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Generally, body techniques are considered the domain of the talented, and the Master Class is said to be the realm of those chosen by the gods.

Then, what do we call those who walk an unparalleled path beyond even those chosen ones, a path no one has ever trodden?

People refer to them as Grand Masters.

A body technician simply uses magical power, and a Master Class can sharpen that power through will.

The Grand Master can bring their imaginations into reality using their magical power. Such imaginations distort this world according to the user’s will.

For instance, I once witnessed the scene of a swordsman cutting a mountain with a single sword.

It wasn’t because the sword contained such powerful strength that it could cut a mountain.

It was because that sword was the ‘Sword That Cuts Mountains,’ which led to the mountain being cut as a result.

You might think it’s absurd, but that level of seemingly impossible feats is exactly what defines a Grand Master.

One singular imagination reached after decades of constant effort and anguish by a talented person in their field. The power of intention that brings that imagination to reality.

The technique only possible for a Grand Master is mainly referred to as this.

“Wukyo…!”

Silvia, watching the match, couldn’t hide her shocked expression. Having known me for a long time, she immediately realized what I had just set in motion.

A sword that can cut anything. Flames that can burn anything. Such combinations of words might sound like a child’s play, but in the hands of a Grand Master, they become reality.

The imagination I possessed as Wukyo was that of serene water.

Just like how a lake quickly returns to calm even after a stone is dropped, it was an imagination of absolute defense that nullifies all attacks.

Even though circumstances had rendered me unable to use magical power, my internal imagination had not disappeared.

Thus, Wukyo could still be utilized, albeit less effectively, even with bare hands.

“Gah, guh…!”

Frida clutched her broken nose and twisted painfully on the dirt floor as blood dripped from her.

Her once beautiful face was now barely recognizable due to blood and wounds.

However, it was not to the extent that she could not be recognized as the Iron-Blooded Knight Frida von Sternlicht. Some people in the audience who had seen her face at least once were aghast, gasping in shock.

“She really is the Iron-Blooded Knight…”

“The Blood Rose Fray was actually the vice-captain of the Royal Guard?”

Amidst the murmurs of the crowd, Frida, holding her broken nose to staunch the blood, opened her mouth. Hearing the hissing breath, it seemed she had broken a few teeth as well.

“C-could it be… Wukyo?”

It seemed that even as a Master Class, she had the insight to realize what had just countered her technique.

Frida, unable to believe her own words, looked at me with an incredulous expression and began to ramble.

“No way… a Grand Master!? Swordsmanship and warriors don’t just come from sacred grounds or law countries, and no other Grand Master is as young as you… Ugh!”

Frida’s eyes went wide.

“Could it be, you, you are… you’re not…”

I kicked her hard in the abdomen. This time, Frida couldn’t even scream, rolling miserably on the floor.

She had already been as good as down, but the shock of her abdomen being kicked caused her to roll on the ground like trash, violently throwing up everything in her stomach.

“Uwaaaah!”

The silence of the audience deepened at the scene of the vice-captain of the Royal Guard and a member of the Hero Party being so utterly overpowered. Could they be feeling the fear of witnessing something they shouldn’t see?

I found the silence displeasing. So I raised my right hand towards the audience.

With my triumphant pose, all their gazes turned toward me. Then, excitement flared anew in the audience, colored by confusion and horror.

Forgetting all the trivial things, only the victor and the vanquished in the coliseum remained in their sight. The fact that a member of the Hero Party had lost seemed to have vanished from their memory.

No, perhaps that fact was only fueling their excitement even more. People often feel joy at seeing someone in a high position dragged down from above.

“Oh, ooooh!!!”

“Rock Fist! Rock Fist! Rock Fist!!”

“That damn girl! I’ve never liked her! Kill her, Rock Fist!!”

While Frida had indeed reignited the heat of the coliseum, there was no trace of enjoyment on her face.

Having emptied the contents of her stomach, she continued to retch, and with a face of pain and humiliation, she stammered out her words.

“W-why, why now… what the hell? For five years, you just stood still… lived like a dead person! And now I’m… we are like this?”

“Don’t get it twisted.”

“Wh-what…?”

“The reason I left you alone is not that I forgave you. It’s because I made a promise.”

“A promise…?”

Instead of continuing the conversation with her, I delivered a powerful punch to her face.

Her broken teeth became soaked in blood, rolling on the coliseum floor.

“Graiieegh…!! Th-that’s…”

I struck her mercilessly, not allowing her to say any words. It was far from enough to settle for surrender.

I thought I had left everything behind.

Anger, hatred, sadness, regret.

I thought I had left all the emotions that burned in my heart back in that hellish battlefield.

It was a mistake. I had simply been deluded.

In the end, looking at how I was currently searching for Ella made it clear.

I should have done this to that woman much sooner.

The anger within me still remained as strong as ever.

“Guh….”

Frida’s face was now so mangled that it was unrecognizable. The way her breaths were coming out labored made it seem like she could collapse at any moment.

I raised my right hand firmly.

The red blood dripping from my fist flowed vividly down my forearm.

The audience was cheering madly.

*

After the battle with Frida concluded, only Silvia and I remained.

Silvia, disguised as the freckled girl, cast a worried glance at me.

“Are you okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh come on! Don’t act like you don’t know! Obviously, that damn… Ahem, I’m talking about Frida.”

Silvia used to be a member of the Hero Party. Our first meeting was during that time, and that connection had dragged on somewhat annoyingly until now.

Silvia had never got along with Frida’s domineering personality from the beginning. No matter how much she pretended otherwise, it was obvious she despised her for being from the brothel in the Dark Alley.

Her rather harsh comments about Frida showed that her ill feelings from back then still lingered within her.

I nodded calmly.

“I’ll be fine. Given that woman’s pride, she won’t want to admit what happened.”

Which is why I intentionally spared Frida instead of killing her.

If I had killed her there, both the royal family and the Royal Guard would have turned the Dark Alley upside down for an investigation.

But since Frida survived, for the sake of her own face, she wouldn’t be able to make this incident public.

If the vice-captain of the Royal Guard was killed in the coliseum, it would tarnish the royal family’s authority. However, if she returned in disgrace after participating in an illegal coliseum match without permission, it would only become the subject of ridicule in social circles.

Of course, she could engage in secretive actions behind the scenes, but it would be impossible to deploy a large force for that. And at that level of situation, Silvia’s skills and craft would be sufficient to deal with it.

Understanding my words, Silvia nodded as well.

“True… With her personality, she wouldn’t dare to say anything about it, right? She only got into the Royal Guard because of connections, and if rumors spread among her subordinates that she came back beaten… Ugh! I wouldn’t be able to show my face outside.”

“Right?”

It was amusing to hear that from someone who specialized in acting tough. This was the same girl who had tried to kill me during our first meeting and now talked to me so casually.

Of course, there were deeper reasons for the shift in her attitude.

Silvia smiled subtly, crossing her legs in a relaxed manner as she spoke.

“Thanks, babe. To be honest, I couldn’t touch her because I wasn’t able to handle it myself. Having to witness her being utterly crushed in the coliseum in front of so many people, she definitely won’t come back here again. Personally, I feel relieved, you know?”

“Just make sure to prepare proper intel.”

“Of course! By the way, you did a great job today. As a reward for exceeding expectations… How about it? I could give you full access to the VIP room of the brothel tonight.”

Silvia licked her lower lip with a sly smile.

However, trying to make a provocative expression with such a countryside girl’s face only made the discrepancy feel more pronounced.

Seeing my disgusted expression, Silvia chuckled playfully and continued.

“Just kidding. Your personality hasn’t changed at all. Anyway! Thanks to you, I don’t think I’ll have to go out to the coliseum anymore. You’ve already contributed enough.”

“Seems like it.”

“Of course, you’re always welcome if you want to make some money!”

Instead of responding, I shrugged my shoulders and left the room. Silvia didn’t seem to be genuinely making a suggestion, waving me off amicably.

As I walked through the dark entrance of the Dark Alley, I momentarily fell into thought.

“…….”

I wonder if those guys felt a bit more at ease now.

As the remaining leader of the special team, I buried the faces of my comrades who were no longer there deep within my heart.

 

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