WhileCattenwasstillflusteredbyhisjunior’sconfession,theFrostiantcontinuedexplaining.

“hisduelismeanttoprovehoweffectivelyawarriorcanutilizestrengthandmana.”

“see.Understood.”

eeanansweredcautiously.

Judgingbytheglacier’sice,thefactthatmanacouldmeltitwasdefinitelyadvantageousforhim.

ehadrecentlygainedpracticalexperiencehandlingmanathroughrichalcum,sothatknowledgewouldlikelyhelphereaswell.

‘Still...theremightbeanevenbetteroption.’

fhemadeahastychoiceonlyforamorefavorabledueltoappearafterward,itwouldbedisastrous.

eeancalmlywaitedfortheexplanationtocontinue.

“henextduelisthis.”

UD!

“...?”

heFrostiantdraggedoveracollapsedcompanionanddumpedhimontoanearbyrock.

eeanandisellestaredinshock.

Whatkindofduelwasthissupposedtobe?

“Youstrikethisguy’sheadhardenoughtowakehimup.”

“...don’tknowmuchaboutFrostiantanatomy,butifyouhitsomeoneintheheadthathardwhilethey’reunconscious,hemightsleepforever.”

“AAA!Challenger,youunderstandnothing.hishelmetisamagicalhelmet.”

heFrostiantlaughedandpointedatthefallenwarrior’shelmet.

Sureenough,magicalpowerradiatedfromit.

venwitheean’sexcellentmanaperception,hehadn’tnoticedituntilitwaspointedout.

‘Amazing.sFrostiantmagicstructureddifferently?venaccountingforthat,thisisimpressive.’

Ahelmetcapableofconcealingitsmagicalpropertiesthatthoroughlywasnoordinaryartifact.

“t’saninvinciblehelmetthatblocksallimpact.”

“...Buthegotknockedoutearlier.”

“punchedhisface.venaninvinciblehelmetcan’tprotectwhatitdoesn’tcover.”

heFrostiantlookedateeanasthoughhehadaskedthestupidestquestionimaginable.

“henyouwakehimupbypunchinghisface?”

“Whatnonsenseareyoutalkingabout?fyoustrikeafallenwarrior’sweakpointdirectly,hemightsleepforever.aturally,youhitthehelmet.”

“Youjustsaiditwasinvincible...”

“tisinvincible.Butifyouhitithardenough,someimpactstillgetsthrough.hat’sexactlywhatthisdueltests.”

“...”

Atthatmoment,eeandecidedtoassumethatroughlyhalfofeverythingFrostiantssaidwasexaggeratedboasting.

Foraninvinciblehelmet,itwasn’tparticularlyinvincible.

‘see.Acontestofapplyingenoughimpactthroughthehelmettokill—no,wakethetarget.’

hisduelwasalsoadvantageousforeean.

Sincethehelmetblockedimpactthroughmagic,disruptingthemagicalstructureitselfwouldlikelydisabletheeffect.

omatterhowsophisticatedFrostiantmagicwas,eeanfeltthatBaldoron’sManaammershouldatleastbecapableofinterruptingittemporarily.

‘heredoesn’tseemtobeanyseparateanti–manahammerstructurebuiltintoit.ighchanceofsuccess.’

“Junior.”

“?”

Atsomepoint,Cattenhadquietlyapproachedfrombehind.

hebeastmanseniorloweredhisvoiceanxiously.

“Willyoureallybealright?fyougivethesignal,evennow...”

“Ah,’mstillfine.et’sheartherestfirst.”

“!!!”

Cattenlookeddeeplyshocked.

ehadapproachedtoverifythingspersonallyincaseisellehadmisunderstood,buteeangaveexactlythesameanswer?

“Aretheremoreduels?”

“hat’sright.hefinalduelisespeciallyenjoyable.Acontestofdrinkingpoisonedliquor.”

Drinkingcontestsinvolvingstrongalcoholweren’tuniquetoFrostiants.

Similarcustomsexistedallacrossthempire,andgiantsanddwarveswereparticularlyfondofthem—

“t’sliquorinfusedwithmagicallybrewedpoison.”

“...Pardon?”

eeanaskedagain,convincedhehadmisheard.

Unfortunately,hehadheardperfectlyclearly.

heFrostiantrolledoveramassivebarrelandexplainedproudly,

“t’sliquormixedwithpoisoncraftedbyourshaman.Whenawarriorwishestoprovetoughness,hegulpsthisdown.”

heFrostiantsapparentlydidn’tstopatstrongalcohol.

heyactivelyaddedpoisontoit.

ccasionally,giantsgenuinelydiedfromdrinkingtoomuch,butFrostiantsviewedthatnodifferentlythancombatcasualties.

ogiantwouldstopfightingsimplybecausesomepeopledied.

histime,Cattenimmediatelymadeuphismind.

“’mdrawingmysword,Junior.”

“uckisonmyside.hisworkedoutperfectly.”

“?!?!?”

CattenstaredatthedelightedWhiteigerowerjuniorincompletedisbelief.

...CoulditbethatheandWardanazactuallyweren’tclose?

‘o,theydefinitelyseemedclose...’

***

heduelnaturallyendedineean’svictoryafterhechosethethirdcontest.

“Urrgh...”

“...”

Despitewinning,eeanfoundhimselfunabletocelebrate.

henumberofcollapsedFrostiantshadincreasedfromonetotwo.

“Poison...toomuchpoison...”

“fyoucollapse,who’ssupposedtoguaranteemyhonor?Senior,doyouknowanywaytoneutralizethispoisonedliquor?”

“Junior.fcoursedon’t.”

Cattenansweredwithcompleteconfidence.

eryfewpeoplecoulddeclareignorancethatconfidently.

Somehow,eeanfoundhimselfnoddingalong.

‘Fairpoint.’

“’veneverevenseenthisliquorbefore.Besides,it’sFrostiantpoison.”

“asouseMoradineverfoughtFrostiants?”

“oteveryfamilyspendsitstimebattlingmonstersfromotherdimensions.”

Arguingwithisellewouldaccomplishnothing.

eeanquicklychangedtactics.

onadaltes’sYeongnak!

ormally,thisbizarrespell—whichtransferredanotherperson’sstatusailmentontohimself—hadlimitedpracticaluse.

Butinasituationlikethis,itwasdifferent.

eeancouldabsorbordinarypoisoningwithrelativelylittlerisk.

CU!

heFrostiant,whosecomplexionhadturneddarkfrompoison,abruptlyregainedconsciousness.

“You’reawake?”

“Did...didlose?”

“Yes.”

“don’tremember!refusetoacceptit!et’sduelagain—”

S—

Catten’sswordstoppedattheFrostiant’sthroat.

hegiantimmediatelynodded.

“...Requestinganotherduelafterdefeatwoulddisgracemeasawarrior.willguaranteethechallenger’shonorinmyownname.”

“hankyou!”

heFrostiantthenwokeuphishelmetedcompanionlyingnearby.

Allwhilegrumblingunderhisbreath.

“What’swrongwithdecidinghonoraftertwoorthreematchesinsteadofjustone...”

“...”

“...”

hehelmetedFrostiantslowlyregainedconsciousnessandshouted,

“should’veusedmyfistsinsteadofaclub...Whathappened!?”

“hechallengerpassedthetrial.promisedtoguaranteehishonor.”

“Youidiot...!Youshould’veleftittome!Youstolethehonorfromtherestofus!”

“mph.henyoushouldhavechallengedfirst.”

herecoveredFrostiantsbegansnarlingatoneanother.

Andoncetheirargumentended,theykeptglancingtowardeean.

“Perhapsanotherduelcouldbringthehonorofchallengingonerecognizedbytheking...”

“onestly,isn’tonedueltoofew?ruehonorrequiresmultiplebattles...”

“Whatthehelliswrongwiththesepeople?”

isellemutteredindisbelief.

heylookedlikeamajesticwarriorrace,buttheirbehaviorwassomehowevenpettierthanthegiantslivingintheinroguardmountains.

heyhadlostfairandsquare,yettheykeptlingeringaroundwithcommentslike‘oneduelisn’tenough’and‘afewmorewouldbenice.’

“W-whatareyoutalkingabout?Weneversaidanything.”

“Wewillnottolerateinsultsfromoutsiders!”

Apparentlystungbyhercriticism,theFrostiantsfinallystoppedpesteringthemandledthegrouponward.

nsidethevalleystoodafortressbuiltfromsnowandice.

heFrostiantsstationedtherereactedinconfusionuponseeingthevisitors.

“Whoarethey?Whatbusinessdooutsidersfromanotherdimensionhavehere?”

“heyarehonorablechallengersacknowledgedbytheking.”

“What!?henthathonorshouldbelongtome—”

“t’salreadysettled.challengedandlost,andpromisedtherewouldbenofurtherduels.”

“Whoareyoutodecidethat!?”

heFrostiantsimmediatelyswarmedaroundtheircomradeinoutrage.

Becauseofthisselfishidiot,theopportunityforglorioushonorhadvanished.

“understandyourdisappointment,butwhatcanyoudo?veryoneshouldjustletitgo...”

venaftereeansaidthat,theFrostiantsrefusedtogiveup.

neofthemmutteredquietly,

“ftheonewhomadethepromisedisappears,wouldn’ttheagreementreset?henwecouldduelagain.”

“ndeed!...Wait,couldyoucomeoverhereforamoment?”

“owdareyou?!You’llnevereliminateme!”

heFrostiantbeingdraggedawaybyhiscomradesshoutedfuriously.

Buttheotherswerejustasserious.

Sincethechancetoearnhonorrecognizedbythekinghaddisappeared,theygenuinelywantedtoremovetheoneresponsibleandreclaimtheopportunity.

“hat’senough,youtrash.Areyouseriouslystillfightingoversomethingsotrivial?”

Atthevoiceofthehumanmagebehindthem,theFrostiantsturnedinanger.

omatterhowmuchrecognitiontheseoutsidershadearned,Frostiantswerenotaraceknownforpatienceormercy.

“Whatinsolentfooldares—asp!onadaltes!”

“-onadaltes!”

“onadaltes!?”

heFrostiantsfrozeinhorrortheinstanttheysawthemagestandingatthevalleyentrance.

omatterhowpoorFrostiantswereatdistinguishingtheappearancesofotherraces,therewasonefacetheycouldneverforget.

henightmareofgiantkind.

onadalteshimself.

hemagestoodattheentrancewithagroupofattendantsbehindhim.

“Whatbringsyouhere?”

“Adiscipleofroyaltyarrivedasanenvoy,yetthingsweretakingfartoolong.”

heWhiteigerowerstudentsfollowingbehindthensaneDoppelgangernoddedrepeatedly.

WhateverelsetheSkullPrincipal’sprojectionmightbe,rightnowhewasontheirside.

‘PleasecrushthoseFrostiantsproperly!’

“onadaltes’sdisciple,yousay?!”

“alreadyshowedmercyonce.”

hensaneDoppelganger’svoiceturnedcold.

“herewillnotbeasecondtime.Watchyourtonguescarefully.”

heFrostiantsimmediatelyloweredtheirheads.

“SohereallywasthatArchmage’sdisciple...”

“...hat’sright.”

hefactthatthensaneDoppelgangerhadshownupaftertheduelendedwasadmittedlyirritating.

Still,eeandecideditwasbetterlatethannever.

hankstohisarrival,theFrostiants’clingyobsessionwithfurtherduelsvanishedcompletely.

‘Justwhatexactlydidhedotogiantsinthepast?’

eeanhimselfhadwitnessedtheyoungSkullPrincipalrampagingthroughgiants,demons,andpracticallyeverythingelseinancienttimes.

ButfortheFrostiantstoremainthisterrifiedevennow—

speciallyasaracefromanotherdimension—

‘o.hat’snotimportantrightnow.’

“veryonestopobsessingoverhonorandduelsalready!et’sfinallymoveontotheactualissue.”

eeanimmediatelypressedtheadvantage.

owthattheFrost➤оvеⅠight➤(Readmoreonoursource)iantswereintimidated,heneededtoshutdowntheduelissuepermanently.

“Understood.We’lldiscusstherealmatter.”

“Butwaitamomentfirst.”

heFrostiantsnodded,theneachpulledsomethingfromtheirpockets.

Waxmemopads.

eeanwatchedtheenormousgiantsscribblingonthemandgrewcurious.

egrabbedthehelmetedFrostiant—thesameonewhohadbeenknockedunconsciousearlier—andasked,

“Whatexactlyareyouallwriting?”

“Challenger,can’tyouread?”

“...don’tknowFrostiantscript,butcanreadplentyofotherlanguages.”

“earninglettersisimportant.”

Beingpitiedbysomeoneeffectivelymonolingualwassomehowdeeplyirritating.

Still,eeanenduredit.

“Sowhatdoesitsay?”

“hispartmeans‘honorablechallengeracknowledgedbytheking.’tdescribesyou,Challenger.”

“...Andthelineunderneath?”

“hatmeans‘discipleofthemageonadaltes.’Anothermodifierdescribingyou.”

“Andthelastline?”

“tsaysthatsinceyoupossesstwohonorstoovaluabletoyieldtoanyoneelse,wemustclaimthembeforetheothersdo.”

eeanslowlynodded.

henhefirmlydecidedthatFrostiantsshouldneveragainbeallowedaccesstowritingmaterials.