When the gong resounded across the arena, activity started in all squares. Young boys and girls jumped at each other with blunt weapons in their hands under the loud noises from the audience. Thousands of citizens gathered here today and showed their loud support for the city administration, which organized this event while battles already started.

The thirty-fifth square wasn’t an exclusion.

As soon as Eris heard the signal, she jumped in Nero’s direction. Nero, who didn’t expect such a decisive behavior, could only adjust his position to parr her mace, evading from the small shield in her left hand and distancing from his opponent.

But Eris didn’t stop on that and followed Nero, pouring one attack after another, leaving Nero no choice but to enter the close-ranged combat. She was an expert in. Following a short clash, Nero eventually jumped back after her shield hit him into the stomach, earning a short break.

Though he successfully distanced from her, his hands were numb and there was a huge pain in his stomach. But Nero gritted his teeth and formed a certain stance which Eris quickly recognized.

“Imperial sword style? Not bad, but not enough against an opponent with my expertise,” said Eris with the same smirk on her lips before she adjusted her weapons and started a new attack.

Thanks to their short clashes, Nero realized he had no chances against Eris if he let her continue attacking him. Right now, Eris just played with him, using a part of her force. But that was still enough to suppress him. Even though Nero knew he had no chances against the fifth rank squire, he had no desire to lose like that, especially to this arrogant girl.

So, when their clash restarted, Nero fortified his resolve and started moving and maneuvering according to the style he spent so much time learning.

At first, Nero was successful. He easily evaded and dodged both her shield and mace, wasting the minimum of the stamina on his movements. He was like a dancer, slipping away from the tip of the mace or shield at the last moment.

Such a scene continued for some time. While they were still fighting, the tournament continued. Most of the matches were already over by this time and thirty-fifth and few other squares ended up attracting the attention of the audience, especially because a beautiful girl and handsome boy were fighting there.

“Come on, finish him.”

“Don’t get into her trap.”

“How long do you plan to play?”

Such voices became only louder as the last matches finished, leaving theirs as the only one. Besides, Nero, using her underestimation over him, sprinted to the left towards her shield, evading from the mace, but also inflicted a painful thrust into her left shoulder.

Eris said nothing and only narrowed her eyes as she increased her pace and broke Nero’s counter-attack with a bit of inner energy in her mace and forced Nero to jump away from her to the edge of the square.

“Enough with the warm-up. Your sword is good. I enjoyed playing with your defending skills, but it’s time to end this boring farce,” said Eris as a red layer of energy appeared above her arms and legs.

Nero only narrowed his eyes and jumped towards Eris. This time, she became serious; she started using her inner energy, which was several times bigger than the one Nero had. Besides, he already knew which style she used during combat. The brute one, and this time he had no chances against her if he continued to sit in defense. Her mace and shield will just storm their way through his sword or push him out of the square.

So, the change in tactics was the only thing that could help him now.

That’s why when Eris saw how Nero jumped at her with his sword, she wasn’t surprised; it was an ordinary reaction of her opponents in such situations when she added more brute force to her attacks. Everything went according to her expectations, and Eris already labeled Nero as the loser.

But, suddenly, when they were several inches away from each other, Nero’s figure blurred, increasing speed. Of course, such a quick change made her brows rise, but thanks to her instincts, she automatically adjusted her mace, blocking the sword at the last moment.

*Shhhhh*

*Dzzzzzz*

This time Eris stopped the sword but failed to stop its momentum. Nero used all his inner energy reserves in this attack as the sole chance to win against such an opponent.

The factor of surprise, together with the force accumulated in his thrust, pushed Eris away from Nero. Thanks to her inner energy, her movements stopped only near the edges of the square. A moment was enough for Eris to realize what happened and narrow her eyes even further. This time, she no longer underestimated her opponent because she didn’t see him moments before their collision.

That could mean only one thing.

“You have an attribute,” said Eris as she looked at Nero. “Now, this fight became interesting. You are worthy of becoming my opponent.”

Nero only smiled and raised his sword, struggling with the inner fatigue and pain he felt after that attack. Right now, he gathered the spoils of the attack, for which he sacrificed most of his physical abilities and energy reserves. He could do nothing with the amount of strength left.

When Eris jumped at him, Nero could only raise his sword, bitting his teeth in anticipation of the numbing feeling in his arms.

*Clang*

Following their clash, Nero ended up pushed towards the edges when Eris stopped and looked at him with a dissatisfied expression on her face.

“Don’t tell me you can’t fight like before anymore?” asked Eris.

Nero said nothing and just nodded, making another stance while she released a sigh when she heard his answer before energy on her arms and legs disappeared.

“Then there is no need for this thing. I already have a huge advantage. It’s better to let our mastery and skills decide the winner,” said Eris, as she relaxed and raised her wooden mace before jerking at Nero.

Such a quick change in her behavior made Nero rose his brow. But, it was helpful for him because he knew his current condition better than anyone. Now, he ran out of all the inner energy he had; he was exhausted both physically and energetically, even his movements became slower. Eris could easily devastate him right now, but she didn’t use her upper hand for the potentially interesting fight. Just that was enough to change his opinion about her.

As soon as Eris reached him, another clash started.

...

..

.

Inside the certain room, a man sipped another portion of the red wine before throwing nuts into his mouth and turned at his companion.

“Nothing interesting. The boy with a rare attribute ran out of energy. He won’t show new surprises anymore. My girl just shows her respect for the potential strong warrior,” said Leonid and returned his attention to the snacks and wine while others in the room continued to watch after their battle.

Right now, the girl on the thirty-fifth square once again sent the boy to the short flight. It was already the sixth or seventh time he lost in their clash and with each new one; he became weaker.

Primus, a veteran who passed through many battles and who could easily control his emotions, was now tightly clenching his fists. He always criticized, lectured, and gave extra for his disciple, never telling him about how proud he was with his progress, but now he just couldn’t hold his blood from boiling.

Stein, another Nero’s teacher, was also here. Right now, there was no typical smile on his lips. Watching how someone kicks your disciple’s ass with whom you spent so much time is always unpleasant and it was the first time he was in such a situation. He already wanted to say something to retort the guest when another voice interrupted him.

“Indeed, that boy can’t fight anymore. But, now I have no doubts, a will of the true warrior slumbers inside that boy. Today, your daughter might win over him, but I think it won’t take long before their roles would change,” said Baron Claus.

“A funny joke, my friend,” said Leonid as he released a short laugh and took another sip, not taking baron’s words seriously.

...

..

.

Gasping for the air, Nero once again stood up against Eris. Though he had already lost his weapon in the previous clashes and could barely move his limbs, a resolute flame still kept burning in his eyes. Not even a strong fatigue and huge pain of several broken bones and many bruises could distinguish that.

Only a tide of purple appeared in his eyes as rage kept getting stronger in him. Right now, a certain scene kept flashing through his eyes, boiling blood. Soon, Nero once again jumped, growling at Eris.

“Don’t you know when to stop?” asked Eris as she approached the limit of her patience and hit Nero with a mace into his leg, making him fall with a clear, typical sound of breaking bone.

This time she thought their fight was over and already wanted to leave when she noticed how her opponent tried to raise from the ground without taking his eyes off her own. She didn’t know why, but a sudden shiver passed through her spine when she looked at those rage-filled blue and purple eyes.

Eris didn’t even realize when she sent her hand and hit the boy. A moment and those eyes closed as Nero lost his consciousness.

She came to her senses only thanks to the loud applause coming from the tribunes and people who appeared, entering the square to take away the boy. This was the first time Eris felt fear, and of course, such an event couldn’t slip away from her memory.

‘Nero, I will remember this name.’

Eris once again threw a last glance at the beaten, handsome face of the boy before leaving the square.

...

..

.

Right now, a boy’s figure was now laying above the familiar green liquid. The boy was almost naked except for the few clothes in his groin area. Only an earring and bracelet were still in their places. He was inside one of the few alchemic pools, filled with medical liquid.

An eighteen-year-old woman was now standing at the side and looking at him. It was her second day, she already spent inside this structure, waiting for his awakening. Even though she knew he will be fine, the sole fact it took so long for him to wake up worsened her mood and raised a thought of beating someone’s face, especially a beautiful one.

So, while she was deep in her thoughts, she didn’t even notice how another person appeared in the same room until he raised his voice.

“Still sleeping?” asked a male voice, which made Clara twitch in surprise.

“Yes, my Lord,” said Clara and bowed to him.

“Relax, I was just passing by and came to look at him,” said Baron Claus.

After his words, a silence descended to the room before them before the man broke it.

“By the way, I heard you started teaching him about taming craft. Is that true?” asked Baron Claus.

“That’s right, my Lord. I can stop if you wish,” said Clara.

“No need, you may continue. I will tell officials to increase your payment. Further awards are also possible, depending on his results,” said Baron Claus.

“Yes, my Lord,” said Clara.

“The time of peace is ending, Clara. I don’t know when, but I am sure it won’t take long for my enemies to learn about his existence. So, protect him, he is no longer an outsider for the Claus family,” said Baron Claus with a calm expression while Clara widened her eyes with a certain realization.

“Yes, my Lord,” said Clara with a resolute flame in her eyes. “My family owes a huge debt and even its death won’t repay it.”

“Good. Tell him to visit me when he wakes up. We need to talk,” said Baron Claus before turning and leaving, while Clara followed him with her glance and bowed.