Arthur perked up once he heard that. "Tell ," he demanded.
The butler coughed, feeling awkward as he had to say the rumors out loud. They were so fantastical and out-of-world that it was quite embarrassing to say out loud.
"Well for one, he defeated Mauricio Aubert."
This garnered a subtle reaction from Arthur. There were only a few people in this world who people compared him to in terms of swordsman skill. And Mauricio was one of them.
In fact, Arthur was preparing himself to face Aubert in the exhibition round. But wierdly, he noticed that Aubert's na was not in the nas among the competitors.
"We don't know if it's true or not," said the butler. "There are a lot of conflicting events. The official reports from the Aubert company was that Mauricio retired from that competition of his own accord. anwhile, so eyewitnesses suggest that the demi-human defeated him quite handily, to the point where Mauricio experienced such an embarrassnt that he completely refused to use a sword ever again."
That was quite a leap. Defeating a swordsman so handily that he ended up losing his motivation to beco a swordsman was very hard to believe. He could see why many people didn't believe the rumors.
"And during that competition, it is said that the demi-human awakened so sort of fantastical power that shook the very ground itself. I an, can you believe it? I think it's just a hallucination from the spectators, really. A misrepresentation of magic."
The butler was clearly unbelieving of the rumors. But if Arthur's guess was correct, then that sa demi-human was the one who he fought against in the dungeons.
There was not a lot of demi-humans who could match him for turn of sword, after all.
"It was also rumored that the demi-human awakened a Maugnetic power during that fight. And that one was proven to be correct," the butler said begrudgingly.
Arthur turned to him. "If that one was true, then what makes you so sure that the other rumors aren't?"
And with that, the butler had nothing to say.
"One thing's for sure. I'll be having fun in the exhibition match."
During that tournant, he'd be able to show off his true powers. His Sword Heart and his Aubility Power would be at full display.
…
…
…
"How was the retrieval?" Michael asked Jaku.
"h, it was okay," Jaku replied.
For so reason, Michael found that hard to believe. They did just infiltrate a Knightly Court. A Heavenly Knight was residing there for god's sake. At the very least, they would be having so run-ins with so guards.
"Well, I did fight with a Knight."
"And?"
"It was okay," Jaku replied with his signature nonchalance. "We would have been out of there faster if I used my Aubility Power, but I was too lazy."
Michael shook his head at Jaku's lackadaisical attitude. But perhaps, it did save them this ti.
If Jaku used his Aubility Power and inadvertently used his Ancient Roar, then the whole Knightly Court would have been alerted of his presence. Heck, everyone in New Sparta would have sensed his powers. At that point, they'd be lucky if they didn't get hunted down by the Heavenly Swordmistress. What would she have thought if they found out they were infiltrating their base?
Anyway, all's well that end's well.
Now, they had to worry about the McTony's restaurant.
The fifth day had been going very smoothly. It wasn't bad, but it also wasn't the best. They were just in the sa place as they were yesterday, which ant that they probably wouldn't jump up in rankings at the end of the day.
It was all because of the fanfare with the upcoming swordsman exhibition tournant. This was literally a once-in-a-lifeti event where they would finally see the Heavenly Swordmaiden accept her one and only student.
This placed a heavy emphasis on the Knights and the swordsn. They beca the center of attention. Anything they did, the public did the sa.
About two hours before lunchti, the entire Feast lost about half of their custors to the Knightly Court. That was where the Knights and the Swordsn practiced for the competition tomorrow.
Cheers erupted as the favorites finally revealed themselves. Famous nas like Sir Brutus from the Lionhearts, Sir Alexis from the Carpenters, Mistress Gaila of the Erids, and many more.
They all wore flashy armor sets and dazzling weapons. These were items that exuded strength, might, and courage, characteristics that a Knight should have. Of course, these were all sponsored by Upper Echelon companies and Conglorates alike. They were especially made for them by the blacksmiths of that company, allowing their respective emblems to be front and center for the public to see. Sales of armors and weapons skyrocketed like crazy. Of course, the general public could never afford to buy the armors of those Knights. Not only were they made out of expensive and exotic materials, they were also handmade by the very best of blacksmiths. They were not ant to be mass marketed.
The Upper Echelons and the Conglorates bypassed this problem by simply imitating their own work, but with lesser quality materials.
They functionally looked the sa, and the run-of-the-mill adventurer would never know the difference. And it wasn't even the effect of the armor that they wanted to buy. They just wanted the experience of buying the item that their favorite swordsman wore during the exhibition.
So, the more popular the swordsman, the more popular their armors and weapons. This ant more sponsors.
"Hmmm… this ans that we have no one to sponsor," Michael realized.
If all the Knights and strong swordsn from famous families were rich and famous, they would never choose an unknown company like theirs.
Thankfully, they did have Jaku. "Sheina, do you think Jaku would enter the exhibition tournant?"
The white-scaled Dragonborn nodded. "It's not a matter of his opinion, Lord Michael. If you say he should, then he will."
Sheina emanated a dark aura when she said that, which made even Michael shiver.
"How do we register?"
"That's the thing, Lord Michael. He already is."
"What?"
Wasn't it weird when they hadn't even started considering whether they should enter the exhibition tournant, they were already included? Jaku's na was even on the list!
Sheina gave him the supposed line-up for the tournant shown on the blackboards of the Knightly Court. And there, amongst the nas of famous human swordsn were Jaku's na written in italics. This was because under his na was the title of: demi-human.
In fact, Sheina and the others didn't even know about this until the Shadow Orcs heard rumors and discussions about the Reborn company.
After all, the would-be nas of the candidates of the Heavenly Swordmistress' only student was a very short and famous list. They either ca from the Order of the Heavenly Knights themselves, or they were part of a famous line of swordsn families.
Ironically, Jaku's na was the only one that stood out the most. No one knew who he was, so there beca a lot of speculation as to who he truly was to deserve such a spot.
"Who even knew Jaku was a swordsman?"
Only the Werewolves were first-hand witnesses of Jaku's awakening during the tournant. And they certainly weren't the ones who put Jaku's na on the list. Chief Lupan would have told him. Not only that, the Werewolves simply didn't have that much influence on the Order that they were able to squeeze a demi-human's na into the mix.
Then who?
Just then, Michael heard a knock on the door of their headquarters.
"Who is it?"
Sheina opened the door, only to see a woman with a blindfold enter their room.
…
…
A few hours before this, the Knightly Court was disturbed by the infiltration of shadowy figures. It quickly died down because of the looming exhibition match tomorrow, but of course, nothing could escape the ears of the Heavenly Swordmaiden.
"Swordmistress, the people are asking. Who is this demi-human you let into the exhibition match? It's getting hard to co up with an excuse. After all, what would people think if they knew that you were the one to put his na into the tournant?"
Eldea stayed silent. She still vividly rembered that night. That night when the Ancient Roar awakened in New Sparta and caused a trendous wave of shock and excitent everywhere.
Many forgot, thinking that it was just a simple earthquake. But she knew the truth. And throughout all this ti, she'd been secretly investigating the cause of such an incident.
She thought it would have taken more ti. But after learning that the Reborn company figured out the secret to demi-human Maugnetism, she finally understood the truth.
That white-scaled demi-human bore a striking resemblance to the one she saw before. It wasn't that hard to guess they were related of so sort.
That's why she imdiately took a chance and added him in. The Knights had been far too complacent these days
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