QTMWSFC Chapter 40.1

The competition was in full swing…

“Maurice Garcia wins! Two points!”

“Maurice Garcia wins! Successfully defends the stage! Another two points!”

“Maurice Garcia, three consecutive wins! Successfully defends the stage! Another two points!”

“Vane Turner, challenge successful! Two points!”

“Vane Turner wins! Successfully defends the stage! Two points!”

“Abbot Martinez, challenge successful! Two points!”

…

Both the gamblers inside and outside the arena had begun to go wild. The royals and nobles in the viewing platform also started scouting for their favorite candidates based on the points.

Currently, the highest scorer was Kane Harris, who had already achieved ten consecutive wins and single-handedly defeated more than half of the contestants. At this moment, there were only three people left who had not yet stepped up to challenge.

King Serorida could hardly take his eyes off Kane who was standing at the center of the arena. He was smiling so broadly that even his beard trembled.

He needed talent like this! He urgently needed someone with such formidable strength to protect him! No one was allowed to snatch this talent away from him! It was fortunate that he had chosen Kane during the preliminary selection. Truly, heaven was on his side!

Ten consecutive wins boosted Kane’s confidence to unprecedented heights. Such an achievement further cemented his belief that he would become the knight by the king’s side!

Lant had not yet stepped into the arena. He remained alone, holding his sword, calmly observing Kane, who was now proud and basking in his glory on stage.

In the original plot, this knight Kane did not end up serving the king. Instead, relying on his decent looks, he followed Shania, and he had caused no small amount of trouble for Lant. Now, Lant decided to personally bestow this ‘blessing’ upon him. He would let him and the king who was greedy for life and afraid of death ‘live happily together’!

Freya had been watching Lant the whole time, feeling utterly confused. Why was he just sitting there without stepping onto the stage? He didn’t seem to be asleep either. Clearly, the previous contestants were weaker than him.

Seeing that Lant remained motionless, Shaina gradually lost interest. “What is this? I thought he was supposed to be impressive. Isn’t he called a genius? What kind of genius just sits there doing nothing? If he doesn’t move soon, he won’t even earn a single point!”

The rules of this elimination-style competition were brutal. It was entirely a war of attrition. The further the competition progressed, the more it became a battle of elites. So for those with less strength, the longer they delayed, the more dangerous it became. In the worst case, they might end up with zero points.

The fewer points you have, the less choice you have. In the end, you would simply be assigned to whomever you were told to follow.

Freya couldn’t help but feel anxious for Lant. His strength should be quite formidable, right? This didn’t make sense… What on earth was he thinking?

If he went up now and won three consecutive matches, he could still earn points and secure a decent ranking. Even if his points weren’t high, defeating Kane, who had ten consecutive wins, would be enough to make a name for himself. But if he kept dragging it out, he would really end up at the bottom!

But Lant remained completely unbothered.

It wasn’t as if he was a good person. When it came to his enemy Kane, he intended to strike a big blow against him on this grand occasion. But since he didn’t want to become the king’s personal guard knight, the only option was to rub the edge of the competition rules just to disgust him.

In the end, Kane lived up to expectations and achieved twelve consecutive wins. Among all the knights now, the only one who had yet to step onto the stage was Lant.

Everyone’s attention naturally focused on the two of them.

Kane’s self-confidence was unprecedentedly inflated. He even pointed his sword directly at Lant. “Lant, if you don’t want to be called a coward, come up here and fight me like a man!”

He had enough of Lant. Every time a good mission came up, Lant would take it from him! And whenever he asked why, the group leader would say that Kane’s strength was inferior to Lant’s. Today, he was going to crush Lant’s arrogance right here!

“Kane, you’re still so impatient,” Lant said as he strode unhurriedly toward the stage, one hand in his pocket.

Although he was the youngest, he was by no means short. In fact, he stood half a head taller than Kane.

After twelve consecutive matches, Kane’s clothes were already torn. In contrast, Lant was still fully dressed. There was already a noticeable gap in their momentum.

What Kane hated most was Lant’s indifferent and unbothered look. He gritted his teeth in frustration and couldn’t help muttering under his breath, “Coward. What are you showing off for?”

Dick looked back and forth between the two of them and whispered to Old Ghost beside him, “Do they have some kind of grudge?”

The different captains of the knight order rarely went on missions together in peacetime, so word of any grudges or feuds didn’t spread widely.

Old Ghost lowered his voice. “I don’t know about that kid Lant, but Kane certainly hates him to death.”

Dick nodded, his face beaming like someone who was eating a big melon¹juicy gossip. “Mm, I’m taking a closer look. Lant is definitely the better-looking one, so it’s gotta be Kane’s fault.”

Old Ghost shot Dick a complicated look. “……”

If all referees were like you, they would have lost their jobs long ago!

Lant slightly tilted his neck, which had grown stiff from sitting too long, then drew his sword. He assumed his stance.

As if facing a formidable enemy, Kane crouched slightly and also readied his stance.

Both of them use a hand and a half sword, which to some extent, made it easier for outsiders to compare their skills.

At the sound of a horn, Kane charged at Lant in an instant.

Having already fought twelve consecutive matches, his stamina was considerably drained, so he naturally needed to end the fight quickly.

Lant felt the incoming killing intent. He raised his right hand slightly and dodged the sword strike by a hair’s breadth.

The two blades collided, producing a harsh piercing screech.

The next moment, to everyone’s shock, Kane’s sword cracked and snapped in two.

No flashy magic. No fancy techniques. Just a simple, unadorned… single strike!

Kane gripped the bare hilt of his sword and instinctively turned back to continue the attack with magic. But a pitch-black, gleaming blade tip was already pressed against the tip of his nose. “Kane, you lost.”

“No… I just… I’ve already fought twelve matches in a row. I’m just tired!” Kane refused to believe it. He didn’t want to admit it.

The overwhelming force just now crushed the pride he had just built up inside him, grinding it into the dirt. He didn’t want to accept the truth that even at his peak, he would have been no match for this kind of power!

This kid in front of him was only fourteen! He wasn’t even of age yet! Kane stared in disbelief at the young man, whose expression remained as indifferent as ever.

A sword genius…

He truly lived up to the title the commander had given him!

Now, he had finally experienced the gap with his own body!

“Lant Rezigon, challenge successful! Two points!”