Most of the hero disciples on our side stiffened up, but I could tell that his words didn't come from arrogance.
He's not bluffing.
Realistically, the only ones on our side capable of facing him were Hector or Charon.
He was probably my age, maybe a year or two younger, so what was this about?
Seren seemed to have an inkling of something, but now wasn't the time to ask careless questions.
At that moment, Barter called out, "Seren."
"Yes, Elder Brother Barter."
Elder Brother... The way this aloof addressed him didn't fit her at all. I imagined her calling out "Hey" to her elder siblings instead.
Butterfly, who had been indifferent until now, looked at Seren with a slightly different expression. "Seren, you've been here all this time?"
Barter spoke again. "Seren, I'll ask you in advance—won't you come with us?"
"I'm heading to the academy as a graduate of the training camp. We started this journey together, so it's only right we finish it together." She spoke like she was reciting a rehearsed line.
Most would've been offended, but Barter merely chuckled under his breath. "I figured you'd say that. Then let's do this. If Butterfly wins, you'll come back without complaint."
"That—"
"Your elder brother is asking you this. You have to make some concessions," he interrupted in a soft yet strangely oppressive voice.
Seren could only sigh and nod.
I thought, Look at him.
It irked me that he spoke as if victory was already in the bag.
He was just a Goodspring piece of shit. The thought of giving him a beating crossed my mind.
At that moment, I was surprised by myself—my thoughts were eerily similar to those of my master, Bai Luguang.
That's not good.
I should be careful. At this rate, I really was going to become Bai Luguang.
I was patient and level-headed by nature. This was all Charon's fault.
Meanwhile, Hector nodded. "Very well. I accept."
Oh... Hector'd just been openly ignored, yet he remained calm
It was surprising since he practically worshiped the Iron-Blooded Lord as a god and took great pride in the Badniker name. If anything, I expected him to be more upset than I was, which meant he'd learned to keep his emotions in check.
Maybe it was a bit of an exaggeration, but it felt like the training camp had marked a turning point in Hector's life. He had grown both physically and mentally.
"I'm enough to fight you," Hector declared.
Butterfly paused before asking, "You want to fight alone?"
"Yes."
"I heard that the Badnikers' training camp is graded. What was your rank?" he asked.
"Second," Hector replied.
"Who placed first?"
"Charon Woodjack."
"I see." After hearing this, Butterfly scanned the area, then spotted Charon and smiled—a belligerent smile.
"Lord Hyde's only son. I've heard a lot of rumors about you. I think you are sufficient to be my opponent," Butterfly remarked.
"We'll see," Charon replied curtly, his tone as brusque as ever. "But let me make one thing clear. In one-on-one combat, Hector Badniker is stronger than me."
"What?"
"As I said, in one-on-one combat," Charon repeated, but Butterfly's gaze remained fixed on Hector.
Hector looked surprised that Charon had acknowledged him so openly.
Then, for some reason, Charon glanced at me and gave a subtle thumbs-up.
What did he expect from me?
Still, it was funny—everyone kept looking at someone else, one after the other. I almost felt compelled to glance at someone too, just to keep the rhythm going.
"Well, fine." Butterfly drew his sword. "If you are really that strong, this won't be boring."
They were both wielding real swords, but of course, this wasn't a duel to the death. No one was supposed to get seriously hurt. This was Badniker versus Goodspring, after all.
The two hero disciples faced each other on the slightly sloping ground.
The battle started immediately.
Hector made the first move.He stepped forward and swung in one motion, generating a fierce momentum as he closed the distance to Butterfly.
Charon gasped.
I tilted my head slightly.
Charon, who had moved beside me, muttered as if echoing my thoughts, "It is a footwork style I have never seen before."
"Looks like something he picked up from the family," I commented.
As I had mentioned many times, the Iron-Blooded Lord was strict with rewards and punishments. The fact that Hector had placed second at the training camp meant he'd earned something
Whatever it was, his footwork had become incredibly fast. Not quite on the level of my Thunder Stomp Footwork, but still capable of explosive bursts of speed.
Apparently, it was faster than Butterfly had anticipated. His reaction to Hector's swift attack seemed a bit too hasty.
Kakang!
When their swords met, Butterfly's expression stiffened. He realized his opponent was no pushover.
From that instant, any trace of overconfidence vanished from Butterfly's demeanor.
Quick to accept reality, huh?
One of the most vital skills in real combat was the ability to adapt quickly to the unexpected.
Though Butterfly didn't look old, he probably had as much practical experience as Charon. The difference was that, unlike Charon, who spent most of his time in the swamp fighting to survive, Butterfly seemed to excel in one-on-one combat. Had this been the Hector from before the training camp, he would have lost.
In fact, he still has the upper hand in physical ability. But...
It was odd. Butterfly wasn't especially muscular, yet his strength and agility were surprisingly exceptional. He wasn't using mana since it was just a spar, but I couldn't shake the feeling that his mana reserves exceeded the norm.
Is he the Goodspring family's hidden ace?
Nonetheless, that didn't mean Hector was at a disadvantage. No matter how skilled Butterfly was, he was still at the level of a hero disciple, while Hector had faced the Hunting Master during the training camp.
Bam!
Hector landed a kick to his opponent's chin from a blind spot.
As Butterfly winced in pain, the hilt of Hector's sword slammed into his wrist.
His pure white sword clattered to the ground, and the tip of Hector's sword hovered inches from Butterfly's neck.
It was over in a flash.
"Do you want to continue?" Hector asked.
At that moment, Butterfly's expression changed, and he emanated a distinct energy. It felt similar to the time Seren the Blessing of the Silver Moon.
A divine beast's power?
Suddenly, Barter shouted, "Butterfly!"
Startled mid-focus, Butterfly's concentration shattered, and the energy around him dispersed like mist.
Barter then turned to us, declaring, "This spar is our loss. We concede, Young Master Hector. You've grown beyond recognition."
Hector glanced at Barter, who stood swordless, and replied calmly, "With all due respect, Sir Barter, that's not a statement to make lightly."
"What do you mean?"
"You can't truly gauge a person's growth without exchanging a few blows with the sword. I wasn't fighting at full strength just now," he replied.
Butterfly's expression darkened further at these words, but Hector paid him no mind. "Your Young Master Butterfly said it himself— They can come at me all at once or one at a time ."
"And?"
"I'm still young, and I don't think I could handle a joint attack if you joined in, Sir Barter. But..." Hector's mouth twisted in the familiar way it used to, a long time ago. "If it's a series of duels, I believe I'm more than capable. What do you think?"
Damn... well done. As expected of my brother. I couldn't help but give him a silent thumbs-up. Hector's old-fashioned diction and sharp counter-strike were a masterclass in aristocratic finesse.
For the first time, Barter's expression stiffened as he met Hector's gaze, but he soon smiled again. "Let's save that for another time."
"What a shame." Only then did Hector finally sheath his sword.
Barter proposed, "Given the result, I'd like to request your family's support. Since we're on the same path, why not travel together to the capital?"
"That would be fine."
"Thank you for your consideration."
"Don't mention it."
"Then we'll take our leave."
Unexpectedly, Barter backed off just like that.
Meanwhile, Butterfly kept glaring at Hector until the very end. Despite his wealth of dueling experience, he clearly hadn't mastered the art of hiding his emotions.
What were they really after?
They claimed they wanted to bring Seren back, but I couldn't shake the feeling there was another reason they clung to us. Their explanation felt like a front.
Of course, it could just be an unfavorable impression, but it was clear that our journey to the capital had brought an increasing number of unwelcome companions.
To be honest, I just wanted to close my eyes and beat them up. However, it was difficult for me to make the first move unless they picked a fight first.
Hector had already handled things flawlessly like a proper Badniker.
We will reach the capital in three or four days.
Everything would be fine until then, right?
***
Back in the Goodspring carriage, even before sitting down, Butterly spoke up. "I'm sorry. Because of me, he didn't know who he was facing and acted that way toward you."
"Forget it. More importantly, does it hurt?" Barter asked, gesturing to Butterly's chin, which had taken a hard kick.
"It is a bit bruised, but I'll live."
"That's good to hear."
Butterly fell silent for a moment, then muttered in a low, strained voice, "If I'd kept going, I would've won."
"Of course. But the one you're supposed to bare your fangs at isn't Hector. At the very least, it should be Heero or Nero."
"Still—!"
Barter interrupted, "Are you going to argue? Father must've told you to obey me this time."
At the mention of Hatem Goodspring, the head of the family, Butterly fell silent.
Barter studied his younger brother's face, then spoke slowly. "But... fine. I'll allow you a little venting."
"Vent my anger?"
"Did you notice the platinum-blond hero's disciple standing next to Charon Woodjack while you were fighting Hector?" Barter asked.
Butterly searched his memory, then nodded. "Oh, that guy. The one who looked like a rogue."
"That boy also carries the blood of the Badnikers."
"What? But he has blond hair," Butterfly pointed out.
Most Badnikers were born with black hair, a trait passed down from their ancestor—a black fairy.
"He takes after his mother," Barter said calmly. "You've heard the rumors, haven't you? He's the incompetent Badniker."
"Ah—" Butterfly's expression contorted. "The bastard who was engaged to our sister?"
Barter nodded. "That's the one. On top of that, he's the disgrace who sold off the family's treasure sword. His name is Luan Badniker. A perfect target to blow off steam."
Butterly hesitated. "I want to beat him up, but won't there be consequences? No matter how stupid he is, he's still a Badniker."
Barter grinned. "The Badniker siblings don't get along. Hector, in particular, is a pure meritocrat. He despises Luan for dragging down the family's name. It is well known in the social circles."
"I see."
"Of course, don't cripple him. Nothing that leaves lasting damage," Barter instructed. "But we'll need a proper excuse."
"Excuse?" Butterfly echoed.
"Frame it as a friendly spar between the youngest members of each family to strengthen our bond. They won't be able to argue."
Butterfly's face lit up. " Aha! That's perfect! As expected of my big brother."
"As I said, don't go overboard. You've always lacked restraint," Barter cautioned.
Butterfly grinned like a child discovering a new toy. " Haha. I know."