Morning light broke softly across the Radiant Dominion, casting golden lines through the inn's window shutters. Inside their shared room, Jin and Lyr were already awake, facing one another with sword and spear in the courtyard behind the building.
The air was crisp, and neither spoke much.
Their blades clashed with sharp cracks; light movements, clean footwork, no mana, no flair. Just muscle memory and rhythm. It wasn't training anymore; it was meditation in motion.
After several exchanges, Lyr halted and grinned.
- "Jin's a little nervous."
- "A little nervous keeps me alive." - Jin smirked.
They crossed once more, then lowered them.
By the time Serenya joined them inside, the two had cleaned up, equipped themselves, and were seated in the dining hall. The aroma of bread and roasted meat filled the air, blending with the murmur of voices.
Unlike usual mornings, today the inn buzzed with tension. Conversations came not from adventurers, but from clean-robed nobles and well-dressed merchants - those who lived inside the Noble District but had come to see the duel firsthand.
Jin caught phrases here and there:
- "...the Empire's representative is a commander, you know?"
- "...heard the Kingdom's last challenger was defeated in less than a minute…"
- "...some upstart E-ranker this time, what a joke..."
They, however ate in silence.
After breakfast, the trio made their way to the Adventurers' Guild. Just outside, a finely crafted royal carriage awaited, flanked by two white; uniformed knights. The crest of the royal family gleamed on the carriage's side.
- "Guess this is us," Jin muttered.
They arrived at the palace grounds, then were led into the Royal Barracks - an open, coliseum-like courtyard surrounded by elevated stone seating. Magic poles flickered barriers in four corners of the area.
Even now, lower-ranked nobles and wealthy elites were already seated. Fine silks, ornate fans, and glinting jewelry filled the stands. Many turned as the trio arrived, their gazes sharp - some merely curious, others clearly aimed at Jin with disapproving.
Whispers followed them like trailing shadows.
Jin said nothing.
As they reached the center platform, it was time to part ways. Lyr gave him a silent nod, extending his fist. Jin bumped it without hesitation. Meanwhile, Serenya stepped forward, placed her hand briefly over Jin's, she chanted something before bowed her head.
- "Go with light," she said quietly.
Jin met her gaze, then turned and followed one of the palace knights toward the contestant's waiting area; leaving his companions to ascend toward the VIP observation seats where the Royalties and some high-ranking nobles situated.
The waiting room was cool and quiet. Jin sat on a stone bench, legs crossed, back straight. Eyes closed; he visualized the arena. He pictured Arem's strikes – heavy and brutal. He imagined himself dodging, countering. Every movement practiced in his mind a dozen ways. No distractions. No doubt.
Then a voice echoed through the courtyard above.
- "Your Majesties, my fellow Dukes and Duchess as well as other Lords. As a royal commander and Duke of the Radiant Dominion," the speaker's voice boomed with steady authority, "I, Darius Thorne, will serve as judge and witness for this second sanctioned duel between the Radiant Kingdom and the Varetheim Empire."
- "First contestant" – Darius continued 'Representing the Radiant Kingdom—Jin Kazama, Rank E Adventurer of Willowshade."
Jin opened his eyes. He stepped out as his name was called.
A low wave of chuckles rippled through the crowd. Then, as he slowly emerged, they outright laughing at him. A few scoffs echoed off the stone walls.
- "E-rank?"
- "This is definitely a joke"
- "Are they sending him to die?"
Jin kept walking.
He stepped into the center of the arena. The sun glared down, banners flapping gently in the breeze.
And there—standing tall, proud, and commanding in every sense—was Duke Darius Thorne.
His white plate armor gleamed, trimmed with gold and blue. A single sword scar crossed his left eye, but that eye - still sharp - watched everything. A blue cloak billowed behind him like a storm cloud preparing to fall.
Standing near him felt… heavy; suffocating, almost.
Jin dared a glance at him - then activated Appraisal briefly.
Status
Name Darius Thorne
Gender Male
Age 53
Race Human
Level 131
Status Healthy
HP 29,000 / 29,000
MP 9,725 / 9,725
Jin's heart skipped a beat.
'He's stronger than Kael… Maybe even more than that. Monsters like him are starting to appeared more often. I still have a long way to go…'
Darius didn't return his gaze. He simply stood, silent and unmoving, like a mountain carved into man.
Then, his voice rose again.
- "Representing the Varetheim Empire—Sir Arem Chiegro, Vice-Captain of the Empire's Fourth Squad, under direct command of Kael Virehn, and Seventh of the Royal Guard."
The arena fell silent.
From the Empire's entrance, heavy footsteps echoed.
A giant figure emerged, clad in deep black armor—so thick it resembled a walking fortress. Nearly nine feet tall, with a horned helm and gauntlets that looked like they could crush stone.
Each step was deliberate. Measured.
Too measured.
Jin narrowed his eyes.
As Arem entered the arena and stood across from him, the tension in the courtyard thickened.
Jin activated Appraisal.
Status
Name A being called Arem Chiegro
Age 4
Race Undetermined
Level 78
HP 22,350 / 22,350
MP 9,786 / 9,786
Jin's heart slammed against his ribs.
- "A being called…? And four…? What the hell…?"
His gaze snapped to the VIP section—Serenya and Lyr's eyes were already on him, wide with unease.
They'd seen it too.
Something was wrong.
Something was very, very wrong.
The moment both challengers stepped inside the dueling grounds, a hush swept over the arena. They stood at a respectful distance, blades sheathed; but the tension between them crackled like a storm on the edge of breaking.
Standing upon the raised dais at the arena's northern edge, Duke Darius Thorne stepped forward. His voice, firm and commanding, rang out clear over the magically amplified sound-crystal embedded in the center podium.
- "Before the match begin and blood is drawn, allow me to introduce a proper honor."
His hawk-like gaze scanned the gathered crowd, and his hand swept toward the elevated balconies carved into the stone wall of the barracks—lavishly adorned with crests, banners, and silk canopies. There, seated in their respective thrones and viewing seats, were the true powers behind the kingdoms.
- "From the side of the Radiant Dominion, bear witness to those who safeguard our realm and dignity—our sovereign and his house."
He gestured upward.
- "His Majesty, King Althain Radiant—Protector of the Lightbound Pact and Warden of the Verdant Flame. Her Grace, Queen Seraphina Lys—Lady of the Moonward Vale, Matron of Serenity."
- "Crown Prince Caius Radiant - first of his name; Second Prince Tirian Radiant; First Princess Selena Radiant"
Duke Darius paused just a moment, then gestured toward a secondary row flanking the royal family.
- "Standing with the Crown, the highest bloodlines of the Dominion."
- "Duchess Elrion Vaelis of House Vaelis — the Whispering Thorn, Keeper of the Elven Embassy and High Enchantress of Aes'thelor." - An ethereal elf woman stood; her violet eyes impassive beneath a silver circlet.
- "Duke Ragan Wyrmane of House Wyrmane — Champion of the Wildcall Trials and High Lord of the Southern Fangs." - A towering lion beastkin with a scarred face gave a short nod, golden mane braided in warrior's cords.
- "Duke Malrik Vaonder of House Vaonder — Ironhand of the Golden Spire, General of the Eastern Legions." - A stern man in military regalia saluted briefly, jaw clenched.
- "Marquis Grondel Emberforge of House Emberforge — Master of Stone and Flame, Lord of the Deep-Hearth Guild." - A stout dwarf let out a small grunt of approval, arms crossed proudly over his obsidian-black armor.
- "Marquis Edrien Karthvale of House Karthvale — Lord Treasurer and Arcane Chancellor of the Crown." - A thinner, scholarly human man simply nodded, a staff resting by his side.
- "Last but not least, Sir VeilQuinn Elaris – Guild Master of the Adventurer Guild Headquarter in Solaria"
Darius allowed the applause that followed to taper off before turning his attention to the opposite end of the royal balconies.
- "And from the Northern area, sent by the Varetheim Empire as witness and emissary to this sacred bout…Sir Kael Verhn — Envoy of the Empire, Bearer of the Black Sigil, and Voice of the Twilight Court."
A tall man dressed in sharp crimson-trimmed robes rose from his seat. His features were pale, angular, and unreadable. He neither smiled nor bowed — he merely stared at the arena floor; his hands clasped behind his back.
A faint murmur rippled across the crowd. Even here, the presence of the Empire carried a chill.
Duke Darius raised his arms once more to silence the tension.
- "With these great eyes upon you, warriors—show not just your skill, but your heart. Let this duel be truth carved in steel." - He lowered his hand - "Begin."
The air inside the royal barracks turned heavy immediately. Spectators leaned forward from their seats. The nobles and dignitaries in the VIP section — formerly smug and disinterested — now watched in taut silence.
A single command rang out. The signal to "Begin"
Arem moved first.
His massive frame exploded forward with shocking speed, closing the distance in less than a breath. Jin's eyes widened, barely raising his blade to block the downward arc of a monstrous great sword. The impact thundered across the arena, stone cracking beneath Jin's boots as he skidded back from the force.
- "You're not dead yet?" Arem's voice rumbled — low, guttural, mechanical. It didn't echo like a man's voice should. "Pity."
Jin didn't waste time with words, rather he exploded forward like a coiled spring, blade flashing upward in a clean arc aimed straight for Arem's head.
CLANG!
Arem's great sword met the strike with a shower of sparks. The collision rattled the arena air.
Without breaking rhythm, Arem drove his left fist toward Jin's face — a brutal counter, backed by his raw power.
But Jin was faster.
He twisted his body and raised his left arm, parrying the punch with his forearm, letting Arem's strength glide past harmlessly. Spinning on his heel, Jin brought his right leg up high — feinting a kick to Arem's torso.
Arem reacted, lifting his right hand to block — but the kick never came.
Instead, Jin's right leg dropped through like dead weight, and in the same breath, his left leg came crashing down, using the full spin and gravity to hammer Arem's neck with the instep of his foot.
Arem grunted, stunned. The force knocked him to one knee.
But Jin didn't let up.
In one fluid motion, he followed with a snap-kick toward Arem's face, right leg again striking out like a whip. This time, Arem anticipated it. He launched himself backward just in time, Jin's kick slicing air where his face had been a moment before.
As Arem landed and steadied himself, Jin's hand flicked.
Three throwing knives hissed through the air — sharp, fast, deadly.
CLANG—CLANG—CLANG!
Arem's great sword whirled like a shield, deflecting all three in a single, practiced motion.
It was only then — after the flurry of steel and fists — that their eyes finally met.
No words. Just a storm of instincts behind narrowed gazes.
Then both men moved.
They lunged — blades flashing, each strike aimed not to wound, but to end.
Metal screamed as sword met sword, edge to edge. Jin's slashes came sharp and calculated, cutting through the air like whispers of death. Arem's swings were wider, heavier — each one like a battering ram meant to shatter bone and blade.
Fists lashed out mid-swing, knees threatened ribs, and every movement was a dance of real danger. They were fighting on instinct now, with feints buried inside feints, using every part of their body to gain an inch.
And slowly, Arem began to overpower.
His size and strength told.
One punch — Jin barely blocked.
Two slashes — forced him into retreat.
Then a heavy kick — slammed into Jin's midsection, sending him skidding backward across the dirt, coughing as he dropped to one knee.
He looked up — and saw a fireball already screaming toward him.
BOOM!
It hit like a thunderclap, blasting smoke, heat, and debris in all directions. The crowd gasped as flames licked across the arena floor.
But Arem wasn't done.
Another fireball. Then another.
The sky lit up with flame as explosions tore across the dueling grounds. Smoke and dust clouded everything; vision reduced to swirling chaos.
But just before the haze could clear—
a wave rose.
Water surged from the ground itself, twisting into a crashing wall that rushed toward Arem.
The warrior's eyes narrowed. He gritted his teeth, drove his greatsword into the earth, and raised a hand.
- "Bind and still—Frostbind!" he chanted.
A glowing sigil flared beneath his boots. The wave of water froze midair, instantly transformed into jagged ice, suspended like a sculpture.
And then—
Jin was behind him.
No roar. No warning. Just steel, silent and deadly, descending once again toward Arem's head.
SHING!
Metal splitting sound echoed. Half of Arem's helmet flew off, clattering onto the ground.
Gasps erupted from the stands.
Beneath the helmet, not a man's face — A monstrous visage of gray, leathery skin; jagged tusks; small, beady eyes.
An ogre's face. Jin's eyes widened.
- "Appraisal—Activate."
Status
Name A being called Arem Chiegro
Age 4
Race Orge Chimera
Level 78
HP 19,780 / 22,350
MP 8,552 / 9,786
Chimera…? Jin's heart raced. This isn't even human. The Empire… they sent a weapon in disguise.
He quickly muttered under his breath, his palm brushing the flat of his blade:
- "Purification — imbued. Now that you've revealed yourself, this will not be a duel anymore."
A soft glow shimmered along his sword — barely visible, but enough. He stood up while locking eyes with Arem's movement.
Arem roared — rage twisting his inhuman face. His strikes became more erratic. Powerful and unrelenting.
The crowd began to stir — some stood in alarm. The truth was undeniable now.
- "Th-that's not a man!" someone shouted.
- "It's a monster!"
- "Protect the royals!"
Panic rippled across the noble stands.
Jin didn't flinch.
They traded blows again — Arem roaring, swung his great sword. Jin dodging, parrying, countering each strike. With "Purification" imbued, his sword now easily slashed through Arem's skin – one slashed across the arm, another onto the torso.
Arem bled; confused as though since the beginning, he hadn't felt danger. But now, Jin's killing intent pressed down on him like a weight. Each strike meant to kill.
If Arem could have a thought of himself, by now it must be that "he could die".
Frustrated, Arem let out a howl and raised his great sword overhead.
Jin ducked low — take advantage of Arem's mistake over its rage, then plunged his hand forward.
- "Explosion."
BOOM.
A blast of heat and fire erupted at point-blank, catching Arem in the head. The monster reeled, stumbling back, momentarily blind from the smoke and searing light.
Jin didn't wait. He leapt backward, raising his right arm high — chanting beneath his breath.
Above, the sky darkened briefly — something stirred behind the clouds.
A shadow; A silhouette then a massive pile of burning rocks crashing through the sky.
- "Meteors".
Jin pointed toward the creature still struggling to see.
- "Now!"
CRASH.
The first meteor slammed into the arena floor. Then another. Then more.
The earth shattered — fire and light exploded in a wave of force, smoke rising like a funeral pyre.
The crowd went silent. Everyone stopped at whatever they were doing – all focusing on the dust cloud.
The dust slowly cleared.
Arem's body lay broken in the crater, crushed, burning — his armor scattered, his monstrous form visible to all.
The duel was over. And Jin stood victorious.