Chapter 2: Go All Out!

Gervas stood outside the wooden wall of the arena, holding a spear and wearing an old, clearly oversized leather armor.

The civil official began announcing to the audience the challenger for this round.

When the crowd learned the challenger was a minor noble's second son with no reputation, a chorus of boos erupted.

Commoners and serfs had little experience, but they were not fools.

This poor second son's armor didn't even fit—he was clearly borrowing it, and surely just a cannon fodder.

"I declare this round of challenge begun! Let us wish Gervas Gail success!"

The torrent of boos had no effect on the civil official; after a brief speech, he announced the challenge had begun.

"Kid, here's your stuff—the challenge starts now. I'll give you a chance: return the silver coin, and we'll let you out the moment it's over!" The soldiers who had just been "extorted" walked over and handed Gervas a porcelain bottle.

Gervas took the bottle first, then smiled and said, "Dream on!"

With that, Gervas stepped directly through the gate of the enclosure.

"You bastard!" The soldiers clenched their teeth in fury, but could do nothing—only hoping the Corroding Black Bear would be strong enough to tear the boy apart.

Roar! Roar! Roar!

Though deprived of sight and hearing, the Corroding Black Bear's sense of smell remained extremely sharp—it sensed Gervas's approach instantly.

The scent of living flesh made the already injured and enraged Corroding Black Bear even more furious, charging toward Gervas at full speed.

The massive bear exuded overwhelming power, yet its short-distance speed matched any predator—each step sent a thudding tremor through the ground.

Fifty meters, thirty meters, ten meters…

In an instant, the Corroding Black Bear lunged within striking distance.

"Ah!"

Gasps erupted from the crowd, especially among noble ladies and ladies—instinctively raising their hands to cover their eyes, unable to watch the bloody scene about to unfold.

Yet the high nobles looked puzzled. "Why isn't the boy running?"

"Yeah, just run two laps—once a minute passes, he can surrender. That shouldn't be too hard!"

"Could he be terrified into shock?"

"Possibly. Civil Official Poli, you'll need to spend time explaining and apologizing to this second son's father after the challenge ends!"

Civil Official Poli's face twisted in agony—just a moment ago, the boy seemed sharp, now he'd turned into an idiot.

Just as everyone believed Gervas was doomed, Gervas in the arena finally moved.

When the Corroding Black Bear was only two meters away, he flung a handful of red powder forward and simultaneously dove sideways to evade.

Aaaoo!

The black bear was struck by the red powder and let out a heart-wrenching, agonized roar.

Gervas, having dodged in time, safely avoided the charge and quickly pulled back over ten meters.

The Corroding Black Bear now had no attention left for Gervas—it staggered in place, shaking its head wildly and lashing out at random.

For the powder Gervas had thrown was chili powder.

The bear's sense of smell was no less acute than a dog's nose.

Thus, with its vision and hearing gone, and its smell overwhelmed by chili powder, it became a true "blind man" in moments.

"What happened? What did that second son do to the Corroding Black Bear?"

"No idea. Could that powder be some kind of poison?"

"But the Corroding Black Bear is a dark creature—it's immune to poison…"

Amid the crowd's confusion, Gervas confirmed the bear was thoroughly disoriented—he raised his spear and began advancing deliberately.

As the crowd gasped, convinced the second son had gone mad, Gervas thrust his spear straight at the bear's eye socket.

Roar!

Though he struck the bear's head, it only scraped a thin layer of skin off its thick skull.

The bear grew even more enraged.

Gervas stepped back two paces—he knew he had to strike fast, precise, and lethal at the bear's weakness.

"Die!"

Gervas charged again, seizing the moment to stab his spear with all his strength.

Plop!

This time, no resistance met his spear—the tip had pierced the bear's eye socket with perfect accuracy.

Gervas, fearing it wasn't enough, used every ounce of his strength to twist the spear shaft.

With a howl, the once violently thrashing Corroding Black Bear stiffened.

Thud! The Corroding Black Bear collapsed, lifeless.

"This…"

The arena fell silent. Everyone stared, stunned, at what had transpired inside.

Especially the second sons of the high nobles waiting for their own rounds.

They could not fathom how this lowly noble's second son had slain the Corroding Black Bear.

Was the Corroding Black Bear blind?

How could he kill it so easily?

In contrast to these high noble second sons, the commoners didn't care.

This lowly noble had slain the near-impossible Corroding Black Bear—a true, earth-shattering reversal.

Moreover, because of Gervas's impoverished status, they felt a personal sense of triumph—a common man's revenge fantasy fulfilled—and erupted in a tidal wave of cheers.

"Mighty! Gervas is mighty!"

"Gervas is mighty!"…

The commoners finally woke the stunned great nobles.

"Magistrate Poli, what shall we do now?" The great nobles looked at the magistrate with grim faces.

What shall we do?

Of course, we must hold a grand ceremony.

Magistrate Poli glanced sideways at the crowd of great nobles.

If it weren't for these fellows refusing to send their second sons to the field just now, how would that second son of a minor noble named Gervas have gotten the chance?

Now, having killed the Corrosive Black Bear under the gaze of the multitude, even if Magistrate Poli had ten thousand guts, he would not dare to tamper with things again.

Although one hundred gold coins are nice to take, compared to his position and his own life, they are not worth mentioning at all!

"Gervas Gail, do you swear loyalty to Lionheart VII, His Majesty the Great King Henrik?"

"I do!"

"Very well, I, Poli, hereby represent His Majesty King Henrik to announce: from this moment on, Gervas Gail is officially ennobled as a kingdom noble, with the title of Baron!"

"Congratulations, Baron Gervas. Here are your letters of ennoblement and the deed to your fief."

Taking the two parchment scrolls handed over by Magistrate Poli, Gervas became the focus of the multitude's gaze.

There was admiration, envy, jealousy, resentment, and also disdain.

Gervas did not care about these gazes; as a transmigrator with a system and now a fief, he felt he was about to take flight.

Opening the deed to his fief in his hand, he could not wait to see the location of his territory.

But upon looking, Gervas froze.

The Storm Fief on the edge of the Death Mountain Range, known as a place of death?

The four second sons of great nobles beside him, who had also been ennobled, caught sight of the words "Storm Fief" on his parchment scroll, and their expressions instantly became incredibly vivid.

"Hahaha!" The second sons of the great nobles could not help but laugh heartily.

"What's going on? What's so funny?"

"Yeah, what are they laughing at?"

The laughter of the few aroused the curiosity of many onlookers.

"Do you know where his fief is?"

"Where?"

"The Storm Fief! The Storm Fief near the Death Mountain Range!"

"Ah? That wretched place full of aliens and monsters? Other border fiefs might carry considerable danger to life if you go there, but going there means one hundred percent danger to life, a place where the lord has been replaced three times in over a decade?"

Obviously, the great nobles were very dissatisfied with this minor noble who had plucked their "fruit," and had made some small moves behind the scenes.