C87 - 88
Chapter 87: Lambert Cage (6)
A surreal space crafted by divine power.
Silica, the leader of the Mist, sat alone in the vast square, continuing her mental cultivation.
Behind her tightly closed eyes, restrained emotions revealed nothing to the observer.
Towards her, a handful of black mist slowly approached.
(You sent Cyan on an interesting task, didn’t you?)
Her tightly shut eyes suddenly opened.
“What do you mean?”
(The words spoken were from that directive. Isn’t he the target of the purification task you decided on?)
Silica couldn’t bring herself to answer directly.
“…I won’t deny it.”
(There’s no intention to criticize. I merely inquired because sending that child for your personal matters was unexpected.)
She rose gracefully from her seat.
“Cyan was a perfect child from the moment I met him. His existence puzzles me. Perhaps Aeru knows the reason.”
(…)
Aier smiled invisibly.
“I don’t currently, nor in the future, have any intention of probing into that. However, Cyan needs to realize.”
(Realize what?)
“It’s about what one can and cannot do with their own power. My personal emotions are indeed involved in this mission. However, through this task, Cyan must come to understand. That way, he can wield his power in the future without regret.”
A faint smile blossomed on her lips.
* * *
As I mentioned before, I’ve used the Mist’s secrets to disguise my face, making it impossible for others to recognize me.
Yet, amidst all this, someone I’ve never seen before recognized me by my face?
This was absolutely not something to overlook.
Without revealing my concern, I asked,
“Do you know me?”
“Yeah, I do! Honestly, your face seemed familiar, but I recognized you right away after seeing your punch! It was the same movement you showed earlier.”
From the context, it seemed like he might have watched my match during the day.
But he recognized me just from my movements?
While my head might have been a bit empty, it seemed like I needed to acknowledge at least one thing.
“G-Gunther?”
The henchmen, who had been lounging, were startled when they saw him.
Gunther was a name I hadn’t heard before either.
“Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Gunther Rictus. I’m one of the rulers of this city, managing the western waste disposal facility.”
A ruler of the city?
Was this some kind of gangster?
But leaving him aside, the faces of the thugs lying around were a sight to behold.
Despite having broken limbs because of me, they were seized with tremendous fear of the man named Gunther, not me.
“I’m telling you, that’s how it is. So, for now, consider me your fan. I was impressed by your flashy skills! It was like seeing the old me!”
“You’re out of your mind.”
It was truly pathetic.
“Don’t get me wrong! I said it out of genuine admiration! That’s why I rushed straight to the big boss of the cage after the match. I asked her to set up a fight with you right away!”
In an instant, my brow furrowed involuntarily.
“The big boss?”
I heard something I couldn’t just let slide.
“Oh, you don’t know, huh? She’s such a peculiar lady, sticking to her mysticism. Don’t worry about it. You don’t need to know…”
Without a word, I calmly walked towards him.
Things seemed to be unfolding unexpectedly easily.
“Huh? The atmosphere got weird? Are you intrigued by something I said?”
Precisely a two-step distance.
If I extended my fist or swung my foot, I could reach him in less than a second.
Within that distance, I asked with a composed face,
“Do you know the owner of Lambert Cage?”
He chuckled and replied,
“Of course I do! I’m one of the few beings in this city who knows her face. That’s Lindsay Nihalov…”
-Whoosh
The moment he mentioned the name I was searching for, my body moved without hesitation.
-Thud!
My right foot swung in a semicircle towards his head.
There was a dull thud, but he didn’t budge.
He had raised his arm to block.
“Ha! What do you think you’re doing?”
The exploration was over, and my task was clear.
I was going to make him spill it right here about that Lindsay Nihalov.
As he reacted to my aggression, he clenched his fist and swung it fiercely towards me.
-Thunk!
I swiftly dodged the blow, the ground tremoring momentarily from the immense force.
“Quite fiery for someone who looks so young. Did you want to fight me too?”
I didn’t bother to respond.
“Well, there’s no need to wait until the match day! If you want it and I want it, there’s no problem fighting right here, right now! Hahaha!”
I needed to shut that big mouth first.
After adjusting my stance, I gathered strength into my fist and lunged again.
“Stop, Gunther!”
My gaze automatically turned towards a familiar voice.
-Swish
A gleam emanated from a short dagger as it sliced through the air between us.
Flustered guards, along with a neatly dressed attendant with flowing brown hair, were waiting in the aftermath.
“Are you okay, sir?”
“Hmm?”
I was slightly taken aback by the unexpected question.
“Gunther, what’s the meaning of this? How dare you attack our guest from outside? Do you want to rot in a dung barrel?”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at the rather intense statement.
Indeed, this attendant didn’t seem entirely sane either.
“What nonsense are you spouting? He attacked me first!”
“I won’t listen to your excuses! What are you waiting for? Protect the guest!”
At her command, the guards began to move swiftly.
Before long, a protective barrier formed around me.
What’s with this excessive protection?
“They’re treating him like some VIP guest. Acting all high and mighty. Shouldn’t you relax the guards a bit? Acting like uncivilized thugs, don’t you think?”
Though I didn’t say a word, just looking at the attendant’s face, it seemed like she was thinking enough on my behalf.
“Tell me, Gunther! What’s the reason for attacking our guest at such a late hour?”
“This is insane. He attacked me first! And it seems like there’s some misunderstanding here. This is clearly my territory. What business do you have interfering when it’s my fight in my territory?”
Territory, huh?
Come to think of it, when Gunther introduced himself, he mentioned being one of the rulers of this city.
Were they playing some kind of territorial game among themselves?
And how did this attendant find me?
I was unintentionally left out, creating a subtle tension between the two.
They maintained fierce gazes at each other as if a predator were encountering another predator.
“Enough! What do you gain from fighting with me?”
Surprisingly, it was the ruffian who backed away first.
——————
——————
“If you really don’t want to witness a brawl, then I suggest you arrange a match with that guy over there. Do you get my drift?”
He took a drag from his cigarette and glanced towards me abruptly.
“Then I’ll be looking forward to our match, Zion!”
With a last swaggering farewell, Gunther vanished into the alley.
-Squelch
“Are you alright, sir?”
I couldn’t decide how to respond at that moment.
“Why are you here?”
“T-That guy, Gunther, I came to chase after him and happened to stumble upon you… Anyway, I’m just glad I could protect you from his threats.”
“But I was the one who attacked first.”
“What?”
There was a strange silence around us for a moment.
“Oh! T-That’s right! It’s just that Gunther guy started a dispute with you first…”
“No, that’s not it. I attacked him first.”
She was seemingly at a loss for words from my impassioned words.
“W-What? Then why are you here?!”
“Well… Maybe because of that little kid?”
I gestured towards the boy crouched in an empty basket, looking startled yet endearing.
There was indeed a real reason, but there was no need to mention it.
“Ah…”
She seemed to deflate, as if relieved.
“By the way, I heard something strange from that Gunther guy?”
“W-What do you mean?”
“He said he went to find the owner of this facility because he wanted to fight you.”
“Ah… I suppose that’s what he meant.”
She bowed her head as if in resignation.
“I won’t deny it. He came to us a while ago, demanding a match with you.”
“Why?”
“Well, he wanted to fight you, I suppose. He used to be a player here at Cage, quite well-known, but he was permanently banned from the matches a few years ago for killing someone during a match. But now, he suddenly wants to fight you, so it’s been a bit of a headache for me.”
Was that kid also from here?
But considering the atmosphere from earlier and her words, it seemed like there was some kind of connection between this attendant and him.
It wasn’t my concern, but there was definitely something I needed to address.
“So, you arranged a match without my consent. I’m not affiliated with you, am I?”
As if expecting this, she swallowed hard before replying,
“Oh, it’s not confirmed yet, but both Gunther and our owner want the match. That’s why I was going to ask for your opinion.”
“The owner?”
I couldn’t help but react to that word.
“W-What’s wrong?”
“If you’re talking about the owner, are you referring to Lindsay Nihalov, the owner of Cage?”
“Yes, that’s right. Our owner, Lindsay Nihalov…”
Knowing that Lindsay Nihalov was the owner of Cage wasn’t particularly significant.
The issue was this woman.
Her previous words and her manner suggested that she was speaking as if she had received direct orders from the owner.
I decided to play it cool and said,
“Yes?”
She seemed to misunderstand my lack of reaction and smiled awkwardly.
“Arrange the match? As soon as possible? The sooner, the better?”
“Uh… Are you serious?”
Taken aback by my unexpectedly swift acceptance, she was visibly flustered.
“Y-Yes? Please, tell me your conditions! We’ll try to accommodate them as much as possible!”
My gaze shifted to the little cigarette-selling boy, lost in thought about the situation.
He seemed to be struggling with the unexpected turn of events.
“I have a condition.”
“P-Please tell me! We’ll do almost anything!”
My gaze fell on the boy, and I made my request.
“Let that kid work at your facility.”
* * *
Rumors of a comet-like rookie appearing at Cage had only spread a week ago.
Cage was packed to its highest capacity ever.
“I had my doubts, but it’s really him, isn’t it? Gunther from the waste yard is back. What on earth brought him here?”
“I heard Gunther personally requested a match. Seems like he was itching for a fight with that cheeky kid.”
“Heh! Cage is in for a show. Can you believe a brat like that is reigning over Cage?”
One week. It took the boy named Zion to dominate Cage.
In terms of actual fight time, it didn’t even reach five minutes, and he hadn’t gone beyond two rounds.
It was undeniably astonishing but not necessarily a good thing for the matches themselves.
People crave excitement, after all.
Such a figure emerged at Cage, capable of satisfying the audience’s taste for stimulation.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Cage, home of Lambert! The much-awaited match of today is about to begin!”
A man with sunglasses, appearing as the announcer, announced the commencement in the center.
The audience responded with excitement as the players appeared from both sides: Gunther and Zion.
While Gunther seemed somewhat cheerful, Zion maintained a stoic demeanor.
“Now, just enjoying a fiery match like today wouldn’t be proper. A special rule is added to this match starting now!”
The audience began to buzz with anticipation.
“A special rule? I hope they’re not giving that boy a handicap, right?”
“Who knows? Even if he’s a brat, he’s facing Gunther, isn’t he? There’s probably a clause about not killing each other, right? Heh heh!”
“As long as they don’t impose any weird restrictions…”
In reality, most of the audience expected Gunther to win.
Despite Zion’s performance, the memories of Gunther’s ruthless actions lingered more in the audience’s minds.
As if anticipating the audience’s psyche, the announcer chuckled and continued,
“No-rule match! Today’s match will proceed as a no-rule match!”
A moment of silence swept through the stands.
“Literal no rules! Anything goes in this match! Not just fists, but weapons, magic, even tricks are all fair game! The goal is to dominate your opponent by any means necessary!”
The silence turned into cheers in an instant.
——————
Chapter 88: Lambert Cage (7)
“No rules match?”
It’s a story I’ve never heard before.
To be precise, it seems like I’m the only one who hasn’t heard it.
While I looked somewhat puzzled, Gunther, as if he had been waiting, had his iron knuckles ready.
“Your expression is strange. Haven’t you heard that our match is a no-rule match?”
“I haven’t.”
“Hmm, didn’t the news reach you? If you need any weapons, go get them now. I’ll allow it personally.”
There’s no need for that. I haven’t used it for a while, but I have my own weapon in my possession, unlike any other in the world. I pulled out Kaeram from my arms and adjusted my stance.
[It seems like you’re reluctantly pulling me out?]
“You’re sharp, aren’t you?”
Honestly, whether there are rules or not doesn’t matter to me.
But facing him, I didn’t really want to use Kaeram.
It wouldn’t feel good to strike him.
“You know what, Zion? I’m going to kill you in this match!”
I couldn’t even laugh at something that didn’t even seem like a joke.
However, from his expression, he didn’t mean it like a joke either.
“I thought it’s not a death match?”
“Of course not! But I’m serious. You’ve ignited my thirst for battle, which has been parched for a long time. This isn’t just about exchanging punches to quench it!”
His body seemed to twitch as if something was about to happen.
“I’ve faced countless opponents here at Cage. Many have fallen to my fists, with broken jaws or limbs. You could be one of them!”
What does he want me to do?
“Do you know why I left Cage?”
“For killing people?”
“That’s right! My fighting grew fiercer over time, eventually leading to killing my opponent during a match. But that’s not the only reason… ”
As if to show me, he extended the knuckles he was wearing.
Upon closer inspection, they had a murky brown hue.
“Let me tell you. I believe useless garbage should be eliminated from this world. That’s why I manage the waste yard! Useless trash should be disposed of and eradicated! Isn’t it the same for humans?”
For some reason, my brows furrowed.
No, actually, I might know the reason.
“Enough with the nonsense! Anyway, I’ll do my best to kill you. You should do your best to face me! Do you understand, Zion?”
To an outsider, it might seem like they’re watching an intense match between two hot-blooded men.
But doing your best…
In literal terms, it means to exert all your effort and strength.
Right now, is he demanding that I do my best against him?
Let’s consider it for a moment.
Am I in a situation where I need to show him my best?
No.
Definitely not.
What I can show in this situation is not my utmost effort, but rather, mercy to make him realize his mediocre position.
I think it’s time for me to throw in a word or two.
“Make a choice.”
“Hmm?”
“Left? Or right?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m asking which arm you’d prefer to keep.”
His shoulders trembled noticeably.
“I don’t understand. I told you to do your best, I never asked for petty arrogance. Are you disrespecting me?”
“If you don’t want to choose, I’ll decide for you.”
The somewhat indifferent atmosphere of the guy changed in an instant.
“Do you… really want to die?”
Hasn’t he been saying he’ll kill me all along?
I don’t know what’s gotten into him, but his eyes started to show a genuine intent to kill.
“I’ve been holding back, but it’s getting harder. Your eyes, as if looking down on me, infuriates me. I warn you, remove that look from your eyes right now!”
Of course, I’m not going to remove it just because he says so.
I maintained the same gaze without any reaction.
“Let me make it clear. I will make you suffer as much as possible before killing you. I will make sure that you beg for death instead of begging for life!”
This time, I couldn’t help but laugh.
It sounded similar to what I used to enjoy saying.
Sitting here listening to it from such a person, I couldn’t help but laugh.
-Booo
At that moment, the sound of a horn rang out, signaling the start of the match.
As soon as it started, he rushed at me with all his might.
At the same time, mana of brownish hue manifested from both his hands.
“Petrification!”
-Creak
With a cracking sound, his hands gradually began to solidify like stone.
It emitted quite an intimidating presence, as if wearing solid gauntlets, making it quite formidable to ignore.
The Petrification magic, by casting earth elemental petrification magic on oneself, reinforces parts of the body, making it optimized for defense.
Of course, it can also be converted for attack like now.
-Swish
5 meters away.
Seemingly determining the range, he pulled his fist back large.
His trajectory was precisely aimed at my face.
I had no other action to take but to wait until his fist came at me.
At 4 meters, 3 meters, 2 meters.
In the split second between 0 and 1.
Finally, just as his fist was about to connect with my face.
-Swish
Stepping back a pace, I dodged his body,
-Splat
Then I swung the Kaeram I was holding vertically.
-Swoosh
Naturally, as it rose into my view, I saw something gray shoot into the air.
The moment when red liquid spread out from one side and fell carelessly without anyone to catch it.
“Aaaah!”
A loud scream echoed dizzyingly through the arena.
* * *
The arena fell into stunned silence as if doused in cold water.
The spectators were not only shocked but also enveloped in confusion by the spectacle before them.
One-armed Gunther, screaming in agony, while the boy looked at him with an oddly calm expression.
Is that really what a person should look like?
Beyond mere disbelief, a strange sense of terror arose among the audience,
and as the boy’s face turned towards the bewildered spectators,
“…!”
Breath caught, hands and feet trembling, an inexplicable phenomenon began to unfold among the audience.
It was like facing a vile demon, an experience some may have never had but could imagine.
Some even left the cage as if fleeing.
“What, what is this?!”
However, among them, there was one who couldn’t take his eyes off the boy.
Morris Gerik, with his thick mustache, sitting in the VIP section of the arena.
He was one of the rulers of the city, responsible for the Gray Merchant’s Guild in the northern part of Lambert.
——————
——————
Behind his flashy golden spectacles, what caught his eye wasn’t the boy’s face but the crimson dagger he held.
“I, I can’t believe it! But that’s unmistakable…!”
Morris understood.
That the weapon the boy held was anything but ordinary.
With decades of commercial experience, he was absolutely certain.
The sharp aura emanating from the blade,
the mysterious vapor enveloping the dripping blood,
and the black gem exuding madness as if it had gouged out the eyes of a demon.
Considering all these, there was only one conclusion he could draw.
The weapon the boy possessed was undoubtedly…
“The demonic sword!”
* * *
I observed his writhing form in agony for quite some time.
I had no intention of delivering any blows; I simply hoped it would end like this.
Eventually, the referee, who had been watching me cautiously, approached and asked if I wanted to end the match.
I agreed.
The duel ended anticlimactically, just as I had expected.
“Well done, Zion!”
As I entered the waiting room, the little one who used to sell cigarettes yesterday handed me a drink.
“Is this your first day?”
“Yes! Manager Lisa asked me to assist with the arena facilities for now!”
Facility assistance, not a bad job it seemed.
Actually, anything would be better than selling cigarettes outside.
But a manager?
That meant she was directly under the owner, and why would such a high-ranking person be doing menial work in the lobby?
“Zi- Zioni!”
She appeared before I even had a chance to call her.
From her desperate gasping, it seemed she had something important to say.
“Mist- mistake! It seems there was some misunderstanding! I can’t possibly be unaware of something like this…This is a complete error on our part! We didn’t even inform you about such an important matter in advance… I’m really, really sorry!”
She kept bowing, apologizing repeatedly.
I snorted.
“It’s incomprehensible.”
“I’m speechless! Even if I had ten mouths, I wouldn’t know what to say! It’s only natural to think that…”
“No, I mean you. It’s understandable if you didn’t know, but was it necessary to rush over to me? Shouldn’t you be going to that guy whose arm got cut off instead?”
I wasn’t injured at all.
If anything, it would be more appropriate to run to the owner of the waste disposal site.
“What do you mean?!”
Her reaction indicated she hadn’t considered that at all.
“Mr. Zion is our esteemed guest! I am a manager who prioritizes the convenience of such guests! It’s only natural for me, as a manager, to take responsibility and apologize when a guest suffers unexpected harm!”
Hmm.
I momentarily forgot what I was going to say.
To think there was someone here with such a staunch work ethic in a place where rules and ethics were thrown out the window.
Suddenly, a middle-aged man’s voice came from one side.
“May I have a moment of your time?”
He looked like the type who would sell you something fishy.
Unlike me, who was meeting him for the first time, the manager here showed a rather shocked reaction.
“Morris?”
The little one, who had been dozing off, quickly hid behind my legs.
“I apologize for coming without prior notice. I wanted to meet the person in front of me no matter what.”
It seemed like many people here were frustrated by not being able to find me.
I replied bluntly,
“You mean me?”
“Yes! I am Morris Gerik. I hold the position of chairman of the Gray Merchants Association.”
As soon as I heard the term Gray Merchants Association, my eyes naturally turned to the little one.
From his trembling hands, it was evident that he felt fear from the man in front of him.
“You truly exude more nobility up close than from the spectator seats. You seem like a noble’s retainer.”
However, the label of a merchant wasn’t just casually given.
I maintained an indifferent gaze.
“Could you give us some privacy for a moment, Manager Lisa?”
“Huh? B-but…!”
“I’d like to propose a deal to Zion. I’ve come alone, without any escorts, so you can rest assured.”
Indeed, there was no one else around except him.
After hesitating for a moment, she reluctantly said,
“I’ll give you 10 minutes…”
“Thank you.”
With an uncomfortable expression, she left the waiting room with the little one in tow.
Two men left alone in the room.
It wasn’t an ideal situation for me.
On the other hand, the man named Morris smiled at me with inscrutable eyes.
He clearly wanted to propose a deal to me.
A merchant proposing a deal meant that he wanted to buy or sell something to the other party.
However, as of now, I don’t have anything I deem worth buying, nor do I have anything worth selling.
“I’ll be straightforward without beating around the bush. I want the Demonic Sword you possess.”
I was stunned.
[Haah?]
The incredulous sigh of the Kaeram echoed in my mind.
——————