Duel
The large pit behind the chieftain's residence.
Wide enough for two people to duel freely, it was decorated with barbed fences, animal bones, and leather, creating an intimidating atmosphere for onlookers.
And there, Rudell and Kahran stood facing each other.
-Thump-thump-thump-thump!!
[Woo! Ha! Woo! Ha!]
The Nord tribesmen, who had gathered around the pit before anyone knew it, were beating drums and shouting.
"What shall be the rules?"
"Until one surrenders or the other is incapacitated. There is no other way."
"I am, in your words, a shaman. Will that be alright?"
"It doesn't matter. We don't force the warrior's path on outsiders."
Responding in a calm voice, Kahran raised his greatsword.
They're quite flexible in these matters, I see.
With that thought, Rudell gazed at Kahran's greatsword.
The hunk of metal, almost as tall as Kahran, was more of a blunt weapon than a sword.
If one were to get hit by that thing, they'd be turned into mush.
But he didn't think he would lose at all.
That was because the sky was already dyed in deep darkness.
"Kamak! Buta! Ka!"
At the same time, an old man who appeared to be the tribe's elder slowly raised his hand, and the noisy clamor of the tribesmen gradually subsided.
Soon, only the sound of a quiet wind echoed, and the moment the elder nodded, the drummer, holding a huge drumstick, struck the drum.
"Uwaaaaaaaa-!!"
With the loud resounding drumbeat and a battle cry loud enough to make one's ears ring, Kahran charged straight towards Rudell.
The massive greatsword, whistling menacingly, flew towards Rudell's head, but Rudell didn't move an inch from his spot.
The Nord tribesmen watching the scene cheered.
To anyone, it was a situation where Kahran's victory was certain.
However...
-Clang!!
"Ugh!?"
His attack was suddenly deflected by a shadow thorn that appeared out of nowhere.
Kahran, startled that his attack had been blocked, stepped back, and Rudell, watching him, gave a faint smile.
"Night is my time."
At the same time, a thick shadow began to spread around Rudell.
The Nord tribesmen, seeing this, screamed and retreated, and Kahran, too, watched the scene with a bewildered face.
"Then, I'll take the initiative."
Declaring confidently, Rudell waved his hand in the air.
And countless shadow thorns sprang from the shadows around Kahran.
Kahran hurriedly raised his sword to block the stabbing shadow thorns, but he couldn't block them all.
With a sharp sound, wounds appeared all over his body, and blood splattered.
If it weren't for the armor made of magical beast leather he was wearing, that attack would have decided the match.
"Would you like to continue? I don't mind..."
"Kuaaaaaaa-!!"
Perhaps angered by Rudell's polite words, Kahran, instead of answering, let out a battle cry and charged straight towards Rudell.
Of course, Rudell gave a faint smile at the sight.
His movements were certainly incredibly fast compared to an ordinary person.
However, compared to Leje, his movements seemed slower than walking.
To Rudell, who had witnessed Leje's movements countless times, that speed wasn't even considered fast.
"If that's your answer."
Saying so, Rudell charged straight towards him.
With a whooshing sound, Kahran's swung greatsword grazed Rudell's head, and sliding along the ground, Rudell placed his hand on Kahran's chest.
"It was a good duel."
At the same time, Rudell released his mana.
His mana, gushing out, turned into a dark shadow that began to engulf Kahran's body, pressing down on him with tremendous pressure.
"Gahk!!"
With a painful groan, blood spurted from Kahran's mouth, and upon confirming that he had lost consciousness, Rudell withdrew his mana.
The shadow that had enveloped his body instantly disappeared as if melting away, and Kahran's body, with his eyes half-rolled back, collapsed to the ground.
Silence fell among the Nord tribesmen watching the scene...
"Uh, uh... what?"
Did I go too far?
As Rudell was gauging the reactions around him, thinking that...
"Bika! Kama! Kadana!!"
"Uwaaaaaaa-!!"
With the Nord elder's cry, the Nord tribesmen watching the scene erupted in cheers all at once.
* * *
A little while later...
-Dong! Doong! Doong!
The plaza in the center of the village.
A grand feast was taking place there.
"Ehahahaha! Drink! Pour!"
"Kahahaha! Kahaha!!"
The sight of the merchant's workers and the Nord warriors drinking beer with their arms around each other was truly a sight to behold.
"Are you not drinking?"
"I don't particularly enjoy it."
Rudell gave an awkward smile to Kahran, who approached him with a friendly face and put his arm around him.
The alcohol in the cup Rudell was holding had barely decreased from when he first received it.
"That's a shame. A true warrior must also be strong with alcohol."
Kahran clicked his tongue in genuine regret at Rudell's answer and downed the alcohol in his cup in one gulp.
"Krahaha! Today is a joyous day! To the strong ones!!"
"Cheers!!"
Kahran, refilling his cup, shouted loudly, and the surrounding Nord tribesmen and the merchant's workers raised their cups and drank.
"Young Master, is this alright? At this rate, all the alcohol we brought for the trade..."
"Let's consider it a service this time. The real goods are the food and necessities anyway."
Rudell replied nonchalantly, as he had intended to give the alcohol as a gift to win their favor from the beginning.
"By the way, try this. It's magical beast meat, but it's surprisingly tasty."
Saying so, Rudell took a skewer that was being grilled around the bonfire in the middle of the village and handed it to Kyle.
"I, I'm fine. Young Master worked hard, so Young Master should..."
"I've been eating since a while ago, haven't I?"
"..."
Although he called it magical beast meat, it was actually monster meat.
It seemed he was reluctant, having fought countless battles with monsters since he was at the territory, but...
"Here, take it."
"W, well..."
At Rudell's urging, he reluctantly took the skewer and took a bite.
And...
"This... is surprisingly delicious?"
"Right? I was surprised too."
Rudell grinned at Kyle's surprised expression.
He didn't know what kind of magical beast it was, but it had a texture and taste like a mix of chicken and pork.
If one didn't know it was magical beast meat, it was quite tasty.
"Speaking of which, Kahran-nim. Regarding our trade..."
"Ah, about that. As you requested, I'll exchange the goods you brought for byproducts of appropriate value. The meat is our food source, so that's difficult, but I'll make sure you get a good amount of leather, bones, and organs!"
"Thank you."
It's difficult to open their hearts, but once they do, the Nord tribe becomes incredibly straightforward.
"Ehahaha! Today is truly a good day!"
Kahran took a swig of alcohol, leaving behind Rudell, who bowed his head.
As Rudell sipped his drink while watching him...
"Rudelite."
"Hmm?"
Rudell turned his head at the voice from beside him and saw Kurt sitting next to him.
"What's up?"
"I saw you fight. You're strong."
"Thanks for saying that."
It was practically a cheat, but it was still Rudell's effort that made use of it to that extent.
Rudell replied with a faint smile to Kurt's words...
"I want to become strong like you."
"Huh? What's that all of a sudden..."
Rudell made a puzzled sound at Kurt's following words.
Rudell, speaking up to that point, could roughly grasp the situation.
In the original story, he became truly strong around the time he started his second year, quite a while after transferring to the academy.
In other words, to have him play his part as a member of the protagonist's party like in the original story, he had to take him to the academy from here.
"Do you really want to become strong?"
"I do. I have a reason to become strong."
"A reason to become strong?"
He asked, pretending not to know, but Rudell actually knew the reason.
The Calamity Magical Beast, Charybdis.
It was the apex predator in the Plain of Eternal Winter, teeming with all sorts of dangerous creatures.
Due to its enormous size, it was active for less than a month out of the year, but nevertheless, its impact on the Plain of Eternal Winter was beyond imagination.
Its purpose, as it roamed the plains enveloped in a blizzard that even the Nord tribe and magical beasts couldn't withstand, was only one.
To satisfy its endless hunger.
And Kurt's tribe was annihilated by it, leaving only Kurt alive.
If Kahran hadn't taken him in when he was buried in the snow, he might have also become a cold corpse buried under the ice.
"I have something I must do. And I'm convinced that you can make me strong."
"Hmm... Even if you say that..."
Rudell made a troubled sound in a low voice at Kurt's words.
Of course, he was rejoicing inwardly, but he didn't show it outwardly.
"Please. If you do that, I will pledge my unwavering loyalty to you."
"I'm sorry, but I'll have to refuse that."
"Why? Is my loyalty not enough?"
"No, it's not that... I'd rather you become my friend than pledge loyalty to me."
"Friend...?"
"Yes, friend."
Having Kyle's loyalty was enough.
If he readily accepted his offer and Kurt became like Kyle.MK2, it was something Rudell really wanted to avoid.
"I don't understand, but if that's what you wish, I will become your friend."
"Good. Then I look forward to our friendship, Kur..."
Just as Rudell, thinking that, was about to say that to Kurt...
"Chief! Kakasha! Geunabada!!"
A Nord warrior ran into the plaza and shouted loudly.
At the same time, bewilderment spread among the Nord tribe enjoying the feast, and without a word, the Nord tribesmen rose, grabbed their weapons, and started running somewhere.
"What's going on?"
"It's here."
Rudell asked in a puzzled voice as he watched the scene, and at the same time, Kurt also got up from his seat, pulling out his large axe.
"It?"
"Thundermane. It's back."
At that moment.
-Awooooooooooo!!
The howl of a wolf, laced with the sound of thunder, began to echo from not far away.
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