Chapter 57: The Uncommon Simone
Chapter 57: Chapter 57: The Uncommon Simone
Two of the three duels had passed, with only the last one remaining.
Although Duane had already won according to the best-two-out-of-three system, every match had to be completed, as the distribution of benefits was at stake.
Raymond and Simone walked to the center of the dueling grounds.
The former looked young and spirited.
The latter looked like a scruffy drunkard, his thick, unkempt beard giving him a weathered look.
In reality, Simone didn’t touch a drop of alcohol.
Raymond sized up his opponent, noticing that he wasn’t wearing a Helmet and wasn’t even carrying a Shield.
This meant his opponent was extremely confident in his Swordsmanship, able to rely on his Longsword for both offense and defense.
Raymond had a faint feeling that this man from the Holy Hand Association was no simple foe.
"Let’s begin!"
As he spoke, he picked up a stone from the ground and tossed it into the air.
With solemn expressions, both men readied themselves to attack.
THUD!
The stone hit the ground.
Raymond and Simone sprang into action at once.
Although their strength was inferior to Kaelon’s and Bard’s, the fighting spirit they displayed was in no way lacking.
With a loud CLANG, Simone’s Longsword struck Raymond’s Shield, producing a deafening metallic crash.
Both men felt their arms go numb, yet they could also tell that their strengths were comparable.
Raymond’s eyes sharpened, and taking advantage of the block with his Shield, he angled his sword for a thrust.
Just as he had expected before the fight, his opponent’s offense and defense were highly refined. The instant Raymond struck, Simone used a nimble Body Skill to reposition himself, perfectly evading the blow.
Not only that, but Simone also seized the chance to counterattack.
Their Longswords clashed with a crisp ring.
What followed was a dense flurry of clashing swords.
In the span of a single breath, they had already exchanged five or six blows.
Faster, and faster still!
Jack, John, and the others could barely keep up with the speed of their attacks, and their Body Techniques were difficult to follow.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Their contest of Strength, speed, and skill unfolded in every aspect.
"This Simone..."
Duane’s brows furrowed.
After all, Raymond had defeated multiple Human Tier Warriors in the Third Legion’s competitions, meaning his combat prowess was extremely high.
Duane had thought this fight would be an easier one, but he never expected his opponent’s strength to exceed his predictions.
Kaelon couldn’t help but sit up to watch, commenting,
"This Simone is no simple opponent! At his level, he could probably achieve a similar combat record to Raymond’s in the Third Legion."
"Monbodt mentioned that this man only arrived on Black Forest Island a few years ago. I don’t know what his origins are."
With skills like that, he had to have some kind of background.
A corner of Daniels’s mouth, from the Holy Hand Association, curled up as he shot a smug glance at Bard.
Kalina couldn’t help but lick her red lips.
Although she and Simone were both in the Holy Hand Association, and she had tried to get close to him a few times, there was always a sense of distance.
He didn’t seem interested in her.
But perhaps the things one couldn’t have were the most enticing. ’I really just want to run my hands over his chest and ask him what part of me isn’t charming enough!’
Uleir saw the burning look in Kalina’s eyes and couldn’t help but cast a cold glance at the battlefield.
He held a deep-seated animosity toward Simone.
’If it weren’t for Daniels’s intervention and the threat from the Broken Wave Gang, I would’ve gotten rid of him already. Then Kalina would be mine alone.’
Unlike the members of the Holy Hand Association, Bard felt a heavy weight in his heart.
Simone was a figure he was quite wary of. It was precisely because he had joined the Holy Hand Association that Bard hadn’t taken any major actions against them in recent years.
Putting aside the spectators’ thoughts, Raymond was now fighting with passion.
Facing an evenly matched opponent made the battle exhilarating.
Their Longswords had clashed hundreds of times, and they were nearly equal in Strength, technique, and other aspects.
Now, all that remained was a contest of Combat Techniques.
BOOM!
Raymond was the first to unleash his Fighting Qi, and the silhouette of a giant serpent flashed into view.
The Cyan Snake Breathing Skill was a Breathing Skill the Kingdom prepared for members of the Legion who had performed exceptionally or achieved great merit.
It was precisely through his considerable strength and his record of winning several battles against higher-level opponents that Raymond had earned the right to learn it.
This Breathing Skill was characterized by its versatility, tenacity, and endurance, which matched Raymond’s style quite well.
Seeing this, Bard’s eyes narrowed slightly. ’As expected of those who serve the Nobility. Every last one of them has learned a Breathing Skill.’
Raymond chopped down with his sword, a Sword Aura condensed from Fighting Qi slicing through the air, elevating the battle to a new level.
A flicker of fighting spirit flashed in Simone’s eyes, and he too unleashed his Fighting Qi.
In that instant, it was as if a ferocious bird let out a shrill cry, and the massive, fiery silhouette of a bird flashed across his body.
Simone also chopped down with his sword. The two streams of Fighting Qi collided in midair, and the resulting shockwave spread out, Tearing up the ground beneath their feet and knocking both of them back.
Raymond said in disbelief, "The Fire Eagle... You’re from the Gobel Clan!"
Simone neither confirmed nor denied it, instead just flexing his wrist to relieve the strain from their last exchange.
From this, however, it was clear that Raymond was right.
"The Gobel Clan?"
Duane’s brows furrowed. In the circles of Lords, there didn’t seem to be such a family.
But since Raymond had mentioned it, they were most likely a Knight Clan of the lowest tier, just like the Brian Clan before them.
"Gobel is a Knight under Viscount Stewart. It’s a very special family; it’s said that the direct descendants of the clan possess the Fire Eagle bloodline."
Kaelon’s words immediately jogged Duane’s memory.
It was said that when the current head of the Gobel family, Knight Kais, was still an Advanced Warrior, he encountered a Level 4 Demon Beast, a Fire Eagle, in the wilderness.
During the fierce battle, Kais accidentally ingested the Fire Eagle’s blood, and the berserk energy seared his internal organs.
Everyone thought he would die, but Kais unexpectedly survived and found a berserk aura now residing within him.
Over the following years, Kais spent a great fortune and worked with a Mage to develop a method to suppress the berserk aura within his body.
This method became the Gobel Clan’s unique Fire Eagle Breathing Skill.
Later, Kais gradually made a name for himself, distinguishing himself greatly under Viscount Raul Stewart and becoming a Knight.
The Brian and Gobel families were somewhat similar, both having risen from commoner families to become low-tier Nobility.
But now, there was a difference between the two.
The Brian Clan had lost Carter, their great pillar of support, but Knight Kais of the Gobel Clan was still around.
And the young man before them, who possessed the Fire Eagle bloodline and had learned the Fire Eagle Breathing Skill, was clearly a direct member of the Gobel Clan.
’How could such a person end up stranded on Black Forest Island?’
’And how could the Gobel family be willing to let such an outstanding descendant languish on this desolate island?’
Duane’s curiosity was instantly piqued. There had to be a hidden story behind him that they didn’t know.
’Could it be that the Gobel Clan also met with some misfortune?’
’Kais is an Earth Tier Peak Warrior, undoubtedly a top-tier combatant in a Viscount’s Territory. Could it be that he, like Carter, died in a Secret Realm?’
Duane pushed aside these curious thoughts. He began to ponder how he could recruit this man to his side.
’A man from a Knight Clan would follow a noble—even if not from a Knight Clan with immense potential, it certainly wouldn’t be an unrecognized, untitled organization like the Holy Hand Association that isn’t even acknowledged by the Nobility.’
’Simone serving Daniels... isn’t that just bringing shame upon the Gobel Clan?’
Therefore, Duane had already decided. After this duel was over, he absolutely had to find an opportunity to make contact with him.
He desperately needed a Warrior like this—one who was similar to Raymond, and perhaps even had greater potential!