The Hidden Ending Strategy of a Veteran in a Dead Game

Chapter 18: The 3-Star Mage

Finally, the day of the duel had arrived.

“Wow, two months went by in a flash.”

Maybe it was because I had been so busy, but before I knew it, the day had come.

The recent massacre in Aiselon had made things even more hectic.

‘They say they caught the culprit, but no details have been shared.’

Since the family head had remained tight-lipped, I had no way of knowing who the perpetrator was.

Nothing had been announced publicly either.

Although I had told them to leave the rumors alone, it was surprising that the family head himself hadn’t addressed the matter.

It couldn’t have been pleasant for him to see my name tarnished with infamy.

He must have his reasons.

Instructor Nohr seemed to know something, but if he’d been given a direct order, he wasn’t saying a word.

He simply brushed it off with a vague comment: “You’ll find out when the time comes.”

I was curious, sure, but I wasn’t overly concerned.

As Nohr had said, I’d learn the truth eventually.

Step, step.

For now, I needed to focus on the duel.

It was time to showcase the progress I had made.

Skills, physical growth, and real combat experience—I’d been honing them all.

“Doesn’t it look like the young master has bulked up a bit?”

“He’s really shaping up. How handsome!”

“He’s starting to lose that boyish look.”

“But he’s still adorable, isn’t he?”

Even those around me could notice the difference.

I had been stuffing myself with nutrients like it was my job.

[Constitution: World’s Strongest burps. Buuurp.]

[Constitution: Mana Circuits gleam and shine.]

[Constitution: Cat’s Paws peek around out of curiosity.]

My various constitutions had absorbed it all.

I had even grown two centimeters taller.

It was a good sign.

Since I fought with my body rather than weapons, a larger build was definitely an advantage.

The only downside was—

‘I haven’t mastered the new skill yet.’

After defeating Deep Worm’s boss, Gael, I had acquired a skillbook as a guaranteed drop.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be an active skill.

A neutral-aligned skill, to be precise.

With Heavy Blow, Diamond Parts, and Sprint, my neutral skill slots were already full.

‘When skill slots are maxed out, I’ll have to discard or fuse a skill to learn a new one.’

That was the tricky part.

I didn’t want to waste a valuable skill or risk messing up my skill tree.

For now, I planned to hold off and save it for when it was truly needed.

It wasn’t essential for today’s duel anyway.

Murmur, murmur.

As I walked, lost in thought, the sounds of voices reached my ears.

It seemed busier than usual, probably because it was duel day.

‘There are so many people.’

Official duels were practically events.

Not only family members but also notable figures and skilled individuals had gathered to observe.

There were prominent merchants, renowned wandering knights, mercenary groups hired by nobles, and adventurers dealing in rare items.

While this crowd didn’t suit the atmosphere of a prestigious event, the Bayerle Family didn’t care about such trivialities.

They valued capability over status.

Even those of low birth or criminal backgrounds were accepted, as long as they had talent.

“It seems the branch family is particularly interested in today’s duel.”

“It’s likely because this is the last official duel before the Grand Tournament. They’re probably more interested in gauging Gaiden’s abilities than watching you.”

Nohr responded to my observation.

Now that I thought about it, the Grand Tournament wasn’t far off.

It was scheduled for next spring, to coincide with Zarhil’s coming-of-age ceremony.

Clench.

I balled my fists and relaxed them.

Everything felt good.

I glanced at the countess, who happened to make brief eye contact with me, but for once, she didn’t try to provoke me.

Not for lack of trying—

“The Jamal family sure is brazen. Coming here, of all places.”

She was glaring daggers at someone from the Jamal Family, our family’s long-standing rival.

“It’s not as though they can’t come. After all, they currently hold the southern margrave’s position. Still, not the wisest move.”

The man with a distinctive mustache curled at both ends stood out.

Despite knowing they were disliked, the Jamal Family had blatantly displayed their banner.

It was practically a provocation.

The knights seemed to think the same, their auras rougher than usual.

Had this not been an official visit, they might have struck him down then and there.

The only reason they dared act like this was their belief they wouldn’t be killed outright.

Trumpet fanfare!

I clicked my tongue quietly as the sound of trumpets filled the air.

“The conqueror of the south! Protector of 57 fiefs! Heir to the ancient kingdoms of the Bayerle lineage! One of the six pillars of the Empire, Duarc von Bayerle, enters!”

With the butler’s booming announcement, everyone rose from their seats.

Even the man from the Jamal Family followed suit, his towering height making him stand out from a distance.

The family head’s sharp gaze momentarily flickered toward him, but only for an instant.

After all, the man was technically a guest of the family.

“Commence the formal duel.”

“Hoooraaaaah!”

At the family head’s declaration, cheers erupted.

This event discarded all pretense of pomp.

Clang!

The metal barrier shielding the waiting area opened.

The atmosphere felt more like a coliseum than a dueling ground.

Gaiden and I walked down the path to the center.

I was accompanied only by Nohr, but Gaiden’s entourage was different.

He was flanked by knights and the leaders of his supporters.

Their presence was imposing.

“Oh, my! Isn’t that the deputy commander of the Silver Mane Knights?”

“Hmm. Even the White Spear Unit is here.”

The spectators gasped in admiration as they recognized the figures in Gaiden’s entourage.

The Bayerle Family, being a family of conquerors, had an array of military forces.

Apart from the family head’s personal guard, there were five knight orders and six special units.

Among them were the Wolf Knights, the family’s elite force, and the Fang Knights, their subordinates.

The Crimson Mane Knights were considered equals to the Fang Knights, followed by the Golden Mane Knights and the Silver Mane Knights.

‘The Silver Mane Knights aren’t weak, either.’

Though considered the lowest-ranked knight order, they were strong enough to wipe out most territories.

The fact that their deputy commander, rather than the commander, was present suggested not all of them had pledged allegiance to Gaiden.

What truly caught my attention, however, was the White Spear Unit.

One of the six special units, it was the only one composed entirely of mages.

Given Gaiden’s proficiency in magic, it made sense that he had their support.

“At least the Black Spear and Red Spear Units didn’t side with him. That’s a relief.”

I nodded at Nohr’s comment.

The Black Spear Unit specialized in assassination and infiltration, while the Red Spear Unit operated as an elite strike force.

The Red Spear Unit, in particular, was dangerous.

Unlike knights, they weren’t bound by traditional combat roles, making them highly unpredictable and formidable.

Even the Fang Knights wouldn’t underestimate them.

The other units—the Blue Spear Unit, focused on reconnaissance and disruption, the Green Spear Unit, specializing in monster subjugation, and the Yellow Spear Unit, supporting knights and soldiers—tended to stay out of internal power struggles.

“As expected, Young Master Kellen doesn’t seem to have any supporters.”

“Wait. Isn’t that Sir Nohr?”

“It really is! Could Sir Nohr possibly be supporting the second young master?”

The crowd’s initially sympathetic gaze turned to surprise upon noticing Nohr by my side.

Nohr’s reputation was still immense.

Though retired, his accomplishments and the respect he commanded among knights were legendary.

Even the elite Wolf Knights had several members who were his disciples.

Perhaps because of this, attention shifted toward me, causing Gaiden to scowl.

“Sir Nohr seems to take a great deal of interest in you.”

I smirked.

This was perfect.

I’d been planning to learn some magic after the duel anyway.

“Unlike someone else, I’m not a coward who hides behind spells.”

A deliberate jab.

It wasn’t just Gaiden—it was an insult to mages in general.

The White Spear Unit glared at me, their faces twisted in anger.

“What did you say?!”

“No matter your status, you’ve gone too far!”

“Don’t let Sir Nohr’s favor make you overstep your bounds!”

A mage is indeed an invaluable resource.

They are rare—so much so that, in terms of scarcity, they are often considered more valuable than knights.

And it’s true that they can create countless miracles that knights cannot.

‘Especially a proper battle mage—they’re the stuff of nightmares on the battlefield.’

Do you know the despair of watching a carefully leveled-up character die from a stray spell in the chaos of war?

But this is Bayerle.

“If you can’t protect yourself, how can you claim to be strong?”

In this family, knights dominate overwhelmingly.

As a family of conquerors, the Bayerle Family prefers knights over mages, at least within their ranks.

This subtle preference clearly irked the White Spear Unit.

So why had they aligned with Gaiden?

Because if Gaiden became the next family head, their influence would grow alongside his.

In other words, Gaiden—

“Lord Gaiden, show them your might!”

“This affront must be dealt with severely.”

—represented their interests.

“You little—!”

“If you don’t like it, then beat me. After all, you’re a genius who reached 3-Star at the tender age of 14, right?”

This wasn’t just a duel between us anymore.

Now, Gaiden was fighting not only for his rank but also for the White Spear Unit’s standing.

The pressure on him just went up.

“Sigh, you reckless brat. Picking a fight like this, you’re going to alienate the White Spear Unit entirely.”

“I know what I’m doing.”

As Nohr said, my harsh words might have their consequences, but I hadn’t spoken recklessly.

“You’re not a knight either, are you? A wretch who can’t even wield a weapon.”

Gaiden attempted to retort, but it had no effect.

“I’m not a knight; I’m Bayerle’s wolf.”

“You lunatic.”

I had no intention of becoming a knight.

I couldn’t, thanks to my cursed constitution.

‘Damn constitution.’

So, I had no choice but to prove myself in my own way.

Thud.

I clenched my fist and lightly struck it against my palm.

Gaiden sighed, realizing further arguments were pointless, and pulled out his staff.

“Are you ready?”

“Yeah.”

“Of course.”

The knight serving as the referee stepped back, raising his hand.

“Begin!”

Boom!

The moment the knight’s hand dropped, I lunged forward.

A battle between a mage and a martial artist was straightforward.

If I closed the distance, I’d win. If I couldn’t, Gaiden would.

“Blow, winds!”

Whoooosh!

At Gaiden’s command, a powerful gale surged forth, slowing my movements instantly.

‘The wind is fiercer than I expected.’

I was momentarily surprised.

It was like facing a typhoon.

Not only did it take significantly more effort to move forward, but—

‘If I’m not careful, I might actually get blown away.’

One misstep, and I’d be swept off my feet and thrown backward.

This was his way of establishing dominance right from the start.

“Rain down, arrows of wind!”

Seizing the moment while my movements were slowed, Gaiden canceled the gale and unleashed a flurry of wind arrows.

The residual effects of the gale still lingered.

Dodging to the side wasn’t an option—it would throw off my balance.

So, I chose to charge straight ahead.

“Winds, propel my body forward!”

I shouted with all my might as I activated my skill.

[Sprint (F) – Active]

[Constitution: Mana Circuits unleash mana!]

[Constitution: World’s Strongest lends its strength!]

In an instant, I surged forward with tremendous speed, as though the previous sluggishness had been an illusion.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The arrows of wind landed a beat too late, striking the spot where I had been moments earlier.

“That wasn’t magic; you just ran!”

“Oh, shut up!”

The distance between Gaiden and me closed in an instant.

Though visibly flustered, Gaiden was still a 3-Star mage.

He gritted his teeth and reacted immediately, retreating to create distance.

“Rise, winds!”

Whoooosh!

The wind shifted again, forming an updraft around me.

The powerful force lifted my body off the ground.

‘You can do stuff like this? Magic really is overpowered.’

Even as I was carried upward, I yelled:

“I’m going to beat you to a pulp today!”

Gaiden gripped his staff with both hands and shouted in response.

At the same time, the air currents began to converge.

“Forge yourself, mighty hammer!”

Woooong!

A massive hammer of concentrated mana materialized in the air.

The mana hammer!

“Wow. To use magic so freely at such a young age.”

“Could he be specialized in wind magic?”

“Even mastering one element to this degree isn’t easy.”

“As expected of a direct descendant.”

The spectators marveled at Gaiden’s display.

Buoyed by their admiration, he yelled:

“Die!”

Gaiden swung the hammer down toward me.

But I only laughed.

“You can only use one spell at a time, can’t you?”

That was the limitation of a 3-Star mage.

By conjuring the mana hammer, Gaiden had ended the spell keeping me aloft.

Clang!

With my bare hands, I caught the hammer mid-swing.