Crimson: born as noble lived as phantom

Drake led me outside to the training field.

By the time we arrived, a considerable crowd had already gathered around the arena.

Knights from different squads stood along the perimeter, whispering among themselves. Apparently, news traveled extremely fast within the Knight Order.

So much for a private duel.

Drake glanced around at the crowd before turning his attention back to me.

“Looks like there will be quite a few knights here to watch their perfect little Vice-Captain lose today.”

He grinned.

I smiled back.

“Or perhaps they'll get to watch the strongest captain in the realm get tamed by a Vice-Captain.”

Several nearby knights immediately fell silent.

Drake's grin widened.

“So you've still got that mouth.”

“I wouldn't have much of a reputation if I lost it.”

We both walked toward the center of the training field.

Then we drew our swords.

Before either of us could make the first move, a knight stepped forward from the crowd.

His armor was different from the others.

The polished silver-and-black plate bore the insignia of the Royal Knights, and the badge on his chest marked him as a direct subordinate of the crown.

He stopped between Drake and me.

“The rules of this duel are simple,” he announced, his voice loud enough for everyone surrounding the training field to hear.

“First, no magic above A-Rank is permitted.”

A few knights exchanged surprised glances.

“The battle must remain entirely within the boundaries of this training field. Leaving the designated area will immediately result in disqualification.”

He paused, his expression becoming considerably more serious.

“Finally, killing and inflicting severe injuries are both permitted. This is an official duel between members of the Knight Order, and neither participant will be protected from the consequences of their own actions.”

The surrounding knights fell silent.

The rule sounded brutal.

But neither Drake nor I showed any hesitation.

The Royal Knight turned toward us.

“If both participants agree to these conditions, the duel may proceed.”

I nodded.

“I have no objection.”

Then I looked toward Drake.

“Are you fine with them, Captain?”

Drake casually shrugged.

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”

The Royal Knight stepped backward.

“Very well.”

He raised one hand.

“On the count of three, the duel will begin.”

He took a breath.

“One...”

I tightened my grip around my sword.

“Two...”

I looked directly at Drake.

He stood there completely relaxed, almost as though this was nothing more than another ordinary training session.

Does he really think he can defeat me that easily?

No.

There was something else behind that calm expression.

Even so, I wasn't going to let that matter.

From the very beginning, Grim had been the only person who consistently refused to underestimate me.

Drake obviously wasn't going to be any different.

That was exactly what I intended to exploit.

“Three!”

The knight leaped backward.

“Begin!”

The instant the duel began, I charged.

I pushed a controlled amount of mana through my sword.

Forty percent.

That should be more than enough.

Drake didn't move.

I swung.

The blade cut through empty air.

Again.

Nothing.

Drake was standing several meters away, his sword resting casually against his shoulder.

I narrowed my eyes.

Something is wrong.

“What's the matter, Vice-Captain?” Drake asked with a grin. “Having trouble reaching me?”

I rushed forward again.

This time I changed my angle.

A horizontal slash.

Nothing.

A diagonal strike.

Nothing.

A thrust.

Nothing.

Every attack was missing.

Yet Drake wasn't dodging.

He wasn't blocking.

He wasn't even moving.

My attacks simply... weren't reaching him.

I skidded to a stop.

The knights surrounding the field were beginning to whisper.

“Is Vice Captain actually missing?”

“No...”

“He's swinging directly at Captain Drake.”

“Then why isn't the sword connecting?”

Drake smiled.

“Still thinking?”

I didn't answer.

I stared at the ground beneath my boots.

Then at Drake.

Then at the distance between us.

Something was changing.

The battlefield itself.

I took one step forward.

My foot suddenly became heavier.

Thud.

The ground cracked slightly beneath my boot.

My expression changed.

Gravity.

I immediately jumped backward.

The moment I left the affected area, the pressure disappeared.

Drake's smile widened.

“There you go.”

“So that's your trick.”

“Finally.”

He lowered his sword from his shoulder.

“Gravity manipulation.”

The knights surrounding us suddenly became excited.

Some of them clearly hadn't known about this ability either.

I slowly rotated my shoulders.

“This isn't ordinary gravity manipulation.”

Drake raised an eyebrow.

“Oh?”

“You're not increasing the gravity of a specific location.”

I pointed my sword toward him.

“You're changing the direction of gravity.”

His smile disappeared.

For the first time, his expression became genuinely serious.

“Good.”

He raised his free hand.

I felt something immediately.

My body tilted.

Not physically.

My entire sense of balance suddenly changed.

The world seemed to rotate sideways.

I was being pulled toward the stone wall.

BOOM!

My body slammed into it.

Several cracks spread through the stone behind me.

I pushed away immediately.

The moment I escaped Drake's range, the pressure vanished.

I landed on my feet.

So that's how he did it.

He wasn't moving me.

He was changing the direction in which gravity acted upon me.

That explained everything.

My attacks weren't missing.

Their trajectories were being bent.

The moment I entered his field, the force acting on my body changed.

My own momentum became useless.

And if I attempted to move unpredictably...

I would only make the problem worse.

Then there is nothing I can do even after understanding it. Now I truly am in trouble

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