Tsuyo came out of the wall, but it didn't take long before Rakumaro attacked him again—this time with his sword.
Tsuyo shifted the sword to his left hand, blocked, spun the blade, and threw Rakumaro off balance.
Tsuyo rotated his sword and tried to sever Rakumaro's head. The blade was almost at Rakumaro's neck when he bent his body, dodged, and drove his sword straight into Tsuyo's stomach.
That dodge, however, left a deep slash across Rakumaro's back from Tsuyo's blade.
"Hahahaha! You're finished now, samurai!!"
But Tsuyo didn't lose his composure. He took off his shirt and tied it in reverse around his waist, stopping the bleeding as much as possible.
Rakumaro charged at Tsuyo again like a madman.
As he attacked, he spun his sword so fast it looked like multiple blades at once.
He closed in on Tsuyo...
Shqqqq…!!
An arm was severed at the shoulder and fell to the ground in a spray of blood…!!!
The crowd was in shock, unable to believe what they were seeing…!!!
Shiiink…..
"So you really didn't realize that I'm blind!"
Rakumaro screamed in agony and collapsed to the ground.
"Damn it... damn it damn it damn it…!!!"
Tsuyo struck the back of Rakumaro's neck with his hand and knocked him unconscious.
"This way you won't feel the pain."
The crowd erupted, cheering wildly for Tsuyo, but…
Tsuyo, filled with pride, left the arena without listening to their applause.
As he walked down the corridor, he heard a voice.
"Your fight was amazing, samurai!"
Tsuyo stopped. Sweat beaded on his forehead. He swiftly moved his hand to his sword and took a fighting stance.
"You… what are you… don't come any closer!!!"
With a smile, the stranger said,
"I'm nothing special… My name is Zeno. I'm going to become the greatest Holy Knight."
When Zeno smiled and Tsuyo felt a sense of calm, that ominous presence he had sensed in Zeno earlier vanished.
"What happened? Where did you go?!"
Zeno replied calmly, surprised,
"I'm right here—in front of you."
Tsuyo put his hand on his head and said,
"Looks like my hearing's been affected because of the heavy blood loss."
He showed Zeno respect and said,
"Sorry for trying to draw my sword on you."
Zeno laughed.
"No worries, don't mention it. Lift your head up… you're bleeding badly. Come on, I'll take you."
Zeno supported him under the arm and took him to the infirmary….
Royal Combat Arena:
"People of the Shamrock Empire! Are you ready for another glorious battle?!"
The crowd responded to Raika with joyful shouts.
"Alright then, let's move on to our next match and see who is worthy of winning this magnificent battle… On our left side, if you look closely, you might see someone familiar…"
The western gate opened with a thunderous sound. As light flooded the corridor, the figure standing there was revealed: an eighteen-year-old boy with black hair and striking blue eyes, handsome and radiant, wearing golden armor. His thin, bone-like armor reflected a powerful glow, and a red cape—the symbol of his bravery—hung from his shoulders. Hand on his sword, with the metallic sound of his boots silencing the arena, he entered with pride.
When the people saw him, they jumped up in joy, but the royal families were not pleased at all.
"Isn't that boy… Vale Brook from the Red Cloak Clan?!"
"Yes, that's him. The sole survivor of that clan. He survived only because he was a child and couldn't fight back then to defend them…"
Suddenly, a strong wind came from behind them along with a voice—
"Keep quiet."
The conversation of the two women was cut short.
They turned around, and when they saw the woman, they immediately stood up and bowed.
"S-s-sorry, Lady Vermont! It won't happen again."
Julian Vermont of the Stormbreaker Clan, wife of Soma and future queen of the Shamrock Empire—a calm woman holding a fan engraved with her clan's emblem, symbolizing her pride—sat in her designated seat. She wore a red kimono with black floral patterns and green lines, radiating boundless dignity.
"So where is Itsuki?"
As Vale Brook entered the arena with pride, the poor people were happy to see him and cheered loudly. Vale smiled and waved at them. But when his eyes met someone's, his cheeks turned red, his eyes widened, and he froze.
"She's… here!!!"
When the people noticed Vale had frozen, they laughed.
"Looks like he saw Hina."
The person sitting beside Hina nudged her.
"Hina, remember—we're counting on your cheering in this match."
Hina's cheeks flushed red, and she softly replied in a gentle voice,
"O-okay."
Raika smiled and said,
"Alright, let's introduce our next fighter. A ruthless man, yet filled with pride. They say his gray armor turns red with his opponent's blood after battle!!… Give it up for Leoris of the royal Ashborne family!"
The gate opened, and Leoris entered the arena with a proud smile. The royal families stood up excitedly and cheered.
"Good luck, Leoris-sama!"
"We're proud of you!"
"Crush him, Leoris-sama!"
Leoris blew kisses toward the royal families.
"Thank you all so much."
But unlike them, the poor people were not happy to see him at all.
"What a self-obsessed bastard."
"If only I had power, I'd smash him to pieces."
Instead of standing opposite Vale, Leoris walked straight toward Hina and stopped right in front of her.
"After the matches, you'll become one of my wives."
When Vale heard this, his entire body began to sweat—not from fear, but from the fire of rage bursting inside him. He stayed silent.
Leoris laughed and reached his hand toward Hina, but her mother pulled her back and held her close.
"What's this?! You're disobeying my order now?!"
Leoris grabbed Hina's hand forcefully and pulled her.
"Let go… you're hurting me."
Vale's hand unconsciously trembled as it moved toward his sword, sweat dripping—until Raika's voice rang out.
"If you don't return to your position right now, you'll be disqualified from the tournament!"
Leoris released Hina. Vale also pulled his hand away from his sword.
"I'll deal with you later—but first I'll kill this leftover brat."
He went to his position and stood facing Vale.
Raika hurried to the exit and said to both of them before leaving,
"Don't start until I say so."
Leoris laughed.
"You're the only survivor of the Red Cloak Clan, huh?! How pathetic… because today, your entire lineage will be wiped out by my hands! Hahahaha!"
But Vale said nothing, standing calmly yet burning with rage.
Raika went to the judge's platform and shouted,
"Ready?!…"
Leoris took an attacking stance and reached for his sword, but when he looked at Vale, he burst out laughing.
"Looks like you've accepted defeat from the start, loser."
Hina watched Vale anxiously. He looked like a statue forged from pure rage.
"…Fight."
Groom… groom… groom… Voooooom.
The arena began to shake. Everyone inside the combat zone was under crushing pressure, mouths frozen, unable to breathe. Yet strangely, no pressure affected the poor people or Julian Vermont—as if an invisible barrier surrounded them.
But there was one person who looked like he was about to have a heart attack—not from the pressure itself, but from seeing that face.
"I can't breathe… don't come closer!!… Ugh, damn it!"
Vale advanced toward Leoris like a statue of hatred, his eyes blood-red, drawing his sword with the sole intent to kill.
"Why are you scared… why are you on the ground?!… Why aren't you picking up your sword?!… Hurry up, pick it up and fight!!!"
Shiiinkkk!!
The sword was drawn, and the pressure doubled…!
Suddenly, Leoris felt something warm on his face. He wiped it with his hand. When he looked at it, his fear doubled—it was blood. Blood was flowing from his eyes.
"I… withdraw… I'm… withdrawing…"
But no one could hear his voice.
A shadow rose over Leoris's face, raising its sword.
"Feel fear, Leoris."
Groom… groom… groom… grrrrkh!!!!
The arena floor cracked massively and began to collapse. The people quickly fled, but the royal families still couldn't move.
One of the poor people shouted when he saw their lives were in danger,
"What about them?! If this keeps up, they'll die!!!"
"But they hate us—why should we save them?"
Everyone agreed…
Then one person turned back and said,
"Because we're not like them."
Silence fell.
"Come on—we have to get them out of here now."
One by one, they carried the royal families and slowly evacuated them.
"Hina, hurry! We have to go…!"
But the only one who refused to leave was Hina.
"I can't just leave Vale here like this. You go!"
"Anyone who tries to hurt Hina won't be left alive—even if they're God himself."
"Oooh, very brave, kid."
Vale looked to his right.
"And who are you?"
"I'm Zeno. I'm going to become the greatest Holy Knight!… Wanna be friends?!"
Vale was stunned that his power had no effect on him.
"How can he move? He's standing right in the center of my compactor power, yet he shows no reaction at all."
Everyone had left the arena. No one remained inside except Hina.
"Control your power. You're destroying the arena, kid."
But Vale shouted angrily,
"It's none of your business! Anyone who lays a hand on Hina—I'll kill them!!!"
At that very moment, he brought his sword down.
"Atsujin-Totsuooo (Pressure-Piercing Blade)!"
Doooooooom...