"I am certain." The Knight Lord's voice rang firm.
Thierry held no doubt in the Black Emperor's words.
Many nobles in the hall understood their conversation, murmuring amongst themselves.
Seeing Justin Wattara's troubled expression, combined with the Black Emperor's information in the data-crystal and recent observations, Thierry guessed his dilemma over canceling the vital coming-of-age ritual.
"The ritual can still proceed, just in a different form."
Justin asked thoughtfully, "What form?"
"Your original ritual involves entering the lava lake, battling monstrosities, survivors becoming true nobles."
"This year, the lava lake offers no foothold, but combat can continue, merely changing the form."
"Since Ventrilliam nobles relish dueling, why not use noble ritual duels for this year's ceremony? I will also dispatch elite swordsmen from my Chapter to participate."
Justin looked at the superhuman Shadows of Order warrior opposite him.
"That is feasible. They would take pride in dueling the Shadows of Order."
He didn't believe Thierry's prophecy but couldn't refuse. Considering the suggestion workable, he agreed.
Two days later, Ventrillia's coming-of-age ceremony commenced as usual.
The Consul proclaimed from the viewing platform.
"Honorable lords, ladies, and aspiring nobles participating in the coming-of-age."
"Today, we witness this moment in a new form."
"To commemorate Ventrillia becoming the Lord's domain, the Shadows of Order are invited. Duel victors earn the right to challenge superior swordsman."
Noble youths drew their swords, raising them high with enthusiastic cheers.
Justin raised his gleaming sword, then lowered it. The nobles immediately fell silent.
"Fourteen thousand, eight hundred participants. Those winning five duels become nobles and earn the opportunity to duel the great Shadows of Order warriors."
Pierre sat on the viewing platform, watching the aspirants below. Learning about Ventrillia's noble coming-of-age ritual had startled him.
Like Necromunda's hunting trial, the Ventrillia ritual was perilous, navigating a lava lake was hazardous enough, let alone battling various dangerous monstrosities within.
Now he saw the noble youths below, each physically robust.
Feasts and wines hadn't made these nobles obese; each clearly underwent prolonged combat training.
'At most, nine hundred twenty-five will become nobles, strict standards indeed.'
'Similar to the Trial of the Lava Lakes pass rate, the sole difference: those failing won't die.'
'Those passing will be excellent warriors. Though their age makes them unsuitable for Legion recruits, they'll be superb Auxilia, the first soldiers for the Ventrillian Army."
As Pierre contemplated, Justin finished his address.
Pierre watched with interest. Superhuman vision allowed him to observe all forty-five dueling platforms simultaneously.
He saw pairs of nobles, right arms bent forward, sword points angled towards the ground, left hands over their hearts in salute.
Some Ventrillia nobles eagerly charged, thumbs and index fingers guiding sword points, middle, ring, and little fingers gripping hilts tightly.
Running with centre of gravity positioned between the feet, bodies slightly leaning, ready to launch a decisive strike.
Defenders held palms outward at forty-five degrees, blades aligned towards incoming strikes.
Blades clashed. Youths fought fiercely, yielding no ground.
'Well-trained, with practical experience.'
'Though lacking a codified Elvira sword style system like us Kasaians, not mere showmanship. Their instructors are decent swordsmen.'
Duel after duel concluded. Winners stood proud; losers looked ashen.
After announcing the first round's end, Justin quietly asked an attendant in Ventrillia.
Learning the lava lake showed no eruption signs, he smirked inwardly.
'As expected, prophecies are unreliable. No signs of magma eruption.'
Three days passed. Justin daily inquired about the lava lake region, receiving reports of no abnormalities.
He and the Ventrillia nobles became convinced Thierry's prophecy wouldn't materialize.
On the fourth day, as the final fourth-round victor was decided, a Ventrillia noble wearing a longsword hurried onto the platform.
Glancing at the Shadows of Order, he addressed Justin.
"Consul, the lava lake for the coming-of-age ritual is erupting."
"What?" Justin and surrounding nobles exclaimed, staring at the Shadows of Order.
Thierry calmly said, "I said it would erupt. It was inevitable."
On the sixth day of the ceremony, newly elevated nobles who earned the right to duel the Shadows of Order excitedly gathered around the dueling platform.
To perform optimally, they had spent considerable gemstones for recovery, some even purchasing combat stimulants.
Nearby, Pierre, clad in black knightly attire, addressed identically dressed battle-brothers. "You will use skill, the Elvira style, not strength or speed, to defeat Ventrillia nobles. This is today's training."
A hundred Third Company warriors acknowledged. Pierre led them into the arena.
Ventrillia nobles applauded immediately. Unarmoured Shadows of Order appeared less imposing than before but commanded greater respect.
Challenges commenced. After injecting high-grade combat stimulants worth eighty gemstones, a young Ventrillia noble felt power surge within.
He roared excitedly, single-handedly swinging a heavy two-handed sword, charging the Shadows of Order warrior.
The Kasaian Shadows of Order calmly drew his longsword, infusing minimal psychic energy, igniting the blade.
The energized blade raised horizontally, blocking the noble's fierce assault.
Without exerting further force, he leaned left, then leaped, slashing diagonally downwards from right to left.
The blade halted above the noble's head. A spark flashed; several hairs drifted down.
The noble youth froze; other Ventrillia nobles also froze.
They hadn't expected a Ventrillia elite noble to be defeated by pure sword skill in one exchange.
Pierre watched his warriors successively defeat Ventrillia nobles using Yursa and Vira-Bey Form.
Observing the astonished nobles, he spoke.
"Every Kasaian trains with swords from childhood. Before becoming Shadows of Order, we underwent numerous trials. We fought Ogryns in the Ape-Man star system, slew nameless dangerous mutants aboard space hulks at Islington."
"After becoming Shadows of Order, we fought over a hundred battles, against Rangdan xenos, tenacious Squats in a life-and-death struggle. Our combat experience far exceeds that of newly adult nobles."
"Therefore, I suggest you arrange multiple combatants. This will make duels more engaging. Trust me, as a former noble from Kasai, similar to Ventrillia, I mean no disrespect."
Though Justin didn't precisely know what Ogryns, Rangdan, or Squats were, he understood Pierre's meaning.
After a moment's thought, he announced to the nobles.
"You may form teams, challenging the Shadows of Order collectively."
After several more crushing defeats, Ventrillia nobles finally realized Shadows of Order couldn't be overcome singly.
Pierre noted nobles swiftly accepted reality, cooperating in teams to challenge Shadows of Order.
They fared less poorly, engaging elite swordsmen for longer periods.
Pierre looked at his Lord. Both understood the same sentiment from each other's eyes.
Ventrillia nobles valued honor but weren't vain
As the finale, Pierre accepted a challenge from fourteen finest Ventrillia swordsmen.
Ventrillia nobles made a clear division of responsibilities. Five formed an arrowhead, charging Pierre first.
Four each flanked Pierre. The strongest swordsman lurked behind, seeking an opportunity.
Pierre drew his longsword, setting the blade ablaze.
Recently ascended to "Weapon Master," he fully unlocked his psychic longsword's potential.
Pierre swung, tracing a figure "8" in the air.
The "Weapon Master" moved swiftly. He almost simultaneously swung, outlining a burning pattern to block five ancestral dueling swords.
The eight noble combatants, injected with stimulants, roared in unison, attacking the Shadows of Order warrior.
The "Weapon Master" remained composed, flicking his wrist.
The psychic longsword felt like part of his body, slashing diagonally left and right to parry.
Clang-clang-clang...
Amidst a series of impacts, the "Weapon Master" used Usa Form to deflect attacks.
Baron Wattara, seeing others successively repelled, knew he must seize the sole opportunity.
Injecting his family's treasured combat potions into his neck, his eyes gleaming brilliantly, he gripped his ancestral sword, charging the Shadows of Order warrior swiftly.
The next instant, his eyes were illuminated by even brighter light.
The dazzling radiance rushed towards him instantly.
Baron Wattara couldn't react. His ancestral sword was knocked away; a crackling, shining blade halted before him.
Death's threat chilled him; surging power within warmed him.
Suppressing internal power, overcoming fear, Baron Wattara strained to see past the brilliance.
The "Weapon Master" controlled the lethal strike with ease, dissipating the Erka Form's power.
Justin paled, relieved seeing his heir unharmed, eagerly announcing the conclusion of the challenge.
In subsequent detailed negotiations, Ventrillia nobles ceased haggling, accepting all Shadows of Order terms.
Thierry knew he had won the Ventrillian nobles' loyalty.