The Strongest in Our Neighborhood - Chapter 100

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Strongest One in Our Neighborhood (100)
“At last, I suppose I can venture outside without causing a stir!”
The moment the bruises and swelling faded from his face, Duke Fura Noid departed the Queen’s chambers to tour the Royal Palace.
“Grandfather, where are you going?”
Before he could take another step, the Queen hurried toward him.
“I’ve been cooped up in my room all day. I need some fresh air.”
“How are you feeling? You couldn’t attend the banquet yesterday, after all.”
“I’m fully recovered now.”
“Still, wouldn’t it be wise to rest until at least today?”
“Though I lost to Marquis Jang Gain yesterday, I’m not as weak as you seem to think. Don’t worry yourself.”
Duke Fura Noid pointed at his face with one finger to show how unblemished it now was, and the Queen’s eyes widened.
At breakfast, his face had still been bruised and swollen. Now there was no trace of it.
“Then allow me to accompany you. Where would you like to go?”
“It’s a palace the size of a pinhead—do you really think I’d lose my way?”
“Not at all. I simply wished to spend a little time with you.”
“The reason I don’t want you with me is that whenever you move, everyone attending you moves as well. How could I possibly relax and enjoy myself in such circumstances?”
“Oh, I see.”
“I just want to take a walk alone. See to your duties.”
“Of course.”
After dismissing the Queen, Duke Fura Noid extended his Qi Sense widely across the palace.
‘Where is Marquis Jang Gain?’
He sought the Marquis to uncover the secret of his strength.
If he could gain even one insight from meeting him, he would climb another rung of the ladder.
‘So many formidable fighters in this pinhead palace! Wait—who are those? What’s the meaning of such powerful auras gathered in one place?’
As Duke Fura Noid wandered the palace searching for Jang Gain, he sensed a concentration of extraordinary power and found himself drawn toward it as if bewitched.
‘That’s the Hunting Ground marker! The Hunting Ground is where the King hunts with the nobles—why would such masters gather there?’
Clang, clang-clang…….
As he ventured deeper into the Hunting Ground, toward the thickly wooded area, the sound of clashing weapons suddenly filled the air.
With such a loud noise, he should have heard it much earlier, but it began only after he passed through a certain point in the forest.
‘There’s a sound-dampening magical barrier concealing this area!’
After a few more steps, the clash of weapons ceased abruptly, and the eyes of all those crossing blades or watching from the sidelines fixed upon him.
“Ah, I see you’ve hidden an alarm spell as well. My apologies if I’ve interrupted your sparring!”
Duke Fura Noid felt slightly awkward under the collective gaze.
“Who might you be… Ah! You’re Duke Fura Noid of the Grand Junor Kingdom, aren’t you? But what brings you here?”
The man who had been sparring moments before recognized him, and Duke Fura Noid’s eyes widened.
“Ah! Captain Morona Valencia.”
“I’ve already relinquished that post.”
“Right, of course. I heard you resigned and became Marquis Jang Gain’s man after your defeat.”
“Did Her Majesty mention such things?”
“Hmm? Oh, well, did I broach a delicate subject?”
“Not at all. It’s hardly a secret. But what brings you here?”
“I sensed an extraordinary aura and formidable mana emanating from this place, so I came to investigate. But isn’t this the Royal Palace’s Hunting Ground?”
“It is, but since Marquis Jang Gain’s pet monster, the Sabel Tiger, has claimed this territory and refuses to budge, it devours nearly all the game we release here. As a result, no one else comes here anymore.”
“So you’ve converted it into your training grounds?”
“Yes.”
Growwwwwwwl…….
At that moment, a massive Sabel Tiger emerged from beneath the tree shade.
Upon seeing the Sabel Tiger, Duke Fura Noid’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“My word! I’d heard that Marquis Jang Gain had tamed a Giant Sabel Tiger, but I never imagined it could be so enormous! And the aura it radiates is no trivial matter. Any ordinary monster—or even a Demonic Beast or Magical Creature—would be outmatched.”
“It hunts Twin-Headed Ogres.”
“What! Twin-Headed Ogres? Surely that’s beyond even a creature this massive?”
“Marquis Jang Gain has given it combat training, so it defeats monsters that fight on pure instinct.”
“Combat training? The taming has developed to such a degree? A Giant Sabel Tiger?”
“Marquis Jang Gain is one who makes the impossible possible.”
“Is that so? By the way, before Marquis Jang Gain arrived, I understood that you, Morona, held the title of the kingdom’s finest swordsman. Who are these others radiating an aura equal to yours?”
“Everyone here, myself included, serves as Marquis Jang Gain’s retainer.”
“Retainers? High-ranking Mages, Spirit Masters, Expert-level knights of the highest caliber—all of them serve Marquis Jang Gain?”
“Yes.”
“Marquis Jang Gain alone is absurdly powerful, and his retainers are formidable as well!”
As Duke Fura Noid marveled at this revelation, Dimitrion Marshal stepped forward and interjected with careful subtlety.
“Duke Flura Noid. I am Dimitrion Marshal, the first knight to serve Duke Jang Gain, and I would like to request instruction from you.”
“The first knight—does that mean the strongest among Duke Jang Gain’s knights?”
“No, sir. It means I was the very first knight to pledge my service to Duke Jang Gain.”
“Ah, so you mean the first in order.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Hmm! Asking for instruction from me requires staking one’s life. Are you prepared for that?”
“How else could one improve without risking their life? I’m ready.”
“If you should die by my hand, Duke Jang Gain’s wrath might fall upon me. I have no intention of sparring with you while bearing such a risk.”
“Even if I were to die sparring with you, sir, my lord’s anger would not be directed at you.”
“How can you be certain of that?”
“My lord has always said that the sword shows no favoritism, and the responsibility for risking one’s life rests with oneself.”
“Even if he said that, there’s no guarantee Duke Jang Gain will let the matter rest.”
“Then, if I obtain my lord’s permission, will you spar with me?”
“If Duke Jang Gain tells me himself that he won’t seek revenge, I’ll spar with you.”
“Understood. I’ll speak to my lord about it.”
When Dimitrion Marshal made his request, the mage Aleingde Mir opened a Communication Gate and connected him with Jang Gain.
“Duke, this is Dimitrion.”
—Mm, Dimitrion. Looking at your surroundings, it seems you’re at the Hunting Ground near the palace. You’re close enough that it wouldn’t take five minutes to run there—why open a Communication Gate?
“I requested instruction from Duke Flura Noid, but he refused the match out of concern for your potential retaliation, so I contacted you.”
—Hmm! With your current strength, you’re no match for Duke Flura Noid. You could be gravely wounded, or if luck isn’t on your side, you could die.
“I’m aware of that. But when else would I have such an opportunity to cross blades with a Swordmaster? The Duke said he would spar with me if you would give your word that you won’t seek revenge, even if I die.”
—If you die, it’s all over—stop spouting nonsense! Don’t be reckless. Wait for me to arrive.
The sharp reproach that burst from Jang Gain’s voice startled Dimitrion Marshal.
“Sir? Haven’t you always said that knights grow through real combat where their lives are at stake?”
—That’s only when the gap in strength isn’t too great. Charging at Duke Flura Noid with your current ability would be suicide—like striking a rock with an egg. So wait for me to get there.
After Jang Gain’s sharp words, the connection cut off, and about three minutes later, he appeared riding a Chimera Wyvern.
* * *
“Has that old Duke lost his mind? I spared him for the Queen’s sake, and now he wants to kill my precious knight!”
As Jang Gain flew toward the Hunting Ground on the Chimera Wyvern he’d withdrawn from his Subspace, fury burned in his eyes.
By Zhongyuan standards, Duke Flura Noid was a master in the Peak Realm, while Dimitrion Marshal and the others were still first-rate masters who had not yet entered that Realm.
At such a gap in strength, a confrontation could only be one-sided—if luck held, injury; if not, death in a single stroke.
As he arrived at the Hunting Ground, he saw Sabel Tiger lounging on a large boulder with his belly exposed, yawning, while Dimitrion Marshal and Duke Flura Noid faced each other in the open space.
And standing some distance away were Leodosn Terra, Aleingde Mir, Morona Valencia, Eldom, and others.
“Thank goodness they haven’t started yet!”
Jang Gain inwardly released a breath of relief, then maneuvered the Chimera Wyvern to land on the ground.
Grrrrowwwwl…….
Sabel Tiger, who had shown extreme caution the first time Jang Gain rode the Chimera Wyvern, now glanced at it with lukewarm disinterest after seeing it a few times, his attention shifting elsewhere.
“Duke Jang Gain. You must be quite busy with wedding preparations…… yet you’ve hurried here for my sake.”
Duke Flura Noid was the first to smile awkwardly, and his retainers bowed in greeting.
Jang Gain placed the Chimera Wyvern into his Subspace and spoke to Duke Flura Noid.
“I heard that since yesterday you’ve been holed up in the Queen’s chambers, haven’t attended the feast, and haven’t stirred until today—what brings you to the Hunting Ground so suddenly?”
“After my injuries from yesterday had healed, I wanted to get some fresh air, so I came out. Then I sensed strong presences gathered here and decided to investigate.”
“Sigh! Dimitrion wants to test himself against you, but from what I can see, he’s still outmatched.”
“I see it too, but I can’t call it purely reckless, because I likely would have done the same in his position.”
“Testing yourself against a Swordmaster is rare indeed. But if we actually fought, the likelihood of death would be far too high. If I sense danger, I’ll intervene.”
“I know you’re a far greater Swordmaster than I am, but in a duel where life and death hang in the balance, would you have time to intervene?”
“I have High-grade Potions, and Aleingde’s Healing Restoration technique is first-rate, so there’s time to act unless his head is severed in one stroke.”
“And if his head is severed in one stroke?”
“Then there’s nothing to be done. When you spar with a Swordmaster, such things come with the territory.”
“I see. But doesn’t that leave me at a disadvantage? To be honest, I’m not particularly eager to spar with your knights.”
“You made me come in haste, and now you’re stepping back?”
“It just feels like I’d be the only one losing.”
“It sounds like you want something. Just tell me plainly what it is.”
“If I’m to spar with your knight, then you spar with me once more.”
For a moment, Jang Gain tilted his head in confusion.
“What? Didn’t we already prove the gap in our abilities beyond question?”
“I’m in the same position as Dimitrion. Will I ever get another chance to face a high-tier Swordmaster like you in my lifetime? Once I return to my homeland, I doubt I’ll ever see the like again, so I should seize this opportunity while I can.”
“Hmm! So the Duke likes a good match, does he? Very well. If you wish it, I’ll gladly oblige.”
At Jang Gain’s words, the veins at Duke Flura Noid’s temples rose visibly.
“I don’t like being hit—that’s not what I meant!”
“If I draw my sword instead of my fist, Your Grace, you’ll die. Surely taking a punch is the better option, wouldn’t you say?”
He faltered.
“Ah? Oh! I see, I see now. Taking a punch is indeed the better choice! Now I understand Marquis Gain’s true intention.”
“And another thing — even if it’s just my fist, a single misdirected blow could kill you. So wouldn’t Your Grace contact the King of Grand Junor and secure his oath that he’ll lodge no complaint should you happen to die from my punch? Only then can I strike with a clear conscience.”
“W-what? Must I actually contact His Majesty and obtain permission for such an insulting agreement?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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