(I got a guy to get the proofreading done... for free.
He is getting advance chaps, I am getting the proofreading done. I have read it, everything that was talked between the characters is same. Only a few words here and there are added to make it more fluent.
Tell me how it is! If you like it, then I am officially hiring him.)
...
{ 3rd POV }
"Thank you, Reina. If it weren't for your support, I'm pretty sure the Knights would've thrown me out of that room by now," Subaru said with a faint, almost exhausted smile on his face.
Reina reached out and gently took his hand in hers. Her touch was soft, steady, comforting. "No matter what happens," she said in a quiet, heartfelt tone, "I'll always be by your side."
Subaru froze in place, the warmth of her fingers making his heart skip a beat. 'W-Wait… Is this a confession?' he wondered, feeling the sudden rush of uncertainty hit him like a wave. His eyes moved to her face, trying to read her expression. Reina's soft smile remained gentle, warm, but at the same time… unreadable. There was a calm serenity in her eyes, yet something distant too—like she was hiding her true feelings behind a curtain of composure.
Meanwhile, within Reina's mind, chaos reigned. Her heart was racing wildly in her chest, pounding so hard she was certain someone would hear it. Her Divine Protection made it impossible for her to calm down, amplifying every emotion she felt. Still, her face remained composed and serene, not betraying the turmoil inside. When she saw that Subaru didn't react much to her subtle confession, a quiet sting of sadness settled inside her.
'Tch… Whatever! If he didn't get it now, then I'll just have to make him fall in love with me slowly, one step at a time!' she resolved, fire igniting behind her calm eyes.
"Nyah You really shocked the entire crowd, didn't you?" Felix commented playfully as he entered the room. His sharp eyes took in the sight of the Sword Saint still holding Subaru's hand, though he made no remark about it.
"I couldn't stand their arrogance and blind stupidity," Subaru replied with a weary sigh as he gently slipped his hand out of Reina's grasp, not wanting to send the wrong signal.
"You really would make a terrible knightNyah," Felix chuckled, clearly amused by the situation.
"Zero, so you're here," said a familiar voice. Julius entered the room shortly after Felix, his eyes scanning the scene quickly. His gaze stopped firmly on Subaru, an expression of disapproval already forming.
"What's the matter, oh finest of all knights?" Subaru said mockingly, a smirk on his face as he noticed Julius's sharp glare.
"What you did earlier," Julius began, his tone cold and unyielding, "goes against the very principles of knighthood."
Subaru rolled his eyes. "Dude. I'm not a knight," he replied flatly, giving a small shrug that made Julius hesitate for a brief second.
"But that doesn't excuse your audacity," Julius continued, his voice gaining strength and hostility. "You stood as Lady Emilia's equal while being no more than her bodyguard. Lord Roswaal was generous enough to take you in, and yet you repay that by recklessly tarnishing their reputation in front of the entire nobility."
"What is it you want from him, Sir Julius?" Reina suddenly stepped forward, placing herself between Subaru and Julius protectively.
"Hiding behind Miss Reina? Is that how low you've sunk? That's nothing short of cowardice," Julius said with a mocking sneer.
Her hand instinctively went to the hilt of her sword. It was still sheathed at her side, but the warning was clear in her stance.
"Reina… move," Subaru said, his voice unusually firm and commanding. His words seemed to surprise her, but she obeyed without resistance, stepping to the side and allowing him to confront Julius directly.
"So what is it? Do you want me to apologize? To the nobility? To the so-called Royal Knights who clearly hold their egos above their duties?" Subaru asked with biting sarcasm. His calm demeanor was cracking under the weight of his frustration.
Julius's grip on his sword tightened as he trembled with suppressed fury. In one fluid motion, he unsheathed it and pointed it straight at Subaru's chest.
"I, Julius Juukulius, challenge you to a duel of honor!" he declared, voice ringing with righteous fury.
"I accept," Subaru responded without hesitation.
Reina's eyes shot open in alarm and she turned sharply toward Julius, glaring. But before she could say anything, Subaru placed his hand gently on her shoulder and spoke softly, "Believe me."
She stared into his eyes for a moment before sighing and nodding. "I believe in you, Zero," she said sincerely.
Felix, who had been quietly observing the interaction, narrowed his eyes slightly. 'Nyah… are they lovers? That looked way too personal…' he thought, sensing something deeper between the two.
Julius, on the other hand, simply could not fathom why someone like the Sword Saint Reina—one of the most revered figures in the kingdom—would support someone like Subaru. To him, Subaru was nothing more than an arrogant commoner with no understanding of proper decorum or the honor of Knighthood.
Before long, the group arrived at the training stadium. The air buzzed with tension. Dozens of Royal Knights had gathered in the seats, whispering and speculating about the sudden duel. All eyes were on Subaru and Julius.
Both men grabbed wooden training swords. Their eyes locked, neither willing to back down.
"I'll be the judgeNyah," Felix called out cheerfully, though his grin carried an edge of mischief. "No using magic to enhance your body! And no using any offensive magic either! Those are the rules!"
"Begin!" he announced, swinging his hand down.
In an instant, Subaru and Julius became blurs as they charged at each other. Their bodies moved so fast they left after-images in their wake. The sound of wood striking wood echoed rapidly, their swords clashing with precise, intense force. In a matter of seconds, they exchanged dozens of blows—each strike so quick and clean it was barely visible to the human eye.
After a final clash, they leapt backward at the same time, creating distance between them once more. Both combatants landed lightly, poised and alert.
'He's fast… He's strong too… His speed is nearly equal to mine,' Julius realized with a flicker of surprise flashing across his usually confident expression.
Unbeknownst to many in the crowd, Subaru's strength and agility had grown significantly in recent days. His physical ability had almost doubled compared to the previous loops, and his speed had improved just as much, if not more. There was no doubt—this was no longer the same Subaru who had once stumbled through sword practice and struggled to keep up.
Now, he was a genuine threat.
{ 3rd POV }
Subaru had already taken the time to gauge Julius's raw capabilities without the influence of mana enhancements. From what he could observe during their brief but intense exchanges, Julius's physical strength exceeded his own by a small but noticeable margin. However, Subaru also noticed that Julius's speed lagged slightly behind his.
'This is going to be difficult… His swordsmanship is on a completely different level. His form, his precision… it all far surpasses anything I've learned so far,' Subaru admitted to himself, frustration bubbling inside as he struggled to maintain his composure.
What he didn't realize, however, was the growing shock rippling through the watching Knights stationed around the stadium.
"W-What the hell was that!? They moved so fast it was like a blur!"
"He… he matched Sir Julius's speed? That can't be! It's impossible!"
"Sir Julius! Crush that arrogant fool! Show him what it means to insult a Knight!"
Encouraged by the shouts from the stands, Julius smiled confidently and addressed his opponent, "I won't lose to the likes of you."
However, cutting through the clamor like a blade slicing air, a much louder and unexpected voice shattered the cheers of the Knights.
"Zeroooo! Beat that purple-haired bastard black and blue!" Reina yelled at the top of her lungs, her voice filled with fierce energy and unrestrained support.
The crowd of Knights fell into stunned silence, their voices dying abruptly. Julius's sword trembled slightly in his hand as his mind faltered for a brief moment. Subaru turned his head to look at Reina, stunned by her words, and a faint blush crept up his face as he processed what she just said.
Subaru let out a short laugh, then turned back toward Julius with a growing smirk. He adjusted his stance, digging his heels into the ground, and took a more offensive posture.
Julius narrowed his eyes and pushed aside Reina's words, refocusing his mind as he tightened his grip on the wooden sword.
Boom!
A powerful shockwave echoed throughout the stadium as Subaru suddenly broke through the sound barrier, his body accelerating faster than the eye could follow. He launched a merciless offensive, delivering an overwhelming barrage of strikes at Julius, who quickly braced himself and began deflecting the rapid blows with focused discipline.
Their figures became little more than streaks of motion across the stadium. Every impact between their swords created sharp cracks in the ground beneath them, and the air seemed to warp with the intensity of their movements. The enchanted wooden swords—far stronger than regular steel—barely held up under the pressure of their clashing might.
The duel remained in a near stalemate for several seconds. Then finally, Subaru's strike landed, grazing Julius's side. The impact made Julius stagger slightly, and with a clenched jaw he retaliated immediately, landing a hard blow to Subaru's ribs that made him gasp for breath.
And then, suddenly, something shifted.
Without warning, Julius's strength surged dramatically. His movements became sharper, faster, more dangerous. Every swing carried greater weight, every step more momentum. Subaru felt it instantly—each of Julius's attacks was now far heavier and more accurate than before.
Reina's eyes widened as she witnessed the sudden change. Her breath caught in her throat. "That's not possible...! He's not supposed to be that strong!" she whispered in disbelief.
Felix, standing nearby, smirked knowingly and said, "Nyah After fighting Cecilus to the brink of death, his body adapted. His physical abilities improved a lot since then."
This was the point where both Subaru and Reina had miscalculated. Their prior information about Julius's abilities was outdated. The man had undergone a transformation, one born from battle and near-death training.
Reina's chest tightened as she watched Subaru get pushed back. Her nails dug into her palms so hard that they broke skin. Blood dripped from her fists, her eyes filled with regret.
'This is my fault! I gave him the wrong assessment of Julius's strength! I'm responsible for this… Zero is struggling because of my mistake!' she thought, anguish flooding her heart.
As Julius continued his fierce assault, his voice rang out, loud and proud.
"A Knight fights to protect the honor of their Lord!"
"A Knight upholds respect and loyalty above all!"
"A Knight never steps beyond their role or forgets their place!"
With each declaration, his strikes became more violent, each word driven in with physical force. It was more than an attack—it was a statement. Julius was trying to crush not just Subaru's body, but his ideals and pride.
Eventually, Julius halted his onslaught and stepped back. Subaru's body trembled, his muscles bruised, blood dripping from his lip and a tooth missing. He nearly collapsed but managed to stay on his knees.
"Surrender," Julius said confidently, lowering his sword slightly and smiling with certainty.
Subaru spat a thick mix of blood and saliva onto the ground, then began laughing. The sound echoed through the stadium—unexpected, bitter, almost maddening.
The Royal Knights snickered at the sight.
"Guess he finally lost it. Was all bark after all."
"Why's he laughing? He must've gone crazy!"
They conveniently ignored the fact that Subaru had stood toe-to-toe with Julius longer than any of them ever could.
Slowly, Subaru forced himself back to his feet. His body shook violently, but his will remained iron-strong. He stared straight into Julius's golden eyes.
"I never claimed to be a Knight, motherfucker," he said, his voice rough and filled with defiance, drawing gasps and furious glares from the crowd.
"I admit it. I can never be a proper Knight," he continued, shrugging off the smirks aimed at him. "But I can damn well be a better human than all of you self-righteous bastards."
The Knights howled in outrage.
"Finish him off, Sir Julius!"
"Put him down!"
But Julius didn't respond. Instead, he felt a chill crawl down his spine. His instincts screamed danger. He took a step back, his eyes narrowing as he watched Subaru carefully.
'What is this presence…? That aura—no… this isn't mana. What is this?' Julius thought, stunned.
Subaru's entire body was suddenly enveloped in a visible aura—raw, unrefined power radiating off him like heat waves. His wooden sword hummed as the aura began to coat it too, turning it into something more than a mere weapon.
"Take this, Oh Finest of Knights!" Subaru roared, the energy building up in him pushing past all limits.
With one explosive step, he vanished from sight, the force of his movement releasing a deafening shockwave.
When he reappeared, his sword came down in a diagonal slash, cutting through Julius's defense entirely. The impact sent Julius flying across the battlefield like a cannonball. His ribs shattered under the force, and the shockwave that followed knocked several Knights back in their seats. Julius crashed through a stone wall, disappearing into the debris like a broken puppet.
Subaru stood frozen in place, his energy spent. His legs buckled beneath him, and he began to fall.
But before he could hit the ground, Reina rushed forward and caught him, wrapping an arm around his back and supporting his weight. His entire body leaned into her as he slipped into unconsciousness.
"You can rest now," she whispered into his ear, her voice soft, trembling with both relief and admiration.
The stadium fell silent.
An oppressive silence overtook everything, broken only by the sounds of Felix running through the collapsed wall in search of Julius.
"I-Impossible! He cheated!"
"He clearly used magic! This wasn't fair!"
"Cheater! Disgrace!"
"Silence!" Reina's voice thundered, her tone freezing the chaos instantly.
She lifted Subaru into a princess carry and turned to face the crowd.
"Miss Reina! Why are you protecting him?! That man insulted us all!" one Knight shouted.
"He didn't cheat," she said coldly. "I sensed no mana at all. Whatever he used wasn't magic. It was something different."
"A Divine Protection, then?" another Knight offered.
"But magic of any kind was banned!" another accused.
"No," she countered, her eyes narrowing. "The rule was that mana-enhancing magic was forbidden. Nowhere did it state Divine Protections were off-limits. And last I checked, Divine Protections don't fall under standard magic classifications."
The Knights wanted to retort, to push back—but none of them dared argue with the Sword Saint herself. Reina's mere presence silenced them.
Moments later, Felix reentered the stadium, dragging a barely conscious and bloodied Julius over his shoulders.
"This idiot nearly died!" he shouted, glaring at Subaru's unconscious form.
But when Felix locked eyes with Reina and saw her cold, warning glare, a chill ran through him. He lowered his head without another word.
"I'll be taking Zero to his quarters now," Reina said firmly. "You can take Julius to his own and explain to his master what happened here."
With that, she turned and walked away from the stadium, carrying Subaru in her arms. The atmosphere behind her remained thick with shame and unease. The pride the Royal Knights once boasted had been shattered by a man they once ridiculed.
And none of them had an answer for what they had just witnessed.
To be continued…
(A/N: Let me know what you thought of the chapter! Feedback is always welcome!
EDITED NOTE: FROM HERE ONWARDS I WON'T BE EDITING CHAPS, SINCE FROM THIS POINT THE CHAPS HAD BEEN PROOFREADED, MAYBE ONE OR TWO WERE LEFT DUE TO SOME REASON, BUT IN FUTURE I STARTED PROOFREADING MYSELF, SO YEAH THIS IS THE FINAL EDITED CHAP)