The spies who had followed Lucen and his group were amazed by the fight they had just watched. They already knew that Lucen was a good fighter from the previous battle with the thugs outside, but this one was entirely different.
The two sides did not use an inkling of mana or aura, with nothing but their body. Lucen had dealt with the veteran fighter like an adult playing with a child.
A silence hung in the darkened corner where the spies observed, broken only by one of them muttering under his breath.
"... It would seem that all prior information on Lucen Thornehart is... Outdated. Or deliberately false."
"It would seem that the Iron Duke did not have a fangless son, but a wolf pup... No, this might already be a wolf in sheep’s clothing."
In the arena, Lucen was able to stop using Acting Adept. He was getting too deep into character. It was just too fun to act that way.
’Okay, it’s still alright, better use another character for the next fight...’ Lucen remembered the way he moved while using Acting Adept. ’Those kinds of movements I could only have done when using the gun kata skill. My body is able to move in such a way, but I couldn’t do it with the assistance of my skills and traits... Still, I wouldn’t have been able to move like that at all if I hadn’t trained relentlessly.’
A grin touched his lips. It was his own this time.
’Maybe I should try it later. Practice it properly. No Acting Adept, no skills. Just me. It might actually be fun to move like that on my own.’
His thoughts were interrupted by the voice of the announcer.
"So will you continue, or will you stop here?"
Before Lucen could speak, the crowd answered for him.
"You need to continue!"
"Show us more of that style of yours!"
"That was fun to watch!"
Lucen, of course, had only one decision since he needed to get that martial arts book.
"Of course, I’ll continue!"
The moment Lucen answered, the crowd cheered with excitement.
"Come on, bring in the next one," Lucen said with confidence.
"Lucen Thornehart will continue! Now bring out the next opponent!" Once the announcer spoke, some men took the unconscious Kard out of the arena, and several seconds later, the gate opened.
A massive man wearing animal skin came out, his upper body exposed, filled with tattoos. Black hair and black eyes, this kind of person was someone the people in the North dealt with frequently, a barbarian.
"Entering the arena as Lucen Thornehart’s next opponent." The announcer’s voice boomed. "Another person from the North, from the Ulgari tribe, Korr Beasthide!"
The crowd became ecstatic upon Korr’s entry. It would seem that he was much more popular than Kard. Korr approached Lucen with his towering physique that could match Sir Thalos.
"Lucen Thornehart, I know of your father. He is a true warrior, a great warrior, and my tribe has acknowledged your tribe as true warriors. Come and let’s fight, as true warriors do."
Lucen met Korr’s gaze head-on. Lucen knew from the books and his knowledge of the game that barbarians respect the strong. Barbarians respect a good fighter and would gladly die in battle. They were basically this world’s version of Vikings.
To earn Korr’s respect and to change up the audience’s understanding of him so they won’t get a clear view of his true personality, he needed to embody a character who uses overwhelming force and would not back down.
Lucen continued to meet Korr’s gaze as the grin on his face disappeared. In its place stood something heavier, calmer, colder.
Lucen didn’t puff his chest or bare his teeth. He didn’t need to. All he did was stand straight, steady, unmoving as if the weight of the entire arena pressed against him and slid right off.
Acting Adept took hold again. It was not the showman this time. This persona didn’t need the crowd. A walking wall of will and violence. Lucen was still not that deep into the character, so he was able to control the urge to attack for now.
"His demeanor changed again." Sir Thalos commented on the audience seats.
"The little leader is full of surprises today," Harlik said.
"When was our little leader ever without surprises?" Mark asked.
"Now that you mention it, I guess you’re right. He is always full of surprises." Harlik corrected himself.
Lucen’s presence shifted. There was no smile. No flash. Just the aura of someone who refused to yield, someone who could break stone with a look. His voice was low, but it carried.
"You honor my house with your words, Korr."
He stepped forward. Not fast. Not slow. Just final, like a boulder rolling downhill.
"Then let us fight as true warriors."
Korr’s eyes widened slightly, then curved into a grin. "Good."
The announcer, sensing the tension, quickly raised her voice.
"No weapons! No mana! No aura! Only flesh, bone, and resolve!"
"The match ends when one man taps, blacks out, or dies!"
Korr didn’t hesitate. The barbarian charged forward with a thunderous roar, every footstep shaking dust loose from the arena walls. His fists were raised, muscles coiled like springs.
Lucen stood still. Only when Korr was almost upon him did he move, one step to the left, perfectly timed. The barbarian’s fist brushed past his ear.
Lucen’s counter came immediately: a sharp, brutal palm to Korr’s exposed ribs. The impact echoed. But Korr didn’t grunt. He smiled.
The real fight had begun.
The two punched and kicked at each other in close range. Even though Korr looked visually stronger, he and Lucen were nearly of the same strength.
Korr might have the superhuman strength that most barbarians have, but Lucen’s body was trained by Sir Thalos and was enhanced by the system, giving him an edge.
Lucen with Battle Instinct could dodge some of the strikes made by Korr, and those he could not, he just took head-on.
With his trait grit, the temporary boost from the troll meat giving him minor Troll Vitality, and his regeneration skill, taking a hit from the powerful barbarian turned out to be not too much of a problem.
Lucen saw a punch aimed at his ribs, but he did not dodge it and allowed the punch to connect. The punch slammed into his ribs. It was a meaty, bone-crushing strike that would’ve dropped most men.
But Lucen, who was using Acting Adept and being supported by his numerous skills, did not flinch.
Instead, he stepped in. His heel drove into the dirt for momentum as he twisted his entire upper body and slammed a brutal hook into Korr’s liver.
The barbarian staggered.
Lucen didn’t let up. Another hit landed across Korr’s jaw, then a rising elbow caught the man just beneath the chin. Blood sprayed.
Korr could not help but grin viciously, even as his head snapped back. "Hah! You endure pain like a true warrior! Your fists are like a hammer!"
Lucen’s expression didn’t change. His movements became heavier now, more brutal, more final. He let another punch land against his shoulder, absorbing it fully, and in return, drove a knee deep into Korr’s side. A sickening crunch echoed through the arena.
The barbarian’s breath hitched. His footing almost faltered, but he stood his ground. Lucen stepped in closer. Too close for any big swings. He stared into Korr’s eyes.
"Can you continue?" Lucen asked, and the barbarian replied by headbutting Lucen.
Lucen didn’t flinch as their two heads collided, it was then a huge grin appeared on Lucen’s face. It was not the playful grin he had in the previous match, but a more beast-like smile. Korr matched Lucen’s smile with his own.
"Heh, you truly are a good warrior," Korr said.
Lucen’s hand shot out, not in a punch, but to grab Korr by the back of the neck. He leaned in close, their foreheads almost touching again.
"You still standing?" Lucen said calmly. "Then let’s end this the way warriors should."
This time, it was Lucen who headbutted Korr. A brutal, resounding crack echoed as skull met skull. Still, Lucen’s damage was nearly negated by the minor troll vitality, and his regeneration skill had already healed the damage he took.
On the other hand, Korr reeled back a step, but didn’t fall. Instead, he raised both arms and roared to the sky, as if calling the gods to witness this battle.
Lucen raised his own fists in return, and the two charged again. Fists flew. Flesh slammed into flesh.
Each strike they exchanged now came at the cost of another, as if neither man cared about defense anymore, just power, will, and pride.
The crowd watching was quiet as they were speechless by this form of fight. No more skills, no more dodging, just hitting one another, waiting for the other to fall.
Lucen took another hit to the ribs, followed it with a devastating spinning elbow to Korr’s temple.
Korr drove a knee into Lucen’s gut, and Lucen returned it with a vicious right hook to the jaw.
Finally, as their fists collided midair, both took a half-step back. Despite getting hit over and over again, the damage he received wasn’t too much, as the minor Troll Vitality had resistance to blunt attacks, plus with his regeneration skill, most damage was recovered over time.
Korr, on the other hand, had his eye nearly swollen shut, and it was Korr who dropped to a knee. He wanted to stand up, but his body would not let him. Korr chuckled as he used his last bit of strength to pound his chest.
"Hah... That’s enough," he said, voice hoarse but proud. "You win, Lucen Thornehart. It was truly a good fight."