Return of the Calamity-Class Death Knight - Chapter 6

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Chapter 6: Training (2)

Before his regression, Damien had caused many problems for his family .But among them, the most notorious has to be the act of punching Edwin Ryan Bloom’s face in front of everyone.

This incident escalated to the point where the entire Haksen family had to take responsibility for it. To cover up this matter, Damien’s sister, Louise Haksen, had to marry Edwin as if she were being sold.

“Da-Damien….”

His father, Paul Haksen, approached Damien, holding his shoulders as he questioned,

“Is it true? Is it true that you struck his face?”

Damien simply nodded his head.

Anger flashed in Paul’s eyes.. If they hadn’t been in front of the Edwin, he might have struck Damien right then.

“Why on earth did you do such a thing? Why!”

“Sir, please don’t say too much. In fact, it was partly my fault.”

Edwin Ryan Bloom intervened.

He wasn’t clueless; it was a deliberate act.

“Who would have thought that Damien Haksen, the heir of the House of Hasken, would have feelings for the lady I was engaged with. Yet, I carelessly blurted it out in front of the parties involved…”

He chuckled as he spoke.

“It was quite a fierce punch. My teeth still feel loose,” he said, looking amused.

Damie stared at Edwin Ryan Bloom sternly.

The Marquis Ryan Bloom was a renowned knight.

“The Marquis’s bloodline was a distinguished one, and all those who inherited it had great talent.”

Erwin Ryan Bloom was no exception.

While not as grandiose as the Marquis, he too was rumored to possess remarkable talent.

His skills were not something to be tested by someone like Damien Haksen.

What a joke.

In other words, Edwin Ryan Bloom intentionally allowed himself to be hit.

“However, punching me at the social gathering… My father was furious about it. He said, ‘Does a mere viscount dare to look down on Ryan Bloom?’ ”

Paul Haksen’s face turned pale.

Marquis Ryan Bloom was among the kingdom’s top knights. It was inconceivable for the Haksen family to withstand the wrath of such a man.

“Sir, how do you plan to compensate for the insult our family has suffered?”

“That, well…”

Paul Haksen couldn’t come up with an answer.

In a small family like the Haksen, there was no compensation that the Marquis Ryan Bloom would find satisfactory

Even if they sold all their assets, it wouldn’t be enough.

“It seems you have no real solution for it.”

Edwin Ryan Bloom sneered as if he had already anticipated it.

“Then what if we do like this?”he continued.

“What do you mean?”

“Actually, I’ve admired Miss Louise for a long time.”

Edwin shifted his gaze to Louise.

Under his sticky gaze, Louise turned her head slightly.

“I’ve expressed my feelings to Miss Louise several times, but she rejected me every time.”

“What does that have to do with this incident?”

“Marry Miss Louise to me.”

The room fell silent at his words.

Ignoring the tension, Edwin continued.

“Then, we can reduce this issue to that of family matters. I can easily overlook the insult I received, and others won’t gossip about it anymore.”

“That’s impossible.”

Paul Haksen flatly refused Edwin Ryan Bloom’s proposal without a hint of hesitation in his eyes.

“Louise is already engaged to someone else. So…”

“Then, how do you plan to compensate for the insult I’ve suffered?”

Smile vanished from Edwins face, as he coldly stared at Paul Haksen.

“This incident cannot be brushed aside with a few words of apology.The Haksen family must take the responsibility for it.”

“You…”

“Choose. Whether you’ll pay the price for the insult or not.”

Under Edwin Ryan Bloom’s declaration, Paul Haksen lowered his head.

He was hesitating, unable to decide what to do.

“…Fine.”

Suddenly, a voice came from behind.

Louise Haksen who was looking at Edwin spoke.

“I’ll accept the proposal.”

At her words, a wide smile spread across Edwin’s lips.

Conversely, the faces of Paul Haksen, his wife, and the youngest son crumpled in dismay.

“Louise! What on earth are you saying!”

“Just wait a moment! Mom and Dad will think of another way!”

“That’s right! Why should you bear the responsibility for what our brother did!”

The family began persuading Louise Haksen.

However, Louise Haksen didn’t change her opinion.

To avoid the wrath of Marquis Ryan Bloom, this was the only way for the Haksen family.

“Miss Louise, indeed, you’re wise.”

Edwin Ryan Bloom cast a subtle glance at Louise Haksen. It felt greasy, like melted butter.

“Then, I will soon send someone officially. Let’s discuss the specifics of the marriage then.”

Edwin Ryan Bloom attempted to leave.

But someone blocked his path.

“Huh? Damein, do you have something to say?”

Edwin Ryan Bloom chuckled as he asked.

“No. Should I start calling you my brother-in-law now?”

Damien Haksen heard Edwin Ryan Bloom’s nonsense with one ear and let it pass.

Instead, he observed his family, wearing grim expressions.

It’s been just a few days since I promised to make them happy… yet this is happening.

He realized how deeply rooted his mistakes were.

The past him was truly a despicable person.

How should I fix this?

He couldn’t simply let his sister be married off to Edwin.

While Edwin Ryan Bloom was a trustworthy lord to his subordinates, within the family, he was akin to a tyrant.

He often used violence against his wife and children under the guise of educating them.

He even had paranoia, causing him to suspect and scrutinise his wife regularly, sometimes even resorting to violence.

‘So, there was never a day when the bruises on her body would fade.’

Even while enduring such harsh treatment Louise never blamed Damien, even when Damien attacked the Ryan Bloom Castle, intending to kill Edwin for her.

Right now, I have no way to stop Edwin Ryan Bloom’s coercion.

Damien Haksen was just a minor noble’s eldest son.

He had no power to stop the House of Bloom’s second heir.

‘It’s annoying. Should I just kill them all and end it?’

Damien Haksen eyed Edwin Ryan Bloom and his guards.

‘All four of them are Junior Knights.’

To become a knight, one must go through the stages of a Squire, Apprentice Knight, Junior Knight, and finally, a Full fledged Knight.

To become a Junior Knight, one must learn how to manifest Aura.

And once they can adeptly manipulate Aura, they’re promoted to Full Knight.

Edwin Ryan Bloom is particularly strong among the Junior Knights.

Even within the same stage, there were differences in levels.

While Edwin Ryan Bloom was just a Junior Knight, he was just one step away from becoming a Full Knight.

On the other hand, his guards were far from being Full Knights.

“If I end up fighting him, I’ll have to face all four of them at once.”

It was a situation where logically, he couldn’t win.

Five minutes should be enough to kill them.

But,

Damien Haksen had reached the divine level as a swordsman in his previous life.

Not talking about four but even four hundred Junior Knights, won’t be able to defeat Damien Haksen.

‘But if I really kill them all, Marquis Ryan Bloom won’t just sit back and watch.’

Killing wasn’t the issue. It was what would happen after that.

While Damien alone might not have a problem, he couldn’t risk his family’s safety.

‘I have no choice. Though It’s troublesome, but I should retreat for now.’

* * *

“You cowardly bastard!”

Suddenly, Damien Haksen shouted.

“Dragging the family into our issues? Is that what the son of a Marquis household does?”

Damien Haksen stood tall, continuously confronting him.

Seeing his so-called demeanor, Edwin Ryan Bloom held back a laugh.

“Since when did you start bothering about such matters? Because you lack the ability, Louise has to bear the responsibility for it.”

“Shut up!”

Damien was fuming.

The more furious he became, the broader Edwin’s smile grew.

Edwin was already acting like a triumphant winner, having achieved all his objectives.

The anger of a defeated opponent was nothing but enjoyable to him.

“Let’s have a duel!”

“A duel?”

“Yes! If I win, this whole matter is forgotten!”

“Hmm.”

Edwin showed a displeased reaction.

“What If I win?”

“W-What?”

“What will you give me if I win?”

“T-That’s… Well, what do you want to take? Of course, I will win!”

“Tsk, tsk.”

Edwin clicked his tongue.

“If you want to duel me, you must offer equal terms.”

Saying so, Edwin tried to pass by Damien.

That’s when it happened.

“Where are you running off to!”

Damien swung his fist at Edwin.

Edwi turned his head, dodging the punch.

“Huh, avoiding?”

Damien tried to strike again, but then the guards intervened.

“Don’t step forward.”

Edwin ordered the guards not to step in.

Only by receiving help to stop Damien could he preserve his dignity.

“You seem to need a little taste of reality.”

Edwin excelled not only in swordsmanship but also in hand-to-hand combat. He easily subdued Damien’s feeble punching.

“Now that we’re a family, I’ll try to be a little more gentle.”

Despite this, Damien extended his fist again.

Edwin caught the fist, attempting to overpower him by breaking his arm.

That’s when it happened.

A sudden shock struck his face. Edwin’s head jerked backward.

“Crack!”

A punch struck him on the face, Edwin toppled backward.

Edwin wore an expression of disbelief.

“…You just hit my face?”

How did that happen?his momentary confusion was quickly replaced by pure anger.

There was a huge gap between him and Damien.

Last time, he intentionally took the hit.

But this time he was hit when it was not even intentional .

Edwin’s pride was severely shaken because of this.

“Yeah! I hit you! What are you going to do about it!”

Damien charged again.

Edwin quickly got up.

“I tried to restrain myself, but it seems impossible now.”

Edwin adjusted his posture.

As the punch came, he wrapped both hands around it.

This time, he prepared to exert enough force to break bones.

But before that, Damien struck Edwin’s abdomen with his knee.

“Ugh!”

Sudden pain in his lower belly drained all his strength.

Not missing that moment, Damien punched his face again.

Crack!

Edwin grabbed his face and staggered backward.

However, this time, it didn’t end with just one hit.

“This bastard! How dare you touch our sister!”

Jutting forward, Damien punched Edwin’s side.

Every bone in his body ached.

“Yeah! I hit you! What are you going to do!”

Damien’s punches didn’t stop.

Successive assaults struck Edwin’s body all over.

Edwin Ryan Bloom tried to counter, but it was futile.

Damien Haksen’s punches landed unexpectedly.

Face, side, abdomen, ribs, and more. His body took hits in various places.

In the end, Ryan Bloom had no choice but to abandon his counterattacks. He hunched his body a bit to minimise the impact.

“I-I…”

“Ah, what?”

The startled knights couldn’t even think to intervene.

“Th-This bastard!”

That was the moment.

While he was receiving a barrage, Edwin lashed out in frustration, throwing a punch.

Damien easily evaded that punch, sweeping Ryan Bloom’s leg.

Ryan Bloom’s body floated momentarily before crashing to the ground. However, as he fell, his head hit the corner.

Edwin’s eyes rolled back, showing the whites.

“Young Master!”

“Are you alright?”

The guards were in a panic, shaking Edwin’s body vigorously.

Yet he couldn’t regain consciousness.

“Huh.”

Damien Haksen wiped his forehead as if feeling refreshed.

“Now that’s a bit relieving.”

Damien Haksen felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

He thoroughly thrashed Edwin Ryan Bloom , exerting himself vigorously yet not losing his breath.

These two facts immensely gratified Damien.

“All that training paid off.”

While feeling proud, Damien was interrupted.

Edwin, who had been unconscious, regained his senses.

Thud.

The moment he was back, Ryan Bloom stood up, grinding his teeth.

“Damien Haksen!”

Shouting vehemently, he pulled out his gloves from his pocket.

He threw them toward Damien’s face.

“I challenge you to a duel!”

“Finally accepting, I see.”

Damien grasped the gloves stuck on his face.

“If I win, don’t hold me responsible for what I’ve done.”

“Fine! But you have to agree to my condition too!”

“What’s that?”

“If one of us dies in the duel, don’t hold the survivor accountable!”

At that, Damien twisted the corner of his mouth.

“You are going to regret that.”

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