CHAPTER TEN

  A Lesson in Battle

  Emution’s duration: 55 Seds…ALERT! You have successfully tered with [Iron Blood Lv.1]! A fourth of your remaining HP was ed to activate this ability.Oh, whispered a deep, intelligent voily Bram could hear. Iing.

  Thankfully, the points Bram had added to his stitution were now reflected in his health, bolstering him enough to be more daring.

  [HP: 595/660] has dropped to [HP: 446/660]“This is…” Baer’s eyes wide the sight of the blood hardening around Bram’s arm. “…blood magic?!”

  When those same eyes soward him, Bram saw a myriad of emotions reflected in their gaze. Disbelief, fusion, fear—such emotions wafted out of Baer, creating an imban his mind that helped weakerength in Baer’s arms enough for Bram to push his broad-shouldered an back with his sword.

  “What’s the matter?” Bram asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Where’s the fidence you possessed when you thought me weak?”

  “You aren’t supposed to know sorcery!” Baer protested.

  “All I hear…” Knowing he had under a minute left with ‘Emution,’ Bram pressed his advantage. He stepped forward—the strength in his foot crag the grouh him, causing pain to spike up his leg—and unched a righthanded haymaker at Baer’s chest that carried with it the power that sprung from his lower body. “…Is the whining of the unprepared!”

  “Phoebus’ cock!”

  Baer tried to sp Bram’s fist away with the butt of his axe, but the fist extending toward the an was encased in the hardened blood that now coated the prince’s entire arm, ing the weakness caused by its broken wrist.

  ‘Wham!’

  A fist reinforced by ‘Iron Blood’ smmed into Baer’s sor plexus, f the breath from his lungs, and making him stumble backward.

  “H-How?!” The an’s face grew pale while blood leaked from the er of his mouth. “H-How are you wielding sorcery—”

  ‘Crack!’

  Earlier, Bram had dispyed the swordpy taught to him by the Delightful Troop. Now, however, he sought to overwhelm Baer with skills that made better use of his ogrish strength.

  Wielding the style of fist fighting he’d secretly learwo years ago from a revered mystic warrior of the ‘Mountain Kingdom of Shamva’ who’d visited his mother’s court to pay homage to the Sn, Bram followed up his blood-coated fist with an elbow rising underh Baer’s , crag against it like a hammer to a nail.

  Baer staggered backward and was uo raise a defense against the blood-coated hand, which, after rising upward from that st attack, was now chopping down at him from on high. Strangely, in the face of Bram’s assault, the an’s expression lost its fusion. Taking its pce was aement that seemed out of pce sidering Baer was about to be struck again.

  The prince didn’t notice this abrupt ge in his an’s demeanor though. For within his mind, Bram was too busy feeling thrilled. In his years’ long seclusion, he’d learned all manner of martial arts, believing that a honed body and skills to match it would one day prove useful against a sorcerer in a close-quarters fight. Today, he roving that his efforts hadn’t been in vain.

  “Be fuel for my growth!”

  Bram swung his hand down for all it was worth—and that was when he felt pain explode into his arm.

  “Ugh!”

  Blood spilled out of Bram’s mouth as pain racked his insides.

  “Damn…”

  In his haste, the prince overdid it. As a result, his body strained against the inpatible power rampaging inside him like molten fire rag across his veins. He could press his advantage no longer, and so Bram stumbled bato the embrace of Rowan’s fog, allowing Baer time to recover from his bination of attacks.

  You were too excited…

  Bram heard a sigh in the wind that reflected his frustration at failing during such a crucial moment.

  45 Seds…

  Meanwhile, Baer, who was once again hidden in the fog, howled, “I’ve often heard about yrish strength, but this is beyond what a talentless fool achieve… You’ve done a det job cealing your fangs!”

  Bram wasn’t sure if it had beeo Rowan’s fog, but the an’s voice had ged. It became distorted, deeper, more maniehow.

  “You’ve tricked the proud Lotharian nobles into believing you a mb.” Baer let loose a mad cackle, one Bram didn’t think could e from the mouth of the genial an who’d served him even before his time in Lotharin. “You’ve even dabbled in blood magic, you daft bastard!”

  Although not illegal in the imperium, many nobles and oners frow those who practiced blood magic because they believed it too dark a branch of sorcery for mortal hands to wield. This bias was especially strong in Lotharihe influence of the sun god Phoebus and his Temple of Light was deeply rooted in the people’s minds.

  “I see you for what you are—you’re no mb!” Baer roared in that strange voice that Bram didn’t reize. “You and I are alike, Yhness…we’re predators hiding among sheep!”

  The twihat marked Baer’s position winked out as if the an finally noticed how Bram was trag him ihick fog.

  “I’ve hidden my fangs too…” Baer’s voice came from many pces around Bram. “But I’ll uhe them now to tear at you!”

  “Fuck you, Baer!” Bram growled defiantly.

  He wasn’t sure what the an was getting at, but his seold him that his oppo was far different from the two traitors he’d already defeated. Indeed, Bram recalled that Baer was ninally his, but a servao him by the Sn’s court during the days when responsibility and duty were still far from his grasp. Baer had never shown him an ounce of disloyalty before today though, so Bram had never suspected the an of having ulterior motives or a fractured mind.

  You have more to learn about intrigue than your troupe has taught you, whispered the voi the fog.

  WARNING! Your HP has dropped below 50%. Your body is suffering from tinued use of [Status Emution Lv.1].Bram could feel his borrowed power surge inside of him like an unruly beast. He’d felt it from the o; how alien Rowan’s energy had been pared to anything else he’d witnessed. Despite its invenience, he had no choice but to g to this double-edged boon, for Bram khat he couldn’t defeat Baer without it.

  “Oh, fiery spark that refuses to be tamed…”

  The an’s voice was eg from around the prince’s left side.

  He backed away while keeping his bloodstained arm up like a shield. In the same breath, Bram tried desperately to trol his breathing to help teract his internal pain.

  “…Engulf my enemy in your wicked fme…”

  This time, Baer’s voice was to Bram’s right.

  Bloody hell… He slid to the side just as realization dawned on him. Somehow, Baer see me in Rowan’s fog…

  Then he smelled the st of a fme crag to life against flesh. This odor drew Bram’s gaze over his shoulder, and that was when he saw the telltale spark of magic glowing in the near distance.

  “Ray of Fire!”

  There was a sound akin to a hunting horn’s call as the air pressing against Bram’s back grew unreasonably hot, and then a brilliant e ray shot out of the fog behind him. Like a javelin in flight, it hurtled toward Bram who twisted his body around in a hurry so he could raise his bloodstained arm against Baer’s sorcery.

  ‘Boom!’

  Smoke and dust billowed out in all dires, clearing the dirt road of Rowan’s fog. When the magic of his sorcery dissipated and the swirling dust settled around him, a gleeful Baer raised his twin axes in triumph.

  “I beat the imp! I killed him!” Baer cackled like he was a man possessed who’d fotten his inal iions of kidnapping Bram. His eyes, which had bee bloodshot, gave him a strangely ghoulish tenance. “I’m not like the idiots who’ve died. I’m one of the chosen! I’m—”

  Twin arms coated in hardened blood enclosed Baer’s chest, ing the an in a bear hug empowered by ogrish strength.

  Baer’s eyes widened. “W-What?!”

  He struggled against his attacker, but Bram, with his bloodied fad ragged breath, refused to let his enemy go. He g to Baer’s back as if his life depended on it.

  “W-Wait!”

  As he’d once done against a knight of the White Rose, Bram used his borrowed strength to flip Baer over, sending him smming headfirst onto the dirt with a ‘Lotharian Suplex’ that was swiftly being one of his favorite moves.

  8 Seds…Baer’s head, neck, and back cracked hard against the earth, leaving the an groggy and unprepared to fight off Bram who was quiount him on the ground.

  “It’s never wise…to t one’s basilisks…before they hatch,” he taunted.

  Bram’s lips drew so close to Baer’s hat his breath tickled the an’s flesh.

  Good, Rowan whispered. Now, drink his blood and know the taste of victory.

  “S-Stop,” Baer pleaded, his voice reverting to the one Bram reized. “P-Please…let me—”

  “No…”

  A telltale smile grew on Bram’s face, showing off the twin fangs that pierced into Baer’s neck a sed ter.

  ALERT! The right ditions have beeo activate [Blood Drinking Lv.1] Draining the target’s blood will restore a set amount of HP.For the blood is the life, came Rowan’s encing whisper.

  Bram had felt it earlier. This desire to taste his enemy’s blood, to drain them of their life force. He’d held himself back against Barret, believing such thoughts to be of evil roots. But now that he was tired and near death, the prino longer had the will to deny the strange huhat came over him.

  You have activated [Blood Drinking Lv.1]. A third of your total HP is restored. The injury to yht hand has also healed.ALERT! The duration of [Status Emution Lv.1] has ended.ALERT! You are no longer a [Blood Champion]. Your status has reverted.With his borrowed pohe huhat overwhelmed Bram went with it.

  His eyes widened as the blood that had been so sweet to his tongue only a sed ago morphed into this foul metallic taste that made him gag. His head reared ba disgust only so he could vomit out the leftover blood onto Baer’s face.

  The an didn’t pin though. Baer couldn’t…because he was dead.

  “I…”

  With his mouth free of the revolting taste, Bram could now see his handiwork in its ey. ed by devilish huhe prince had draihe an of every bit of his blood so that Baer’s corpse now looked like one of the husks that had littered the floor of Bram’s bedroom.

  “I did this…?”

  He got up on shaky legs—and that was when he felt his world tilt sideways.

  ALERT! You are suffering from the withdrawal of great power. Your fatigue has reached its limits [99%].Bram didn’t he system to tell him what he felt in his bones. It was as if his muscles had been toredly from overexertion during a brief period. Bck spots were h over his vision. He was also out of breath.

  [The system reends that you refrain from emuting your previous target again. The power of [Rowan Wolfe] is not suitable for your stitutioe its warning, the system without a name also asked Bram if he wao save Rowan’s status in one of his three saved profiles.

  “Yes…”

  He imagihe positives of the power he copied from the trickster outweighed aives, and Bram believed he would need such oppressive strength again in the ing days.

  “You e out now, Rowan,” Bram whispered. “The battle—”

  The prince felt pain blossom in his gut before he saw the dagger that pierced his side.

  “M-Monster,” whispered the owner of the hands that shook while they held onto the dagger’s handle.

  “You?” Bram’s brow creased.

  He reized the blonde youth who had been hiding behind Baer and the others. Bram thought the boy had run away when the fight began, but he was wrong.

  The blonde youth tried to recim his dagger, but Bram grabbed his wrist a him from pulling the bde out. He khat the dagger plugged the hole in his gut, and without it, blood would gush out of his wound, taking with it the adrenalihat kept him standing.

  “M-Monster!” The blonde youth cried.

  Bram frowned.

  He’d been named an ill-fated prince, a weakling, and a fool, but he’d never been called a monster before or been looked upon with such terror.

  “You godsdamned fool,” Bram growled.

  Although his physique towered over the blonde youth, he noticed that they were about the same age. This parison wouldn’t stave off his ahough. Not after the other boy tried to kill him.

  He reached for his sword with his free hand, but it wasn’t there. He’d lost it in the fight with Baer. With his status reversed, he’d also lost the ability to wield the iron in his blood. There was, however, one on nearby. It would be a pain to wield though, the dagger embedded in his side.

  “You should have…remained hidden.” Bram grinned bloodstaieeth at the youth. “You should have run…”

  His terror of Bram kept the blonde youth paralyzed and uo dodge the headbutt that bashed against his skull.

  “Gah!”

  Stuhe blonde youth’s hands slipped from the dagger.

  He should have held on. He should have been more desperate to survive like Bram was when he pulled the dagger out of his side with a resolve to kill or be killed keeping him standing. With the st bit of his strength, Bram pluhe dagger into the blonde youth’s chest.

  The boy cried out, and so did the priogether, they toppled over, both hitting the ground at the same time. Although only one of them let out a gasp moments ter.

  “Ugh…”

  Bram rolled over so that his gaze was oe afternoon sky already basking in su’s golden glow.

  “Damn you for”—tears pooled around his eyes—“f me to kill you.”

  While his emotions overwhelmed him—with the weight of what he’d done pressing against his chest—Roeared kneeling at the prince’s side as if she’d been cast out by the surrounding mist that was already beginning to dissipate.

  “Victory es with a heavy price.” She pressed a hand against his side, causing the pain in his gut to lessen. “I hope you never fet this lesson.”

  Rowan cradled Bram’s head on her p while the prince wept silently.

  They were traitors who deserved death, certainly, but Bram couldn’t help feeling remorse for his role as their executioner. He was no killer hiding amur men like Baer cimed to be, and he abhorred the act of taking a life, though he khis round of murder wouldn’t be his st.

  “Does it get any easier?”

  “Unfortunately, yes… Especially for one who allows his ao get the better of him…”

  “I was swept up in my anger while also enjoying a taste of your power, though it made me feel such terrible pain after…” Bram grimaced. “I hope killing never bees easy for me…”

  “Worry not. I will stay by your side and keep you on the right path…” She wiped away the strands of hair from his brow. “Now, drink from me and heal.”

  Roressed her wrist to Bram’s mouth, f him to drink the blood dripping from a new cut on her flesh. Surprisingly, the taste of it on his tongue didn’t make him gag. Rowan’s blood was different from Baer’s, and Bram drank his fill of it while knowing her power was healing him.

  ALERT! Your HP has beeored by half its total. You are no lo risk of dyi up feeling much better. A quispe of his wounds showed him that they’d scabbed over as if they’d been weeks old instead of being freshly made.

  “Thank you.”

  The smile Rowan fshed at him caused Bram’s cheeks to redden.

  “You still have to cim your rewards.”

  That was when Bram finally noticed the ghostly blue windows waiting patiently in the air.

  GRATULATIONS! You have pleted the hidde [Battle Tutorial]! Rewards will now be distributed.“This truly is a day of firsts.” Bram was smiling now too. “Show me…what have I won?”

  GD_Cruz