When Gor decided to take the princess away from the palace after she requested to visit Ija's family in Logas, many members of the princess's guards refused to listen to him. They insisted it was a bad idea. Gor didn't care whether it was a bad idea or not; their job was simply to ensure the princess's safety, not question her orders. Yet, they still refused to follow his instructions, some even outright stating that they would not take orders from a child—especially after years of following a commoner.
Gor, however, was indifferent to their pride. He might have suggested fighting any of them, but he was certain that he would end up killing most of them, so he simply relieved them of their duties instead.
This decision didn't sit well with the dismissed guards, and once again, Gor found himself at the center of a ruckus in the palace—causing even more trouble for the King. The King himself could have intervened, but he chose not to, for some reason... Instead, he gave anyone who was dissatisfied the opportunity to challenge Gor in battle. When Gor returned from Logas, one of the princess's former guards—a member of the Royal Guard from the ruling family of the Western province of Nebe—was selected to fight him.
At first, many of them felt it was beneath them to challenge a child. But when they heard of Gor's strength, the fact that he had summoned a curse, and the numerous feats he had already accomplished, they decided to send one of their strongest members—someone who they thought could at least give Ija a tough time, even if he would still ultimately lose.
Once again, Gor found himself almost wanting to refuse. He had no desire for the position of High Guard, nor did he feel it was worth the headache to fight an irrelevant pest just to prove a point. However, Henry reminded him that he couldn't refuse, and the Queen made it clear that he had no choice. Refusing would mean disgracing the royal family, as their choice for the position would be seen as cowardly.
Gor didn't care about being called a coward, but he couldn't leave the princess in the hands of a mere political figurehead like those noble scions. So, he agreed to the duel. He even asked Ares if he would get a reward for defeating the guard, but the damned fiend had been ignoring him since the award ceremony.
Gor didn't know why, but his curse only seemed interested in him when he was facing possible death or something...
Fine, Gor thought. Just keep ignoring me. I'll do it myself.
Useless curse.
The day of the duel arrived, and Gor finally stood face to face with Baltezar of the Gin family from Nebe.
The duel was set in one of the palace's training grounds at noon. Gor made his way there when the time came, expecting a small battle with only a handful of onlookers. However, when he arrived at the arena, he was met with an unexpected sight—the stands were filled with spectators.
Many had come to witness the fight, including the King and Queen. It turned out the Queen had spread word of the duel, turning it into a grand spectacle. She had encouraged people to come and see the prodigy of the Kindel House—the princess's personal guard.
Even the Legacy Houses had sent representatives to observe the battle.
While Gor was clearly displeased with the unnecessary spectacle, Baltezar, on the other hand, was over the moon. He was confident in his ability to defeat the boy, despite rumors of Gor's powerful curse. And this would be his chance to prove himself in front of everyone that he was a more suitable candidate to protect the princess.
Before the fight began, Orion, the King's brother, listed the rules. They were the same as when Gor had fought the Light Woman from the Balor House…. Cana Balor
Gifts and curses were allowed but only limited to physical attacks. This meant Gor couldn't use the flames from his sword.
Death was a possibility, so Lord Orion ensured both combatants understood the risk.
Once an opponent yielded, the fight had to stop immediately. Killing a surrendered opponent would be considered murder and tried as such.
After both fighters acknowledged the rules, the duel commenced.
Gor wasn't particularly interested in the fight, so he planned to end it quickly, and summoned his cursed blade…. Immediately the dark eerie blade manifested, Ares finally spoke.
"Irrelevant. Weak. Only muscles, no skill. Weak will, only pride."
Ares said, assessing Baltezar.
"Still, he'll be good for practice," the fiend added.
"Don't use any weapons, kid. Let's see how well you fare against an armed opponent."
Gor finally smiled at that.
"And what's in it for me?" he asked.
"What about the armor we discussed?" Ares countered.
"Fine by me."
Gor unsummoned his sword, much to Baltezar's displeasure.
"Are you trying to insult me, kid? Summon that weapon of yours!" Baltezar demanded.
"I refuse to taint my sword with the blood of the likes of you," Gor replied coldly.
"If you don't, it will be seen as a forfeit," Baltezar warned, turning to Orion.
Orion shook his head. "He can proceed without a weapon if he likes."
Baltezar frowned. "Then I won't be held responsible for your demise."
"I've heard that more than once already," Gor muttered, smirking.
The moment the fight began, Beltazar lunged forward, his sword flashing in the noon light. His strikes were fast and precise, the product of years of rigorous training, but Gor barely moved. He swayed just enough to let each attack pass by, dodging with minimal effort. The crowd watched in confusion—was he afraid? Was he stalling?
Beltazar's frustration grew with every missed strike. He roared and swung in a wide arc, putting all his strength into the blow. Gor stepped into his guard at the last second, deflecting the strike with the back of his hand. The force of the impact sent a sharp vibration up Beltazar's arm. Before he could react, Gor's knee slammed into his ribs, sending him skidding backward.
"That all you've got?" Gor taunted, rolling his shoulders as if warming up.
Beltazar snarled, blood on his lips. He charged again, stabbing forward. Gor caught the blade between his palms, stopping it dead. Gasps rippled through the audience. The noble scion struggled to pull his weapon free, but Gor didn't let go. Instead, he twisted his wrists and snapped the blade in two with his bare hands.
The silence was deafening.
"You—!" Beltazar barely had time to speak before Gor drove an open palm into his chest, launching him across the arena like a ragdoll. He crashed into the dirt, coughing violently. Still, he pushed himself up, gripping the broken remains of his sword.
"Are we done here?" Gor asked, glancing at the sky as if bored.
Ares chuckled darkly inside his mind. Still testing, are we? The fiend mused. Fine. Play with him a little longer.
Gor obeyed, darting forward with inhuman speed. He struck Beltazar in the stomach with a short jab, then another, and another, each one sending the noble reeling back. He grabbed Beltazar's wrist mid-swing and twisted, forcing him to drop the useless hilt of his sword.
The fight had long been decided, but Gor wasn't done yet. He needed to see how much punishment this so-called warrior could take. He slammed a fist into Beltazar's ribs, feeling something crack. The noble staggered but refused to fall. Gor struck again—his ribs, his gut, his jaw—until Beltazar could barely stay on his feet.
Then, Ares spoke.
Enough.
Gor exhaled. "Alright."
Without warning, he stepped forward and drove his fist into Beltazar's chest with all the force he could muster. The impact was deafening. The air around them shook. Beltazar's eyes widened, blood spurting from his mouth before his body was lifted clean off the ground. He flew backward, smashing into the stone wall of the arena. The entire structure cracked under the force.
For a moment, nothing moved. Then Beltazar slumped forward, lifeless.
Gor blinked, frowning. He hadn't expected that.
Hah. Weak. Ares' voice rumbled in his head, satisfied. You're getting stronger, kid.
Gor sighed and turned away.
The fight was over.