The Second Strongest Has Returned

Chapter 67

Senate

A fierce battle continued on the snowy field.

With a loud whoosh, a fist was thrust forward. Even though Leo managed to dodge, his body trembled. The wind pressure from the punch, which should have felt insignificant compared to his fear, pushed his body back.

He couldn’t afford to allow even a single hit. Considering Alfred’s personality, he wouldn’t kill him, but given his skill, Alfred could easily subdue him without resorting to lethal force.

[“Just throw out some jokes or something. What’s the point of your Joke Assassination Technique?”]

<“Even if I wanted to use it, I can’t.”>

Aura surrounded Alfred’s ear, specifically around the eardrum. It was likely that, whether Leo joked or provoked, Alfred wouldn’t hear it properly.

[“Why are you seriously trying to block him?”]

That’s what I’m saying.

“The shape of your sword has changed. I’m pleased to see you’ve grown as well.”

Alfred’s gentle tone continued, and had he not been throwing a low kick at the same time, Leo might have responded with a smile to what was actually a compliment.

‘…Then I have no choice but to gamble…’

Leo extended his sword to its maximum length and deliberately curved it, lashing out with an attack similar to a whip. At the same time, he unleashed a barrage of high-powered magic.

“Quite flashy. Did you learn that at the Magic Tower?”

Rather than landing a solid hit, the attack was more of a threat to create distance. In reality, it did make Alfred step back.

“…It’s still incomplete, but…”

He had no choice but to use the power of the ‘Black Stone,’ which had grown.

The sword, which had been made of black stone, transformed fluidly like a liquid, wrapping around his arm like a tentacle. A glove, a cross between leather and iron gauntlet, formed around Leo’s hand.

“Oh ho, so you plan to settle this with hand-to-hand combat…!”

Boom!!

The impact of the gauntlet striking the ground was so powerful that it felt almost like a surprise attack, even though it had been delivered head-on.

[“…Are you really using that now?”]

<“If I want to land a hit, this is the only way.”>

The enhanced ability of the Black Stone was a connection and fusion with the body. Perhaps because it had been growing by feeding on his mana, it was now deemed safe to connect part of the Black Stone to his body.

This was the new technique he had developed.

《Black Stone – Red Line [5%]》

The Red Line was a high-risk, high-reward technique that involved connecting the Black Stone to the body. Because of the danger, his body could only handle up to 5% for now.

[“Using such a dangerous, incomplete technique…”]

Just like the bright red line glowing on the surface of the glove, Leo’s own hand was also on the verge of having its blood vessels burst.

This was because each blood vessel was being pressurized, causing a doping effect that pushed both his usual aura and physical limits to the max.

[“You’re using it just for that…”]

It was a pitiful, yet understandable strategy.

[“But it’s still too much for that old man. The levels are just too different.”]

That was the truth. With martial arts rather than swordsmanship, he had no chance of defeating Alfred. The proof was that even though Leo was pushing forward with his attacks, he still couldn’t even graze Alfred.

Alfred would adapt to Leo’s doped-up speed and immediately strike his chin, causing him to faint.

<“Exactly.”>

A vibration was felt. It was a tremor that couldn’t be attributed to the ongoing fierce battle.

<“Yes, with martial arts, that’s the case.”>

However, in chaotic situations, Leo held the advantage—whether it was before his regression or now.

“…This vibration…”

Alfred enhanced his senses with the aura that was blocking his ears.

“Alfred, you are indeed strong. It’s obvious that I would lose in hand-to-hand combat.”

As he turned his head toward the source of the sound, he saw a wave of snow cascading down the mountainside.

“But conversely, it means that you, Alfred, also know that.”

Thus, Alfred would focus on subduing him. He wouldn’t be able to hear the sound of the avalanche through the aura blocking his ears, and the small tremors it caused would be masked by the impact of the ongoing fight.

“The magic I cast earlier was just the prelude to this.”

The spells earlier were the groundwork to transform the terrain into one suitable for triggering an avalanche—a strategy possible only because Leo had known the terrain in advance thanks to his regression.

“Impressive. I almost want to fall for it.”

Alfred clenched his fist and threw a punch towards the avalanche. The fact that he could carve out the snow wave with his bare hands was a reminder of just how formidable an opponent he was facing.

“Now then, Leo…!”

But this too was something Leo had anticipated. He was already swinging his fist towards Alfred’s face.

Thwack!

The punch connected with Alfred’s face. As their arms crossed, both of their fists struck, colliding with each other’s faces.

“Kraaak…!”

Despite the surprise attack, Leo was thrown back by Alfred’s counterpunch. Had Alfred not been distracted by the avalanche, Leo’s chin might have been shattered, knocking him out cold.

But perhaps thanks to that resolve, he was handsomely rewarded for his efforts.

“You managed to land a hit, didn’t you?”

Alfred smiled as he touched his reddened cheek. Despite the punch, it hadn’t broken, nor did it bruise—it was merely slightly flushed.

“Yes, you did land a hit.”

With a kind smile, Alfred extended his hand to Leo.

“You’ve won, Leonardo.”

Leo grasped Alfred’s hand and stood up. Though his body trembled slightly from the impact, it wasn’t unbearable.

“I apologize for this. Even though I’m a butler now, the Senate sometimes orders me to test people in this manner.”

“No, it’s fine.”

Leo brushed the snow off his clothes and grinned.

“A butler is a knight who protects the house, isn’t he?”

For the record, this wasn’t a joke.

But why, then, did that old man burst into laughter and collapse?

The elders of the Senate, who were watching through the communication device, also couldn’t figure out why Alfred had burst into laughter and collapsed.

The legend of the Joke Assassin continued (even if unwanted).

* * *

Alfred used a return scroll to go back first. As a parting gesture, he wished Leo good luck and promised to keep the secret.

Had Leo not quickly stopped his laughter with an electric shock, Alfred would likely have passed out from lack of oxygen, but since it was all over, Leo didn’t dwell on it.

“Well then, let’s see…”

Leo focused his eyesight in the blizzard on the snowy field. Through the veil of snow, he could faintly make out a gray building—undoubtedly the destination he needed to head toward.

[“The Hero’s family has really lost its mind. Back in my day, there wasn’t even a Senate, let alone a mansion like that.”]

In fact, Leo could understand the Sage’s words. The current Hero’s family had likely deviated drastically from the original hero, Ruben Reinhardt, especially in a negative way.

The achievements that the Hero had established had now merely become tools to maintain authority, and the world the Hero had saved had decayed even further since then.

[“This is why I never had children. You know, kids only cause trouble, and any filial piety is about as rare as fire in a snowstorm.”]

If he had at least been in a relationship before making such remarks, Leo might have nodded in agreement. But knowing the Sage’s long history of being a solitary bachelor, he couldn’t even muster a polite reply.

[“Shut up, you fool.”]

<“Yes.”>

By now, it was no surprise that the Sage could read Leo’s thoughts.

<“Honestly, I’d prefer to just fly there…”>

Having walked through the snowy field for several hours, Leo grumbled a bit about his suffering. Normally, he wouldn’t have complained, but the exhaustion from his battle with Alfred was enough to wear down even his robust stamina.

[“Don’t even think about it. If you touch the barrier, you’ll pass out instantly.”]

<“I know. I’ve been here often enough not to forget.”>

As the fact that the barrier prevented flight indicated, even reaching the Senate was part of the test.

Walking silently through the blizzard without a proper vehicle drained his stamina,

“Grrrrr…!”

And dealing with the starving beasts in that bitter cold was a struggle Leo had faced even before his regression, despite not having fought Alfred back then.

“Grrrr…!”

But now, they were just lunch for Leo.

[“Do you actually enjoy eating wolf meat? I found it too gamey to stomach.”]

Chewing on roughly sliced wolf meat after skinning it, Leo replied.

<“Compared to the flesh and hide of monsters, it’s not bad, and it’s pretty nutritious too. If you cook it well enough, it’s actually quite edible.”>

Having left his family and spent several years traveling, Leo had endured all sorts of hardships.

Finding it difficult to eat meat with just a little gamey smell was not only cute but an entirely foreign concept to him.

[“You’re the type who could settle down and start a whole new life even if you were stranded on a deserted island with nothing.”]

<“I actually lived on one for three months. It was more disappointing to be rescued.”>

He had even chopped down trees and built a house—leaving it behind was what really felt like a waste. The furniture he made was quite functional too.

[“Why does that actually sound true?”]

While they chatted, the meat beside the magically lit campfire finished cooking. Leo devoured the wolf roasts and set off on his journey once again.

Before long, the massive gray fortress hidden within the snowy mist came into view.

It wasn’t just a castle; it was a fortress prepared for fierce battles.

“We’ve arrived.”

That fortress was the Reinhardt Senate Hall.

* * *

From the beginning, the elders of the Senate harbored no goodwill toward Leonardo. To them, Leonardo was nothing more than an impudent child who didn’t know his place.

That’s why they had tried to intimidate him using Alfred.

The plan was to put him in his place, gain the upper hand during the hearing, and make him realize that he wasn’t as exceptional within the Reinhardt family as he thought.

Childish as it was, the trials they imposed were anything but trivial. Sometimes, submission through physical power worked better than wisdom born of experience.

“…How… how is that possible?”

Their expectations and assumptions were buried beneath the avalanche.

“Even if one claims he’s aged, Alfred was still once a knight of Reinhardt…”

Now, as they watched the scene unfold, they were experiencing a cognitive dissonance.

They could tell that Alfred hadn’t held back his attacks—he had struck without mercy or consideration. Their skills were sharp enough to notice that much.

“Marquen, sir…!”

Yet, they couldn’t reconcile the recent turn of events with their rigid and outdated imaginations.

“Why did you give such a weapon to an outsider like him?!”

Their judgment had long been corroded by pride. They were convinced that Leonardo’s abilities were merely a result of the weapon’s power.

“Are you questioning the decision of the head of the Execution Knights?”

The menacing voice that followed belonged to none other than Reinhardt’s shadow.

“I’m not questioning it—I’m just trying to determine the facts. Such privileges would be unacceptable not only for direct descendants but even for branch families.”

Perhaps intimidated by Chris’s murderous intent, the youngest of the elders lowered his voice as he argued.

“Privileges, you say…”

Marquen, who had been silently listening, chuckled softly. The memories of that day were rather enjoyable to the old man.

“Then why is it that neither the direct descendants nor the branch families chose that weapon, nor were they chosen by it?”

Marquen had already distributed weapons to the other family members long ago. And they were far more valuable and meaningful, carefully selected by him.

When you think about it, that Black Stone was like a hidden gem in the mud.

“…That’s…”

“And distributing my weapons, whether it’s to direct descendants or anyone else, is my right—regardless of rank or formality. Do you understand what it means to infringe upon that right?”

The Senate Hall quickly grew cold. The massive elder, unlike the other retired relics enjoying their peace within the fortress, was still a monster actively serving in the field.

The only person who could stand up to him was,

“…Silence…”

the head of the Reinhardt Senate.

Jeyron Reinhardt’s gaze alone was enough to quell the unnecessary noise of the Senate. The eyes of the old lion, who had lived through three lifetimes, still showed that his claws and teeth were as sharp as ever.

“…What did you say that boy’s name was?”

“They call him Leonardo. He has no surname,” came the reply.

The others in the room didn’t hide their disapproval at this. To them, the fact that someone without even a surname had entered the Reinhardt Senate Hall was an affront.

“I’ll hear your complaints with dignity during the hearing. After all, none of us can predict what that boy might become. But more importantly…”

The head of the bloodline families turned his gaze out the window. Despite the considerable distance, he could clearly sense the presence of the young knight below.

“It seems he arrived sooner than expected.”

“…That’s impossible. It should take at least a few hours to get here from that spot…”

“I don’t understand how you can say something is impossible in a place like this.”

With that, Reinhardt’s Shadow donned a white coat and perched on the windowsill.

“What do you mean by that, Christina—”

“Let me explain through action, esteemed elders.”

With those words, Chris leaped from the window of the fortress. No one understood why she would jump out of the window when there was a perfectly good front door, and no one cared to understand.

* * *

[“They invited you here, and yet they don’t even come out to greet you?”]

<“They’ll come out. With how things are going, there’s someone who won’t be able to resist making an appearance.”>

Thud…!!

A figure fell from the sky. Although it wasn’t quite the Sky Castle, the Senate Hall’s walls were so tall they seemed to touch the sky, making the comparison feel apt.

“It’s been a while, Leonardo.”

“Yes, how have you been, Lady Chris?”

Seeing Leo’s lack of surprise at her dramatic entrance, Chris gave a satisfied smile.

“If a knight, especially one like me, the Shadow, says they’ve been well, they’re lying. Just like those rusted swords over there.”

Her metaphor was overly dramatic, but Leo understood what she meant.

“Despite your title as the Shadow, you’re wearing white today. Did you decide to change your image?”

“Hmph, a good question.”

She proudly let her white coat billow in the wind, striking a pose that seemed straight out of an old novel.

“True darkness hides by blending in with the colors around it. Just as the tiger, king of the forest and mountains, becomes a white tiger in the snowy mountains.”

[“What nonsense is this? A tiger that got lung disease from smoking?”]

The Sage’s critique was spot-on. Her absurdly confident statements made Leo want to point out how ridiculous they were.

“Before I guide you to the Senate, I want to see how much you’ve improved. Just a light spar…”

“Excuse me, Lady Chris.”

Unable to resist his own desire to retort, Leo spoke up.

“What is it? Don’t tell me you’re still injured?”

“Before showing my skills, may I correct something first?”

A sense of unease crept into Chris’s mind. She vaguely recalled having been in a similar situation once or twice before.

“…Alright… Go ahead…”

But Chris, unable to suppress her curiosity, repeated the situation.

Soon, Chris would learn that the white tiger was a grotesque result of human greed, created through forced inbreeding to serve as a circus attraction or decorative piece.