Without consulting anyone, Kaor initiated his duel, prompting Gillian to stride toward him purposefully.
"What are you doing? Personal actions won't be tolerated. Wrap this up quickly, we need to move."
"Don't interfere, old man. I'm going to break through my limits this time."
"Not with that attitude."
A superhuman must establish their own inner world. But Kaor always acted impulsively, without even a shred of true conviction.
With such a mindset, it was nearly impossible to achieve self-certainty.
"Once this war ends, meditate and cultivate your mind instead. That will serve you better."
Kaor's progress was thanks to Ghislain's relentless training, and little else. Ghislain had practically dragged the inept man through sheer force of will. That was the only reason Kaor had come this far.
It was clear he wouldn't surpass his limits today. He needed more discipline and self-reflection.
Kaor snarled in response to Gillian's words.
"Don't look down on me! You and the head main both became superhumans, didn't you? There's no rule saying I can't do it too. I will, and I'll prove it today!"
Gillian frowned deeply and raised his hand, ready to put a stop to this nonsense by force. This was no time for tantrums.
Surprisingly, an unexpected figure came to Kaor's defense.
"Why not let him try if he's so determined? We can at least give him that chance, can't we?"
"Princess…"
It was none other than Elena who supported Kaor. Gone was her earlier trembling hesitation.
Instead, she stood tall, her body streaked with the blood of enemies, exuding composure.
Elena spoke with a calm yet firm tone.
"Kaor has been with us for a long time and has accomplished so much. If we can't believe in him, who will?"
Her words struck a chord with Gillian, filling him with a tinge of shame.
Though often dismissed as a troublemaker, Kaor was undeniably one of the territory's greatest contributors.
Even if he grabbed and dragged his feet, he always got the job done—eventually.
If such a person wanted to prove himself, was there any reason not to give him the chance?
"You're more insightful than I am, Princess."
Gillian had always seen Elena as young and inexperienced, but clearly, she shared her father's and brother's qualities as a natural leader.
With a slight bow to Elena, Gillian relented.
"Very well. As you wish, Princess."
With Elena and Gillian's approval, no one else could voice objections. They could only exchange uneasy glances.
Despite her composed stance, Elena subtly glanced around before hurriedly retreating. To the untrained eye, it might seem like she was embarrassed and withdrawing.
In truth, she was sneaking off to join a group of knights gathered nearby.
Speaking in a low voice, she asked, "It's done. The duel is happening. Who are you betting on?"
"Princess, you're the best. I'm betting on the priest."
"Me too. No way Kaor wins this."
"Even if the priest is half-spent, Kaor still can't manage it."
The knights had already started placing bets. Elena, having engineered the situation, eagerly joined the wager.
Predictably, most of the knights bet on the priest. After some thought, Elena made her decision.
"I'm betting on Kaor."
"Really? No take-backs!"
"I've got a good feeling about this. Remember when I won betting on my oppa against Kane? Right, Skovan?"
Skovan scratched his head awkwardly.
"Uh, yes, well… That did happen."
Back then, Elena had already seen Ghislain's strength firsthand, which was why she had won the bet. But now, she genuinely believed in Kaor's potential.
Skovan and Ricardo decided to follow Elena's lead, placing modest bets on Kaor.
Arel, unable to stop the Princess from joining the bet, simply fidgeted nervously nearby.
The atmosphere quickly grew electric. With the duel now unavoidable, everyone decided they might as well enjoy the spectacle.
Piote prepared to intervene, Gillian and Belinda stood ready to step in if necessary, and the knights murmured with excitement.
Emboldened by Elena's support, Kaor turned to the priest with a cocky grin.
"No interruptions this time. It's just you and me."
"You insolent fool…"
The priest clenched his teeth in fury. What arrogance, to propose a duel under such circumstances.
But refusing wasn't an option. His army had been annihilated, and he was surrounded.
If he fought them all, he would die. The only slim chance of survival lay in this duel.
"Do you swear I'll be set free if I win?"
"Yes, I said so, didn't I? What, don't you trust me? Ha!"
Kaor removed his helmet and tossed it aside, followed by his armor. He was determined to rely solely on his own strength.
Seeing this, the priest gathered his energy.
Whoooosh…
Black energy surged around him. Worn down though he was, he was still an superhuman.
With a cold, murderous glare, he declared, "You will regret this."
BOOM!
The priest lunged, attacking Kaor in a flash. Kaor barely managed to block but was repeatedly pushed back.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"Ugh!"
Kaor gritted his teeth. The power disparity was undeniable. For every two strikes he blocked, he took a hit in return.
Thanks to his combat experience, he avoided fatal blows, but the gap in strength was evident.
The onlookers shook their heads and sighed.
"Yeah, no chance."
"A superhuman is still a superhuman."
"How long do you think he'll last?"
As grating as Kaor could be, he was still on their side. Watching him struggle elicited a mix of pity and frustration.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Kaor fought with all his might, his wild swings occasionally forcing the priest to hesitate.
But they posed no real threat. To the priest, Kaor was just a flailing beast, dangerous but not insurmountable.
No, at this point, he wasn't even a beast. He was just a scrappy, rabid dog.
The priest, though exhausted, still held a clear advantage over Kaor.
WHAM!
"Gah…"
Kaor took a blow to the stomach, sending him sprawling backward.
The priest deliberately restrained his strength. Killing Kaor outright might provoke the surrounding soldiers to break their promise.
"The duel is over. I'll leave now, as agreed."
"W-where do you think you're going…? This isn't over yet…"
Kaor forced himself to his feet, shaking with rage and humiliation.
Everyone was watching him—watching him lose so badly. The shame and frustration burned him from the inside out.
Why couldn't he be like Gillian? Why couldn't he overcome this wall?
Piote stepped forward, radiating holy power.
Sssss…
Kaor's wounds began to heal slightly, while the priest's energy was subtly suppressed.
The priest scowled.
"So you break your word? If you're going to gang up on me, why propose a duel in the first place?"
Kaor's face contorted as he shouted, "Stop it! Don't interfere! This is my fight!"
"…Fine."
Reluctantly, Piote withdrew his power. Kaor had been adamant—there was nothing more to be done.
The brief reprieve gave Kaor enough strength to raise his sword again.
"Let's go. This isn't over yet."
The priest's expression darkened. To him, Kaor's persistence was not courage but stubborn arrogance.
In the first place, it was arrogant for a non-superhuman to challenge a superhuman. He was talking about overcoming the wall with his own mouth, but it was just useless stubbornness.
The priest slowly opened his mouth.
"Before I became an arbiter, I was in charge of the education of priests in the church."
"So?"
"I've seen a lot of people like you. People whose goals are too high compared to their abilities. In the end, they end up doing things that are too difficult because they feel inferior."
"Ha, what are you arguing about? I don't have an inferiority complex!"
"Stop backing off. You can't beat me in your current state. Your current level is far superior to your age. Be grateful for that."
The priest gave Kaor sincere advice. Even though they were enemies, he needed his opponent to back off a little so that he could escape safely.
However, if he was someone who would listen to advice, Kaor wouldn't be called a loser.
"Shut up! I will definitely catch you."
Kaor lunged again.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
As they fought, Kaor's movements grew slower, his attacks weaker. The relentless battle took a heavy toll on his body.
WHAM!
"Urgh!"
Kaor spat blood and crumpled to the ground.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Every time he charged, he was struck down. Blood covered his entire body, but he stubbornly pushed himself back to his feet each time.
"Huff… You're persistent, I'll give you that," the priest muttered.
He too was exhausted, his body riddled with injuries. But Kaor's refusal to yield only dragged out the fight unnecessarily.
He tried to knock Kaor unconscious, but it wasn't easy because he was also too weak.
"Ugh...."
Kaor approached the priest again, spitting out blood. The priest squeezed out his remaining strength and threw a punch.
Tch!
Thud!
Kaor fell down like a doll with a broken string, spitting out a long stream of blood.
The priest saw Kaor writhing on the ground and said.
"I will go back as promised."
Belinda crossed her arms and chewed her lips. Anyone could tell that she was considering whether to kill him or not.
Gillian's expression was not good either. The opponent was a superhuman. If the priest were to survive and join another corps, he would become a powerful weapon that would kill allies.
Some looked at Kaor with pitiful eyes. Some looked at him pitifully, as if they knew it would happen.
"Ugh..."
Kaor staggered to his feet once more, his bruised and swollen face scanning his surroundings.
"Why can't I become a superhuman...."
This… This can't be my limit…
Why couldn't he break through? Why couldn't he reach the level of a superhuman?
His bloodied hands tightened their grip on his sword as he prepared to charge once more.
Belinda, Gillian, Piote, Alpoi picking his nose, and Claude yawning...
So many people were watching. Was he really as pathetic and overreaching as they thought?
He had reached the pinnacle of high-level fighters, separated from a superhuman only by a single wall. Was it so outrageous to want to surpass that wall?
'A world…'
He didn't understand it. What was this "world" he was supposed to create?
Why couldn't he build his own world, like the others had?
'Old man…'
Gillian had unwavering loyalty, a steadfast commitment to standing by Ghislain's side.
'Head maid…'
Belinda had cast off her fears, trusting Ghislain and finally freeing herself from the burdens weighing her down.
'Vanessa…'
As a mage, Vanessa sought the truth. Her extraordinary intellect unraveled the mysteries of the world, one by one.
'One-armed guy…'
Tenant had let go of his arrogance, embracing repentance and dedicating himself to atoning for his sins.
They were all so different. Comparing himself to them wouldn't reveal the path to becoming a superhuman, nor could they help him.
But there was one fundamental difference between them and Kaor.
And at last, Kaor realized what it was.
"There's nothing… I don't have anything."
A superhuman's world begins with a firm foundation of how they want to live their life.
Without a standard, or if one harbors doubts about their own life, it's impossible to create a world of their own.
Kaor had no purpose, no convictions, no burdens, no repentance, no grand understanding of the world.
All he wanted was to enjoy life, have fun every day, and occasionally pick fights to liven things up.
With no guiding goal or philosophy, he had dared to think he could become a superhuman.
"Am I wrong?"
Kaor hung his head, muttering to himself.
Was he truly wrong?
Did he need a grand purpose, a steadfast conviction, and a fiercely driven life like everyone else?
"What's the point… of it all? Just living day by day is already hard enough…"
Tears welled up in Kaor's eyes.
Despite all his strength, he was still treated like a foolish troublemaker in the territory. His inferiority complex burned hotter than ever.
In truth, Kaor had tried. He had resolved himself countless times, practicing in secret so no one would see and mock him.
But no matter how much he tried, he couldn't break through the wall.
"I really… am just a failure."
Deep down, Kaor knew. His current strength wasn't entirely his own doing.
Ghislain had provided him with overwhelming support and harsh training. He had forced Kaor to surpass his limits, even risking his life to do so.
But one's own world was not something that could be given by others.
"This is… my limit."
Defeated, Kaor slumped and let his head fall. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
In his darkest moments, Kaor always thought of his late grandmother.
'Grandma… What should I do? Am I really just an idiot?'
And yet, even now, he remembered her cooking.
'Ah, that omelet she made… I want to eat it again.'
Kaor felt a wave of shame. How could he think about food in such a serious moment?
He wished he could go back to those carefree days of childhood, living with his grandmother who showered him with unconditional love.
Back then, it didn't matter what he did or didn't accomplish. He didn't need a purpose or convictions. He simply played and was happy.
She always said to him:
— You don't have to be great, Kaor.
— It's okay if you're not good at studying or work. As long as you're healthy and happy, that's enough.
'Grandma…'
Yeah, she was right, wasn't she?
It's okay to be a little slow, as long as you're having fun.
That wasn't wrong—it was just different.
The thought made Kaor choke up. Finally, he shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Damn it! Why does life have to have some grand purpose? Can't I just live happily today?"
"Can't I just be happy today? Why does everyone have to overthink everything?"
"Today's worries can be tomorrow's problem! Tomorrow's worries can be the day after tomorrow's problem!"
His outburst left everyone gaping. Only Alpoi nodded in agreement, deeply resonating with Kaor's sentiment.
Fueled by his pent-up frustrations, Kaor continued his rant.
"Why do I need a goal or conviction to become a superhuman? Why can't it just happen naturally?"
"What's enlightenment, anyway? If I'm happy today, that's enlightenment!"
"Honestly, who even likes working all the time? Our territory is brutal, isn't it?"
This time, most of the crowd nodded, especially Claude and Alpoi, who fervently agreed.
"Why does it have to be about achieving something? How many people even do that? We're all just trying to live day by day, aren't we? Trying to enjoy life!"
Everyone listened, stunned, as Kaor vented his heart out. Even the priest paused, his attack halted by the sheer absurdity of the moment.
After pouring everything out, Kaor slumped slightly, muttering:
"Damn it, isn't it okay to make mistakes and mess up sometimes? To just want to have fun? What's with all these perfect people… Damn it, good for you all. Damn it… eat shit…"
Belinda and Gillian had long since become superhumans. Vanessa and Tenant, who joined later, had also crossed that threshold.
The knights trailing behind Kaor, like Lucas and Gordon, were closing the gap fast.
Ghislain's disciple, Arel, was growing at a frightening pace, with whispers that he'd be a superhuman in just a few years.
Kaor's frustration had festered into a deep-seated inferiority complex.
But standing there, letting out everything in front of everyone, left him feeling strangely relieved.
In the end, all he wanted was to live without worry and enjoy himself.
As everyone stood dumbfounded by Kaor's outburst, the priest finally lost his patience and bellowed:
"You insolent fool! I can't stand to listen to this anymore!"
"…"
"You can't live like that!"
"…"
"Such a life is fit for beasts! A proper person should endure hardship, follow the will of God, and strive constantly to better themselves…"
The priest was an older man, a devout fanatic of the Salvation Church, and an educator of young priests.
Combined, these traits made him someone who couldn't help but preach, even to his enemies.
Kaor straightened his back, gripping his sword as he interrupted:
"Enough. Why are there so many nags around me?"
The irony of his statement went entirely unnoticed by Kaor himself. He wasn't interested in the irony, anyway.
Because Kaor had decided to stop worrying. Overthinking only gave him headaches.
"So what if I don't become a superhuman?"
His priority now was to kill this priest, then celebrate with drinks and meat to cheer himself up.
For a long time, Kaor had been quietly wrestling with doubts.
Was it really okay to live like this?
Those doubts had fueled his inferiority complex, gnawing at him constantly.
But now, he had clarity.
It wasn't wrong—it was just different.
There were many ways to live. As long as you weren't harming others, any life was valid.
"Superhuman or not, if I'm happy today, that's enough!"
Kaor tightened his grip on his sword and took a step forward, ready to burn through every ounce of his remaining strength.
And if he died?
Well, dying while having fun wasn't the worst way to go.
He felt certain of this:
This, too, was a good life.
And in that moment—
Whoooosh!
Kaor's sword erupted with a brilliant blue light.
[T/L: I need your support, dear readers. I will give discount to all those who will buy the rest of the chapters all together, so please support me the reader on my webnovel platform and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]