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A sword slash approached Ryouma’s head with fast speed.
He barely able to dodge it causing his cheek to bleed badly.
Looking at the blood dripping down from his chin one could see that it was quite a deep wound.
“I manage to avoid it but… He was better than rumor said… If I didn’t have Kikoku’s power, I would be dead by now. I must thank Genou for this…”
Ryouma breathing heavily while looking at Earl Salzberg who fell down on the floor.
The two people who aimed at one-shot victory ended with Mikoshiba Ryouma’s victory.
However, Ryouma just barely won.
Using the power of his sword, he somehow manages to forcibly open the sixth chakra Ajna, for five minutes, but the recoil was very big.
In regard to skill, Earl Salzberg had some truly extraordinary skills.
His breathing, fluency of his movement, and the mind that seek for a chance.
His refined swordsmanship had reached an area that was even if he created his own school based on his swordsmanship, it would be normal.
Ryouma didn’t know how did the people of this world knew about Iai stance, but Earl Salzberg stance was indeed comparable to that of his grandfather, Mikoshiba Koichiro.
Ryouma and Earl Salzberg. Without a doubt, these two men were equal in term of skill and mind.
What separates these two equal men was…
(The difference in mental attitude huh…)
For Ryouma, this battle was a fight for survival.
If he only stands and watches, he would definitely be crushed by Lupis.
In order to avoid that, it was absolutely necessary to have control over the northern Rozeria Kingdom.
To say it clearly, he did this battle with his back on the wall.
Not to mention, Ryouma also had the life and future of his subordinates on his shoulders.
The heavy pressure was very unbearable even for the bold Ryouma.
On the other hand, how about Earl Salzberg?
Although the result might be different if it was the previous Earl, the current Earl was a silly noble who turns his back on the world, drowned himself in wealth, and enjoyment.
The sword who betted his life and future versus the sword of a man who drowned in luxury.
It can be said those two difference was what decide the fate of both men.
In the first place, the difference of those two difference, only as thick as a paper.
One can say that only God knows who will win if they both fight once again.
(Well, it’s not like there’s a second chance though…)
Ryouma smiled at his own ridiculous thought.
It was self-mockery for the thought like he was an athlete.
Separately, he had no intention of looking down on athlete particularly.
However, there was a difference between competition duel and duel to the death.
The difference was, when we were in a competition duel, there was always the next duel.
The competition duel was sometimes only a rehearsal for the public performance that may come some day.
And since it was a rehearsal, you may lose how many times you liked. –
Certainly, some duel performed in a competitive tournament might decide the fighter future, and it had seriousness and passion.
However, in a competition duel, there was always the next time.
Even if the tournament ended, there will be always the next tournament.
Some player might say they bet their own life in those tournaments, but in the end, no player actually dies.
In a sense, they expressing life and death in a tournament by doing retirement.
But, a duel to the death was very different.
It was extremely rare for the pair to be equal in ability, there were some cases where the fighters were matching but, such case was rare.
It can be said that death was set on one of them when the battle starts.
There was no room for debating the possibility of a different outcome.
Because only dead body remained in front of the winner.
——————————————–
No one knew how long the time had passed, Ryouma was on his knees staring at the Earl.
A few tens of second, a few minutes? no one knew…
Before anyone knew it, a shadow stood firmly behind Ryouma.
“My lord…”
“How are the people inside the mansion?”
Ryouma asked without turning back.
It was not necessary for him.
Because he knew that the entire mansion was already under his control.
“There’s no problem. Signiz Garberdono and Yuria Salzberg we’ve managed to secure them…”
“I see… How about Roberto Bertrand?”
“There’s also no problem. Now that the medicine is working, I think he will wake up tomorrow noon.”
“Good. Treat them politely for now. However, please attach more than one guard on them…”
“Understood.”
Ryouma wanted Signiz and Roberto in his hand.
It took time for him to catch Elmera, Signiz Garbera childhood nanny, the person that was said to be the only weakness Signiz Garbera had.
Then Signiz who surrendered, following Ryouma’s order, made his best friend, Roberto, drank a sleeping pill.
For Signiz, he had no other way than surrender.
“Now then, next is how to calm the noise outside…”
Ryouma turned his line of sight toward the window.
Although it was him who instigate it, it was true that he cannot let the fire continue like this.
Because the fortified city of Epiroz was already a property of the Baron Mikoshiba.
However, it seems Ryouma not need to worry about that.
“There’s already an arrangement made by Lione-sama. With Yuridono cooperation, it won’t take much time to quell down the commotion… That was the message they left with me…”
Ryouma could felt the excitement in the words of the shadow.
He definitely wanted to immediately spread the words of victory, thinking that, Ryouma smiled.
“I understand… Go.”
Hearing the Ryouma’s words, the shadow bowed and faded into the darkness.
(With this, finally I took the first step…)
It was up to the future process but without Earl Salzberg, the power of the ten northern aristocrats was greatly reduced.
This was the first step of Mikoshiba Ryouma nation building.
However, it was also the start of a battle to the death against his enemy filled with a grudge…
(Next, how will Queen Lupis move… Will she exercise her power, or…)
For better or worse, this world was a world of power.
The weak were eaten by the strong, the strong were eaten by the stronger one.
It was a world filled with fighting.
(Just like a poisonous insect…)
When being placed inside the pot, the insects would each other until one last standing…
Apart from the appearance, this world feels like the pot filled with such insect.
Even if he was now the strongest in northern Rozeria, next he would be thrown into a pot named the entire Rozeria Kingdom. And naturally, the result would be…
(However, I cannot back down now…)
Ryouma gently touched Earl Salzberg dead body.
It was the only respect he could give for the dead enemy in front of him.
– –