Chapter 901 - Rotten Potato That Even Monsters Won't Eat
A Knight's Duel was a method of combat born from the fact that victory or defeat often hinged on the presence or absence of "knights"—those living weapons of war.
It was a battle where forces below the level of knights did not participate.
From one-on-one duels to many-against-many melees, only knights stepped forward to fight.
The side that lost here acknowledged defeat.
In reality, having lost their knight power, victory would be far out of reach anyway.
By having only knights fight, they prevented mass casualties from armies clashing, and instead of dragging the war out, they decided the outcome in a short period, reducing the drain on national power and military resources for both countries.
The Great Emperor on the palanquin had a thick beard covering half his face like thorns, and his build was large enough to make one think that face suited him perfectly.
His forearms, revealed between the wide sleeves of his robe, were full of scars proving his past life, and an overpowering spirit emanated from him even when he sat still.
Everyone present, including Enkrid, watched and observed him.
'His fingers.'
Enkrid caught the most distinctive part of the opponent's body.
Training with Jaxen always started with finding peculiarities.
This time was no different.
'Thick.'
Looking closely, not just the fingers, but the abdominal muscles and forearms briefly seen through the loose clothes were all like thick steel.
His five senses and sixth sense trained through sensory arts, plus the eye for observation developed by hanging out with Frogs, were fully mobilized.
The thought that he was like steel didn't come for no reason.
Traces of building muscle strength through special training were visible.
Seeing the muscles that were both solid and flexible, he thought they were trained enough for Audin to really like.
Just as Enkrid observed, Rem did the same.
'Look at this?'
People tend to look more towards where their interest lies.
Rem was the same.
He focused on the temperament the Great Emperor possessed.
'He holds sorcery in his body.'
Don't know which shaman cast the spell, but the Great Emperor contained part of the technique of controlling souls within himself.
Refined souls were felt, and it wasn't clumsy skill.
'Is it the skill of a Southern tribe?'
Sorcery is not the exclusive property of the West.
In the South, there are tribes that developed differently from the West.
Rem had never met them directly and only heard of them, but knew their existence.
Now he had glimpsed traces of that tribe.
'The implementation method isn't vastly different.'
The base is the same.
Borrowing the power of souls and gods to wield them.
However, it was difficult to predict what effect the sorcery lingering in that body would show right now.
'Curious, should I throw an axe once?'
Curiosity rising, his hand naturally went to his axe.
Ragna, moving his gaze indifferently, focused on the knight standing below the Great Emperor.
The owner of the hexagonal club.
An opponent he had fought once before.
"You aren't dead yet? Thought you already died from embarrassment."
Ragna showcased an Enkrid-style provocation.
Of course, Enkrid would tilt his head if told he learned it from him.
"Where can you find my delicate provocation in this brash words?"
He would ask that.
But no matter what anyone says, the origin of such techniques was indeed Enkrid.
If it was the Ragna of the past, he would have swung his sword before speaking.
"This crazy bastard."
The owner of the club also answered.
The bastard revealed white teeth amidst black skin.
A smile full of expectation.
"If you lost, just die quietly."
Ragna said again.
The opponent's eyebrows moved as if wriggling.
Although they never properly gauged victory or defeat in reality, somehow it felt like he lost the mood.
"I must definitely kill you."
Words following.
He wasn't skilled at sharing words.
Instead, he just put strength in his eyes and glared.
Bloody momentum lingered in those eyes.
Killing intent seemed to fly like blades and stab.
Ragna responded appropriately.
"Pfft."
Raising only the corners of his mouth to sneer.
A response even Rem would admire.
He stopped observing the Great Emperor and looked at Ragna.
"I will definitely kill you with my own hands."
The black-skinned knight said.
"Pfft."
Ragna raised the opposite corner of his mouth and sneered once more.
"Noisy fellows."
The Great Emperor who was watching opened his mouth.
Everyone including Cypress looked at the Great Emperor.
He tapped the armrest with his thick fingers.
Just that gathered the surrounding gazes.
The overwhelming violence felt from his body naturally made it impossible to take eyes off his every movement.
Seemed like he would jump out of the palanquin right now, grab someone's head with bare hands, and burst it.
In a way, he is a person standing on the opposite side of Krang.
Krang sucks in surrounding gazes with innate charm, but the Great Emperor made one think of death if not looked at.
If one side captivates and makes one look, the other side forces and pressures one to look.
Should one say there is no difference in that both have attractive force?
Probably not.
"If you're betting your neck, will you step up yourself?"
The Great Emperor asked.
Before anyone knew it, he rested his chin on his right hand.
That movement was very natural.
Enkrid recognized again that the Great Emperor was definitely a formidable opponent.
'Not just simply training the body.'
Indeed, if the body is trained to that extent, it's natural for skills to be mastered too.
Audin's words came to mind.
"People who train their bodies beyond a certain level tend to polish skills worthy of it too."
At the Great Emperor's words, Krang took a step forward.
In a way, should one say truly fearless.
"I don't know how to fight."
"Suggesting a Knight's Duel without stepping up yourself? Only your mouth is alive."
"Even so, didn't I bet my neck?"
"You have nothing to lose by oaths and vows. Not being a knight, what value does your word have?"
The Great Emperor's attack is sharp.
'Not just knowing how to fight.'
Is his vessel also large?
His logic stabbed Krang.
Krang didn't put up a shield.
"Admitted."
He accepted immediately.
Ingis, watching nervously, almost lost strength.
Admitting that the Emperor is right, here?
What kind of reaction is this.
Krang opened his mouth again.
"But if you weren't going to believe my words, why did you come out here?"
Meaning didn't you also react because it was said betting the King's name.
The Great Emperor wasn't shaken.
"Do you think the reason I stepped out is because of you?"
Will is carried in the Great Emperor's thick voice.
Standing in front of him, one would feel the whole body tightening.
Even though standing a bit away, Ingis had to suppress the urge to draw his sword.
"Ah, if not, whatever, you may go."
Krang responded with a tone as if playing some prank.
What kind of crazy talk is this?
Ingis was confused.
While feeling something anew.
'Truly an amazing person.'
Even for a knight, not being tense in front of the Great Emperor is difficult, but the master of his kingdom now talked with the opponent with an overly calm attitude.
Should one say that in itself is enough to be respected.
'That is our King.'
It was an unexpected part and a situation not predicted at all.
Maybe that's why, but Ingis saw his King's vessel and admired it.
"If I say no here, does it mean I have to state the reason I came all the way here?"
The Great Emperor asks.
"Since you know, I won't say more."
Krang nods his head.
The Great Emperor stared blankly at Krang.
How many people here clearly perceive what the current situation is like.
"Cheeky."
The Great Emperor speaks again.
"So will you fight? Or not?"
Krang spoke as if winning was natural, as if victory was entrusted.
Is what he possesses now confidence?
Arrogance?
Or recklessness shown because he doesn't know anything?
None of them.
The Great Emperor recognized that.
Krang opened his mouth again.
"My close friend will fight instead of me. The Kingdom's guardian deity will step up instead of me. The Kingdom's knights will step up instead of me. And I will bet my neck on them. Now, what will you bet?"
He trusted.
Believed.
Like that, he bet his neck.
Suddenly Cypress laughed.
Enkrid also smirked, and Rem raised the corners of his mouth.
Who is advantageous in this war?
Objectively speaking, one would raise the hand of the South.
Looking only at the surface, the Scale was clearly heavy on one side.
Behind the Great Emperor, momentum that made everyone's fine hairs stand on end was revealed one by one.
The potential power the South possessed was revealed.
Among them, six knights equipped with the same outfit as the Faceless Knights were included, and a knight with a single slender scabbard at his waist was also with them.
A few more faces were revealed, and those were the very knight order raised by the Southern Great Emperor.
Even their name is The Last Knights.
The Last Knights for unifying the continent and obtaining even the Demonic Realm.
"I will trust your words. However."
The Great Emperor wasn't easy.
He didn't need to determine victory with a cheeky guy like Krang through a verbal fight.
Though he didn't intend to be dragged along either.
"However?"
"Since you've received my greeting, I will accept the Knight's Duel."
Before the fight, the Great Emperor did his best to cut down the opponent's power.
That process was the two detached units that dug into the enemy nation, including the Gryphon unit.
Although everything failed, it wasn't that nothing was gained.
This greeting was the process of confirming that matter.
The Great Emperor mostly made eye contact with Krang, but just before leaving, his gaze stayed on the person with black hair and blue eyes.
"Did you say The Madmen Knights?"
The Great Emperor asked.
"Enkrid of The Madmen Knights."
Simple introduction.
"His fiancée, Shinar Kiraheis."
The Fairy intervened from the side.
Might have said a word, but the Great Emperor didn't turn his gaze even once.
In a way, this was also amazing.
If it was Krang himself, he wouldn't have been able to endure without asking what that was or start laughing.
Of course, that laughter would be absurd laughter.
"If defeated in the Knight's Duel, come under me."
That proposal was quite unexpected.
Does he rate the opponent that highly?
"Why me?"
Enkrid asked back.
There was no hesitation in that question.
A response with clear meaning.
"How about making the subordination of each knight order a condition for victory or defeat of the Knight's Duel?"
Eyes directed at Enkrid, but the question was directed at Krang.
"Great Emperor, you may view knights as possessions, but I don't. That cannot be done according to my will."
Krang answered.
"Even if I win, I won't take the King's life. Instead, come under my command. Enkrid of the Madmen."
The Great Emperor doesn't easily change words once spat out.
Since he speaks after finishing calculation worthy of it.
Therefore, this was a surprising thing for those standing behind him to see.
Of course, among knights, there is no person whose heart would shake due to such a thing.
Knights are those who surpassed limits with firm spirit and sturdy bodies.
Anyway, it's that great of a proposal.
The Great Emperor rated Enkrid highly.
Enough to show greed like this.
Actually, the ones who reacted to the Great Emperor's words were this side.
"This rotten potato that even monsters won't eat? How dare you speak like that without knowing in front of whom you do so?"
Shinar Kiraheis shows a chilling momentum.
Since the Fairy rarely reveals emotions, it was uncommon for her to show such clear hostility.
Unless the opponent was a demon.
"Oi, just take the King's neck and leave quietly."
Rem also intervenes.
Krang was a bit sad at those words, but didn't intervene like Rem.
'I wish my neck would be treated this preciously too.'
His inner thoughts were so, but outwardly he just kept a calm expression.
"According to whose will will you take the captain?"
Ragna also steps up.
Well, now things like this are daily life.
Dunbakel bared fangs and Fel placed a hand on Idolslayer.
Behind them, Weird Eyes came down and looked at the Great Emperor silently.
"Weird Eyes says no."
Enkrid shrugged his shoulders.
The Great Emperor showed a smile.
"Whatever you wish for, my side will be better than your weak King."
Instead of showing lingering attachment, he just said what he had to say and tried to turn around.
Towards that back, Enkrid spoke.
"Our side is stronger. Do not misunderstanding."
"We must be gathered like this to divide, right?"
The Great Emperor answered without even turning his head.
The gathered armies of both sides grew distant.
Just before completely parting, Beharli spoke towards Cypress.
"Next time, you can't escape."
Cypress also answered without losing.
"My words exactly."
Then the Great Emperor's greeting flew in.
Peolleok-peolleok.
The sound of wingbeats reminded some soldiers of harsh times.
Things rising above were roaming the sky.
It was the Gryphon unit.
"That is a greeting?"
Lien clicked his tongue.
Hated dealing with them to the point of being disgusting.
To a person who specializes in close combat and is comfortable dealing with a knight rather than an army, a flying army was truly annoying things.
"He is saying there's no way for a Knight's Duel proposal if we can't even block that level. Lien."
Cypress added.
He spoke looking towards Enkrid.
Not only that one but others also caught his eye.
People worth watching.
Enkrid also happened to look at him.
"Will you trouble yourself one more time?"
Cypress asked.
"Seems less trouble than Sir Cypress's trouble."
Enkrid answered and mounted Weird Eyes again.
Somehow, as soon as Weird Eyes flew, opportunities to perform actively to an excessive degree seemed to come.
Well, good is good.
Gryphons numbered over fifty.
But no bastard carried a knight like before.
Weird Eyes carrying Enkrid ran again.
***
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