Lucas's eyes widened for a split second.

"—?!"

Instinct screamed faster than thought.

Danger. Left. Now.

The skin on his neck prickled.

Without even turning his head, Lucas twisted his hips and raised the Great Hoe on reflex.

Aldric appeared on Lucas's left, his sword already a breath away from severing his neck—stopped for a single fraction of a second by the blade of the hoe.

CLANG!!

The violent impact jolted his arm.

Sparks of mana burst outward.

The air was split apart with a harsh crack.

Aldric's eyes went wide.

"What—?!"

Wild vibrations traveled from the weapons straight into Lucas's arm bones.

The edge of the hoe was still holding back Aldric's blade.

Lucas acted immediately. With effort, he twisted the end of the hoe's handle to the left.

The vibration changed.

The weapon's weight dropped sharply.

The Great Hoe felt like an empty wooden shaft in his hands.

Aldric, still pushing on reflex, lost all pressure.

His sword slipped off by half an inch.

"—Tch!"

Lucas was thrown backward, rolled once, then staggered to his feet.

Dust billowed.

The arena froze.

The Baroness covered her mouth.

The Baron half rose from his seat.

"…He stopped it?" the Baron murmured, his voice barely audible.

That attack was no joke.

It was a Regional Knight's strike, one unleashed without restraint.

And their son—

had stopped it.

Valeric narrowed his eyes.

Just moments ago, the boy had clearly been struggling to withstand Aldric's pressure.

Now?

When Aldric was serious—

"That makes no sense," Valeric muttered quietly. "He even managed to respond to Aldric's attack that fast."

In the arena—

Aldric stepped back half a pace.

His eyes fixed on the Great Hoe.

Then on Lucas's hands.

Then on his face.

"Why…?" His breathing was slightly heavy. "How did you stop that?"

Lucas gave a thin smile and swallowed.

His left arm was numb.

His palm trembled faintly.

Inside, he cursed.

Damn it. Almost too late. Half a second more, and I was done.

He slowly rolled his shoulder, making sure the joint was still intact.

"Reflex," he replied shortly.

Aldric snorted, clearly unconvinced.

Mana began to flow into his sword again—steadier, denser.

"So that's it…" Aldric murmured. "Not a coincidence."

Lucas lowered his center of gravity.

He gripped the Great Hoe with both hands.

Light—yet ready to be changed at any moment.

His gaze sharpened.

No smile.

No laughter.

Aldric moved again.

Faster.

This time—without pause.

One step forward.

A downward slash.

CLANG!

Lucas raised the blade of the Great Hoe, blocking at a slanted angle. The vibration slammed into his shoulder.

He barely had time to breathe—

A strike to the center.

CLANG!!

Lucas twisted his wrist, sliding the sword aside. The ground beneath his feet was carved with a long gouge.

Aldric did not stop.

A low slash.

Lucas dropped the Hoe, his knee nearly touching the ground.

CLANG!!!

Blow after blow came in rapid succession.

High.

Middle.

Low.

Clean. Efficient. No wasted movement.

Aldric kept pressing.

Lucas retreated half a step at a time, his jaw tightening. His hands began to burn as numbness spread quickly.

Damn—he's fast.

Minutes ago, Aldric had still been smiling.

Still mocking.

Still playing around.

Now—

That face was flat.

Eyes locked in.

No emotion left except the intent to kill, technique after technique.

Aldric frowned.

Why…?

The boy should have been down by now.

This pressure should have been enough to break his defense.

Yet every strike was—

blocked.

deflected.

delayed.

It irritated Aldric—because his rhythm was being disrupted.

"Tch."

Aldric's footwork changed.

Deeper.

Closer.

Lucas realized too late.

A feint.

The upward slash—fake.

Aldric's sword dropped sharply downward at a narrow angle.

Lucas moved the Hoe—

Half a second too late.

SCHRK!!

The blade sliced into Lucas's thigh.

"—Gh!"

Blood sprayed.

Lucas staggered, one knee nearly hitting the ground.

Heat flared rapidly from his thigh.

The Baroness jolted to her feet.

Aldric stopped one step in front of Lucas.

Blood dripped from his sword.

His breathing was steady.

His eyes fixed on the wound—cold.

"Finally," he said quietly. "That filthy thing can't stop my blade anymore."

Lucas ground his teeth.

His thigh trembled.

But his hands—

Still gripped the Great Hoe tightly.

And his eyes—

Had not lost their focus.

Aldric stepped forward, his sword raised—ready to finish it.

But—

Lucas moved.

To Aldric's right.

Fast. Too fast.

Aldric slashed—

Nothing.

Only air was cut.

"—?!"

From Aldric's right side—

Lucas was already set. His stance was low, both hands gripping the Great Hoe tightly—the posture of someone about to swing a claymore.

His hips twisted.

His shoulder dropped.

All of his body weight was driven into a single line.

SLAASH—!!

BUGGGHHH!!

A dull, heavy impact smashed into Aldric's chest.

The sound was deep. Solid.

Aldric's body was thrown backward, his feet lifting off the ground before he crashed into the arena floor and rolled several times.

Dust exploded.

The arena—erupted.

"What was that—?!"

"He got hit?!"

"This isn't… possible—?!"

Cheers and shouts blended into one.

Confusion spread rapidly.

How could it be—

that Aldric was injured by that depraved Young Voss?

---

At the seat of honor—

Matruska stared sharply.

Unblinking.

She saw it clearly.

Mana was channeled into the tips of his feet.

Her eyes narrowed.

She glanced to the side.

Toward the Baroness's seat.

Then—her gaze shifted again.

To Silvara.

A memory surfaced—Silvara fighting Lucian Voss with a joyful expression.

"Hmph… it seems my disciple has become a good teacher for him."

----

Aldric coughed violently.

"Kh—! Khk—!"

He pressed a hand to his chest, his breathing ragged. The armor over his chest was caved inward, the metal laced with fine cracks as if it had been struck by a sledgehammer.

"Bastard—" he hissed. "How dare you…!"

He forced himself upright, his face flushed — holding back both pain and humiliation.

Attacked.

Thrown aside.

In such a way.

Not a beautiful duel.

Not a knight's slash.

On the other side—

Sir Valeric wore a faint smile.

His eyes fixed on Aldric's dented armor.

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