The sudden turn of events made Gawain’s face fall. His heart sank, but he saw that the eyes of the crowd in the stands weren’t on him.

He let out a breath.

’What’s going on?’

’How is this possible?’

’Have I been fighting too long? But a duel of this intensity can hardly be called a battle.’

As a Bronze Knight, he was perfectly aware of his own physical condition.

’A rookie mistake like my leg suddenly giving out is absolutely impossible! Not even for a second!’

’He was a Fire Dragon Knight! Not some rabbit in the woods that freezes at the sight of a hound!’

’That kind of fear—the fear of a Natural Enemy—should never appear in him!’

’A Natural Enemy... How could he possibly have a Natural Enemy?!’

’Unless...’

He fixed his gaze on the figure behind the sea of white, cloud-like mist.

’Could it be...’

All eyes were focused on one spot.

The steam engine roared, spewing a great tidal wave of steam as an iron gate was pulled open.

A black-haired man in black clothes walked out, yawning. He looked like a Vampire who had just climbed out of a coffin, squinting his eyes against the glaring sun. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

The tide of clouds swirled at his feet, the dark fabric of his clothes making him appear exceptionally tall and lean.

After confirming that the frowning Gawain on the proving grounds was his opponent, Baron slowly made his way onto the stage.

Once he was in position, the announcer’s voice boomed from the loudspeakers, echoing across the entire arena:

"Intern Demon Hunter Allen! Yesterday, he defeated Gray the Barbarian Bear Knight in a single match!"

"Now, yesterday’s final victor faces today’s champion! Who will emerge triumphant? Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen, all bets are final!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, hold up your Gold Coins and banknotes! Better to risk it all than to live a life of mediocrity!"

"Now, I know this might sound a little disrespectful to Mr. Allen, our representative from Fude City, but the current odds are nearly one to eight! If you support Mr. Allen, put your money on him!"

"Perhaps he’ll give us all a surprise, just like yesterday!"

The announcer’s droning words echoed through the arena. Down below, Maguire couldn’t help but curse him.

"What the hell does he mean by ’a surprise’? He’s clearly saying he doesn’t think L stands a chance!"

He added, "Alright, facing this Gawain fellow, it might be a tough fight for L, but that won’t stop us, his friends, from supporting him!"

Zod glanced up. "How much are you betting on L?"

Maguire froze, scratching his face. "Didn’t you say getting hooked on gambling was a bad idea, Zod? What about you?"

Zod smiled faintly. "One Gold Coin. On Allen."

He pulled a Gold Coin from his pocket and tossed it to a passing server.

The server was too slow to catch it, and the Gold Coin, to Maguire’s astonishment, dropped right into her cleavage.

Maguire stared at Zod in disbelief. Zod twisted the cap off a flask at his side, took a swig, and said, "I smell fear."

"You’re saying Gawain is afraid of Allen?"

For once, Maguire’s mind worked quickly.

He looked at the Sun Knight, his eyes filled with suspicion and disbelief. "How is that possible?"

Zod shrugged. "I don’t really believe it myself, but I trust my gut."

He watched the Sun Knight on the stage—who had remained silent and composed ever since L had appeared—and narrowed his eyes slightly.

He was all too familiar with this scent—the scent of fear upon encountering a Natural Enemy.

On the stage, Gawain, who had been unable to control his trembling since Baron’s appearance, sensed that something was wrong.

Despite his masterful control over his own body, a fine tremor had begun to run through him from head to toe.

Wave after wave of fear, the kind one feels when being watched by some unseen entity, rose from the soles of his feet and shot up to the crown of his head.

It made him break out in a cold sweat, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.

He felt as if he were submerged in ice water, yet a great fire was raging beneath him.

Hot and cold sensations warred in Gawain’s mind, as if red-hot coals and solid ice were searing his nerves at the same time!!!

Gawain looked at Allen, the Demon Hunter in black.

His features were sharp, his face pale, his lips as thin as the edge of a curved blade.

The man was currently requesting Alchemy Weapons from the event organizers. Since stepping onto the stage, his gaze had only flickered over Gawain for a brief moment.

Gawain’s voice was hoarse as he stared at his opponent and muttered, "What in the world did you do to me?"

He realized the bizarre changes in his physical state must be coming from the Demon Hunter across from him.

Under the long awning at the edge of the arena, Victor frowned. "Gawain is..."

As comrades who had fought side-by-side for years, he could naturally tell that something was wrong with Gawain.

Lewis, Gawain and Victor’s instructor from years ago and their current commander, also noticed something was amiss.

Stephen, Yalilan, and Tate also raised their eyebrows. As Demon Hunters, they were naturally sensitive to fluctuations in Spiritual Power and changes in aura.

At present, Gawain’s Spiritual Power was in turmoil and his aura was unstable. Since he hadn’t moved, it was impossible to tell if his footing was unsteady.

Still, it was enough to determine that he was in very bad shape.

"Is Gawain poisoned?" Tate said with a frown.

He’d been counting on the Sun Knight to teach a lesson to that Demon Hunter L, who’d gone easy on him!

"No, it doesn’t look like poison."

Stephen quickly refuted him. "Although his aura and Spiritual Power are in disarray, Gawain’s condition seems more psychological than physical."

"Could he be exhausted from yesterday’s training?"

Lewis muttered to himself, stroking his chin.

Gawain was a well-known fanatic for self-discipline. It was common for him to train alone amidst hordes of Demons on the Foggy Day right before a match.

Victor nodded. "That’s very possible. This is what can happen when you reach a critical point of mental exhaustion."

He looked at Lewis. "It seems Mr. Tate was right. The outcome of this battle may already be set in stone."

"L will win?" Yalilan asked, her tone uncertain.

But to her surprise, Lewis and Victor both shook their heads in unison. "L is going to lose. Badly."