It was completely expected for me to choke the prince with the true Yudra’s whip.
But the sensation I felt in my hands was entirely unexpected.
It felt like I was pulling a massive tree, not a human neck. I never anticipated that he would have such strength left after exhausting this much stamina.
In contrast, my situation was pitiful.
My right hand was fractured, my magic was depleted, and I had no martial arts to display.
If I couldn’t finish it here, I would lose.
With the determination to end it here even if it meant death, I pulled the whip with all my might.
My left hand was on the verge of breaking along with my right, but I couldn’t care less.
I could heal my wounds, but the showdown would never come back again.
After what felt like an eternity of 20 seconds, I felt the strength leave the prince’s body.
Slowly, like in a movie’s slow-mo, the prince collapsed to the ground.
Then the referee approached the fallen prince.
I had no strength left in my body, and my hands were numb.
As I prayed for it to end, the referee examined the prince and made his declaration.
I had won.
“WAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!”
In that moment, a roar that shook the heavens filled the coliseum.
The many people in the coliseum began to come into focus.
I saw Sylvia and Julia cheering for me together.
“Yuren won!!”
“Yuren has won! Hahahahaha!!!”
Even our priests rejoiced at my victory.
“WAAAAAAAHHHHH!!! The executioner!!! The executioner defeated the mad dragon!!! WAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!”
“Indeed, it’s Yuren!!!”
“He’s done it! Yuren-hyung has won!!!!”
The head of the Apollon squad and Zergas, who properly taught me… what was his name again?
Anyway, even the old elf seemed to be congratulating me.
“Karahaha! That’s my disciple, Yuren!!”
“What nonsense! He’s my disciple!!”
And then, Master…
“My disciple… you’ve worked hard…”
From a distance, it was hard to hear, but it definitely seemed like he said that.
I approached the prince to properly conclude the duel.
I knelt before him on one knee.
“So… am I the one who lost?”
The prince seemed to have just regained consciousness after fainting, looking dazed.
I spoke to the prince with the proper respect.
“Indeed. Prince, is this your first time experiencing defeat?”
“Since becoming an adult, yes. All those capable of defeating me have refused my challenges.”
The defeated prince’s voice was surprisingly calm.
I had worried he might lose his mind over the sudden defeat, but it seemed I didn’t need to be concerned after all.
“I see. Are you feeling alright?”
“Surprisingly well. To lose after pouring everything into the fight feels this refreshing.”
With an expression like his chest had been cleared, the prince looked up at the sky with relief.
It resembled my expression after releasing a game.
After pouring everything into developing the game and approaching the release, what remained was left to the fate of the heavens, and at that moment, my heart felt more relieved than expected.
Since I had truly given everything, I wouldn’t have regretted any outcome that the game presented.
The prince bore a similar expression of having no regrets.
“The only reason I was able to win was that you, Prince, continued to face me as a genuine ‘fight’ till the end.”
One of the reasons I could defeat the prince was that he genuinely hadn’t aimed to kill me.
Had he truly set out to kill me with all intent, I might have been pierced in the gut on the second kick and died.
However, while exerting his full strength, he carefully moderated his power to avoid killing me.
The contradiction of using all his power while simultaneously holding back,
thanks to the prince’s careful management of his strength, I could win this match.
“Thank you for accepting the challenge of someone who wrested out his knowledge.”
I clasped my hands together and bowed to the prince.
Half was a courtesy as the victor in the fight, showing respect for the defeated, and half was my genuine admiration for the prince who had also made the battle enjoyable.
In my past life, I couldn’t comprehend why battle-hungry characters in games and manga enjoyed fighting and became friends.
But now, I felt like I might understand it a little.
“Thus, they say that ‘Martial’ was designed for the weak to defeat the strong. If that’s the case, your challenge is the very essence of ‘Martial’.”
The prince stood up.
He approached me, a huge mass of muscle, and lifted my hand.
In the center of the coliseum, the prince officially declared my victory.
“You are indeed a true warrior.”
In a showdown involving the pride of each nation, even a slight mistake could spark a riot.
When the victor respects the defeated and the defeated honors the victor, battle can become a match.
At that moment, the duel of the two became a legendary match known in the coliseum as the ‘Battle of Dragon and Warrior.’
“WAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!”
“The prince is amazing!!!”
“I saw it again! The wizard!!”
All the people in the coliseum applauded the two warriors.
There were no empires, no kingdoms, no humans, no elves.
Everyone was an ‘audience’ witnessing a legendary match.
As the representative of all the spectators, Her Majesty the Empress rose to deliver praise.
“I send my utmost praise to both warriors on behalf of the God of War. It was truly a splendid match.”
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
Receiving applause from all spectators, I descended the stage with Prince Lethers.
It was a good game.
*
The day after the match, I was invited to the last night party before the Prince of Ra returned.
Even though I had received magical healing, they had said I would need a week of rest, but Prince Lethers…
“Haha! Isn’t it natural to become friends after a fight? I must see my friend’s face before returning to my homeland!”
… He insisted I attend the party.
How could I refuse after that? Thus, I reluctantly joined the official event one last time.
But at this party, I felt something astonishing.
“I was deeply moved by the match, Yuren!”
“Could I get your autograph?”
Nobles and noble ladies who attended the party began gathering around me asking for autographs.
Although the culture of autographs existed in this other world, it was usually reserved for famous nobles or champions of the coliseum arena—superstars.
I thought I had nothing to do with such matters, but suddenly receiving so many requests for autographs overnight was overwhelming.
“You’re quite popular, Yuren.”
Just then, Sylvia approached me, sensing my nervousness.
Thanks to her, I barely managed to escape from those requesting autographs.
Phew, I survived.
“Yuren, you look quite flustered.”
“Yeah, suddenly being recognized is hard to adjust to.”
Sylvia giggled, finding amusement in my situation.
“Well, Yuren represents the Zers Empire, having defeated a prince—it’s natural for people to want your signature.”
“A superstar… I hadn’t imagined I’d become such a thing.”
Of course, I wanted to be popular.
But the popularity I had envisioned was as a game developer, not as a warrior.
I never dreamed I’d first gain fame in battle.
“More importantly, is your right hand okay?”
“Oh, this? They say it’ll heal well in about a week without magic.”
Thanks to the minister’s office, I received treatment from the best healer wizard in Zephia.
Fortunately, there were no life-threatening injuries, and the worst of my injuries to my right hand would recover with about a week of magical treatment.
“A week? So, you’ll be in Zephia for a week?”
“Yeah, I think of this as an opportunity for a break.”
Having gone through the grind of game development and the duel, I needed a vacation, so I planned to relax for about a week.
As I spoke, I noticed Sylvia deep in thought.
What could she be pondering so seriously?
“Then, Yuren, um… would you like…”
“Ha! So you were here, Yuren.”
Just as Sylvia was about to say something, a hearty voice interrupted.
As always, it was the boisterous Prince Lethers.
“Excuse me, Miss Sylvia, but may I borrow Yuren for a moment?”
The prince formally asked Sylvia if he could take me.
Hmm… does this make me some kind of object?
Sylvia made a complex expression and sighed.
“Yeah, then Yuren, let’s talk later.”
“Sure, Sylvia.”
With a disappointed look, Sylvia stepped aside.
I casually asked the healthy-looking prince for the sake of politeness.
“Are you alright, Prince?”
“Haha! Of course, I’m not! Even with a dragon’s body, that fight with you was tough for me as well. Especially, my right foot after getting hit with the Lightning God’s spear.”
Oh… I hadn’t realized that I had wounded royalty; that made me slightly uneasy about the future.
Seeing my expression and surveying the surroundings, the prince said.
“Shall we move to another place? Yuren.”
The prince spoke to me seriously.
We left the opulent party and moved to a secluded garden in the palace.
“Yuren, how about considering coming to the Kingdom of Ra with me?”
As we removed ourselves from prying eyes, the prince tossed a super heavyweight issue at me.
What on earth is he talking about?
“I like you. If it’s you, I’ll treat you with the best treatment as the ‘Royal Court Mage’ of the Ra kingdom. What do you think?”
Being the royal court mage would mean being one of a select few who gives counsel to the royalty and serves the kingdom. It was one of the highest positions a mage could attain in the Kingdom of Ra.
At one point, I too had been drawn to that power and contemplated becoming such a mage.
But knowing it would lead to a headache-inducing life filled with political turmoil, I abandoned that thought.
“I appreciate the offer, but I have a family. If I leave here, the development of Legend Fighter 2 could be delayed.”
“Haha! Then there’s nothing I can do!”
The prince readily gave up upon hearing that I couldn’t develop Legend Fighter 2.
He probably knew, but it felt like a test.
“Still, if you ever reconsider, come find me in the Kingdom of Ra.”
The prince patted my shoulder.
This time, I was prepared, so it didn’t hurt as much, but it still was a tremendous force.
“Dragons always welcome friends. Yuren.”
“Thank you, Prince.”
The prince’s eyes were sincere.
Honestly, I couldn’t deny it.
I didn’t dislike this prince.
It felt like he enjoyed Legend Fighter as much as I did, and I found joy in that battle as well.
…Though I didn’t want to experience it again.
Just when I thought this uproar was at its end, the prince spoke.
“However, as a friend, may I ask a favor?”
“Sure? What is it?”
The prince put a mischievous expression on his face.
That spells trouble.
I had a bad feeling about this.
“I want to visit the Empire’s gaming arena.”
“Pardon?”
It seems the uproar is not over yet.
