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The moment Zenom gave the signal, Kariyo's form turned into a blur of pure insectoid savagery and closed the space between us.

There was no room for holding back.

Whether people got a glimpse at my abilities or not, whether people could deduce that my [Crow Totem] was the actual orc racial trait instead of a Core, whether the adventurers surrounding me were edging in, trying to get a better look at my fighting style...

Right now, in this moment, what mattered was winning.

And I had absolute confidence in my abilities.

The distance between us closed in half a second and it took fraction of a second for Kariyo to weave through a rapid series of slashes and stabs, broken only by a lightning fast spin with a dagger in his off-hand that threatened to embed itself in the side of my temple. The two beetle familiars wheedled down like dive bombers, one of them coordinating with Kariyo's combination and needling through the gaps left behind our wake to strike at my armor with pinpoint accuracy. The other continued to buzz, the incessant sound growing louder by the second.

｢Lock Slaveborn casts [King's Guard]｣

｢Lock Slaveborn casts [Share the Load]｣

My shield snapped into position through the [Royal Oni] Core's ability. But each time it moved to intercept another blow from Kariyo's onslaught, the dive bomber beetle careened to the side and smashed into it. At the same time, ethereal manacles snapped around my wrist and Kariyo's, debuffing both of us.

But that still let the other beetle continue buzzing.

And Kariyo was fast.

Faster than me.

Before the echo from Zeno's signal had even died down, he had managed to land shallow cuts on my thigh, chest and arm. His [Aura]-clad kris shaved through the armor, lacerating soft flesh beneath. The stinging wounds were a mere afterthought, because while he was dancing in a series of movements, I went through my own.

I hadn't landed a single blow on him.

He was faster, not by much, but by enough. Not just that... he was just better. No matter how much training I got from Arrosh, sheer will and game knowledge itself isnt' enough to close the gap between someone who's been holding a blade since he's been old enough to walk.

But I had my own tricks.

The next time he came close, I shoved my left hand –palms spread wide– right over his eyes; blocking his vision.

A split second of hesitation from his part, from having his vision blocked off.

That was all I needed before I flipped [Snow Scream] into a reverse grip and slashed him straight across the chest. My [Aura] screamed with frigid elemental fury as it dragged across his armor, leaving a long gash across his chest which turned black and blue with frost clinging to it.

The buzzing behind me got louder.

｢[Black Beetle] casts [Buzz into Infinity and Beyond] ｣

It felt like the blood in my brain was vibrating all at once, in rhythm to the steady buzzing that grew in pitch and volume behind me. The last thing I saw before my vision turned completely white was Kariyo half turning to kick me in the chest. But the Lunar Shield floated into view and blocked the shield completely.

Which left his other beetle free, to slam into my temples.

The blow left me [Dazed], and I felt the strength leave my feet.

"It's over." Kariyo whispered, appearing right in front of my falling body, his sword poised to skewer my chin, nose and forehead from below.

Instant death.

｢Lock Slaveborn casts [Lingering Darkness]｣

And I made sure it was large enough to submerge the entire deck.

"W-What? What happened?"

"Darkness? S-Shit, I can't see!"

"What kind of Core ability is this?"

"...He had... another trick..."

Voices registered in my head from the onlookers, but I had no time to give them attention.

I evaded Kariyo's deathblow by the skin of my teeth, literally. The blade skipped across my teeth, cutting through my bottom lip and the tip of my nose. But my own vision was back, while Kariyo backpedaled as fast as he could. Of course, the best thing he could do was gain distance. In [Lingering Darkness], only those with the [Crow Totem] could see.

I wasn't about to let him get out that easily.

Dashing forward, I ducked underneath his instinctual sting and slammed my shoulder into him. He flipped his dagger, trying to cut me with any means, trying to gain distance. But I spun and ducked, plowing through the blow and hooked my arms around his own.

If he was faster, all I had to do was keep him still.

If he was better with the sword, all I had to do was turn this into brawling fest.

I had to drag him out his own battle expertise and into my own.

The moment my fingers wrapped around his windpipe, it was over.

"...you fuck!" he choked out, moving his kris to try and cut my hand off.

I think an explanation is in order here. I'll make it simple for you.

One.

Doror modified all the [Legendary] Equipment that my party had. We only had two. One was [Strange Antler] and the other was my [Lunar Shield].

Two.

You saw how powerful Skaris became after Doror's modification.

Three.

Doror modified my Shield too.

Four.

Normally, one would have to test the new Lunar Shield in battle to test out its capabilities. See what things changed, what new features were added and what legacy abilities were erased.

Five.

Who the fuck do you think I am?

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I told you. Kariyo wasn't my enemy. He wasn't my opponent in this duel. He was just a victim.

My real opponent was Jared Akka Xalud. The one who dragged fear around like a cloak. The one who commanded fear and respect the moment he set foot onto this boat. The War Prince who wielded enough power to order the death of every non-human on this boat and not be punished for it, like he was just having another afternoon.

I can't just win.

That's not the weight I bear.

The burden I bear isn't Victory.

It's about sending a message.

I dropped [Lingering Darkness] right as Kariyo's sword, covered in Aura, cut into my forearm.

[Aura]. The single most offensively oriented racial ability in MSS. It allows Tanks to solo bosses. It allows humans to become one of the most well-rounded Bladers in the entire game. There's nothing that [Aura] can't cut. It's why the Turina empire became so strong. The versatility of Aura can't be covered in a single sitting. You can infuse it with elements, debuffs, buffs and even bestow it to your summons.

90% Armor Pen.

10% True Damage.

And Kariyo's own dark-green Aura cut through the skin on my forearm, cut through sinew, cut through bone and…

…stopped.

His eyes widened.

"...What in the light…" One of the Knights whispered.

Ghkkkkkkkkk

His [Aura] grinded against the whites of my bone, unable to cut deeper.

Six.

I'm Lock Slaveborn, but I'm also Han. So when Doror gave me the new version of [Lunar Shield], I recognized its abilities immediately.

Before, the [Lunar Shield] had damage thresholds before it started handing out buffs. But Doror had made it so that the [Lunar Shield] debuffed me for every single instance of damage taken and dealt. A feature made possible only because it was a debuff, not a buff.

And the most important feature of all...

The ability to choose which buffs I received every time [Arcane Masochism] procc'ed.

And I put every single one of those buffs in [Defense].

I imagine the screen looked something like this.

｢[Lunar Shield] decreases [Defense]｣

｢[Arcane Masochism] cancels [Lunar Shield]｣

｢[Arcane Masochism] raises [Speed]｣

｢[Lunar Shield] cancels [Arcane Masochism]｣

｢Lock Slaveborn chooses to raise [Defence]｣

｢Lock Slaveborn chooses to raise [Defence]｣

｢Lock Slaveborn chooses to raise [Defence]｣

｢Lock Slaveborn chooses to raise [Defence]｣

｢Lock Slaveborn chooses to raise [Defence]｣

｢Lock Slaveborn chooses to raise [Defence]｣

Kariyo stood there, frozen. His sword was still half in my arm and blood poured freely on the floor.

"...What?" It was Delas' voice.

"That's impossible." A random knight. "He just blocked Aura? With his BONE?!"

"That's… That's [Aura] ain't it?"

"...A monster. We've been traveling with a Monster."

"Aye… I've made a deal with the Devil himself…"

Ah. Some compliments at last.

Because monsters are quite literally the only beings in this world whose bones that [Aura] can't cut into.

"You filthy slave," Kariyo hissed. I give him credit for this, he recovered pretty quickly from the initial shock.

And sliced his dagger straight across my stomach.

Something dropped at my feet.

People screamed.

I ignored them, and tightened my grip around Kariyo's neck.

"Ghk!" His eyes ballooned like a stress ball.

Then in a surprising show of intelligence, he stabbed me in the neck.

The fleshy part, where bones are few. So that he could go straight for the jugular.

His Aura pierced skin deep and was stopped by the muscles.

Thanks to him disemboweling me, I received a load of new buffs which I sent straight to [Defense].

｢Lock Slaveborn chooses to raise [Defence]｣

｢Lock Slaveborn chooses to raise [Defence]｣

｢Lock Slaveborn's [Physical] stat is too low｣

｢Maximum Buff Capacity Reached｣

"...My turn." I whispered.

While still holding him by the neck, I used [Snow Scream] and amputated his dagger-arm.

"NnnnngggghhhhhAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

I loosened my grip, so that he could scream as the bloody stump froze over.

Everyone listened as the Knight continued to scream, high-pitched and throaty, all pain and no semblance of control.

Maybe the entertainment wasn't enough. The side conversations were still going on.

"Zenom. Stop the match. Slaveborn has won. But at this rate, even he'll-" Someone began.

"Don't you dare dissssressspect Sssslaveborn. Thissss issss nothing to him."

"...His intestines are falling out!"

"He's been through worse." Lety replied.

Two of the people who had been slaves with me.

Oh, even they had no idea.

It hurt. My stomach hurt. My arm hurt. My head hurt. Everything hurt. And there's not enough words in my pathetic vocabulary to describe just how much pain I was in. I wanted to drop everything, to just go huddle up in a hole and die peacefully. Like an injured animal, whose brain knew nothing better.

I felt this way once before.

With Coum. Because the things he'd done to me… Well, my intestines being pulled out had just been an appetizer to the Mad Mage.

And it was easy to shove those thoughts to the side. After all, I'd done it once before.

Nothing more to be said.

I continued.

"You… You fucking monster! You're heresy! A disgrace to humans!!! You dare! You dare to-" Kariyo continued screaming, his body flopping around.

Clang

I dropped [Snow Scream] on the floor. Then I reached out and grabbed his tongue between my fingers.

"Heresy?" I repeated. "Disgrace to humans?"

"From this point on," Ice settled in the depth of my chest. "I will redefine the legacy of what it means to be Human."

Then imitating his voice, mocking the second-in-command of Jared Akka Xalud's army, I repeated the lines said to me less than an hour ago.

"But first, I must cut out your tongue."

And then I pulled.

"NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGHGHHHHHHHHHGHGHGHHGHGHGHGHHGHHH!" Kariyo shuddered, eyes rolling back.

"By the Forge, lass, cover yer eyes!" No doubt Doror covering his granddaughter's eyes.

No one else spoke after that.

And the sound of a tongue being ripped from someone's throat was all that people heard.

Kariyo fell to the floor, shuddering. "Ghk… Hhhuuukkk…. ghkkk."

I bent down, grabbed him by the hair, and began dragging him towards Jared Akka Xalud.

"Did you expect a duel? A proper fight?"

Halfway through, one of the beetles flew towards me and I grabbed it, crushing it to pulp. Blood-juice flowed freely down my arm.

Jared didn't answer, his blank eyes just staring at me.

"Something exciting? Ferris Duelies, the Duel of Iron. A clash of swords? A clash of wills? Aura against Aura? Knight against Slave?"

"This was never a duel, War Prince." I spat the word, "Just a routine execution."

One of the knights stepped forward, getting in my way. He put trembling hands on his sword, attempting to pull it out.

"W-walk no further. S-stay within the predefined boundaries of the duel. I-if you t-t-t-take another s-step closer-"

Fear addled. No older than a teenager. Just a Knight in Training. An Innocent.

An innocent who was all too happy to murder and rape at a command.

In that instant, I transferred all my [Defense] buffs into my [Attack], kicking the Knight in the knee. His knee bent backwards like a wounded animal and before he had a chance to speak, I slammed his face straight down into the wooden floors of the deck with my palm –his head being shoved through the floorboards. This whole action only made possible because of the Lunar Shield's new ability: transferring buffs.

Now you understand why I wanted Doror so badly.

And then I kept on walking towards Jared, draggin Kariyo behind me by his hair.

Zenom stepped between us.

"Slaveborn," Zenom muttered. "Stop. Spare Kariyo and end the duel honorably. We can still talk with the War Prince and-"

And the pent-up anger exploded, welling up into a fiery furnace that fueled the entirety of this execution. "Move, Church-Dog. Move, before I fucking rip out your tail that you wag for the Turinan War Prince. If you fought half as hard for the people on this boat as you are doing for this fucking bug, we wouldn't be in this situation."

I leaned in close, my face inches from his. "So either bare your fangs at me like a good guard dog… or fucking admit that you're a coward with nothing worth fighting for and move."

Zenom's pupils shook.

"Be a dear and move, Zenom." Jared Akka Xalud's voice sent shivers up my spine. "I want to see what he has to say."

Zenom complied, his head bowed.

And I walked past him.

Kariyo started making sounds. Not words. Just sounds.

He knew what was about to come.

It's one thing to die in battle, in a duel. One instant and it's over.

It's another to drag it out like I was. It breaks you, little by little. Bit by bit, until reason and logic and all those pesky things are thrown to the side. Till nothing but the basest of bestial instincts are all that's left.

Again, Coum taught me that.

I stopped in front of Jared.

He smiled at me.

I threw Kariyo to the floor between us.

Kariyo's body was covered in black inky tattoos, ones that resembled the branches of a Sakura Tree. From my Royal Oni Core, [Artisan of Battle].

"I'm not afraid of you. You think you were doing me a favor by sending your dog out to me?" I whispered. "'Next time I challenge you, fight me yourself."

｢Lock Slaveborn casts [Hateful Wound] ｣

[Hateful Wound] synergized with the [Artisan of Battle] and a freaking tree over thirty feet tall sprouted from Kariyo. Kariyo's body shook in shuddering gasps and finally went limp and a second later, the murky tree dissipated.

There was no roar of victory.

There was no yell of triumph.

Just the horrified expressions of the people I saved.

A Hero is loved by their people.

Mine were scared of me.

This is MSS.

…Maybe that's the road I'm destined to walk on.

To be feared by the very people that I chose to fight for.

But one person, just one person loved me at that moment. The most unlikeliest person of all.

"You… are simply exquisite." Jared replied, smiling softly. "I simply must have you now."

"Victor…" Zenom muttered, unable to meet anyone's gaze.

"Slaveborn."

No glory in my story. No epic battles to the death for what is Right.

I thought I'd feel something. A swelling pride? Happiness? Joy?

No.

Cold. Just... cold.

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