Gunlaug sat upon his throne, illuminated by countless rays of light reflected from the polished surface of his golden armor. The brilliant radiance spread throughout the hall like liquid sunlight, casting long reflections across the marble floor.
Then his voice echoed throughout the chamber.
He announced that a criminal had been brought before him and declared that this day would be one of judgnt and justice.
Barely anyone noticed it.
However, Sunny, who had spent years learning how to read emotions in order to deceive people more effectively, noticed it.
Elysia noticed it as well.
The Bright Lord was tired.
Very tired.
His voice remained steady, commanding, and dignified, but beneath it lingered a faint exhaustion that most people would never recognize.
Soon afterward, several Guards dragged a man into the center of the hall.
The stranger wore little more than worn rags, yet despite his appearance, he stood proudly and showed no fear while facing the ruler of the Bright Castle.
His na was Jubei.
Gunlaug introduced him as a resident of the outer settlent who wished to accuse one of the Bright Lord's own n of a serious cri.
The hall imdiately grew quieter.
Then, to everyone's shock, Jubei raised his arm and pointed directly at one of the Pathfinders standing among the Hunters.
His accusation was simple.
Murder.
According to Jubei, the Pathfinder had deliberately sacrificed a young Sleeper during an expedition into the Dark City.
The Hunters had supposedly promised the young recruit rewards, resources, and eventually a place within the castle walls.
Instead, they had used him as bait for Nightmare Creatures.
A wave of whispers swept through the hall.
People tolerated many things on the Forgotten Shore.
Theft.
Extortion.
Violence.
Even murder.
But intentionally feeding another human being to Nightmare Creatures was considered one of the most disgusting cris imaginable.
Sunny frowned.
Beside him, Elysia's expression darkened slightly.
Neither of them spoke.
When questioned, the accused Pathfinder imdiately denied everything.
He claid that the young Sleeper had been a valuable mber of the hunting party and that his death had been nothing more than a tragic accident.
Jubei instantly called him a liar.
His voice echoed throughout the hall as he insisted that he had personally witnessed the betrayal.
Gunlaug listened in silence.
His voice remained calm and neutral when he finally spoke.
Yet Sunny and Elysia both felt that sa strange emotion beneath the surface.
Neither could identify it.
It wasn't anger.
Nor was it indifference.
It felt far more complicated than either.
The Bright Lord declared that the deliberate murder of a promising young Sleeper was a cri worthy of public execution.
However, he also stated that making false accusations against another person was equally deserving of death.
Then he added sothing else.
Hunters and Pathfinders existed to protect humanity.
They were ant to serve as examples.
Guardians.
Heroes.
If the accusation proved true, he would personally execute the Pathfinder himself.
The hall beca completely silent.
Then Gemma stepped forward.
The charismatic commander of the Hunters and Pathfinders smiled calmly before proposing the use of an ancient law.
The Right of Challenge.
Under this custom, disputes and accusations could be resolved through combat.
Gemma accepted responsibility for the actions of his subordinate.
Then he turned toward Jubei.
If Jubei truly believed his accusation, he could prove it through battle.
The Hunter smiled.
His expression remained friendly.
Yet there was sothing dangerous hidden beneath it.
"Will you withdraw your accusation?"
His smile widened slightly.
"Or prove it with blood?"
Jubei stared at him for several seconds.
Then he spat on the floor.
"I accept."
A murmur spread throughout the hall.
Gunlaug considered the proposal briefly before nodding.
The Right of Challenge would decide the matter.
However, before Gemma could step forward, the Bright Lord raised a hand.
The hall imdiately fell silent once more.
"Gemma."
The Hunter stopped.
Gunlaug looked at him calmly.
"You are too valuable."
His gaze shifted toward the accused Pathfinder.
"Choose another representative."
The Pathfinder did not hesitate.
"Harus."
The silence that followed felt almost physical.
Even Sunny felt a chill run down his spine.
Harus.
The most feared Sleeper in the Bright Castle.
The personal executioner of the Bright Lord.
The mysterious lieutenant nobody truly understood.
If Harus entered the arena, Jubei's chances seed nonexistent.
Then Jubei suddenly spoke again.
"My Lord."
Gunlaug looked at him.
"May I appoint a representative as well?"
The Bright Lord nodded.
"You may."
A grin slowly appeared on Jubei's face.
"Then I choose Xeleray."
This ti, the silence beca suffocating.
Even the whispers disappeared.
Sunny blinked.
Elysia straightened slightly.
Cassie tilted her head, sensing the sudden shift in atmosphere despite being unable to see it.
Unlike Harus, whose reputation was built on fear and mystery, Xeleray's reputation was built on uncertainty.
Nobody knew how strong he truly was.
The few people who had witnessed him fighting rarely saw more than a few seconds of combat before it ended.
Forr mbers of the Night Watchers knew better.
Jubei happened to be one of them.
Years ago, he had served under Xeleray before leaving the reconnaissance squad after barely surviving a mission.
Gunlaug looked toward the two lieutenants.
"Do you accept?"
Several seconds passed.
Then both n answered simultaneously.
"Yes."
Their voices overlapped perfectly.
The hall sohow beca even quieter.
Soon afterward, the two lieutenants descended from the elevated platform and stepped into the center of the chamber.
The arena.
Gunlaug watched them for a mont.
Then he spoke.
"Both of you are valuable to ."
His voice echoed softly throughout the hall.
"I have no desire to lose either."
The Bright Lord paused.
"The first person to subdue their opponent shall be declared the victor."
Both fighters nodded.
Then they prepared themselves.
Harus moved first.
The towering lieutenant summoned his weapon.
A chained sickle.
The dark chain slithered across the marble floor like a living serpent while the curved blade glead beneath the reflected sunlight.
Normally, Harus preferred using the chain and sickle separately.
This ti was different.
Out of respect for Xeleray, he intended to fight seriously.
Across from him, Xeleray calmly drew his own weapon.
A beautiful sword.
Its golden hilt shone brilliantly beneath the light.
The blade itself appeared divided into ten separate segnts connected together with intricate craftsmanship.
It looked capable of extending at any mont.
Harus spoke first.
His rough voice echoed softly.
"Durandal."
Xeleray nodded.
Harus recognized the weapon.
Years ago, Xeleray had used that very sword during his challenge against Gunlaug.
The battle had nearly ended with the Bright Lord's defeat despite Gunlaug possessing a Transcendent Echo.
Now the sword had returned.
Xeleray tilted his head slightly.
"Soul Sickle."
His gaze shifted toward the chain.
"And Disciple of Silence."
He knew Harus's weapons just as well.
The sickle had been inherited from Harus's mysterious parents.
Only Seishan and Xeleray knew that story.
The chain was different.
Harus had obtained it himself years ago during Gunlaug's failed attempt to conquer the Crimson Spire.
At the ti, he had sohow killed a Fallen Beast and escaped an entire horde of Spire ssengers.
Neither man elaborated further.
There was no need.
Gunlaug interrupted them.
"Rember."
His voice swept across the hall.
"No killing."
The pressure behind those simple words was terrifying.
Sunny nearly lost his balance.
Even after several days inside the Bright Castle, hearing the Bright Lord speak directly still felt overwhelming.
Beside him, Cassie instinctively grabbed Elysia's arm.
Unable to see the arena, she simply waited.
Elysia found herself trapped between two problems.
On one side, Cassie was clinging tightly to her arm.
On the other side, Sunny kept trying to stand on his toes in order to get a better view of the arena.
The pink-haired girl sighed quietly.
Then she resigned herself to her fate and focused on the fight.
The entire hall held its breath.
Nobody wanted to miss what happened next.
The accused Pathfinder clenched his fists tightly.
Sweat ran down his forehead.
He desperately hoped that Harus would defeat Xeleray.
anwhile, Jubei also clenched his fists.
Unlike the Pathfinder, however, he wasn't afraid.
He was excited.
After all, he understood his situation perfectly.
Even if Xeleray won, Jubei would probably beco a target for many Hunters and Pathfinders who would not appreciate his actions.
And if Xeleray lost...
He would likely be executed.
Still, he showed no fear.
Because he trusted Gunlaug.
The Bright Lord had a reputation for rcy, at least when it ca to carrying out executions.
Those sentenced to death were usually granted a swift end.
A clean death.
A painless one.
Unless they had committed cris so vile that rcy no longer applied.
Cris such as rape.
Those people rarely received quick executions.
Instead, they were made examples of before the entire settlent.
Jubei knew all of this.
Yet despite everything, he continued standing proudly in the center of the hall.
Watching.
Waiting.
As two of the most dangerous n in the Bright Castle prepared to fight.
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