Gideon Lothair, standing in the center of the combat arena, grinned arrogantly as Haruto picked up the training sword. The nobles murmured among themselves, voicing their amusement—no one expected the blind noble to stand a chance.
Gideon (mocking): "Hah! You actually picked it up? Fine, I'll go easy on you!"
The referee, a knight of House Valtor, stepped forward, slightly hesitant.
Referee: "This is a formal duel. No lethal strikes. The match ends when one of you is disarmed or yields."
Haruto stood still, gripping his training sword lightly. Gideon twirled his sword confidently, assuming the fight would end in seconds.
Amelia and Lilia watched anxiously—Leon and Duke Reinhardt remained silent.
Referee: "Begin!"
Gideon immediately rushed forward, expecting to overwhelm Haruto with sheer force. His blade swung in a wide arc, aiming to break Haruto's stance instantly. The nobles watched with amusement, fully expecting Haruto to stumble.
But then… something unexpected happened.
In an instant, Haruto vanished from Gideon's sight.
Haruto: "Phantom Step."
He shifted positions seamlessly, his footwork nearly undetectable. To an untrained eye, it looked like he had teleported.
Gideon's blade cut through empty air—his opponent was no longer there. The crowd gasped, confused.
Gideon (shocked): "Where did he—?"
Gideon (bewildered): "Did he dodge? I didn't even see—"
Gideon stumbled forward, thrown off balance. Before he could react, Haruto was already behind him. He raised his wooden sword at an angle that no beginner should be able to calculate.
Haruto: "Silent Fang."
A swift, soundless strike that disarmed the opponent before they could even react.
Haruto's blade tapped Gideon's wrist with precision, making him lose his grip. Gideon's sword flew from his hand, clattering onto the ground. Before Gideon could recover, Haruto swept his leg, knocking him flat on his back.
The fight was over.
Gideon lay on the ground, staring up in shock.
Gideon (stuttering): "I… lost?"
Haruto stood over him, completely still, his blade pointed downward. The crowd, which had been full of laughter before, was now dead silent. No one spoke for several seconds.
Crowd Murmurs:
Noble 1: "What… just happened?" Noble 2: "Did he… just win?" Noble 3: "No. That wasn't just a victory. That was complete domination."
Gideon, humiliated and furious, scrambled to his feet.
Gideon (shouting): "You… you cheated! There's no way a blind man could dodge that!"
Haruto remained emotionless, his voice calm.
Haruto: "You lost because you were too slow."
Gideon's face turned red with rage. He mumbled to himself, repeating the same words over and over, unable to accept his defeat.
Intrigued & Amused – Elise Vermillion
Watching from the stands, Elise smirked.
Elise (muttering to herself): "Now that… was interesting."
She had expected Haruto to be humiliated—but instead, he won effortlessly. Now, she wanted to fight him herself.
Reactions of the Valtor Family
For the first time, Duke Reinhardt finally looked at Haruto. His face remained unreadable, but there was no disgust in his eyes.
Duke Reinhardt's Thoughts: "So… this is what he's been hiding."
But he said nothing.
Leon gripped his chair tightly, watching in disbelief. His whole life, he had been told he was superior. But now, his older brother—the one who was supposed to be weak—was stronger than anyone had imagined.
Leon's Thoughts: "No… that's not possible… right?"
Lilia jumped up, cheering loudly.
Lilia (excitedly): "Big Brother is amazing!"
She rushed to hug Haruto's arm, smiling brightly.
Lord Vincent – A New Perspective
Lord Vincent stroked his chin, intrigued.
Vincent's Thoughts: "Hmph… Maybe the blind son isn't as useless as I thought."
He began plotting, seeing Haruto as a potential weapon or political piece.
As the crowd remained in shock…
Then, a slow clap echoed through the arena.
All eyes turned to the entrance, where a tall, imposing figure in a long military coat stepped forward. Lord Aldric Valtor—the legendary war hero and former General of House Valtor—had arrived.
The nobles immediately recognized him, whispers spreading like wildfire.
Noble Guests:
Noble 1: "That's Lord Aldric!" Noble 2: "Why is he here?" Noble 3: "He hasn't appeared at a noble event in years!"
Lord Aldric walked toward Haruto, his presence overwhelming. He stopped in front of his grandson, his gaze sharp and calculating.
Lord Aldric (firmly): "Not bad, boy. But you hesitated at the end. That will get you killed one day."
Haruto (laughing awkwardly): "I'll work on that."
Gasps erupted from the audience.
Noble Guests:
Noble 1: "W-Wait… is he…?" Noble 2: "Did Lord Aldric… train him?" Noble 3: "Impossible! Why would he train the blind son instead of Leon?"
Duke Reinhardt's eyes narrowed, clearly displeased. Leon looked between Haruto and Aldric, realization hitting him hard.
Leon (stunned): "Grandfather… trained Haruto?"
Lady Selene smiled slightly, finally seeing her father-in-law acknowledge her son.
Selene's Thoughts: "At last… they see him."
Lilia jumped excitedly, proud of her big brother.
Lilia (cheering): "I knew Big Brother was amazing!"
While the nobles were still processing the revelation, Elise Vermillion suddenly stepped forward. She smirked, twirling a thin rapier in one hand while flames flickered around her other hand.
Elise (amused): "That was entertaining. But I wonder… what happens when you face someone who can do more than just swing a sword?"
The nobles gasped—House Vermillion's magic prodigy had just challenged Haruto!
Duke Reinhardt remained silent. Lord Vincent smirked, sensing a political opportunity. Leon watched carefully—he wanted to see Haruto lose.
Leon's Thoughts: "He can't win again… right?"
Lord Aldric chuckled, placing a hand on Haruto's shoulder.
Lord Aldric: "Win this fight, and you prove to them all that you are no longer just a shadow."
Haruto gripped his sword, nodding once.
Haruto: "I never had any intention of losing."
The referee stepped forward, raising his hand.
Referee: "This will be a formal duel! Magic and weapons allowed! The duel ends when one of you is disarmed or unable to continue!"
Referee: "Combatants, ready?"
Elise smirked, fire swirling around her blade. Haruto simply stood still, calm and unreadable.
Referee: "Begin!"
The Duel Begins
Elise dashed forward, thrusting her rapier with lightning speed. At the same time, she released a burst of fire toward Haruto's blind spot.
The nobles expected Haruto to struggle against magic.
But Haruto didn't move until the last second.
As Elise's fire spell approached, he shifted slightly, dodging it by mere inches.
The flames passed by without even singing his clothes.
The nobles gasped—how did he react so perfectly?
Elise pressured Haruto with relentless thrusts, each imbued with flickering flames.
Haruto parried effortlessly, each movement precise and controlled. He was not reacting to her eyes or body—he was sensing the flow of mana and heat.
Elise (grinning): "You're reading my attacks. That's annoying."
Haruto (calmly): "Then stop being predictable."
Elise laughed, then switched tactics. She feinted with her rapier—then sent an explosion of fire directly beneath Haruto's feet.
The flames burst upward, and the nobles thought Haruto was finished.
But then—
Haruto stepped forward through the fire, moving straight at Elise.
His sword swung in a controlled arc.
Elise barely dodged—his blade stopped just before her throat.
Silence.
The duel was over.
Elise exhaled sharply, lowering her rapier. Then, to everyone's surprise, she grinned.
Elise: "You… are interesting."
The Audience Reaction
The nobles were left in stunned silence.
Noble Guests:
Noble 1: "He… he defeated magic?" Noble 2: "That wasn't luck. He controlled the entire fight." Noble 3: "How much stronger can he become?"
For the first time, Duke Reinhardt looked at Haruto differently. He did not speak, but something had changed.
But not completely.
Leon clenched his fists.
Leon (gritting his teeth): "How… How is he stronger than me?"
His confidence as the heir began to crack.
Lilia ran to Haruto, cheering loudly.
Lilia (excitedly): "Big Brother is the strongest!"
Lady Selene smiled, finally seeing her son claim his place.
After his duels at the noble gathering, Haruto's name spread across noble society. He was no longer just "the blind son of House Valtor." Now, he was whispered about as "The Phantom Swordsman", the warrior who defeated noble heirs effortlessly—including a magic prodigy.
How Nobles React to Him Some noble houses were intrigued, seeing him as a potential ally or rival. Warrior factions wished to test his skills. Political families either saw him as an opportunity or a dangerous threat. Duke Reinhardt remained silent, but his political enemies began watching Haruto closely.
After weeks of hearing his name spread, Haruto received an official invitation. He read the details and considered it carefully.
Invitation Details:
Lord Alistair Ferndale, a noble known for hosting dueling tournaments, invited Haruto to prove his strength in front of the noble elite. The event was set to be a gathering of skilled warriors, mages, and noble heirs.
Many expected him to lose, believing his victories were flukes—but others were curious to see if he was truly that strong.
Haruto's Thoughts:
"Another test. Fine. I'll show them again."
Elise's Visit
Before the event, Elise Vermillion visited Haruto. She leaned casually against a wall, smirking.
Elise: "So, you're really doing this? Stepping into the noble battlefield?"
Haruto: "Why wouldn't I?"
Elise (grinning): "You're either brave or stupid."
She warned him that once he entered this world, there was no going back. Strong warriors would come for him. Political schemes would start involving him.
Haruto (unfazed): "Let them come."
Elise began to see Haruto as someone who wouldn't be stopped, making her even more interested in him.
The Ferndale Duel
The Ferndale Estate was packed with nobles, warriors, and scholars, all gathered to see Haruto fight.
His opponent was Edric Caldwyn, a highly skilled noble swordsman known for his aggressive fighting style. Many nobles expected Edric to destroy Haruto, believing he was not ready for a real duel in noble society.
Lord Vincent watched the fight with interest, knowing that this duel would either solidify Haruto's rise or crush his momentum.
The Duel
The moment the duel started, Edric rushed in, trying to overpower Haruto with brute strength.
Haruto remained still, waiting.
Phantom Step → Silent Fang.
Edric swung—but Haruto moved before he even finished.
Haruto dodged effortlessly and countered, striking Edric's wrist.
Edric's sword flew from his hand—he was disarmed instantly.
The Aftermath
The crowd fell silent.
Edric stared at his empty hand, unable to process what had just happened.
Edric (shocked): "I… I lost?"
Haruto remained calm, lowering his blade.
Haruto: "You relied too much on power. It was over before you began."
The crowd erupted into a mix of cheers and stunned whispers.
Haruto had won again—proving his strength was no accident.
His victory cemented his reputation.
To be continued…