The reason I was going to the Arena was simple.

「You must go to the fighting pit in the steel city, young descendant.」

"It’s the Arena, not the fighting pit. How long are you going to keep calling it whatever you please? I know that’s a habit elderly people have, but still..."

「Stop nitpicking and listen.」

Because my great master, who always showed me the right path, had told me to. He might be so ancient that he kept using outdated words, but when it came to the sword, no master was more dependable.

「And stop those disrespectful thoughts.」

"Yes, Master."

In any case, Liam said I had to go to the Arena. Ever suspicious, I questioned my master.

"But is there a reason it has to be the Arena?"

I wasn’t being sarcastic. I asked because I genuinely wanted to know. The 「Arena」 hadn’t been among the destinations I had in mind, for a simple reason.

"I don’t think the Arena would be much help to me as I am now."

「Why do you think that?」

"Because I’m very different from who I was back then."

After my last fight against Seolyun in the Arena, I had become a Silver Medal fighter. Back then, I was a 「sword beginner」 who had digested two swords. But what about now?

I had fought and defeated a knight who had reached 「sword runner」, incomplete though his attainment was. Furthermore, I could spar on equal terms with Seolyun, who was celebrated as The Black Bride and had already been considered Gold Medal caliber back then. There was even a considerable gap between her skill now and her skill at the time.

To put it simply:

"Frankly, Silver Medal duels won’t help me."

I had become too strong to gain anything from dueling fighters wearing silver medals. I needed stronger opponents now. Liam nodded at my words.

「You aren’t wrong.」

Seeing him readily concede the point, I asked,

"Then is the Hall of Fame your objective, rather than the duels? Did you tell me to go so I could get through the promotion matches quickly and obtain useful swords?"

「That is part of my plan. The place is overflowing with blades that would be treasures to you. But it is not the decisive reason.」

Not the decisive reason. What did that mean?

「The blood of steel grows by continually consuming blades. But the process of digestion matters most. Unless you digest a sword properly, you cannot incorporate it into your body, however extraordinary it may be.」

"..."

「It is like the process of making a renowned sword. Throwing in and melting down every rare metal famed across the continent will not produce a great sword. Only by carefully selecting the metals, melting them in a furnace, then tirelessly hammering and forging the yielding blade can a great sword be born.」

Liam looked at me.

「Whatever you consume, you need trials that will forge you properly. So you may become steel that never breaks.」

"Then..."

「There is a trial at the fighting pit. A trial that will temper you. That is why you must go there.」

He had called the 「Arena」 the fighting pit again. This time, however, I didn’t correct him. I merely looked at him with questioning eyes. Soon, Liam added,

「Have you heard of the Endless Duel?」

For some reason, my master spoke with a nostalgic expression.

「It is a struggle every Caravan with the blood of steel must experience. An exhilarating trial thick with the reek of blood, where you walk a precarious tightrope between life and death.」

"..."

「It is the battle you need now, young descendant.」

How should I describe my reaction to Liam’s account of the Endless Duel?

"I really can’t wait to go..."

「Put some soul into your words.」

Just hearing about it was maddeningly exhausting. Well.

"It’s giving me a headache, but I suppose I have to go."

Still, I would listen to Liam in the end. My master and I both knew that.

"If it will make me stronger."

「I knew you would, young descendant.」

We looked at each other with resolute expressions. Yes.

"... You’re going to the Arena? All of a sudden?"

At least, that was how things stood until I told Seolyun I was going to the steel city of Perma.

"Have you improved so much that you want to crush fighters weaker than you and bask in your own superiority? That’s not good. It won’t help you."

"That’s not it."

"Then what is it? You’re a Gold Medal fighter at the very least now. Maybe even higher in a duel to the death. But the Arena’s Little Gladiator is a Silver Medal, isn’t he? Why waste your time like that...?"

And then.

"I’m not going to crush the weak. I’m going to participate in the Endless Duel. To face a trial that will make me stronger..."

"What, the Endless Duel?"

That was how things stood until I gravely uttered the words “Endless Duel.”

"Little Gladiator, where did you hear about that?"

"Why are you making that face? You’re worrying me."

Seolyun fell silent for a moment at my words, then gave me an odd look. The expression that surfaced on her normally impassive face was easy to read. She thought I was pathetic.

"You aren’t eligible for the Endless Duel."

"What?"

Yes.

"You need at least a gold... I mean, fighters only become eligible once they have a Gold Medal."

"What? If that’s all, I can fix it in no—"

"That’s not the real problem. You need a letter of recommendation to enter the Endless Duel."

"..."

"A letter from someone with enough standing for the 「Arena」 to recognize it."

Just like the receptionist who had spouted bullshit with a friendly smile on my first visit to the steel city’s 「Arena」...

"..."

I stood there blankly, then slowly turned my head toward Liam.

「I didn’t know.」

Once again, he answered with the same shameless face he had worn back then.

「We had nothing like that in my day.」

"Fu—"

「Now, now—」

* * *

The Endless Duel. An event with a long history stretching back to Liam’s time, when the Arena had been called the fighting pit. Once held at any and every opportunity, the Endless Duel had become a major event in the present day.

"The Endless Duel is one of the 「Arena」’s biggest main events. Luckily, I checked, and there are three weeks left before it begins. You only need to apply before it starts, so you should be fine if you meet the requirements within those three weeks."

"Thank you."

"You said you’d enter without even knowing this? Little Gladiator, the Endless Duel is a main event held once every four years. You can’t just enter because you feel like it."

When the Endless Duel was held, powerful fighters from across not only the Iron Kingdom but the entire continent gathered in the steel city. It was an event renowned throughout the continent, attracting all manner of people who hoped to gain something from its duels.

So Seolyun had every reason to look at me as though I were pathetic. How stupid must I have looked, blithely announcing that I would enter the Endless Duel? I turned a resentful gaze on Liam.

「In my day, if I suggested we do it, everyone agreed.」

"..."

「The youngsters these days have grown so steeped in peace that they have no sense of romance. It is not my fault.」

Yes. Wasn’t I used to this by now? My master was a proud swordmaster of Caravan who possessed not merely a heart of steel and a path of steel, but a face of steel as well...

"Three weeks. Then I’d better head to the steel city first."

"You’re still going?"

"Yes. Whatever happens with the second requirement, shouldn’t I at least meet the first?"

I spoke with a sigh in my voice.

Whatever the circumstances, Liam had told me that participating in the Endless Duel would help me. My master enjoyed making shameless remarks, but he was never wrong about the sword. In that case, it was my duty as his descendant and pupil to listen. If it wasn’t too late, I would have to try.

"... Do you know anyone who could write you a recommendation?"

"I’ll have to look."

Seolyun frowned again at my reckless answer. After a moment, she let out a deep sigh and said,

"I’m going with you."

"With me?"

"Yes. I know the place better than you do."

She was right. Seolyun was a fighter who had made a name for herself in the steel city as 「The Black Bride」. Although I had broken her undefeated streak, she would still be quite famous. Naturally, she would know a great deal, too.

"You made me unpopular with the people running the 「Arena」, but they won’t turn me away if I say I want to fight. Those bastards would put even their sworn enemy in the ring if it meant selling one more ticket."

"..."

"Then let’s go. To the steel city of Perma."

And so our next journey was decided.

* * *

I could now leave the estate with considerably fewer worries. Haylin the mage was a reassuring neighbor. When it came to defending the estate, she was more dependable than either Petel the knight or Seolyun. Who in this backwater would dare invade land protected by a mage? Moreover, she was excellent at managing the estate, not merely maintaining its security. Letting Haylin settle here had been an outstanding decision.

"H-have a safe trip. Leave everything here to me."

With the little girl seeing us off, we departed by carriage. As before, the journey took exactly five days. After five days of nonstop travel, I returned to the steel city, 「Perma」.

I could see the magnificent circular stadium towering amid buildings of old-world elegance. Along with it came the bustle and the clamorous voices of people, things nowhere to be found on our estate.

"There certainly are a lot of people. I suppose it’s because the Endless Duel is starting soon."

As Seolyun said, Perma was livelier than I remembered. A high proportion of the people wore weapons at their waists, and among the merchants selling their wares, an unusually large number dealt in weapons. I spotted short figures—dwarves—raising their voices amid the merchants. As I watched, I carefully stroked the sword at my waist.

「I remember you saying on our last visit that you wanted to try a dwarf-made sword someday. Did you imagine you would get one so soon?」

"It was a gift, though."

The dwarf-made steel sword Lady Daisy had given me in return for sending Petel off with honor. Stroking its tip, I could truly feel how much I had grown. There was an enormous difference between who I was on my last visit and who I was now.

「People are less eager to pick fights with you, too. Before, everyone glared whenever your eyes met. Now some avert their eyes first.」

As Liam said, even the way people looked at me had changed. When I was a little boy, a sword beginner with a slight frame, everyone underestimated me. Now that I looked like a solidly built young man, few did.

As we walked through Perma, Seolyun told me,

"I need to go somewhere for a little while."

"Where?"

"There are some people I need to contact. If you enter, I’m thinking of trying the Endless Duel myself. Well, I’m obviously going to be eliminated in no time, but still..."

I gave her a questioning look.

"... Can you get a letter of recommendation?"

"Hm? Of course."

Seolyun answered matter-of-factly.

"I graduated at the top of my academy class."

Right. Seolyun was a genius who had graduated at the top of her class at 「Temple」, one of the Iron Kingdom’s three leading academies. She had said there were still countless people who admired her genius. Geniuses always loved fellow geniuses, so her connections would include people of standing who would gladly write her a recommendation.

"I’ll try contacting about twenty people. Then I’ll take a promotion match and get a Gold Medal. They’ll probably arrange one whenever I ask."

"Oh."

She had connections and more than enough ability to request promotion. Having seen only her unsociable side at the estate, I had forgotten. Yes, Seolyun was an elite...

"You should start contacting people, too. Someone might be willing to write you a recommendation."

"..."

With that casual remark, Seolyun abruptly left. A recommendation? Who did I know who would write something like that? I stood there dumbfounded, then turned to Liam.

「What a shame. Had this been an age when my name was known, I could have written you a hundred of those trivial recommendations. No, forget recommendations. Everyone would have groveled merely because you were my descendant...」

"... Enough about the old days. What do we do now?"

Reality was cold. Liam cleared his throat at my question and said,

「For now... let us get a gold medal around your neck, then think about it.」

At his words, I unwittingly voiced my innermost thoughts.

"I think we’re fucked..."

「...」

* * *

I decided to deal with the most urgent matter first. After dutifully lining up and waiting my turn, I entered the 「Arena」 and saw a familiar receptionist. She was always smiling brightly and murmuring in a friendly voice. She smiled at me, but once she received my medal and information, she could no longer smile.

"So... you’re the Little Gladiator?"

"Yes."

"The fighter who earned a silver medal by dueling 「The Black Bride」 not long ago?"

"Yes, that’s me."

"Th-that can’t be. Y-your handsome face does look similar, but nothing else does. You don’t even look the same age. Your height and build are completely different, and those muscles..."

The receptionist’s face paled a little.

"D-did you perhaps murder him, steal his medal, and assume his identity? I’m sorry, but impersonation is not permitted at the 「Arena」. If you wish to participate, you must f-follow the proper procedures to obtain a medal and register your information. Doing this—"

"No, I’m telling you, I am the Little Gladiator."

"You’re putting me in a difficult position. We magically register information when we issue medals to prevent impersonation, you know. I-if verification shows different information, you’ll be punished."

"Then verify it."

At my words, she pressed her lips together and took something transparent from beneath the table. It was a long rod with glass attached to its end. She looked through it at my medal, then at my face. Her mouth fell open in surprise.

"... Oh. It really is you."

The flustered receptionist was momentarily speechless. Judging by the disappearance of her customary friendly expression, she seemed genuinely taken aback. I couldn’t keep wasting time here, so I got straight to the point.

"As you can see, some things happened, and my appearance has changed considerably. I’ve also become quite a bit stronger. I hesitate to say so myself, but Silver Medal no longer suits my level."

"Oh, you certainly have changed a lot."

"So I’d like you to arrange a promotion match for Gold Medal."

When I had advanced from Bronze Medal to Silver Medal, the Arena had arranged the promotion match. Its choice had clearly revealed a malicious intent to sacrifice me for ticket sales. But I had no intention of continuing to fight unhelpful Silver Medal duels, so I had stated my request plainly and directly.

But then came an unexpected answer.

"I’m afraid that would be difficult."

"You haven’t completed enough matches yet, Little Gladiator."

"..."

"You may truly have become much stronger, but there are still rules."

I glared at her and said,

"Silver Medal fighters won’t be a match for me. The fights will be over in no time."

"That’s perfectly fine."

Yet the receptionist smiled, unfazed by my words. Her bewilderment had vanished, replaced by a businesslike, courteous smile.

"Some spectators enjoy one-sided matches. They occasionally savor them as a special treat. Many get excited watching the opposing fighter helplessly crushed and reduced to a pitiful state, like a predator let loose among a flock of sheep. So it’s perfectly fine."

I sensed a familiar feeling there, one I had experienced before. The madness of the 「Arena」.

"In fact, I rather enjoy that sort of thing myself. So first, show us directly that you’ve become stronger. You know how it works, don’t you? Everything in the 「Arena」 is decided by duels. Prove yourself with your sword, not your words."

* * *

Prove yourself with your sword, not your words. I thought the receptionist had a point. So rather than argue further, I filled out my match applications and left.

I hadn’t filled out just one match application. I had filled out fifteen.

And those fifteen matches would take place over two days. Seven on the first day, eight on the second.

She had told me to prove myself, so I intended to give her a proper demonstration. A very proper demonstration indeed.