Chapter 98

Chapter 98: Honor Duel

The WPA alliance and my companions faced off.

Me, Ria, Ashley, Fenrir.

Plus Eriksson, and Santos — who had been on guard duty today — had also arrived.

Ria glared at them and asked Eriksson,

"Eriksson, explain what happened."

"Here is how it went......"

After hearing the full story from Eriksson, Ria directed her killing intent at Hyera.

Hyera, who had been standing and pretending to be a victim while shivering in her coat, was so overwhelmed by the pressure that she crumpled to the ground again.

"You truly crossed the line."

Under Ria's thick killing intent, Hyera trembled with fear and could not utter a single word of defense.

Gerald stepped in front of Hyera.

"So you would inflict secondary harm on a victim without hesitation."

"Victim?"

"I have heard the full account from Colt Guild Master Benson, who witnessed the incident. He says Chef An attempted to molest my alliance officer, Hyera."

"That Benson is an accomplice who orchestrated the scheme with Hyera. He therefore cannot serve as a witness. On the other hand, Adel Eriksson here was watching the entire process under stealth and has testified that it was a trap laid jointly by Benson and Hyera. Additionally, Rani Santos, who was on guard duty today, has testified that he witnessed Benson leading my husband away."

"Eriksson and Santos are your people. Therefore, testimony from acquaintances cannot be taken at face value."

Gerald was shameless.

Ria did not fall for it and continued,

"For the past week, that woman has been openly attempting to seduce my husband."

"Seduction — perhaps her sociable nature gave you that impression. And even if seduction occurred, unwanted molestation remains a crime regardless."

"You have two witnesses, yet you continue framing my husband as a criminal with sophistry."

"I believe the same could be said of you, Lady Emeria."

When words proved futile, Ria removed one of her gloves.

She threw it at Gerald.

THUD!

The glove hit Gerald's chest.

"What does this mean?"

"I, Aveline Emeria, challenge you to an honor duel to defend my husband's name."

Ria was issuing an honor duel challenge on my behalf.

Gerald frowned.

"How medieval of you. Deciding right from wrong through combat."

Ria was indeed a former knight.

Though only a select few knew that — Rift Management Bureau officials, high-ranking figures, and my companions.

Ria's identity as someone from another world remained classified.

The public was still speculating about her origins.

'She must have been born and raised in a Rift. She was raised by some secret agency. She falsified her identity. And so on.'

Some even suggested she was from another world.

Because otherwise her beauty could not be explained.

'That part is actually true.'

Setting that aside.

Ria addressed Gerald.

"The inside of a Rift is lawless territory governed by the law of the strong, is it not? Then the victor is justice."

"......That is true. Then how about this? Three fighters per side, best of three — the winning side claims justice."

He lacked confidence in beating Ria one-on-one.

Understandable, given the rumors that she had defeated Fenrir and a dragon.

Ria pointed that out.

"You lack the confidence to face me directly."

"I am a very rational and calculating person. Rather than a fight I might lose — however slim the chance — I chose the option with higher odds. As the head of a major alliance, I have much to lose. You and Chef An, on the other hand, would lose relatively little from defeat. This wager is inherently unfair to me. Therefore......"

Therefore?

He continued with a faint smile.

"If we win, you and Chef An must join our alliance. Only under those terms will I accept the duel."

The sheer audacity was staggering.

Eriksson exploded.

"What kind of garbage is this?! Your side set a trap and tried to frame Seon-u, and even begging on your knees would barely earn forgiveness — and now what? Unfair? Join the alliance if you lose? There are limits to shamelessness!"

The surrounding Hunters nodded in agreement.

But when Gerald swept his gaze over them, they cleared their throats and looked away.

Ria's answer to the proposal:

"Fine, I accept. However."

"However?"

Ria pointed at Hyera, and at Benson — the co-conspirator and false witness.

"If your side loses, you and those two will kneel before my husband and apologize. And no WPA member will ever set foot on the Fourth Floor of the Rift again. Those are my conditions."

"......Not one condition but two. That is quite excessive."

"It is not excessive. I am already being generous. If I had my way, I would execute those two and sever one limb from each of you."

"......"

Even Gerald broke into a cold sweat when Ria released a wave of killing intent.

Ria spoke firmly.

"Choose. Do you want war, or will you accept the conditions and fight an honor duel?"

War.

Indeed, if not an honor duel, war was the only other way to resolve this dispute.

Both sides' honor was at stake — neither would back down.

Gerald's mood darkened.

"Do you really think you could win a war? Against our alliance?"

Ria answered without a moment's hesitation, her voice brimming with conviction.

"Of course."

Ashley launched into the air behind Ria.

She began reverting to her true dragon form.

Fenrir also shifted from her human form back to her original shape.

Once Ashley's Polymorph was complete, she released Dragon Fear and issued a warning.

"You dare think you can take us on?!"

Fenrir let loose a howl in kind.

"Fools who do not know their place."

The combined roars of two Transcendent-Grade monsters drained the color from the WPA alliance's faces.

Gerald's included.

Ria delivered a cold ultimatum to Gerald.

"You asked if we could win? What an arrogant thing to say."

"......"

"Choose. War or honor duel."

"......We will accept the honor duel. On the condition that only human Hunters participate."

"Naturally."

And so, a three-on-three best-of-three honor duel was agreed upon, with the winning side's honor upheld.

Before the duel, our side held a brief meeting.

I spoke first.

"To secure two wins, we need to send our strongest fighters."

"Right."

"I will fight too."

"Huh? You, Seon-u......?"

Ria was genuinely surprised.

"If I go all out, I can hold my own even against Gerald."

"That may be true, but...... it is dangerous."

"I am at the center of this incident. I cannot just sit back and leave everything to everyone else because it is dangerous."

"......"

"I will not get hurt, and I will win. There is no way I would lose after being trained by you, Ria. Do not worry."

"......All right."

One more fighter remained.

Between Santos and Eriksson.

"Obviously I am going."

"......I will go."

Both volunteered simultaneously.

Eriksson turned to Santos pleadingly.

"Let me fight this time. I am absolutely confident I will not lose in a one-on-one."

"......"

Santos rubbed the back of his head, then nodded.

"......Fine."

"Thanks."

Our lineup was set: me, Eriksson, and Ria.

Their side: Gerald and two top-ranked S-Rank fighters.

To prepare, Ria and I donned our enchanted armor and made every preparation.

I also brought the knight trio and the Sword Saint through an Acresia Gate portal from the Rift house.

'Best to prepare for any contingency.'

More firepower was always better.

The Sword Saint, upon hearing the situation, was furious and asked if he could fight in Eriksson's place.

But Eriksson stubbornly insisted on fighting himself and would not budge.

In the clearing, our forces and theirs faced off once more.

Every Hunter stationed at the Fourth Floor outpost had come to watch.

They would serve as witnesses to this honor duel.

I was the first to fight.

I stepped forward, spear in hand.

'I will win. Even if Gerald himself comes out.'

More than my own honor, I despised the thought of Ria's honor being tarnished.

And if we lost, we would have to serve under those scheming alliance members.

I would never subject Ria to such humiliation.

My opponent was Paul Derel, the WPA alliance's second-in-command.

A Hunter who primarily used daggers.

Sophia, the guild master of the Rain Guild who had agreed to serve as a neutral referee, raised her arm high and brought it down to signal the start of the duel.

'This is a duel with lives on the line.'

Not a spar with consideration for the opponent's safety.

There could be no pulling punches.

I immediately opened with Dragon Fear.

Paul Derel clutched his ears in agony.

The Dragon Fear would have significantly reduced his stats.

I Released steel balls in every direction toward him.

'As expected, he has Agility-focused stats.'

Despite the stat reduction slowing him down, he dodged well.

But he was slower than Eriksson.

One steel ball he could not dodge was knocked aside by his dagger.

CLANG!

He barely deflected it, but from his grimace, the impact on his wrist must have been severe.

Sacrificing his wrist had paid off — he had closed the distance considerably.

'Just what I wanted.'

I opened Acresia directly in front of me and used the Absorption Skill on Paul Derel.

He staggered and halted mid-approach.

I thrust my spear at the stumbling man, using Spatial Thrust.

SQUELCH!

I pierced the side of his thigh.

He had twisted his leg at the last instant, narrowly avoiding a direct hit to the center of his thigh.

I ceased the absorption, charged at him, and engaged in close combat.

The goal was to subdue him through melee while he was weakened from the wrist and thigh injuries.

Then —

HUMM!

His entire body glowed golden as his wounds healed instantaneously.

At the same time, his instantaneous speed skyrocketed to a level incomparable to before.

He was in my guard in an instant.

"DIE—!!"

I could not dodge this.

His dagger drove toward my chest.

He had lost all reason to fury and was aiming for my heart — intent on killing me.

But —

CRACKLE!

The shield on my Drake enchanted armor activated the moment I felt my life was in danger.

The shield that Ruina and Ashley had jointly inscribed on the armor fired, blasting Paul Derel back.

'Damn...... Ria is going to scold me.'

I had not anticipated a skill that provided instant recovery and a temporary speed boost.

Fighting other Hunters was full of variables.

And my opponent was a top-ten world-ranked Hunter according to multiple major publications.

I should have finished him more decisively at range instead of trying to subdue him in close combat.

I reopened the distance and took control methodically.

This time, I barraged him not just with steel balls but with all manner of weapons, applying relentless pressure.

His wounds multiplied.

'The instant recovery and speed boost must have been a one-time skill.'

But I would not risk close combat to finish him off.

He might have another trick up his sleeve.

In that case —

CRACKLE!

I Released Ashley's stored 4th-Circle spell, Lightning Chain.

Paul Derel, already on one knee and stripped of mobility, could not even think of dodging the incoming Lightning Chain and took the full hit.

The powerful electric shock wracked his body before he collapsed face-first.

When he failed to rise, Sophia declared my victory.

I returned to our side.

"Seon-u, I am glad you are not hurt."

Ria embraced me — she had been very worried.

"Sorry, I let my guard down a little."

"It is fine. You are not hurt, so it is okay."

Eriksson stepped up for the second duel.

His opponent was Shamid, an Arab man wielding the unusual weapon of chakrams.

Also a high-ranked Hunter.

The duel began.

The initial clash seemed evenly matched.

But after a few exchanges, Eriksson dominated one-sidedly.

"He is overpowering someone ranked ten places above him."

"Thanks to the stat buff from Seon-u."

"Must be."

Eriksson's speed was difficult to track with the naked eye, likely due to the stat buff.

No — with his stealth active, he was barely visible at all.

One had to rely on Presence Detection.

'Eriksson was so clumsy at first.'

An assassin who did not move with feline grace but left scratch marks everywhere like a wildcat, making his movements readable even under stealth.

But now, without Presence Detection, his movements were unreadable — he left no trace and moved as silently as a cat.

Shamid could not keep up with Eriksson's stealth and speed, and his wounds kept accumulating.

'Both Gerald and Hyera look distressed.'

They had been visibly shocked when I defeated Paul Derel.

They clearly had not anticipated Shamid being pushed back either.

Eriksson positioned himself behind Shamid and pressed a dagger to his throat.

Shamid dropped his chakrams and raised both hands in surrender.

The second duel was also our victory.

Two wins in a best-of-three — we had won the honor duel.

Ria did not need to fight.

But Ria picked up her sword and stood.

"I am going. I cannot end it like this — my anger has not subsided."

"Hm? Oh, all right. Go ahead."

Ria had been under a great deal of stress all week.