The unknown object fell to the ground, rolling for a bit before stopping in front of his leg. Confused, he glanced only momentarily at it before looking back at the new face.
A tall woman, with tanned bronze skin and red tattoos covering her body stood there. Her brown hair was only up until her shoulders, and she seized Magnus up and down.
"Who the hell are you..." unbothered, he glanced at the item at his feet. A rusted metal glove lay there, it's meaning clear.
"And why are you requesting a duel to someone you just met?" Genuine curiosity was the only emotion he felt. 'Who in their right mind challanges someone without even knowing them?'
"You bark too much, Azel dog. Pick it up, will ya?" her voice, hoarse, contained a barely concealed rage.
Confused, Magnus bent down and picked up the glove, signifying he accepted the duel.
"As per tradition, it starts once it falls to the ground. Do you accept?" he inquired, confused, as he also seized up the woman. Although she was strong, and might match a normal knight, but he was now far stronger than a normal knight.
Even if a normal knight got one or two enhancements, like the regeneration on Werner, they would outright die if Magnus crushed their head.
"Agreed." she replied, raising her sword. Seemingly made from bone or tooth, the edge wasn't exceptionally sharp. And although not as large as a proper knights greatsword, it still was not something the average human could wield.
He threw the gauntlet into the air casually. A second passed, and it hit the ground.
"Ha-"
The woman kept towards him, opting for a vertical slash to cleave him in two. Seeing Magnus punch towards the blade, a smirk crept on her lips.
'I'll cut you down, moro-'
CRUSH!
The metal gauntlet broke through the bone sword as if it was plastic, before it firmly clutched the woman's neck. The woman tried breaking free of his grasp, panicking, even throwing kicks at him which he easily deflected. Gradually, her resistance grew weaker and he slightly relaxed his grip, allowing air to flow into her lungs once more.
"Is this the best you got?" Magnus asked, still confused as he clutched her neck. "I expected something more since you challanged a knight, but you would never beat one in a proper fight. Speak, why did you do something so moronic?"
Seeing her start struggling in his grasp once more, a sudden feeling of annoyance swept over him. He lightly exerted his strength, throwing her into one of the blue towers.
With a soft sound, the woman's upper body got embedded into it, her lower end sticking out.
A realisation dawned on Magnus, recalling that now the roles were reversed. Previously, Werner toyed with him, and now that the roles were reverse and he understood why.
The tingling he felt, the excitement, the exhilarating feel of being powerful. 'Power corrupts, absolute power absolutely corrupts! I must never get careless as this is like a poison hahaha!'
The woman freed herself from the tower, and she started peeling off the blue gunk off her face while coughing.
Walking up to her, he spoke while standing behind her, "Wanna talk now or do you need to be persuaded a bit more?" before placing his hand in her head.
"Hands of-" she tried to protest, yet she after another minute of struggling, she gave up. "Kill me and don't humiliate me you-"
Shushing her with his hand, "I'm not interested in killing you, I want info, who are you and why do you want me dead. Speak up and I won't bully you anymore."
Removing his hand, she rubbed her throat while shooting him a hateful look, "A dog of Azel asks why he is hated? You know your crimes!"
"I don't. I joined the knights because I lost in a duel, and it was either going back on my word or joining them. Simple as that, really." he spoke, before waving his hand. "And from what I've seen, the knights are beloved by Azel citizens, even if they are slightly insane due to the physical strengthening."
"Yeah, because they don't see what you do in other countries! Because they don't see you rip apart the young and the old, and because you're on their side!" her shouting got louder and louder, before she took a deep breath.
"Yeah I know they're monsters, I've lost my first friend due to them." before he added mentally, 'in this world, at least.'
"So how can you side with them! Shouldn't you have fought to your last to get revenge!?"
He replied, each word more quiet than the last, barely audible by the end, "If I die, I can't get revenge. If I die, my friends sacrifice will be in vain. If I die, I won't get to see the damn empire burn. Simple as that, really..." his words trailed off, his gaze becoming unfocused.
A conflicted look appeared in the woman's eyes, before she asked quietly, "You want to burn the empire from the inside out? You may be strong but you're not a Grand Knight, and they have countless monsters above even Grand Knights in their ranks."
"If I live long enough, I can do it. And I'm not gona burn everything down, the common citizens aren't at fault for the crimes of the nobles." A resolve burned in his eyes, prompting the woman to fall silent.
'Some things were better left unsaid, after all.'
"Is that why you didn't kill me? Because we both hate Azel?" she replied, hopeful.
"Nope." he replied, having an idea suddenly. 'Can I make her my subordinate and order her around?'
"Huh?"
"Become my subordinate or I'll beat you up until you agree." he looked her dead in the eye.
"... You gotta be fucking kidding me."
"I'll burn down the empire but you gotta help me. A fair deal, isn't it?" Magnus smiled.
"Do I even have a choice? I don't. I thought you were different for one second but you're just as crazy of a bastard as them."
"I gu-" he was about to give up, since he wasn't serious about her joining him.
"I accept."
"Huh?" it was Magnus turn to be confused.