Two days before the Golden Star Tournament's main bracket.
Charles, journalist for the Daily, arrived at Seiren's arena Kaiseus to watch the preliminaries.
GULP—
Charles swallowed hard from the tension. Not because anyone was threatening him. He was simply overwhelmed by the sheer grandeur of Kaiseus.
"......So this is it. The arena they say the dead gods once used."
This massive stone structure, owned by House Karsen, boasted an awe-inspiring capacity of over twenty thousand spectators.
Its rough, sturdy gray basalt walls—tempered by the North's brutal cold—were higher and thicker than most castle ramparts.
Tens of thousands of perfectly interlocked stone blocks traced a great circle around the arena.
At the building's front stood a sword-shaped statue dozens of meters tall, which happened to catch the noonday sun and reflect its warm light.
Charles showed his employee ID to an usher and was guided inside.
"Wow."
The central stage—a circular platform spread with red sand—was a stark contrast to the cramped underground tunnels barely wide enough for one person. It was vast enough for hundreds of Knights to clash simultaneously.
Filling that vast stage were warriors gathered from every corner of the North, each carrying their own tangled stories and the scent of human lives lived.
Charles raised the camera hanging from his neck and snapped a photo. Not solely for an article. Something compelled him to capture this moment.
Seasoned wandering adventurers chasing a fortune. Thick-knuckled martial artists. Apprentice Knights from noble houses yearning for their official investiture.
Heirs of the Northern Sea draped in beast hides and wielding massive axes. Sharp-eyed lance fighters who'd come up from the South.
Not a single one failed to leave an impression.
The rough breaths of mercenaries sold into the fight and nameless swordsmen carrying their own stories mingled with the North's cold wind and scattered.
But among them, there were no true Knights. Knights—praised as humanity's sword—enjoyed the privilege of advancing directly to the main bracket without going through the prelims.
In other words, this was a battleground where those who had not yet become official Knights fought for a spot in the main bracket.
And. Among them, there was one who commanded every pair of eyes.
"There he is."
CLICK—
He took a photo.
Golden hair that looked as if the brilliant noonday sun had been transplanted whole.
A spotless uniform without a speck of dust accentuated his almost unreal proportions, and his finely honed features looked as if sculpted by an artist.
The fine sword at his waist was visibly high-quality at a glance, and every step he took carried the bearing of a great house.
Sion Karsen.
Currently the hottest figure in the North.
Charles didn't need to try to spot him. Even without effort—even without deliberately looking—he was visible from a distance.
The preliminaries began shortly after.
The format was five-person group battles; survive three rounds and you advanced.
Each survivor was effectively one out of a hundred and twenty-five.
Participants flocked to see Sion Karsen's skill for themselves. And.
"......What?"
"What did I just see?"
"Wait. It already started?"
"No, it's over, man."
"Huh?"
"What kind of......"
Every spectator sputtered something idiotic. They couldn't help it. Sion Karsen had finished every fight without taking a single scratch.
The first group of four, the next four, and the four after that—it made no difference. Martial artists, lance fighters, rangers, barbarians, heirs of the Vikings, whatever they were.
Sion Karsen never dragged things out.
At that overwhelming, aristocratic display, Charles raised his camera.
CLICK—
Then he took up his pen and transferred his notes.
『Sion Karsen.
Clears the prelims at the speed of light.
Those who faced Sion Karsen were renowned fighters from the Northern Oslo region. Yet not one could so much as glimpse Sion Karsen's blade.
And it was not just them. Neither the onlookers, nor the next challenger, nor the one after that could see it either.
......(abridged)
-Daily, Charles.』
***
August 21st.
Golden Star Tournament. Main bracket.
A sea of humanity descended on arena Kaiseus.
Southerners watching would have scoffed at holding an outdoor event in this cold, but for northerners, this was the height of summer.
A truly staggering number of people gathered at the arena.
The reason, of course, was to watch the Golden Star Tournament. But one in three said something like this:
—Why am I here? You have to ask? You know, that famous person. Sion Karsen, the one competing. I came to see his skill for myself!
Spectators weren't the only ones. On one side, vendors sold biscuits and goat's milk; on another, jerky, wine, whiskey, and vodka.
Thanks to all this, the stands of Kaiseus—called a relic of the gods—were more than half full, making it the most-attended day in history.
On both sides of the arena, closest to the action, were VIP galleries reserved exclusively for nobles.
On the right sat members of House Karsen, along with the house's second son, Sid Karsen. He gazed at the arena and murmured.
"Sion. Are you really going to show everyone today?"
He'd been watching Sion's transformation more closely than anyone, and he knew a great deal.
That Sion had asked Father for a Special Investigation Unit. That the condition was winning the Golden Star Tournament.
'I won't expect him to win, but at least show everyone how you've changed.'
He loved his younger brother. Sion was his flesh and blood, a comfort to someone who also lacked talent in swordsmanship, a friend he'd played with when times were hard, and before he knew it, a mirror in which he saw himself reflected.
That was why this tournament mattered so much. "Business partner"—Sion's words.
'I'll decide after watching today.'
In the left VIP gallery sat other nobles, most of whom had come to watch the Golden Star Tournament itself, or to see how their house's protege performed.
A few nobles, however, watched with different eyes.
Guseto Daikah, in particular, planned to observe Sion Karsen carefully during this tournament.
'I have to watch closely. If he really has been a predator hiding his fangs, I have to kill that predator by any means necessary.'
And.
Standing at the center of the arena was Midgal Rau, the Northern Territory Inspectorate Director.
A massive build. Coarsely grown auburn hair that fell past his shoulders. The valiant warrior once known as the "Iron-Blooded Knight" was overseeing the tournament in his capacity as former captain of the [Platinum Knight Order].
He surveyed the crowd that had turned out today and thought:
'There are an unusually large number of people today. Unusually.'
The reason so many had gathered was most likely to watch Sion Karsen get crushed in spectacular fashion.
There were always people like that.
Those desperate to find a flaw in a great house's name. Though he hadn't expected this many.
He glanced at Sion, seated in the waiting area. Sion simply sat with his eyes closed, perfectly still.
'He managed to pass the prelims and make it here, at least.'
He turned to look at the other participants. Knights. Or fighters of equivalent skill. They steadied their minds, gripping their weapons.
'Every last one of them is a valiant warrior.'
Midgal held absolute loyalty to House Karsen, so he had no desire to see Sion publicly humiliated.
'If I had my way, I would stop him right now, but......'
He was a Knight of principle. He raised his hand high for the crowd to see. Then, in a voice like thunder, he declared:
"Let the Golden Star Tournament begin!"
ROAAAAAR—
The roar filled Kaiseus to its very rafters. Amid the festive atmosphere, the tournament began under the gaze of countless eyes.
"Main bracket, Round 1! First match! Rui Daiken versus Sion Karsen! Warriors, step forward!"
The very start of the tournament featured Sion Karsen, the man drawing the most attention.
He walked forward with unwavering, dignified steps.
His opponent was the promising genius Knight, Rui Daiken. Could the audience have asked for a greater gift?
ROAAAAAR—!
CLAP-CLAP-CLAP-CLAP—!
Applause and cheers shook the heavens.
The young Knight with red hair and red eyes, Rui, climbed onto the stage and addressed Sion.
"I humbly request a match."
Unlike before, his voice held not a grain of hostility. But precisely because of that, it felt all the sharper.
SHING—
Rui Daiken drew his sword. A blade roughly eighty centimeters long. Known for his quick swordplay, he never used an overly long blade.
Even at a glance, it was impeccably maintained—a testament to how seriously Rui took his sword.
Since childhood, when the Lord had saved him and his family from demonic beasts, he'd vowed to do anything if it meant repaying that debt.
With that conviction, he'd gritted his teeth and trained. Through blood-soaked effort, he'd become an Inspectorate Knight.
That was why Rui took pride in his skill.
And yet. Why?
Why was he trembling like this?
SHING—
Sion drew his sword as well. At roughly one meter, it was slightly longer than Rui's.
"Come."
Rui nodded and kicked off the ground.
With a CRACK, his body shot toward Sion.
SWISH—!
A diagonal slash with everything behind it. Fierce enough to split Sion in two.
The word "Dodge!" nearly escaped the crowd's lips.
CLANG—!
Sion deflected it with ease.
—OHHHHH!
A collective gasp erupted from the stands.
Someone said, "Surely a promising Knight wouldn't kill the third young lord of House Karsen?" while another said, "Wait, did Sion Karsen just deflect Rui Daiken's strike?"
Rui brought his sword crashing down like a thunderbolt.
SWISH—!
But again.
CLANG—!
Sion deflected it with ease. After two attacks were blocked, Rui created distance.
Admiration rippled through the stands. Even without Aura on the blade, that was not swordwork any mediocre fighter could have blocked.
Sid Karsen, Guseto Daikah, Midgal Rau—all were equally stunned.
SWISH— CLANG—!
The battle continued.
CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG—!
To Rui, Sion's swordsmanship felt impossibly smooth. Like someone who had repeated a single motion tens of thousands of times.
The sequence of thrusting, withdrawing, and thrusting again flowed as naturally as water.
Clean, unbroken sword lines followed one after another, and that fluid swordsmanship pressed relentlessly.
But Rui held. He believed that if he gritted his teeth and endured, an opening in Sion's guard would eventually appear. But.
CLANG-CLANG-CLANG—!
Sion's barrage was endless. No matter how much Rui blocked and blocked again, the assault kept coming. Like a river whose dam had broken.
It wasn't so fast that his eyes couldn't follow, nor so heavy that his guard couldn't hold.
It was simply a dogged swordsmanship that struck without fail the instant a gap appeared.
Rui Daiken watched Sion's blade and became certain.
'This swordsmanship is unreal.'
A name surfaced in his mind.
Karsen-style Classical Swordplay.
'......Karsen after all.'
Worthy of the North's greatest swordsmanship house. Rui drew mana from his Core.
HUMMM—
Red Aura wrapped around his sword.
WHOOSH—!
Sion hastily altered his sword path and pulled back. If he hadn't, his blade would have shattered.
"Swordsmanship alone will not be enough, it seems."
"You're impressive too."
"......It is not over yet."
"That's the spirit."
Sion liked Rui's attitude. He was the very model of an unyielding Knight.
As the two locked in their standoff—
ROAAAAAR—!
CLAP-CLAP-CLAP-CLAP!
Cheers and applause poured from the stands.
"It all happened so fast I can't tell what exactly went on, but wasn't that exchange incredible?"
"Obviously! These are exalted Knights fighting!"
"Was Sion Karsen a Knight too?"
"Does that matter right now?!"
"Seeing this match, I'm starting to think Sion Karsen really did kill the Hashman brothers."
"I thought it was just a rumor......"
"Maybe everything in that newspaper was true?"
"Where there's smoke, there's fire, right?"
Exactly as Sion had intended. Slowly. Public opinion was tilting in his favor. The dots he'd been placing were connecting into a line.
Meanwhile, Midgal Rau, standing on the stage, could not contain his shock.
'Impossible.'
He had watched every last detail of Sion Karsen's movement.
The angle of each foot striking the ground. The fluid motion of the ankles, the taut pull of calves and thighs. The way the muscles of the waist and shoulders stretched and contracted.
A seasoned swordsman through and through.
No matter how formidable House Karsen's swordsmanship might be, movements like those could not be achieved in a day or two of practice.
'He really was a predator hiding his fangs.'
Sion felt, with his entire body, that the gazes surrounding him had changed. And to crown it all, he raised his sword.
WHOOOOSH———
Aura bloomed from Sion's blade. Red Aura, same as Rui's. But it wasn't merely red.
Flames erupted from the sword.
"""......!!"""
At the sight of the blazing Aura Sword, the crowd, the nobles, and even the presiding Midgal Rau could not contain their shock.
"F-flame attribute Aura?"
Sion manifesting Aura at all was astonishing enough—but flame attribute Aura, here in the North?
Vermilion light spilled from the blazing Aura Sword. Sion's brilliant golden hair and sharp features transformed into something like a rising dawn.
He kicked off the ground, leapt, and swung his sword at Rui.
WHOOOOSH—! CRASH—!
Rui barely managed to raise his blade to block, but was shoved back a tremendous distance. His expression said it all. Unbelievable! He was this strong?
Rui had every right to be shocked. After drinking the Flame Dragon's Breath, Sion had been growing stronger by the day.
And just like before, Sion Karsen pushed forward without pause.
CRASH—! BOOM—! BANG—!
For an instant, Rui felt as if he were dreaming. A nightmare of facing a wave of fire.
But physical sensation snapped him back to reality.
CRASH—!
Each block felt like his wrists were being severed.
He'd opened his Aura and given everything he had. And yet, just enduring those few exchanges had pushed him to his limit.
By now.
He couldn't deny it even if he tried.
'Ah. He's clearly stronger than me.'
And Rui Daiken acknowledged Sion Karsen from the depths of his heart.
So that's how it is.
He is the third young lord of the great House Karsen.