Chapter 101.

Raiden Laylark looked as though he would immediately rush towards him, sword blazing in a multicolored light, but he remained still. To be exact, it was not that he didnt move, but rather that he was frozen in place.

What the hell

Only a year had passed since their trial by combat. Raiden Laylark had vowed to avenge his defeat, and he swung his sword day and night in an effort to improve. As a result, his Gradus had risen from 90 all the way to 79. He had proven his abilities through countless duels, while his opponent, the Drake Knight, had passively reached Gradus 78 through no accomplishments of his own.

It was natural for him to be confident in the event of a rematch. After all, he never believed he lost their previous duel as a result of a difference in skill.

However, such thoughts were completely erased from his mind the moment the Drake Knight raised his lance. The briefest glance at his opponents indifferent eyes made him imagine being completely overwhelmed, skewered by the giant lance.

Under this terrible pressure, Raiden Laylarks arms grew stiff, and his body froze in place.

He tried to convince himself that he was hesitating out of caution, but this proved unsuccessful. He was not being careful, but was rather terrified.

And what about his opponent?

Despite being a knight in name only, the Drake Knight arrogantly looked down at him as though he was completely insignificant. Raiden Laylark grew angry at this unwavering gaze, but the more he did, the more he also felt intimidated.

He was completely overwhelmed before the duel even began.

Seon-Hyeok had honed his skills in the chaos of the battlefield, where life and death were decided in an instant. As such, he was naturally sensitive to the slight changes in his opponents demeanor.

The knights swords are rusty, and the mages mouths are sealed.

It was at this moment that he truly understood what Marquis Reinhardt had told him. And with this realization came the understanding that this current duel would be of no help to him.

Seon-Hyeok raised his lance, and he pointed the tip at Raiden Laylark, still stiff and unable to move.

Wind Piercing.

At the brief command, wind wrapped around the body of his weapon before shooting towards his opponent.

Just like that, the duel ended.

Dont let me catch you gossiping behind my back again.

The Seon-Hyeok who struggled to fend off the Sword of Lightning no longer existed in this world.

***

Rumors of the second defeat of the Judge of House Laylark, the Sword of Lightning, at the hands of the Drake Knight quickly spread throughout the capital.

I heard it was a terrible defeat. Knight Laylark was unable to swing his sword once, and he was overwhelmed by his opponent from the start.

Thats not all. If the Drake Knight hadnt been considerate, Knight Laylark would have died on the spot, pierced through by that massive lance. Hes been made to shut his mouth after all that denying of his earlier defeat.

The nobles spoke about the duel between the Judge of House Laylark and the Drake Knight whenever they gathered.

Is the Sword of Lightning that weak? Or is the Drake Knight strong?

People expressed their confusion over the single-sided outcome of the confrontation between the knights with the 78th- and 79th-ranked Gradus. Soon, they had their answer.

Drake Knight! A dominating victory over the knight with Gradus 74!

Having defeated Raiden Laylark, the Drake Knight claimed victory against another knight with Gradus.

The Iron Wall, Knight Roengram, has been defeated by the Drake Knight! The Drake Knights Gradus has increased to 69!

The Drake Knights Gradus duels did not end there. Having defeated the 74th-ranked Gradus knight, he immediately challenged, and defeated, the Iron Wall, the 69th-ranked knight. He then defeated the 65th and 61st-ranked knights, further demonstrating his abilities.

These repeated victories were proof of the Drake Knights true strength, and now, none questioned whether the result of his duel with the Sword of Lightning was a result of Raiden Laylarks weakness or the Drake Knights strength.

The Drake Knight has challenged Romero, the Viscount of Blood and Iron, to a duel!

This new rumor quickly spread like wildfire to all corners of the capital, and everyone became excited by this potential duel of the century.

Senior Knight and member of the Royal Knights, Viscount of Blood and Iron, Joshua Romero, Gradus 52.

His opponent this time was a truly powerful individual ranked 52nd in terms of Gradus, a master swordsman nicknamed the Viscount of Blood and Iron. He overwhelmed countless knights himself and was on a different level compared to the knights Seon-Hyeok had defeated so far.

Hes gone completely insane. I think he grew overconfident and arrogant after those few victories. To think that he would challenge the Viscount of Blood and Iron.

If the Drake Knight actually wins, itd be a huge story!

The people were divided on whether the Drake Knights decision to challenge such an individual stemmed from bravery or recklessness, and in this process, they all forgot about the first duel between Seon-Hyeok and Raiden Laylark.

However, even after some time passed, there was no new news regarding the duel between the Drake Knight and the Viscount of Blood and Iron. In fact, nothing was revealed even after the Drake Knight finished his remaining business at the capital and left for his territory in the west.

As such, the citizens began to believe that the duel between the two was just a false rumor.

The magazine published following Seon-Hyeoks departure from the capital shocked all of its readers.

Western Army, Earl of Rheinperle, Dragon Rider Seon-Hyeok Rheinperle Kim Drachen, Gradus 52.

The results of the duel between the Knight of Blood and Iron and the Drake Knight, previously considered to be just rumors, were clearly taken into consideration in the latest Gradus rankings.

There has to be a witness to the duel!