Chapter 3

After the unexpected encounter with Velt at the coast, Yuri, Athena and Fram found themselves back in Mirka’s room.

“Kkhaah! A beer after a sea crossing is the best!!” Velt stuffed his cheeks with the food lining the table, washing it down with beer as he laughed grandly.

Mirka let out a tired sigh. “Every word from your mouth reeks of middle-aged man.”

“Oh shut it! More importantly, that wasn’t nearly enough to eat. Got anything else?”

“There’s plenty more in that box.”

“The one labeled non-combustible trash!?”

“You worry too much, Velt. Why, I’m sure your stomach is the strongest just like the rest of you. You’ll be just fine.”

“You really mean it...? Then as the strongest existence, it’s time to prove I can digest even non-combustible garbage! Let’s do this!”

Athena and Fram dubiously tilted their heads.

“...He’s kinda, how should I put this, not very Administrator-ish?”

“The word you’re looking for is idiotic.”

“I can hear ya, Foxy and Icy! You’ve got good eyes! That’s right, I’m an idiot!” He didn’t seem to mind the insult in the slightest, smiling wide as he chomped into a cut of the shark that had been roasted whole.

Overwhelmed by his utter sublimity, Fram turned to a fed-up Mirka. “...Mirka, I never knew you knew an Administrator.”

“Me? Yeah, I know a few of them. When you work at Babel Tower, you get quite a few opportunities to get to know the Administrators.”

“More than a few, ain’t it? I mean, your sister’s—”

“Yes, yes, I hear you, Velt. You want more meat, right?”

Mirka beamed as she violently chucked another cut of shark at Velt’s face. Though he was the apex of the Human Tribe, for what it was worth, she showed no mercy whatsoever.

Velt took another large bite before turning to Yuri, who had been silent for some time. “Hey, brat, how about you put in a good word! Tell ’em I’m the strongest, eh!”

“...Err, yes. Of course. I do think you’re amazing, Mr. Velt.”

Yuri’s reluctant response caused Athena to stare at him blankly, her eyes open wide.

“What’s wrong, Yuri? You’re making a funny face.”

“Yes, well... Mr. Velt is the sort of person I’m terrible at dealing with.”

“Hah!? What did I ever do to you!?”

“Master was always complaining. Apparently, whenever you came to the human continent, you’d get drunk, bring up my meeting with master, say some condescending nonsense, and run off without paying the bill.”

“He’s the worst...” said Athena.

Fram sighed. “The absolute worst...”

“You really are trash.” Mirka delivered the finishing blow.

“Well, sorry for that! Go tell ’er I’ll pay up when I feel like it!”

Despite the harsh glares from the women, Velt paid it no mind and continued, “More importantly, brat, if you’ve become a duelist, does that mean you’re gonna participate in the Babel Roulette?”

“Of course! When is it going to begin!?”

“It starts whenever I feel like it. The other Administrators are running late, overseeing their continents and all, so I’m supposed to throw out an arbitrary declaration or two.” Velt lifted the corners of his lips. “But...I can tell you it’ll be in a week, at most. No reason to put it off, and I wanna fight some strong guys already.”

The Administrators were all originally duelists. While their thirst for battle may wane, it would never die out entirely.

This proclamation caused Athena to fly into a panic. “A week... Then we’ve got no time left!”

“It’s somewhat dubious whether Yuri will make it.” Fram furrowed her brow.

Seeing as even Fram was concerned, Yuri took a look at his own rate. Having fought several duels at the shop, the number was higher than before. Though he had lost to Elias, being Iron Rank kept the rate loss to a minimum. Despite this, it was becoming increasingly clear that dueling at the pace he was going would not achieve results in time. More than anything—

“Brat, are you going to let that bastard Elias walk off with a win?” Velt asked, prompting Yuri to inadvertently lift his head.

“How do you know about that?”

“How do you think? We haven’t had a mix-blood duelist since Reilly. And if he’s a decently strong one, of course he’ll get some attention. Have a look at the city bulletin.”

Yuri lightly tapped his own Proof. A look over the Duel City’s bulletin board showed it was filled with talk of Yuri and Elias.

“The rookie who beat a Silver was actually the weakest mix-blood!?”

“Rising rookie completely cleaned out by Beheading Elias.”

“We haven’t had a mix-blood duelist in ten years, but Reilly Malbork has already proven a mix-blood can never surpass the pure-blood wall.”

“A little hopeful, but I honestly doubt he can keep it up.”

Both duelists and continental residents arbitrarily evaluated Yuri’s worth. While a portion of the comments seemed supportive, a majority of them were criticism and slander, and the general opinion seemed largely consistent. There was no way a mix-blood could win a duel.

This universal consensus caused Yuri to clench his fist.

“I was always telling Reilly. A mix-blood can’t be a duelist,” Velt added.

It wasn’t just on a technical level. As long as the world saw mix-bloods as the weakest existence, it was impossible to gain popularity as a duelist, and difficult to earn fight money as well. If a duelist was unpopular, not only would they be showered with heartless slander and abuse, but even if they did win, they would be suspected of foul play.

Even now, there were cries that Yuri’s win against Haring was a setup. There was plenty of such calumny to be found.

“Win or lose...you can’t be a duelist. Not in the truest sense.”

Velt imparted the apprentice with words he once handed to the master. But Yuri’s will wouldn’t change.

He cheerfully grinned as he gripped a fist with determination. “Something like that can just be solved with a good smack in the face! As long as I can keep winning, the words of those naysayers are completely worthless. If they’ll believe the words of the losers, then they’re not even worth consideration. And if they still have complaints, they just have to fight me and see for themselves. It’s perfectly simple!” he declared, with unwavering confidence and will.

Such a brazen statement; Velt couldn’t help but amusedly smirk.

“...Reilly, you devil, just how did you raise this kid?”

He sent Yuri an appraising glance before asking once more. “If you trained under Reilly, you should be better than the average duelist in both technique and physique. But you do understand that’s not enough, right?”

“Yeah...you’re right. It’s harsh without a trump card to play.”

For all his enthusiasm, Yuri did have an accurate evaluation of himself. Tribe Skills were a definite boost to duelists and could serve as a trump card. A final blow to reliably take out an opponent. A move to overturn an opponent’s absolute advantage.

If he could not work out one of his own, Yuri had no path to victory. He would never be able to reach the truly strong duelists, Elias included.

“So you’re telling me...you can win as long as you have a trump card. Got it,” Velt exclaimed before forcefully rising to his feet. “Brat, come to the beach tomorrow.”

“The beach? I train there anyway, so I don’t really mind, but...”

“And bring Foxy and Icy with you.”

“Hm? We’re going too?”

“Very well, if there’s really something we can help with...”

Seeing the two of them cock their heads, Velt scratched his hair all over. “You’ll be doing more for him than me. Everyone in the world knows I’m the strongest, but there’s no changing the fact I’m from the Human Tribe. I only have second-hand knowledge of a mix-blood’s tribal traits. But trust me...” Velt informed them with an undaunted smile, “I’m going to teach you all—how a mix-blood can fight.”

◇

The next morning, Yuri, Athena, and Fram walked along the coastline through the pale morning light.

“Kwaaaaah... I’m sleepy...” Athena yawned, stretching out her back and tail.

“You can’t fall asleep, Athena. You’re going to help out Yuri.”

“But Fram, you slept on my back for most of the way here...” Yuri chimed in.

They restlessly trudged down the coast until the light of a bonfire caught their eyes.

“There ya are. Good on ya, let’s get right into training.”

“Sir yes sir! I’m counting on you!”

“Oh, not bad. I like your spirit. Are you really that happy to be tutored by the strongest?”

“I hate you, Mr. Velt, but I’ll put up with it to get stronger!”

“Haha... hah...you’re just as damn ungrateful as your master, I see...!!”

Noticing the heartfelt displeasure on Yuri’s face, Velt violently patted him on the head a few times.

“Yesterday, you told me there was a way for a mix-blood to fight... I’m going to be quite angry if that was a lie,” Yuri said as he brushed away his hand.

“Don’t worry. I looked into it as the Administrator of the Human Tribe. Don’t even compare it to what you can find out on your own. Your parents also certified the possibility.”

“Well, if my parents said so, there shouldn’t be any problems...”

“Hmm? Yuri, are your mom and dad knowledgeable about mix-bloods?”

Athena’s question received a sour look.

“Well... Err, how should I describe them...”

“Out with it, no need to put on airs. We won’t be surprised, no matter what you say at this point.”

“Yeah, yeah! No secrets from Big Sis!”

Broken down by their stares, Yuri let out a reluctant, resigned breath. “My house runs a marriage consultancy.”

“...A what?”

“To be more precise, a marriage consultancy specializing in mix-bloods.”

“Oi, brat, what was your family motto again?”

“Err, it was, ahem, ‘Fluffy ears, dragon tails, elf ears, pointed tails, fluffy feathers, compact dwarves, loli-shota spirits, what else could you ask for? Join us in lovey-dovey inter-tribal marriage!’”

“One more time, would ya?”

“Mr. Velt, I really will punch you.”

The sight of Yuri’s clenched fist made Velt clear his throat. “Well, the brat’s family... The Eniastar House was the first lineage of duelists to attempt inter-tribal breeding. If a Human Tribe member could use other Tribe Skills...they thought they could create the strongest duelist.”

But that old dream never came to fruition. Whatever was gained from the other tribe was incredibly weakened, and the child could not even use the Human Tribe’s Armament. All that resulted in was the feeblest existence.

“But the Eniastar House continued their inter-tribal marriages, continuing their research on mix-bloods. It’s only as a result of their research that mix-bloods have avoided persecution.”

Mix-bloods were limited in a duel, but they were skilled in everyday life and normal work. While their tribal abilities were weak, they were abilities the Human Tribe did not have, and by using them in everyday life, mix-bloods had earned a level of status in Human Tribe society.

This was the result of the Eniastar House’s unending research, their attempts to approach the problem from various angles. Their achievements were still the subject of great praise in the modern era.

“Well, the long and short of it is that they’re a clan with a few screws loose.”

“...Why do you look at me when you say that?”

As she looked to Yuri, Athena seemed to come to a sudden realization.

“Hey, if Yuri’s house kept being mix-blood for multiple generations, that means he has the blood of multiple races, doesn’t it? Specifically how many does he have?”

“Err, the Eniastar House has taken in all of the eight races.”

“Hmm... So a mix of all eight races is possible?”

“Yes. As long as a mix-blood marries out of the Human Tribe, the blood of other tribes will be preserved, so the Eniastar House has carefully selected a marriage partner for each generation to preserve their traits.”

“Then that means you’ve got loads of abilities to use!”

“Right. Even if Armament won’t work, if you have seven Tribe Skills, there should be something salvageable.”

With a sigh and a scratch of the head, Velt cut the girls’ remarks short. “If it was that simple, mix-bloods wouldn’t be the weakest.”

“Eeh... But seven of them sounds really strong,” Athena protested.

“Aight, that’s a good starting point. Foxy and Icy, let me give you a lesson on mix-bloods,” Velt said, before asking Athena, “First, Foxy, what makes a mix-blood the weakest?”

“Umm, they can’t use Armament?”

“Right. By using gemstones that only react to a human’s mana, Armament can draw out various powers. As a mix-blood has other blood flowing through their veins, they cannot extract any of them. That is why they can’t use Armament.”

Velt hoisted up his own armament, a rather large sword.

“The weapon used for Armament not only amplifies the skill from the gemstone, it also takes on the burden in place of the body. It’s bloody dangerous if you send that power straight into a Human Tribe body.”

After finishing his explanation to Athena, he turned to Fram. “Next, Icy. What is the other reason a mix-blood is considered weak?”

“That’s... Well, I guess because they can’t use the traits of other tribes either.”

“To be more precise, it’s not that they can’t use them. A mix-blood’s tribal traits are just unbelievably weak. Brat, show them what you can do.”

“Are you sure... Then here I go...”

Terribly reluctant, Yuri lightly lifted up Fram’s body.

“Tada, I’ve lifted up Fram.”

“Oh dear, I have been lifted up.”

“And that’s all there is to my tribal traits.”

“...Eeh?” Yuri’s words elicited the exact same response from the both of them.

“More specifically, I have a ‘little extra strength.’”

“No way! You really don’t have anything else?”

“Yes, well my other bonuses are ‘sturdy bones,’ ‘can see better at night,’ ‘good with hands,’ ‘easily liked,’ ‘wounds heal easier,’ and ‘sharp intuition.’”

“Oh... Well, I now understand why they’re called weak.” Troubled for words, Fram furrowed her brow and held her head.

Tribal traits were directly linked to a duelist’s strength. Traits suited for battle were all the more advantageous, and even the unsuitable ones could still be put to practical use depending on the user.

However, forget a trump card, the traits Yuri had were so limited it would be difficult to find any use for them whatsoever. The weakness of the inherited traits became the weakness of a mix-blood.

“But it’s not like a mix-blood don’t get any perks at all. While definitely weak compared to a pure-blood of the tribe, they undoubtedly still inherit some traits,” Velt said.

“But they’re barely usable,” Fram replied.

“Thought you’d say that... They’re not even at a noticeable level,” he conceded.

Precisely because Fram and Athena were well-versed in the traits of their own tribes, they could easily comprehend just how low these abilities were.

“Then let me ask you,” he went on, “how exactly do you use your tribe’s traits?”

“I’m not sure how to answer that...”

“Mnnn, mnn... Just kinda happens?”

Neither of them could give a definite reply. Having used them from the moment they were born, they never questioned the inner workings. Just as a baby learns to walk, they never held any misgivings about the abilities they picked up naturally.

However, there is always a principle and logic behind all things.

“Armament, Release, Dragonification, Secret Art, Hyper Dash, Divine Might, Familiar, Creation...the Tribe Skills are all invoked by some firm fundamental principle. If everyone possesses them equally, then it should be strange there’s no organ that regulates them.”

“But the tribes’ appearances and lifespans are all over the place.”

Not only did the eight tribes have individual traits, the construction of their very bodies vastly differed. There were members of the Beast Tribe with multiple stomachs, and it wasn’t strange for a member of the Dragon Tribe to have a second or third heart. Some Spirit Tribe members lacked any digestive organs at all. In both outer and inner appearance, being humanoid was the only common point they shared.

But Velt spoke with conviction. “No...this right here is one thing we all share.”

Tap, tap, he beat his fingertip against his head.

“Tribe Skills...have to be regulated and invoked by some part of the brain.”

The sole organ that all eight races held in common without any clear difference. This notion caused Fram to tilt her head.

“If that’s what’s doing it, then why does the Human Tribe alone have to use an intermediary?”

“That’s a simple one. All you other tribes have adapted bodies that don’t have any issues using your powerful Tribe Skills.”

From the point of view of the Human Tribe, the other races were superior on various fronts. Bewildering physical capabilities, absurdly sturdy bodies, sharply honed senses, a grasp of space and construction, inhuman wisdom, nearly endless mana, among many other things...and each tribe carried a body most suited to their gifts.

“A Human Tribe physique is feeble, no matter who you compare it to. We’re so weak our bodies will self-destruct if our brains don’t put a limiter on our abilities. That’s why we need an Armament to take on the burden for us, to allow us to use those gemstones as our Tribe Skill.”

Athena’s head remained blankly tilted, but Fram raised her face as if she had realized something.

“Don’t tell me...a mix-blood’s traits are...”

“That’s right. A mix-blood’s abysmal abilities are most likely a result of the limiters placed by the Human Tribe brain. Even if they aren’t pure-blood, there’s no reason their abilities should fall that far short.”

“Right... In my tribe, there are in rare cases those who inherit the abilities of both their parents, but I’ve never heard anything about their overall strength suffering for it.”

Fram’s mutter brought sparkles to Athena’s wide eyes.

“Then if those limiters are removed, even a mix-blood can start using Tribe Skills!?”

“That’s right. I checked with the brat’s parents, and they said it’s theoretically possible. But this ain’t no proper way to fight. It’s wrong, not just for a human, but for any living being.”

Velt’s grim expression posed a complete contrast to Athena’s optimism.

“Foxy, right here, right now. Can you break your own arm of your own volition?”

“M-My own arm?”

“It doesn’t have to be an arm. A leg, a finger, can you break it yourself?”

Slowly, Athena was pressured into a reluctant silence. Velt had expected this response, and he let out a faint sigh.

“The reason it’s limited at all is because we don’t got the right bodies to do it. Removing the limiter will mean using powers beyond what the body is capable of, and we of the Human Tribe won’t be able to handle it. Meaning...if the brat wants to use anything, he’s gonna have to break something.”

Athena and Fram gulped, having finally understood what he really meant. The reason he said it would be impossible for any proper human. Their brain would prevent their body from breaking itself by using powers beyond its means.

“Even if it works, the brat will go through extreme agony every time he uses a Tribe Skill. He’ll have to endure it tens, hundreds, thousands of times, all while breaking his body of his own will.”

And physical death never came for duelists. Every duel, he would have to personally choose the pain.

“Removing the Human Tribe’s limiter is already difficult in and of itself. No decent guy can break his own arm. Even if he could, he couldn’t fight properly after that. And let’s say he could fight, do that too many times, and you lose your mind... It’s a method of impossibility over impossibility.”

In the midst of Velt’s explanation, the two girls had lost their words. What was there left to say? To hurt oneself, chip away at their spirit, and endure the unending pain and suffering. Who in their right mind would choose a living hell just to be a duelist? Even if such a person existed—

“So you’re saying I can do it!”

Snap—the sound of something hard breaking.

“If this is my means to win...I’ll do whatever it takes!”

Despite breaking his own arm, his smile remained intact. Yuri’s mind and body weren’t feeble enough to fold to such a low hurdle.

“Hah... Even Reilly gave up on it, and you didn’t even hesitate.”

“Bad Yuri! You’re not in the field! You can’t just go and break your arm!”

“You seem pretty calm about this, but doesn’t that hurt...?”

“It hurts like crazy!”

“...If you want to train, make sure you heal up first.”

“Here, I have a healing charm, use it quick!”

Despite their panic, Athena and Fram promptly pressed a healing charm against Yuri’s broken arm.

After a look over the three of them, Velt gave a large yawn. “Well then, Foxy, Icy, he’s all yours. Have a few duels, and get him to the point where a few skills won’t break him too badly.”

“Very well. What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to have a nap before finishing up some business. We Administrators are pretty busy, I can’t just hang around with you people forever,” Velt said as he took his leave with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Once Yuri’s left arm was back in shape, Athena lifted her fist in high spirits.

“Aight! Let’s work hard to make Yuri stronger!”

“Before we do that,” interrupted Fram, “you two should turn off the broadcast feature on your Proofs.”

“Eh? But if you turn off the broadcast, you can’t review it later, right?” Yuri asked.

“True, but the broadcast is also used as evidence of a match. If both sides turn off the feature, wins and losses aren’t added to the record, and your rate won’t change either.”

“In short, we can fight all we want for training purposes!” said Athena in summation. Yuri didn’t need any further prompting to tap his Proof and sever its connection.

When all preparations were done, Athena enthusiastically brandished her straight sword.

“Then I’m first, let your Big Sis teach you all about it! Come at me!”

“Thank you! I’m counting on you!”

Yuri respectfully bowed his head to Athena before they both raised their Proofs high. The surroundings colors drained away while they held up their weapons and confronted one another.

“Now then, what should we start with?”

“Right... Even if you tell me to remove my limiter, that’s quite vague.”

And as the two of them groaned, Fram, who had merged with the background, called over.

“For starters, Athena, how do you usually use your Tribe Skill?”

“Mnn... I tell my ancestors, ‘Hey, I’m gonna borrow some power’?”

“So it’s pretty ill-defined.”

“The ancestor’s role, or purpose, is also pretty important, I guess. Like, with my Solar Fox, I form a strong image of sweeping away evil with flame.”

“Yuri, do you know the details of the tribes you take after?”

“Yes, when I was born, my parents compared past records. According to them...for the Beast Tribe, my power apparently stems from the bull Asterios.”

“A bull, huh. Then with your sword, it should help boost lunges and thrusts. If you’re empty-handed, then punches and palm strikes. Also charging and trampling, that sort of thing. Maybe you can draw it out if you imagine those movements?”

“Thrust and charge... I see...” he readily nodded along to her explanation.

“The next step would be how to remove that limiter thing—”

“Should I break my arm again, and see where that gets me?”

“You shouldn’t be so casual about breaking bones!”

“But maybe he’ll grasp some sensation from hurting himself. If he gets used to it, he might be able to draw out Tribe Skills without too much difficulty.”

“So practice makes perfect!” Yuri responded, bracing his fists and giving his left one a strong clench. The sensation of breaking his left arm a moment ago... He strengthened his will and resolve, strongly convincing himself it was a necessity. He pictured himself casting aside his hesitation and fear.

“—Here I go!”

With a firm image in his head, Yuri forced his foot into the ground. And just as he made his left hand snap ominously—Athena’s body was shot backwards.

“—Khh!” she grimaced as she took on a heavy blow with her sword. She braced her legs so as not to lose to the impact, gouging out and leaving trails in the beach sand. It was only in the midst of her trajectory that she got a good look at Yuri.

Yuri had his right fist thrust straight out. An explosive imprint remained where he had been before, the sand grains stirred up by the impact dimly glimmering in the morning sun.

That blow had far exceeded the physical capabilities of the Human Tribe. Not only was the Beast Tribe’s Athena pushed back, a faster charge than she had anticipated had taken her by complete surprise, and she just kept sliding, unable to fully kill her momentum.

A mix-blood had unleashed such a devastating blow.

“...! Yuri, you did it! You really—”

Seeing Yuri’s exceptionally elevated abilities, Athena’s expression brightened with glee, but she cut her own words short.

“Ah, hahah... Perhaps I aimed a little too high.”

Beads of sweat oozing down his forehead, Yuri’s knees fell to the sand. One of his left fingers was broken, his right arm turned in the wrong direction. The left leg he used to step in with was pulverized from the knee down, while the immense amount of blood he shed from his limbs soaked the white sand red.

Such a catastrophe, such a horrid scene to behold. Athena couldn’t contain herself from racing up in panic.

“Y-Yuri!? Are you okay—no, I can tell you’re not!!”

“Yes, right... I can’t say I’m very okay.”

“Good, then let’s pause for now! Dispel the field and—”

“No, please continue.”

With his broken left hand, Yuri grasped the arm Athena was holding him up with.

“At the very least...we now know I can use Tribe Skills. But the opening made with the initiation and recoil is too great; I have to get used to the pain...”

He continued to grip Athena’s arm with his quivering hand, so as to never let the means he had finally found ever leave his sights. To grasp out at his own possibilities.

“So...please, one more time!”

After such willpower and resolve, Athena could naught but tighten her expression and ready her sword once more.

“...Okay, I’ll do whatever I can. Just leave it to Big Sis!!”

Athena gave her chest a hard thump, returning Yuri’s feelings.

That exchange repeated several more times, and just as the seventh one was upon her—

“...Frammmmm... I can’t bear to watch anymore...” Athena sobbed profusely and gave up. “Yuri’s already in tatters... He’s a red, wrung-out rag...”

“...You look like you could go a few more rounds.”

“Even if I can, Yuri can’t...!”

She whined and whimpered as she pointed at Yuri, collapsed on the ground. As if his left fingers weren’t enough, the arm connected to it was curved into complex contours. His right hand no longer maintained its original shape, white bone poking here and there through his bloody flesh.

It wasn’t long before Athena’s wails caused his motionless body to twitch.

“Erk... Ah, sorry... I passed out for a second there...!”

“It’s fine, perfectly fine! Rather, you could just stay unconscious!!”

“No...I think I have one more in me...!”

“No way, no way, no way! You’re becoming like one of those zombies the Demon Tribes use! Let’s reset once, alright? If you keep at it in your condition, you’ll make your Big Sis cry!”

“You think...so...? Maybe you’re right...I shouldn’t push myself too far from the get-go.” Yuri finally conceded in his feeble, cracked voice, and Athena patted her chest in relief.

“And so, Athena...would you kindly finish me off?”

“...Eh? Finish?”

“Fighting Mr. Elias, I learned that a duelist’s death is quite unique. I need to get used to that too, so instead of ending with surrender, please kill me.”

“You want me to kill someone who could do with a mosaic placed over his whole body!?”

“Yes... Additionally, I need to know how severe the wounds have to be, and how much blood I have to lose to be considered dead, so I would very much appreciate it if you could kill me as slowly as possible...!”

No sanity left in his smile, a bloodstained Yuri slowly drew his wounded body closer and closer.

“It’s fine. I’ll be fine, so...!!”

Seeing the madness seep into his appearance, his speech and his actions, Athena trembled all over—

“This... I’m the one who won’t be able to stand it!!”

She forcefully lowered her straight sword at Yuri. Reluctantly, she honored his wishes to avoid all his vitals, one slash at a time... And for the time that followed, Athena sobbed and muttered, “Yuri is scary...” to herself.

◇

Early afternoon that same day...

With the lunch rush over, the duel city’s sightseeing district had somewhat calmed down, and Café Argent was no exception. As the shop cleared out, the only customers remaining were the ones kicking back for a slow afternoon.

After a look over the store, Elias called out to the kitchen. “Frevo. I’m going out for a breath of fresh air. Can you take care of things?”

“Aye sir. We can clean up after ourselves, don’t worry about it.” The young demon man Frevo popped his head out from the kitchen depths. “Ah, that’s right, boss. We got word from Fram, she’s got stuff to do today, so she can’t work dinner hours.”

“I see. Then my condolences to Athena, but she’s going to have to work two days in a row.”

“No, it seems Athena’s gonna tag along with her business. She told us not to put her on any shifts for a while.”

“...Her too?” Elias frowned. “...Well, so be it. I’m sure she’s just sulking about what happened yesterday. She presumably doesn’t want to see my face.”

“Ah, right, they were really pissed when you beat up that mix-blood kid. You think he’s really gonna give up on being a duelist from that?”

“That’s not our problem. Rather, if he’s a mix-blood, giving up quick is to his own benefit.” A curt response, and Elias was out the back door.

He let a salty wind from the nearby coast envelop him as he leaned his back against the husk of a great tree.

“If he gives up now...he’ll save himself from more than he knows.”

He stared at his hand, the figure of an old friend vivid in his mind. A duelist great enough to earn Elias’s respect. A mix-blood friend who had fought and studied with him in the duel city.

But her final moments were too short, too pathetic, too anticlimactic. The form of a friend crawling on the ground after losing a duel. She neither shed tears nor showed any irritation at her loss. Simply powerless, a feeble smile on her face like she had gone completely hollow.

The sight of that friend would never leave his head. They had walked the same path so long, he could feel her deep despair and helplessness. That was why—Elias granted her final wish.

“—Yo! You look like you’re in a rut!!”

Elias slowly lifted his face to a rather thoughtless voice. The one there...a detestably cheerful Velt.

“And what ’ave we here! I guess it takes more than ten years to change a member of the Beast Tribe!!”

“...The same could be said for you. You’re supposed to be a human, but you don’t look the slightest bit different.”

“You’re turned immortal the moment you become an Administrator! While they were at it, I’d have loved to have been frozen at my younger heyday!”

“You’re already a monster. I can’t believe you had a heyday.”

“I was amazing in my golden age! They used to call me a hero, you know!”

“I know. But there is a saying that goes, only old men tell old tales.”

A few more loveless words, and Elias finally posed the question. “So what does an Administrator want with me?”

“Right, that’s the thing! I’ve got a job for you—”

“I refuse.”

“I knew you’d say that!!”

“I can’t stand someone who’s always laughing like a fool.”

“What’s wrong with that! A human’s living life best when he’s laughing!”

“I’m a beastman. And...there’s no guarantee everyone can laugh.”

Yes, there was no guarantee that everyone could laugh. Velt understood who he was referring to, and so he uneventfully abandoned his peevish smile.

“...You really haven’t changed a bit in ten years.”

“I doubt I’m going to change until I beat you, Administrator.”

“I see. In that case—you’re not worthy to face me.” Velt declared right to his face, “Ten years ago, you were strong. But...right now, you’re so weak, I don’t even feel you would be worth the effort.”

The moment he finished his cheap provocation, the leaf wafting right in front of his face split clean down the middle.

“—Would you like to put that theory to the test?”

He drew his curved blade and let it soar in a bee-line straight for Velt’s neck. A movement of ungodly speed, unleashed by the Beast Tribe’s superior physical capabilities. His Tribe Skill called Release imparted his fluid draw with unparalleled strength.

Through no more than pure strength and technique, Elias had butchered many a duelist. However, Velt simply pinched the blade between his fingers as he continued his small talk.

“Whoa, you’re pretty fast. If I was anyone other than me—the strongest, of course—it would be hard to even follow that sword with my eyes. In skill alone, it would be an insult to compare you to the other duelists.”

“Yeah. I’ve done my share of training, these past years...all to defeat you.”

Elias was definitely far stronger than he once was. He had piled up battles with countless duelists until he was finally feared as an Adamant Rank. His technique was great enough for even fellow Adamants to keep him at arm’s length. And yet Velt Helrick’s take on the man didn’t change.

“You still don’t get it. Over the course of ten years, all you’ve done is win duels, it’s as if you don’t understand what it really means to fight. You’ve been standing still the whole time.”

As an Administrator, one who had reached the very summit of battle, his attitude remained firm. He would look straight at Elias and call him weak.

“...If that’s what you think, I simply have to last to the end of the Roulette and prove otherwise.”

“Don’t think it’ll be that easy. There’s an interesting one taking part this year.”

“...Oh really? A duelist great enough for you to endorse them?”

At the first glimpse of interest from Elias, Velt flashed his teeth in a laugh. “Don’t act like you don’t know him too. It’s Yuri Eniastar.”

“...Reilly’s apprentice?”

Elias’s thoughts went to the sight of Yuri after he had been thoroughly overwhelmed and crushed the other day. His expression quite blatantly took an unpleasant turn.

“That boy is a mix-blood. Did you know that when you placed your expectations?”

“It’s not expectation, it’s conviction.” He spoke to deny each of Elias’s words. “You won’t be able to win against Yuri Eniastar.”

A stark contrast to Velt’s jolly confidence, Elias openly grimaced. “I’m going to lose to a mix-blood? You’re asking for quite a lot.”

“You’ll know if I’m crazy or not if you take up my little favor,” he prefaced, before explaining the details Elias had so rudely cut off before. “One week from now, I’m going to kick off the Babel Roulette. I thought I’d have you and the brat duke it out in front of Babel Tower as the opening act.”

“...Are you serious?”

“’Course I’m serious. It only happens once a decade, so shouldn’t we start off with a bang?”

“Have you...forgotten what happened last time...!?”

The shades of rage surfaced in Elias’s turquoise eyes. He recalled a scene of spectators jeering at Reilly and vilifying her to no end. To Elias, the scene was nothing but pure evil, the embodiment of everything wrong with the world. He detested those pedestrians who arbitrarily spat rash remarks, not knowing the first thing about how Reilly felt, or how much effort she put in as she faced the Administrator.

That was precisely why Elias couldn’t stand without questioning the Human Tribe Administrator.

“Why...do you back the boy to such a degree? A mix-blood duelist has no future. As the Human Tribe Administrator, you should know that better than any—”

“A mix-blood is the only one who can’t fight? That’s no fun at all.” With those words, he formed a smile just as innocent as the boy’s. “When the duel city’s creed is ‘Let’s All Enjoy our Fights,’ the mix-bloods are the only ones left out of the group. It hit me hard with Reilly...and I knew I had to do something about it.”

In a rare display, Velt bashfully scratched at his cheek. “I may be an idiot, but I’m still their Administrator.”

Surely, there was no deception in his words. As the one who ruled the Human Tribe, and as a duelist who loved battle, Velt had acted to extend a hand to the mix-bloods. Now that he understood the man’s sincerity, Elias closed his eyes and let out a slight sigh.

“...I might find some entertainment in destroying your delusions before the Roulette begins.”

“So you’re givin’ me the okay, did I hear that right!?”

“I don’t mind. It will just be another win for me.”

“Well look who’s talkin’! Just to let you know, the boy’s currently doing some secret training!”

“Then it’s not a secret anymore.”

“He’s already got two people helping out, so it wasn’t much of a secret to begin with!!” With a hearty laugh, Velt turned his back to Elias. “Glad to hear you’re up for it... One week, okay? Give it a good show, Elias.” Leaving those words behind, he dismissively flapped his hand and made his way off.

After watching his broad back shrink into the distance, Elias lowered his eyes to his own hands. “A mix-blood is going to beat me...?”

He shook his head, shaking away stirred-up memories. Feeling irritated at Velt, the one who irksomely roused them, Elias slowly got back on his feet. It was only then that he suddenly paused to think over what he’d been told.

Two people were helping Yuri train. Two familiar faces crossed his mind.

“...It couldn’t be.”

He left that thought in a corner of his mind before returning to the shop.

◇

Three days had passed since Yuri began his training. They would head to the deserted beach first thing in the morning and continue their duels late into the night. As a result—

“I won’t eat meat ever again...only veggies for me...” Athena was crouched and cowering on the sand.

“Good for you,” Fram sighed, “you’ll be the Beast Tribe’s first-ever vegetarian.”

“You can only say that because you didn’t see it up close! The blood went skadoosh! The flesh went kersplat, and the bones went kerchunk!”

“I’m sorry... I tend to go too far when my switch is flipped...” Yuri apologized, only for Athena to sullenly turn her head the other way.

“No, no, no! Your Big Sis won’t forgive you!”

“Err... Then I won’t protest when you suddenly jump on me.”

“Okay, Big Sis always forgives! Let’s have some meat today!”

“She’s so easy I’m growing worried for her future.”

“I have to agree...”

“Yay! I can hug Yuri now!”

With Athena’s mood recovered, Fram clapped her hands together to change the subject.

“So Yuri, do you think you understand the Beast Tribe’s Tribe Skill now?”

“Tentatively, I’d say. At the very least, I’m now able to hold back the output, and I think I’ve grasped the knack well enough that it just barely won’t destroy my body.”

“I think so too. Yesterday, he used it without too much damage, and he didn’t have to hurt himself to invoke it anymore!”

“Good. Just using Tribe Skills is already an excess burden on your body. If you have to hurt yourself every time just to activate them, you’ll only be able to fight short-term battles.” After summing up the results of the past three days, Fram turned back to him. “Then next, let me teach you the Spirit Tribe’s skill.”

“Thank you! I’m counting on you!” As per usual, Yuri took his cue to hold up his Proof.

“Now then, the spirit subspecies you take after is the moon spirits, correct?” Fram indifferently confirmed in the midst of the world’s color shift.

“Yes. But, when I tried to look into them, I couldn’t find any information.”

“I wouldn’t doubt it. Moon spirits are so rare I have never seen one myself.”

“So even you’ve never encountered one?”

“To be quite blunt, they’re on the verge of extinction. The fact that the Eniastar house managed not only to form connections with them, but to bang one to preserve their mix-blood lineage, strikes me with fear and awe.”

“Fram, as a young woman, how about you choose your words...”

“Hey, hey, Fram, what does bang mean?” Athena asked from the outfield.

“When a man and woman do this and that and all sorts of things to make a baby.”

“Hey, how about we put a wrap on that topic!”

After covering Fram’s mouth with both hands, Yuri got the conversation back on track.

“The Eniastar House has been around since the founding of the duel city. Our family tree stretches way back, and we’ve taken in various members over the years.”

“If you’re that old, it’s possible you exchanged a contract with a moon spirit back when they were still numerous. I heard your house researches mix-bloods, but do you also do research on other tribes?”

“Yes. I read many of my father’s books to work out countermeasures while I was training...but the documents on my own traits are too old and vague, and everything apart from the elf traits I got from my mother are an unknown to me.”

“In that case...I should start by explaining about moon spirits,” Fram said, as she flopped down on the spot and began her lesson.

“Moon spirits are a race of spirits that govern life and sanity. Their Creation allows them to place status conditions on enemies, to influence the body through means of the mind. Or so I’ve heard.”

“That’s...umm, what exactly does that mean?”

“To put it simply, it is a strong suggestion,” Fram said, pointing at her own eyes. “For example, if you place a mental suggestion, ‘your eyes cannot see,’ the enemy really will become unable to see. To take it a step further, if you suggest, ‘your lungs cannot breathe,’ the enemy will stop breathing and die.”

“...Isn’t that a little too strong?”

“It’s strong, but it highly depends on the enemy’s mental state, which makes it rather impractical and unreliable. They’re also good at healing magic, and honestly, they aren’t too suited as duelists, but...”

After she said that much, Fram put a hand to her chin and thought. “It might be the perfect tribe trait for a mix-blood like you.”

“For me?”

“Yes. You hurt yourself whenever you use Tribe Skills, but a moon spirit’s Creation might be able to heal some of your wounds and let you reuse them. Similarly, you’ll be able to use self-suggestion to strengthen your body.”

Fram paused, did some more thinking, then continued, “The Spirit Tribe fundamentally can’t fight in close quarters, so physical strengthening is usually pointless, but...if a mix-blood’s physical makeup is the same as the Human Tribe, body strengthening and healing magic should be perfectly applicable.”

“What happens if Yuri uses magic in the first place?” Athena asked from outside. “The Beast Tribe’s Release has a terrible effect on his body, but will magic be fine?”

“Hmm... I actually studied up a bit on magic, but I gave up on it when I figured out I didn’t have an output high enough for offense.”

“The Human Tribe’s mana capacity is pitifully average, a little support and healing will be the limit. For now, we can just try it out and see what happens.”

“Is it just me, or are you getting rougher with your treatment of me...”

“Does it really matter if a human who laughs as his body is converted into a lump of meat is treated somewhat roughly?”

A smirk on her lips, Fram lightly patted the sand off her clothes as she stood.

“If you learned magic, you should already know how to do it. Show me.”

“Yes! Under—”

His spirited reply was cut short as an impact raced through his chest; a sharp pillar of ice stuck straight through his heart.

“There. You’ll die if you don’t heal yourself fast enough. Ready, set, go.”

“Fram’s a demon!?”

“There’s no telling when you’ll bear a fatal wound in real combat. We’re better off learning how fast he can heal himself, and whether or not he can evade death.”

“Even so, that’s way too little mercy! Your Big Sis doesn’t approve of this!”

While Athena was making a ruckus outside the Field, Yuri stared at the hole in his chest. He concentrated all his attention toward it. Imagining the mana within him as the flow of his blood, he tried desperately to grasp its sensation as a bodily sense.

“—Creation.”

Came his panicked cry, and the change soon graced his body. The large hole in his chest closed up in the blink of an eye, the wound repaired.

The scene caused Fram’s eyes to widen in admiration. “I’m shocked... Even if the moon spirits excel at healing, to instantly close even a fatal wound...”

“Fram! Yuri’s acting strange! Hurry and look at him!”

Immediately after Athena’s scream, Yuri slowly collapsed to the ground.

He firmly clutched his chest to contain the absurd beat of his heart, but contrary to his own will, it continued to pulsate wildly as an off-sensation raced all across his body.

“...An excessive use of magic is causing acute manaloss syndrome. Mana is circulated in the bloodstream, so a sudden loss will cause the body to overcompensate, sending his heart into overdrive.”

“Err, umm... What does that mean!?”

“To put it simply, his body is in a frenzy. Far too much oxygen is being sent to his brain, his consciousness is going berserk, his field of vision is contracting...perhaps he has other symptoms as well.”

“Stop calmly analyzing and do something about it!!”

“Quiet down. The Spirit Tribe reacts the same way the first time they use magic,” she sharply replied, before taking a seat next to Yuri. She held up his head in her arms and pressed it against her own chest.

“Yuri, listen to the sound of my heart.” She cradled him and spoke in a soft, gentle tone. “Remember how your heart is supposed to move, imagine the mana leaving your body with each breath. Calm down...release the excess and your body will be at ease.”

Fram combed Yuri’s hair as she would to soothe a child, patting his back at a set rhythm. After she had repeated that for a while—Yuri took in a conspicuously deep breath. He burst into a coughing fit, all the while shaking his head to clear away his hazy consciousness.

“Hac, hac—this...is a lot harsher than simple pain...”

“I wouldn’t doubt it. You can put up with pain, but not being able to do anything about the changes in your body is scarier than you could imagine. If you were anyone else, I would not have done that.”

“Even if you were going to do it, I’d have liked a word of warning...!”

“If you don’t learn it firsthand, you’ll do something reckless again. Magic is powerful and convenient, but it is an art that comes with danger. I thought you should learn that before doing anything else.”

She rested Yuri’s head on her lap, slowly stroking his head to drive in her cautionary words. “After a short break, we’ll break in your body to the sensation of mana and expand the scope of your healing.”

“Yes... Thank you...”

Resting on Fram’s lap pillow, Yuri repeated a rhythm of deep breaths.

The sight had Athena’s discolored body shaking. “I feel incredible Big Sis Power coming from Fram...!”

“The peanut gallery sure is noisy today.”

“Alright, that’s a wrap! Duel over! Let me hold and pet Yuri too!”

“No one can interfere with a duel. We’ll be alone for a while. Now either stay on my lap, or end the duel and let Athena hold you. I’ll leave the choice to you, Yuri.”

“When I’m in this state, please don’t present two options that will definitely have repercussions...!”

“Right. Maybe that was a little mean.” Fram broke into a giggle, “In exchange, you have to end our duel with surrender.”

“...Fram, could it be you’re not too good with blood?”

“That’s not true at all.”

“But in the duel I saw last time, you fought in a way to pressure your opponent into surrender.”

“If they surrender, I don’t have to needlessly tire myself out.”

“But when I was training with Athena, you covered your eyes quite frequently.”

“...I’m not fond of overly perceptive children.” Fram flicked him on the forehead, a sullen look on her face.

With a bitter smile, Yuri ambivalently nodded. “Very well. Then—I give up.”

The simple declaration shifted the sepia-toned scenery back to its original array of vibrant hues. As the Field was dispelled, Athena rushed in with her tail swinging to and fro.

“What’s this, what’s this? You want your Big Sis to hold you!?”

“Unfortunately, I’ve taken your little brother.”

“My little sister made off with my little brother!?”

“Pardon me...I have a headache, so if you could please quiet down...”

“You heard him, now off with the noisy Big Sis.”

“Never! I’m going to hold Yuri, you hear!!”

Half in tears, Athena jumped at the two of them. As he watched the boisterous girls, Yuri inadvertently laughed aloud.

“Haha. How should I put it... It’s kinda fun, doing things with the three of us.”

“Yuri found enjoyment in something normal...!?”

“I was sure he was a masochist who only delighted when being tormented.”

“Why, I never!” he snapped back jokingly, finding joy in even something that small. “Up to now, my training was always done alone. There’s no point even if a mix-blood does his best. All sorts of people, even my master would tell me that.”

Yuri’s master Reilly taught him all manner of techniques. But the words from her mouth were never encouraging. Having fought as a mix-blood duelist and fallen into a deep despair as one, Reilly understood Yuri’s path better than anyone.

By purposely refuting him, she had tempered his heart for what was to come. She had reared an indomitable spirit that would not fold to any vilification.

Despite this constant discouragement, Yuri chose to be a duelist. He had made the trek longing for the fun days that awaited him.

“Ever since I came to the city, and met you two...every day has been a blast!” Yuri said, his voice full of spirit, an innocent laugh on his face. As if infected by his energy, the two of them returned the same smile.

“Yeah, yeah! While we’re at it, how about we all join the Babel Roulette on the same team!” Athena proclaimed to the world.

“But if you want to win, wouldn’t someone else be—”

“It’s a festival, so rather than winning, it’s more important to enjoy it. That’s what this city was built for.” Fram had no objections.

Despite knowing he was a mix-blood, the two of them held out their hands to him as friends. As Yuri slowly reached out to take them—

“What are you doing here?”

His hand was intercepted part-way by a sharp call. The three of them reflexively turned to see a figure walking boldly from the direction of the voice. Elias’s face became bitter as he slowly approached.

“Just when I was wondering why you weren’t showing up at the shop... To think you really were helping the boy out.” Disappointment and sorrow mingled with each word.

The moment she saw him, Athena jumped out to cover Yuri.

“What’s wrong with us helping Yuri!?”

“Athena’s right. We’re free to do whatever we want.”

Even with Fram’s support, Elias’s expression didn’t change. He gazed straight at Yuri behind them.

“Boy...leave the Duel City this instant,” Elias forced out in a thin voice. No longer was it only a vague negative emotion, now rage swirled in the air around him. “You don’t understand...to continue as a mix-blood will bring misfortune, not only to yourself, but to everyone around you.”

“Eli! You’re going too—”

“You shut up!!”

Athena cowered under her brother’s angry yell, and even Fram inadvertently froze in place. Not lending an eye to either of them, Elias walked right up to Yuri.

“None of you understand.”

In his anger, his pitch-black emotions oozed for all to see. “What you’re trying to do...is the same as what we once did ourselves. All for Reilly, our members all helped one another, discussed technique and strategy, supported her so she could carry on as a duelist.”

The members of their team all supported Reilly, stacking up victories by implementing the tactics Reilly proposed. But Reilly herself could only stand and watch.

“While Reilly continued to lose, the rest of the team gradually came out victorious...and none of us ever noticed just how much agony she shouldered because of it.”

It was her own team and yet Reilly Malbork could only remain outside of it. Elias and the others never noticed up to the very end. And after the Babel Roulette, Reilly died as a duelist.

“Yuri Eniastar...do you know the last moments of Reilly the duelist?”

He clenched his large sword, grinding his back teeth with pain and regret.

“Despairing at the reality of being a mix-blood, despairing at her own weakness...at the end, she came to me and pleaded.”

At the very end, Reilly wished for death.

“I, with these very hands—killed Reilly Malbork.”

Death did not truly exist in a duel. However...the death of a duelist was very clear. After repeated defeat and losing every last point of rate, the life of a duelist was over.

And Elias had killed his dear friend with his own hand.

“The very last time we fought...she didn’t even reach my ankles. Her strength was nothing to me.”

The friend he had admired, and dreamed of chasing forever. And yet, it was Elias himself who said her last prayer.

“No matter how much effort you put in...the conclusion that awaits you won’t change. Eventually, the losses will stack up, the walls will close in, and in the end, you will tread the same path as your master.”

“—You’re wrong! The reason my master wanted to—”

“Silence. You don’t understand, you never could.”

Cutting Yuri off, Elias turned to Fram and Athena. “Do the two of you have the resolve? To help the boy on a momentary whim, to get closer to him as comrades in arms, only to do the worst thing possible to him at his darkest moment?”

Athena and Fram looked down in silence.

“Boy...do you intend to beg those who supported you to put you out of your misery?”

Elias’s solemn tone seemed to probe into Yuri’s resolve. Yuri replied resolutely.

“I don’t intend to lose to anyone. Not even myself. No matter who tells me it’s impossible, I will not give up on being a duelist.”

The moment he heard these words, Elias grit his teeth and clenched his fist.

“Once upon a time...Reilly said those very same words.” He let off a murderous air, as his hand went to his sword. “And even so—she chose death in the end!!”

The instant Elias raised a bitter cry, Athena jumped in from the side. “You can’t...you can’t, Eli!!” Shedding beads of tears, she pleaded with her brother. “Yuri...really is working hard! Getting all beaten up, all torn apart, he still keeps pressing forward!!”

Despite Athena’s desperate attempts to stop him, Elias turned his cold eyes. “If that could change the outcome, she never would have left the city.”

His directionless anger clouded his eyes from the sight of a crying girl.

“Do you honestly think—that’s enough to change it!!?”

Right after the brunt of his rage shifted to Athena, after he lowered his fist, he heard the dull sound of metal striking flesh and bone.

“I finally get it.”

Blood fell, drip by drip, from his sliced forehead. Yuri had forced his way through and grabbed Elias’s arm.

“I...think I hate you.”

He put more and more strength into his grasp until he heard a grating sound.

“To be more precise, you really irritate me. Your eyes are always on where I come from, and who my master is. It’s as if you can’t see me at all. On top of that, I consider you a complete stranger, yet you just go off and arbitrarily decide my future as if you know everything there is to know about me.”

Yuri glared at Elias as he introduced himself.

“My name...is Yuri Eniastar. I’m not just any mix-blood duelist, and I’m not Reilly Malbork. If you can’t even understand that—”

Yuri recalled the form of a duelist he had admired a decade ago. His master had taught him not only technique and tactics, she imparted to him something far more important: the Iron-blood spirit to never give up.

“—Then I’ll defeat you, and make you understand.”

His hostility and fighting spirit laid bare, he made his war proclamation.

Elias furrowed his brow, ever so slightly. “...Then we’ll have things your way.”

Shaking off Yuri’s hand, he looked at the Proof glimmering on his own left arm. A definitive proof of his strength—the purple glow of Adamant.

“Three days from now...we will duel to kick off the Babel Roulette. This is the duel city...if your will is unshaken, it only makes sense to settle the matter through a duel.”

It would be a format different from a standard duel. Far different from the ones carried out on a daily basis. A battle where convictions, pride, principle, even existence itself could be placed on the line.

“I challenge you to a contractual duel.”

Thrusting out his Proof, Elias firmly glared at Yuri.

“The consequence for losing will be ‘That Yuri Eniastar shall henceforth never set foot in the duel city.’ I won’t let you walk a duelist’s path ever again.”

In the midst of both sides glaring at one another, Athena burst out with a shaking voice.

“You can’t...absolutely not, Yuri!” She grabbed Yuri’s shoulder and frantically attempted to dissuade him. “If you lose the contracted duel...you really will never be able to fight here again! You won’t be able to do what you love most in the world!”

Fram calmly stared at a motionless Elias. “Elias...you’re taking this way too far for a joke.”

“There’s no way I would present a contractual duel as a joke. It’s up to the boy whether he accepts or not, and I will allow him to offer any consequence he wants. I am undertaking considerable risk myself. We are on even footing.”

A contractual duel was a match where the consequences of the outcome were decided beforehand. They would go into effect no matter what, and once accepted could never be overturned. The details of the contract would be carved into the Proof, and the defeated party couldn’t take any action against them.

If Yuri lost—he really wouldn’t be able to set foot in Babel again. It would spell the end of him as a duelist.

“If you really wish to continue on as a mix-blood duelist—show me your resolve,” said Elias as he stared straight at Yuri.

“Ah...you finally looked at me!” Yuri smiled and held his left hand high.

A dull-blue Iron Proof. The Proof he needed to continue to walk and live as a duelist. That was the very reason why he couldn’t run away. If he held beliefs he could never abandon, he had to fight and settle the matter with a duel.

“Yuri Eniastar accepts the contractual duel.” He turned his Proof to Elias with a firm resolve.

Upon seeing that, Elias peacefully closed his eyes. “Very well. Then state your terms—”

“No, I don’t need any terms on my side; or rather, I really don’t care.”

“...What?”

“If I had to say—please don’t run from our fight.”

Elias was lost for words, so Yuri thrust up his fist.

“I’ll fight with all my might, and I’ll defeat you!”

Yuri had no doubt in his own victory. Not for a second did he think he would ever be defeated. Therefore, he didn’t have to worry about leaving the duel city. The only thought he had toward Elias was that he would definitely defeat him.

One look at his face, and Elias turned his back.

“...Then I’ll use all my might to kill you,” he concluded, before slowly disappearing into the forest beyond the beach.

For a while, no one said a word. Only the rustle of the leaves broke the silence. And...eventually, after a deep sigh, Athena wiped her eyes.

“Yuri, you really are an idiot...” But there was no bitterness to be found on her face. “And that’s why Big Sis wants to do everything to support you!”

With the remnants of tears still on her cheeks, Athena made a clear, cheerful smile.

“Good grief...if it’s three days, we’ll have to work even harder than before.” Fram sighed.

“Then I’ll work harder than anyone!”

“Of course you will. More importantly...Elias is a high-ranking Adamant. Duelists on that tier are on a different level, and he’s strong enough to garner attention even within his own rank.”

Fram spoke the plain truth, simply because she knew it to be a fact. Ten years ago, Elias had come out victorious against a great many opponents in the Babel Roulette. He had continued to fight after that, only growing stronger in the process.

“Can you still say you’re going to win?”

“Yes, I’ll definitely win,” Yuri answered, brimming with confidence. “What’s more...I just thought of one way I might be able to surpass Mr. Elias.”

“...Is there really a way?”

“It’s a way the two of you will be completely against. But—” He gripped a fist as he lifted the corners of his mouth. “—As long as there’s a possibility, I don’t mind what means I use.”

There was no falsehood to his words. To that point, Yuri had adopted all manner of methods for victory. To catch up to his master Reilly, he had efficiently picked up technique in a short period of time, and built his body from the ground up to surpass not only his master, but the other races as well.

“The most efficient learning tool...is pain. Stimulating events that come with pain and suffering are naturally burned into the brain. That’s why they’re several times more valuable than normal experience.”

Yuri himself knew better than anyone that there was no proper way to go about it. Not only had he heard it time and again from his master, he had experienced his own weakness first-hand. That was why...Yuri cast aside any proper thoughts. By throwing away all conventional methods, he had found the one talent that only he possessed.

“If it’s to win—I’ll do anything.”

For in the talent of madness, no one could surpass Yuri Eniastar.