Every piece of equipment Dwight had given me was a masterpiece. From among them, I picked out the things that would be useful to me right away.

「These are reasonably serviceable.」

After consuming Wildness, my body had gained strength no boy should possess. But that did not mean the nature of my sword had changed. From Needle to Fang and Gale, my sword had followed a common direction. The rough, bold swordsmanship of northern barbarian warriors or orcs did not suit me.

A swift sword.

That was the best way to make use of my Suspicion. A way of ending an enemy's life through the smallest opening. My body had changed, but my blade still walked that path.

「Your larger frame and wild strength are merely tools. Discarding the weapon you already possessed simply because you have gained something new would be foolish.」

Instead of the sword Daisy had given me, I chose a longsword with superior cutting power. It was forged from winter steel, which could only be obtained in the Sky Mountains—a savage sword capable of slicing through ordinary iron equipment as though it were wood.

「Do what you do best, young descendant.」

For armor, I chose pieces made with mithril. They were not as sturdy as Dwight's full suit of black iron armor, but they were light. I selected equipment made from materials that would not impede my movement, putting on a set of mithril armor, boots, and gauntlets. They were sturdy enough to deflect most stray arrows with ease.

I also took some daggers for emergencies. Like the sword I had already chosen, they were made from winter steel.

「Serviceable equipment, but far too fine for someone at your level.」

"... Is that so?"

「Indeed. At your level, I was grateful just to swing whatever lumps of iron I found lying around the battlefield. You hopeless dullard.」

Among the continent's countless metals, winter steel was both rare and exceptional. It did not rank among the three supreme materials like the black iron Dwight wore, but it was the finest iron obtainable through ordinary means.

「Tsk. Using things like these already will spoil you.」

While Liam grumbled like an old fogey, I finished my preparations. I had chosen all my equipment, recovered my condition, and consolidated my mastery of the fully digested Gale. As time passed, Seolyun returned from her abrupt departure.

"You're back."

"I promised. That I'd return a day before."

There was a considerable change in her presence.

「Ho ho. After watching you grow at a slug's maddening pace, seeing a heaven-born prodigy's leap forward feels wonderfully refreshing.」

"..."

「That child should have inherited the Caravan blood instead of you...」

Honestly, this time I had no choice but to agree with Liam. In just a few days, the energy emanating from Seolyun had changed. She had grown noticeably when she returned after leaving the estate before, but this was beyond comparison. Behind Seolyun, whose clothes were worn to rags, I thought I could faintly make out the shape of wings. They were incomplete, but they seemed to flicker into view.

I spoke in a murmur.

"... Is it normally possible to grasp the first signs of becoming a sword runner that quickly?"

「No. Did I not tell you? Wings are a towering wall for every swordsman.」

"Then..."

Seolyun had spent far longer at the sword walker level than I had. She had practiced the sword for much longer, too. I thought it might simply be a matter of time.

「It is talent. The talent of a heaven-born prodigy.」

But as always, Master did not lie about the sword.

「A sword chosen by heaven.」

"..."

「An unjust, overwhelming talent that ordinary people can never catch up to, however hard they chase it. All prodigies are like that, young descendant.」

Before I knew it, Seolyun had reached a place far beyond me.

"I'm tired, so I'll rest a little. I'll need to use a lot of strength tomorrow."

"Ah, yes."

She entered the inn with a weary expression. Even after she went inside, I stood where I was for a while. It was a strange feeling. Liam spoke to me.

「Are you envious?」

"Honestly, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't."

「There is no need to envy her.」

Liam looked at me and grinned.

「In my age, there were countless swordsmen whose talent that girl could not compare to. Prodigies abounded, and those called prodigies among prodigies poured forth like stars in the night sky.」

"..."

「But listen. In the final moment, only steel remained standing.」

Liam's eyes gleamed.

「Take pride in it. The blood of steel flowing through your body is a symbol of invincibility, proven by history and proven by me.」

The cool dawn air grows warm. Slowly, the sun was rising.

「Where you are headed, there will be countless prodigies. Brilliant souls who shine so brightly, like stars, that they dim the light of ordinary people around them. Everyone else may seem insignificant beside them. Even you.」

"..."

「But remember. Even amid that flood of heaven-born prodigies, there was always only one at the summit.」

With the sun at his back, Liam looked down at me, his gaze gleaming, honed as keenly as a blade.

「And the blood of that summit flows within you.」

* * *

The final day was no different from those before it.

「As you must have heard from that dwarf, Caravans who inherit the blood of steel grow slowly. That is because our blood quite literally possesses the qualities of steel.」

As always, I ran until I could barely breathe.

「The blood of those descended from the five families is like nature. Like a blazing fire, it uses everything as fuel to nurture its bearer. Like surging waves, it greedily devours its surroundings to grow stronger. Like a striking thunderbolt, it reveals itself in a flash. But steel is only steel. It is quiet, not clamorous.」

I swung my sword until my palms split. The calluses on my hands no longer disappear.

「Forging a single sword demands long endurance. You heat the sword, let it cool sufficiently, then heat it again to forge it. Our blood is the same. Rather than boiling endlessly, it heats and cools. Once heated again, it must be hammered diligently into shape.」

"..."

「Thus our glory is slow to come. Thus our light arrives late.」

My muscles scream. The world is a blur.

「But the steel born that way will never break.」

"... Whew."

「No flame can dare use steel as fuel. Even a tidal wave cannot sweep steel away. Even lightning cannot scorch it.」

"..."

「Take up your sword, young descendant. And become harder than anyone else.」

My heart pounds madly.

「Then the world will hold you in awe.」

And so the day of the War Duels dawned.

* * *

The Arena, the circular stadium that symbolized the steel city.

Today, not a single seat stood empty in this stadium built to hold an immense crowd. The fervor of the spectators and the fighters filling the stadium heated the space. Heated it intensely.

"The day of the War Duels has dawned, valiant fighters!"

The announcer's booming voice rang out.

"As announced beforehand! The theme of these War Duels is the War of Conquest! The bloodbath unleashed by the fearsome conqueror of the Great Land! Until now, our War Duels have always reenacted wars from the distant past, so some of you with little schooling didn't know the wars we were recreating! Then again, would fighters who know nothing but combat and spectators of the steel city who love nothing but struggle have had time to study history?"

"That's right, you son of a bitch! Everyone here is an ignorant bastard who barely went to school!"

"You Arena clown! You're no different, so what's with this fucking bullshit all of a sudden?"

The announcer's voice and the spectators' voices mingled in a heated exchange.

"Ha ha ha! Quite right! I'm so blinded by fighting myself that I know little of history! Last time, when the theme was that Sand War supposedly fought against the Empire, I honestly tilted my head. What the fuck is the Sand War? I'd never heard of it in my life!"

"Bwahaha! Yeah, that was the first I'd heard of it, too!"

"That's because the Arena planners are fucking old fogeys! Imagining those old loser bastards giggling in their rooms, thinking that shit would be fun, made me so sick I nearly died!"

Some rather harsh words flew back and forth.

The Arena's planners. These were remarks that might offend the high-ranking officials who managed this place. But here, they posed no problem.

"But even an ignoramus like me and all you ignorant spectators know the War of Conquest! After all, it only ended recently, didn't it? Some of you here will have fought in it, and some will have lost family. That damned Iron Kingdom conscripted so many men just to grab a share of the spoils!"

Because this was the Arena.

"Today! We will reenact that fucking war! In the form of a Territory Battle!"

Here, at least, anything was allowed so long as it was entertaining.

"Do you all remember when the War of Conquest begun by the Great Land started dragging on? It was the first time the Great Land's conquering army, advancing as it trampled the vast eastern continent, was held back. By a mere insignificant nation—the fallen peninsula!"

The fallen peninsula.

The moment those words were spoken, the eyes of countless fighters from the eastern continent changed.

"The fallen peninsula's territory was tiny. The number of people living in that tiny land was very small, too. The country had even been a vassal of the Great Land, paying tribute every year. Yet the fallen peninsula fought more fiercely than any other country on the eastern continent, and held out longer than any of them. What a magnificent feat!"

"..."

"We at the Arena have decided to reenact that magnificent war. As a Territory Battle."

The announcer snapped his fingers.

At that, robed women emerged from outside the circular stadium. Their appearance was peculiar. Cloth wrapped around their faces covered everything but their eyes, and thick gloves and long boots concealed their bodies meticulously, leaving not a sliver of skin exposed.

Some spectators murmured at the sight of them.

"... Witches."

Beings who lived in the Heavenly Empire.

Devout worshippers of the Father of the Sky, one of the seven chief gods, and the most powerful magical beings among all who wielded the arcane.

The stands briefly fell quiet at the witches' arrival. As silence settled, the announcer shouted.

"The Arena went to great lengths to invite these witches for this match! So they could perfect the stage for the War Duels we have planned!"

The announcer spoke with his eyes bloodshot and wide.

"The second event of the Endless Duel, the War Duels, will take place in a spirit world created by these witches! So that even losing your life will pose no problem! In a war, shouldn't you naturally fight to kill one another? Isn't this! Far more entertaining!"

Amusement.

Madness seeped from the Arena's pursuit of primal entertainment.

Of course.

"That's right! Fuck, it's only a real duel if you kill each other!"

"Waaaaaah!"

The steel city's spectators were no different. This place had always been a stage for madness.

"Since the event is a Territory Battle, the fighters participating in these War Duels must choose one of two sides! The first is the Great Land, who will be the attackers! Join the army led by the great conqueror who commanded the eastern continent and scattered blood across its vast lands, and bring down the walls within the allotted time!"

"Ooh."

"The Great Land side will receive a recreation of the Great Land's infamous conquering army. The witches have already created those undefeated cavalrymen within the spirit world."

Some spectators shouted at that.

"Then it won't be balanced, will it? Isn't the Heavenly Empire the only one that can face the Great Land's army on open ground...?"

"These fucking bastards have cooked up another ridiculous match."

The announcer shouted back.

"Hear me out before you start grumbling! The second side will be the defenders—the fallen peninsula, Han! Those who choose that side must repel the endlessly advancing conquering army and defend the walls! As mentioned beforehand, those who choose Han will be lent artifacts symbolizing dragons."

"Hmm, even so—"

"Naturally, if that were all, it wouldn't be balanced. That is why the defenders have one more advantage!"

The announcer spread his arms wide and shouted.

"Whoever wields the defenders' Dragon Sword may summon the dragon that protected the fallen peninsula—the Guardian Dragon—for one minute, a total of three times before the War Duels end!"

"..."

"Now, I believe that should balance things sufficiently."

It was extraordinary.

Utterly extraordinary.

For a moment, the spectators were speechless. But the announcer gave them no time.

"Now then, fighters, please choose your sides!"

And so the curtain rose on the War Duels.

* * *

"Little Gladiator, there's something I'd like to ask of you."

As the fighters chose their respective sides, Seolyun approached me.

"I'm choosing Han. I decided that when I first heard what this duel would involve."

I had expected that. I had known ever since I felt the anger pouring from her. That was why I intended to choose the same side.

But then.

"You choose the Great Land."

"What? What do you..."

"This duel takes place in a spirit world. I see this match as an opportunity. A good opportunity for us to fight each other with our lives on the line. An opportunity to see each other's swords to their very depths."

Seolyun had made an unexpected proposal.

"I want to win this duel, no matter what. Even if it's a game played by clowns, even if it's a false victory, I want to win. But just as much, I want to see your sword to the very end."

"..."

"Not a polite sparring match, but your real sword. Your true fangs, which never emerge in mere sparring, only in extreme situations. I'd never see them if we fought on the same side. So just this once, fight me as an enemy. That's my request."

Seolyun's expression was serious.

I was a little troubled.

Fight Seolyun in earnest? Spirit world or not, cross swords with someone I considered a companion and friend, with our lives at stake? It went against what was right.

I should refuse. I should tell her to fight on the same side as always.

And yet.

"I'll be honest."

My heart says otherwise.

"I've wanted to do this at least once myself."

A heaven-born prodigy.

The Black Bride, who had already defeated me once.

A swordswoman even Master had praised as possessing heaven-granted talent.

"I'll do it, Seolyun."

For someone who wielded a sword, how could I refuse?

"On one condition."

Something boiled up within my chest.

"If I win and the Great Land takes the victory, and I'm granted the right to possess a dragon artifact, I'll keep it instead of giving it to you."

"Go ahead."

Seolyun probably felt much the same as I did.

"If you can."

For this moment, we were not Arhan and Seolyun.

Little Gladiator.

The Black Bride.

Two fighters would face each other once more in the circular stadium. As enemies seeking each other's lives.

And.

"Now then, let the War Duels begin!"

There was something we had not known until then.

"This sacred duel shall be dedicated to the goddess Lepri, guardian of justice!"

The Arena was an organization mad for entertainment.

* * *

I opened my eyes within the spirit world the witches had created.

Their magic was indeed as wondrous as the rumors claimed. The spirit world was no different from the real world. My senses were vivid, and the scenery around me was incredibly lifelike. But there was one strange thing: the voice sounding inside my head.

『You have chosen the Han side.』

『Defend the fortress for the allotted time.』

... Why was I on Han's side?