Noble Stands
Ladies Ducking and Weston quietly reaffirmed their suspicions about the tournament.
Lucia Ducking:—"This is pure theater… was that supposed to be a battle between superhumans?"
Marilyn Weston:—"I agree. It looked more like an A-rank adventurers' sparring match—just overly dramatized."
Lucia Ducking:—"That's not the issue. My father is the greatest fire mage on the continent. The only reason he isn't considered a superhuman is because he's completely outclassed… by the royal advisor of Britain—his master, Archmage Merlin."
Marilyn Weston:—"I honestly don't know what to make of all this… what's your take, Miss Lucia?"
Lucia Ducking:—"According to my father, if two superhumans fought seriously, the battle would annihilate an entire city—along with everything around it."
Marilyn Weston:—"That's… terrifying. Still, it's been over twenty years since superhumans last fought one another, so I understand why the crowd wouldn't notice."
Lucia Ducking:—"I'm going to speak seriously about this with Her Highness."
Marilyn Weston:—"You mean Princess Teresa?"
Lucia Ducking:—"Yes."
Marilyn Weston:—"Wait—Hockenheim is entering the arena."
Lucia Ducking:—"That fast? It hasn't even been three minutes."
Marilyn Weston:—"Looks like they're starting the next match immediately."
***
POV BRIAN:
Something was wrong.
I wasn't even given time to drink water.
I was supposed to have five minutes before my match.
Instead, I heard the announcer declare:
Announcer:—"And now… before you… the surprise of the tournament…The Abuser… versus the powerhouse of Rumsfeld… Rick Hockenheim!Let the match begin!"
I rushed toward the center of the arena—and finally saw my opponent.
Hockenheim was a white-haired, fair-skinned man dressed in Viking-style armor. His weapon of choice was a massive battle axe.
Honestly? The guy looked incredible. He perfectly embodied the image of a rugged, handsome Viking.
Then he opened his mouth.
Rick:—"Hey, brat. You'd better surrender."(I won't fight trash.)
—"Why should I?"
Rick:—"Because if you don't, I'll go after your family."(Ten thousand gold. Don't waste my time.)
—"You don't even know who I am."
Rick:—"I don't need to. All I have to do is threaten someone who's seen your face. Finding out who you are won't be hard. So just surrender."(Ten thousand gold.)
—"…"
Despite his excellent design, this guy was rotten to the core—threatening a kid and his family.
I couldn't explain it, but I felt it instantly.
He had made a mistake.
And then, a voice—one completely different from my inner thoughts—spoke inside me.
"No one… absolutely no one threatens what's mine."
Hearing that made my blood boil. My hatred for him deepened.
This idiot had threatened my family.
That's when I heard a mindset I thought I had buried years ago.
It's only fair to drag him through hell.And teach every idiot who thinks they can do whatever they want…never provoke me.
Blinded by cruelty, after a long silence, I answered:
—"You're about to experience hell."
Rick:—"Try it."(Frank won't take my money.)
[Basic Skill "Infinite Speed" activated]
No one could see me.
At this speed, time itself slowed to the point of nonexistence.
I approached Rick—and began my work.
Carefully, I dislocated both of his shoulders.Then I shattered both arms.
Next, I broke his ribs—meticulously avoiding any damage to his internal organs.
Finally, I crushed both knees.
I knew the pain would be so intense he'd wish for death.
But he wouldn't die from it.
Before deactivating my skill, I stared at him—and smiled beneath my helmet-mask.
I stepped back far enough to watch him writhe.
Some part of me had enjoyed punishing him.
Brian was unaware that Sam's character personality had begun to influence him.
Yet Sam's familial and protective traits remained intact.
This meant that any threat triggered Sam's instincts—subtly guiding Brian's actions.
Additionally, the default trait "Player's Soul" didn't merely amplify emotions—it enhanced cruelty and emotional detachment.
All of these factors allowed the brutality buried deep within Brian to manifest… violently.
***
Ten Minutes Earlier
Inside the Coliseum – Royal Box
Alex was bored.
And when bored, his eyes wandered to what he truly enjoyed—two beautiful young women seated in the noble stands.
He asked who they were. Governor Acrisius, seated nearby, answered.
Acrisio:—"The redhead is Lucia Ducking, firstborn daughter of Count Ducking—the greatest fire mage on the continent. I've spoken with him recently on certain matters. However, Your Highness, Lucia is already engaged to the Carpenter Family of the Kingdom of Britain."
Alex:—"And the other one?"
Acrisio:—"The woman beside her should be… Marilyn Weston. Heir to House Weston—the most influential merchant family on the continent."
Alex:—"So she's not engaged?"
Acrisio:—"No, sir. Forgive my intrusion, but aren't you engaged to Princess Darnisha of the Kingdom of Kemet?"
Alex:—"That marriage was arranged by my father. It doesn't obligate me to limit myself to her alone. Besides, the wedding won't take place for another five years."
Acrisio:—"But isn't she a bit old for you, Your Highness? I believe she's in her final year at Aeris, while you're just beginning at Hellen Academy."
Alex:—"A man is the age of the woman he loves, isn't he?"
Acrisio:—…"You're right. My apologies."
Alex:—"Oh—looks like Captain Lucius's match is about to end."(It cost ten thousand gold, but we'll get something worthwhile.)
Acrisio:—"The glorious climax planned weeks in advance, yes?"
Alex:—"Of course. Even if it's theater, Lucius is a pride of the Empire. Everything must be orchestrated so the Empire maintains its image as the strongest."
At that moment, the match ended—with Frank's victory.
Acrisio:—"Your Highness… what would you like me to do?"(This wasn't part of the plan.)
Alex:—"Send a subordinate to the announcer immediately. Tell him to frame it as an evenly matched fight. Admitting Lucius was pushed into defeat would be humiliating. And have the next match start at once."(Damn you, Frank… you'll pay for this. How dare you dishonor imperial authority?)
Acrisio:—"Understood. That way the crowd won't dwell on this match and will focus on the next."
The announcer began the next bout.
Then—
A scream of unimaginable pain echoed throughout the coliseum.
People looked around in confusion, trying to locate its source.
No one imagined the one screaming was Rick Hockenheim.
He lay on the ground, writhing in agony.
Nearby stood the Abuser, staring down at him—while a demonic emoji glowed across the screen of his helmet-mask.
The entire coliseum was frozen in confusion, united by a single question:
"What the hell just happened?"
A superhuman—an existence meant for legendary battles—was crawling and screaming in pain.
Those who knew Rick Hockenheim couldn't recognize him.Even April and Battler whispered—one in pure terror, the other with a mix of admiration, respect, and fear.
—"No… that's impossible… IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!"
—"The Franzkrapp was won… THE DAMN SLAVE WON THE FRANZKRAPP!"
A devastating silence engulfed the arena.
Nobles clutched their heads in disbelief, as a single thought crossed many minds.
"That slave must not be allowed to live."
Meanwhile, the nobles' slaves struggled to hide their internal joy.
"The entire continent will know… that someone finally raised their fist—and won."
Hockenheim was rushed to the priests' chamber.
Even the announcer—completely stunned—forgot to ask whether he lived or died.
The winner, by scandal and terror alike, was—
The Abuser.