Free Web NovelChapter 136: Duel [2]
Ronan stood in the center of the duel arena, gazing around at the crowd pressing against the perimeter.
Students filled the stands, faculty positioned along the edges, their robes bearing house crests and Academy insignia. He could hear whispers Laughter. Anticipation. They were waiting for him to be humiliated.
Strange.
Despite this being his second life, he had never stood in front of so many people as the center of attention.
As Ren, he was never watched like this. The original Ronan may have been watched as an heir – praised, scrutinized – but he didn’t have those memories.
Ronan found the attention odd. But not unpleasant.
A little fun, even. It got his heart beating.
Across from him, Brutas stood with his cocky smile still firmly in place, one fist resting against his hip. His steel gauntlet glinted under the afternoon sun. His posture screamed confidence.
Ronan smiled back.
Brutas’s grin stiffened. His fingers flexed against his weapon. His shoulders tightened for a brief moment before he forced them to relax again.
Ronan noticed.
Before Selene could officially start the duel, Ronan spoke quietly. Not loud enough for the crowd to hear. Just Brutas.
"Why did you challenge me to this duel? What was your motive?"
Brutas smirked.
"A foolish Ashbourne failure needed to be humbled before he got a big head. You mistook luck for talent. Someone had to remind you of your place."
Ronan didn’t react to the insult. His tone stayed calm. "That’s not what I meant."
Brutas narrowed his eyes.
"Did you personally want this duel," Ronan continued, "or did the Ravencrest family order you to challenge me?"
For a second, just one, Brutas’s smile dropped.
Ronan noticed immediately.
Brutas recovered fast. "You don’t know what you’re talking about."
Ronan didn’t push. He only smiled again, satisfied with the reaction he’d gotten. If Brutas had been any smarter, he wouldn’t have responded.
Selene interrupted. "Both duelists, state your chosen weapons."
Brutas went first.
He reached behind him, pulling out what looked like a compact mace. Some students laughed because it seemed small compared to his frame.
Then Brutas channeled mana into it.
The weapon expanded.
The head unfolded, growing heavier, metal plates locking into place until the mace reached almost four feet long.
The audience quieted.
Brutas raised the weapon slightly so the crowd could see. "A Pollundini-forged compression mace. Crafted personally for me! It can withstand repeated high-impact reinforcement and battlefield pressure, perfect for a Steel Path user such as myself!"
He continued singing praises to his family.
A few noble students recognized the beauty of the design, having personal weapons of their own.
Brutas noticed the reaction.
He looked pleased.
Selene turned to Ronan. "State your weapon."
Ronan patted the sides of his pants a few times.
He looked down as if he only just realized something.
He smiled sheepishly. "I must have forgotten to bring one."
The crowd laughed.
Some students mocked him openly. Others thought he was joking. Even Brutas seemed a little amused at the scene.
Selene pinched the bridge of her nose. "Do you want the Academy to provide you with a weapon? I cannot guarantee we will have one to your liking, but you are free to borrow one."
Ronan shook his head.
He turned toward Brutas.
And he spread his arms dramatically.
He spoke, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.
"There’s no need."
The laughter died.
—
Elara grabbed her hair with both hands when Ronan refused the weapon. She turned to Kazuma and shook his shoulders.
"What is he doing? Why is he making things worse for himself?"
Kazuma sighed. "Stop shaking me."
Elara let go but kept staring at him, waiting.
"He’s probably insulting the Pollundini family on purpose, if I had to guess."
"That makes no sense! Ronan’s already weaker, injured, and facing someone two minor stages above him. Why would he make Brutas angrier?" frёeωebɳovel.com
"He probably wants Brutas angry."
Elara blinked. "That’s stupid."
Kazuma shrugged. "There’s probably something beneath the duel that we don’t know. He mentioned Ravencrest. Ronan may not know the full issue either, so he’s provoking Brutas to see what reaction he gets."
"He mentioned... Ravencrest?"
Kazuma nodded. "I have good hearing. He’s not easy to lip read."
Elara looked back toward the arena. "Even if he baits out a reaction, it doesn’t matter unless he wins. Ronan shouldn’t be able to beat Brutas normally. Fighting without a weapon makes the gap even worse."
Kazuma didn’t sem to agree. "Wait and see."
"That’s not exactly comforting."
Nearby, reactions varied.
Irene covered her face with both hands. Her expression couldn’t be seen, but to anyone looking, it should have been obvious.
Iris looked uninterested at first. Her eyes kept returning to Ronan anyway.
Grace didn’t look away once, her eyes fixed on the battle, examining every detail.
Luca, similarly, didn’t take his eyes off. He was interested in the battle now, wanting to see where this would go.
Selene dropped her hand.
"Start!"
Brutas moved first.
He closed the distance quickly despite the mace’s size. He swung diagonally toward Ronan’s shoulder.
Ronan didn’t block. He stepped aside at the last moment.
The mace passed close enough for the wind pressure to cut across Ronan’s cheek. The weapon slammed into the arena floor, slightly cracking the stone. The crowd cheered. It looked like Brutas almost hit him immediately.
Brutas pulled the mace back. Attacked again.
Ronan avoided with small movements. He didn’t run far, staying just outside the impact range of each swing.
Brutas pressed forward.
His attacks were aggressive, but they were controlled. He wasn’t some mindless brute. It was clear he knew how to fight.
But he was too slow. Compared to Aura, at least.
Ronan watched Brutas’s feet. Watched when Brutas planted his weight before each swing.
Brutas roared, swinging again. He channeled more mana into this attack, much faster than the last ones.
Ronan did not dodge.
Instead, he raised his forearm and blocked.
The impact drove him back. His feet scraped across the arena floor. Pain flashed through his arm, and there was a gash in his forearm, but the actual bone held.
The crowd cheered louder.
—
Elara was covering her face, looking through her fingers. "I knew this would happen."
Brutas’s voice carried across the arena.
"This is what happens when someone fights above his place!" free𝑤ebnovel.com
The attacks continued, relentlessly.
Ronan was obviously being pushed back.
Then, after dozens of attacks narrowly dodged, Brutas got an opening. It was a misstep by Ronan.
Lowering his body, Brutas sent a devastating attack with his mace towards Ronan’s feet. He put everything into the attack, ignoring defense entirely for a full blown offensive blow.
Elara’s heart pounded, and she wanted to scream his name. Scream for him to watch out.
But it was too late.
The attack was going to hit.
So why...
Her eyes widened.
Why was he turning toward the attack?
