novelraw Chapter 103 : Chapter 103
Chapter 103 : Chapter 103
Chapter 103: Verbon Fortress (1)
Though Grumbak’s letter appeared courteous, its contents were a clear provocation.
Reading it felt like a mocking taunt: “You cowards can’t even fight us.”
“This is an obvious trap. It’s infuriating, but if we engage, they’ll surely pull some trick.”
“Are you saying we just sit here and take this insult?”
“I’m not saying we do nothing!”
“Then what?”
Naturally, most lords were enraged, ready to charge the fortress immediately.
“Duke, say something. Will you let this insult stand?”
“Exactly. We should either attack the fortress now or at least accept their challenge!”
The duke held Grumbak’s letter silently, deep in thought, maintaining silence for a long while.
Finally, he opened his tightly shut mouth.
“Enough. Don’t fall for their provocation. This is exactly what they want.”
Only then did the lords reflect on their heated reactions and calm down.
“But we can’t let this pass. Grumbak likely sent this letter to boost his camp’s morale in their numerical disadvantage.”
Viscount Argon, leading the eastern forces, spoke up.
“That’s why we should accept the duel. We’re already tasked with capturing the fortress—can we afford to let their morale rise?”
“Fair point. But do you understand what their ‘duel’ entails?”
“Pardon?”
“Their duel is bare-handed, no weapons, pure combat.”
The concept of a ‘duel’ existed in the kingdom’s noble society.
It was a contest of honor, fought with swords until one surrendered.
But the Kandahr Tribe’s duel was entirely different.
While it was also for honor, there was no surrender.
It ended only with the opponent’s death.
A bare-fisted fight until one stopped breathing.
Losing wasn’t just defeat—it meant humiliation, death, and the loss of everything.
“If we accept this duel, who among us will step forward?”
The lords, who moments ago had fiercely advocated for the duel, now only exchanged glances.
“Well…”
Everyone knew what it meant to fight a Kandahr warrior bare-handed, without a sword.
“Of course, we’re human, just like them. There’s no guarantee they’ll win, though they have the advantage.”
“…”
The duke’s words echoed in the meeting room.
A long silence followed as he scanned the lords’ faces one by one.
‘Surely, we have enough capable of facing the Kandahr. The problem is, the lords are reluctant to risk their strongest.’
It was clear that the kingdom’s nobles needed to unite against the foreign threat.
But their true desire was to survive the war and retain power afterward.
Once the war ended, things would return to normal, and the soldiers and powerhouses who survived would become their strength.
Sending out a powerhouse here would deplete their own forces.
‘They might risk it in the capital, but exposing their strength in this outskirts is something they avoid.’
Finally, the duke spoke heavily.
“Is there truly no one?”
His question cut through the air like a blade.
Yet the silence persisted.
“Then I…”
As the duke prepared to send one of his trusted men, a baron seated in the corner boldly raised his hand.
“Duke, I’ll send Rommen, a knight from my territory.”
All eyes in the room turned to him.
The man was a baron with a relatively small territory in the north.
For him, with no one else stepping up, this was a golden opportunity to make a name for himself.
“Knight Rommen. I’ve heard of him. He’s been staying in your territory.”
“Yes! He won’t disappoint you, Duke.”
Indeed, Rommen had made a name for himself in the north.
It was said he could lift a boulder the size of a boar.
“Good. I’ll trust him.”
“Thank you for the opportunity!”
Evan watched this quietly, believing it wasn’t yet his time to act.
***
The duke accepted Grumbak’s provocation, and a dueling ground was set up precisely between Verbon Fortress and the allied camp.
Each side’s forces waited at the rear, and only the leaders attended to witness the outcome.
Evan, among the duke and lords, looked across the dueling ground.
‘That’s Grumbak… and those behind him are his lieutenants?’
Grumbak, chief of the Rockturtle Tribe.
He wasn’t tall, but his body was solidly packed with muscle, resembling a human-shaped giant turtle.
The tribesmen accompanying him were clearly on a different level from ordinary warriors.
Their sturdy builds and heavy steps instantly revealed their strength.
Grumbak, appearing so imposing, sat across the dueling ground, arms crossed, smiling leisurely.
“I didn’t expect the duke to accept our duel.”
The duke responded firmly, “You went to the trouble of sending such a heartfelt letter—how could I ignore it?”
A tense verbal sparring flowed between them.
But both valued action over words, so unnecessary banter didn’t last long.
“Duraman, go.”
“Yes, Chief!”
A giant, two heads taller than Grumbak, stepped forward.
Before the duel, he tore his clothes off in an exaggerated display.
“I’ll teach these softlings a lesson.”
The duke, displeased, furrowed his brow and said in a low voice, “Rommen, go teach those barbarians some manners.”
“Understood, Duke.”
Rommen calmly shed his armor, standing in just a shirt.
Now, only two bare-fisted warriors remained in the dueling ground.
“Krhaha.”
“…”
The two men sized each other up.
No signal was needed.
This wasn’t a mere competition.
―Dash!
Rommen moved first.
His fist, swift as lightning, struck Duraman’s abdomen.
―Boom!
But, contrary to expectations, Duraman didn’t flinch.
He merely raised his arms high, not even bothering to defend.
Instead, Rommen, who landed the blow, grimaced and stepped back.
‘Ugh! It’s like punching a rock!’
The one who struck felt pain—an absurd situation.
Only then did Rommen sense something was wrong.
But it was too late to retreat.
Taking a deep breath, he swung his fist again.
―Thud! Thud!
His qi-infused fist sliced through the air with a menacing sound.
Yet Duraman didn’t even blink.
Instead, he caught the punch with a leisurely smile.
“Is that all you’ve got?”
The massive Duraman looked down at Rommen with interest.
Then, he reached out and firmly gripped Rommen’s shoulder.
“Let go!”
Rommen struggled, kicking, but Duraman’s massive frame didn’t budge.
“If that’s it, there’s nothing more to see.”
Duraman slowly, but with merciless force, began crushing Rommen’s shoulders.
The sound of bones creaking and snapping echoed instantly.
“Aaagh!!!”
Rommen’s arms went limp from the excruciating pain.
But even then, Duraman wasn’t satisfied.
He effortlessly lifted Rommen’s body,
“Hup!”
And snapped his spine backward.
―Crack!
There was no need to check.
Rommen’s body went limp, his life clearly extinguished.
Duraman casually tossed the corpse out of the dueling ground.
“Take it! Hahaha! If this is all you’ve got, even if you all came at me, you couldn’t win!”
Everyone surrounding the dueling ground was stunned.
Except for the duke.
“Eek!”
“Ugh!”
But to be precise, it wasn’t just the duke.
Gaiard and Evan also watched the scene with calm gazes.
“I knew it.”
“Be quiet.”
The two then silently looked down at the fallen Rommen.
‘Folding a man with bare hands. At this rate, our side’s morale will hit rock bottom.’
A drastic measure was needed to turn the situation around.
At that moment, someone from the duke’s side stepped forward.
“I’ll go!”
All eyes turned to him.
Despite witnessing Rommen’s brutal defeat, another had volunteered for the dueling ground.
Upon seeing his face, reactions shifted subtly.
He, too, was a knight of some renown in the north.
“I’ll avenge Rommen. Please allow me!”
With a resolute shout, the duke quietly studied him.
Then, slowly but firmly, he nodded.
They couldn’t retreat like this.
“You, big guy! I’ll take you on!”
“Do as you please!”
The knight, without hesitation, tore off his shirt and charged.
He leaped swiftly, landing a powerful kick to Duraman’s torso.
―Boom!
With a heavy impact, the giant staggered back a step.
But that was all.
He still stood, unshaken, looking down at the knight.
“All of you are weaklings!”
“It’s just the beginning!”
Duraman reached out with his massive hand to grab the knight.
But this opponent was different from Rommen.
He darted around with quick footwork, seeking openings.
―Thwack! Thwack!
Swift movements and consecutive strikes.
As the knight’s performance continued, hope flickered on the lords’ faces.
But the duke’s expression darkened.
“Haa…”
Despite the relentless attacks, Duraman remained unfazed.
Meanwhile, the knight’s stamina waned, his movements slowing.
At that moment, the giant’s eyes flashed sharply.
“Hup!”
His massive fist sliced through the air, striking the knight’s chest dead-on.
―Boom!
The powerful impact coursed through his body, and the knight, spitting blood, flew through the air.
“Guh!”
He soared out of the dueling ground, crashing into the ground.
His caved-in chest vividly showed he was already dead.
“…”
A second silence descended.
Everyone clenched their fists with grim expressions.
‘Damn it, another defeat…!’
The same thought ran through everyone’s minds.
The reality that they couldn’t even handle one of Grumbak’s subordinates bare-handed was utterly disheartening.
Then, the duke’s knight, Jismon, gritted his teeth and stepped forward.
Determined to secure a victory, he intended to fight himself.
“Duke, I can’t watch this anymore. Let me…”
But before he could finish, someone else stepped forward.
“I’ll go.”
Evan raised his hand and walked toward the dueling ground.