110- Arthur vs Dominic [4]
Volume 03, Chapter 110
Arthur vs Dominic [4]
"So that's why…" Uther mutters under his breath, watching from the viewing platform as Arthur's voice cracks with raw emotion below.
That's why he wants to become a Stargate Raider.
The realization hits Uther harder than any blow ever could.
For so many years, he has compared his son to Dominic.
In every academic competition, every club ranking, every tournament, he has measured Arthur's worth against Dominic's achievements.
And every time Arthur came second, Uther's disappointment grew heavier.
Even though Dominic was Manaless, even though he was the heir of the poorest territory in the Golden Fields Region, he always stood taller.
Arthur, in contrast, was born into privilege. He inherited a rare and powerful magic attribute—Light. He had resources, mentors, opportunity.
Yet no matter how much he was given, Dominic always seemed to shine brighter.
Uther watched it unfold.
And instead of understanding, instead of nurturing—he compared.
He told himself it was to motivate Arthur. To push him. To inspire ambition.
But now—
Hearing Arthur's voice break apart, seeing the pain he tries so hard to bury—it all comes crashing down.
He remembers six years ago.
The day Arthur came to him.
The boy who once loved building Magi-Tech, who spent afternoons tinkering with circuits and designing Aether constructs, suddenly asked to be trained as a Stargate Raider.
The request stunned him.
Arthur had never shown interest in physical combat. He was a scholar. A strategist. A child of the mind.
At the time, Uther did not question it too deeply. He thought—perhaps—Arthur had found new inspiration. Perhaps he wanted to inherit Les Arcanes Éternels after all.
Uther had not pushed. Had not dug deeper.
Because deep down, he had wanted to believe it.
He didn't question it because he wanted to see Arthur succeed at something. Anything. Even if the reason behind it was born from pain, not passion.
Now…
Now he understands.
Arthur has not been chasing a dream.
He has been running away.
Running from Dominic. From the comparisons. From the expectations. From a life where no matter how hard he tries, he always comes second.
Uther clenches his fists, nails digging into his palms.
He thinks about all the times he praised Dominic's name in Arthur's presence. All the times he smiled a little too brightly at another boy's victories while Arthur stood quietly beside him, swallowing his hurt.
And now… he sits here, watching his son bleed emotions he has buried for years—all because Uther never truly saw him.
He never considered how deeply it might have wounded him.
Never saw the boy who fought silently for approval.
Only the results.
Only Dominic's name at the top.
Only Arthur's just below it.
His hands tremble as he presses them against his forehead, elbows resting heavily on his knees.
"I'm a horrible father..." he whispers hoarsely.
The words feel foreign on his tongue. Heavy. True.
He squeezes his eyes shut.
"I'm sorry, Igraine…" The name breaks him a little more. "I'm sorry I failed you... And I'm sorry I failed him."
He lost her.
And now, if he isn't careful, he will lose Arthur too.
"Oh, would you look at that. Seems like Cla— I mean, Dominic is now a Manaficial."
Uther jolts. He turns sharply to his side, where a familiar, all-too-casual voice floats in.
There, leaning casually against the marble balustrade with his arms crossed and an amused smile on his lips, is Maurice Réel.
'When did he get here?! And more importantly—what is he doing here?!'
"Maurice..." Uther's voice returns to a stern, cold tone, masking his surprise. "What are you doing here?"
Maurice grins and waves his hand as if greeting an old drinking buddy. "Come on, Uther. Long time no see, huh?"
"You didn't answer my question," Uther says with a heavy sigh.
Maurice chuckles, unfazed by the cold reception. "It's simple. I'm here to check on my pupil." He nods toward Dominic with an exaggerated flourish. "And from the looks of it, he's doing just fine!"
Uther's brows knit slightly. "Pupil?" he repeats. "Dominic is... your pupil?"
"Yup!" Maurice beams.
Uther blinks, caught off guard. "So... André didn't train him?"
Maurice shrugs nonchalantly. "It's a long story. Let's just say things happened."
He turns back to the arena, eyes glittering with genuine interest. "Still, the kid's progressing fast. You can see it, can't you? How naturally he shapes his spells? Every move, every reaction—it's instinctual now."
Uther follows his gaze silently, watching the duel unfold below.
"Say," Uther says after a moment, "who do you think will win?"
Maurice turns, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Isn't it obvious?" he says, flashing a peace sign. "My pupil, obviously!"
Uther sighs deeply. 'Hard to believe this buffoon is one of the few [SS]-Ranked Magicians in all of Sylvestria.'
Maurice's unpredictability is infamous—a man-child on the outside, a dangerous genius beneath.
"By the way," Maurice adds, tilting his head, "that sword Arthur's using... It wasn't from the Lyon treasury vault, was it?"
Uther glances at Arthur's blade. "No. Arthur told me he bought it from Galerie des Trésors."
Maurice strokes his chin, studying the weapon with a newfound seriousness.
"Interesting... That sword isn't just enchanted with light magic. It's sentient. And a weapon like that—" Maurice's tone drops into something darker, sharper. "—only exists if…"
Uther's gaze sharpens instantly. 'Just like that, the playful mask is gone. Typical Maurice. Showmen truly are the most dangerous kind,' he thinks.
Maurice flicks his fingers casually and grins. "—I have no idea!"
Uther's eye twitches violently. 'Why did I even ask?'
════ ⋆★⋆ ════
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"Flash of Merlin!" Arthur's voice rings out like a shot.
A brilliant streak of light explodes across the arena.
But this time, instead of charging straight at Dominic, Arthur zips to the side, his form becoming a blur of golden light as he darts around Dominic in tight, rapid circles.
It is like being trapped in a cage of light.
'Too fast…!' Dominic's eyes whip around, trying to track him. 'I have to fly!'
—Fwoosh!
Dominic flaps his wings, propelling himself upward—but in the very next instant—
Arthur appears directly in front of him, sword gleaming, thrust aimed straight at his chest.
Dominic tries to twist his body away, but the sword is too fast.
—Schlick!
"Ghh—!" Dominic gasps.
The blade sinks deep into his right shoulder. Blood splatters onto the sand.
"Hah!!" Arthur roars, shoving Dominic backward.
They both crash to the ground, Arthur on top, driving the sword deeper, pinning Dominic down.
Dominic grits his teeth, trying to raise his other hand to cast Dark Beam—
—but Arthur stomps hard on his arm, pinning it painfully against the ground.
"Damn it…!" Arthur yells, eyes wild. "Just stay still, Doms!!"
Dominic winces, pain flashing across his face. 'He's… completely lost in it. Completely out of control!'
Arthur is no longer fighting to win.
He is fighting to scream.
Drawing on every ounce of strength he has left, Dominic throws his body sideways with a surge of shadow-fueled force.
Arthur, caught off guard, is hurled to the side.
They both roll and scramble back to their feet, breathing heavily.
Dominic staggers up, one hand clutching his bleeding shoulder. The shadows still cling to his frame, but they are beginning to flicker.
They stand there, bloodied, exhausted, drenched in sweat.
Their chests rise and fall heavily, their bodies trembling from exertion.
"Hah… hah… hah…"
"Hah… hah… hah…"
And then—
"Doms… why are we still friends?" Arthur says, his voice echoing across the arena.
Dominic freezes.
For a moment, he forgets the duel—and the pain in his shoulder.
He looks at Arthur, not as an opponent but as a wounded friend.
Dominic lowers his gaze. 'Even though this is a duel… I want to comfort him. Even though… I'm not really Dominic.'
New Quest! |
Comfort Arthur! Reward: Shop Feature + 50 Stat Points |
Dominic blinks at the System notification. 'What perfect timing,' he thinks grimly.
But before he can speak—
"Flash of Merlin!"
Arthur surges forward in a burst of light.
Dominic instinctively launches himself upward, wings flapping hard.
—Fwoosh!
Arthur's blade carves through the air where Dominic had been an instant before.
On the ground below, Arthur snarls, looking up at him. "Fight me, Doms! I don't want to live in your shadow anymore!" He points his sword skyward. "Avalon Blast!"
Ten light orbs materialize, surrounding Arthur like a constellation, and then fire all at once.
Dominic swerves to the side, trying to avoid the deadly barrage—
But he feels it.
The beams twist mid-flight, tracking him like heat-seeking missiles.
'They're faster than before!'
He has no choice.
"Umbra Dome!"
A dark sphere envelops him just as the beams strike—
—BOOM!
The sky explodes into smoke and sound.
But through the smoke, a dark sphere shoots out, spinning through the air.
Inside, Dominic grits his teeth. 'Maintaining flight while sustaining a full defensive spell... this is harder than I thought.'
Warning! |
Mana: 102 / 700 |
'Damn it… I'm almost dry.' Dominic glances down at Arthur, who stands below, glaring up at him with a mix of anger and heartbreak.
'He's still hurting…' Dominic's mind races as he recalls Arthur's words. 'Dominic followed Arthur everywhere… kept outshining him… but why? If Dominic was praised so much, if he was winning so many awards, why… was he bullied?'
Dominic's eyes widen as realization strikes him like lightning. 'It wasn't about pride. It was about protection. Dominic followed Arthur because, when he was alone, he was vulnerable. He needed Arthur to feel safe.'
Dominic's heart pounds. 'Arthur never knew… he thought it was rivalry. But to Dominic… Arthur was his only shield.'
He clenches his fists. 'Then I'll tell him. I'll tell him what Dominic never could.'
Before he can act—
—BLING!
A massive surge of Mana erupts around him.
—CRACK!
The dark dome shatters, and a colossal beam of light tears through the air.
Dominic barely manages to swerve southeast, flying out of the dome's ruins.
But this time, he does not retreat.
Instead of flying away, he dives straight toward Arthur.
His heart is pounding. 'I'll tell you, Arthur. Even if I'm not truly him… I'll tell you what Dominic wanted to say.'
Mana: 89 / 700 |
Dominic grits his teeth. 'I need to deactivate one of my spells!'
"Deactivate, Shadow's Embrace!" Dominic shouts.
The swirling shadows coating his body peel away, dissolving into mist, leaving only the flapping, crow-like wings of Umbra Wings.
Arthur sees him descending fast, straight toward him.
Arthur's expression darkens. He grips his sword with both hands, pouring Mana into it.
The blade's light grows brighter.
—SZZZTT!
The sword begins to tremble violently in his grasp.
Dominic can feel the sheer pressure radiating from it, even from above.
Mana: 67 / 700 |
Dominic grunts, reaching a hand toward him. "Arthur!"
Arthur grits his teeth, his knuckles turning white around the hilt. "I won't be overshadowed by you again, Doms!!"
The sword's trembling intensifies, ready to unleash a devastating spell.
"HAAAH!" Arthur roars, swinging the sword in a wide upward arc.
—BLING!
A massive light beam erupts—one that could rival the size of a skyscraper.
Dominic grits his teeth. He sees it barreling toward him. "Deactivate Umbra Wings!"
The dark wings disperse into smoke.
Now, he is falling.
Plummeting toward Arthur on pure momentum alone.
He gathers the last vestiges of Mana around his body, forming a crude, incomplete shield—not a spell, just raw energy to protect himself.
'Shielded Aura, activate!' Dominic roars in his mind.
Shielded Aura activated! |
A faint violet glow bursts around his body, wrapping him in a thin but resilient layer of energy.
It is not magic. It does not drain his remaining Mana. It is a pure defensive skill—designed to survive situations exactly like this.
Combining the last flickers of his mana reserves and the innate toughness of the skill, he braces himself against the oncoming beam of light, hoping—praying—that it will be enough to endure and push through.
—BLING!
"AHHHHHHHHH!" Dominic screams, pouring all his will into pushing forward.
For an instant, it looks as though he has been swallowed whole by the blinding light—
—but then—
—FWOOSH!
Dominic bursts through the center of the beam, still hurtling straight toward Arthur, his body smoking, covered in burns, but eyes locked forward.
Arthur barely has time to raise his sword again—
—but before he can swing, Dominic reaches him.
Instead of attacking, Dominic throws his arms around Arthur, pulling him into a desperate, trembling hug.
Arthur freezes.
His sword halts mid-swing. The blade quivers in the air, its light dimming.
The arena falls into a sudden, deafening silence.
"…What are you—?" Arthur stammers, his voice cracking.
Dominic clutches him tighter, even as burns and smoke cling to his skin.
"Arthur…" Dominic chokes out, his voice trembling. "You're amazing, you know that? I think… deep down, that's why I kept following you everywhere."
Arthur stiffens.
"I never wanted to outshine you," Dominic continues, tears gathering in his eyes. "I was scared. Alone. When people bullied me for being Manaless, when no one else wanted me around… You were the only one who made me feel safe."
Arthur's breath catches in his throat.
"I never followed you to compete," Dominic whispers. "I followed you because… I needed you."
Dominic pulls back slightly to look Arthur in the eyes, tears streaking down his face.
"I crossed so many lines without realizing it. I never thought about how you felt… how heavy it must have been for you." His hands tremble as they grip Arthur's arms. "I'm sorry, Arthur. I'm so, so sorry."
Dominic's voice finally breaks. "You're the coolest person I know. You worked harder than anyone. You're someone who could lead a nation if you wanted to. You've always been my hero."
He smiles through his tears—raw, unguarded. "Thank you… for everything."
Dominic's mind blurs—are these his feelings, or the remnants of the original Dominic's heart?
He does not know. All he knows is that it feels right.
Arthur stands frozen, his mind a storm of memory and guilt. He remembers everything—every chess match, every club they joined, every laugh, every disappointment he swallowed alone.
All this time, he thought Dominic overshadowed him on purpose.
But now he realizes—Dominic wasn't chasing a spotlight.
He was chasing him.
Arthur's hands tremble.
"…Doms…" Arthur's voice cracks into a whisper. His sword clatters to the ground.
He grabs Dominic back, tight, desperate.
"I'm so sorry," Arthur chokes, tears spilling freely down his cheeks. "I'm sorry I blamed you. I was stupid and jealous… and blind."
His body shakes with emotion. "You were always by my side… and I never even saw it."
Dominic smiles through the tears, his heart pounding.
Arthur's arms tighten around him. "You're my best friend, Doms," Arthur whispers, brokenly. "You always were."
Dominic closes his eyes, feeling the warmth of Arthur's embrace. 'Even if I'm not truly him… At least, right now… I'm exactly who Arthur needs me to be.'
Quest Completed! |
You have comforted Arthur! Reward: +50 Stat Points A Shop Feature is now available. Would you like to update the System right now? [Yes / No] |
The familiar mechanical voice of the System echoes faintly in Dominic's mind.
He blinks his heavy eyes open, barely registering the glowing notification hovering in front of him.
His body trembles uncontrollably. His breath comes in shallow gasps.
'No... wait… even though I comforted Arthur… I still need to finish this duel.' He grits his teeth, forcing himself to focus.
Pain sears through his battered muscles, but he gathers the last remnants of Mana into his left hand.
A thin, unstable layer of purple Mana flickers weakly around his fingers.
Dominic slowly, agonizingly, raises his left hand. 'One strike… just one tap… behind the neck.'
He aims for the base of Arthur's nape—the spot that could knock him unconscious without causing serious harm.
His hand trembles violently, but he forces it forward.
He tries to strike Arthur's neck—
—but Arthur catches his wrist with his right hand.
"Ngghh…" Dominic groans, straining, his entire body screaming in exhaustion.
Their arms tremble against each other, locked in a silent struggle.
Dominic tries to push.
Arthur's hand tightens around his wrist—not in anger or aggression, but almost… gently.
Dominic's body quivers.
His heart hammers against his ribs.
But his vision blurs.
The world around him spins dizzily.
The vibrant colors of the arena fade into a smear of gray.
'No… I can't… not yet… I—'
Then—
—darkness.
Dominic's body goes limp.
His legs buckle.
And his vision collapses into black.