Last Attack (1/2)

Eren let out a long sigh, his gaze dropping to the kneeling knight before him.

"Hah… You pointed your sword at me," he muttered, his voice dripping with boredom.

"You challenged me to a duel, thinking you were stronger than me… And now you're kneeling on the ground like a pathetic loser?"

Bolder gritted his teeth in frustration, his fists clenching against the dirt. He refused to look up, his pride already shattered.

Eren continued, his voice calm yet laced with mockery.

"Really. Shouldn't a knight be patient first and prideful second?" He tilted his head slightly. "A knight shouldn't be reckless, no matter the situation."

The spectators, who had been silently watching from the sidelines, some listened intently. Even Mereoleona, still clenching her fists tightly, was hanging onto his every word.

"I understand your anger," Eren went on, his tone indifferent yet sharp.

"Getting furious for your lady, defending her honor and her family's honor as a knight—of course, that's your duty. But your mistake wasn't that I turned out to be stronger than you."

He paused, letting his words sink in. Then, with a lazy scoff, he added, "No. Your mistake was challenging a noble without thinking about the consequences."

Bolder's trembling worsened, but this time it wasn't just anger—it was something else.

Eren clicked his tongue. "Did you really think you'd win? That you'd earn praise or gratitude from your lady or your lord?" His words made the knight freeze.

You would been imprisoned for what you did. Even if I didn't say anything and shrug it off

"Wrong," Eren said flatly, his cold gaze piercing. "Had I chosen to report this, you would have been thrown into prison for what you did. Even if I let it slide, my parents will find out and wouldn't ignore it. What do you think would happen then?"

He gave the knight no time to answer before continuing.

"There would be conflict between our two families. Rumors would spread, and the other nobles would twist the story to their advantage, using it as a weapon against the d'Armand House. If things escalated, it could even result in the engagement between the d'Armand and Valmont families being called off."

Bolder's eyes widened in realization, his breath hitching.

"Mereoleona's father, the Count, is working hard to establish a connection with my family. Our engagement is the key to securing that alliance," Eren explained, his tone casual yet laced with something deeper.

"That's why the young lady endured my insults and taunts without losing control during our talks. Because despite what she may feel, she understands her duty as a noble."

"Because she is the daughter of the Count and had a duty to fulfill, even if it meant being humiliated and mocked down, she still kept calm as a noble, and as a knight."

Mereoleona eyes widen in stunt by what she heard. Even those who are present and can hear Eren low voice were suprise by the young master words, Never in their lives had they expected to hear such words coming from the young master's mouth.

"And now," Eren continued, his voice carrying a sharp edge, "because of your reckless actions, your lady might get blamed by what happened by her father."

Bolder clenched his fists tighter, his knuckles turning white as he processed the weight of his mistake.

"That's why," Eren sighed, running a hand through his hair lazily, "I gave you a chance by accepting your challenge."

The knight flinched.

"If you truly meant what you said earlier—if you really care about d'Armand's honor—then prove it to me."

Eren's lazy smirk returned as he took a few steps back, creating some distance between them. He raised his wooden sword and pointed it at the knight.

"Come at me with everything you have. Show me that what I said was wrong."

Silence filled the training grounds for a moment.

Then, without a word, while still kneeling on the ground. A surge of energy erupted from his body, and a faint orange aura enveloped him entirely. His bruised and dirt-covered face was twisted in determination as he slowly rose to his feet.

"You—!"

Commander Gareth's expression darkened instantly.

Aura.

The knight had activated his Aura, despite the strict rule forbidding it in duels. Gareth's body tensed as he prepared to intervene, but just as he was about to step in, a single raised hand stopped him.

Eren.

The young noble turned his head slightly toward Gareth, giving him a look that was both calm and commanding.

"Leave it." His voice was stoic but held undeniable authority.

Gareth hesitated, his lips pressing into a firm line. "But, young—"

"It's an order."

The command left no room for argument. Gareth clenched his jaw but ultimately relented, exhaling sharply. His eyes remained locked on Eren, ready to step in the moment things got dangerous. Even Oswald, who had been moments away from interfering, restrained himself, though the worry on his face was evident.

The spectators, stunned by the unexpected turn of events, murmured among themselves, seeing the commander not stopping the dual. Mereoleona, still processing what had just happened, frowned deeply.

'Is he stupid?' she thought, glaring at Eren and then at the knight.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?!" she shouted.

But Eren didn't answer. His eyes remained locked onto the knight before him.

Mereoleona gritted her teeth.

Did his arrogance really run so deep that he thought he could win even against an opponent using Aura?

Even if Eren had an exceptionally powerful Skill that granted him mastery in swordsmanship, it wouldn't matter if he couldn't wield Aura himself. Against an opponent who could, he was at an undeniable disadvantage.

Meanwhile, Eren calmly analyzed the orange energy surrounding Bolder's body, comparing it to his brother's. Unlike Cedric, whose Aura was thick and overwhelming, Bolder's was thinner and weaker in comparison.

To confirm his suspicions, Eren activated Appraisal and checked the knight's status.

=====

Status

-----

Name: Bolder

Job: –

Level: 0

Stats:

• STR (Strength): 41 + (5)

• DEF (Defense): 54 + (5)

• DEX (Dexterity): 25 + (5)

• AGL (Agility): 26 + (5)

• INT (Intellect): 27 + (5)

Abilities:

• Aura

• Swordsmanship Lv1

Skills:

• None

Magic:

• None

=====

Seeing his status increase slightly, Eren grinned.

'Useless. Generate a normal quest for me, right now,' he ordered in his mind.

The system felt hesitated before responding.

[Master, aren't you going to increase your stats?]

'Don't need it,' he answered.

Seeing its master's confidence, Useless obeyed and quickly created a new quest.

---

[Sudden Quest: Defeat the Knight of d'Armand]

Description: You accepted the knight's challenge to a duel, even though he never actually asked for one. Now, this foolish knight is fighting for his young lady's honor—which she also never actually asked for—to prove you are wrong. After being humiliated like trash, he's even using his Aura to win like a coward. So, how will you turn the tables?

Objective: Defeat the knight, who is using Aura, with your current stats.

Difficulty: ★★★★☆ (Hard)

Rewards: New Ability. 10,000 Coins

Failure Penalty: Severe injury

[Accept] [Decline]

---

Eren looked confused at the quest's description, finding it sound weird. It sounded more like it was mocking the opponent rather than him. He quickly shrugged it off and accepted.

Gripping the hilt of his sword with both hands, Eren shifted into a new stance. His legs were slightly bent, feet firmly planted for stability. He raised his sword in front of him, angling it diagonally, ready to react.

...

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