Death Ascension - Chapter 95

The day of the spar.

Morning.

All the available royal knights, from the first to the fifth Order, gathered in the wide training grounds located in the eastern wing of the castle. They had come to spectate the spar that caused much controversy in the knightage.

The training grounds, unlike its unimpressive name, was actually a former fighting arena built for the entertainment of the previous king who loved flaunting his greatest military force—his crimson knights.

During his time, A-class to S-class monsters from Wesnar mountain were frequently caught and caged to fight against crimson knights in a deadly duel. However, the present king, Fredrich Hensworth, saw his father’s hobby in a negative light. Hence, as soon as he ascended the throne, he abolished this practice and turned the fighting arena into training grounds.

Because of its former use, the arena was very sturdy. The elevated seats that surrounded it could accommodate up to five hundred spectators while the royal box seat gave the nicest view of the battleground.

As the appointed time approached, the usually empty seats gradually filled with knights and a minority of high-ranking nobles.

Incessant murmurings filled the air as the people gossiped about the third prince and the dame’s relationship.

“Oh, I don’t care what the commoners say! A hero? That’s bullsh*t! In my opinion, the third prince had gone mad!”

“I agree with you, Marquis… How else do we explain this attempt to install a commoner slut in ranks of honorable knights?”

“To be honest, I already knew prince Deon was a useless coward but to think that he would be so lustful that he would keep such a lowly woman by his side! He is dragging the royalty’s reputation to the mud!”

“I’m sure his heroic reputation was fake. Did any journalist come to the castle lately?”

While the nobles cussed Deon, the knights raged because of Nora.

“That b*tch! I hope Sir Adam properly teaches her a lesson!”

“I thought she would back out, but she actually had the audacity to fight.”

“Hah! She sure is brave, I’ll give her that…Still, I hope they kill her.”

The poisonous chatter only subsided when the royal family arrived. When they were comfortably seated, a burly man strode toward the center and announced with a booming voice,

“Today, I, Captain of the first knight Order, shall serve as the official referee. To my left are three knights from the first order who eagerly volunteered for today’s matches. While to my right is the challenger, Dame Nora, who seeks victory for the honor of entering the royal knighthood. Now, the rules are simple. The challenger can only win when her opponent either admits defeat or becomes incapacitated.” The captain paused and turned to the king, “Your Majesty, we will now start the official spar.” he respectfully bowed.

When the king gestured his approval, Nora and her first opponent entered the arena.

Everyone gasped at the sight of her restored arm. But that was it. They thought her prosthetic arm was nothing but a lump of metal. A ridiculous attempt to cover her weakness.

Nora studied her opponent. He was a dark-haired youth a head taller than her, with a powerful physique and rippling muscles that glistened under the scorching sun. He was equipped with a basic long sword and nothing else. No helmets. No shields. No armor—as if announcing to the world that he could defeat the commoner slut with little preparation.

Her opponent strode leisurely toward the center like he was taking a stroll around the garden. He was extremely impudent, but no one called out his rude actions.

Because just like him, they, too, mocked Nora.

The Dame felt a surge of resentment against everyone present. She was suddenly reminded of her days as an assassin. Oh, how she hated the nobles who acted all high and mighty when they are, in fact, rotten to the core.

Of the nobles present, some had hired her to get rid of people they deemed as nuisances and Nora wondered if any of them recognized her today even though she had been extremely careful not to expose her identity even to her employers.

“Fight fairly and honorably,” the referee reminded them, “Draw your weapons… FIGHT!”

Nora and the knight squared off, analyzing each other’s movements while waiting for a chance to strike.

When their gazes met, the knight smiled at her with a lewd glint in his eyes. Then he mouthed, ‘If you sleep with me tonight, I’ll let you win.’

‘Bast*rd!’ Nora cursed as she charged at him in full speed, sword at hand.

Seeing her rage, the knight merely laughed. his long sword drew an arc in the air, anticipating a collision with Nora’s black sword.

But it did not come.

When his senses returned, Nora was already behind him.

‘HUUHHH?! HOW?!’

“You’re weak,” Nora whispered to his ear before she powerfully hit the back of his head with her sword’s hilt.

A loud crack echoed across the arena and a moment later, the knight crumpled, unconscious, to the ground.

The spectators were stunned speechless.

In a matter of a few seconds, the first spar had ended. There wasn’t even an exchange of attacks. Not even a drop of blood was spilled.

Only one thing was clear– Nora, the commoner slut, one-hit KO-ed a junior knight from the first order.

“What just happened? Did I see that right?”

“The woman… slid under his legs?”

“Yeah! That’s what I saw too!”

“Was it just a coincidence?… or did she just slide under him the moment he was blinded by the sun’s reflection off his sword?”

Confused murmurs erupted among the people.

But as their shock faded, the knights on the spectators stand shouted in anger,

“That’s foul play!”

“Honorable knights don’t fight like that!”

“Quit ruining our image!”

“Fight properly! Not like some back-alley thug, b*tch!”

They all threw insults at her however, the commotion quickly died when the king raised his palm and ordered,

“Referee, proceed with the next one.”

“Ah! As you wish, your majesty!”

The captain called Nora’s next opponent.

He was a tall and lean spearman with an obvious flair of arrogance.

“Ahh… that fool! I knew he would screw up someday. To think he would be so careless against a slut like you… he is truly a dimwit.”

The knight trash-talked his comrade like it was nothing, but his eyes burned with a palpable rage directed at Nora.

“Nora, was it? Don’t even dream that you can win easily a second time. Unlike my stupid brother, I don’t fall for petty tricks.”

–Chapter end–