All the nobles were above all servants of the king. With that in mind, was it possible for a nobleman to also serve as the head of his race?
No matter where or by whom that question was asked, the answer would always be simple: Nobody knew.
Because there are no precedents.
Of course, if it really happened, it would cause an uproar among the court. Since nobles were supposed to be mere servants of the king, every action they took should be for the good of the king and the kingdom and not just a particular race. Although there were no laws prohibiting it, the lack of precedents made it an unspoken rule.
«Let's go outside».
The chief, however, did not mention such a policy. He couldn't tell if it was because he wasn't aware of the unspoken rule or he just didn't care. However, now was not the time to worry about those things. Why would it matter if the boss knew? After all, the chief was a barbarian in his own right, just like the thousands of warriors around us screaming at the top of their lungs. And that was enough for me.
«¡Become-aaaaaa!»
«¡Become-aaaaaa!»
It would not be an exaggeration to say that all the warriors of the holy land had gathered in the Testament Fields. It was the place where warriors went to resolve their small quarrels or to train or duel, wallowing in the ground and exchanging blows.
Although it was more of a giant hole in the middle of the forest.
The Proving Ground was not a well-maintained arena. The terrain was uneven and even covered in gravel, and when it rained, it often flooded, making it impossible to mourn until the water level dropped.
¡Pum-pum!
However, as soon as we arrived, my warrior heart began to race. So what if there were no luxurious marble floors or tall statues? The only thing that mattered was that the boss himself had brought me here. And unlike when I fought him in the past, I realized that this time he wasn't going to throw his ax at me without enthusiasm.
It feels... like he recognized me.
How weird. He wasn't even a real barbarian.
¡Thump-thump!
So why was he so excited?
¡Thud!
The boss stood in front of me and then jumped into the well more than seven meters deep. He landed with a strong blow, throwing a cloud of dust into the air. Before I could jump to join him, my eyes met Ainar's.
What's wrong with you?
He nodded in support as our gazes met, but his smile did not contain his usual enthusiasm. A sudden thought struck me.
...Maybe you feel like I've taken something from you?
It would make sense for him to feel that way. After all, while I was missing, Ainar had been reading books in the library and striving to become the next chieftain. So maybe my challenge to today's chief was not welcome...
«Bjorn...» Ainar approached me, with a rather serious tone and expression. «Hey, make sure you win! You got it?! I'm putting my trust in you!»
Man, I felt superficial. What was happening to me? Why was I worrying and getting into my own head for no reason?
Thanks to you, I'm not nervous anymore.
I smiled as I brought my fist closer to his. «I already have it. Trust me».
With that, I jumped into the pit... or rather, into the Proving Ground.
Hit!
A jolt shook me from my feet to my legs, as a thick cloud of dust flew through the air. From above, I could hear Ainar's voice rising above the roar of the crowd.
«The great warrior has promised us victory!».
«¡Become-aah!»
I was so embarrassed at this point, there was no way I could lose.
Not that I had planned to lose in the first place.
I stared forward. Through the settling dust, I could see the boss slowly approaching.
Step step.
For some reason, his footsteps sounded loud and clear in my ears, piercing the thunderous screams outside the pit.
Step.
The chief stopped a short distance away and unsheathed the large ax he was carrying on his back. I squeezed the hammer and shield tightly as I quickly got into position.
Fwooosh.
Unlike a duel between nobles, we did not say our names or our houses. There was no announcer to introduce us, nor any priest to say a prayer before the mourning began. There were also none of the typical jokes of a fight between adventurers, who often clashed with empty words in an attempt to deceive or intimidate each other.
The moment we look into each other's eyes, we simply scream, both ready.
«¡Become-aaaaaa!»
«¡Become-aaaaaa!»
And with that, we ran towards each other without saying another word.
His ax and my shield collided.
¡Claaaaang!
The boss, who was only inches taller than me, hit me with his huge axe. I hit him back and our struggle of forces began.
Back then, I had to use gigantization just to contain his axe.
Memories of our previous fight came to mind, but this battle was clearly headed for a different outcome. Our previous combat had taken place before he received the Earth Dragon Blessing from the dragon boy, and before he obtained the Bayon essence, the Storm Jet essence, the Vol-Herchan essence, and the Giant of Earth essence. Depths. Now, there was no way they were going to push me back into a brute force battle.
[You have launched gigantization.]
First, it would grow in size and push back the boss's axe. I didn't want to stay in this position any longer, honestly.
Screech.
It seemed like he was still looking down on me.
[You have released Wild Burst. Your Threat Level has temporarily increased by 3x, and your Physique stats increase in proportion to that value].
As I forcefully pushed the chief back, I grabbed my hammer and hit him.
[You have launched Balancing. The damage you deal with blunt weapons has increased significantly in proportion to your Muscle Strength].
Instead of dodging it, the boss managed to block it with his axe.
¡Bum!
A roar was heard as our weapons collided.
[Gudnulf Olga has launched Frictional Heat.]
There was a sudden burst of heat, as if a bomb had exploded right in my face. However, it was just an explosion.
[The impact of the target weapon has been partially absorbed. Heat has been generated].
It was a stackable ability, which meant its effects were reinforced as more heat accumulated. After all, however, it was an ability that could do nothing but reduce the impact of an attack by a certain amount, so the boss's large body gradually bent under the weight of my hammer.
Okay, I can work with this angle.
I hit his stomach with my huge foot. It bent inward and flew out like a soccer ball, now completely in the air.
¡Whooosh!
I couldn't pass up the opportunity to attack my opponent while trapped in the air. I grabbed my hammer and brandished it like a baseball bat.
¡Fwooosh!
However, while I was preparing my hit, the boss stomped in the air and managed to jump even higher, out of my reach.
[Gudnulf Olga has launched Flame Leap].
Flame Leaping was one of the most effective high-rank movement skills out there. While a manticore could go further with its normal jump, the flame jump could be used in the air. More importantly, its additional effects were very different.
[Fire damage dealt by Gudnulf Olga's next ability will increase by 200%.]
This particular move ability came with a rare double damage multiplier. Therefore, I always made sure I had the skill on my final team when choosing a fire-type character.
[Gudnulf Olga has released Thunder Spark.]
The chieftain landed behind me as he brandished his axe.
¡Bum!
An explosion shook my shield and pierced me to the bones. It's been a while since I felt something like this.
[Heat has been generated.]
It was like fighting a huge monster. But, like the warrior that I was, I focused solely on the battle and brandished my hammer to face its attack.
¡Zas!
However, when my hammer hit his chin, the boss only took a few steps back.
Ah... This old man is strong...
Was it because lately he only fought against the weak? It was a strange feeling, to deal a blow to the chief at full power and it was not nearly as effective as he expected. In the end, the forts were in a kingdom apart, even when it came to tanking.
¡Clang!
I brandished my hammer again before it could recover, but the boss was faster and quickly regrouped, raising his ax to block me.
[Heat has been generated.]
Were there already three batteries? More or less, but there was no need to keep an exact account. After all, it would be obvious when it reached ten.
[Heat has been generated.]
[Heat has been generated.]
[Heat has been generated.]
I continued exchanging blows with him as I continued charging.
[Gudnulf Olga's next attack will be strengthened by the accumulated heat.]
[Gudnulf Olga has launched Flame Leap. Fire damage dealt by the next ability used by Gudnulf Olga will increase by 200%].
The boss jumped into the air and hit me with his axe. How could I face a combo like that?
Jumping.
I could have blocked his attack, but given the state of my shield, I decided to jump back and put more distance between us.
¡Booooooooom!
His ax hit the ground, creating a huge crater large enough to bury three people inside.
It must have already had ten batteries.
I had to be aware of the sheer amount of strength and power at his disposal when he reached a multiple of ten piles. Being hit on the head by one of those blows would be enough...
¿Eh?
While she was busy strategizing, the chieftain hit the ground once more. What followed was an ability from the rank three monster Hellsmith.
[Gudnulf Olga has launched Hit. The flames within the earth awaken].
It was a fascinating sight. He didn't expect him to throw his final move before he could even accumulate enough attacks.
¡Booooom!
The ground cracked and flames erupted from the earth and enveloped the chief's body. Well, perhaps the most appropriate term would be «camouflage». Hitting was an improvement skill.
[The damage dealt by all Fire-type abilities has increased significantly. Gudnulf Olga's physical stats increase significantly in proportion to her Fire Sensitivity level. Your environment will burn constantly].
The boss, now covered in flames, immediately got up from the ground and pounced on me.
¡Fwooosh!
I managed to block his ax with my shield, but a stinging wave of heat continued to burn my skin. Fortunately, his effects were reduced because he had equipped the Fire Orb.
[You have activated the Fire Orb. All Fire-type damage within 15 yards will be reduced by 50%].
I was glad I brought it with me.
«¡Become-aaaaaa!»
«Bjorn, son of Yandel, is driving back the Flame Warrior!»
«¡Wooooooh!»
We exchanged several more blows. The barbarians watching us shouted my name, feeling that I had the upper hand in this fight. However, that was only because this confrontation was favorable for me.
¡Clang!
I could easily block his ax with my hammer, and since my strength was on par with the chieftain's, I couldn't push myself back or break my stance.
¡Fwooosh!
The continuous fire damage I was bombarded with was reduced, and my healing factor took care of any damage I managed to break through.
[Gudnulf Olga's next attack will be reinforced by the accumulated heat].
Whenever the boss gathered enough stacks to deliver a minimally dangerous blow, I made sure to back off and avoid it. From the boss's point of view, this must have seemed unfair and frustrating. This battle could have been very different if I had been a tank and not a damage dealer.
¡Whack!
However, I was a warrior who wielded a shield to protect himself and a hammer to deal damage. Of course, that didn't mean he had an overwhelming advantage over the chieftain.
¡Fwoooooosh!
He certainly wouldn't be an easy opponent.
[Gudnulf Olga's next attack will be reinforced by the accumulated heat].
The chieftain threw Flame Leap into a feint and then smashed his ax at my adamantium shield.
[Gudnulf Olga has released Resonance of Mother Nature.]
[Gudnulf Olga has launched Ignite.]
All of them were quite dangerous abilities for a fire-type warrior.
[Gudnulf Olga's stats have temporarily increased due to accumulated heat.]
Now that he had accumulated fifty stacks, he was starting to get even faster.
[Gudnulf Olga acquires Natural Regeneration proportional to the Fire damage dealt by the innate ability, Ember].
[All of Gudnulf Olga's stats have increased in proportion to the resources consumed by the innate Heat ability].
The other effects he had obtained from following the Golden Sun Footprint route were unexpectedly difficult to handle. Since Calor was active, he must have reached the ninth stage of his imprint, at the very least.
Ha. It's not even a tank, but it's that hard.
The boss was an ideal high-ranking barbarian warrior. He could only imagine the number of times he had been praised for his strength. Not only could he deal large amounts of damage, but he also had a robust body, an impressive healing factor, and a lack of fear.
However, one thing served him more than all that.
«¡Become-aaaaaa!»
The more cornered he was, the more violent and powerful he became.
That nickname... The Warrior of Flame...
I was finally seeing with my own eyes the man in the story I had heard so long ago. The largest clan in the city had personally explored him, and came to see him as their leader after an attack on the Frost Lord's Palace in one of the eighth-floor Cracks. At that moment, I thought I broadly understood how strong the boss was based on that story.
It makes sense... With so much power, he could certainly achieve it.
Although he was considered one of the weakest bosses in our clan's history, he was still incredibly strong. Still, it wasn't enough to overcome the difference between us.
I guess it's about time.
It was finally time to end this duel.
Three two one...
As I counted inside my head, the flames enveloping the boss's body slowly began to die out.
[Blow has been disabled.]
The buff, which served as its finisher, was eventually deactivated. Now, it was my turn to go on the offensive and push him back.
¡Buuuuu!
With each attack, I made sure to use Oscillation in combination with Transcendence and Eye of the Storm so as not to give him time to breathe. Of course, that also meant I was quickly running out of PM...
Although he hadn't used Soul Immersion yet.
Feeling my intention to end this duel, the boss began to counterattack more fiercely.
¡Crack!
My shield, which had already been hit several times by his axe, shattered under his next blow. Even in the heat of the moment, I couldn't help but feel depressed thinking about how much it would cost to fix it. However, the fact that he had lost a shield and not his arm was worth it.
Hit!
With my empty hand, I slammed my fist into the boss's jaw. As he threw his head back, he stared at me and brandished his axe.
¡Clang!
I could barely block it with my hammer.
[The maximum amount of heat has been stored].
The chief's ax began to emit a reddish glow as if it had just emerged from a blacksmith's forge. I sighed to myself. He had reached the maximum of his batteries. I was hoping to finish this before I got to this point.
[All Gudnulf Olga statistics have increased significantly due to accumulated heat].
Of course, even with a full stack, the boss was not in the best condition. Blood was dripping down his forehead and his entire body was bruised and swollen. His arms and legs, stomach and head were all hurt. To be honest, I wasn't sure how it was possible that he was still standing right now.
Oh.
Only then did I realize: it must have been the same feeling that others had when they looked at me.
«Bjorn, son of Yandel», the chief called.
If he wanted to talk, he could go put that red ax away now. Still, I decided to listen to him, since it was the first time we had spoken in the middle of a battle. However, I made sure not to take my eyes off the axe.
«You have become stronger».
I had been wondering what he was going to say, but was that really it?
«If it's you, I think I can give you the position of leader of this tribe». Despite his words, his eyes did not look like those of a warrior who had accepted defeat. The statement that followed only confirmed this. «But!», the boss bellowed. «I still hate losing! And that's why I'm going to win».
With that, the chief let out a roar, ignoring the screams of the other barbarians watching him as he charged towards me with determination. My answer would be the same as always. Avoid what I could, block when necessary, hit when I could and swing my hammer until my enemy fell.
Time seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.
I didn't hear anything around me. It was like he was wearing earplugs. The other barbarian warriors watching from above must have been shouting something, but I only heard our battle. However, this feeling was not new to me. Why hadn't anyone made a saying for it yet? Something like, a barbarian only hears what he needs to hear.
Right now, I could only hear my opponent's breathing, the sound of his feet crawling on the ground...
¡Fwoooooosh!
And the sound of the wind running beside me.
Step.
My eyes were glued to him. My body moved forward as I kicked the ground. But in an instant, the moment I entered its radius of action, that red ax grazed the upper part of my body, cutting me from bottom to top.
What was that? How did I avoid it? If he had hit me with that, I wouldn't have even had time to realize what had happened before he took me out of combat. No, how did he manage to brandish his ax from that angle?
A chill ran down my spine as a flurry of questions filled my mind. Meanwhile, my body had already fully adapted and was springing into action before I could think.
Hit!
My hammer swung down to hit the hand holding the axe. Although his wrist was broken, the chief did not let go of the handle. All I could do was hit him again.
A hit!
Only after his wrist was completely shattered did he drop the axe. However, I was wrong to expect that to be the end of our battle.
The boss stared at me with the only hand he had left. It was a tacit sign that this duel was not over yet.
Ha... So this is a real barbarian...
A wave of emotion came over me. Part of me was fed up with her barbaric tenacity, but another part admired her. And another part felt disappointment. I wanted to give the chief a clean KO with everyone watching.
Well, whatever...
I knew my fellow barbarians would still enjoy watching this.
Hit!
I threw my hammer aside while disabling gigantization.
«Behel-aaaaaa!»
-and I decided to fight the chief with fists until I was satisfied.
Hit! Punch! Punch!
He wasn't meant to be the star of today's show.
«The winner has been decided!»
«Bjorn, son of Yandel! He will be our new boss!»
In the end, we didn't finish our duel for the title of chieftain until long after lunchtime.