I Became a Mythical-Tier Tamer Due To A System Error Chapter 115

In front of the Student Council Building of Yggdrasil.

The circular arena, built of white stone, shimmered softly in the sunlight.

It was a temporary arena, made solely for simple practice.

Dozens of spectator seats had been arranged, and the area measured about ten meters wide and twenty meters long.

Since it was for practice, the scale was not large.

It was a place more suited for sparring with swords than for fierce matches involving magic.

In that small arena, under the arrangement of the Princess, a duel was about to take place.

From thirty minutes before noon, people began to gather in the once-empty arena.

The members of the Student Council gathered to witness Rubin’s victory.

Rubin, one of the duel participants, was already waiting alone at one side of the arena wearing the Black Knight’s Mask, but the Student Council President, Adin, was nowhere to be seen.

“But what about President Adin?”

When someone asked carefully, the student beside him hurriedly covered his mouth.

“Shh. Be quiet. President Adin… no, Adin is suspended because of the Student Council ledger manipulation case. Don’t mention that name in front of President Rubin.”

He whispered quietly, glancing nervously at Rubin.

Vice President Rubin, who was called the Black Knight, had taken Adin’s seat and was expected to walk an easy path from now on…

But someone appeared before Rubin, claiming to be the true Black Knight.

And that person challenged Rubin to a duel.

The Student Council members, who supported Rubin strongly, glared at the people sitting on the opposite side.

Their attire was all the same.

Black Masks, Black Coats.

“Those bastards impersonating Vice President Rubin…”

Even before the Student Council arrived at the arena, those who looked identical to the Black Knight were already seated.

There must have been around twenty of them.

“Which one of them is supposed to be the opponent in the duel?”

“Are they deliberately hiding who the leader is? Cowardly bastards…”

The members of the Student Council and the Black Knights stood on opposite seats, glaring at each other.

Yes, only two groups were attending this match.

The Student Council members and the Black Knights.

No one else knew about the “duel between Black Knights.”

No—no one should have known.

“A scoop…! A huge scoop!”

Not far from the Student Council Building, behind a tree, an uninvited guest was hiding.

Hazel, the reporter of the school newspaper, was gripping her telescope tightly, staring at the arena.

“Her Highness the Princess and… the entire Student Council waiting in the seats… more than twenty Black Knights… it seems the informant’s words were true.”

Hazel trembled all over in excitement as she glanced at her notepad.

Thanks to an “anonymous tip” about two Black Knights dueling, she was secretly covering the event.

The duel was meant to decide who was the real Black Knight.

Since it was arranged by the Princess, it was an undeniable proof.

“I want to spread it… I want to write the article right now and publish it in the newspaper…!”

Hazel clenched her teeth.

“If the information leaks before the match, the duel might be canceled. Then this scoop will just vanish into thin air…”

So Hazel chose to wait.

Until the duel began and ended, she would capture every moment for her exclusive report.

When the promised time came, the Princess appeared in the arena, accompanied by her knight, Ren.

Everyone seated stood to pay their respects to the Princess, but she raised her hand lightly to stop them.

“Please, remain seated.”

At her gentle words, everyone immediately sat back down.

“I will personally arrange this duel between the two.”

The Princess looked toward both sides of the arena as she spoke.

“This is not simply a duel fought over chivalry. Only the victor will be able to prove the name of the ‘Black Knight.’”

Her voice was calm, unwavering in the slightest.

“Duelists, take your positions.”

At the Princess’s command, the two men walked to the center of the arena.

From the Student Council’s side, Rubin stepped forward.

From the Black Knights’ side, the tallest man stepped forward.

Both wore Black Masks and their black academy coats billowed.

“Vice President Rubin is quite tall, but doesn’t the one on the other side seem even taller…?”

“And the shade of his mask and coat… doesn’t it look a little different, too?”

Though their appearances were nearly identical, facing each other like mirrors made even the smallest details noticeable.

The Princess, confirming that both men had drawn their swords, spoke.

“…Begin.”

At her command, Rubin was the first to move.

Thaaat—!

The stone floor of the arena cracked under the force of his sudden dash.

‘Let’s just test how skilled he is.’

Rubin wondered who his opponent was.

Even though Rubin had already revealed himself as the Black Knight, this man insisted he was the true one and challenged him.

Either he was the real Black Knight… or a new impostor confident in defeating Rubin.

Rubin knew he would find out once their swords clashed.

Clang—!

Their swords collided.

The man blocked the strike, but that was all.

‘He doesn’t reveal himself.’

Rubin swung harshly, clearly probing his opponent’s skill.

Yet the man only blocked.

Clang—! Chaaang—! Kang—!

Rubin slashed relentlessly.

But foolishly, the man only defended without counterattacking.

‘He doesn’t even counterattack? No… maybe he can’t.’

Rubin let out a mocking laugh.

If he had been a swordsman more skilled than Rubin, he would have blocked my blade and counterattacked immediately.

But my opponent showed none of the composed ease of a strong man.

I felt ridiculous for having been so anxious at the mere possibility that he might be the real Black Knight.

‘Then, what if I try it like this?’

I pushed my sword forward more crudely, relying on raw strength.

We crossed blades and engaged in a test of strength.

We were evenly matched; neither of us yielded.

I had felt the corner of Rubin’s mouth lift inside his mask.

‘…He isn’t that strong, is he?’

Rubin had not yet used his full power.

Even so, my opponent seemed to struggle merely to block Rubin’s attacks.

‘You can tell someone’s approximate level just by clashing swords a few times.’

If he had truly been the Black Knight who had defeated Captain Verdi, the duel would have been decided the moment it began.

Yet it was not.

Worse, Rubin had a slight edge.

I could no longer hold back my laughter.

I judged there was no need to show him courtesy.

‘This guy is a fake!’

I became certain without a doubt.

And that was my chance.

To crush him, step over him, and claim the truth for myself.

“Wherever you crawled out from, you’ve got some nerve borrowing the name Black Knight with such pathetic skill; don’t you know the meaning of this duel arranged by Her Highness the Princess? You should take it seriously.”

I pressed my sword against his and replied in a voice brimming with confidence.

“I’m merciful. I’ll give you a chance. If you kneel now, we can avoid bloodshed.”

“……”

He was silent for a long moment, then finally spoke.

“Hey, Rubin.”

Even while we were locked in a test of strength, his calm voice, as if he exerted no effort, made me stop breathing for an instant.

“Why are you putting on this play? Do you seek power or honor, and if not that… is there some other important thing?”

His words wavered me.

My younger sibling flashed into my mind for a moment, but I forced myself to focus on the sword again.

I drove him harder with more force.

“You’re annoying, saying you know everything.”

Kwaaang―!

When I slammed him with strength, he was pushed back.

“Whoever hides behind a mask in fear of being exposed knows nothing!”

My right arm had been glowing red as I shouted at the man I had pushed back, and I swung my sword at him.

“Don’t worry! I’ll step on you and take that mask off myself!”

Kwaang―!

White stone cracked and a cloud of pale dust rose.

‘That hit hard.’

I clicked my tongue and checked my sword through the dust cloud.

‘Well… fortunately, there’s no break.’

The titanium blade, wrapped in darkness, remained unscathed.

Perhaps Shurk’s dark-attribute protection had kept it safe.

Anyway.

I was a little surprised by the power—stronger than I had imagined, enough to fear the sword might break.

Rubin was a student of the upper department, the Magitech Department ‘Alkymia’.

He mainly used a mix of dark-attribute power and magitech equipment he had created.

‘He must be wearing a magitech arm that boosts his grip strength, which is why he produces such force.’

The magitech arm was the source of Rubin’s confidence.

‘Wearing a heavy mechanical arm raises his grip strength but makes his speed slower than expected. That actually made him easier to dodge, thankfully.’

When the dust settled, blood-red mana wrapped Rubin’s body and swept toward me in an instant.

…Rubin’s tactic was very simple.

‘Break the magitech arm and that’s it.’

After all, that was practically everything he relied on.

I pointed my sword at Rubin as he charged me.

‘If he hadn’t committed crimes… he would have been a quite capable talent. It’s a pity.’

I felt a little sorry about the reality that forced him into crime, but I could not let pity stop me.

For justice, I had to bring him down.

I swung my sword at his arm.

…Specifically, at the elbow, the weak point of the magitech arm.

Kaang―!

Iron shattered with a deafening crash, and core fragments scattered into the air.

“…What?”

Rubin belatedly realized his arm had been destroyed and panicked, and in that instant I swiftly swung my sword at him.

Cheng-gang―!

Unprepared, Rubin could not grip his sword properly.

His blade ultimately broke.

“Hah…?”

Rubin looked between his broken sword and me, and confusion washed over his face.

But that lasted only a moment; he flung the broken hilt to the ground.

‘He won’t give up yet.’

As I expected, Rubin put his hand in his pocket and…

drew a pistol.

“I’ll finish this with this.”

Rubin answered with difficulty and loaded a bullet.

Secretly, I felt relieved.

‘If he’d pulled out another magitech device, it would have been Lunatic difficulty… so it’s for the best he drew a gun.’

From clashing swords a few times, I had perfectly gauged Rubin’s level.

He was precisely Normal difficulty Rubin.

Seeing Rubin point a pistol at me, I thought to myself.

‘I kind of want that.’

Part of me wanted to snatch Rubin’s pistol.

But if Rubin had gone so far as to pull out a gun, it meant Phase 3.

In other words, Rubin had been driven to the edge and lost his reason.

If Rubin pulled the trigger, there was a real chance the spectators behind me would be badly hurt.

Therefore.

Kaaang―!

I had no choice but to select the option of destroying the gun.

“Who do you think you’re pointing that gun at, Rubin.”

I dashed at him quickly and swung my sword.

“Wha…!”

Startled, Rubin pulled the trigger, but nothing happened.

That was because the dismantled pieces of the gun had already clattered apart and rolled across the ground.

“The match is decided. Admit defeat, Rubin.”

I answered while pointing my sword at his neck.

He had lost every weapon.

At this point, I thought he might give up.

…But he did not.

“Decided? No.”

He spat out the words.

With a laugh, he pulled something from his pocket.

It was a small grenade filled with mana.

“…It’s not over yet!”

Rubin said so, and hurled it to the ground with all his strength.