The combat courtyard was packed. Balconies. Ramparts. Makeshift stands. Citizens. Nobles. Guards.

  The air was thick with anticipation.

  Max stood still. To his right, Gawain. To his left, Moonlight.

  The white stone floor reflected the midday sun.

  The murmur of the crowd was constant.

  But Max no longer heard it. His breathing was steady. His shoulders relaxed. This time he wasn’t reviewing distances. He wasn’t calculating margins of error. He was simply observing.

  Across the field, Taniel smiled, his elegance intact.

  Behind him stood two figures cloaked in dark capes. Tall. Imposing.

  Gawain let out a laugh.

  “How theatrical.”

  Moon tilted her head.

  “They look strong.”

  Max didn’t answer.

  The cloaks fell.

  First, a massive body. Dark green skin. Scars crossing his bare torso. A pronounced jaw. A crooked grin revealing filed-down fangs.

  The murmur turned to confusion.

  Max felt something cold run down his spine. Not fear. Recognition.

  It was Balag the Toothbreaker.

  The secondary villain from the mines arc in Eldoria’s Entry 2.

  The orc who had been defeated and imprisoned by the protagonist’s main party.

  Max remembered that cinematic perfectly.

  The prison. The runic chains. The vow of revenge.

  “That’s not possible…” he muttered under his breath.

  Moon glanced at him.

  “You know him?”

  “A little.”

  The second figure stepped forward. Slimmer. Taller than most of her kind. Goat legs. Twisted horns curving back. Golden eyes. A smile far too calm. A faun. But not just any faun.

  Maron, the legend of the eastern cities.

  The name that appeared only in optional in-game books.

  The alchemist who kidnapped travelers to test forbidden potions.

  The character you never faced directly.

  You only found the remains of his experiments.

  In the game’s lore, children in the east were frightened with his name.

  Max swallowed.

  ‘Where the hell did Taniel find these people?’

  This wasn’t politics anymore.

  This was something else.

  Taniel stepped forward.

  “I hope you don’t mind the level of my companions, royal pet.”

  His smile didn’t change.

  “After all… this is a serious duel.”

  Gawain cracked his neck.

  “Interesting choice of friends.”

  Moon spread her wings slightly.

  “They’re ugly.”

  Max exhaled slowly.

  Now he understood.

  Taniel hadn’t come to play.

  He had come to crush.

  In the royal box, the king stood.

  The murmur dropped instantly.

  “Let the duel begin.”

  Don stepped forward.

  Holding the ceremonial bell.

  The sound echoed through the entire courtyard.

  Clang.

  Clear. Metallic. Decisive.

  The battle had begun.

  Balag didn’t wait for strategy. He roared and charged straight at Max.

  The ground trembled beneath each step.

  Fists like maces, aimed directly at the human’s face.

  But before they connected—

  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

  Gawain appeared between them.

  His hands clamped around the orc’s fists.

  The clash made the air tremble.

  Stone cracked beneath their feet.

  Balag grinned, showing his filed fangs.

  Gawain squeezed harder.

  “You’re not the opponent I was expecting to face…”

  His eyes gleamed with restrained excitement.

  “But you’ll do.”

  He shoved forward, forcing the orc to take a step back.

  On the other side of the field, Moonlight drew her blade.

  The sword of frozen fire shone with a bluish-white glow.

  She spun.

  And unleashed a burst of white flame toward Maron.

  Maron tilted his head slightly.

  He pulled a small bottle from his belt.

  Dropped it to the ground.

  The potion exploded into a silver-gray cloud.

  When the flame touched it—

  It dissipated.

  As if it had never existed.

  Moon’s eyes widened.

  “Huh?”

  Maron let out a soft laugh.

  Elegant.

  Interested.

  “Fascinating…”

  His golden eyes traveled over the little dragon’s body.

  “You seem like a very interesting specimen.”

  Moon tilted her head.

  “What’s a ‘specimen’?”

  Even in the middle of combat, Max couldn’t help thinking:

  ‘Please let Frida arrive with the ring.’

  The situation was far more complicated than he had calculated.

  Taniel advanced. Sword in hand. Perfect calm.

  He stopped in front of Max.

  Looked him up and down.

  “Are you going to fight unarmed?”

  His gaze shifted to Max’s chest.

  “You’re not even wearing armor.”

  Max smiled.

  “I’m not unarmed.”

  Taniel laughed and thrust straight at his chest.

  Fast. Precise. Lethal.

  The tip touched Max.

  And in that instant—

  An invisible layer activated.

  The enhanced passive of the adamantine armor.

  A shield that completely negated one attack above level three.

  The strike did not pierce.

  There was no blood.

  No damage.

  The sword shattered.

  Metal exploded into fragments.

  And the return gem effect activated.

  The reflected damage doubled thanks to Max’s skill.

  Taniel felt the impact.

  Not physical. Internal.

  As if his own attack had pierced his chest.

  He staggered back, choking on a breath.

  Stared at the broken remains of his sword.

  Disbelief.

  Max stepped toward him.

  “Who’s unarmed now?”

  The crowd’s murmur erupted into chaos.

  Taniel clenched his teeth.

  Extended his hand.

  Pure magic condensed in his palm.

  A sword of light took shape.

  Brilliant. Elegant. Flawless.

  He lunged again.

  The luminous blade pierced Max’s chest.

  But at the moment of impact—

  Max laughed, and vanished. Like smoke.

  Taniel froze.

  Turned slowly.

  One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

  Five Maxes stood around him.

  All smiling. All identical.

  The illusory echo necklace was active.

  And the enhancement from his skill allowed him to create up to ten echoes at once.

  Five were enough to start.

  All five spoke at the same time.

  “Come on.”

  “Try again.”

  “Maybe you’ll hit this time.”

  “Or do you need another sword?”

  “How disappointing.”

  Their laughter echoed in perfect unison.

  Taniel tightened his grip on the sword of light.

  For the first time—

  His expression lost its elegance.

  Now the duel was exactly where Max wanted it.

  Taniel disappeared.

  A flash.

  Several slashes of light at once.

  The luminous blade cut the air in a perfect arc.

  The first Max vanished.

  The second.

  The third.

  The fourth.

  Smoke.

  Laughter fading.

  Taniel lowered his sword.

  The courtyard fell silent.

  Then—

  A downward current of wind.

  Moon raised both hands.

  A concentrated gust wrapped around the real Max and launched him skyward.

  The crowd gasped as he rose.

  Max laughed as he ascended.

  Then he began to fall.

  Slowly.

  Too slowly.

  The featherfall boots activated.

  He descended as if floating through invisible water.

  Calm.

  Mocking.

  Taniel watched from below.

  His jaw tightened.

  “Are you going to keep playing?”

  His voice was no longer elegant.

  It was restrained irritation.

  “Fight like a man!”

  Max smiled from the air.

  But inside, he knew the truth. He had no chance in a direct confrontation. No strength. No technique. Only tricks. His SSS-rank skill. Items. Strategic advantage. And he had to squeeze every bit of them.

  Taniel stepped back.

  And in that instant—

  Balag and Gawain burst into view, rolling across the ground.

  Locked together.

  Fists entangled.

  Elbows slamming into ribs.

  A brutal, almost savage fight.

  Gawain laughed as he took a headbutt.

  Balag answered with a knee strike.

  They rolled straight toward Taniel.

  The elf clicked his tongue.

  Magic exploded around him.

  A shockwave enveloped them.

  And both were hurled into the air.

  Straight toward Max.

  Max narrowed his eyes.

  Deactivated the boots.

  His body plummeted.

  At the last second—

  He reactivated them.

  His trajectory shifted just enough.

  Balag and Gawain passed within inches of him.

  They crashed heavily into the ground.

  Max twisted midair.

  And when he refocused—

  Taniel was in front of him.

  Too close.

  Too fast.

  A clean punch.

  Straight to the face.

  The impact was brutal—he was clearly using enhancement magic.

  The world went white for a second.

  Max was sent flying.

  His back slammed into one of the courtyard columns.

  Stone cracked.

  His body dropped to his knees.

  His face was already swelling.

  Nose bleeding.

  He heard the growing murmur in the stands.

  Taniel lowered his fist slowly.

  “This isn’t just tricks and weapons.”

  His voice turned cold again.

  “I can fight too.”

  Max spat blood to the side.

  Wiped his nose with the back of his hand.

  Smiled… faintly.

  But this time without mockery.

  Inside, the thought was clear.

  He was starting to run out of tricks.

  And Taniel was only warming up.