Robb awoke with a heavy head, the lingering haze of last night's drinks still clouding his mind. After a gulp of water and a moment to gather his senses, he realized Vuuxi was nowhere to be seen. Curiosity sparked, and he quickly left the grand hall in search of Vuuxi and Arkael.
The large house felt unusually empty. But then, the sound of a ruckus outside caught his attention. Without a second thought, he rushed toward the noise.
Still half-asleep and shirtless—wearing only his white trousers—Robb stumbled into the crowd. The moment people spotted him, laughter erupted all around.
"Sir! Sir Robb is here!" Arkael shouted. "Looks like he's not fully awake yet!"
The laughter grew louder.
Standing nearby with Lady Bilka, Ophelia, and Ellie, Damerius approached him."Robb, what are you doing, dear boy?" Lady Bilka called out in Rhazab tongue.
Robb jolted in surprise at the familiar voice. "Huh? My lady?! What a pleasant surprise!" he exclaimed, walking over to them.
"Here, Sir Robb, your clothes," Arkael said, handing him a shirt.
While getting dressed, Robb glanced at Ophelia and Ellie. "So, how was Patisia? Did you enjoy it?"
"It was amazing, big brother! Lord Damerius took us around—tasting Patisian dishes, learning the Laerfex language, even trying out local makeup and trading. So many fun things to do!" Ophelia replied with sparkling enthusiasm.
Damerius smiled. "Don't call me 'Lord', Ophelia. Just call me brother," he joked, prompting more laughter.
Meanwhile, the battlefield had fallen silent. The Five Death Wolves stood still, processing what had just happened. Valtros was still slack-jawed, unable to believe his eyes. Vuuxi had effortlessly defeated Tikko and Nokko—far beyond anyone's expectations.
Still panting, Nokko finally spoke. "Sir, you've won. As agreed with Lord Robb, we will carry out one final task."
Vuuxi looked at them blankly. "That fight doesn't count. I was only testing your abilities. If you still want to prove yourselves, fight Robb instead."
Without waiting for a reply, Vuuxi walked away toward Robb. Confusion swept through the onlookers—they only now realized Vuuxi had been stalling for time until Robb woke up.
"Robb," Vuuxi called out, interrupting a conversation between Robb and Damerius about the finest horse gear. "Those two knights still want to test their strength. Against you."
Damerius raised a brow. "Very well then, Robb. I'll fetch you the best saddle and riding gear."
Robb turned to Vuuxi, clearly unmotivated. "Didn't you already beat them? Consider that a win on my behalf."
Vuuxi gave a faint smile. "But they're still curious about you."
Damerius chuckled. "If you indulge them, I'll give you the finest saddle for free."
Robb sighed heavily. "Alright. But I want fifteen Wit coins on top of that. I'll take on anyone from your unit."
The crowd stirred, murmurs spreading like wildfire. That kind of wager was far from ordinary for a casual fight.
Damerius shook his head with a grin. "Deal."
Robb stepped into the center of the field, eyes scanning the soldiers with a challenging gaze."I challenge anyone from Lord Damerius's unit—come at me one by one!"
Damerius added with a sly smile, "This will be your strength assessment. If anyone manages to defeat Robb, I'll reward them with seven Wit coins. Think of it as a training match and a test of skill."
But the gathered soldiers hesitated. They quickly realized that facing Robb one by one might just wear him down completely.
"How about I join in?" Vuuxi suddenly offered, silencing the field.
Robb raised a hand. "No need. I've got this. Consider it training for the upcoming Doliex Knight Arena match in two days."
The tension escalated. Even Damerius looked intrigued by Robb's confidence. He knew Robb was strong—but was he truly on par with his older brother, Rogg?
Robb glanced at the field."I have one request. Draw a large circle in the middle of the arena. Anyone who steps out of it is considered defeated—and they'll have to join Vuuxi and me on tomorrow's task."
The soldiers exchanged looks. The request was unusual, to say the least. They turned to Damerius for confirmation.
Damerius chuckled, catching Robb's intent."As Robb said, tomorrow you'll be part of his squad for a day. I approve the match."
Everyone began to prepare. Tension thickened the air. Robb gave a faint smirk."Alright, who's coming first?"
Seeing the setup, Lady Bilka stepped forward, her eyes filled with concern as she looked at Robb."Robb, don't get hurt. But how in the world do you plan to face so many of them alone?"
Robb simply smiled, calm despite the immense challenge ahead."Don't worry, my lady. This isn't a fight to the death. I'm just testing their skills—and finding the edge of mine."
The commotion grew louder as the circle was finally drawn in the dirt. Dust danced in the air, sharpening the tension. Robb stood tall at the center of the ring, then swept his gaze across Damerius's troops."Anyone who wants to test me, step in. You may come at me all at once!"
The crowd trembled with excitement. Cheers and laughter erupted, fueling the soldiers with a burning desire to prove themselves. The reward—seven Wit coins—was no small sum, and the glory of defeating Robb was a prize in itself.
Without hesitation, Tikko and Nokko leapt into the ring, followed by Moko, Loko, and Giko—the infamous Five Death Wolves, arena veterans hardened by countless brutal battles. No one took them lightly.
"Hmph… this should be good," Valtros muttered, arms folded, watching with keen interest.
Like a storm, Tikko and Nokko launched the first strike. Tikko swung his sword with blazing speed, aiming for Robb's shoulder, while Nokko charged in with a crushing punch powerful enough to crack stone.
But Robb's reflexes were razor-sharp. He leaned back just enough to let Tikko's blade slash harmlessly past his chest. In one fluid motion, he caught Nokko's wrist mid-punch, twisted his body, and hurled the man out of the circle with a heavy thud.
"Damn it!" Nokko cursed, sprawling on the ground outside the line.
Moko and Giko wasted no time. Moko soared into the air with his massive axe raised high, while Giko darted in low, twin daggers flashing with deadly precision. Robb knew this would be tough—two completely different styles coming at him simultaneously.
As Moko's axe hurtled down, Robb stepped aside and delivered a brutal kick to Moko's knee. The man lost balance, throwing off Giko's timing. Seizing the moment, Robb spun and drove his elbow into Giko's temple. Giko collapsed instantly.
Loko, the last one standing, didn't rush in. He studied Robb's movement carefully, looking for an opening. As Robb caught his breath after flooring Giko, Loko dashed forward like a shadow.
Robb raised his arm, deflecting the first punch, then dodged a sweeping low kick that nearly took out his legs. Loko kept coming—blows and kicks in relentless rhythm. But Robb quickly read his pattern. With one swift grab, he caught Loko's arm and used his momentum to throw him clean out of the ring.
The Five Death Wolves had fallen.
The crowd was stunned. They couldn't believe their eyes. But before Robb could fully catch his breath, a slow clap echoed across the field.
"Impressive. But how about facing my squad?"
Valtros stepped forward, followed by the Nori Troop—the infamous Black Crows, elite spies and assassins cloaked in mystery.
Without warning, they attacked.
Robb, already fatigued, tried to regulate his breathing. But the Black Crows were ruthless, attacking from every angle—daggers, chains, even hand-to-hand strikes so unpredictable they were almost impossible to counter.
He dodged one strike, only for a kick to slam into his ribs, staggering him. He spun around, blocking two blades aimed for his gut, and countered with a sharp elbow to the jaw—two more enemies fell, but more kept coming.
In the chaos, Valtros himself emerged from behind, striking with blinding speed.
A single blow landed on Robb's shoulder, forcing him back.
"Tired already, Robb?" Valtros sneered.
Robb took a long breath and smiled through the pain."A bit… but I'm still standing."
The remaining Nori fighters pressed harder. Robb avoided a few strikes, but one solid hit to the stomach sent him crashing to his knees. Valtros approached, ready to deliver the finishing blow.
But Robb wasn't done.
Summoning the last of his strength, he leapt into the air, spun, and unleashed a powerful roundhouse kick to Valtros's head! The Nori commander reeled backward and hit the ground with a heavy thud.
Silence.
The remaining Black Crows slowly backed away beyond the ring, acknowledging defeat.
Damerius rose, clapping."Incredible, Robb. I never imagined you could take down every last one of them. Though clearly… you're exhausted."
Robb wiped the sweat from his brow, breathing hard."I just... need... a cold drink now."
Laughter erupted among the spectators. Meanwhile, Valtros slowly got up, rubbing his jaw, and gave a faint smile."You're not ordinary, Robb. I'll remember this."
The fight was over. Robb stood victorious.
But one thing was clear—He had never faced a challenge like this before.