Looking back, there were many warning signs.
From this being Herna's city to the decrepit carriage they brought.
A driver would have brought multiple horses if they intended to travel far.
However, they had no other options. If there were choices, they would have picked a safer and more reliable method.
They needed to leave Clark's and Herna's territory as soon as possible, and the only means was a carriage, which was rare in this small city.
"Zed... What do we do now?"
It turned out the driver never intended to travel far, which is why he brought only one horse and a poor-quality carriage. The place he led them to was not Prilda but into the jaws of their enemies.
"Finally met you, Arahan."
"...."
On the outskirts of the city, in the mountains.
Before them were Clark, the guards, Herna, and her guards.
There were hundreds of them.
It was clear they were caught in a tight net.
"You thought you could escape by stealing a key? That's a very mouse-like idea for a mage."
Shut up. You're the one who used prisoners to try and kill me.
Herna smiled grotesquely beside Clark.
"It's a shame. If you had joined me, this wouldn't have ended like this."
"Even if time could be turned back, that wouldn't have happened."
"Arahan remains Arahan, even in this situation. I admire that."
"I won't die quietly."
"Ha ha ha. This will be a great show."
Clark drew his sword, and white aura enveloped it. It was the first time he had seen mana with his own eyes.
"I'll execute you on the spot for escaping. No one intervene. I'll take Arahan's life myself."
Clark stepped forward.
The opponent was a 5-circle knight. To survive, he had to defeat Clark and then handle the remaining soldiers.
It was the worst situation possible.
Yet, strangely, he didn't feel anxious.
He believed he could win.
Maybe it was bravado or baseless confidence, or perhaps because he had never experienced defeat.
Either way, he had no choice but to fight.
"I'll do my best."
"Are you going to fight me without mana?"
"Should I just offer my neck instead?"
"Ha! You're brave for a mage."
"The odds are 50-50."
"…50-50."
Memories from the past surfaced, calming his mind and stabilizing his breathing.
His heart rate was as calm as a lake.
No one is born a champion.
Of course, he too had been a challenger once.
He had worked tirelessly to defeat the top player of his time.
He spent nights finding weaknesses and training.
His opponent was the best of the era, and he was just another challenger.
When he faced that player in the ring, he told himself:
"The odds are always 50-50, whether you win or I do."
He liked a story about King David of Israel, who remained humble in victory and unbroken in defeat. The phrase "This too shall pass" was born from that.
His "50-50 odds" was a personal mantra to stay confident against the strong and cautious against the weak.
Most opponents felt defeated before they even fought, thinking they would lose.
Even a 5-circle knight shouldn't intimidate him if the odds were 50-50.
"That's interesting."
"Don't underestimate me. Fight with all you have."
"You're still arrogant, Arahan."
"Only champions can afford to be lenient. You don't have that privilege."
Clark's aura intensified, showing the true power of a 5-circle knight.
That was the reason he couldn't quit playing 'Last Saber'; there were stronger opponents in that world.
He didn't want much; he just wanted to feel the emotions of being a challenger again.
The thrill of fighting a strong opponent with all his might.
"Come on, Arahan!"
A fierce determination welled up from within.
The moment he became a challenger again, a miracle happened.
[The trait 'Persistent Challenger (S)' is activated. All stats increase by +10 temporarily.]
What...?
One of his traits was 'Persistent Challenger'.
It increased all his stats by +10?
"Take it!"
Clark charged, and the battle began.
He quickly checked his magic stat.
[Magic: 11] It had increased by exactly 10.
And there was another miracle.
A new spell appeared in his empty spell list.
[The spell 'Electrification' is added.]
Electrification? It was a spell he had never seen before.
There was no time to ponder; he used the untested spell without hesitation.
[Using the spell 'Electrification'.]
Clark swung his sword with all his might, creating a loud noise and cutting through everything in its path.
But instead of hitting him, the sword sliced through the ground.
"?! What...?"
The scene he imagined, where he would be split in two, didn't happen.
"Look up! Look up!"
Clark looked up reflexively, and there he was. Arahan had jumped into the air.
"How did he...?!"
It was unbelievable.
The golden mana surrounding Arahan was something Clark had only read about in books.
It was the rare 'thunder' element, not one of the four basic elements: water, wind, earth, or fire.
-Boom!
Arahan launched a kick from mid-air, and Clark stumbled backward, defending with his sword.
"Thunder...!"
The shock was significant.
Clark was stunned, unable to regain his composure.
If this was indeed thunder, it was a major incident.
"It's impossible! How did you...?!"
"You're surprised, but I didn't know I could do this either."
"You're from the Fire Clan, yet you have thunder...!"
Arahan's thunder was both captivating and threatening.
His eyes, like a volcano erupting, sent shivers down Clark's spine.
Now, Arahan was not just a prisoner but the embodiment of the first family he had always imagined.
"This must be the power of blood... something I was never allowed to have!"
When Arahan first arrived at the prison, Clark was pleased to see him, thinking that even a half-breed from a prestigious family was better than nothing.
Clark had once been an aspiring knight, dreaming of becoming a Sword Master beyond the 10th circle.
But he soon realized his limitations and the power of blood.
The gap in bloodline was something no amount of effort could bridge.
He felt resentful.
Originally, he thought that being born into a good family wasn't everything.
But now, he realized that even a half-breed could bloom late.
"…You elites ruined my life!"
"You're consumed by jealousy."
"Those of you who rise to the top with your bloodline will never understand the struggles of commoners like us!"
Clark charged forward, unleashing all his fury.
-Boom! Boom!
His powerful sword sliced through trees and rocks, causing the ground to shake.
Many of his allies fell in the chaos, and everyone else fled.
But Arahan remained calm, dodging attacks with ease.
"Ugh...!"
As Clark paused momentarily due to excessive mana use, Arahan seized the opportunity to close in.
His movements were too fast, and Clark couldn't adapt to his unconventional fighting style.
In this world, knights fought at close range, and mages at a distance.
But Arahan, a mage, approached close enough to use his fists and feet.
-Punch! Punch!
The knight was completely invaded, unable to defend against such tactics.
"Ugh...!"
Clark was hit in the abdomen and face.
He couldn't understand how such destructive power came from Arahan's small frame.
Arahan's movements were concise, agile, and experienced.
He didn't give Clark any openings, sticking close like glue.
"Ugh...!"
Clark was battered and abandoned his preconceptions.
His opponent wasn't a mage; he was someone who didn't need distance to fight.
The realization came too late; Clark's armor was in shreds.
Finally, a critical hit landed on his exposed abdomen, and he collapsed.
-Punch!
"Kh...!"
Blood spurted from his mouth as his knees buckled.
"J...!"
Clark tried to stand but couldn't. His body was wracked with pain, making it hard to breathe.
He let out a defeated sigh and withdrew his mana.
"I... I lost."
"Do you want to know why you lost?"
"I don't want to hear it. Just kill me."
"It's because I trained more. That's the only reason for victory or defeat."
"No! It's because you're Arahan! The power of your bloodline made me disadvantaged!"
Clark's voice trembled.
A knight should accept defeat calmly, but Clark had lost that composure long ago.
Arahan shook his head at Clark's petty words.
"If you had more experience and were better at improvising, I would have lost. But your jealousy stopped you from reaching that level. So, you lost. Don't look for excuses elsewhere. They're all just excuses."
Clark couldn't respond.
The reason for his defeat was entirely his own.
He remembered the knight's spirit he once heard from a young mage.
The silence was profound.