Perhaps keeping him close has had some effect. Yes, however much he may hate me now, there was a time when he followed me with unwavering loyalty. If there was any trace of his humanity left, perhaps even Zetak was capable of moments of nostalgia. But I wasn’t entirely sure. So I decided to test him.

When Bapharos swung his sword, I deliberately dodged at the last moment – so close that there was barely room for a piece of paper between the blade and my skin. It must have looked to the spectators as if I was about to be struck. As I moved, I glanced at Zetak.  And there it was – confirmation. The moment he thought I might be hit, his little fist clenched tightly.

He was worried about me, as he had been before. But this time it wasn’t the same pure concern as before. It seemed more like a confusing mix of emotions – a conflict between his desire to see me fall and the lingering worry from before. Zetak himself seemed confused by it, torn between wanting to see me fall and feeling that old sense of concern. That’s probably why he tried to stop me, only to turn cold again, driven by his hatred.

Every time I narrowly dodged Bapharos’ sword, Zetak’s expression changed, subtly and fleetingly. To anyone else, it might have appeared that he remained impassive, but I didn’t miss the small shifts in his eyes, the tension in his features. And oddly enough, watching him stirred something in me, a faint sensation I couldn’t quite place. It felt like a strange tickle in my chest, almost a kind of warmth.

The emotions that even monsters, in their limited capacity, could perceive – if not truly human emotions, then unmistakable sensations. Desire. Joy. Pleasure. Anger. Hatred… These were feelings that a monster could only experience at certain moments. Moments like when it killed another monster that had dared to invade its territory.

These were the feelings associated with victory, with dominance. But that faint, tingling sensation I’d just felt – was it one of them? I hadn’t killed anyone, nor had I claimed victory. So why should I feel anything now?

“You…”

I suddenly realized Bapharos had stopped his sword, standing frozen in place. His expression was stiff, and only then did I notice how strangely quiet everything around us had become.

It hit me – I’d been so focused on watching Zetak’s reactions that I hadn’t paid any attention to Bapharos’ sword. My original plan had been to lose the duel after a decent exchange, but instead, I had instinctively dodged each of his blows by the narrowest of margins. Occasionally, I had even allowed myself to be distracted. No wonder Bapharos looked so stiff. He must have been amazed to see me dodging his attacks so effortlessly. To lose on purpose now would look absurd.

Bapharos’s shoulders rose and fell slightly with his breath, likely a result of increasing his efforts as the duel went on. He had probably intended to hold back at first, but my consistent dodging must have pushed him to try harder. Meanwhile, I stood there as calm as ever, my breathing completely steady, as if nothing had changed from the start.

“…It seems I wasn’t the only one hiding my claws,”

Bapharos muttered quietly as he adjusted his grip on his sword. I hadn’t intentionally hidden my abilities, but there was no point in explaining that—he wouldn’t believe me anyway. So, I remained silent.

“It seems I won’t be able to win by holding back.”

“Didn’t you say you’d end this quickly?”

“That was before I realized how many eyes were on us. I can’t back down now. This is a matter of pride.”

“……”

I had enough rumors swirling around me; I didn’t want to get involved in any more gossip. My plan was simple – clash swords a few more times and then lose in a way that seemed natural. But before I could act on that thought, Bapharos’ expression changed to something fierce.

“Do you intend to insult me to the end?”

“……”

“Fight me properly. You’ve honed your skills to this level—you should understand how I feel right now.”

…What was I supposed to understand? I was truly confused and remained silent. But then I felt Bapharos activate the energy he had built up inside him. The dormant Ki within him began to flow, concentrating through his sword, and soon, brilliant blue energy surged from the blade.

“Is that… sword energy…?!”

“Oh my god…! Sword energy at that age? What the…!!”

The sound of nobles gasping in shock echoed from below the training grounds. Normally, it took until the age of thirty to manifest sword energy, and even longer – until the age of forty – to use it effectively in battle. Considering that Bapharos was barely in his mid-twenties, his ability to harness sword energy was truly astonishing. Although his energy fluctuated, showing a certain immaturity, it was an impressive feat for someone of his age.

“Regardless of my intentions, I hope you’ll give me a proper fight.”

Instead of dodging, I decided to meet his attack head on. When Bapharos’ first sword-energy-laden attack collided with mine, he seemed momentarily surprised. But he quickly recovered and unleashed another series of attacks. The atmosphere crackled with tension as we engaged in this new level of intensity.

His attacks were sharp yet heavy, a testament to the effort he had put into his training. However, his strikes were still somewhat crude despite the sword energy coursing through his blade. My sword held firm, absorbing the blows without any risk of breaking.

As he realized all his attacks were being deflected, he seemed frustrated, swinging his sword faster until it became a blur. Metal clashing filled the air as our blades collided repeatedly, each impact ringing out like a challenge.

What had begun as a spectacle for the nobles who had gathered to see me humiliated had changed dramatically. Now the same students were watching with rapt attention, holding their breath as they watched the duel unfold.

I had never wielded my sword with such intensity before. Throughout my training, I had always adapted my skills to those around me, never using my full potential. Perhaps it was because I didn’t want to die fighting as hard as I had in my previous life. But now everything has changed. The moment I let my guard down, it felt as if my head could be severed from my body with a single, merciless blow.

This sensation was reminiscent of the long-forgotten days when I was a monster. Since my reincarnation as a human, I have buried those feelings deep within me. The thrill of life and death, the exhilaration of killing an enemy, the joy of taking a life – although it might not be the same as human emotions, it was the only form of joy a monster could experience. As those sensations returned, a shiver ran down my spine, igniting a primal instinct.

But this murderous intent did not come from Bapharos. I turned to Zetak. The concern I had felt from him only moments ago was gone. All that remained was the focused intensity of a monster determined to kill its opponent. The tension in the air grew as the true nature of our duel began to unfold.

At the same time, I felt a strange, inexplicable murderous intent toward Bapharos. I understood why Zetak hated me, but why should he feel that way about Bapharos?

“Are you still distracted?”

Bapharos’ voice cut through my thoughts as I dodged his swing and stepped back.

There was something else at play here; I could feel Zetark’s anger, but it felt different. It wasn’t just that he realized I was unexpectedly strong – there was an underlying tension, an unfamiliar unease in the air.

I didn’t know why, but one thing was clear: I had to end this duel. The longer it dragged on, the worse Bapharos’ mood would get, and I had no intention of becoming the target of his frustration.

I felt as if I could almost grasp the feeling of joy from my past life, but… should I give it up? The feeling I was experiencing now was probably one of disappointment. But the moment I looked into Zetak’s eyes, I knew I had to steady myself. Although hidden by his hair, I could see that his pupils were narrowed and filled with a fierce intensity.

“I think it’s time to end this. If we go any further, my companion might get angry with me.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Instead of answering, I concentrated on channeling my Ki. Even though Bapharos was still somewhat inexperienced, he was wielding sword energy. It would be difficult to kill him with a single blow. I didn’t want to draw any more attention to myself, but it was better than having Zetak’s wrath directed at me.

Bapharos must have sensed my intent; I could see his eyes widen in surprise. Unlike his blue sword energy, mine manifested as a vibrant red that quickly enveloped my blade. Just enough to cut through his sword with a single stroke.

As I summoned the energy, I could feel the tension in the air – people held their breath, their eyes widening in disbelief.

“Prince Jaibid is also manifesting sword energy…!” shouted one of the nobles, the murmur rippling through the crowd.

I could feel her eyes comparing Bapharos’ sword energy with mine. His blue energy flickered like a heat vapor, while mine was solid and clearly defined. Bapharos stared at my blade in surprise, and to my astonishment, he laughed.

“Ha… I thought I was the youngest to manifest sword energy, but it seems I was just arrogantly wrong. Does Father know about this?”

“No,” I replied, keeping my tone calm.

The laughter in his eyes faded as he absorbed my answer, a newfound respect mingling with the competitive spirit that had ignited between us. The tension in the air shifted and I could feel the audience holding their breath, captivated by the unexpected twist in our duel.

“If he had known, you might not have been dethroned so easily. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“There was no need.”

“Sometimes I really can’t tell what you’re thinking.”

I tightened my grip on my sword and leaped towards him. Both of us fully committed to this final exchange, the air crackling with anticipation as our blades clashed once more.