Wildness and Masks

Ogre's voice reached Bear's ears.

When he looked up, Ogre had already drawn his spear.

"It's time to end this. Do you want to keep fighting? If we continue, I'll have to use my weapon. Without it, I can't effectively harm you," Ogre said, adjusting his mask with one hand.

He pointed the spear tip at the tiger claw on the ground.

"I lost..." Bear glanced at Ogre, then gave a bitter smile, declaring the end of the match.

He suddenly understood why Ogre had put down his weapon to fight him.

If Ogre hadn't done so, Bear would have stubbornly continued to attack.

The result and counterattack that would have followed might indeed have been as the person before him described—death.

Even if he didn't die, getting pierced by the spear would be a troublesome matter.

In this round, he admitted his defeat wholeheartedly.

"Thanks for the match," Ogre responded calmly.

"Thank you..." Bear picked up the tiger claw, expressing his gratitude with a hint of understanding.

Ogre usually wouldn't push someone to the brink.

If Ogre decided to do so, he wouldn't give the opponent any chance to explode in desperation.

'It seems this physical reaction isn't too severe; I can still barely control it.'

With just a couple of exchanges, Ogre successfully regained control over his body, suppressing his instinctive dodges.

Every creature has instinctive reflexes—like closing eyes and raising hands when hit, or ducking when struck from behind.

These instincts are essentially subconscious protective actions of the body.

However, in real life-and-death combat, such protection often doesn't serve its purpose and instead becomes a weakness.

Ogre had long suppressed the instincts brought by his body.

But with the recent rapid enhancement of his physical qualities and the emergence of that strange perception, his body's instincts once again surpassed his control.

Fortunately, he discovered it in time, and with this cross-tier battle, Ogre quickly adjusted back to his state.

"Ogre wins!" the sharp-eyed host quickly announced the result of the match.

However, the expected cheers did not follow.

"Rigged! Fixed match!" Several nobles were the first to voice their opposition.

In their eyes, this match was too much of a farce.

Just a couple of sweeps with the spear, then switching to unarmed combat, and it ended in less than five rounds?

Who are they fooling!

"In the name of the Bordel family, I challenge you to a duel! I suspect you're fixing matches—deceiving the nobility, which is a capital offense!"

A blue-haired knight in plate armor leapt down from the stands and entered the arena.

In the Empire, noble knights have the right to challenge any lower-ranking nobility of equal strength to a duel to the death.

If the opponent is not a mage and does not meet any of the above conditions, they have no right to refuse.

This indirectly gives them the right to challenge a rigged arena.

As long as they suspect a match, they can immediately exercise this right.

If a fixed match is detected, the arena would pay a heavy price.

"Interesting, the Bordel family wants to be the first to step forward. By the way, hasn't he completed his knighthood ceremony yet..."

"Charlie Bordel, that old fellow, wouldn't be so quick to complete the ceremony, tsk... just enjoy the show."

The whispers of a few nobles didn't affect the blue-haired knight and Ogre.

"State your name. Standing before you is the son of the fourth Viscount Bordel, Imperial Knight—Will von Bordel."

The blue-haired knight drew his knight's sword, pointing it directly at Ogre.

Normally, even if they knew it was a fixed match, nobles wouldn't stoop so low as to challenge an arena participant to a duel to the death.

But the problem was that Ogre's match ended too quickly, making it seem fake.

This made many nobles feel insulted, as they didn't pay to see such a performance.

Moreover, this blue-haired knight had bet a lot on Bear...

"Imperial law doesn't allow you to challenge an apprentice to a duel to the death, does it?" Ogre turned to the blue-haired knight and responded calmly.

High-ranking noble knights can indeed challenge another low-ranking knight or martial artist of the same professional rating to a duel to the death, but the prerequisite is that the opponent has the same professional rating as them.

Ogre was just an apprentice.

"You...!"

The blue-haired knight's tone faltered, realizing he indeed didn't have the right.

He had been egged on by 'friends' nearby and hadn't thought it through before stepping up, now finding himself in a dilemma.

No matter what he chose, it would be embarrassing—caught between a rock and a hard place.

"However, I accept your challenge." Ogre removed his mask, tossing it aside to reveal his unremarkable disguised face.

Then, he pointed his spear forward and declared, "But it's not you challenging me; it's me challenging you to a duel to the death!"

Low-ranking professionals, except for slaves, have the right to challenge stronger professionals, regardless of their status.

If the rank difference between the two parties is no more than one level, and witnessed by another noble, the duel must be forcibly executed within the agreed time!

This type of duel is most often used not when conflicts arise between different noble families, but within the same knight family among different heirs.

This rule ensures that the heir of a knight family is always the strongest!

Ogre had no nobility, but he knew the other party wouldn't refuse.

And all the other spectators present would become witnesses to this duel!

"Standing before you is an Imperial commoner, martial artist apprentice, 'Ogre'—Ogre Kessing."

When Ogre removed his mask, many took a deep breath.

Some were surprised by Ogre's age, others by his courage, and some by his identity.

"I recognize him; this kid is a follower of the Dawn, and he's repaired murals."

"I've seen him at the Professional Association..."

"I've seen him at a restaurant..."

"This guy's name is in two parts; is he a descendant of an exiled noble?"

"Kessing... is there such a family in the borderlands..."

"A Professional Knight isn't someone a martial artist like Bear can handle."

The discussions ignited the atmosphere in the arena instantly; there were so many points of interest in this unequal challenge.

The romantic notion of a hero's defiance is timeless and universal.

Ogre's reveal even made Bear, who had already exited, stop in his tracks.

"By the way, you might have seen my previous matches. I had a nickname here—'Gourmet.'"

Since trouble was already brewing, Ogre didn't mind making it bigger.

The higher the heat, the safer he would be.

Dignity is never gained through retreat; the more you retreat, the more likely you are to be bullied.

"I accept your challenge, Gourmet!" The blue-haired knight Will had no other choice at this point.

Immediately, he ignited his Battle Qi, ready to perform the combat ritual and take down this audacious commoner.

Hmph, the so-called Strongest Mortal.

Did he really take it seriously?

"Wait!" Ogre raised his hand.

"What now!" Will was truly annoyed this time.

From the moment he heard Ogre reveal himself as the 'Gourmet,' he realized the previous match wasn't fake.

But... what he cared about now wasn't that, but his dignity as a noble.

"I just went through a battle. According to Imperial law, I have the right to rest and recover when initiating a duel."

Seeing the opponent starting to lose composure, Ogre knew his goal was about to be achieved.

"Fine, I'll give you time to rest!"

Will sheathed his Battle Qi and sword.

In such duels initiated right after a battle, Imperial law indeed stipulates that one party has the right to recover.

This recovery is conducted under third-party witness based on the injury and physical condition.

In Ogre's case, he had at least an hour of recovery time.

"No need, I was just asserting my rightful claim," Ogre smiled slightly. "In fact, I'm already ready."

The opponent's mindset was completely disrupted.

The odds of winning this battle had just increased.