Chapter 240 – Way Of The Predator (4)

The spectators who were watching the stage felt like their thoughts were shutting down.

Who was Barbossa? Even though dishonorable rumors circulated that he used poison, it was still an undeniable truth that he rose to the position of the Twelve Swords of the Continent with his skills.

Barbossa’s skills were real. Even though Morales constantly criticized him, the reason he didn’t recklessly apply for a challenge was due to the difference in their skills.

However, how could one explain the sight in front of them? People looked at the stage dazed, despite the sight in front of them.

“… Am I seeing things?”

One person said that, but that was what everyone thought. Even before the fight, people expressed their anger at the rumors regarding Roman Dmitry.

Roman Dmitry was supposed to be at a disadvantage. Even though he showed overwhelming strength in the fight against Morales, most people were convinced that Barbossa was better.

It was a situation where the outcome felt so obvious. People flocked to the site and gritted their teeth, saying that they wouldn’t stand still if the situation were odd.

His victory was unexpected. His opponent was Barbossa. Roman Dmitry would have been recognized even if he had overcome the worst condition of poison in his body.

So they couldn’t believe it even more. Roman Dmitry won. Constantly going against opponents with overpowering strength, Barbossa never had an advantage against Roman Dmitry.

When they exchanged clashes for the first time, people admired how skilled Barbossa was. Despite Roman’s quick attacks, Barbossa’s fast response was expected. But the second attack, and the third…

And when the fourth attack came, the crowd was shocked as Barbossa’s face changed. It made no sense.

Barbossa was a Twelve Swords of the Continent, yet he couldn’t do anything. Looking at the final attack, they couldn’t accept it, even though they saw the result with their own eyes.

And that wasn’t all. Even the result felt disastrous. The fact that they hadn’t yet confirmed the power of Roman Dmitry was what felt heavy to the people.

“… The fight between Barbossa and Roman Dmitry. The winner is Roman Dmitry.”

On the stage, the referee announced the result in a trembling voice. Their denial had to end because they all had to accept this reality. Seeing Roman Dmitry standing alone on the stage, the audience screamed simultaneously as if they were going to die.

“Wooahhhhhhh!”

“Roman Dmitry won!”

“This is the birth of a new Twelve Swords of the Continent.”

Cheers continued to spread like wildfire. But still, the people couldn’t accept the reality. However, the fact that Roman Dmitry, who showed the pride of a warrior in a confrontation with Morales, defeated Barbossa, was a truth that could be confirmed with their eyes.

It was a pleasure. The fact that he, who knew the honor of Valhalla, didn’t get defeated. The fact that even after taking poison, he was able to overturn the situation with his skills.

The people screamed. Even though he wasn’t from Valhalla, Roman Dmitry truly deserved the applause he was getting.

At that moment, one person walked up to the stage, where everyone was going insane.

It was a man with a slightly nervous expression. It was Greg, who had received a mission from Roman Dmitry.

One day ago, Greg didn’t completely understand what Roman Dmitry’s plans were. He knew what his intention was, but he wanted to somehow stop Roman Dmitry from carrying out his foolish plan.

‘Even if I analyze the poison, if you lose the fight with Barbossa, it will all be meaningless. Does Roman Dmitry really believe he can defeat Barbossa? I do acknowledge his skills after the fight with Morales, but you will not be allowed to prove whether or not a poison was used.’

It was hopeless. The death of Morales. After confirming the events of the day, Greg tried to save Roman Dmitry.

This plan was dangerous. If Barbossa found out that there was a group that was interfering with their plans, he would surely go after Greg and slaughter him.

It was a dangerous task to take on. While he was analyzing the ingredients of the poison, he wanted to withdraw, but he didn’t want to betray Roman Dmitry.

Valhalla was his country, and he was acting weak. The forces that currently lead Valhalla no longer risk their lives for the sake of the nation, so Greg risked his life.

He put his life on the line, and he saw the results before his eyes. Seeing him destroy Barbossa, Greg was now convinced.

Even though it was about exposing the true face of this man, he appeared in front of the people to provide evidence about the poison.

“I risked my life for you. So please reveal the ugly truth to the people. So that the people of Valhalla know a bit of shame and humility. Roman Dmitry. How much you had to overcome.”

“You did well.”

He accepted the evidence, and all the people’s eyes focused. In a situation where everyone wanted to ask why Greg was there, Roman Dmitry spoke while looking at the Emperor,

“Last night, someone poisoned my tea. What I am holding in my hand right now is proof of the tea being poisoned, and you can confirm it. Actually, the whole issue of poison and who used it doesn’t matter to me. But I am disappointed in the attitude Valhalla showed towards this incident.”

Tuk.

He threw out the evidence. It fell to the floor, revealing a black shade, which meant Roman Dmitry was right.

“When I noticed the existence of poison and wanted to confirm it, Viscount Jonathan asked me if I was willing to be held accountable for my comments that insulted Valhalla. Isn’t this a funny situation now? I am a normal stranger and a foreigner in this nation. In a situation where the servants at the house said that the poison came from the tea, I felt disappointed at the attitude of Valhalla, who was passing the blame instead of finding the truth. I will not make any assumptions at all. Normally, I would have knocked down the people who dared to poison my tea, but Viscount Jonathan’s response in denying the truth that was in front of him showed that the pride of Valhalla fell to the ground. And so I accepted the challenge. I didn’t want to do what the group who poisoned me intended to do.”

The poison had no effect on him. However, he didn’t reveal that. The people of Valhalla liked to think that he won with a handicap.

The emotions of the spectators were boiling now. As they listened to Roman Dmitry, their faces were red from the mistakes they had made.

This was shameful for them. To invite a stranger from another nation and use poison to manipulate the fight in a place known as the nation of warriors.

They couldn’t even look at Roman Dmitry’s face now.

“I want to ask His Majesty. I heard that Valhalla is the land of warriors. But contrary to that, does the image of prosecuting and blaming me for trying to confirm the truth fit the values of this place? If I had been defeated here today, the truth would have never made its way out, and Roman Dmitry would have disappeared into history as a mediocre existence. Your Majesty. I want an answer about this matter.”

On the stage, he looked at the Emperor.

And in response to Roman Dmitry’s words, the Emperor of Valhalla showed an uncomfortable expression.

The Emperor of Valhalla said,

“The Empire has become ridiculous.”

That too. The truth didn’t matter. Barbossa used poison?

He knew about it. The problem was that after using poison, the guy was defeated, and then the ugly truth was revealed in front of the people. This spoiled everything.

Roman Dmitry’s power was shocking, but the fact that he exposed his fangs here offended the Emperor even more.

“Viscount Jonathan. Are the words of Roman Dmitry true?”

From his seat among the nobles who were lined up in a row, Viscount Jonathan got up.

“… I apologize.”

“Right, that means it is true.”

At that moment, Marquis Belfir didn’t say anything. The Emperor of Valhalla was a man who should be punished since he was also responsible.

In the current situation, if he made a remark as if he were his good partner, then the torture they would be put through wouldn’t be easy to imagine.

Kiik.

He got up. The Emperor of Valhalla drew the sword from the knight who was next to him.

“Sinners come before me.”

Viscount Jonathan trembled as the sword shone in the sun, and his heart sank. In response to his body going cold, Viscount Jonathan ran to the ground and fell down, pleading in an earnest voice,

“I am really sorry. Just a day before the festival, it seemed that my impatience and anxiety began to flare up at the thought of something unexpected happening. I will be careful never to do that again. Please, just let me live. I will devote my entire life to Valhalla.”

“Do not drag this on any longer.”

Tuk.

He pushed the sword at Viscount Jonathan, and the guy just gritted his teeth as the sword began to dig into his skin.

And the Emperor said,

“Viscount Jonathan. You have tarnished the honor of Valhalla. The festival honoring the souls of warriors is ruined because of your imperfections. And I have no intention of giving a chance to trash like you.”

“P-Please.. Ack!”

Puak!

He swung the sword. The weak arms of the Emperor cut down his head without any hesitation, and blood splattered. Viscount Jonathan trembled and tried to hold onto the leg of the Emperor. However, the Emperor continued to swing the sword.

His body, which wasn’t trained to hold the sword, couldn’t even cut the man’s neck at once and even made the surroundings get stained in blood. Yet Viscount Jonathan’s breath didn’t stop.

Meanwhile, the people of Valhalla were watching all of this, and the sound of flesh being cut lingered in their ears. Finally….

Thud.

Viscount Jonathan’s body fell, and the Emperor threw his bloodied hair to the back.

“Huk, huk. This much is nice, huk. Wouldn’t that be enough to take responsibility for this incident?”

He gasped for air and turned to Roman Dmitry. He had the appearance of a madman.

Even so, Roman Dmitry looked at the Emperor.

“It is not enough. Murder isn’t the way to solve a problem. Punishing Jonathan Viscount is a personal achievement. We ask for an institutional measure to prevent something like this from happening again.”

He had the attitude of not backing down.

The Valhalla Emperor smiled. He was sure of it. Roman Dmitry wasn’t even the least bit fearful of the Emperor.

The situation ended, and the two pillars of Valhalla, Count Gomez and Marquis Belfir, followed the Emperor. Blood was dripping on the ground as they walked ahead.

“Count Gomez. What do you think of Roman Dmitry?”

“… He is a dangerous person. Barbossa is a Twelve Swords of the Continent. If he can be overwhelmed, then Roman Dmitry might be the best person on the continent. But, of course, I do not think he is the strongest. In the ranks within the Twelve Swords of the Continent, Barbossa isn’t the top performer. However, it cannot be overlooked that Roman Dmitry isn’t even thirty yet.”

“Marquis Belfir, what do you think?”

Marquis Belfir didn’t look good. Viscount Jonathan’s death still lingered in his mind, and now wasn’t the time to disobey the Emperor of Valhalla.

“The same as Count Gomez. But what I consider the most dangerous isn’t Roman Dmitry’s strength. There is a limit to what an individual can handle when there is a war between nations. But Roman Dmitry. Even when he stepped into the Imperial Palace’s lands, he showed no signs of backing down. He is someone who has the nature of a predator since birth. He accepted the fight against Barbossa despite knowing that poison was used on him, and after defeating him, he revealed the truth to the people. He knew when to do it. I would have shut off Roman Dmitry’s mouth if he said that off the stage.”

He didn’t like Roman Dmitry’s actions. Their perfect plan to avenge Count Denver was thrown apart.

The Emperor laughed. He seemed excited. In his boring life, a really interesting existence appeared.

“Roman Dmitry dared to speak against my punishment. He is a warrior worthy of Valhalla, but he cannot be left alive for the future of Valhalla. Fully support the plan of Kronos. We must not let him leave alive. Roman Dmitry shouldn’t reach Dmitry safely.”

People like him raised his need to kill. The Emperor of Valhalla wished for Roman Dmitry’s death. The conservatives opposed the collusion with Kronos. However, Count Gomez didn’t refute it since Roman Dmitry was dangerous to all of them.

Even if it was different from the will on their side, they compromised for the benefit of the nation.

“I will follow your orders.”

“Roman Dmitry will be punished for what he did.”

They were sure of it—Roman Dmitry couldn’t return home alive.