Chapter 121

Attacks came at him from all directions—impossible to dodge them all.

But—

“Amateur.”

Chris extended his sword.

He didn’t clash head-on.

He barely grazed the first rushing black spear at an angle, and something astonishing happened.

Whoosh!

The black spear, formed from concentrated energy, lost its solid shape and scattered sideways!

“W-What?!”

Everyone’s eyes widened in shock once again.

This phenomenon occurred because Chris had pulled off another insane move.

He had interfered with the core of the energy pillars forming the black spears, using the dominion property of his dark magic to dismantle them.

Eshed had just reached the rank of 5-star.

At this stage, he couldn’t yet form energy pillars with sheer willpower alone.

Manifesting energy required skill.

But Eshed was still inexperienced with such techniques, having only recently become 5-star. His willpower channeled into the energy was, needless to say, poor.

And since he had unleashed a chain attack of black spears in this immature state, each individual energy pillar was even more vulnerable—Chris had targeted those weaknesses.

Of course, even so, it was only possible because Chris had identified and dismantled those weak points in a split second.

“!!”

Eshed stumbled backward.

He instinctively sensed it.

He couldn’t win.

But refusing to admit his fear, he scowled fiercely.

“Y-You… I won’t let you get away with this.”

“Shut up. Now, it’s my turn.”

Chris stepped forward.

And once again, something shocking unfolded.

Chain of black spears.

Long, dark spears materialized around Chris.

It was the same forbidden magic Eshed had just used.

“How do you know that forbidden magic? You haven’t even learned it yet.”

Eshed asked, eyes wide in disbelief.

“You just showed me.”

“!!”

“Even someone as lacking as you can do it. There’s no way I can’t copy it after watching once.”

The black spears flew toward Eshed.

But there was a difference: they came with a deliberate delay.

As if daring him to block.

‘Because the outcome can’t be decided by this.’

Eshed desperately blocked the spears.

He stopped four out of five, but the strain on his core made him swallow blood, and the last spear sliced his thigh.

Blood welled up.

He avoided a fatal wound, but it was no minor injury.

Now Eshed wouldn’t be able to move properly.

Exactly as Chris intended.

‘This is the end.’

Chris charged at Eshed.

Eshed’s face grew desperate as he formed a hand seal.

Layers of cursed veils blocked Chris, but it was useless.

Chris’s dark magic was on a whole different level from Eshed’s.

Even the best dark mages specializing in curses couldn’t match Chris’s skill.

Slash!

Eshed’s dark magic was instantly dismantled.

He hurriedly shifted to a defensive dark sword.

A shield made of dark energy appeared, but Chris cut through it with sheer force.

Gritting his teeth, Eshed launched a final counterattack.

He thrust a dark energy spear, charged with all his strength, into the gap created when Chris sliced through the shield.

Unaware that this was exactly what Chris wanted.

Chris’s left hand formed a seal.

In an instant, flames flickered before Eshed’s eyes.

A destructive dark magic—Dark Flash.

A burst of dark flame that temporarily blinded the target.

With the magic detonating right in front of him, the outcome was obvious.

Eshed’s sword tip wavered, barely missing Chris’s shoulder.

An exposed opening.

Eshed panicked and leapt backward.

Trying desperately to get out of Chris’s range, but his injured thigh hampered his movement—and Chris was not about to miss that chance.

Chris’s hand moved.

And—

Slash!

Eshed’s right wrist flew off into the air, spurting blood.

“!!!”

Everyone in the arena gasped.

Then, a frantic shout rang out.

“Stop! The duel is over!”

It was Marquis Langham’s voice.

But Chris didn’t stop.

‘This can’t end with just this.’

Even if he cut off an arm, with healing magic it could be reattached.

He needed to deliver a blow that would either kill or cause irreversible damage.

The problem was the duel had officially ended.

He had to find a way to finish Eshed completely without making it obvious.

‘Simple enough.’

Chris looked at Eshed’s blood scattering in the air.

Using Hemomancy, he perfectly analyzed the blood’s properties, then immediately triggered a massive resonance.

A terrifying infiltration technique that used the resonance of blood to destroy the opponent’s body from within.

He had copied this method from Sherad, but since it used the opponent’s own blood, its power was even more lethal.

Especially with so much blood spilled, the resonance was amplified. Chris’s pure dark magic at full potency made it even stronger.

“!!”

Eshed struggled to counter Chris’s Hemomancy, desperately drawing on his magic.

Chris struck the final blow.

Using the dominion property of his dark magic, he interfered directly with Eshed’s magic.

Normally, no matter how pure Chris’s dark magic was, directly interfering with another’s magic was impossible.

But Eshed’s magic was extremely unstable after losing his arm.

Like throwing a ball at a cracked glass, Chris’s dark magic shattered Eshed’s magic, rendering it useless.

Eshed was left completely defenseless, exposed to the massive resonance caused by Chris’s Hemomancy.

The result—

“Gahhh!!!”

He collapsed, coughing up blood.

From his slack face, dark blood trickled out.

His insides were utterly destroyed.

He would soon die, or if miraculously revived, would be a cripple unable to walk properly.

“……”

A deathly silence fell over the arena.

No one had expected this outcome; everyone was speechless.

But soon, they regained their senses, and a roaring cheer erupted.

“Wooooah!!!”

“Long live Prince Christian!!!”

Chris raised his hand to quiet the crowd and bowed to Marquis Langham.

“I apologize, Your Grace. When you declared the duel over, I was already in the middle of Hemomancy and couldn’t stop in time.”

Marquis Langham was silent for a moment.

A lie no one would believe.

But what could be done now?

It was an unspoken rule among the Mains not to dispute what happened during a duel.

“…Transfer Eshed for treatment. The winner of this duel is Christian.”

“Wooooah!!!”

Cheers broke out again.

The Mains celebrated Christian’s victory as if it were their own.

A clear sign that Christian had won their hearts.

Marquis Langham’s face hardened subtly.

At that moment, Nordian, who had been quietly standing below, spoke.

“Your Grace, it seems the conclusion is insufficient.”

“……”

“Why did we hold this duel in the first place? Wasn’t it to judge the truth behind the human sacrifice incident?”

“…Yes.”

Since Christian won, Eshed’s guilt was confirmed.

Though with Eshed in such a state, it hardly mattered anymore.

Nordian chuckled softly.

“Then we can say Christian here has solved the human sacrifice incident, yes? Am I wrong?”

“…Correct.”

“Then it’s only right to give him a proper reward.”

“……”

Marquis Langham fell silent.

An unwelcome matter.

But he couldn’t go against Nordian’s wishes.

“…What kind of reward do you suggest?”

“Why ask me? I’m only here as an observer.”

“……”

“I trust Your Grace to give an appropriate reward.”

Marquis Langham was silent for a long time.

What reason did he have to choose a reward?

Though he had no affection for Eshed, having him completely out of the succession race was an unpleasant prospect for Langham’s future plans.

More precisely, Christian’s unexpected rise was the problem.

But he couldn’t withhold a reward.

This human sacrifice incident had stirred the dark mages greatly, and above all, it was Nordian’s wish.

‘…No, there’s no need to think negatively. This will do.’

Langham’s eyes darkened discreetly.

He had thought of a clever plan.

To give a reward that would, ironically, be a ‘poison’ to Christian.

“Now that I think about it, that boy’s equipment is pitiful. Not even a decent magic sword. Tsk.”

Langham nodded knowingly.

“I will open the family’s relic vault for him.”

“Hmm, a good idea.”

“May I add one more reward?”

Nordian tilted his head.

It was unexpected.

“What kind of reward?”

“Considering his achievement, simply opening the family’s vault isn’t enough. Using the authority granted to me by the head of the family, I intend to give him the highest reward fitting his merit.”

Nordian frowned.

This was unlike the snake-like Marquis Langham’s usual temperament.

Suspicious.

But since he was giving a reward, there was no reason to refuse.

“As you wish. I have already entrusted all authority to the Marquis, so no need to ask for permission each time.”

“Thank you.”

Langham looked toward Christian.

“Christian, I will now present you with the reward for solving the human sacrifice incident. Come forward.”

“……??”

Everyone wore puzzled expressions.

No one could have guessed what kind of honor was about to be bestowed.

Well, almost no one.

Only a few of the elder patriarchs in the family caught on to the true nature of the award the Marquis of Langham was about to give—and their faces twisted in shock.

“Could it be…?”

“But that’s far too soon for Prince Christian!”

Then, Christian stepped forward before the Marquis of Langham.

“Kneel.”

Only then did the others realize what kind of honor was being granted, their eyes widening in disbelief.

The Marquis drew a sword from his waist.

It was the Dark Sword, the greatest treasure of the Dark Magic House, symbolizing the authority of the family head.

The blade, as black as if it could swallow the sun itself, was laid gently upon Christian’s shoulder.

“I, Langham de Barron, by the authority of the family head, hereby confer upon you, Christian van Barron Kazaar, the title of Honorary Baron.”

“!!”

A wave of stunned silence swept through the hall.

An honorary baron? A mere baron, and without any land to govern? Some might have wondered what was so significant about that.

But for the heirs, receiving a title carried immense weight.

They didn’t hand out titles like “prince” or “princess” to just anyone.

Only those who had proven their worth and earned recognition through great achievements were granted such honors.

More precisely, only those officially chosen as the next heir apparent received titles.

In other words, at this very moment, Christian was formally acknowledged as the candidate for the next Grand Duke!

But this was no cause for celebration.

This honor was a poisoned chalice. A deadly one at that.