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EP.19 [The Red Fox Mercenary Group Has Many Beauties]
"Would a man, even a newcomer, just stand by while some thug harasses my woman? You bitch in heat?"
What clearer justification could a male have than protecting his woman, his offspring, his family?
Eugene hurled this magical keyword through a blatant lie and perfect acting skills right into Kyle's face.
"F-f-fuck, what did you say???"
As a result, Kyle was completely flustered,
"!!???"
Jeanne, hearing her younger brother refer to her as "my woman," had her eyes widen even more,
"!!!????"
The Red Fox Mercenary Group comrades also had explosive expressions.
"What, that newcomer and the Red Fox Mercenary Group captain had that kind of relationship? Is that what he's saying right now?"
"That's what he's saying!"
"Did you hear that? He said they've gotten to know each other intimately!"
Murmur! Murmur! Murmur! Murmur!
The love affair of Jeanne, the most beautiful woman in the Pangea mercenary district,
This bait swept through the mercenary tavern, causing the crowd to murmur in frenzy like spectators in an underground fighting arena.
"B-bullshit... Don't bullshit, you bastard!! Where do you get off with such lies!!!"
Eventually, Kyle's face became the most distorted it had been so far as he entered reality denial mode.
This was because his most primal obsession had been invaded.
Moreover, the result of that invasion was the image of a defeated male,
Which Kyle, already trapped in macho culture, could never accept.
"Just looking at how you were sitting until just now, you're definitely not in that kind of relationship!! Don't talk nonsense, you rookie bastard!!"
But Kyle was quick-witted, wasn't he?
He dug into the gap quite sharply.
"You seem unable to distinguish between public and private matters because you're a thug, but our captain isn't like that. This is clearly a mercenary group dinner, you bastard. Would she be playing lovers with me, a newcomer here, in the midst of this? Is that how the White Wolf Mercenary Group operates?"
However, Eugene was the perfect counter to thug Kyle.
This was because he too had gone through turbulent times in his past life.
"That's right! His words are correct!"
"Haha! For a newcomer, that friend is quite impressive!"
Murmur! Murmur! Murmur!
Thus, public opinion tilted even more toward Eugene Schneider.
'Fuck, does he think I haven't handled a woman or two? That woman definitely didn't have a man!'
Kyle, being completely cornered,
Looked at Jeanne's expression with eyes that seemed to be grasping at straws, relying on his own intuition.
'Stay calm, I need to support Eugene here.'
Eugene Schneider, her younger brother who had lied and continued to lie.
But seeing Kyle's explosive reaction, Jeanne also caught on to Eugene's intention.
So she immediately managed her expression and began shooting affirmative glances.
'Fuck, is what that bastard saying true???'
Thus, Kyle was 100% hooked.
"Haha! It's more unbelievable that a beauty of that caliber wouldn't have a man. I told him it would be better to restrain himself since she probably had a man, but he didn't listen."
"You did that too? I also told that friend Kyle the same thing."
"Even in the rough mercenary world, there's such a thing as business ethics, really."
Whisper! Whisper! Whisper!
The spectators were also hooked.
As a result, the pattern of the crowd's conversation changed from sharing suspicions to openly criticizing Kyle.
Kyle, who had transformed from a dangerous thug to a petty man in heat,
In the mercenary society, while a harem might be considered a capability based on macho culture,
They get angry at stealing women, which is why they're turning away so rapidly.
'Damn it! This is terrible! At this rate, I'll lose the woman and my livelihood! In this field, if you're humiliated, it's over!'
The title of "bad guy" is a medal for Kyle.
People just curse at bad guys behind their backs, but in front, everyone watches their behavior and bows their heads.
However, a guy who's disrespected,
A humiliated guy is a death sentence.
The only future left for such a mercenary is being ostracized and laughed at to his face.
"You fucking rookie bastard..."
Therefore, Kyle, the deputy leader of the White Wolf Mercenary Group,
"Come out and let's settle this once and for all."
Challenged Eugene to a one-on-one duel.
"I've placed too heavy a burden on you, a newcomer."
"I did this expecting it. Leave it to me."
As both mercenary groups headed outside for the duel,
The duel location was the street in front of the mercenary tavern.
Ivan, who was heading there with Eugene, keeping pace, couldn't hide his concern.
In response, Eugene answered with a rather calm expression.
In the aggressive mercenary society, spontaneous duels between them occur frequently.
However, in such cases, most don't yield proper results and end ambiguously.
The reason being that since they erupted due to consumable emotions, once those emotions run out, they naturally fizzle out under some pretext of not knowing.
On the other hand, deliberately staged duels are different.
First, they don't materialize as easily as one might think.
That's because, naturally, once started, they must be seen through to the end.
That is, one side must be completely subdued to the point of being incapacitated for it to end, and the loser loses almost everything.
Therefore, naturally, in terms of realization, one must be incomparably more cautious than with spontaneous duels.
Nevertheless, Kyle, who was cornered, requested a formal duel because he would be ruined anyway at this rate,
And Eugene accepted because he had used the extreme measure of claiming Jeanne was his woman.
In the macho culture of the mercenary world,
Once someone who harassed your woman challenges you to a duel, leaving it be would severely damage one's image as a male.
'People are flocking in after hearing the rumors.'
The street in front of the mercenary tavern began to appear in Eugene's forward vision.
And there, a considerable number of spectators had already taken their places.
When an official duel is established, it's determined whether it will be public or private.
Leaders who have too much to lose usually choose private,
Which means only core confidants attend and the duel takes place in a private location.
But Eugene and Kyle aim to further humiliate the loser.
So naturally, it was decided to be a public duel,
And that's why the chosen location was the street in front of the tavern where everyone could watch.
'Alcohol, meat, sex are responsible for mercenaries' dopamine, and if you include one more, wouldn't it be watching fights?'
As a result, even people drinking in other establishments flocked in after hearing about the formal duel.
Eugene's first event in the Pangea mercenary residential district
Unintentionally became a main event-level affair.
"Kyle is a fighter class, right?"
"That's right, brother! But how did you know that?"
Eugene confirmed Kyle's class
With Thomas, who was positioned on his left.
"His knuckles have significant calluses. And looking at how he wears gauntlets, it seems like he uses heavy-duty knuckle guards. That would mean he's quite familiar with Runner awakener combat."
"Wow! That's accurate! You really have a keen eye!"
Having already decided to step in for Jeanne and anticipating the duel's realization,
Eugene had meticulously analyzed Kyle from that point.
Thomas, who was conversing with Eugene with a worried expression,
Responded with a somewhat intrigued expression at the newcomer brother's unique discernment.
Fighter class Kyle, centered around special gauntlets and greaves,
As he himself revealed, became a Fighter Runner at 25 and is 26 years old this year.
"But the compatibility is not good. For blunt weapon fighters, clubs are allowed. Swordsmen can carry wooden swords. Would you like to use a wooden sword?"
Thomas conveyed the countermeasure he had in mind to Eugene.
In the past, duels were conducted using one's own unique weapon.
However, since the Management Knights were established,
Swords, axes, and metal objects are prohibited in duels within the mercenary residential district.
Of course, wandering mercenaries often violate this taboo, commit murder, and then leave.
"No, I'm going to fight with bare fists too. I need to finish this cleanly to make a strong impression on the spectators."
"The opponent is a fighter class!! And a Runner at that!!!"
"Calm down, they'll hear you over there."
"Oops...!"
Eugene's response to Thomas's proposed countermeasure was radical.
He intends to match Kyle's specialized class without using a blunt weapon.
"Just don't die, Eugene! As long as you're alive, I can fix you!"
"Yes, Priestess Sophia. I'll keep that in mind."
In the moonlit street,
As they approached the duel location, Sophia offered her own form of encouragement.
The problematic secular priestess seemed quite excited about the outbreak of a major event.
Grasp...!
"Eugene, let's stop even now. I'll take responsibility as the captain. You don't need to stand in for me."
Just as Eugene was about to walk into the middle of the street,
Jeanne grabbed his wrist and spoke softly.
She seemed to have noticed that her younger brother Eugene was stepping in to protect her dream as his older sister.
'Jeanne seems really worried.'
Swish...!
Eugene slightly turned his head to look at Jeanne's face.
Her expression and tone showed her attempt to maintain unwavering composure as a mercenary captain.
However, in her hand that gripped Eugene's wrist,
A considerable amount of force could be felt.
A feeling of holding him back from going,
As her younger brother was taking on a burden and walking into danger because of her,
An almost maddening anxiety was surging in Jeanne's heart.
"Captain, right now we're supposed to be lovers, aren't we? Shouldn't you show a more desperate face to maintain appearances and make me more motivated to fight?"
Smirk!
To alleviate that anxiety,
Eugene answered with a relaxed smile, like a mischievous younger brother provoking his older sister.
"Eugene, you idiot fool! Such nonsense in this situation!!!"
Choke!
Jeanne retorted with a sharp expression in a low voice.
But her choked-up face,
With slightly reddened eyes, looked as if tears of frustration at being unable to handle the current situation were about to pour out.
"..."
And behind Eugene and Jeanne, Priscilla, wearing a monk's hood, silently watched the two.
"I'll come back victorious. Don't worry."
Step! Step! Step!
Leaving the emotional Jeanne behind,
Eugene walked into the middle of the street where the duel would take place, showing a dignified back.
Thump...! Thump...! Thump...!
That reliable back,
Jeanne's heart pounded.
Thud!
Finally, Eugene and Kyle formed a confrontation line about 6 meters apart.
"You're going to face me without weapons? Doesn't your mercenary group even provide basic information?"
Sneer!
Kyle sneered at Eugene, who stood before him bare-handed against a fighter class.
The prohibition of formal weapons is a setup that gives wings to the fighter class.
This must be Kyle's appearance, overflowing with confidence as a result.
"You're too pathetic to form a strategy against."
Honestly, Kyle thought that by this point, the rookie mercenary Eugene would feel the atmosphere of the cliff's edge abyss and lose momentum.
However, Eugene lightly dismissed such a Kyle as if it wasn't even funny.
Grind!!
In response, Kyle frowned with anger
"I'll smash your jaw and rape that red-headed captain!"
-Whoosh!!
With terrifying explosive power, he dashed toward Eugene like a runaway train with no brakes.
'I'll honestly confess.'
Eugene looked at Kyle's tank-like charge with a calm expression.
'I am a person who can't help but win this fight.'
And he was confident in his victory.
"Hahaha! You've frozen in place!!!"
Swoosh!
Though the opponent had started an explosive dash,
Eugene, who hadn't even taken a combat stance in front of it, as if frozen or out of his mind,
Kyle became even more arrogant and loaded his fist.
'Why can't I lose, the reason is'
Swish...!
After confirming that sight, Eugene slightly bent his knees.
-Thuuud!!!!
'I was a considerable level mixed martial arts practitioner in my past life.'
Then, to Kyle who had entered close range,
He delivered a very concise and fast counter tackle.
Eugene Schneider's past life, Seo Yu-jin from South Korea,
Was a person who practiced mixed martial arts for nearly 10 years.
"Urrrrghhh!!"
Since Kyle had swung his fist with his weight fully loaded,
His already robust upper body was leaning even more forward.
In that posture, Eugene's counter tackle was embedded into his abdomen like a freight truck,
So Kyle's expression was not only miserably crumpled, but a desperate scream burst from his mouth.
'When they come in like this, I can succeed with a counter tackle even with my eyes closed.'
Squeeze!
Afterward, Eugene displayed a fast and organic connecting movement.
He strongly caught both knees of Kyle's body, which was airborne from the counter tackle, using his arms.
Eugene's expression as he performed that skillful movement was, metaphorically speaking,
Like that of a wine enthusiast savoring a properly aged wine.
-Crash!!
With his knees so perfectly caught,
Kyle wasn't even allowed to struggle unconsciously.
As a result, Kyle fell backward and was slammed to the ground with a loud noise.
"Woooaaahhhh!!!"
Lightning-like speed,
A spectacular takedown executed under fluid connecting movements,
The spectators who had gathered in the street after hearing about the duel erupted in thrilled cheers.
"Haha! How, how is that possible!!!" "Wow, Brother Eugene!!"
Naturally, Eugene's Red Fox Mercenary Group comrades were also astonished,
"!!!!!!!"
And Jeanne, who had been watching with bated breath, also had wide-open eyes.
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