"I have successfully completed my mission."
Back in the private room, Margaret once again performed the knightly salute to everyone.
"What do you mean by 'failing to fulfill your mission'... You did an excellent job!"
Patting her niece on the shoulder, Zofia's face was full of pride.
"To have achieved this much, even Mlynar couldn't say anything, and your grandfather would be proud of you."
"No, I should try harder..."
"Alright! At times like this, just accept it obediently."
Everyone showered her with praise, and the girl, who had initially been natural, became shy.
But the match had to continue, and Mob's commentary rang out again.
"Thank you, Radiant Knight, for the exciting match. Now, let's welcome the next group of players!"
Courier: "This is the fourth match. Are there any players worth watching in this match?"
"Ah, yes!"
Maria scrolled through the records on the terminal, her gaze lingering on a knight with a ferocious appearance.
Dark, menacing armor, a tattered cloak like a shroud, and a towering, unusual physique.
"It's the Corrupted Knight, but he wasn't grouped with the Withered Knight."
"Oh right! I remember they're twin brothers. Rumor has it they used to work in an underground arena before being discovered by the Business Federation and officially participating in knightly competitions."
"So, you mean you're a newcomer?"
"Yes." Maria nodded.
"Don't underestimate them. Although they've only played a few matches, every single one of them has been a complete rout."
"But..."
"But?"
"... Although not as brutal as the Rusty Knight, the battle between the Corrupted Knight and the Withered Knight was quite merciless, perhaps due to the weapons they used."
Upon hearing the familiar name, Gregor's gaze shifted downwards.
Just like in the photo, the Corrupted Knight stands out in a crowd, both in terms of physique and demeanor.
Without much introduction, the seeded players in the fourth game are all regulars in the Cavaliers' competition.
With the excellent performances in the previous matches setting a good example, the audience's expectations are rising even higher.
Taking advantage of the good atmosphere, Mob immediately announced the start of the match.
However, reality soon delivered a harsh blow to everyone.
Roar, screams, blood.
The Corrupted Knight's warhammer fell in an instant, smashing half of a contestant's chest open.
The splattered blood and flesh landed on the unfortunate man's face, and it wasn't until the giant hammer turned him into a bloody pulp that the entire audience reacted in astonishment.
Chaos erupted in the audience, with many vomiting from the shock of the bloody scene.
However, the killing did not stop there.
The Corrupted Knight wielded a massive hammer, imbued with Originium Arts. Any fighter hit by the hammer, even if they didn't die, would lose their ability to fight due to the corrupted Originium Arts.
The black meat grinder rampaged across the field, the screams of the players mingling with the roars of the Corrupted Knight, adding to the carnage.
"Quick! Someone come and stop him!"
"To obstruct, to prevent, but... what is the reason?"
"[Kazimierz's profanity!] Are you blind? He was clearly..."
The angry spectator suddenly froze, only then realizing that this was a non-restricted event.
Extreme ups and downs.
What started as a friendly duel between knights turned into a bloody gladiatorial arena in the next match.
The knights in the arena felt it more deeply than the spectators.
Fearful resistance, angry retaliation.
Some veterans joined forces to inflict some more wounds on the Corrupted Knight, but that was all they could do.
Despite having knives and spears embedded in his body, the Corrupted Knight roared like a berserker, smashing down any approaching contestants.
Madman.
That's what the contestants thought.
The knights, united, could easily defeat their enemies, but the blood and gore on the ground nourished their fear.
When they saw those stronger than themselves fall to their hammers, the rout began...
Many contestants jumped off the stage, and the few remaining were quickly killed by the Corrupted Knight.
When the black portrait reached its highest point, Mob, stunned into silence, stammered out the result.
But this did not end the Corrupted Knight's slaughter. The black demon howled and dragged its giant hammer into the passage.
Just as the scene was becoming increasingly chaotic, a staff member dressed in Business Federation rushed over. He pressed a few buttons on an unidentified device, and the Corrupted Knight gradually quieted down and followed him away.
"H-How could this happen?"
Maria was pale in the stands.
"Corrupted Knight, even previous battles haven't been this insane, why...?"
"He seems to have some mental issues."
Saria provided the answer, glancing at Gregor out of the corner of her eye.
"Mania, or a rampage caused by drug stimulation."
Recalling the scene that had just unfolded in the passage, the Courier's face turned grim.
"Isn't the Business Federation going to regulate this kind of drug overdose?"
"Management?" Gnosis pushed up his glasses, his eyes filled with disgust.
"What if this drug was originally given to the Corrupted Knight by them?"
"No, no, no! Why would they do that?"
Zofia, recovering from the shock of the bloodshed, said palely:
"Those competitive knights were also under the Business Federation's umbrella. They invested so many resources in promoting them, only to have them wiped out in a single competition... What exactly did they want?"
Before everyone could come up with an answer, the next match began quickly.
"Corrupted Knight!? No... it's Withered Knight!"
Upon seeing the familiar figure reappear, the audience instinctively gasped in surprise, yet then realized something was amiss.
Unlike the Corrupted Knight, the Withered Knight wields a massive bow and arrow.
Many contestants breathed a sigh of relief; compared to being smashed into mincemeat by a giant warhammer, the threat of arrows seemed... less?
Looking at the arrows that resembled long spears, a strong sense of unease rose from the depths of the contestants' hearts.
As expected.
Once the match began, the Withered Knight went berserk, just like his brother.
The alert players didn't suffer any casualties immediately, but just as they were about to be surrounded, the Withered Knight suddenly hurled arrows at them.
But compared to a warhammer, this attack still lacks some of its power.
Corruption and decay were the only differences between the two knights, except for their weapons, yet their fates were drastically different.
Having learned from the previous match, the players all ganged up on the Withered Knight.
Various weapons pierced his body, Withered Knight became even more frenzied. However, as more weapons pierced him, his madness resembled that of a trapped beast fighting desperately.
The Withered Knight has fallen.
After taking the lives of many players, he died under their siege.
But the match wasn't over. After the Withered Knight fell, the players, who were now in a frenzy, turned their attention to their partners standing nearby.
When the match ended, even though the biggest threat, the Withered Knight, was already dead, the casualties far exceeded those of the previous match.
The ultimate victor staggered off the stage, trembling, and no one cheered for him.
He struggled with all his might to reach the passageway, but collapsed.
With half of his chest slashed open by a sharp blade, he was no longer able to participate in the rest of the match.
After two consecutive bloody massacres, a large number of spectators had left their seats, and the vast arena was eerily quiet.
Even so, under constant urging from the earpiece, Mob had no choice but to continue speaking despite the pressure.
"... The sixth match is about to begin. Please prepare yourselves in advance."
In the stands, everyone's eyes were drawn to the figure standing by the window.
Gregor, the player in Game 6, has been unusually silent since the massacre by the Corrupted Knight.
Aside from letting Silence take Ifrit away, he simply stood there, without uttering a single word.
Saria's forehead was covered in beads of sweat, and Maria, who was originally so indignant that she was about to complain to Russell, stopped in her tracks.
In the silence, Gregor removed the Ten Percent Off and left the room.
Tap... tap...
In the dark passage, the contestants of the sixth match slowly walked towards the arena.
There were no cheers, and the enthusiastic atmosphere was gone.
The contestants walked silently to the ring, and even with the cleaners' efforts, the flesh and blood of the contestants were still clearly visible.
The match began with Mob's hoarse commentary.
Without prior arrangement, everyone's eyes were drawn to one person.
Not surprising—a three-meter-tall figure would be too conspicuous in that open space.
The same tall stature, the same Sarkaz identity, the same black armor.
The striking similarities between Gregor and the Corrupted Knight caused all the contestants to tense up.
Amidst their rapid breathing, everyone watched his every move intently, waiting for his sudden outburst.
But the knight didn't move, remaining silent.
Finally, one of the contestants could no longer bear the pressure of the deathly silence. He drew his longsword and charged at Gregor with a howl.
As if a horn had been sounded, all the players simultaneously attacked the figure in the very center.
Countless sharp weapons attacked the silent knight.
Closer... closer...
The sharp blade was already close to his chest, but the knight still did not move.
Finally--
"Mr. Gregor!!!"
Maria screamed in surprise from the stands, and she wasn't the only one; similar exclamations echoed throughout the audience.
On the high-hanging screen, the black knight was surrounded by people.
But it wasn't a hug.
Knife, sword, spear, axe...
Various sharp weapons pierced his body, yet the knight remained motionless.
"Is he... is he dead?"
The athlete was met with a massive, outstretched iron hand.
The surrounding contestants' expressions changed drastically, and they immediately retreated, abandoning even their weapons.
The questioner was grabbed by an iron hand and struggled like a poultry. With a swift movement of the iron hand, the unfortunate man was thrown off the field.
Realizing the knight still had energy left, the players immediately wanted to attack again, but the fate of the previous attacker served as a warning to them.
That silent figure, simply by standing there, told them—
Keep away.
But with the tragedies of the previous two matches still fresh in their minds, the contestants picked up their weapons once again.
The warlocks bombarded with spells, while the guards threw weapons.
For a time, explosions and roars became the main theme of the competition.
Flames and smoke filled the air, and the warlock gasped for breath.
"Did you... done it...?"
Creak--
Everyone held their breath, listening to the piercing metallic sound.
Creak--creak--
What kind of sound is this?
It was as if some heavy, colossal object was moving forward, and with it came the mournful cry of steel.
Something pierced the smoke.
That was a section of a gun barrel.
Immediately afterwards, more weapons emerged from the smoke.
Without exception, the stems all face outwards.
"How is that possible...?"
The sorcerer muttered to himself in disbelief.
Was that really a human?
As the smoke gradually dissipated, the knight emerged.
Countless weapons pierced his armor and penetrated his body. The remaining empty spaces bore the marks of flames and smoke.
Creak--creak--
The weapons swayed on that tall body like fluttering battle flags.
The knight advanced, and all that could be heard was the mournful wail of the armor.
As the knight stepped forward, everyone was so shocked by the sight that they all stepped back.
But every road eventually comes to an end.
Ultimately, there was no way out.
"I'm not fighting anymore! I'm not fighting anymore!"
Some contestants couldn't withstand the pressure, jumped off the ring, and ran away from the arena.
"Don't come any closer! Don't come near me!"
Some contestants, driven by fear and anger, chose to launch attacks.
Just like before, these attacking players were easily grabbed by the iron hand. No matter how they resisted, they were all sent flying out of the arena with the force of the arm.
Dragging his heavy weapons, Gregor repeated the same action—grabbing the opponent and throwing him out of the ring.
It's like a game played by toddlers.
Even with such a simple movement, the number of contestants decreased at a visible rate.
Gradually, the contestants finally realized it.
The knight never attacked; he simply endured their venting silently before sending them away.
"Why?"
Someone asked a question, but received no answer.
Without Ten Percent Off, Gregor was speechless and had no intention of answering.
The knight was equally confused.
There are countless ways to eliminate contestants, so why choose this method?
Even if his attacks injure them, he can provide healing to everyone just like Margaret.
Why didn't he attack?
Was it because the two Corrupted Knights had already committed enough killings? Or was it their berserk behavior that reminded him of the past?
Neither.
Gregor left the last player behind and stood silently in the center of the field.
He recalled the figures of those competitors attacking him; what was he doing then?
He was watching their eyes.
There was no murderous intent, only fear.
Yes... because they wielded their swords out of fear, they cannot be considered his enemies.
He has no enemies here.
Where are his enemies?
The knight looked up, and the dazzling spotlight shone on him alone.
Mob's commentary and the belated cheers faded into the distance, and Gregor's gaze drifted away with them.
Through the glint of spotlights, through the darkness beneath the dome.
They all converge on that lofty emblem belonging to the Business Federation.
In the stands, the crowd watched the figures standing silently below, their expressions complex.
"I never expected Mr. Gregor to end the battle this way," Zofia said wearily.
"It's not so bad, is it? Everyone survived, didn't they?"
Maria breathed a sigh of relief and nodded again.
"Yes! It's good that you survived!"
"I didn't say it was bad, it's just..." Zofia sighed.
"Those fighters will never step into the ring again in their lives."
"That might be better for them."
A melancholy atmosphere permeated the private room, when the sudden ringing of the bell shattered everyone's thoughts.
SilverAsh smiled apologetically at everyone, then took out his terminal.
The caller was a recently recruited employee, Centaurea.
The call was answered with doubt, but the girl's shout drew everyone's attention.
[Help! Boss! I'm going to die if you don't come soon!!!]