Chapter 70

70. The Third Place (12)

Teron's words as he descended the arena: "Defeat."

To which Luna shouted,

"Hey! What the hell are you talking about? Anyone can see that we, Zero, won!"

"No, Dike hasn't lost yet."

Teron shifted his gaze to where Dike lay on the ground.

"Dike, stand up."

"..."

"Stand up and fight."

Teron's command.

Dike, gripping his sword, began to stand up, trembling.

'His leg is broken, isn't it?'

His legs trembled like those of a newborn deer.

His face was pale.

And the blood seeping through his school uniform pants proved it.

Yet, Dike tried to stand up.

And soon, he succeeded in standing.

He was standing on his broken leg.

"Such crazy bastards..."

Luna muttered.

That's right. Both of them are crazy.

Teron, who gives the orders, and Dike, who tries to fight.

'Teron and Dike. As expected, they won't be easy to deal with.'

These two are the enemies I need to face in Chapter 2.

I felt it in the game, but seeing them in person, their presence is truly formidable.

'Dike.'

He has lived his life receiving orders since he was five years old.

A loyal servant of the Vurn family.

A diligent and faithful hunting dog.

"An order. Fight."

Squeak-.

Dike, dragging his leg, approached me.

Before long, Dike fell flat on the ground.

He began to try to stand up again.

"Have you forgotten my order? I ordered you to fight in my place. And."

Glance-.

"Defeat is not acceptable."

Teron kept glancing at me.

I could instantly understand his intentions.

'Hmm~ So you're going to come out like that?'

I felt it before when we talked, but indeed, I seem to match well with Teron.

He is logical and rational, yet we connect emotionally.

'You can't afford to lose in the proxy duel I went to for you, and you don't want the other kids to know about it.'

And you can't afford to lose Dike.

So, Teron is.

'Proposing a draw, huh?'

Well, it's not a bad proposal for me either.

If it were known that I won, various kids would come running to me, asking to be taken in.

"Ugh! Pain in my frontal lobe!"

"Zero! What's wrong?"

"Ugh! Seeing Luna's face makes me feel like I'm going to die."

"Really want to die?"

I thought it was a perfect act, but somehow the kids' reactions were off.

Should I have rolled on the ground?

Well, since everyone seems to know it's an act, I should play it appropriately.

"Seems like neither of us can fight in this situation."

"That's true. You look very hurt. Especially your head."

Luna, don't overdo it.

This is all for your sake.

"How about this? Let's call it a draw."

"A draw?"

Teron quickly responded.

Indeed, talking with that guy is fast and enjoyable.

"Yes, that's right. I'm completely out of energy. As a noble, one should have the broad-mindedness and magnanimity to listen to the words of the lower class..."

"Right. You're out of energy, huh? Then there's nothing I can do. Attacking an opponent who has no strength left is dishonorable."

That's right, that's right.

"Most importantly, didn't we have a 'good match'?"

"Right, right. It was a match worth talking about. Then I'll declare it. The duel ends in a draw..."

However, I need to gain something from this.

"Wait! I have a proposal."

"...What is it?"

"How about we exchange items as a token of friendship?"

"...Friendship?"

Teron suddenly had a look of "What the hell are you talking about?"

Don't worry.

I'll make you understand quickly.

"Since we had such a good match, it would be a shame to just part ways. So, let's exchange items we have."

"...Right. Well, that's fine."

"Hmm, since the opponent in the duel was Dike, would it be okay to exchange items with Dike?"

"Sure, go ahead."

The kids outside the arena became noisy.

The situation might force the door to be opened.

Teron couldn't help but be in a hurry.

He approached Dike, who was sitting leaning on his sword.

"I want a barrier of order."

"Wait! That's too much as a gift!"

Teron called out urgently.

Too much? Do you really think so?

"Hmm? My frontal lobe suddenly feels fine."

"What, what?"

"Hmm, it seems a rematch is possible. Right now..."

"Take it! If it's a gift, it should be this good!"

"Ugh! Suddenly, there's a devilish pain in my frontal lobe!"

"..."

Teron, Yuridia, and Luna's expressions became strange.

They seem to be thinking, "What's with this guy?"

It's just an illusion. I'm just exchanging gifts.

Dike rummaged through his pocket and handed me a small disc.

It reduces 80% of the damage from a critical injury once per battle.

'It's not a final-grade item, but it should be useful until the final chapter.'

I bowed to Dike and Teron, who gave me the gift.

Just as I was about to leave the arena,

"Wait!"

"?"

"Didn't you say it was an exchange? What if you just leave?"

Ah, right. It was an exchange.

I bent down and picked up a small, cute rock from the ground.

I handed it to Dike.

"It's a gift."

"...?"

"It's a precious rock I carry around. It always brings me luck, but I'll give it to Dike specially."

"...?"

I tightly held the rock in Dike's hand and left the arena.

Giving away a luck-filled rock I just picked up.

This is a loss for me, isn't it?

"...You're really a devil."

"Hmm, have you ever seen such a handsome devil?"

"Haa... This shameless guy. My face is burning."

Teron sighed deeply.

"Then I'll declare it. The duel ends in a draw..."

"One more thing."

Teron gritted his teeth.

That's not good for your teeth. I'll tell you next time.

"...What is it?"

"Swear on your family name that you won't talk about what happened here today."

Teron, Dike, Yuridia.

It would be troublesome if they spread the word that I used [Illusion].

"...What if I don't?"

Yuridia's question.

The Lester family is a traitor family.

Yuridia has the duty to report it.

"Hmm, Miss Yuridia."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Would you like to see my skill similar to Illusion one more time? Then you'll know if it's the family's secret technique or not."

Of course, the target is Yuridia.

She raised her left hand, which she had been looking at.

"I, Yuridia de Rowenter, swear on my family's name that I will never speak of the duel that took place today."

And the same goes for Teron.

"I, Teron de Vurn, swear on my family's name that I will never speak of the duel that took place today."

Now, only Dike is left.

He has no family to swear by, but there's a way.

"Dike, keep silent about what happened today forever."

"Hmm, add the word 'order' to it."

"...It's an order."

"Understood, Master Teron."

Phew, now it's really over.

The sudden duel and execution-style incident at night.

Completely resolved, finished, concluded.

'Well, I hid a trap in the oath just now, but there's no need to mention it.'

Teron subtly checked my reaction.

"...Can I declare the end now?"

"Hmm, I never interfered. Go ahead."

"I'll end the duel in a draw! Dike, use the potion!"

He finished it off lightning fast, without any sentiment.

Yuridia approached us.

"You worked hard today. I feel embarrassed because I didn't do much despite all the commotion."

"Hmm, that's what I mean. With so many kids, and I didn't do anything... really..."

Luna pulled on my ear.

Luna, you're going to tear my ear.

"No, thank you. I'll definitely repay this debt."

"Go in and rest. I'll deal with the kids."

I wiped the blood and dirt off my clothes and body.

I need to pretend I had a fierce battle.

"Miss Luna."

"Got it. I'll carry you."

Luna easily carried me.

How does she have such strength in her small frame?

"Reminds me of the entrance exam."

Luna chuckled.

The first exam. Luna, who carried me and ran through the maze.

"Hmm, can you run as well as you did then?"

"Are you underestimating me? I can run much better than then."

"Let's see."

"Hold on tight! You might fly off!"

And so, I was carried out of the arena on Luna's back.

* * *

Creak-.

"Everyone, clear the way! The injured need to leave!"

"Make way!"

Yuridia and Teron's shouts as soon as the door opened.

The kids instantly cleared a path.

While they were confused, Luna, carrying Zero, quickly ran out.

"Wha, what?"

"What? Did he lose?"

The duel between the strongest first-year, Dike, and the third-place entrant, Zero.

The kids, unable to contain their curiosity, ran to their respective masters and chattered.

"Miss Yuridia! What happened?"

"...The match ended in a draw."

"A draw? But..."

"It's a real draw, not a deal. Both were very strong and the match was intense."

"Miss Yuridia, then..."

"Yes, we must recruit him. Only Zero can counter the Teron faction."

Oh!

The kids cheered.

Dike, an absolute presence. A rival of his caliber.

Their morale couldn't help but rise.

Yuridia felt the same way.

Except for one thing.

'Certainly, that was the Lester family's secret technique.'

Since the Lester family was destroyed, the family has excluded the Lester family's secret technique from the curriculum.

But the unique and destructive Lester family sword technique was impossible to forget.

"Such... a match for Dike?"

"Yes."

"Another monster..."

The conversation on the Teron side was also coming to an end, similar to Yuridia's side.

A Dike-level strong person.

It wasn't good news, but it wasn't bad news either.

If they recruit him, the first-year will be dominated by the Teron they follow.

"Godner and Jepa, you two start from the bottom again. No change in ranking until the midterm... no, the final exam."

The two bowed deeply.

Godner is one thing, but why was Jepa demoted?

Because he argued that Zero was just showing off when planning this.

That he had no skill, just luck.

'Those guys made me fall into cognitive dissonance.'

But as expected, it was as I predicted.

Zero is strong.

"Can't even look at him. Go clean up the aftermath."

"Understood!"

The kids started cleaning the arena.

Because they used it without permission.

Yuridia also instructed the kids to clean up.

When the melee with the Teron faction broke out, quite a few places were damaged.

Teron, looking at this, organized his thoughts.

He knew Zero was strong.

But.

'Never thought he could even beat Dike.'

Teron approached Dike, who was sitting down.