Chapter 150

Оnlу оnе day rеmаinеd until thе Еrindel Underground Аrеna Tоurnament.

Аldrik, thе Visсоunt whо оwned Erindеl and four оthеr territоriеs, wаs реrsonаlly рresent аt thе tоurnаment registrаtion sitе on this final daу оf applicаtiоns.

For this tournament, he hаd еven offered his most vаluаble item, thе Anсiеnt Маgic Book, аs the chаmрiоnship prizе.

Оriginаlly, the сhampiоnship prize for thе Undеrground Arеnа Tоurnament wаs revealеd on thе dаy of the event, but this timе, it was ехсeрtionallу аnnоunced in аdvanсе.

Тhе rеasоn wаs nоne оthеr than a fellow named Khan, who had been invited to his mansion a few days prior.

‘Despite announcing in advance that the championship prize for this tournament is the Ancient Magic Book because of that bastard, only mediocre riff-raff are flocking in, tsk….’

He had checked the backgrounds and Power Measurement Device scores of the participants every day.

However, those who met his standards barely numbered ten.

‘That bastard Khan must absolutely not win! For that, stronger individuals must participate in the tournament…!’

Aldrik had lived his entire life trusting his instincts.

When Khan visited the mansion upon invitation to register for the tournament and underwent the power measurement, Aldrik felt a chilling sensation upon seeing the look in Khan’s eyes.

‘That fellow must not win… He’s definitely someone who will stab me in the back.’

His instincts had never been wrong even once.

That was how he had managed to achieve a truly unbelievable rise from a commoner to a Viscount.

Normally, it would have been absolutely impossible for a commoner to become a noble, but during his past as a herb gatherer, he heard news that the King of the Kingdom of Sinsiniel was critically ill and brought the most precious herb he possessed to offer.

As a result, the King’s condition improved, and the King personally sought out Aldrik to bestow a title upon him.

Viscount Aldrik received the title of Baron, and by continuing to trust his instincts, he had risen to the rank of Viscount.

‘Now, only one step remains to become a Count…!’

Because Aldrik’s instincts were vehemently rejecting Khan, he was even considering completely altering the format of the Underground Arena Tournament, which had been conducted in a certain way until now.

Originally, the Underground Arena Tournament accepted exactly 64 participants, but this time, if one met a certain level of skill, there was no limit, and registrations were continuously accepted.

‘Someone stronger than Khan must participate in the tournament.’

He still vividly remembered the record of Khan, who had demonstrated magic before him.

Khan’s Power Measurement Device score was clearly 49,000 points.

Among the adventurers who had applied to participate in the Underground Arena Tournament, there were, of course, those who exceeded 49,000 points.

Aldrik remembered their names clearly as well.

‘Silvia, Darenvalt, Ailee, and Karel… These four’s scores exceeded 50,000, even 60,000 points… but the unease in my mind just won’t disappear….’

Even though there were four adventurers with Power Measurement Device scores higher than Khan’s, Aldrik couldn’t help but tremble with anxiety.

“Viscount, are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

“No, I’m fine. Hurry up and proceed. We need to accept as many as possible, don’t we?”

“Understood!”

Every time he saw the adventurers waiting alone in front of the Power Measurement Device at the registration site, he grew increasingly anxious.

The adventurers standing before the Power Measurement Device began, one by one, to unleash their attacks toward the device.

Kwaaang!!

Puuuung!!

Beep.

[2400]

[2700]

Each time his anxiety grew, only mediocre riff-raff with pitifully low scores appeared.

“Hoo, this is maddening. To think there are so few strong people in the world… It’s absurd.”

Even after offering the Ancient Magic Book, why on earth wasn’t a single person overwhelmingly stronger than Khan appearing?

‘If only I had prevented that bastard Khan from participating in the tournament….’

Even now, he wanted to tell Khan not to participate, but that didn’t seem like a particularly good idea either.

“Alright, alright, as soon as you stand in front of the Power Measurement Device, attack immediately! We have many applicants, so we’ll proceed quickly!”

The organizer accepting tournament registrations shouted loudly.

The adventurers standing before the Power Measurement Device immediately swung their swords or threw punches at the machine.

Among them, about one in a hundred used magic, but their skills were truly pitiful.

Bang!

Beep—

[800]

Whoosh!

Beep—

[740]

They fired Mana Bullets or small Flame Spheres, but their scores didn’t even reach a thousand points.

These were trash not even worthy of being called Mages.

‘Tsk, where did these trash even hear about this and come from?’

With so little time left, only such mediocre riff-raff kept showing up, making his anger rise to the top of his head.

But then.

“H-hey! Jargon! That person… no, who on earth is that gentleman?!”

“Who are you referring to, Viscount?”

“The gentleman I’m pointing at, the one with the white beard on his chin!”

“Ah, just a moment! I received entry forms in advance while they were lining up… let me see….”

“Forget it, just give them to me quickly!”

“Yes, here they are!”

Aldrik took all the entry forms Jargon was holding.

“He said his name is Dramos. You should look for the name Dramos.”

“Right. What…? Wait… Dramos?! Are you sure?”

“Yes, it was clearly written that way on the entry form. Though it was written quite carelessly.”

Aldrik had heard the name Dramos before.

He had visited the Royal Palace a few times in the past, and each time, the King had praised the Royal Palace’s Guard Captain.

He had lavished praise, saying there was a guardian deity of the kingdom who devoted his loyalty to the kingdom.

That person’s name was Dramos.

‘If my memory serves me right, the name Dramos definitely belongs to the kingdom’s Guard Captain…! It’s not strange for him to have such white hair since considerable time has passed. More importantly… every time I look at that gentleman, the unease in my mind completely disappears….’

Of course, there was a possibility that another person with the same name, Dramos, existed, but Aldrik’s instincts were telling him very clearly.

Do not miss that gentleman.

Thus, he quickly flipped through the entry form papers, searching for Dramos’s name.

‘Found it…!’

As soon as Aldrik checked Dramos’s entry form, he couldn’t help but be slightly taken aback.

‘Farmer…?’

The entry form format was extremely simple.

[Erindel Underground Arena Tournament Entry Form]

1. Name: Dramos

2. Class: Farmer

3. Gates Entered: None

4. Other Notable Details: None

While the entry form format was simple, among them, the form Dramos filled out was particularly lacking in sincerity.

‘Farmer…? That’s absurd.’

Why on earth would a farmer, not an adventurer, knight, or mage, want to participate in the Underground Arena Tournament?

What does a farmer intend to do by participating in the Underground Arena Tournament?

Aldrik waited until it was the turn of Dramos, who was waiting in line at the back.

And finally, Dramos’s turn arrived.

“Sir, this machine is called a Power Measurement Device. If you perform an attack you can do on this round area, it will display how powerful it is as a number. Understood?”

“Hehehe… I know that much. Can I start right away?”

“Yes, you may begin once you relax.”

The organizer accepting tournament registrations, perhaps because Dramos looked somewhat elderly, maintained as much courtesy as possible instead of urging him to hurry.

“Hmm, let’s see…. If I use a sword, this machine might break… so a wooden stick like that over there should suffice.”

“Huh…? Sir, what kind of nonsense is that? Have you perhaps developed dementia? What do you mean, a wooden stick… no, more than that, this machine is absolutely impossible to break. Haah, time is precious, so just….”

There were still dozens, even hundreds, of people waiting behind Dramos to participate in the tournament.

So Rodion, who was accepting registrations, could no longer hold back and was about to say something to Dramos with a frown.

At that moment, Aldrik, who had been watching from the back seated, shouted.

“Rodion! Stop talking nonsense and watch quietly! If the gentleman wishes to do so, what kind of disrespectful behavior is that?!”

“Ah… S-sorry! Sir… then please proceed as you see fit.”

“Hehehe, that friend knows a thing or two.”

“Hey! ‘Friend’?! That gentleman is the master of Erindel….”

“Shut up, Rodion!”

“Ah, yes…!”

Rodion scratched the back of his head with his hand and shrunk back.

He couldn’t understand what he had done wrong or why the Viscount was shouting at him.

‘Why is he just silently watching this crazy old man…?’

He was on the verge of cursing inwardly, but Rodion also quietly watched, following Aldrik’s words for now.

Dramos walked toward the wooden stick he had pointed at earlier.

Picking up a very thin wooden stick, similar in length to a typical sword, Dramos slowly returned to his original spot.

“This old man is naturally a bit leisurely, so please understand.”

“Ah, yes…. That’s fine, now you may attack the Power Measurement Device…!”

“Very well.”

Hearing Rodion’s words, Dramos slowly raised the thin wooden stick.

Simultaneously, Dramos’s face, which had been full of benevolence, changed in an instant.

Into the eyes of a knight who seemed ready to cut down everything before him.

Chik.

Uuuuuung…!!!!

Dramos drew up his Mana and infused it into the wooden stick he was holding.

Then, a blue Mana Aura Sword formed around the thin wooden stick he held.

“O, Aura Sword…!”

“Crazy…! That’s a real Aura Sword!”

“Can you create an Aura Sword on a twig…?”

“More than that, isn’t an Aura Sword only possible for high-ranking knights…?! Or top-tier adventurers!”

The twig in his hand, enveloped in an Aura Sword.

Everyone who saw it opened their eyes wide, unable to hide their astonishment.