Free Web Novel“Night Raven—victory!”
Roen’s sharp gaze flicked toward Seril for a brief moment, but she merely inclined her head slightly, wearing an intentionally innocent expression. Meanwhile, Ryan, his face flushed, returned to his comrades. The knight he had fought, unlike him, could not hide his bitterness and walked back into formation with a dark expression.
If they fought again, Ryan would surely lose. This time, he had won by exploiting the opponent’s carelessness and the “Commander effect.” But a victory was still a victory. The outcome of a duel rests on one assumption: “What if this were a real battle?” And in a real battle, in this exact situation, Ryan would undoubtedly have won.
“Wow, our little rookie actually won? Nice job, keep it up!”
“...Heh-heh-heh-heh.”
When Tarsha praised him and patted his head, Ryan practically melted with happiness. Gunther, watching the scene with a stunned look, muttered quietly:
“...I feel like when I was a rookie, they treated me a lot harsher.”
Tarsha snorted and casually swung her staff.
“Well... back then I thought you were some unbearable guy. Who knew you’d turn into such a great commander?”
“...Forget it.”
“Come here. I’ll pat your head too.”
“I said forget it...”
There was little time before the next duel. The platoon fighters enthusiastically discussed the previous match. They looked like fans whose favorite team had just won—it was almost endearing.
“But something felt strange. Like power suddenly flooded in.”
“You’re a ‘Commander,’ that’s your class. Well, that sounds kind of dumb... Anyway, it’s normal for strength to increase when fighting alongside a commander. Though in your case, it was pretty shocking.”
To be honest, Gunther found it strange as well. The buff had been far stronger than the usual enhancement during combat. Maybe it was because Ryan had been fighting alone?
At that very moment, Cheonmae approached them silently, like a shadow.
“I’ll speak to Golden Fox so you get properly rewarded with merit points, rookie. Good work.”
Her voice sounded harsh, but beneath the mask her mouth had stretched into a wide grin. A surprisingly sincere person.
...But not everyone was celebrating. One person couldn’t join the general excitement.
Blanc. She congratulated Ryan, but looked deeply dejected. Probably because the rookie had won too “beautifully.”
“It’s fine.”
Gunther lightly patted Blanc on the shoulder. Judging by the level of the enemy knights, if she avoided being careless, she could win. It wouldn’t be the “Bond 100” buff, but she would still receive the commander bonus.
“...Gu-Gunther. Thank you. I’ll do my best too.”
Blanc took a deep breath and nodded. Her voice carried quiet but firm determination.
Rustle—
The three knights, led by Albern, approached. Gunther nodded and spoke first:
“Shall we begin the next duel?”
It was Werner, the androgynous knight from the Camaril family, who answered. He gave a slight bow.
“First of all, I would like to apologize for underestimating Night Raven. I am sincerely ashamed.”
“...What?”
“We believed the stories of your exploits were exaggerated... but the previous battle shattered our arrogance and prejudice in an instant.”
Gunther’s eyes narrowed. He caught the hidden meaning behind that polite tone.
“...What are you getting at?”
“Therefore, forgive my boldness, but... in its current form, this ‘duel’ loses its meaning. Since Night Raven and our Kingdom agreed to exchange experience and evaluate each other’s martial arts, we cannot end things with a mere formal match, can we?”
Werner briefly glanced at Albern.
“...Don’t tell me,” Gunther thought.
“With that in mind... we request a change of participant.”
...No, you said you wanted to stand as one with me. When Gunther looked at Albern with that unspoken question, the latter answered as if he had been waiting for it.
“I myself felt uneasy. It seemed I had offered too easy a match to masters like you. Now I am at ease, knowing we can show proper respect.”
He spoke so sincerely that Gunther was momentarily speechless. He felt the tension among his platoon members—especially Blanc, who was supposed to go next. Her shoulders stiffened, her body trembling under the weight of responsibility.
Uuuun—!
At that very moment, the divine presence of the being Albern had contracted with revealed itself for the first time. The guardian of the First Family of the Round Table—Arder.
[The Blood Piercer, gripping his spear, looks down upon you]
Feeling that overwhelming divine energy, the platoon fighters instinctively grimaced as a heavy pressure weighed down on them. They realized it instantly: the direct descendants of the Round Table families were on a completely different level.
Albern was at least at the late fourth hierarchy. Perhaps already stepping into the fifth. Most likely the strongest among the direct descendants. ...Of course, Blanc was also a fourth-hierarchy martial artist, but her chances of victory were slim.
“Ma-maybe we should refuse?”
That would have been better. But just as Gunther opened his mouth—
“?”
A sudden message appeared before his eyes.
[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats tilts his head in confusion]
[However, his expression soon turns to confidence]
[At the sight of the “disciple,” his knuckles crack involuntarily—Crack]
Gunther’s eyes widened.
“Disciple? That Blood Piercer?”
[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats nods]
[More precisely, something like the disciple of his disciple... though he says the generational gap is so large it hardly matters]
Gunther’s face twisted into a strange expression.
“So you understand his techniques?”
[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats says that is only natural]
[Clarifying that he himself created the foundational technique]
“...I see.”
Then this might work. Gunther did not hesitate long... and made his decision.
“Alright. If that’s how it is, let’s make the name ‘Night Raven’ resound across the Kingdom.”
To be honest, even Gunther could not yet predict how the main scenario would unfold. He had expected a storyline involving saving the Barkel lands and driving out the Archbishop of Repose—but the latter had suddenly disappeared.
However, one thing was certain: for the foreseeable future, they would have to operate within the Kingdom of Valloren. They needed to confirm whether the Archbishop had truly retreated, deal with the remaining forces, and attract talented individuals to their side.
“No matter what happens, the higher Night Raven’s reputation, the easier things will be.”
Until now, despite creating Sanity, it felt like their achievements were not fully acknowledged. In a kingdom dominated by knightly superiority, there was no simpler or clearer method than proving everything through strength. ...Before, he had thought it impossible and given up. But now, things were different.
“Your proposal...”
Gunther met the gazes of the three knights.
“We gladly accept.”
A brief silence followed. Clear surprise appeared on their faces. It seemed they had not expected such a firm acceptance to such a bold, almost forced demand. At the same time, confidence in their own victory flickered in their eyes.
“Thank you for your courtesy...”
“But give us a moment.”
Gunther placed his hand on Blanc’s trembling shoulder again. Her large eyes cautiously lifted toward him. The trembling under his palm slowly began to subside. Gunther smiled broadly.
“Just trust your commander.”
***
Right before the duel.
In the center of the empty ground, Blanc and Albern stood facing each other. At first glance... it was a blatantly uneven match.
A massive knight wielding a gigantic spear. And a fragile girl in light armor, barely reaching 160 cm in height.
Moreover, Blanc was unarmed. The autonomous shield “Seren Gless” could not be used in a sparring match. Even the platoon fighters, who knew how agile Blanc was, exchanged anxious glances.
[The One Who Runs Ahead of the Wind looks at you with undisguised reproach!]
Yet the heroine herself, having cast aside her pre-battle trembling, prepared calmly. Even the observing knights were confused by her composure.
Under her mask, in the magical device fixed near her ear, a faint crackle of an incoming connection sounded.
— [Can you hear me clearly?]
Blanc gave the slightest nod, almost imperceptible. Gunther, watching, nodded back, preparing to relay the King of Ninety-Nine Defeats’ messages appearing in his vision. ...Cheating? It couldn’t be helped.
“There’s a chance to win.”
From previous encounters, Blanc and Albern had a rough idea of each other’s fighting styles. They had not seen each other at full strength, but the styles were clear.
“Albern is overwhelming spear mastery focused purely on offense.”
A domineering, experienced style—a classic “power knight” approach that leaves no room to breathe once the assault begins.
Blanc, on the other hand, was an “evasive tank.” Through mastery of soft techniques and boxing, she avoided direct clashes, letting attacks pass and searching for openings.
They were complete opposites... and it seemed Albern intended to skip the probing phase entirely.
— [Get ready, Blanc!]
Boom—!
...With his first move, Albern unleashed an incredibly fast linear dash. It was hard to believe he wasn’t using mana. To some observers, it looked as if Blanc had already been pierced. Such was the level of a knight forged through endless training.
“Ah—!”
The spear tip swept just under Blanc’s chin—she dodged by a hair’s breadth and rolled back. As her vision wavered, she recalled Gunther’s words:
“The first few exchanges, you have to endure yourself. Hold on—and I’ll make sure you win.”
Blanc believed her commander. Gunther was not someone who spoke lightly. So she focused to the absolute limit. To turn belief into strength, she poured everything into it.
Whoosh—
Albern immediately spun, drawing a wide arc with his long spear. The shaft sliced past Blanc’s temple with a sharp whistle. Had she ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) been a moment slower, she would have been knocked out instantly. She pushed off the ground at the last second, escaping the trajectory.
[The One Who Runs Ahead of the Wind cries out in terror]
“...Haa...”
That he could do this without mana was monstrous. If Albern used energy, she would not last even a few exchanges. Elite knights were terrifying not only because of talent. With systemized development techniques and elixirs from childhood, their baseline endurance and explosive power existed on an entirely different level. Blanc stood before that wall relying only on skill and instinct.
Whoosh—!
The spear tip sliced the air again, sending her bangs flying.
Boom—!
Shattering wind, cracking ground. Blanc’s breathing grew heavier. Soft techniques and hand-to-hand combat were “close-range” methods. But Albern did not allow her to get close. The openings that would normally appear in a spearman’s style were erased by his monstrous speed and physical strength.
— [Blanc]
“...Hah... Gunther.”
— [Almost there]
“...Okay.”
Blanc clenched her teeth. She had to trust Gunther.
Gunther was nervous too. But he suppressed it. He did not miss the fact that Albern’s movements were becoming sharper, more rushed.
The fact that his opponent was a tiny girl, combined with his comrade’s earlier “defeat,” was making him impatient.
“The more he rushes, the clearer the card he’ll draw.”
Not precision—but a wide, crushing strike.
[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats closely observes Albern’s stance]
[He states he knows this technique and dictates the counter]
At that moment, Gunther’s vision flared. His lips moved rapidly:
“Listen carefully, Blanc... This is a three-rotation technique. The first and third go left, only the second goes right.”
“At the moment of the right rotation, the spear passes behind his back—his vision disappears for a split second.”
“...Catch that moment!”
Whoosh—!
At that exact instant, Albern’s spear began rotating, tracing crimson lines exactly as described.
First rotation—the spear sweeps the ground.
Second rotation—the blade passes behind his back. Half a beat. That moment.
— [NOW!]
“Got it!”
Blanc’s eyes widened.
Tap—!
Her toes dug into the ground. She didn’t retreat from the spear. Instead, she dove straight toward it.
In that brief instant when the weapon passed behind Albern’s back and his vision was cut off, she lowered her body and slipped perfectly under the arc.
It was such a bold move that no one—even Albern—could have predicted it. After all, until now, Blanc had only been retreating.
— [Now! Close in!]
Gunther’s shout triggered her body. With her left hand, she caught the shaft from below. Not pushing—but pulling it toward herself—the essence of soft technique, breaking the axis of balance.
Clack—!
The spear’s rotation stalled for a moment. For the first time, strong confusion appeared in Albern’s eyes.
“What—?”
A brief pause.
— [Elbow!]
A master of soft techniques would not miss such a chance. Blanc pressed her body close. With her right hand, she pushed against the back of his elbow, while her left leg blocked his support axis.
What is the essence of close combat? Breaking the opponent’s balance. At the moment Albern’s shoulder faltered, Blanc applied precise pressure to his knee joint, forcing him forward.
Crunch—!
Despite the overwhelming difference in weight, Albern’s balance collapsed completely.
Blanc immediately twisted, locking his wrist behind his back and pinning the spear shaft over her forearm. A perfect hold from soft martial arts. Albern’s long spear froze for the first time. The entire field fell silent.
...And that silence was broken, unexpectedly, by Albern’s sigh—more like a groan of disappointment.
“Ha...”
At that humiliating moment, with his own weapon immobilized, he slowly looked at Blanc. A small girl, soaked in sweat. He exhaled emptily and gave a faint smile. As if no longer willing to resist, he stopped struggling and slowly dropped to one knee.
“I, Albern Arder, acknowledge the victory of Night Raven.”
Blanc’s eyes widened twice their usual size.
“Co—no, Co-Commander!!! Did you see that?! Did you see?!”
Her words tangled, unable to form proper sentences. She waved her arms wildly and, jumping with joy, ran back to Gunther and the others. Gunther simply raised a thumbs-up in silence. Blanc’s face lit up with happiness.
.
.
.
Ding—!
[Side Quest “Friendly Duel” completed with a crushing victory for Night Raven]
[You accepted the opponent’s challenge and concluded the battle with honor]
[...At the same time, you resorted to a dishonorable trick during the duel]
[Chivalry stat remains unchanged]
[Your position and Night Raven’s reputation within the Kingdom of Valloren have greatly increased]
[Affinity with Blanc has increased]
[Current Affinity: 70 → 80]
[When receiving your commands in battle, the target’s reaction speed and survival instinct increase] fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
[You have achieved a series of victories in impossible duels]
[Commander class experience has significantly increased]
Note: You repeatedly turn unfavorable battles into victories. This is part of the conditions for a hidden class change.
.
.
.
The platoon fighters laughed and embraced in celebration, while the delegation knights, though downcast, still applauded politely. Off to the side, unnoticed, Rev watched them in silence.
“...I wish you had arrived a little later.”
The quiet, barely audible wish dissolved instantly into the jubilant shouts of the platoon fighters.
