Bilbain let loose a piercing scream unbefitting his appearance while holding his torn shoulder. Eugene gazed at him for a moment before suddenly dropping his eyes. He could feel Madarazika trembling stronger than usual as if it were satisfied with tasting blood after a long time.

‘I’ve gotten stronger.’

Eugene had utilized none of his powers as a vampire in the battle, including his Fear. There were more than just human nobles who had participated in the ceremonies, and it was entirely possible that there were wizards and members of other races capable of utilizing magic and various mysteries among those in the crowd. As such, he had purposely limited his power to avoid detection. Even so, he had defeated Bilbain, a renowned warrior, with a single blow.

In addition to the improvement of his physical abilities, the knowledge and skills he had gained from taking Galfredik as a vassal had greatly increased as well.

‘Come to think of it, I did go through a lot of battles.’

The reason for his transformation was likely due to the numerous battles he had experienced against strong opponents, as well as the spars with Princess Lilisain.

‘However…’

Eugene didn’t feel as if he had learned from the battles. Rather, he felt as if the knowledge and skills he already possessed were coming back to him. Just like how he regained his powers and authority as an Origin with every erasure of a tattoo, it felt as if he were regaining his combat skills whenever he fought against the strong.

‘What kind of an existence was I before I lost my memory?’

Fwoosh…

Eugene gave up on his thoughts as a gust of dry wind washed over him.

“Huaaggh Kuaaaagh…!” Bilbain continued to wail after throwing his heavy hammer away. It appeared that he had completely lost the will to fight.

Eugene looked around the surroundings, which had long been engulfed in silence, before speaking, “What are you all doing? Take care of Sir Bilbain.”

“Y-yes, Your Majesty!” the mercenaries answered before hurrying forward and helping Bilbain.

Uwaaaaaahhhhh!!!

Thunderous roars finally filled the arena. The shouts were filled with admiration and respect for the king, and they continued without a break. Everyone was amazed at how Eugene had defeated a famous knight, a Troll Slayer, in a single blow.

However, the foreign nobles, including those from Assir, could not hide their shock and disbelief.

“S-sir Bilbain was defeated in a single blow…?”

“Is he really a Troll Slayer? Is he a fake?”

“Sir! Watch your words!”

“No, but look! You said there was no doubt about it. Didn’t you say that he would win, no matter what?”

“Keugh!”

The nobles of the Cortes Countdom bit their lips with red faces.

“Even a Troll Slayer is nothing much. Maybe he only hunted those stricken with a serious illness?”

“Look at him crying like a little baby. Hoho.”

“Even a man like him calls himself a knight…”

The nobles of the Cortes Countdom gritted their teeth as the nobles of the other kingdoms laughed mockingly.

‘You’re blind if you truly think that!’

‘The King of Maren is simply too strong; it’s not because Sir Bilbain is weak!’

The Countdom of Cortes was a small nation, and as such, most of its leaders consisted of knights. As a result, the majority of nobles from the Cortes Countdom immediately recognized Eugene’s strength. However, the same could not be said for the nobles of the other kingdoms. Moreover, there was nothing as unseemly as a sore loser running their mouth, so the nobles of the Cortes Countdom had no choice but to leave the distinguished seats with dejected hearts.

‘I was too complacent.’

Count Cortes slowly turned his eyes away from the nobles of the Cortes Countdom and Bilbain. His eyes were calm as he looked at Eugene, who had taken his seat under the awning of his private tent.

‘He’s much stronger than what I’ve heard. And that spear, it’s quite unusual. Is that what he received from Count Winslon a few years ago?’

Count Hatres fiddled with the Holy Light Seal on his right middle finger as he observed Eugene’s black, ominous spear, as well as the man himself, whose crimson eyes were glowing coldly. However, the ominous feeling was still there.

***

Eugene returned to his private tent while shaking off the blood and flesh from Madarazika. The three knights participating in the competition with him—Princess Lilisain, Edmund, and Madrica—welcomed him.

“Thrilling! Lightning fast! That was truly a work of art!”

“Well done, Your Majesty.”

“Ohh! Ooohhhh!”

Eugene moistened his throat with the water brought over by the servants, then responded, “Who is after me?”

“Me,” Princess Lilisain stepped forward with a salute.

“The opponent?” Eugene asked.

“A great warrior of a country called Arsie,” Princess Lilisain answered.

“It’s Assir, not Arsie, sir. It’s an allied power of the Roman Empire,” Edmund corrected Lilisain with a bitter smile.

“Is that right? What’s a great warrior?” Eugene asked.

Edmund glanced at the tent where Assir’s warriors were gathered while responding, “The term refers to the strongest warriors in Assir. A warrior who has mastered various arts of battle and has never lost a duel is called a great warrior. They would have to surrender their title if they lost a duel. Anyway, you could consider him the strongest warrior of Assir as of now.”

“Hmm. I see,” Eugene said before taking a glance at the warriors of Assir. Unlike regular knights, the warriors of Assir weren’t armed with plate armors and plate mail. Instead, they only protected their joints and vital points with their armor. However, there was something even more peculiar about the warriors.

“K-kieh! Five suns! M-my eyes!” Mirian screamed.

“T-truly! Is it tactically used to interfere with the opponent’s vision? Hmm?! Are they perhaps blessed by the spirit of light?” Princess Lilisain commented.

“…I don’t think so,” Eugene said.

All of Assir’s warriors were bald.

“Isn’t it strange? Traditionally, the stronger warriors of Assir were bald. You could call it the symbol of a strong warrior, I suppose. That’s why the young men of Assir often shave their heads on purpose,” Edmund explained.

“H-how terrible. They would sacrifice their hair for victory…” Madrica commented with shock.

“Agreed. However, I think it would have an excellent effect on obstructing the opponent’s view during combat,” Princess Lilisain commented.

“Hmm.” Eugene nodded. The weather was exceptionally nice, which caused the heads of the Assir warriors to glow even brighter.

The largest of the five with the brightest sheen turned his head.

Then…

“Kieeek?! That bald bastard dares?”

“What? That man. Did everyone see?”

Madrica and Mirian angrily exclaimed. The one who appeared to be the great warrior had drawn his thumb over his neck toward Eugene and his knights.

“The warriors of Assir are militant, perhaps because they are nomadic people who roam the meadows. However, that’s crossing the line.” Even Edmund revealed his anger while stealing a glance at Eugene.

However, Eugene wasn’t the angriest in the group.

“Hunting a group of evil, bald men… This is a rare opportunity,” someone muttered coldly.

“K-kieeeh…”

“…..”

The princess pressed down her helmet, then headed toward the stage. The two knights and the spirit could only lick their lips with anxiety at the fierce energy surrounding the princess. Her eyes, which burned like dark emerald inside her helmet, precisely headed toward the great warrior of Assir.

***

“A female knight? Oh, my.”

“This isn’t even funny. She should be at home milking sheep. How dare a little wench…”

The warriors of Assir scoffed when they saw the opponent walk out onto the stage. For the Assirians, female members of other races were nothing more than slaves or tools to be used for pleasure. Naturally, they behaved themselves in front of noble ladies since they were here as a delegation representing their country, but it was an entirely different matter for the great warrior’s first opponent to be a female knight.

For them, it was absolutely ridiculous.

“I have to speak iron with a wench? Dammit!”

The great warrior of Assir could not hide his dissatisfaction. But he soon caressed his lips with his tongue after looking up and down at his opponent’s armor, which snugly fit around her figure.

“Hehe! It would have been nice if we could share a conversation with our bodies rather than with our irons. What a shame.”

“…”

Princess Lilisain had no way of understanding the words of the great warrior, as he was speaking in the language of Assir. However, it wasn’t hard to guess the meaning of his words from his lewd gaze and arrogant attitude.

“Oi, wench! If you take off your armor right now and come into my embrace, I will let you off by serving me for just one night,” the great warrior exclaimed in the language of the Roman Empire.

Princess Lilisain glared at the man with a cold gaze, then uttered a single word in the empire’s language, “Baldy.”

“What? You bitch! How dare you! You smelly sod, how—”

“Baldy.”

“You little rat, I’m going to tear you to pieces and—”

“Baldy.”

“Kuaaaghhh!”

“Red baldy.”

“You biiitttccchhh!!!” The great warrior’s head flushed red with anger. He ran forward while holding a large, double-edged battleaxe.

Princess Lilisain’s hands suddenly blurred.

Fwooosh!

She crossed her two swords, which emitted a bluish hue.

Kakang!

The strike contained Aura, a power exclusive to pure-blooded elves. The weapon of the great warrior was subsequently split into four pieces.

“Huh?!” The great warrior’s eyes widened in shock. However, he immediately regained his composure and rushed to tackle the princess. It appeared that his title as the great warrior of Assir wasn’t for nothing. Even if she were wearing armor, it could not offset the massive difference between their physical strength and physique.

‘I’ll pull out your arms!’

Unfortunately, however, the great warrior did not know that his opponent was a pure-blooded elf.

Fwoosh!

Princess Lilisain narrowly avoided the attack by rotating her body.

“You bitch!”

The great warrior turned around to chase after her.

“…?!”

However, his eyes filled with shock when he found himself right in front of Princess Lilisain, whom he thought had distanced herself. Her head shot forward like a rubber band as she moved like lightning.

Bang!

The top of her head collided with the jaw of the great warrior, and several bloody teeth were forcibly scattered into the air.

“Huaah…”

Only the whites could be seen in the great warrior’s eyes, and his face was covered with blood. His knees went weak as he collapsed. As his crotch touched the ground, Princess Lilisain raised her right knee like an awl and sprang up.

Thuck!

The great warrior’s unconscious figure was thrown into the air before he collapsed on his back. His jaw was in an unrecognizable shape after being struck twice in a row, once with the Princess’s helmet and once with her knee.

Princess Lilisain raised her visor and looked down at the great warrior as if he were an insect. She parted her lips. “Baldy.”

***

Uwaaaahhhhhh!!!

“…!!!”

The nobles of Assir stared with their jaws agape. The battle had ended in less than ten seconds. They could not believe the scene that had unfolded before them, perhaps even more so because of the deafening shouts of the crowd.

The undefeated, great warrior had lost? To a girl?

“T-this…”

It might have been better if he had been defeated with a sword or a spear. However, the great warrior had literally gotten himself pummeled by a slender girl! The human weapon, the great warrior, was defeated like a helpless baby, even though he was wearing the precious magic artifact bestowed upon him to defeat the King of Maren!

The nobles of Assir stared blankly. The nobles of the other countries could be heard muttering in sarcastic voices, even though they had been praising the great warrior just a few moments ago.

“An undefeated warrior? He was defeated in two blows.”

“By a woman, no less. And right after they mocked the Cortes Countdom, hahaha…”

“It wasn’t even the king, but his fiancée.”

The gazes of the Assir nobles headed toward the floor, and their faces dyed red similar to the bald head of their unconscious great warrior.