Baldwyn sustained an injury to his arm while evading a hobgoblin’s axe. However, he did not retreat and counterattacked with his sword.
“Krrruuugh!”
The hobgoblin’s head was severed by the sword he swung.
If they had gone into the dungeon as a party of the same level, they wouldn’t have been wounded by a mere hobgoblin.
Even though it was a monster, he was an adventurer with a Gold Badge.
A Gold Rank adventurer could be considered a veteran.
“There are 5 minutes left! Just hold on a little longer!”
Baldwyn’s eyes sparkled at Calpion’s shout.
Ten minutes had already passed since the match began.
If they could just hold on for another 5 minutes, they could end this brutal match.
At that moment, a hobgoblin returned behind the participants’ formation. A participant with a bow shot an arrow, but the hobgoblin blocked it with its shield and charged forward.
“W-what the!”
The participants screamed.
“The rear has been breached!”
At Calpion’s cry, Baldwyn quickly ran to the rear. He leaped towards the hobgoblin attacking from behind and struck down with his sword.
“Kuaaak!”
The hobgoblin let out a painful scream from Baldwyn’s attack. However, contrary to expectations, it did not retreat.
Instead, it attacked again, ignoring its injuries.
‘What is it?’
Baldwyn was bewildered.
Even a hobgoblin should normally flee if it sustains this much damage or seems to have no chance.
But the hobgoblin in front of him was different.
Despite being attacked by Baldwyn’s sword, it was approaching with its axe instead of fleeing.
It looked like a warrior who knew no pain.
‘…Its eyes are strange.’
At that moment, Baldwyn realized that the hobgoblin’s eyes were strange. Its eyes, which had been so lively just a moment ago, were now blurry.
Eyes devoid of life.
A figure without purpose.
But conversely, the hobgoblin slowly approaching with its axe was disturbingly strange.
“…….”
However, his contemplation was short-lived.
The opponent was a monster anyway. If they didn’t kill it, they would be the ones harmed.
“There are no emotions.”
Muttering so, he raised his sword high.
And.
Chaaak-!
Baldwyn’s sword cleaved the hobgoblin in half.
At the same time.
“Time is up! The 15-minute time limit has expired!”
The announcer’s voice echoed through the arena, and a roar erupted from the stands.
A scene where dissatisfied jeers and enthusiastic cheers mixed.
The few spectators who had bet on Baldwyn cheered, while the majority who had expected the hobgoblin’s victory sent disappointed jeers.
The surviving hobgoblins and goblins were pushed back into the deep tunnel by the guards.
The iron gate descended with a heavy sound.
Although the battle was over, the crowd’s cheers continued.
Baldwyn leaned his rusted sword on the ground, gasping for breath. Sweat profusely covered his forehead.
His clothes were stained with blood and dust, and he had wounds on his arms and legs, but fortunately, none were fatal.
Calpion was not much different.
He barely stood, with a deep wound on his left shoulder from a hobgoblin’s axe.
His face was pale, but his eyes were still alive.
“Very interesting! Is that the Knight of Flames?!”
However, contrary to the announcer’s words, there were only five survivors, including Baldwyn and Calpion.
The rest had all fallen victim to the cruel attacks of the hobgoblins and goblins.
The arena floor was stained red with blood, and broken weapons and torn clothes were scattered everywhere.
“Hoo.”
Calpion let out a short breath.
“I almost died this time. But I survived thanks to your great performance, brother! Hahahaha!”
“I… can’t die yet.”
Baldwyn muttered.
He thought of Lyra and Sienna’s faces. He had to survive to save them.
“Survivors, please return to the waiting room!”
The announcer’s voice echoed again.
The door that had been firmly closed behind them opened, allowing them to head to the waiting room.
“Let’s go, brother.”
Calpion moved with the support of another surviving participant.
Baldwyn also started to walk, but then he looked up at the VIP seats at the very top of the stands.
A masked woman stood up elegantly and looked at him.
Although her face was not visible, Baldwyn could feel that she was smiling.
“…….”
If that woman was indeed the owner of the arena, he had so many questions to ask.
Why she committed such cruel acts as a fellow human, and whether she would truly spare him and his comrades if he won, as in the story of the Arch Lich, he wanted confirmation.
However, this was not the place to speak. And he was a participant.
If she was the owner here, what chance would a participant have to meet her directly?
‘Probably none.’
Leaving his regret behind, Baldwyn also left the arena. As he walked down the corridor towards the waiting room, an armed guard approached him.
He glanced around, then quickly approached and said in a low voice.
“Are you Baldwyn, the Gold Badge adventurer?”
“That I am.”
There was a strange tension in the guard’s voice as he called Baldwyn’s name.
“The Master wishes to meet you personally.”
Baldwyn looked at the guard’s face with a puzzled expression.
‘This guy’s eyes are strange too.’
He had the same lifeless eyes as the hobgoblin he had fought a moment ago.
But that wasn’t important now.
What was most important was why the person called the Master wanted to meet him at this exact moment.
He didn’t know the reason, but this was an opportunity.
‘I wanted to meet her anyway, so this is good.’
The guard separated Baldwyn from the others and led him down a different corridor.
He walked down increasingly ornate corridors.
The floor changed to marble, and expensive tapestries hung on the walls.
Baldwyn realized that this arena was much larger and more luxurious than it appeared.
Finally, they arrived at a large door.
The door was made of black wood and had a golden handle.
“The Master is inside.”
The guard said.
“You may enter.”
As Baldwyn opened the door, the scent of fragrant perfume greeted him.
A mixture of lavender and rose, and something deeper and sweeter.
The room was dimly lit by candles.
A lavish carpet was laid in the center, with soft sofas placed around it.
On the sofa sat the masked woman he had seen earlier.
“Welcome, Mr. Baldwyn.”
Her voice, like a warm spring breeze, gently caressed Baldwyn’s ears.
Baldwyn was momentarily intoxicated by her voice. It felt like sweet honey flowing into his ears.
“My name is Celia.”
She slowly turned around to face them.
Dressed in a red dress, she shone mysteriously in the candlelight of the room.
Her face was still hidden by a mask, but her shapely figure captured the attention of both adventurers.
‘Hup!’
He suddenly felt thirsty. It was a strange feeling.
No matter how cautious he tried to be, her presence seemed to draw him in.
It was a feeling he had never experienced even when he was with Lyra, who was of elf descent, said to have the most beautiful appearance.
“Please sit.”
Celia gestured, and Baldwyn sat on the sofa as if enchanted.
“That was a truly impressive match.”
Celia continued.
“Especially you, Mr. Baldwyn, the way you fought against the hobgoblins was truly amazing.”
Baldwyn wanted to shake his head. He didn’t want to respond to her words.
But there was something in her voice that was hard to refuse.
“It was merely… for survival.”
He finally spoke.
“Heh, you are humble? But your skill is evident.”
Celia slowly approached Baldwyn. Her movements were fluid.
As she got closer, Baldwyn was enveloped in an even stranger sensation.
It felt as if his mind was being filled with fog.
“It’s truly fortunate that skilled individuals like you have come here.”
Celia said, sitting next to Baldwyn. Her scent felt even stronger.
“If things continue like this, Mr. Baldwyn, you could become a champion soon.”
He felt a strange excitement at her words. It was a different kind of emotion than the excitement he felt on the battlefield.
‘What is this……’
Baldwyn felt bewildered. It was as if his mind was gradually becoming hazy, as if enchanted.
But even then, he desperately tried to hold onto himself.
‘Lyra, Sienna… I have to save them.’
Having finally composed himself, Baldwyn asked Celia.
“If I become champion… will you release my comrades?”
“Ah, comrades.”
Celia’s expression changed for a moment.
But then she opened her mouth with a sweet smile.
“Of course. I will release them right away if you wish.”
Baldwyn’s eyes sparkled at her words.
“Really?”
He was drawn to her words. At the same time, a warning bell rang deep within him.
“You want something separate from me.”
There is no ‘just because’ in the world.
To get what I want, I have to give something to the other party.
Whether that was the correct answer, Celia smiled gladly and clapped her hands once.
“You are quick-witted. I will release your comrades, Baldwyn. Instead.”
Her words paused for a moment.
Gulp.
What on earth could she be asking for?
Baldwyn, in his impatience, looked at Celia’s lips.
He was willing to do anything he could.
After a moment, Celia’s lips finally opened.
“Soon, the White Church will declare a Crusade.”
“Yes?”
What was this suddenly about the Church?
He found it strangely out of place for the Church to be mentioned here.
“It is said that an Eclipse has appeared in the Free City Alliance. More precisely, rumors have surfaced that the Free City Alliance intentionally concealed the Eclipse.”
Eclipse.
It was the name of an organization formed by warlocks.
Baldwyn had vaguely heard of it.
But what did that have to do with him?
“I want you, Baldwyn, to participate in the Crusade.”
That was Celia’s point.
To participate in the Crusade and deal with the warlocks hiding in the Free City Alliance.
“If you accept, I will release your comrades. Oh, of course, you can participate in the Crusade with your comrades as well.”
Why the Crusade?
He didn’t know what that had to do with this arena, but Baldwyn nodded.
As long as he and his comrades could leave safely, he was willing to nod any number of times.
‘And then we can run far away.’
Baldwyn had a different intention.
The moment he was released from here, he would run far away with his comrades.
‘Is she more naive than she looks?’
He had been wary of her as the owner of the arena, but judging by what she was saying, she seemed like a devout member of the Church.
“Of course. I will lead the subjugation of the warlocks.”
“Good. I will release your comrades immediately. You must be tired from participating in today’s match, so please rest well.”
As the dismissal was given, Baldwyn rose from his seat.
However, there was one fact he did not know.
The warlock organization Eclipse.
The fact that they all obeyed Celia.
And that Celia had spread false rumors about the Eclipse hiding there to engulf the Free City Alliance was something they could never have dreamed of.
As Baldwyn disappeared, a shadow appeared from behind Celia.
“Tell Necros. Kill all of Baldwyn’s comrades. Oh, and you mentioned there was an elf half-blood? Throw her to the Goblin Lord.”
Celia had no intention of letting Baldwyn’s comrades off easily from the start.
“The reason will be that they were attacked by warlocks in the Free City Alliance on their way here.”
How would Baldwyn react after losing his comrades?
Would he lend his strength to attacking the Free City Alliance to avenge his comrades, or would he flee to save himself?
Celia was excited to see which choice he would make.
