Chapter 10: Strength and Strategy

"Good!"

On the platform, Duss was so excited that he stood up. The Great Elder’s face darkened as he snorted coldly.  

“That guy used external tools in the match, which should be considered cheating.”  

The Second Elder cleared his throat and said, “Franz’s explosive paper can be considered a type of weapon, and there’s no rule against using weapons in battle. Moreover, Desmond had enchanted weapons but still didn’t know how to suppress his opponent. Therefore, Franz’s victory is well-deserved.”  

“The Second Elder is right. In my opinion, Desmond is just brute strength with no strategy, and his progress has been slow over the past few years. I think we should reconsider the family’s investment in him,” Duss added. The Great Elder’s face turned pale. If the family cut off Desmond’s training resources, his future would be practically over.  

“First match, Franz wins.”

 

“Ding, main quest completed: defeat Desmond. Reward: 10,000 EXP, 1,000 silver, 10 intermediate healing potions, 10 intermediate chakra recovery potions, 10 intermediate stamina recovery potions.”  

“Ding, since the host has not yet completed the class change mission, the system will temporarily store the experience points.”  

Everyone’s eyes widened as they watched Desmond unconsciously hold his rear. This move was truly brutal—worse than death. The ‘Thousand-Year Pain’ bypassed any defense, delivering the ultimate pain to the opponent. However, Franz knew this move could only be used on those weaker than him because, against an equal or stronger opponent, it would be nearly impossible to land such a strike.  

“You did well, little brother! You must teach me that move someday.”  

Unlike everyone else, Leona was thrilled and threw her arms around Franz’s neck. Franz, not knowing how to deal with this playful yet fierce woman, could only smile and change the subject.  

“Cousin, you really are full of surprises. I’m looking forward to a match with you,” Geoffey said with a smile as he approached to congratulate him. Franz had heard of Geoffey’s reputation. He was seen as the future family head, known for his calm and well-mannered demeanor, which earned him the favor of the entire clan.

Franz smiled and replied, “I believe we’ll meet in the finals.”  

“I believe so too,” Geoffey responded with a light smile before walking away with such grace that he left many girls swooning.  

In the following two matches, both Leona and Geoffey easily defeated their opponents. The last match, however, was the one Franz had been looking forward to the most: Sothe the thief against Grey the heavily armored warrior.  

First up was Grey, standing at 1.9 meters tall and clad in heavy armor that covered his entire body, including boots, gauntlets, and a metal mask. He wielded a 2.5-meter-long spear and carried a massive shield, even taller than himself. With this kind of gear, even the heavy infantry of Europe on Earth would struggle to bear such a load, but this was another world, where battle energy was far from ordinary.

 

In contrast to the heavily armored Grey, Sothe wore typical thief gear: tight-fitting leather armor, a demon mask, and two daggers at his waist. His outfit was simple and practical.  

As the match began, Sothe immediately disappeared from everyone’s view. Franz knew this was the thief’s special technique: Stealth (invisibility). Thieves fought differently, relying on avoiding detection, closing in, and executing a fatal strike. This made them a natural counter to mages, who had little close-combat ability and couldn’t match the speed of a thief, often falling in one hit.  

Grey assumed his battle stance, lowering his body slightly, raising his shield vertically, and holding his spear forward near shoulder height. The strength of a heavily armored warrior wasn’t in their combat techniques but in their gear. The sturdier the equipment, the harder it was to defeat them.

 

"Swish!"  

Sothe suddenly appeared behind Grey and slashed at the gap between his shin and thigh armor before vanishing again. Grey didn’t even grunt, tightening his defense even more. He knew the weakness of a heavily armored warrior was speed, and it was clear Sothe intended to wear him down.  

"Swish!" "Clang!"  

This time, Sothe appeared on Grey’s right side, stabbing at the elbow joint of his armor, but Grey reacted. He straightened his arm, closing the gap in the armor, trapping Sothe’s dagger. His left hand raised the shield, smashing it toward Sothe. The thief reacted quickly, releasing the dagger and leaping to the side, disappearing once more.