In that crowded tavern, the whispers of the patrons rose as if expressing their fears of Kayden's presence. Upon his entry, everyone exchanged lethal glares, while the waiter addressed him by the name "Adrian." Kayden was deeply surprised by the waiter's words, wondering internally how he knew that name. After hearing the exchange,
Eugene whispered to Kayden: "What exactly was your brother's last mission?" Kayden simply shrugged his shoulders in bewilderment; he had no idea.
Kayden told the waiter that he was not Adrian, but the waiter replied sarcastically, "And I am not the tavern waiter!", which only increased the tension in the room. The men in the tavern began to advance toward Kayden cautiously, shifting their gazes between him and Eugene. The atmosphere was thick with tension as Kayden noticed the leader of the group—a tall man with a deep scar across his face—grip his sword with a wary movement.
Kayden did not wait long. With a swift motion, he drew his sword and took a defensive stance, ready to handle any unexpected attack. The leader's voice rose: "You, you arrogant noble, you won't escape this place easily!"
Kayden let out a soft laugh, as if the entire situation were merely a game to him, and replied coldly: "If you think nobility means weakness, then you are delusional."
One of the men lunged at Kayden quickly, his sword raised in the air. But Kayden was faster. With a lightning-fast move, he evaded the blow and launched a counterattack, managing to cleave through the attacker's armor. The man fell in pain, blood dripping from his wound.
A second man rushed in, attempting to attack Kayden from behind, but Eugene, who had been calmly observing the battle until that moment, intervened quickly. He gripped his sword and stabbed the attacker in the side, dropping him to the ground.
Seeing how easily his men fell, the leader grew more furious and charged toward Kayden. The clash was fierce, their swords crossing and glowing under the dim light of the tavern. However, it was clear that Kayden possessed combat skills that far surpassed his opponents.
As the battle escalated, the tavern waiter and his assistant watched the fight in silence. The assistant asked, "What is happening? Adrian was never this skilled before; he only possessed overwhelming strength." The waiter did not respond; he was focused on ensuring things did not spiral out of control.
The leader pressed forward with all his might, trying to land a heavy blow on Kayden. His sword gleamed under the flickering tavern lights, rage evident in his eyes. Kayden moved with agility and speed, dodging the strike aimed at his neck. He spun quickly to shift into an offensive stance and struck the leader hard in the side, forcing him to retreat slightly.
"You are stronger than I expected," the leader said in a low voice, clutching his side and bleeding slightly, though determination remained in his eyes. "But strength alone won't save you here."
Kayden replied, gathering his strength: "Strength isn't everything. Skill is what makes the difference." With those words, he moved with supernatural speed again, delivering a series of strikes that made the leader retreat step by step, struggling just to stay on his feet.
In the heat of the battle, Eugene was facing two other men at the same time. With precise tactics and calculated strikes, he downed the first quickly, then turned toward the second, who was trying to flee after witnessing the fate of his comrades. With one swift blow, Eugene ended the fight and returned to stand beside Kayden.
As the fighting intensified, Kayden realized there were more of the leader's men in the tavern. Suddenly, an alarm echoed through the tavern, indicating that reinforcements were approaching. He looked at Eugene with concern, saying: "We must leave now!"
But the leader, now exhausted and bleeding profusely from his wounds, looked around and saw his men on the ground. Despite this, he did not surrender. With the last of his strength, he lunged at Kayden in a desperate attempt. Kayden, with cold precision, stopped the attack with a decisive blow, pushing the leader back and knocking his sword to the ground. The leader fell to his knees, sweating and weary, yet his eyes were still full of pride.
"You have lost," Kayden said in a calm but firm voice. "Fighting against injustice isn't just a fight with swords; it is a fight of the mind and the soul."
The leader remained silent for a moment, then whispered: "Do not forget that you are just an arrogant noble... I will never forgive you for what you've done." With tears falling from his eyes, he lost consciousness and slumped to the ground.
Kayden looked toward Eugene, who was dusting off his clothes, and said: "This won't be the last to challenge us."
Eugene replied with a small smile: "I have no doubt about that. Let's get out of here before this battle brings more trouble."
With those words, the two left the tavern, leaving behind the broken bodies of the men and the sound of the wind howling outside.
In the Forest
After Kayden and Eugene discovered that the tavern in the Kingdom of Andorra was full of enemies, they decided to seek alternative shelter. However, in another place far from the city's noise, there was a secret camp deep within the dark forest.
In the camp, the rebel leader "Marcus" was meeting with his assistants. Marcus was a tall man with a thick beard and sharp eyes that reflected rigor and strength. He had a particular interest in the political situation of the kingdom, seeking any opportunity to support the rebel cause.
Marcus: "We received news of a noble's arrival in the city, but the information about him is unconfirmed. We need to verify this matter."
His assistant: "Do you think he might have something to do with what we are planning?"
Marcus: "High probability. We must be cautious. If the noble who arrived is from the Bryan family, this could have a significant impact on our plan."
While Marcus and his assistants discussed the situation, Kayden and Eugene were on their way to the forest to find a safe haven. After hours of walking, they came across a small camp that appeared neglected, but with smoke rising from the fireplace, they felt it might be a safe place to stop.
As they approached, a group of rebels led by Marcus emerged from the camp. Marcus received them warily but seemed ready to help.
Marcus: "Welcome. Do you need shelter?"
Kayden: "Yes, we need a place to rest, and we know the situation in the city might be dangerous."
Marcus: "Come in, but we must be careful. There are many lurking eyes."
When they entered the camp, the first question Marcus asked the two young men was their names. He felt relieved upon hearing the Bryan family name, and his reassurance grew further when he noticed the son of William Ted beside him.
However, to remove any doubt, Marcus hurried to ask a question: "When does the sword triumph without a fight?"
Kayden answered quickly: "When it is carried by one who knows when to sheathe it."
Marcus felt reassured after hearing that answer.
Then Kayden followed up by asking about Marcus's relationship with William, to which the latter replied: "The rebels are a group founded by William to face injustice and corruption and to seek a revolution. After William's departure, I became the leader of this group."
Inside the camp, the rebels prepared simple food for the guests. While Kayden and Eugene rested, Marcus spoke with them about the situation in the kingdom, revealing concerns about political conditions and the impact of the nobles' arrival on the revolution.
Marcus: "What is happening in the kingdom requires us to be vigilant. We need support from everyone who can help. I believe you are here for a reason."
Kayden: "Yes, we are here to uncover the truth and help bring about change. If we can cooperate, we are ready."
Marcus: "I am glad to hear that. Let us work together to achieve our goals."
With the cooperation between Kayden and Marcus beginning, the rebels started to feel hope again. They discussed upcoming plans to expand the scope of the revolution and attract more support from nobles who believed they were against corruption.
"We must send secret messages to the other nobles."
In the Kingdom of Swords
To gather evidence incriminating Duke Alexander and his associates, and thus bring about change in the corrupt system.
While Kieran was preparing for the competition, Elias was planning how to achieve his goal. He heard about Kieran and his strong reputation, so he decided to benefit from Kieran's strength for his plan. During one of the rest nights in the prison, Elias approached Kieran.
Kieran: "You seem kind. What brought you here?"
Elias: "To gather evidence that incriminates Duke Alexander and his associates, and thus bring about change in the corrupt system. I heard you are seeking to participate in the Sword Competition."
Kieran: "Bringing change to this world, huh? I don't think that's possible. As for your other question, yes, it's my chance to escape and prove myself. But what is it to you?"
Elias: "I need someone strong like you. I've heard that Duke Alexander is manipulating the results. If you want to succeed, we will need to work together."
Kieran: "What do you mean?"
Elias: "If we cooperate, we can expose the corruption here. But we must be extremely careful. There are many eyes watching."
Meanwhile, in the palace, Duke Alexander was monitoring things closely. He had special plans for the Sword Competition, as he intended to use its results to his advantage to strengthen his power.
Duke Alexander: "We must ensure the man we choose wins. If Kieran wins, we will have a powerful tool in our hands. But we must make sure things do not get out of control."
As the date of the competition approached, the atmosphere was charged with tension and anticipation. In the prison, Kieran and Elias were preparing themselves to face the coming challenges. Meanwhile, outside, the Kingdom of Andorra was witnessing increasing gatherings of rebels, all seeking to achieve justice in the face of corruption.
During that time, while the Sword Competition was about to begin, all events were overlapping strangely, as each character had their own goal. The closer things came to a resolution, the higher the stakes grew.
At the moment the lights focused on the competition arena, Kayden remembered how hope might be slim in the midst of this corruption, but he believed that every effort was worth the trouble.
The competition is about to start, as nobles and spectators from all over the kingdom flocked to follow those exciting battles. On the horizon, even larger events were waiting for everyone, which might change the fate of the four kingdoms forever.
In Adrian's room inside Count Albert's palace, one of his guards enters hurriedly, carrying an envelope and saying:
"We have finished the reconnaissance, sir. The Kingdom of Genoa is fully fortified, but there is some chaos in Andorra, while the Kingdom of Swords is preparing for the competition as usual."
Adrian replies to him:
"Some chaos? Well... we will start from there. Tell Maxwell and the rest to head to Andorra. It seems I won't wait long until I return to that kingdom."
In the forest of Andorra, under the moonlight illuminating the night, as Kayden talks with Marcus, Kayden asks:
"Is this group the only one that belongs to William?"
Marcus replies proudly:
"No, the rebels are groups gathered by William to face injustice and corruption. We exist in all kingdoms of the empire, except for one person who prefers to work alone, and he is now in the Kingdom of Swords."
Kayden asks him curiously:
"Who is he?"
Marcus answers:
"He is nicknamed 'The Skilled Sword,' and his name is... Elias."