Chapter 70: Unofficial Ranker (3)

The next day.

Willas arrived at the reception room first, waiting for Roman with a tired expression on his face.

'Finally, we meet.'

The night before.

Willas was unable to sleep.

Roman's soldiers had given him a tremendous shock.

They displayed a fierce and combative demeanor, much like the warriors of Valhalla, and their swordsmanship, which cornered their opponents, was far beyond the level of the frontier.

As a priest of Valhalla, having seen countless strong individuals, he was confident in his judgment.

If the soldiers' prowess originated from Roman, then Roman might indeed be the powerful figure the rumors suggested.

'Roman Demetri. Is he a hidden dragon that hasn't had the chance to rise, or a puppet in a show of hero-making?'

What was certain.

It would be resolved with a direct confirmation.

Willas took a sip of tea.

The appointed time had not yet arrived, so he waited calmly. Soon, the door opened, and people entered.

"Master Roman has arrived."

Thud.

He put down his teacup.

His heart raced.

Indeed.

What kind of person was Roman Demetri?

The moment the man finally stepped inside.

"......Wow."

He involuntarily let out a sigh of admiration.

Steady steps.

A natural gaze that looked down at Willas and a relaxed expression.

Having met countless people and honed his discernment, Willas was certain of one fact from this alone.

'A person accustomed to the life of a strong individual.'

Perhaps.

Roman Demetri might have indeed defeated Homer.

After a brief exchange of names.

Willas immediately got to the point.

"Is it true that you defeated Homer in the Grandmaster's battle?"

"It is true."

The answer was calm.

As if it were nothing.

In response to Roman's nonchalant reaction, Willas swallowed hard and said,

"You don't seem to fully realize what you've accomplished. Homer is not just a strong individual ranked 49th, but someone who, after reaching the 4-star level, was expected to rank in the top 30. You, Roman Demetri, at just 25 years old, defeated him. Do you understand what that means?"

This time.

The shock of Homer's defeat was not the issue.

It was the fact that his opponent was 25 years old that drove Willas to come to Demetri.

"A 25-year-old who defeated Homer. Just reaching the 3-star level in your twenties is shocking enough, but if it hints at the potential for 4-star, you could be considered the greatest talent in the history of the Kingdom of Cairo. Therefore, as the Temple of Valhalla, we deemed it necessary to verify the truth of this matter."

"I understand what you mean."

Roman leaned back.

Crossing his legs, he showed an expression of interest.

"You're beating around the bush, saying that what I did doesn't make 'sense.' Get straight to the point. If a priest of Valhalla has come all the way to Demetri, there must be a clear purpose, right?"

"Understood."

The stage was set.

No more time to waste; it was time to verify the truth.

Willas said,

"Before we confirm the truth, let me explain the ranking procedure. The ranking battles are divided into official and unofficial battles. An official battle is one where, with the permission of the Temple of Valhalla and in front of spectators, you defeat your opponent to prove your strength. The results of an official battle are immediately reflected in the ranking, and while the ranking list is published at the beginning of the following year, a certificate proving your rank is issued. If you had defeated Homer through the official battle procedure, we would have announced the birth of a new 49th-ranked individual in the Kingdom of Cairo without further proof."

The problem was.

It was an unofficial battle.

Unlike official battles, unofficial battles occur spontaneously and were not a term that existed from the beginning.

"An unofficial battle is a term created due to sudden confrontations between rankers. If someone defeats a ranker outside of a ranking battle, the vacant position is moved up one step each year. A victory in an unofficial battle cannot secure the defeated ranker's position. However, if you can prove that you are a strong individual worthy of that position, the last position, 100th, is given to the winner of the unofficial battle."

The conclusion was simple.

Roman, who defeated Homer unofficially.

If it was true, it meant that he could secure the 100th position through verification, not Homer's position.

"Actually, there is no way to prove that you were the one who defeated Homer. The Temple of Valhalla only believes in what it has directly confirmed, so even if there were many witnesses, it wouldn't change the fact. Therefore, to verify your unofficial qualifications, we use an aura meter. The method of proof is simple. If the aura meter, when used, meets the standards we have set for rankers, we will consider you qualified to take the 100th position and add your name to the list of rankers. At this time, unlike an official battle, no certificate is issued. The position is subject to change, and the 100th-ranked individual, when the list is first published, is likely to become prey for challengers, so we give some time for safety."

The explanation was over.

Now.

It was time to verify the truth with the aura meter.

Seeing Willas waiting for an answer, Roman asked,

"Is there a reason you have to become a ranker to this extent?"

"Well, if you become a ranker, you must accept the risks that come with it. But if I were a swordsman, I would say it's worth it. As a swordsman, making a name for yourself in the world. Even without special rewards, isn't it worth taking the risk for the sake of honor alone?"

Roman chuckled.

There is also a ranking system in the martial arts world, like the Ten Great Martial Artists.

Given how many people risked their lives for it, Roman could understand what Willas was saying.

Revealing oneself.

It's not always a good thing.

The more you reveal, the more attention you attract, and that creates variables.

But.

"I don't like proving my qualifications through a method like the aura meter. Rather, assign me a new opponent. Someone of a similar rank to Homer would be fine, or even a higher rank. As you said, I will prove my qualifications by defeating a ranker in front of a priest of Valhalla."

Roman.

Chen Ma Bai Zhong Xie, was a person who did not hesitate to reveal himself.

It was a surprising answer.

Willas had met many people, but this was the first time he encountered someone so bold.

'What does he think the ranking battle is?'

The ranking battle.

It's not a child's play.

People risked their lives to get their names on the ranking list.

It was a glorious position to prove one's worth as a swordsman, and many people died in the process.

The implicit rule that one should not kill their opponent was largely meaningless.

When strong individuals of equal skill faced each other, the fight would inevitably be intense, and a blind sword would show no mercy.

Therefore.

People called Fernando, the 30th gatekeeper, a true ranker.

Fernando never refused a challenger and always accepted fights to prove himself.

In contrast.

There were also cowards who, once on the ranking list, never accepted challenges.

These types would gradually drop in rank each year, but they cleverly avoided fighting until the last year, when they would have one final battle to maintain their position.

That's how much rankers, even strong ones, disliked ranking battles.

After all the hard work to achieve wealth and fame, why risk dying over a single challenge?

In response to Roman's words.

Willas said,

"Actually, as you said, the best way to prove yourself is to have a new ranking battle. However, a ranking battle is not that simple. It's not something that can be done just because you want to. You need the opponent's consent and to consider scheduling issues to make an official ranking battle happen. Conversely, think about it. Are there any rankers in the northeastern part of the Kingdom of Cairo? There aren't. Therefore, this issue is impossible from the start due to the lack of an opponent."

"That's a shame."

Without an opponent.

An official ranking battle was impossible.

In the end.

"There is only one way."

Willas said,

"We will conduct a test with the aura meter. If you meet the standards set by the aura meter, Mr. Roman Demetri, you will be added to the list of new rankers in the Kingdom of Cairo."

The aura meter.

Despite the grand explanation, its appearance was very simple.

It was a sphere the size of a fist, and Willas showed it while explaining.

"The test method is simple. When you infuse the aura meter with mana, it changes color based on the power of the mana. 1-star is red, 2-star is orange, 3-star is yellow, and 4-star and above show green. For reference, since you defeated Homer, a 4-star aura swordsman, to secure the 100th position, you must at least prove the minimum qualification of 3-star yellow. And it must be a deep yellow. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

There was nothing special to understand.

It was just a matter of infusing mana.

Roman took the sphere.

He found it quite amusing, a product of a new culture.

'The continent of Salamander is a world where magic is highly developed, unlike the martial arts world. There is even a tool to measure the strength of a martial artist. The power of magic cannot be underestimated. What kind of beings are mages? Are they like the ritualists of the martial arts world, or are they superhumans who have reached the realm of gods?'

He examined the aura meter.

The principle was beyond his understanding.

Roman suddenly felt curious.

'If I release aura in the way of this world, how will the aura meter react?'

Two worlds.

The methods of using aura are different.

Salamander continent swordsmen release aura in an excessive burst, while martial artists condense and refine mana to use it.

That's why people who saw Roman's aura were all puzzled.

Even using 1-star aura can create a dramatic effect, but Roman could completely overwhelm his opponent with a force that made people doubt if it was aura at all.

Releasing aura.

He knew how to do it.

Roman understood the principle but avoided it because it was inefficient.

'Interesting.'

Once.

Following the common sense of a new world might not be bad.

If the aura meter is designed to measure the release of aura, then Roman should release his aura explosively to match it.

How would this world's magical culture evaluate his strength?

At first, it was out of curiosity, but as he thought about it, it seemed like a decent opportunity.

"Begin."

At Willas