Became The Son Of The Final Boss [EN]: Chapter 55

55.

It was a close call.

The instant the cold metal grazed my skin, Sylphere unleashed the Chain of Wind with blinding speed.

Clang-!

It barely missed Paolutu’s neck.

Using the flow of wind and earth, I managed to create some distance, however small.

Wiping the blood trickling from my neck, I took a deep breath.

Paolutu’s expression was grim.

He’d missed a prime opportunity, and there was no telling when another like it would present itself.

‘I can’t just keep taking hits.’

For me, with my limited mana reserves, a drawn-out fight was a losing proposition.

‘Is there a way out of this?’

I racked my brain, but no brilliant solution emerged.

Fortunately, Paolutu was also observing me warily, holding back his full assault.

‘So, it comes down to… a head-on clash.’

The attempt to trick him into dropping his guard had failed; all that remained was a direct confrontation.

I gritted my teeth and poured mana into all the spirits.

Sylphere and Undairon surged forward, with Sylph, Undine, Salamander, and Gnome encircling Paolutu.

Paolutu gripped his sword tighter, sensing my impending final attack.

‘Unleash all skills simultaneously.’

Until now, I had only used skills in a linked, sequential manner.

I had never unleashed them all at once. The reduced efficiency made it a wasteful option, consuming too much mana for the effect.

But now, I was out of options.

Whoooo-!

The spirits trembled, visibly straining under the mana surge.

I was making it clear that I was emptying my reserves in one final burst.

‘The person I have to fight isn’t just Paolutu.’

A bitter laugh threatened to escape my lips.

I had to consider my opponent in the match and deceive the nobles watching from below.

It was a multifaceted challenge, but I refused to yield.

Sylph was the first to launch the Chain of Wind.

It was lighter in color than Sylphere’s, but still sharp enough to slice through iron.

Gnome shook the ground.

The Roar of the Earth forced Paolutu to keep moving, disrupting his defense.

Paolutu weaved and dodged.

Salamander amplified the flames to an inferno.

The stage was instantly engulfed in a curtain of fire, restricting Paolutu’s movements.

I fed Salamander a little more mana.

The fire curtain intensified, the heat becoming unbearable.

The moment Paolutu’s face tightened as he tried to push through the flames, Undairon unleashed a Water Storm from within the inferno.

Paolutu finally cried out.

“Kugh!”

Immediately, Sylphere amplified the Chain of Wind.

‘More powerful than I thought… by far.’

I shuddered, marveling at the spirits’ combined might.

‘The title!’

The newly acquired title effect flashed through my mind.

The Water Storm that Undine had briefly conjured dissipated, but Undairon continued to batter Paolutu with a massive torrent.

At that moment, Gnome burrowed directly beneath Paolutu’s feet.

“Cough!”

The moment Paolutu stumbled, Sylphere’s Chain of Wind grazed his chest.

Thud-!

The armor Paolutu wore cracked, and blood spurted from the wound.

Paolutu knelt, defeated.

He stopped the bleeding and rested his sword on the ground in surrender.

Seeing this, I recalled the spirits.

As the fire curtain vanished, the Iron Blood Knight Commander announced tersely.

“Arun Carl Leonhardt, victory.”

Paolutu requested medical attention, and several knights helped him off the stage.

After watching them leave, I wiped the sweat from my brow, feigned a slight stagger, and descended from the stage.

It was an act, designed to emphasize the difficulty of the fight.

‘The quarterfinals, huh.’

Quest completed.

Bonus stats have been awarded.

Random skill has been awarded.

Bonus stats were always welcome, and while I had experienced one failure, I didn’t hold high hopes for the random skill, having received a dud once before.

‘Once it unlocks, it’s at least A-grade.’

Only once had a skill failed to materialize, but those that did were all A-grade or higher.

A flicker of anticipation sparked within me, but I quickly dismissed it and closed the status window.

I planned to return to the detached palace and unlock it in private.

The quarterfinals and semifinals were scheduled for the following day.

And the finals were set for the day after that.

With three matches in two days, I needed to conserve my stamina and avoid injuries at all costs.

Even if I won, a debilitating injury would severely hamper my chances in the next match.

‘I need to rest even more today. Two matches tomorrow.’

As I made my way to the detached palace, several nobles offered their congratulations.

I responded with brief acknowledgments, avoiding drawn-out conversations.

“Your Highness.”

A voice called from behind.

It was Ken.

“You fought well. Congratulations.”

I turned and smiled at Ken’s words.

“Thank you. It’s a bit unusual for the Crown Prince to be wandering around without an attendant.”

Ken shrugged at my jest.

“You are a participant in the evaluation tournament, after all.”

“True. Only two days left. After winning, I’m heading to the West. Please make the necessary preparations.”

Ken nodded.

“Of course, Your Highness.”

I continued toward the detached palace, my resolve hardening.

‘Be sure to stay alive, Gale. I will not stand idly by.’

* * *

“That brat was putting on a show.”

At Duke Austin’s words, Beregon swirled the wine in his glass and inquired.

“Brat? A show?”

The two were meeting in private for the first time in a long while.

They were both leaders of noble factions, but their rivalry remained as fierce as ever.

The Atran family, headed by Beregon, and the Riverhill family, led by Austin, were prominent noble houses even before the Calpheon Empire.

Even before they became heads of their respective families, the two houses had vied for dominance on the continent.

Then, an improbable figure named Ron Carl Leonhardt emerged.

From their perspective, a fallen noble had risen to immense power and founded a nation, making it difficult for them to oppose him.

Ron Carl Leonhardt had systematically subjugated the continent’s prestigious families, and the Atran and Riverhill families faced destruction if they resisted.

The founding of the empire was a brutal affair, built on bloodshed and corpses.

And now, the two felt instinctively that they could no longer afford to simply compete.

It was because of Ron Carl Leonhardt’s son.

“If you’re genuinely unaware, you’re incompetent. If you’re feigning ignorance, it’s tiresome, so stop it.”

Austin’s tone was sharp.

“The poison of the Five-Colored Snake – not the genuine article, but still a potent toxin – he neutralized it, yet he pretends he couldn’t.”

Duke Austin’s voice remained cold.

“Thanks to your grandson Chen’s actions, spurred on by you, our family has become a target for that brat.”

Beregon shrugged.

“So? Chen poisoned the Crown Prince, not Ted.”

“True. My grandson, foolish enough to fall for the bait, is a fool. He sacrificed a precious limb.”

Austin gritted his teeth.

Beregon was secretly pleased.

Arun’s growth was irritating, but Chen’s failure in the Crown Prince competition and the Riverhill family’s predicament were welcome developments.

“The Crown Prince has undeniably changed. And do you know?”

Duke Austin continued.

“Ron’s presence is beginning to manifest in that brat.”

The smile vanished from Beregon’s face for the first time.

He refilled his wine glass and brought it to his lips.

The pungent aroma stung his nostrils, and the harshness of the wine strangely constricted his chest.

“The presence of Ron…”

“I have no intention of being loyal for generations. Neither do you. For generations? No, if I had my way, the empire would end with Ron’s reign.”

As Austin voiced his true feelings, Beregon recognized the significance of this meeting.

He had suspected it since Austin suggested sharing wine, but he had been trying to ignore it.

“If the Emperor conquers the Pyreon Kingdom, the empire’s influence will spread throughout the entire East. The remaining Eastern kingdoms won’t be able to resist.”

At Duke Austin’s words, Beregon nodded.

“Even if Ron dies now and Arun ascends to the throne, Ron will remain a great founding emperor. History will remember Ron Carl Leonhardt, and we will be listed as the Duke families under him.”

Austin drained his wine in one gulp and continued.

“I’ve dedicated my life to making my family the most prestigious on the continent. I even envisioned Riverhill becoming an imperial family, not just a noble one. But… Ron appeared, and now even his heir is showing promise.”

Beregon’s voice turned somber.

“A sprout…”

Duke Austin gripped his wine glass tightly.

“As you know, that brat possesses mana equivalent to a high-level spirit mage. Yet, he conceals his abilities. He’ll likely win even while holding back. His control over spirits is already at the level of a mid-level master.”

Duke Austin and Duke Beregon were also powerful figures, their strength hidden only by the Emperor.

It was nearly impossible for Arun to deceive them during a fight.

“For someone whose coming-of-age ceremony [a traditional ceremony celebrating adulthood] is next year to be at that level… it means his father’s blood runs strong.”

Beregon amplified Austin’s anxiety.

“He didn’t start learning spirit magic at a young age either. It hasn’t even been three months since he began.”

Beregon realized the gravity of the situation only after speaking.

Austin said in a low voice.

“That’s something even Ron couldn’t achieve. But Ron’s son is doing it. No matter how high the spirit affinity of his mother’s family is, mana at the level of a high-level spirit mage is impossible with talent alone.”

Duke Beregon concluded.

“We have to kill him. Absolutely.”

“Assassination is difficult. But… that brat seems eager to go to the West.”

At Austin’s words, Beregon smiled.

“Good. Shall we feign loyalty for once? The Western lords are requesting the dispatch of the Central Army, so as a loyal subject of His Majesty, I should offer my private soldiers.”

Austin nodded.

“I’m considering dispatching the Riverhill Magic Corps.”

Beregon’s face hardened.

“Don’t tell me you…?”

“That’s right. The Riverhill Magic Corps, our family’s pride.”

The Riverhill Magic Corps was small, almost too small to be called a corps.

But there was a reason it retained the name.

Its combat power was disproportionately high.

Mages were always prime targets in large-scale wars, capable of inflicting massive casualties.

The Riverhill Magic Corps consisted entirely of mages above the 5th Circle [a measure of magical power and skill].

And its leader was always the head of the family.

“The Emperor might object?”

At Beregon’s concern, Austin smiled.

“I’m thinking of going to the battlefield for the first time in a while. I’ll accompany the Emperor to the East, while the corps is dispatched to the West. This will give me justification and some recognition.”

Beregon exclaimed, “Huh.”

“You’re planning to kill him in the West?”

“Yes. With that child around, Chen has no chance. I repeat, I have no intention of being loyal for generations.”

Austin concluded and proposed to Beregon.

“Dispatch your knight order. And come to the East with me. If the Emperor conquers the East, the empire’s power will undoubtedly grow. But it doesn’t matter. We don’t know whose empire it will be in the future. But what if Arun successfully leads the campaign in the West?”

Beregon replied in a low voice.

“He could gain experience and become as strong as Ron… solidifying his position as Crown Prince.”

Duke Austin nodded.

“Yes. We must prevent the resurgence of evil forces. And it’s an opportunity to demonstrate our responsibility as a prestigious family to the commoners. The Emperor can’t object if we also participate in the Eastern expedition.”

Beregon was lost in thought.