◈ 286. [Side Story] Martial Arts Competition (3)
Barracks. meeting room.
Prior to the finals, I was tutoring with Lucas.
“Okay Lucas? The opponent is a super-powered, half-human, half-dragon.”
As he spoke while drawing a picture of a dragon with chalk on the blackboard, Lucas nodded with a concentrated face.
Evangeline, who was listening next to me, tilted her head.
“Is that a drawing of an earthworm?”
“For those of you who took the tutoring first but got cut in the head, be quiet!”
At my criticism, Evangeline’s lips protruded. Ignoring it, I continued my explanation.
Dusk Bringer, his opponent in the finals, is human in form but half dragon in content.
The level of existence is different and the capacity of the soul is different. These beings have extremely high limit output, but instead.
“Fuel economy is garbage.”
I drew a dead battery icon on the board, but Lucas and Evangeline were like, ‘What is that?’ It was a face that said.
Oops. There are no batteries in this town.
Anyway, the fuel that Dusk Bringer uses to use its power – whether it’s mana, energy, or even calories – is terribly inefficient.
The MP box is huge, but the amount of mana consumed every time a skill is used is enormous, and recovery is slow.
Representative of high power and low efficiency.
That is a dragon species.
There was a reason Dusk Bringer had been fighting with his fingers flicking.
The greater the movement and the greater the loading force, the greater the consumption of oneself.
“The more time you drag, the better.”
In the end, the conclusion was simple. I looked at Lucas and nodded.
“Hold on, hold on, hold on. Until that woman exhausts herself. The opportunity will come then.”
“I will do it, lord.”
Lucas nodded and clenched his fists tightly.
“I will definitely win and bring the honor of winning the martial arts competition to the arms of my master… !”
“You are the only one.”
You are really the only one aiming for first place under my command!
Then cheers were heard outside. It seems it’s already time for the finals. I patted Lucas lightly on the back.
“Go and get rid of it!”
“Yes sir!”
Lucas rushed out.
Evangeline, who was watching the back of the snack while eating it, made a hmmmm sound.
“Is Lucas okay? … ? It seems to be very burdensome.”
“Why do you look so unburdened… ?”
“Ah, did I really work hard in my own way?”
Evangeline glared at me and muttered as she looked at where Lucas had left.
“But Uncle Lucas… … I feel like risking my life. I’m a little anxious.”
“… .”
This martial arts competition is a battle of pride between Dusk Bringer and our monster front.
But it’s also just a battle of pride.
If it becomes extreme enough to exceed the limit, of course it will be stopped. I hope I never have to go there… … .
***
As the martial arts competition lasted all day, the final was held late in the evening.
Before I knew it, it was hanging long over the gymnasium for the evening play. Two figures rose above the vermillion-colored arena.
Dusk Bringer smiles evilly under the shadow of his robe hood.
And his opponent, Lucas, the last hope of the monster front.
“… .”
“… .”
The girl and the knight glared at each other for a moment.
Inside the hood, immersed in Dusk Bringer’s shadow, amber eyes gleamed like those of a wild animal.
Dragon King of the evening glow.
The girl, covered in the scarlet sunlight, was a figure that perfectly matched her nickname.
Lucas slowly took a fighting stance in front of him. Clench your fists and slowly raise your guard.
‘If I could use a wooden sword, it would be much more worthwhile.’
Lucas thought.
But if you do, you might actually see blood. Since Dusk Bringer doesn’t use authority, it’s the same as playing chess with each other.
‘According to the lord’s words, take your time and deal with it slowly.’
Lucas closed his mouth and slowly raised his speculation.
The tense air filled the air as if it was suffocating. The sound of gulping and swallowing saliva echoed in succession from the audience.
Judge Ader, standing in the middle, smiled brightly and lowered his hand.
“start-!”
Taat!
Regardless of who said it first, the two fighters kicked the ground.
It was Dusk Bringer who took the lead. The girl’s tiny fingers gathered strength and folded, then snapped forward.
Lucas did not avoid the attack, which had the power to ring out at once if he allowed it.
turn up!
Instead, he reached out and grabbed Dusk-Bringer’s wrist and forced him to turn away.
Pew-!
A flick of the fingers embracing the force hit the empty air.
“Hoo?”
With Lucas holding his wrist, Dusk Bringer let out a curious voice.
“This is a very fearless child.”
“You must not be afraid.”
Lucas snarled, clutching Dusk Bringer’s arm with his left arm and clenching his right fist.
“So you can become a dragon slayer… !”
Pooh!
Lucas’s fist exploded.
I planned to deal with him slowly while taking time, but there was no reason not to hit him when the opponent was clearly exposing his gaps.
Lucas’s fists were firmly lodged in Dusk Bringer’s empty cheeks.
but.
“… !”
doesn’t budge
Dusk Bringer’s little face didn’t get pushed away even though he was hit by Lucas’ big fist.
Instead, small lips parted and a vicious smile spread.
“Why is that a knight? The evil dragon is here. Should I kill and claim the honor? If not… … .”
Lucas’ arm grabbed him and Dusk Bringer snapped his fingers forward once more.
“It will only be eaten!”
“Kuh… ?!”
Lucas managed to dodge the snap of his fingers and once again put the hook into the empty Dusk Bringer’s side.
But it doesn’t even budge.
Perong! Fuck! Perong! Fuck!
Standing close together, the evil dragon and the knight exchanged battles like that.
Lucas avoided all of Dusk Bringer’s finger flicks and dutifully put in a counterattack.
But Dusk Bringer was not hurt. Instead, the smile on her lips only grew wider.
“You are fighting like a tenacious knight! It’s not like a martial arts competition, it’s like being on a battlefield!”
“… .”
“How about enjoying a little more? This place is not a battlefield, but the center of a festival. Let’s laugh and play together!”
“Shut up.”
After exchanging dozens of battles without being able to breathe.
Lucas spat out while arranging his breathing roughly at Dusk Bringer, who was standing there calmly.
“I am… It has to prove its usefulness.”
“Hmm?”
“That I am the only one here on the front line… The fact that it is necessary for the lord must be proved in this martial arts competition.”
Lucas’ blue eyes burned with fearsome murderous intent.
“Don’t interfere and quietly fall down, evil dragon… !”
“… Aha, that’s right.”
Dusk Bringer, who was staring at Lucas, chuckled.
“Have you been abandoned once before?”
“… !”
“So you’re struggling to somehow not be hated by your master?”
Lucas’ shoulders stiffened.
Dusk Bringer grabbed the boat and laughed out loud.
“Ahaha! It’s cute! It’s cute! How can knights be so similar! Just like my knights, you are like a puppy looking only at the owner!”
Dusk Bringer, who laughed heartily and wiped the tears from his eyes, said,
“Ah, that’s why.”
He let out a bright laugh.
“… I like cats better.”
Fuu-!
The next moment, Dusk Bringer’s small fist, like a thunderbolt, landed on Lucas’ guard.
Obviously, even though he defended faithfully with a guard, he could not offset the damage.
Lucas vomited blood and bounced off the gymnasium floor like a water swallow before landing on the edge of the gymnasium.
“Isn’t it fun to raise a loyal dog only when it tastes good?”
Dusk Bringer lightly shook his fist and turned around with a shrug.
“Well, if you know how to push and pull like that, you won’t be a dog.”
Dusk Bringer, who was convinced that the match had been won, walked slowly and left the gymnasium, but said,
“… ?”
I realized something was wrong and looked back.
“Whoop whoop whoop… !”
Lucas was slowly getting up.
Amidst the disheveled blonde hair, her blue eyes shimmered like flames. Clouds of steam gushed out from behind.
A strange light flashed in Dusk Bringer’s eyes.
“The power of the beast… ? With a face like San-nim. You are raising a beast inside.”
“… .”
But Lucas took the power of the beast himself.
The steam that spewed out of his back faded, and his eyes, which had held heat, became cold.
Finally, the messy hair was neatly brushed back and tidied up.
Standing on the gym again was the well-mannered knight Lucas. Dusk Bringer frowned.
“Why don’t you draw out the power of the beast?”
“My lord told me not to use it.”
Lucas spoke in a calm tone.
“As you said, evil dragon. I was abandoned once a long time ago.”
“Huh. Are you a puppy with a lot of scars?”
“That’s why I don’t want to be abandoned again.”
Slowly raising his guard again, Lucas chewed it up and spat it out.
“So I no longer use the power of the beast. I will defeat you with only my two fists and you will be recognized by my lord.”
“… .”
Dusk Bringer, who slowly looked Lucas up and down, raised both sides of his mouth with a smirk.
“How about coming under my command, knight? I’ll let you use the power of heteromorphism to your heart’s content. I will also give you the ability to control it.”
Lucas’s eyebrows furrowed. Dusk Bringer continued.
“The reason you can’t wield the power of the beast properly is because you don’t have control.”
Beast people use the power of beasts as well, but they are not very aware of the risk of becoming a beast.
Beast races inherited the blood of beasts, so that blood acted as a reference point and brake, preventing them from becoming beasts beyond a certain level.
Even if it progresses, it eventually recovers to the reference point.
However, those who have touched beast shoes with human bodies do not possess such a reference point or factor that can be used as a brake.
In the end, he gets eaten by the beast’s power, which ran out of control without a brake.
The power to have all ‘propensity values’, not just beast transformation, is the same.
If you put your hands on it without a factor that can be controlled, it will eventually be destroyed at the end of a runaway.
“Since you seem talented, I am willing to share some of my ‘dragon blood’.”
Dragon blood.
The legacy that Dusk Bringer passed down from her ancestors, and the dragon factor she bestowed upon her knights.
“The power of the beast is quite good, but the power of the dragon is more than that. You will not regret it.”
“… .”
“I will be able to become many times stronger than now. How are you?”
Rumors have also been heard about Lucas.
Berserker of the West.
The strongest knights of the Principality of Bringer who are endowed with dragon blood and use the power of the dragon. Slaughter tanks that are said to be capable of one hundred per cent.
“What on earth did you hear me say?”
But Lucas laughed coldly.
“I intend to become strong in order to be recognized by my lord. No matter how strong you become under your command, what does that mean? I will refuse.”
“Huh… It’s a pity.”
“I am the lord’s escort. therefore.”
Lucas chewed ferociously and spat it out.
“The first prize in the martial arts competition… The chance to become a knight of the lord is also mine.”
“huh?”
“Do you think I will give it to you, this evil dragon… !”
Dusk Bringer, who had been blank for a moment, stammered urgently and asked.
“Wait a minute what? What did you say the first prize was?”
“… ? The first rank is appointed as a knight under the lord. It’s a product, but… … .”
“uh? uh huh Wait a minute!”
Cold sweat dripped down Dusk Bringer’s slender chin.
“Then shouldn’t wine be first place?!”
“… ?”
“No, the wine is Dusk Bringer! The Grand Duke is called the Grand Duke! There is no way I voluntarily went under the southern front!”
“… .”
“No, it’s just a martial arts competition, so I didn’t even look at the product list because it looked fun, so I participated in it all of a sudden! What kind of first prize is that?!”
Dusk Bringer, confused and not knowing what to do, was full of gaps.
“Then, the grand duke will be better if you calmly give instructions… !”
Lucas, his eyes flashing fiercely, rushed forward at once and punched Dusk Bringer.
“The victory is mine!”
