SLO Chapter 62

[First Year Sword Emperor’s Cup 9]

(Caligula Gouf AcGee Side)

The name’s Caligula Gouf AcGee.

My house was all about strength; the weak were nothing but prey to the strong.

I’d been dragged onto battlefields ever since I was a kid, killing monsters and people.

No ordinary guy could beat me. Although some of my older siblings—among many—were stronger than me, it was only temporary. In time I’d prove myself to be the strongest of us all.

When I first began attending the Alecidus Royal Academy, I had planned to take over the whole school right away.

But, two freaks had gotten in my way.

Guts Sword Marshall and Testa Hugaro Deskustos

The two had etched unerasable memories in my brain.

Guts had won the Alecidus Royal Academy Sword Emperor’s Cup in his first year with his overflowing talent in swordsmanship and magic.

No means were too unscrupulous to the AcGees as long as we won. The strong were strong because they held nothing back.

I was taught the winner was always right, regardless of the means to achieve it.

Even the Sword Emperor Arthur himself had once remarked: “Being upright and clean-handed are things of the past!”

I totally agreed with him. Anything goes as long as you win.

Those who called it cowardly were idiots. They were weak. That was why they lost.

But Testa Hugaro Deskustos had taught me… being strong wasn’t just about strength.

Every time I remembered his cold eyes, my body would involuntarily shudder. He saw other people as lesser beings.

I had challenged them.

Of course, I had been determined to win. I had made every preparation I could before challenging them. The thought of losing had never crossed my mind.

I didn’t spare any means to win.

But Guts Sword Marshall had shown me why he was called the [Immovable Guts].

No matter how I had attacked him, no matter what trick I had used, never mind shake, he didn’t even flinch. He had repelled everything.

In the end, he had brought me to my knees, and the scar he had left on my back with his blade still throbbed to this day.

I had been so close to death, but I couldn’t deny the fight was thrilling.

Testa Hugaro Deskustos, on the other hand… he was a dangerous one… he crushed all of my plans before I could even carry them out.

I couldn’t count how many of my subordinates he killed… I didn’t even know how he did it, so I couldn’t make countermeasures… when we had fought, I had lost to him completely.

So I had changed my approach.

I would make Iris Hugaro Deskustos mine and destroy Deskustos House from the inside and take over it.

But even though I had gone to great lengths to court her, Iris had kept rejecting me.

That was why I decided to use this year’s Sword Emperor’s Cup to make her submit to me.

With Guts and Testa having graduated, my only real opponent was Prince Muno, but I figured I should be able to defeat him.

I would mess Iris up in front of everyone on stage and make her mine.

However, I decided to slightly alter my plans after reading the list of contenders.

Two names caught my eye.

Lyncean Sword Marshall and Luc Hugaro Deskustos.

Were these two houses intending to get in my way forever or what? I decided to gather information about them so that the same thing with Guts and Testa wouldn’t happen again.

I would take hold of their weakness and make them listen to my command.

However, my plan was hindered by Luc.

I failed to draw Nezur House to my side.

Known as the dog of the Deskustos House, the Nezur House ran a theme park on the surface, but handle intelligence gathering for their owner behind the scenes.

They had a wide network of informants and could get hold of secret information from unknown sources.

Their information-gathering and assassination skills were recognized even by my father, head of the AcGee House.

However, I didn’t anticipate that Luc Hugaro Deskustos had already taken Tashte Park Nezul as his subordinate.

No surprise, Luc climbed to the quarterfinals without fighting even once, using Nezul’s help behind the scenes. Powerless people often employed the same trick.

But this only convinced me.

Lyncean Sword Marshall and Luc Hugaro Deskustos, neither of them was a threat to me. They were weaklings.

I saw how Lyncean fought, and her skills were mediocre at best… she was strong compared to her peers, but compared to me, she was weak. Her strength wasn’t even a tenth of Guts’. Both her magic and Aura were nothing.

I didn’t get to see Luc fight, but no one who climbed through to the finals with behind-the-scenes tactics ever won the Sword Emperor’s Cup.

Heh, they couldn’t be my opponent.

With those uncertain factors out of the way, I could proceed with my original goal and make Iris mine in the final…

“Think you can take me down with you? What a fool.”

As I expected, Lyncean Sword Marshall was weak.

This wasn’t a game. This a battle of life and death! You only lost when you died.

Now, Guts. I’d shame your precious sister in front of everyone!

“Kh… ju… ki… me…”

Good, good. Cry your eyes out.

It satisfied my heart.

It was proof of my victory.

Guts! I would break your sister today!

“Caligula Gouf AcGee!!!”

Someone called my name… my body instantly stopped moving.

“Huh? The hell?”

“Take your hands off her.”

“Oh, if it ain’t Luc Hugaro Deskustos. Who do you think you are to order me!!!”

Mana so overwhelming it surpassed Testa’s… Aura so fiery it was fiercer than Gut’s… Something that made me let Lyncean go filled my heart.

“Heh, would you look at this? So you were hiding your power? Interesting.

“Fine, I’m gonna give her to you. Was she your woman? I got no intention to fight against the Deskustos House. But you got it right? Luc Hugaro Deskustos, you owe me now. And it ain’t cheap. Be sure to entertain me tomorrow, or else.”

I had forgotten all about Lyncean.

Luc Hugaro Deskustos… I looked forward to defeating you… it would surely be satisfying…

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