Everyone was gathered in the biggest training arena in the Duchy. The retinue of Duke Agnus and the Dukehimself, Fourth Prince Kaiser ben Britten, Archmage Evergrant, and the 9th Battalion Commander, Valmont, were all present. Even so, being the grandest such facility in the estate, this arena could accommodate the entire crowd with room to spare, even with knights and their weapons on each corner.

Valmont gulped when he spotted the Duke’s commanders in the crowd. It was his first time seeing these prominent figures in the flesh.

Two men stood alone in the middle of the arena, judging each other and being judged by the spectators.

Two men? No... rather, one man and one boy. A young cub without a hair to tickle his chest.

“Are you ready?” 

The boy’s opponent was Joker, the second-in-command of the Imperial 9th Battalion. Seeing Joshua nod, Joker continued. “The test will be simple… We will fight three rounds...