Saiyan stowaways on the Ark

After the halftime break was announced, the stands became somewhat noisy. Some people started doing eye exercises and applying warm compresses to relieve the damage to their eyes caused by the previous light. A vendor selling Fengti eye drops, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, sneaked into the stands, and the supplies sold out instantly.

"So who exactly is that auntie who looks like Instructor Nearl? I remember her presence was also felt on the Rhodes Island before, sometimes there, sometimes not... How strange..."

Some Rhodes Island operators who bought tickets were still wondering about Maria's identity, but they were also giving it their all to prepare for the next match.

These operators didn't just come to watch the game; they have another, quite important job to do.

That is to ensure the safety of the audience inside the venue—whether it is the elite operators on the island or other rising stars who have made good progress in aura training, they all understand that the light pollution caused by Maria's battle with the Candle Knight is not a big deal at all. The real people who would pose a danger to the audience when they fight have not yet come on stage.

"Never mind that... If I remember correctly, Mr. Tomat should have some connection with that person. Let's ask him after his match."

"Oh yeah... By the way, did you bet on this competition? I staked all my salary on it."

With some time still before the start of the competition, the security personnel took a break from their busy schedules to chat.

"The operator's handbook says we're prohibited from participating in gambling activities... Fine, I'll bet everything anyway."

"Isn't that a bit unfair?"

Some operators questioned their actions, which clearly indicated they could predict the outcome of the match.

"Tch, they never questioned whether it was fair or not when they were pulling strings behind the scenes."

"That's true."

But after a little thought, they turned a blind eye to their own behavior.

The halftime break ended quickly. Tomat, who was floating cross-legged in the athletes' preparation room, opened his eyes after hearing a knock on the door from the staff. His armored feet touched the ground silently.

"Alright, it's time to go on stage."

Thomas passed through the passageway used by the contestants to enter the arena and looked at the blood-red, menacing light opposite him—the armor, as deep red as congealed blood, made Thomas's cheap, rented armor look even more inconspicuous.

"Round Two!"

"Minos's Crimson Goblet! Grand Master of the Crimson Knights! Champion of the 23rd Grand Tournament!"

"A duel!"

"—The dark horse 'Rookie Knight,' a fighter who clad in armor and engaged in hand-to-hand combat!!!"

*By the way, what are you all planning to read in the second volume?

It's Phantom's Crimson House

It's still the same as before, with the snowstorm passing through SS.

Or perhaps the daily life of Rhodes Island

[Main Text] Terra Conquest: Chapter Twenty-Eight - The Reason for Standing Here

Why become a knight?

Why fight so desperately?

Why become a hero to those infected?

"What exactly has sustained you until now?"

Blood Knight De Caiopolis has answered these questions countless times on camera and in front of a microphone.

—An inspiration to the chivalric culture and spirit of the land of knights.

—I was born with a love for fighting, and I was passionate about gladiatorial combat back in Minos.

I believe that infected people, as members of this land, should have the right to fight for their right to survive through their own efforts.

—It is my belief, my passion for fighting, and the countless people who support me that have kept me standing on the field until now, and will continue to be so in the future.

But if Blood Knight were given a chance to read from a script in front of the camera...

He might simply reply with this:

"I'm just trying to make a living."

Kazimierz is not very friendly to outsiders, regardless of whether they are infected or not.

So De Caiopolis picked up the axe he brought from his hometown and, "unconsciously," became an infected knight in order to make a living.

He wasn't a strategist or a quick learner, but he was a born warrior.

So, in the filthy underground arena, through one arduous battle after another, he became the fearsome Blood King, and "unknowingly" mastered Originium Arts.

He didn't have any particularly lofty ideals; it was only after personally experiencing the suffering of the Kazimierz infected that he changed his mindset from "making a living for himself" to "making a living for everyone."

Holding onto this pure thought, he "unknowingly" became a hero among the infected and a champion in Kazimierz.

From a solitary wanderer to a celebrated knight at the pinnacle.

From a lone wolf with no interest in capitalist conspiracies to a big boss who relies on capital to support his colleagues.

Everything unfolded so naturally, yet it deviated somewhat from its original intent.

But all he needs to consider is victory; only by continuing to win can he maintain the hard-won chance of survival that he has won for others.

He didn't care about the empty titles of hero and champion.

He had long recognized that noble virtues and chivalry could not redeem people from suffering.

Perhaps others can find another way out of suffering and be reborn.

But Blood Knight—when he bore that title; when he became known as a champion and a hero, he had already taken this path to a point of no return.

He could not emulate the Radiant Knight, who became a beacon, guiding people to break free from constraints and rebel.

It is useless to teach people to resist without teaching them how to build their own homes. Breaking the oppression of Casimir will only plunge them into another kind of suffering.

Of course, the Blood Knight didn't know what the best approach would be.

No matter how deeply he thought about it, his thinking remained confined to that scope.

The Blood Knight, already trapped in a cage created by others, must continue fighting, for it is the only option he can think of—and the only choice he can make with his power.

Only battle, only battle.

But he doesn't usually think about these things too much.

Because whether it's a regular match or a special championship, it's just a place to determine winners and losers, not a round table for discussing profound principles.

Overthinking about those spiritual aspects will affect his actual performance.

But today, a flood of memories rushed through him, from his first time taking up his axe in battle, to standing in the center of the award-winning stage under the spotlight—and then back to the present, standing opposite an opponent who concealed his not-so-robust physique under cheap armor.

"...Not worth mentioning."

A thought suddenly welled up in the Blood Knight's mind.

This is not an assessment of the rookie knight's strength.

The things he referred to as insignificant were all the opponents he had fought and faced throughout his life.

However, this is not a sign of disdain or contempt for those he has fought before. The Blood Knight still respects those opponents who possess sufficient virtue and strength from the bottom of his heart.

He said this simply to state an objective fact that he had instinctively judged.

—Past battles and past opponents are insignificant compared to the man before me.

The Blood Knights are strong enough that, within the Knights of Kazimierz, they are undoubtedly among the top tier.

It is precisely because of this that his own strength, combined with his accumulated experience, allows him to intuitively judge the strength of others.

The result of the judgment was one that sent shivers down one's spine.

The giant axe trembled slightly.

The burly, muscular man, who had never flinched in the face of the barbarian knight's intimidation, was now suppressing the constant alarms emanating from his body as he looked at the weak knight, who was a fist's smaller than him.

The Blood Knight, who had always fought for survival, hesitated.

If the goal is "survival," then one shouldn't fight the opponent in front of them.

"Come on, give it your all."

Thomas—the novice knight, as always, did not use swords or other external weapons that would limit his performance. As he spoke, he adopted a fighting stance, slightly turned his body, and held his left hand out in front of him, extending it horizontally to challenge the Blood Knight.

"I will fight you properly with a winning attitude."

For the first time, the Blood Knight was distracted by the strength of his opponent, and he brought his thoughts back to the present moment.

The winner and loser will be determined.

Rather than deciding life or death.

He was perhaps relieved by Tomat's attitude toward the battle.

It's also possible that they made a carefree decision, regardless of life or death.

The Blood Knight didn't press the question about why the other party didn't use weapons in combat, because he understood that for some people, weapons were merely convenient tools. Using weapons didn't mean the other party needed to rely on them to unleash their full potential. Just like the Black Knight, who was proficient in various weapons, used double maces simply because "that was enough."

He knew even better that the rookie knight in front of him was doing so for the same reason.

"Shh-"

The Blood Knight held his axe high above his shoulder with one hand, and unleashed a heavy, piercing blow.

The dark cloak billowed from the wind pressure generated by the slash, and the blood-red armor shimmered, reflecting the light in the arena and revealing the appearance of the rookie knight on the other side.

"Blood Knight - Dicaipolis - May the goddess of victory watch over both of us [Minos]".

The starting bell rang, and the stadium erupted in cheers once again.

For some viewers who already know the outcome, there may not be much to look forward to or watch, but for the vast majority of the remaining viewers, this match is still a fierce contest with no clear winner.

The crimson behemoth vanished from its spot, the cold gleam of the battle axe tore through the air, and a trail of crimson smoke followed the slash, striking the rookie knight who stood still, marking the first blow of the match.

Based on audience feedback, the next volume will be slice-of-life, followed by a snowstorm, and then the Crimson Clubhouse.

[Main Text] Terra Battle for Supremacy: Chapter Twenty-Nine - The Price of Stepping onto the Stage

The Blood Knight's battle axe has cut through many things.

flesh.

armor.