CHAPTER 194: MORE HUMAN

Seraphina was momentarily stunned as she saw Eisen smile. The child who, no matter the situation, had always worn that serene, unreadable mask, smiled. It wasn’t wide or bright. It was faint, almost fragile, but it was there.

When the two continued to fight, unlike everyone else who saw an intense fight, all Seraphina saw was a young Eisen playing with his new friend.

’Heh, so you finally found someone that you’re willing to play with.’

***

The spectacle of Eisen using his two spells to great effect, and Lucen using his unique magic in different ways, had stopped.

Now the only way to describe what they were seeing was a simple one-sided match. Eisen, who had continued attacking Lucen as usual without any regard to his mana supply, had nearly exhausted it.

Eisen knew that if he kept using mana in this state, he’d collapse instantly. But since he refused to end the battle yet, he stopped relying on it entirely.

But of course, even though he was good at close-quarters combat for a mage, he was not at the same level as Lucen, who easily evaded and counted all of his attacks.

Lucen was quite surprised by Eisen’s actions, by his tenacity. He had tried a few times now to knock Eisen, but he would not go down.

His close-quarters combat skills had improved, but not enough to unlock a skill. Eisen was able to get back up no matter how hard he was hit.

The only thing Lucen can think of that could finish this match is by grappling, but Eisen isn’t allowing him to do that.

The Eisen in front of him was completely different from the Eisen he was fighting just moments ago.

’Did his character change? Does he have split personality disorder? Did he have an awakening or some sort? What happened to the robot-like character from before? Now he’s like a hot-blooded young man from a shounen manga.’

Seeing Eisen getting back up, ready to fight, no matter how many times he fell, Lucen shook his head and sighed.

’Well, it’s not like I hate those kinds of characters.’

***

"How nice! For these boys to find each other. It’s like me and my best friend and rival Vardon."

Kaelvar watched as Lucen kept on attacking and Eisen refused to go down, with great interest.

"Should we stop the match?" Elandor’s tone was firm, his eyes narrowing. "The winner is already obvious."

"Don’t you dare stop that match!" Kaelvar, who was smiling, suddenly frowned when he heard what Elandor suggested. "How can a winner be obvious? As long as one can keep on standing and never gives up, victory can still be achieved."

"I already knew you were going to say something like that. How about you, Seraphina, what do you think? Surely we need to stop the fight now, right?"

"Huh? Why should we stop it? Can’t you see the two of them are still having fun playing with each other? It’s the first time I’ve seen that child have any kind of fun." Seraphina answered without her eyes leaving Eisen.

"You hear that! What kind of person would stop two children playing with a friend? Only a heartless person would do such a thing, if you ask me."

Elandor was quite stunned; he expected such answers from the idiot Kaelvar, but for Seraphina to agree with the oaf. He was starting to think that he truly was in the wrong this time.

***

Rachel could not help but watch the two fighting on the now non-existent stage in awe. These two, who were near her age, were beyond the term genius; these two were monsters.

"Do you think you can defeat those two?" Rachel could not help but ask her bodyguard standing beside her.

"... I must admit that those two are beyond any at the same rank; they could even defeat those of a higher rank, but. I will be able to win against them. The only chance they have against me is if they fight together."

"So you do admit that they can defeat you."

"I cannot lie to you, my lady. Those two, if they work together, would be difficult even for me to win." The bodyguard at the fourth mantle answered honestly.

***

"Hahaha! To think that the young lord found a playmate his age. Instead of messing around with an eccentric mage nearly twice his age."

Sir Thalos happily spoke while also giving a little jab to Robert. Unfortunately, Robert was not listening as he was still mumbling to himself.

"I guess that kid is going to be a good friend to our little leader," Harlik said with a rather happy smile on his face.

’Will I ever be able to reach the same prowess as those two?...’ Milos thought to himself. ’No, I’ve got to stop thinking like that. I just need to get stronger at my own pace.’

"Now this is looking like a better battle than before! Yes, who needs all that fancy stuff from before, just punch and kick each other to see whose stronger." Thrall excitedly spoke his opinion.

’Why won’t he just fall down already?! I just want this match to be over, so I go to my room and sleep.’

Daniel thought to himself as he slumped back into his seat. He tried a few times to take a nap on the seat, but the second he did so, Harlik would smack the side of his head, waking him up.

***

Eisen, who had stood up once again, started to question himself. ’Why am I even doing this? It’s already obvious that Lucen had won... My mana had depleted so greatly that if I used it now, I might faint. My physical skills are nowhere near the same level as Lucen’s without the boost of telekinesis. There’s no chance of winning... I already know all that, yet why won’t I just concede?’

Eisen’s entire body was aching; this was the first time he had hurt this much. He had actually lost consciousness twice.

When he came to, he found himself already standing again, fists raised, as if his body had refused to listen to reason.

Eisen, who was in mid-thought, had already started doing jabs at Lucen. He did notice it, but his face, which was already full of bruises, had his lips curled a tiny bit upward.

’How incomprehensible. Despite knowing defeat is imminent, I’m doing something so illogical...’

Lucen slipped past the punches easily and easily countered. Eisen had moved before Lucen countered, but his speed was not fast enough to dodge.

’Still, for some reason, I think I’m getting used to Lucen’s movements.’

Eisen could predict a few of Lucen’s moves before he even made them, but unfortunately, despite knowing what was coming, with his current state, he could not use that knowledge for anything.

"Hoh, what a surprise. To think you took what I said to heart. So, what reason do you smile?"

"Smile? Am I smiling?" When Eisen heard what Lucen said, he touched his mouth, and it was as Lucen said. He was indeed smiling, even though it was just a slight curl in his lips.

"You are, Eisen. You’re smiling right now. You no longer look like a robot, I guess you look more human now, maybe a cyborg?"

"I don’t understand a few of the words you said... Still, you said I look more human... In your eyes, did I not look human before?"

Lucen shrugged his shoulders before answering. "Well, you did seem to lack a few things."

"Is that so..."

"Yeah, but doing something so illogical like this makes you feel more human than ever. I’m sure even you don’t understand why you keep on going."

"That’s true, I don’t understand whatever is happening right now... But... For some reason, I’m alright with it. I just don’t want to concede to you."

When Lucen heard what Eisen said, his eyes widened a bit. He had already thought of many things as to why Eisen was doing what he did; of course, he also thought that this was similar to a rival in the making story, but to think it was actually that.

Lucen couldn’t help but start to chuckle, and then he started laughing heartily. Lucen couldn’t stop laughing. It wasn’t mockery, it was pure delight.

There were many in his past life who wished to transmigrate or reincarnate into an anime or a game-like world, and he actually did.

There were also quite a lot who won’t admit it but actually think it, wanted to have a harem in said world.

Of course, there were also those who simply liked the idea of seeing or fulfilling shounen tropes. Lucen was one of those people.

"You really are something else, Eisen." Lucen clenched his fists, flexing his sore knuckles. "Very well, let’s do this!"

Eisen steadied himself, raising his fists again despite the tremor running through his arms. His breathing was ragged, his body screaming for rest, yet his eyes, those usually calm, detached eyes, now burned with a quiet, determined light.

The two moved. Lucen no longer evaded Eisen’s strikes. Instead, he either blocked or redirected the attack.

Lucen was then able to grab hold of Eisen’s wrist, and he performed a hip throw. Eisen’s body hit the ground with a dull thud.

When Lucen was about to shift into a grappling move, his battle instinct skill kicked in, and he backed away instead.

"So you were even able to sense that," Eisen spoke as he tried to get up, but his knees could no longer hold him up.

Despite knowing that it might make him faint, Eisen still used telekinesis to push himself up. He then lifted his two shaking arms up into a fighting stance.

Eisen did not say anything more, but his actions spoke louder than words. Lucen also responded not with words but with his actions as he dashed forward.

Lucen’s right hook aimed at the chin cut through the air, met halfway by Eisen’s desperate cross. The sound of something hitting echoed in the coliseum.

Lucen had dodged Eisen’s last attack, but he got a little nick on his cheek. On the other hand, Lucen was able to hit Eisen, but not at the chin he was aiming for, but the side of Eisen’s face, as Eisen was also planning to evade, but failed.

"Damn... I will win... Next... Time..." Eisen said his first curse word before losing consciousness. Lucen caught Eisen’s body before it fell to the ground.

There was a very long moment of silence before the referee, who had left the stage long ago, finally spoke.

"Winner! Lucen Thornehart!"

The second those words echoed in the coliseum, the audience roared in cheers, not only for Lucen but even for the fallen Eisen.

Even those who bet on Eisen winning could not say anything bad at the moment and simply clapped their hands.

Lucen, with Eisen in tow, carried his opponent out of the ring and headed to the infirmary.

***

"As I expected, once again, you took victory into your hands," Lysette mumbled to herself, with a knowing smile on her face.

Though she appeared calm on the outside, Lysette was quietly trying to steady her racing heart as she watched Lucen carry Eisen to the infirmary.