meds were hot commodities. Many bought in bulk to resell at a profit. Even SilverAsh's company manager had embezzled Daniel's purchases to sell illegally.
Some patients bought from Rhodes Island only to flip the medicine, which of course led to Rhodes Island operators investigating them.
"Rhodes Island would welcome you any time."
A figure like Blood Knight would be welcomed with open arms.
"Let's begin. I believe this will be an unforgettable match."
"Please."
With that, the two charged in simultaneously. Sword lance and great axe clashed violently. This time, both fought with everything they had. With Kazimierz's current state, they no longer needed to hold back or worry about political consequences.
"What is that? A blood spear—no way, Blood Knight used arts first!"
"That's radiant light! Radiant Knight is using arts too—arts versus arts! Ah! My eyes! What just happened? I couldn't see—someone explain!"
The clash between golden light and blood-red spears generated a blinding burst. The entire crowd—and even viewers at home—instinctively closed their eyes.
"Such refined control... and that reaction just now—Radiant Knight, this isn't something you learn from tournament training. I truly wonder what you experienced in those six years away."
"A lot," Nearl replied calmly.
"She should've joined us instead of wasting time here."
"And yet, because of her, Kazimierz has changed so much. Perhaps it's time we stop seeing knight tournaments with old eyes."
The conversation came from Silver Spear Pegasus squad captain Lym and Grand Knight Commander Russel. Both had come to witness the final.
"Your niece is truly remarkable. I bet at her age, you weren't half as strong," Torlan joked, glancing at Maanna. All he got in return was a cold, gentle look.
To a layperson, this fight between Blood Knight and Nearl was nothing short of dazzling—more exciting than the match with Tola. But for those who truly understood combat—Blood Knight, Lym, Russel, Torlan, Maanna—they saw it for what it was: skill forged through countless bloody battles.
This was why war knights looked down on tournament knights. The difference was clear.
"So, where are you heading next?" Maanna asked, eyes still on the fight.
"I'll go check out Cut City. See if it's as they say. If it fits, I've got people who could settle there."
This was what Daniel and Torlan had agreed upon. They couldn't unify their approach to the Sarkaz issue—Torlan simply didn't believe anyone could truly be kind to the Sarkaz. Even he usually hid his identity while traveling. His horns had been shaved down.
That was one way some Sarkaz concealed their heritage. Though horn removal could also be a ritual prerequisite, depending on the context.
The Sarkaz had their own unique arts system: ritual-based arts. With a pre-set altar, their strength could surge, and enemies would be weakened.
This was a win-win. Torlan's people would gain a safe home. Cut City would gain skilled Sarkaz warriors.
"You don't want to see it? A city entirely for the Infected. I'm really curious how they manage it."
Maanna shot him a glance and said nothing.
"It's about time. Let's settle this with one final strike."
"Alright."
The two knights suddenly stepped back, slowly raising their weapons. Their arts enveloped each blade. Normally, Blood Knight's arts gave him an edge in prolonged combat—he could draw strength from his enemies' spilled blood.
But Nearl's arts had healing properties. While not enough to fully recover, they were enough to stop bleeding—which made a huge difference on this stage.
BOOM.
The golden sword lance and blood-red axe collided like lightning. The impact shook the entire arena. An explosive shockwave knocked both warriors back. Between them, a crater several meters deep opened in the earth.
Both knights staggered—but neither fell.
"That's enough."
As they prepared to strike again, Russel stood. He tapped his cane once on the ground, and at that sound, the previously panicked audience fell utterly silent. That single gesture proved why he was the Grand Knight Commander of Kazimierz.
"You are both extraordinary knights. Continue, and it'll only end in mutual destruction. Though unprecedented, I believe no one here doubts your strength."
And so the decision was made: Radiant Knight and Blood Knight would share the championship. No one objected.
It had all been planned, of course—but it still depended on the actual match. If the strength gap had been too wide, this wouldn't have worked.
As the event concluded, it was time for the walk to the Champion's Wall, where both knights would have their portraits hung.
"Told you—you all lost your bets."
Daniel laughed, watching the two knights support each other as Silver Spear Pegasus escorted them to the Champion's Wall. The betting pool for this match had been massive. Everyone had bet on one or the other. Few had bet on a draw.
Would people jump off rooftops over this? Daniel didn't care. If you bet, be prepared to lose.
"It's time to leave."
"To have you personally send someone my way... is he special?"
Cut City. Watching W drag along an agent with two of her soldiers, Daniel asked curiously. Spies were common—but for W to bring one personally meant something was different.
"He's from the Deep Pool. Seems like he came for Talulah."
W then reported the agent's background and mission.
"The Deep Pool? I haven't even gone after them yet, and they've already come to me. Is this about the Dracos?"
Hearing that, Daniel immediately thought of Talulah's heritage. The leader of the Deep Pool was also a Draco—if bloodlines were involved, they might even be cousins or something.
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