Aura. It manifests on people who are trained and experienced in physical combat usually. It helps the user to be stronger, faster, and pretty much using a cheat code in battle. Especially if the opponent doesn't use Aura.
I can use Aura as well. And the fact that the Fist King can use Aura doesn't surprise me. He's the Fist King for a reason.
Though I have no need to use Aura right now. Even if he's faster and stronger with Aura covering his fists, his punches are still predictable.
"I bet you're the weakest King out there. Not because you can't compare in strength with the other Kings. But because you can't even reach them. Using your fists means that you don't have enough distance to reach opponents with longer weapons," I say.
"SHUT UP AND DIE!"
I guess he can't listen to anyone. Will I be able to convince him to train differently to get stronger?
The best case scenario would be for him and even his daughter to join my clan. But I don't think that's possible. He's a King after all.
If a King suddenly joins a clan, there will be troubles. Because Kings are used for political weapon. For example this kingdom is stronger than that kingdom because this kingdom has more Kings than that kingdom. Something like that.
So, the Kings are still somewhat of a pawn for the real monarch of the kingdom. And if the Kings somehow leave the country there will be problems caused by it.
And this is just joining a clan. Unless I swear my allegiance for a certain country where the King came from, it's pretty much impossible for them to join my clan. And I have no interest in swearing allegiance to anyone.
So the next best-case scenario is for his daughter to join my clan while he will follow my instructions if he wants to get stronger.
By the way, how is he here? He must have gotten permission to come here from his country because his daughter attends the academy here.
The Fist King throws another wild punch. But even though I should be out of his range, the punch leaves some impact next to me which I barely able to dodge.
"Oh, you use Aura to increase your range. But it's much weaker than your ordinary punch so it's useless even if it hits me. Still, I don't want to get hit. Should I finish it now?"
"Try it if you can!"
And so I do it. Because he gives me the permission.
A quick left jab at his jaw before I sidestepped and throw a right straight at his jaw again. Then I duck to avoid his punch before I counter it with multiple body blows with my left and right hooks. I sidestepped again to the other side before bending my knee and throw a powerful uppercut using my whole body while also jumping to give the most powerful damage to the old man on his jaw.
And that's it. He fell on his back. His daughter rushes to him in worry after seeing him lost against some random nobody like me.
And then, in the worst timing possible, someone interferes.
"Stop it! I know you're evil. You just hurt an old man!"
As if the heaven itself wants me to be his rival, Roland, the original protagonist of the novel and the game, stands between the Fist King and me. And he instantly blames me for winning our duel.
Still, an old man? I'm pissed at Roland right now and also his party members who are rushing here without knowing anything. But the fact that this guy called the Fist King an old man means that he doesn't know the man I just defeated at all. And he's thinking I'm bullying the Fist King.
"…Pft! Ahahaha! This idiot thinks you're just a random old man who is getting bullied by me! Hey, Fist King, won't you just surrender? The gap between our skills are so huge that some random idiot interferes with our duel thinking that I'm bullying an old man! Damn, this is hilarious," I say.
I'm pissed at Roland but it's still hilarious.
"…The Fist King?" Roland turns around to look at the old man with his face bright red from embarrassment.
"You move," I shove Roland to the side and walk toward the Fist King.
"…What?" the Fist King asks.
"I had no bad intention at all in the Arena when I said that your daughter's punches are easy to dodge for me. That was the truth. And I never said anything to insult her. It's more of insulting the way she trained because of how she punched. If only you weren't so angry before, I could have talked it out with you. But it's an even better outcome. I provoked you even more to make sure you're not holding back at all to show you how right I am. Now, do you see the gap between us?"
He's silent with his daughter holding him next to her. Finally, his mind starts working.
"…This is not the best outcome for you, right? What's your best outcome?" the Fist King asks.
"You're willing to talk now? Good. Cornelia will heal you and you won't reject it this time. Go back to the city and once your mind clears up you can go to the library and meet Felix, that guy over there, to arrange a meeting with me. Also, bring your daughter as well. Being the Fist King means that your freedom is actually limited so the one who has the freedom of choosing an option later would be her and not you. But I want you to listen to it more than her," I say.
"Alright. I'll go back first then," the Fist King says. He has received healing magic from Cornelia and returns back to Dahlia with his daughter.
And now, I can't return now. It will be awkward if after I said everything, we're going back together. Though that's not the case with Cornelia and the others who return first to Dahlia with the Fist King.
The Fist King and his daughter can ask anything they want about me from them. Now, it's time to… I don't know. I'll just hunt some monsters I guess.
Or that's what I made the remaining people here to believe. Roland and his party. And I'm actually hiding behind a large tree trunk to see their stupid reaction.
I believed that I can ignore him. But I guess I can't. It's because for years, I have been playing as him in the game. So I want to know his real feelings about being weak.
"…He defeated the Fist King? And I embarrassed the Fist King?" Roland asks.
"Roland, don't take it to the heart. That Miroslav guy is so difficult to understand. When he talks to the Fist King, I couldn't judge him as evil at all," Pearl says.
Is that so? I wasn't evil? I suppose it's because this is really for the greater good. To raise an army to fight the demons.
"How is someone be so evil and not evil at the same time?" Roland shouts.
I think there are many people like that. Just depends on whom the evil is targeted to.
"I also believed that he's bullying an old man. But that old man is the Fist King? I can't believe it," Owen says.
"It's the truth. The girl next to him is the top rank in the fourth-year and is known as the daughter of the Fist King. Just how strong is that guy? He predicted all the matches in the competition correctly and even defeated the Fist King. Cornelia and Melly who were on the final were taught by him. Even Anne who lost against Melly. Just who is that guy?" Lola asks.
"Hmm… Aaargh! Enough! Thinking about that guy will make my head explode due to the stress! Roland, let's ignore that guy from now on. Whether he's evil or not, let's just ignore him. Everything will be our fault in the end if we keep getting involved with him," Owen says.
That's a sound suggestion from Owen. I never thought of him as a wise character. Or he's just too stupid to think so he's suggesting Roland to forget it.
"I can't. If I believe someone is doing something wrong, I just refuse to stand still and do nothing. I failed to notice the reality of the situation with him twice. But what if he does something real bad in the future? Whether it's him or anyone, if I see them doing something I don't believe is right, I will do something," Roland says.
…
"Hah, I guess that's very you. Well, I'll support you to the end, bro," Owen says as he put his hand on Roland's shoulder.
"We're also be by your side. You don't have to take everything by yourself," Lola says.
I can't see Pearl but it seems like she agrees with everyone.
But what the hell is with this atmosphere!? It's like the dialogue between main characters in anime. So cringy!
And there's no character development at all! Just the protagonist saying what he thinks.
If there's a character development, the first thing he must do is to apologize to me! Twice! For that time with Julian and now as well! That's the mature thing to do!
Haa… he's just a child in the end. A child that can kill demons. A dangerous child. He might even kill me if he sees me doing something wrong even though my intention is not wrong at all.
This child is scary. I'll put him on top of the list of dangerous characters in this world alongside the Demon King in the trailer of the sequel of the game.
If only he's a weakling and a useless character instead of the protagonist then I would be happy. Because I can just kill him without worry. His strength is still necessary to use in the war against the demons.