ヾ(⌒⌒) It's a gemstone dragon—and it's pink!
"..."
"Listen!"
Seeing Guts dismount without complaint and stop a few steps away, Gurnbeld spoke up. He was a towering man clad in heavy dragon-scale armor, wearing a dragon-shaped helmet, gripping a wicked-looking long-handled spiked mace in his right hand, and carrying a massive dragon-headed shield in his left. He made no effort to hide his disgust and fury at Guts's words, as if Guts had truly slandered the great master he served.
"Black Swordsman, I know about you. Your name is Guts, is it not?"
"As a warrior of the New Band of the Hawk, your words and actions just now were a grave insult to the master we serve—to that great being. Only blood can wash it away!"
"Therefore..."
"I, Gurnbeld, hereby formally challenge you to a duel to the death, one on one. Our honor is at stake!"
"Today!"
"Only one of us will leave here alive. Do you dare accept?!"
Then Gurnbeld slowly raised the wicked long-handled spiked mace and pointed it at Guts, who stood some distance away. He bellowed the challenge loudly enough to make sure every soldier and officer on both sides could hear him clearly.
It was obvious that he feared the nearly five thousand Holy Light Army soldiers behind Guts, as well as the dragon in the sky. So, to ensure that he could kill Guts here today, he had deliberately made his proposal with such solemnity, demanding a duel that no one else could interfere with.
"..."
Guts didn't rush to answer. He simply held his own great Dragonslayer sword and faced his opponent with a faintly mocking smile.
He stared hard into the other man's slit-pupiled eyes for a while, then took stock of the situation. The brand on the back of