Chapter 140: Chapter 107: Stand Up, Gawain

All eyes around the arena fell upon the field, looking past the kneeling Knight to converge on the blade-like figure in black.

On the stage, Baron silently rubbed his nose. He already had a rough idea of what was happening.

But since this wasn’t the "third time"—the point at which it could be definitively classified as "experience"—it was, in the end, just a guess.

Unless...

"Are you throwing the match, you bastard? Get up! Gawain! Get up! Gawain!"

While the spectators in the stands were still reeling in shock from the fight, a gambler waved his drink in the air and roared.

"The match isn’t over! I bet almost 100 Silver Coins on you, you can’t just go down like this!!!"

"Get your ass up! I didn’t bet my entire fortune on you just to watch you throw the match!!!"

Hearing this, some of the gamblers and spectators in the stands snapped out of their stupor and joined in cheering for the Sun Knight.

"Gawain! Get up! Gawain! Get up!"

"Beat the hell out of that pretty-boy Demon Hunter! Aren’t you the Sun Knight? The one who fought seven men at once? How can you go down here?!"

Some of them were only interested in the betting odds, their wallets, and the asses and cleavage of the female Attendants.

Others didn’t understand that the spectacle of a fight between Law Enforcers varied based on their professions; they just wanted an exciting battle.

And some were simply captivated by Gawain’s previous performance of fighting seven men at once, believing this was a setup by the organizers to guarantee profits, just like when Allen had defeated Gray.

But whatever their reasons, the entire arena was, in short, chanting two phrases.

"Gawain!"

"Get up!"

Some of the more hot-tempered gamblers even grabbed handfuls of Copper Coins and threw them in Baron’s direction, though their bodies, weakened by debauchery, only had enough strength for the coins to reach the "iron mesh" the City Government had set up by the stands to collect money.

But this did little to dampen their passion for a desperate, all-or-nothing struggle, for a glorious rise from the ashes.

Even though Gawain, representing Amel and the Glorious Knight Order, was technically the enemy, and Baron was the contestant representing the Demon Hunters of Fude City.

But so what?

They had bet their money on him, and their loyalty followed their coin!

More and more people joined in this massive wave of support.

Cries of "Gawain! Gawain! Gawain!" and the like echoed to the heavens.

In the vast grounds of the Hunting Competition, only a few—the more rational nobles and merchants, the society ladies and young women smitten with Baron’s looks, and the gamblers who had made a desperate, all-or-nothing bet on Baron—had not joined in this "mass hysteria."

Faced with this extremely awkward scene, Baron rubbed the tip of his nose. ’How did I suddenly get cast as the villain?’ he wondered, considering whether he should just concede the match.

’Going against public opinion doesn’t seem like a good idea.’

’After all, in this situation, it feels like even if I don’t get hurt on stage, I’ll be beaten to death the moment I step off.’

Of course, he meant he would be the one beating those unruly peasants to death.

But Baron felt he had been a scapegoat enough times already; he didn’t want or need to take the blame for anything else.

Just as he was about to raise his hand to signal the announcer, he heard a voice from behind him.

"You... despicable... Feinan."

He turned around. The Sun Knight was actually, slowly, forcing himself back to his feet!

His gaze was like a torch as his Dragon wings unfolded, stirring up a great wind.

It lifted his kneeling body from the ground.

Baron frowned. "What did you say?"

"I said..."

Gawain tried his best to remain calm, even though he had never been forced to speak to someone in such a sorry state. "Your profession... it’s actually a Feinan Puppet Master, isn’t it? You used a puppet to control my body..."

’Puppet Master? What the hell is that?’

Before Baron could give it much thought, he saw the Sun Knight’s hands, which had transformed into Dragon Claws, slowly push his body up from the ground. His Golden Eye shone ever brighter amidst the crowd’s roars.

"Get up!"

"Gawain!"

"Get up!"

In the stands, the crowd’s cheers grew even more intense. Some of the more sentimental women even started to cry, dabbing at their tears with handkerchiefs, moved by the Sun Knight’s indomitable spirit.

They were especially moved by the fact that Gawain was also so handsome.

In the Knights’ waiting area, Galahad watched this scene in shock. At that moment, his impression of Gawain began to change ever so slightly.

’He’s actually...’

Gawain heard the cheers from the crowd, but he paid them no mind. His face showed no sign of struggle, none of the expressions that would make him look like a weakling.

He simply fought with all his might against the inexplicable, rebellious "instinct" within his body. Bit by bit, he straightened his back before the man he considered his rival. His assimilated Dragon wings unfurled, and the Fire Dragon Pattern Armor on his chest shattered with the movement, revealing the bronze muscles beneath.

Confirming that his strength was returning and his Spiritual Power was rapidly recovering, Gawain took a deep breath. He stared at Baron, his expression nonchalant but his gaze scorching, and said:

"You are nothing more than a deceitful, despicable cheater..."

"Oh," Baron said with a nod. "Kneel."

And so, Gawain knelt again.

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[PS: There’s another long Chapter coming later. I’m burned out.]