Chapter 348: A Valuable Defeat (2)

The match between Jackal and Banish wasn’t quite at the level of a Four Heavenly Kings match, but for anyone interested in the arena, it was a highly anticipated match.

The same went for Katherine. No, in fact, she had been waiting for this match more eagerly than anyone else.

“

Hm-hmm-hmmm

.”

Watching her continuously hum, Reload said, “Master, you seem to be in a very good mood.”

“

Mmm?

Well, of course I am.” Katherine dramatically unfolded the Battle News with a sparkle in her eyes. “Finally, the Banish versus Jackal match is happening. Honestly, I don’t care who wins today.”

The winner of this match would surpass 2,500 rank points anyway.

Which means I can finally have a match again... hehehe.

That was why she had prepared popcorn, pizza, and drinks seven hours before the match started, dragging Reload along to wait in the Champion’s viewing box.

Having logged into the game at the crack of dawn due to his master’s call, Reload yawned and asked, “Who do you think will win today?”

Chewing on a stretchy cheese pizza, Katherine answered, “Probably Jackal, right? Banish is fun to watch, but... he still seems a bit unpolished.”

“Jackal... right. Honestly, his performance last week against the Spirit Summoner was quite impressive.”

“I agree. That’s what makes the Duel Arena fun.”

“What do you mean fun?”

“

Ugh

, do I have to explain that too?” Katherine wiped the sticky cheese from her fingers with a napkin, then looked down at the arena. “In that square battlefield, there’s always a variable that exceeds everyone’s expectations.”

“A variable... In that case, Banish might end up winning today’s match.”

“Well, that’d be interesting in its own way. The odds are low, though,” she mumbled while picking up another slice of pizza.

***

When the match ended, Katherine’s eyes had widened to nearly double their usual size. She kept hitting Reload’s forearm with her fist as she stared at the arena.

“Hey... hey, hey, Reload. Did Jackal just lose?”

Rubbing his arm, Reload answered with a frown, “You can see for yourself. And it hurts. Please stop hitting me.”

Katherine tilted her head. “No, that doesn’t make sense...? Why would someone that skilled have been pretending to be a total noob all this time?”

“Didn’t you say that unexpected variables always pop up on the square battlefield? This must be one of them.”

“Yeah, but there’s a limit.

Damn

... Who could’ve predicted this kind of twist?”

“Well, that’s true.”

Indeed, the performance Banish showed today could be summed up in a single word. Crazy. That level of praise was by no means excessive. He had secured an easy victory over Jackal—the same Jackal who had completely overpowered Kane the Spirit Summoner.

“Well, in any case, it looks like Banish is your next opponent.”

“Right. I can’t wait to fight hi—

huh?

What’s he doing now?” Katherine asked curiously.

As Reload leaned forward to peer down at the arena, a Sword Wind launched by Banish flew straight toward their viewing box. Struck by the incoming sword wind, the tempered glass cracked with a chilling sound.

Enraged, Reload stood up with fire in his eyes. “What a crazy bastard. How dare he?!”

“Stop.”

Katherine’s icy voice froze him in place.

When he turned, she was slowly standing up, her lips stretching into a grin. “Why would you stop that? This is fun.”

“You find this fun?”

“Don’t you? He’s clearly provoking me right now.”

Regaining his composure thanks to Katherine, Reload tried to reason with her. “Master, there’s no need for you to fall for such a provocation. Someone like that should be reported to the arena for a penalty against the spirit of fair play...”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Can’t you see the people down there?” Katherine pointed toward the crowd-packed spectator stands. “I got challenged in front of all those kids, and you want me to tattle to the NPCs for a penalty?”

She let out a sharp laugh. “That’s bullshit. Our reputation as one of the world’s top eight guilds is already in the dirt. Sure, logically, what you said makes sense, but do you think other players would see it that way? I’d just become a joke. A coward.”

Katherine glared at Banish. “That bastard knows that, and he still provoked me. He’s a very smart bastard. Great.”

Banish was asking her if she would be able to run after this, throwing her honor into the dirt?

Of course, Katherine was not the kind of person who could tolerate that kind of insult. If she were the kind of person who could stay patient in a situation like this, the Limitless guild would have never claimed a spot among the world’s top eight guilds.

“The only cure for a mutt that doesn’t know its place is a beating.”

Bang!

Katherine’s kick forcefully struck the tempered glass. Already cracked by Kai’s Sword Wind, the glass shattered completely and fell.

“

Phew

.” Her blond hair fluttered wildly in the wind as she stood at the railing, leaning to one side. “Alright, I’ll accept it.”

Katherine looked down at Banish with a proud gaze, and then leapt straight into the arena.

***

Thud!

A massive roar, like a meteor crashing down, echoed through the arena.

Even to spectators, it was a frightening height to jump from. Even though this was a virtual reality game, it was a height that demanded nerves of steel to jump from.

Katherine, who had jumped from that height without a single safety aid, calmly dusted herself off and charismatically downed a potion. The potion was so expensive that just one bottle fully restored the health she had lost from the fall.

Her arrival caused a stir among the crowd.

“Th-the Champion.”

“The Undefeated Empress...”

“Katherine!”

At the same time, the Duel Arena attendants rushed onto the stage.

“Banish, an attack like that goes against the fair play policy of the arena—”

“Wait,” Katherine raised her hand as she approached and cut them off. “I’m fine. Let it go.”

“B-but...”

“What, you don’t want to?”

When she slightly furrowed her brows, the attendants flinched and shook their heads.

“That’s better. And I’m going to fight him, so get it ready.”

Her slender finger pointed straight at Kai.

The attendants immediately brightened, as if nothing had happened.

“Of course, we’ll prepare it. When would you like the match to be scheduled...?”

“Right now.”

“What?!”

The attendants broke out in cold sweat at the champion’s uncontrollable actions.

Just then, Radin stepped forward and said, “Katherine, surely a champion’s match ought to maintain some dignity. The arena needs repairs, and we must charge proper admission...”

“The arena doesn’t matter, and about the ticket money, let’s handle that now.”

With an expression that asked what the problem was, Katherine raised her voice. “I’m about to fight! Anyone who’s not gonna pay for a ticket, get out!”

At that, the crowd pulled out gold and threw popcorn in the air in excitement.

“I-I’ll buy one!”

“Take my money!”

“Are you kidding? Of course I’ll pay!”

“How much? I’ll buy all of them!”

Katherine glanced at the enthusiastic crowd and gave a simple nod. “Good now?”

“

Hm...

” With nothing left to say, Radin turned to Banish. “What about you, Banish? You just finished a match, so you must be tired. And the arena’s condition...”

Radin’s gaze was practically begging for time.

Man, I almost feel bad about this.

Kai felt sorry for the man looking at him like a savior, but he couldn’t grant that request. Apologies, but this time, he happened to agree with Katherine. After all, provoking her was exactly how he had set this situation up.

“I’m fine with it. I’m not about to back down when the Champion wants a match.”

“

Hah

, bold words for someone who started it,” Katherine scoffed and cracked her neck. “So? Want a break? I’d rather not hear you whining later to the press about how you weren’t in your best condition.”

“No, I don’t think I need a break for a kind of opponent like you... I’m fine.”

A provocation met with a bigger provocation.

At that, Katherine smiled with deadly intent and urged the staff, “Hey, staff. Still not done collecting the ticket money? I’m kind of in a rush here.”

“P-please wait just a moment.”

The staff moved through the stands, collecting the ticket fees one by one.

During the brief interval, Katherine looked at Kai and said, “Just fighting might be boring. Wanna make a bet?”

“A bet?”

“All the fight money goes to the winner. What do you think?”

Kai nodded without hesitation. “How much is it?”

“Attendant?” Katherine tilted her chin up with a raised tone.

Then an attendant approached and checked the paperwork. “

Uh...

Champion Katherine’s fight fee is 3,000 gold. Banish’s fee is 500 gold.”

“Oh my! That’s such a big difference. Well, I guess someone as popular as me should be the one to show some kindness.”

Katherine laughed behind an exaggerated hand gesture that covered her mouth. It was obvious just from the look in her eyes that she seemed to be saying that this was the difference between them.

3,000 gold is... about 300 million won?

Kai let out a faint laugh at her childish provocation and nodded.

Then I’ll accept.

He pulled out a pouch of gold from his inventory and handed it to the attendant.

“This money is...

huh?!

” Radin gasped and stopped breathing for a moment upon checking the amount.

Kai said as if it was nothing, “30,000 gold. Please place my bet.”

30,000 gold. An absurd amount that was equivalent to three billion won.

The sheer number made even Katherine’s eyelid twitch.

She shook her head and snapped, “B-bluff much? No one carries 30,000 gold in their inventory—”

“30,000 gold, confirmed. The bet is placed on Banish’s win.”

“—do... they?”

But once Radin officially verified it, Katherine had no choice but to believe it.

Trailing off, she soon raged again, “You’re seriously insane! You just threw 30,000 gold into the ground. Do you even know how much that is?!”

“Threw it into the ground...? I don’t think so.” Kai glanced at the betting odds displayed on the scoreboard and gave a quiet laugh. “Some people call this an investment.”

Banish 2.34x. Katherine 1.16x. If he won the match, that money would return as 7.02 billion won.

***

After quickly patching the cracked arena and collecting all ticket payments, the two stood atop the arena.

The Undefeated Empress, Katherine. Her presence when she stood in the arena was undeniably overwhelming.

Well, she is the twelfth highest-ranked player overall. Of course she’s strong.

But strength, as always, was relative. Even the second strongest player would pale in comparison before the number one.

“I’ll see for myself if you’re worthy of that pride.”

With a cold warning and sharp gaze, Katherine charged forward.

However, Kai calmly swung his sword, parrying her dagger. Sword parry, deflection, shoulder charge, hand-to-hand techniques, footwork. Every skill he had learned in the arena poured out at once.

“That’s my technique...”

“That punk. Using it without even asking.”

“Still... I feel kinda weird about it.”

The original creators of those techniques each muttered their thoughts as they watched. Banish was now using their skills to face the champion of the arena, and before they knew it, they found themselves cheering for him.

“Hey! You’re using it wrong! Swing harder!”

“

Ugh!

Hey, fight me again after this! I’ll teach you the whole thing from scratch!”

Their voices pierced through the noise of the crowd and reached Kai’s ears. And of course, they reached Katherine’s ears as well.

She wielded a single dagger, relentlessly pressuring Kai.

“Did you know?”

Katherine’s dagger scraped Kai’s blade like claws. Kai hurriedly tried to deflect it, but her outstanding dagger technique slipped through and pierced his heart.

[Your weak point has been attacked. You've received 24,110 damage.]

“

Kugh

.”

When Kai stepped back, Katherine gripped her dagger in a reverse grip with a proud expression. “All the owners of those techniques you're imitating, they all knelt before me.”

The techniques Kai was using now were all ones that Katherine had already conquered, and yet, he tried to surpass her using those same skills.

Kai shook his head. “I never even considered such a thought from the beginning.”

No matter how much he copied and mimicked others' techniques, they could never be his true strength.

What matters is trusting and perfecting my own technique. These others are just supplements.

That was why he had come to the arena in the first place. To erase his own scent. To confuse and disarm opponents, like the mistake Katherine was making now.

“Is that so? Then there's nothing more to see. I’ll finish this off.”

Katherine pushed into Kai’s guard like an agile cat.

Then in that moment, Kai’s sword began to move along the path most familiar to him.

Swordsmanship of the Dawn.

The first sword technique he ever learned, and the only one truly his. It was a friend-like technique he had used while leveling up hundreds of levels.

Banish’s swordsmanship, once rough like that of a beginner, transformed in an instant. What once resembled the path of a tractor now flowed sleek and clean like that of a sports car. The destructive power and speed of a true elite swordsmanship revealed itself in full, and the sharp fang he had never once used in the arena instantly sank into Katherine.