Radiant Dragon’s Otherworldly Reincarnation

Chapter 118. If you were frustrated enough to cry, get stronger (2)

“Ha…. haha…”

A weak laugh escaped Alex's lips. After creating distance by swinging his sword with all his might, he caught his ragged breath and said.

“Are you toying with me?”

To Alex's question, the opponent calmly replied.

“No. How could I commit such a disrespectful act in a sacred duel?”

“Then what is this right now?”

“It is simply out of pity.”

“…What did you say?”

“In my eyes, you possess a great talent. A talent so excellent that it is a waste for you to be in a small, weak nation in the eastern part of the continent.”

“……”

“When one sees such a shining talent, is it not natural to want to polish and refine it?”

“…You? To me? Here?”

Garcia nodded his head and said.

“Even though we belong to different factions, if we are comrades who temper the same sword, and if one is a leader walking a more advanced path, is it not natural to bestow teachings upon those who remain behind?”

“……”

“There is no need to be ashamed. You have a sufficiently excellent talent. It is just that I am a little further ahead for now.”

“……”

“Those ahead pull up those behind, and they temper each other. In the end, has the sword not always developed by helping each other in this way?”

“……”

Alex looked at his opponent with a dumbfounded expression. The more he looked, the more this was… At first, what kind of novel mockery was this? Could this be the new provocation trending in the Empire these days? He had such thoughts. But looking into those clear eyes, he knew.

‘Wow, this bastard is serious.’

The opponent was serious. He was genuinely trying to bestow teachings upon him right now by matching his level. As if it were his natural duty. Garcia gave Alex a warm smile and said.

“There is no need to thank me. It is only natural…”

“Hey.”

For the first time, Alex cut Garcia off. As if he could not bear to listen to that bullshit any longer.

“What is it?”

“Regarding your t·e·a·c·h·i·n·g·s, I have a way I'd like to repay you.”

“And what is that?”

Alex stabbed his sword into the ground, then brought his left hand to the inside of his right elbow. Simultaneously, his other right arm rose with the back of the hand facing up, and in that state, he raised only his middle finger straight up. And the one thing he said was…

“You're a real piece of work, you know that? You X-ing bastard.”

“……”

Ah, what a regrettable tragedy. The excellent young man who was once seen as a model student of the Knight Faculty at the Atronia Kingdom Academy had so excellently become corrupted. To do such a thing on this glorious stage, and in a match that the entire continent was watching? Everyone watching stood with their mouths agape.

“Keee… He's all grown up. All grown up.”

Though there was one demon who was feeling proud. Perhaps this is why one must choose their company carefully.

“Ahem… Ahem…”

Garcia was extremely flustered. Rather than being angry, he was genuinely bewildered. It was the first time he had experienced something like this in his life, so he didn't know how to respond. The Sword Saint's grandson.

The heir to an Imperial Dukedom. A genius who had grown up receiving expectations from everyone since he was a child. When and where had such a man ever received such treatment? To Garcia, who was conflicted on how to respond, Alex said as if spitting out the words.

“Go on, keep teaching me!”

And Alex, running forward. Garcia calmly took his stance. He didn't know why his opponent was angry, but first, he had to focus on the match…

“Huh?”

At that moment, Garcia was startled. Because his opponent had done something that defied common sense.

“Take this!”

Alex threw the kite shield he was holding in one hand.

“Tsk.”

Seeing the spinning shield flying towards him, Garcia clicked his tongue. And he swung his bastard sword, batting the shield away.

“Such a crude… Hmm!”

“Shut up!”

Another one came flying. This time, it was the sword.

‘This is absurd…’

He had thrown the shield to draw attention and then thrown his sword. In terms of catching the opponent off guard, one could expect a certain probability of success, but it was still too unconventional.

“It's useless.”

Garcia calmly swung his sword and batted away the flying sword as well. Now that the opponent had lost all his weapons, he was neutralized…

“Haaaaap!”

“Hmm?”

This time, he was truly surprised. Alex, who had become empty-handed after throwing his sword and shield, had closed the distance and was throwing a punch.

Whooosh!

He moved his head to dodge the attack, but the fist that passed by his face was quite heavy.

“Tch, he dodged this too…”

“Do you know how to fight with your fists as well?”

“I told you to shut up!”

Alex continued his attack. Alex, who had thrown away all his weapons and charged in with his bare hands, extended his hands with all his might. And Garcia realized.

‘Ah… he doesn't know anything at all.’

The opponent didn't know how to fight with his fists. He was just throwing ordinary punches; there was no system to his movements. This was just a desperate struggle.

To put it in the best possible light, it was just random punching. It was not an act befitting a talent representing a nation on the glorious stage of Arcana.

‘Isn't this too unsightly?’

Garcia first dodged Alex's attacks and said.

“Calm down. Consider the honor of a knight… Hmm?”

“Didn't I tell you to shut up?”

When was it? Alex's hands had grabbed Garcia's shoulders. It was a movement so far from the standard that he hadn't noticed at all. And Alex's waist bent back with all its might, and then he moved forward to attempt a headbutt.

Peeeeeeok!

“Keuk…”

It was a decisive blow. But…

“I suppose I can't play along any longer.”

Unfortunately, his opponent was too much of a monster. Garcia raised his bastard sword and blocked Alex's headbutt with the hilt. To Alex, who was bleeding and retreating, Garcia said in a scolding tone.

“You have great talent, but you still lack mental discipline. If you do not temper yourself more…”

“What are you on about? You annoying bastard…”

“…There's no talking to you.”

Garcia shook his head as if he didn't want to exchange any more words with Alex. Then, his sword rose above his head.

“I will end this with this.”

And the falling bastard sword. The distinct white aura gathered on it fell right in front of Alex.

BOOOOOOOM!!

In an instant, the white aura fell onto the massive arena, displaying enormous destructive power. Alex didn't take the destructive force directly, but just being caught in the aftermath sent him flying backward.

* * *

“Oh…”

“What tremendous power.”

“He didn't kill him, did he?”

The audience stirred. At first, they had wondered what was going on, but from the middle, they had realized. Garcia was just matching his opponent's level. And Garcia's skill, revealed anew, was as expected. His opponent was also a strong warrior who had made it to the second round of Arcana, yet he was so overwhelmingly dominant.

“Indeed, that is Garcia Reynardo.”

Antorius also nodded his head after confirming his rival's skill. He hadn't recognized it at first, but with that level of skill, he was worthy of being acknowledged as his rival.

“I look forward to fighting him in person.”

* * *

“Keuuuk…”

Alex, who had been sent flying, tried to force himself up. But it was no use.

“Garcia Reynardo wins!”

After all, the place he was in was out of bounds. Hearing the referee's declaration, the strength drained from his body, and Alex let out a sigh.

“This is it.”

After retrieving his weapons that he had thrown far away, Alex returned, and his colleagues said to him.

“You did well, Alex.”

“That's right. You did your best.”

“It was excellent.”

In addition to their consolation, Professor Leyte also nodded and said.

“The draw was not in your favor, but reaching the second round of Arcana is a sufficiently excellent result. Let's go back with our heads held high.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Yes. He had done as much as he could. From the moment he knew his opponent was the Sword Saint's grandson, he knew he had no chance of winning. Still, hadn't he done as much as he could? For the first time in his life, he had also gone on a rampage to his heart's content. Yes. He had done as much as he could.

“I'm going to rest a bit.”

Alex said so and was about to leave the waiting room. He wanted to be alone for a while. But as Alex was about to leave, Patrick stood in front of him with a cold expression. Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, Patrick stared at Alex.

“Why?”

“What?”

“…Didn't you have something to say?”

“Me? Or you, Senior?”

Alex bit his lower lip hard. He was a guy he really couldn't understand, but for him to be like this even at a time like this…

“Forget it.”

Alex just tried to pass by and leave. And when he was halfway past, Patrick's voice came from behind him.

“Pathetic bastard…”

“……”

“If you were frustrated enough to cry, get stronger.”

“I will, even if you don't tell me!”

Having shouted with all his might, Alex left the waiting room. After Alex left, Kalin said to Patrick.

“Will senior be okay?”

“About what?”

“No, just… It seems like he was greatly disappointed.”

At Kalin's concern, Patrick let out a smirk.

“He'd be disappointed. He fought with all his might and couldn't even touch a single hair on his head.”

“No, that’s…”

“He wasn't even acknowledged as an enemy. He was completely looked down upon and toyed with. If you're not frustrated by that, you don't deserve to hold a sword.”

“……”

“He must feel ashamed. He must feel humiliated. If it were me, I'd stick my nose in dishwater and die.”

Just where was the deep bottom of this bastard's personality? As Kalin looked on with a bitter expression, Gerard said from the side.

“But it was an opponent he was bound to lose to, wasn't it?”

“Tsk tsk tsk, you pathetic senior.”

Patrick clicked his tongue and said.

“Shall I teach you something very, very good? Specially, and for free?”

“…What is it?”

“In this world, there's no such thing as an opponent you're bound to lose to.”

“……”

Patrick's sharp gaze pierced through his colleagues. As if to say, never forget what I'm about to tell you.

“The existence of strength and weakness in martial power is ultimately just a process of discussing the chances of winning. It never, by itself, leads to the result.”

“……”

“In a real fight, no matter how strong the enemy is, you must find the slightest chance of winning and do your best to win.”

“Mmm…”

There was nothing to say. It was rare, but sometimes, Patrick would say things that were like truths that could never be refuted.

A truth that anyone who lived by the sword should naturally keep in mind.

A truth that they knew but had become so worn down over time that it had been eroded and disappeared, he voiced so clearly. Patrick continued to speak.

“To do your best even if you lose? That's bullshit. A bastard who fights with defeat in mind dares to speak of doing his best? A bastard like that deserves to be beaten to death.”

“……”

“What Senior Alex showed in the match might have been an unsightly rampage. He might be ridiculed by others. But senior did the best he could.”

And Patrick smirked, looked at his other colleagues, and said.

“It seems that to you seniors, it looked unsightly and pitiful…”

“When did I? When did I say that?”

“Where are you getting that nonsense?”

“I didn't say that.”

Seeing his colleagues flaring up in protest, Patrick chuckled and said.

“Alright. Then just watch.”

“……”

“Watch and see what kind of flower a man named Alex Rowensky will make bloom from the manure of that shame and humiliation.”

“……”

“If you watch, you'll know.”

Seeing this, his colleagues lost their words and shut their mouths. A firm belief and trust. Perhaps Patrick had cared for Alex far more than they had, with their glib words of comfort.