Chapter 13: City of Knights (IV)

As Gray continued watching the fights, he noticed a key thing about these fighters.

First, not a single one of them had a proper technique, and they were ranked between Trainee Knight and Elementary Knight.

Second, none of them had a good-quality weapon.

And finally, all of them attacked the others based on their animalistic instincts.

Those three things gave an insane advantage to Gray, as he had been taught a proper sword technique and knew how to use his brain.

And right now…

“—And our next challenger, an unknown newcomer… Gray!”

It was finally time for him to fight.

The crowd murmured in surprise after hearing his name; after all, there was no title, no affiliation, no noble name attached.

Just that one word.

Gray.

[She’s watching again, you know.]

Jasmine purred inside his mind.

[The little one with the Virelian insignia. Petite, proud, twitchy brows… and ohhh~ those hazel eyes are locked on your every move. I think she really fell in love with ya~]

“She’s probably still pissed I killed that bastard in front of her,” Gray muttered under his breath, adjusting the rapier at his hip.

He clearly was joking.

[Mmm~ And yet she’s still watching… Isn’t that just precious?~ Maybe she’ll blush again if you bleed a little~]

Gray clicked his tongue and pushed off the wall.

“She can blush all she wants. I have no time to deal with her.”

[Liar.]

He ignored Jasmine’s teasing and walked toward the gate.

As he stepped forward, the sunlight from the open arena spilled over him, painting his body in golden warmth.

His boots crunched softly on the blood-stained sand.

The noise of the crowd doubled in volume the moment they saw him, an unfamiliar face, unarmored, dressed in dark cloth still stained from the fight from before.

But it wasn’t fear on his face.

It was that same devilish grin.

He stepped onto the field, letting his eyes slowly drift across the arena, and there she was.

Seated higher up in the noble observation stands, the brown-haired girl with hazel eyes, her military-like coat neatly buttoned, arms crossed, lips slightly pursed.

And the moment their eyes met… she looked away.

Only slightly.

But Gray saw it.

[Blessing of Beauty~ Still just level one… but it’s doing wonders already, don’t you think?]

Gray laughed.

’Now I believe that Elohim really fell in love with you.’

“COME OUT! WHERE’S THE NEXT FIGHTER?!”

“GET OUT OF YOUR CAGE FUCKER!”

The crowd began to shout almost immediately, causing Gray to raise an eyebrow, his eyes kept locked on the opposite gate, and finally…

His opponent stepped out… he was a tall man with two axes strapped to his back, shirtless, muscles bulging, scars painted like war art all over his chest. T

The man cracked his knuckles and spat on the ground.

“Gonna gut you and piss on your corpse,” he said, voice low and gravelly.

Gray slowly drew his rapier with a soft metallic shing.

And then… both of them waited…

“START!”

The announcer shouted.

And immediately, the axe-wielder lunged forward with a roar, his heavy boots pounding into the sand.

His muscles flexed as he swung both axes in a wide, brutal arc, aiming to take Gray’s head clean off in one stroke.

WHOOOSH!

CLANG!

Gray didn’t dodge backward; instead, he stepped in, pivoting just under the path of the left axe, letting the wind of the weapon rush past his cheek.

His rapier moved like a sliver of silver lightning.

TING—!

The tip grazed across the man’s ribs, drawing a thin red line.

“WHAT?!” the brute barked, surprised by the sting.

Gray didn’t reply to his words, as only a dumb man would.

He was already sliding around the man’s flank, dancing out of his reach before either of the axes could retaliate.

[Ohoho~ That was close. He almost kissed your face with that axe. Would’ve been messy. Would’ve loved it.]

“I’m not interested in kisses today,” Gray whispered back, eyes locked on the opponent’s footwork.

[So, normally you would be interested in?]

He instantly ignored her swords.

“Agh… you DAMN FUCKER!”

The man growled, twisting his body and charging again.

This time, he brought the axes down in a crisscrossing smash aimed at Gray’s head and chest, like two falling guillotines.

BANG!

CRASH!!

Sand burst up as the blades hit the ground, but Gray was already to the side, his feet dancing in a shallow semi-circle.

’He’s slow after each attack… but his swings are fast. My advantage is reach and speed. And he’s relying on brute strength…’

Gray stabbed again, not exactly to kill, but to slice across the tendons near the man’s wrist.

SPURT!

The brute roared and dropped one of his axes, blood dripping onto the sand.

“I’LL FUCKING CRUSH YOU!!”

The remaining axe came flying toward Gray’s ribs, spinning mid-swing.

Gray twisted his waist and ducked low.

SWISH!

The weapon passed just inches over his back.

Gray’s knee hit the sand. He was beneath the man now, his eyes flicked upward, catching sight of the exposed thigh muscle…

’There.’

He thrust upward.

SHLICK!

“ARGHH!!”

The tip of his rapier stabbed clean into the man’s leg, right between the muscle strands.

He pulled it out quickly, coating the steel in red as he rolled to the side and stood again, keeping distance.

[The way his body twitches with every cut… so beautiful. Paint the arena with more of his color, Gray~ I want to see him cry.]

Gray licked the inside of his cheek, then spat on the ground.

“Shut up, you sadistic bitch. I’m trying to think.”

The man staggered slightly now, one arm hanging limp, one leg dragging slightly.

Still, he wasn’t finished.

“HAAARGHH… JUST DIE YOU MOTHERFUCKER!!!”

He roared and charged again.

This time, Gray waited.

He didn’t move until the last moment, until the very last second, and then he sidestepped to the right.

Fwip!

And as he did, his rapier flicked forward, sliding right across the man’s jaw and cheek.

SPLASH!

Blood sprayed out, and the crowd gasped in awe.

The man stumbled past him, clutching his face, howling.

And seeing him in that state, Gray continued, grabbing a handful of sand and throwing it directly at the man’s eyes.

“AGHH—!”

Then it finally came the real strike.

CRACK!

He slammed the hilt of his rapier into the man’s temple with a loud, bone-hitting thud.

The giant stumbled, teetering.

And Gray kicked him in the stomach.

THUMP!

The man fell backward like a felled tree, crashing into the bloodied sand, groaning.

“OOOOOOOOOOHHH, LET’S GO NEWCOMER!”

“HE ACTUALLY DID IT!”

“GRAY! GRAY! GRAY!”

The crowd instantly roared.

[Mmm… you didn’t even need Swap. You just carved him open piece by piece. You really used the most efficient method, huh?]

Gray spun the rapier in his hand and pointed it at the downed fighter’s throat.

“You done?”

The man wheezed, blood leaking from his nose and lips, nodding weakly, but as soon as Gray saw his ugly face…

THUD!

“ARGHHH!”

Gray couldn’t resist the urge to kick it.

The entire arena flinched at the crack that followed.

Then came the booming voice from above.

“THE WINNER IS… GRAY, THE NEWCOMER!”

ROOOAAAAARRR!!!

The crowd exploded in cheers.

Applause, stomping feet, and shouts of excitement crashed like waves from every side of the coliseum.

Some shouted his name, others just screamed at the blood and brutality they’d just witnessed.

He didn’t smile, nor did he bow. He simply turned, slipping his rapier back into its sheath with a swift chkk.

[You looked so cool just now~ They were all screaming for you… like little pigs. Oink-oink~]

Gray rolled his eyes and began walking toward the stone gate, ignoring the echoing praise behind him.

He was halfway through the exit tunnel when the announcer suddenly paused… then returned, this time with a tone of genuine surprise.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN—!! W-WAIT JUST A MOMENT…!!”

Gray stopped slightly.

His boots ground to a halt on the sand, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked back over his shoulder.

“…What now?”

There was a long pause.

Then the announcer spoke again, louder this time.

“WE’VE JUST BEEN NOTIFIED THAT… OUR WINNER, GRAY, IS… ALREADY REGISTERED FOR THE NEXT MATCH!!”

A louder stir ran through the crowd.

Even Jasmine’s voice froze in his mind.

[…You what?]

Gray slowly turned back toward the gate, his fists clenching at his sides.

“…That piece of shit.”

He immediately remembered the shady-looking clerk at the desk. The one with the greasy black hair and yellow teeth.

The one who kept smiling a little too widely when Gray first signed up, asking Gray if he had tried to bribe him.

That bastard had probably rigged his registration instead of easing it up.

He was never supposed to fight twice in a row.

And the next fighter wouldn’t be a trainee. No… it was bound to be someone higher.

Gray’s lips curled downward, his brows furrowed.

“…I’m gonna kill him.”

[Heehee~ Not before you get really hurt in this next one. I bet they’re throwing someone big at you~ Ooooh I hope he cracks your bones~!]

“Shut up, Jasmine.”

The announcer’s voice rang again.

“PLEASE WELCOME OUR NEXT FIGHTER… THE DANCING DEMOLITIONIST! THE TERROR OF THE INNER RING—!!! RUFAR THE RED!!”

The gate on the opposite side began to rumble open.

Chains creaked.

A new roar rolled from the crowd.

Gray turned back toward the arena, his expression turned dark, his fists clenching so hard that they almost cracked.

“…Fucking great.”

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