The Runesmith

Chapter 381: Bare Knuckles.

The crowd in the adventurer guildʼs central arena had swelled as the news of Armandʼs battle with the Guild Master spread like wildfire. Gold-ranked adventurers, curious onlookers, and even some senior guild officials had gathered to witness the spectacle. The air was charged with excitement and tension as everyone anticipated the clash between Armand, the cocky and newly ascended adventurer, and the Guild Master, a renowned figure known for his strength, wisdom, and bald head.

However, most of them werenʼt really that interested in the clash between these two musclemen. No one actually believed that a level one hundred fifty one freshly ascended Tier 3 class holder could defeat a seasoned veteran. What they wanted was to earn some quick money by betting on how long he would last. There were many criteria people were going for, and even a person with a large blackboard appeared to write all of it down.

”Iʼll wager one gold coin on him not lasting more than a minute!”

”One gold coin on under a minute!”

Replied the man who was collecting all the bets into a spatial sack. Each better received a token with some text written on it as proof of their wager. After the battle had concluded, they could return this token to claim their winnings if they were successful. However, it was more likely that most of these bettors would end up empty-handed. The individuals responsible for gathering the money would take a fee for their services, so even if a few got exceptionally lucky, they would still receive some compensation from the overall bets.

”Iʼll put down two large silvers on his arm getting broken!”

”Two large silvers on a limb breaking!”

It was quite interesting to listen to the people shouting at each other and somehow being able to keep track of everything. When looking at this blackboard, it seemed that Armand was going to get himself slaughtered. People were expecting him to leave bruised and battered, with at least one of his limbs broken.

“It seems as if they want him to get beated… a lot of people bet on his nose being broken …”

Roland commented while standing next to Lobelia, who was just chuckling away at the comment. He wasnʼt that informed about Armandʼs nightly escapades, but Armand was known for playing around. Some lady adventurers had fallen under his spell, and now that he was about to join the ranks of the platinum adventurers, more of them decided to show up. Some of them were even waving and shouting at him, clearly wanting to get into his good graces.

”That idiot will let this get to his stupid head, I just know it. I sure hope he will be smart about it. I donʼt want to become an aunt just yet.”

”An aunt?”

Roland asked, not really following what Lobelia was getting at. While Armand wasnʼt the brightest, he had been successful in not producing any offspring. This, however, could also be attributed to the fact that women didnʼt see him as good father material.

”Just think about it, Platinum adventurers earn a lot of money! Iʼm sure some of those vixens will try using those fertility potions.”

”Ah, youʼre right, we do have those...”

Roland replied, now understanding Lobeliaʼs concern about the potential consequences of Armandʼs newfound fame and wealth. While there were potions to keep people from producing unwanted offspring, there were others that did the exact opposite. There were ones that could guarantee ones being created. If Armand didn’t watch himself, he could be forced to become a father quite soon.

“I’m feeling bad for those kids already…”

“Speaking about kids, what about you and big sis? Any plans yet?”

“Huh?”

Rolandʼs face turned a faint tint of white as Lobeliaʼs question caught him off guard. He had always been the quiet and reserved one, and discussing such personal matters with Lobelia, especially in the midst of the bustling adventurerʼs guild, was not something he had anticipated.

”I, uh, well, we havenʼt really... discussed it.”

Roland stammered, his gaze darting around as if seeking an escape route from the awkward conversation. Lobelia couldnʼt help but giggle at her brother-in-lawʼs discomfort.

”Come on, Wayland, you canʼt avoid this forever. Elodia isnʼt getting any younger, you know!”

“I don’t think this is the right time and place for such a conversation, look They will be starting soon…”

Roland scratched the back of his head nervously, skillfully evading the question entirely. However, this didnʼt mean that he hadnʼt thought about it at all. In this world, people created families much faster, more akin to the earlier stages of humanityʼs existence in the world he came from. It wasnʼt unusual for someone his age to already have one or two children running around the house.

Given the prevalence of orphans everywhere, Roland assumed that Elodia might not be particularly interested in having children of her own. This assumption led him to avoid bringing up the topic, and with the busy nature of their lives, there wasnʼt much time for discussions like these. Perhaps, after the wedding and everything settled down, he thought he might need to have a conversation with her to understand her desires and share his own thoughts on the matter.

There was also another reason why he usually tried to avoid this issue. It involved his father in this world, Wentworth Arden. Even though they werenʼt related by blood, Roland considered the man to be an inexcusable bastard. Wentworth had allowed the original Roland to perish by neglecting the strange illness that had afflicted him. Moreover, Wentworthʼs multiple wives had only created tension among the numerous sons and sisters. It was something Roland did not want to happen in his own family.

“Well fine but you better give it some thought!”

”Weʼll talk about it when the time is right.”

Roland finally conceded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

”For now, letʼs just focus on Armandʼs... predicament.”

“Hah, I hope the guild master won’t hurt him too much…”

Both of them focused on the men inside the ring. They were slowly approaching each other with different expressions on their faces. Armand, as always, seemed quite smug, wearing a large, confident smile as if he genuinely expected to win. The guild master, on the other hand, remained stoic and even somewhat bored with the entire spectacle.

The tension in the arena reached its peak as the two combatants closed the distance between them. Armandʼs smug grin and the Guild Masterʼs bored expression created a stark contrast that didnʼt go unnoticed by the spectators. Whispers and hushed conversations rippled through the crowd as they placed their bets and speculated on the outcome of the impending battle.

Armand stepped forward confidently, his fists clenched and his body tense. He had always been a physical powerhouse, and his newfound Frenzied War Monk class only amplified his strength. On the other side of the ring, the Guild Master, with his bald head reflecting the sunlight, remained still, a silent and imposing figure.

”So, we meet again, old man!”

”Can we move this along, kid? Was this really necessary?”

Aurdhan didnʼt seem to be impressed or even interested in having this bout, but Armand, on the other hand, was itching for it. It was clear that he had his reasons for bringing his old master here; he wanted a proper fight.

”Of course, you wouldnʼt have taken me seriously otherwise. Now, with everyone watching, youʼll have to give me your all!”

“I’ll give it to you kid, You have grown some balls. You can even look me in the eye without flinching … I’m actually impressed.”

With the help of his enhanced hearing, Roland continued to eavesdrop on the conversation between Armand and the Guild Master, he began to piece together more of the puzzle surrounding Armandʼs role within the guild. Before he arrived in this city, Armand had been some kind of prospect the guild master was fostering. Roland wasnʼt sure of the specifics, but it likely had something to do with Aurdhanʼs pursuit of increased wealth. Perhaps he intended to use Armand as his enforcer in the future. Armand might not have been the brightest, but he was quite strong and loyal. If Aurdhan could develop him into something akin to an attack hound, then all of this would make sense.

“I’ll impress you even more after I defeat you, now draw your weapon!”

“I don’t need anything besides these arms.”

The guild masterʼs class made use of axes and possibly other heavy weapons. There were likely numerous active skills and passives that he wouldnʼt be able to use if he decided not to wield his primary weapon. This was one of the main weaknesses of classes that specialized in a particular weapon. It granted them incredible advantages when using that weapon but left them significantly weaker if they didnʼt, making it quite the literal double-edged sword.

However, in this case, it probably wouldnʼt matter much, as the difference in levels was just too significant. It was a gap of over one hundred levels, which was practically impossible to overcome. Even Roland didnʼt envision himself achieving a conventional victory over this bald guild master. However, he did have magic at his disposal, and perhaps with a few well-placed combinations, it could yield favorable results. Despite the vast level difference, he still hoped to discern something that might offer a hint on how to defeat this guild master should a conflict arise between them.

“Quiet, it’s going to start!’

The Guild Master, Aurdhan, finally decided to take this challenge a bit more seriously. He didnʼt assume a fighting stance but instead visibly began tensing his muscles. He was wearing a leather vest, which started tearing due to the noticeable increase in muscle mass. It was some type of buffing skill that made his already imposing physique look even larger than before. His upper body became exposed as the leather shirt flew to the side. Without moving, he simply beckoned Armand forward with a subtle motion of his chin.

Armand wouldnʼt let it slide as he performed almost exactly the same thing. His muscles started expanding, but since he was already shirtless, the increase wasnʼt as noticeable as when his opponent did it. Armand charged forward with remarkable speed for someone of his size, closing the gap between him and the Guild Master in the blink of an eye. His fist shot out like a cannonball, aimed directly at Aurdhanʼs chest. It was a powerful and straightforward attack, typical of Armandʼs brawler style.

The speed of Armandʼs attack left some of the audience in awe, but the response to it shocked them even more. Aurdhan didnʼt move a millimeter from the spot where he was standing. Instead, he just puffed up his chest and received the blow directly to it. A blast of wind pressure was created as Armandʼs punch clearly connected, the force strong enough to blow some of the onlookersʼ hair around. However, the more astonishing thing was the complete lack of any movement or injury to the guild master, who just stood there with a smirk on his face.

”Is that all? Are you sure youʼre aiming to become a Platinum adventurer and not just a Gold one instead?”

Aurdhan taunted, his confidence unwavering and his body just waiting to receive more. For a moment a perplexed expression crept onto Armand’s face but soon it disappeared as he unloaded a barrage of hits. Veins started appearing on his tanned body as he went into a frenzied assault. Punched rained down onto Aurdhan’s chest as he received all of them.

Finally, after enduring a relentless onslaught of at least fifty punches, Armand paused briefly, his face contorted with rage as he prepared for a powerful strike. His clenched fist radiated a peculiar orange aura, which surged forward with explosive force. Rolandʼs keen senses detected a new energy pattern, similar yet different from aura. With the addition of this force, finally a reaction from the guild master could be spotted

Upon impact, Aurdhan was forcefully pushed back, but he maintained his stance instead of toppling over. He slid back for about ten meters, the attack only leaving temporary marks on his chest where the last punch had landed. The skill utilized had finally triggered the activation of a protective barrier, designed to respond only to threats that posed danger to the spectators. The blue field of energy absorbed the incoming wind pressure that could even harm a lower leveled adventurer.

”Not a bad attempt, but still not good enough!”

“What the hell are you made of?”

Armand called out while shocked by his attacks not even leaving a scratch on his opponentʼs unprotected body.

“It’s simply a matter of skill, my boy.”

Arduhan replied calmly while dusting off his bare chest as if only being annoyed by getting himself dirty.

“Bullshit!”

This was the final straw for Armand, pushing him into a frenzied state. It became evident that there was no alternative but to activate his primary class skill. Roland focused his gaze on this process to measure what he was working with. To facilitate this task, he brought what resembled a welderʼs mask, missing its lower half. The visor was notably larger than usual and featured a similar interface to his own armor. With this headpiece, he aimed to gather crucial data to help alleviate Armandʼs frenzied state, and potentially, unlock a level of strength beyond what was expected.

Luckily the people gathered here were far too busy looking at the fight than to notice that strange apparatus he was using. The only person that was giving him strange looks was Lobelia who was standing right next to him. With this headpiece now activated he could do what he came here for and gather precious data. Aurdhan seemed to be taking the clash a bit more seriously as he quickly tossed himself into the fray with a now frenzied Armand.

Just as he expected, entering the berserker state sacrificed finesse for raw power. Armand exhibited a noticeable surge in agility, strength, and vitality, but at the cost of diminished intelligence and perception. He resembled a frenzied beast, driven solely by the urge to tear through anything in his path, even if that happened to be the guild master. The once trivial punches now carried significantly more force, but the disparity in their levels remained insurmountable.

Despite losing control of his actions, there appeared to be a method to the madness. Armandʼs punches and kicks werenʼt merely mindless haymakers; instead, they were executed as coordinated combination attacks. It seemed that his extensive training had ingrained the muscle memory necessary to instinctively react in combat situations. However, the drawback was evident: this ferocious offense came at the expense of neglecting the defensive aspects of the fight. When pitted against an opponent with superior physical stats, the outcome of the battle was all too predictable.

In a matter of moments, the cheers were abruptly hushed by the sight of a man soaring through the air. His body resembled a mere sandbag, somersaulting gracefully, all due to the impact of a colossal uppercut connecting squarely with his chin. The magnitude of this punch was tremendous and even Roland wasn’t sure if his mana shields would be able to save him from such a direct hit.

Armand crashed into the ground, tumbling relentlessly until he reached the far end of the training ground. Fortunately, it was the presence of the previously erected walls and shields that finally brought his chaotic journey to a halt. His body assumed a cross-like position, and for a brief moment, he was stuck there, his backside exposed to the onlookers. His clothing had unraveled during the tumultuous trip around the field, allowing everyone to witness his well-defined muscular hindquarters.

“By Solaria, I just ate…”

Lobelia turned her face away from the clean-shaven backside while some of the ladies began to blush. The display wasn’t long-lived as Armand started sliding downwards and finally collapsed on the ground.

“You’re ten years too early to challenge me!”

Aurdhan couldnʼt help but laugh at his former disciple, who was now sprawled face-first in the dirt. However, his laughter abruptly ceased when he realized the battle wasnʼt quite finished. Against all odds, Armandʼs body began to twitch, and he somehow managed to muster some strength into his legs.

“You’re still conscious? I did not expect that…”

“It’s n-not o-over until I say it’s over!”

“Is that so? Your legs are telling a different story though.”

Despite his determination, Armandʼs body was battered and his legs trembled. The impact of the previous blow had nearly incapacitated him, leaving him unable to carry on. The frenzied skill he had unleashed had been abruptly terminated, leaving him with lingering debuffs. As Armand attempted to move forward, his weakened body succumbed to the strain, causing him to collapse face-first into the sandy ground.

“Haha, that’s enough you pass.”

The Guild Masterʼs booming voice echoed through the surroundings, carrying far and wide. It was evident that he had deemed the new adventurer worthy of ascending to the prestigious platinum rank. The tale of the naked war monk was about to take flight, spreading far and wide, becoming a legendary story for all the wrong reasons…