River tried to walk past Alexander without saying a word.
Suddenly—
A hand grabbed his shoulder.
"Whoa, whoa," Alexander said with a chuckle. "Where do you think you're going?"
His grip tightened slightly.
"Your old party leader is standing right here. Show a little respect."
He leaned closer, grinning.
"Honestly, I'm surprised a brat like you isn't already dead."
Alexander's eyes shifted toward the two women behind River.
"Well, well… what's this?"
He smirked.
"Did you actually find new party members?"
His gaze slowly traveled up and down Celestia and Azura.
"If they weren't a filthy red-eyes and a dirty elf…"
He laughed.
"…they'd actually be pretty hot. Don't you think?"
River's hand tightened around his Bible.
"Forgive me, Father," he muttered quietly.
"For I am about to sin."
Inside the pages, Buer looked up curiously.
"Huh?"
Before Alexander could react—
THUD.
River slammed the Bible directly into his jaw.
The impact forced Alexander to stagger back a step.
Blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.
River stood there, breathing steadily.
"Say whatever trash you want about me," he said coldly.
"But don't you dare insult my friends."
Alexander slowly wiped the blood from his lip.
Then—
He started laughing.
"Well look at that," he said.
"Finally fighting back."
His grin widened.
"That's what I like to see."
He cracked his knuckles.
"So, how about it?"
Alexander tilted his head.
"Let's have a duel, little man."
River walked past him.
"I came here to eat."
His voice was calm.
"Not spill your guts."
Celestia followed behind him.
As she passed Alexander, she paused for just a moment.
"Oh, and just so you know," she said sweetly.
"I wouldn't sleep with you even if every other man and woman in the world disappeared."
She smiled brightly.
Then continued walking.
Azura didn't say a word.
She simply stuck her tongue out at Alexander and kept walking.
Suddenly—
Alexander grabbed her by the hair.
Azura gasped as he yanked her backward.
"What's a damn elf like you doing walking around without a collar anyway?" Alexander sneered.
His grip tightened.
"Don't think you can mock me and walk away."
River didn't raise his voice.
He didn't even move much.
"Wind Cutter."
A blade of compressed wind shot toward Alexander's arm.
Alexander's eyes widened.
He instantly let go of Azura before the attack could sever his hand.
The wind blade sliced past him and cut a deep line into the stone wall behind.
River stared at him coldly.
"Don't touch her."
He stepped forward.
"Got it?"
A tense silence filled the tavern.
Then River exhaled slowly.
"You want a duel?"
He gestured toward the door.
"Fine. Let's do it."
Inside the Bible, Buer snickered.
The two men walked outside.
Behind them, the tavern erupted into murmurs.
Many patrons quickly finished their drinks and paid their tabs.
No adventurer wanted to miss a fight.
Soon a crowd gathered outside the restaurant.
Alexander rolled his shoulders as he drew his sword.
"That wind cutter was pretty nice," he said mockingly.
He grinned.
"Look at that. You've upgraded from first-floor trash to second-floor trash."
River ignored the insult.
He leaned slightly toward his Bible.
"Buer," he whispered.
"I'll say I'm doing this for my party…"
His eyes narrowed.
"But honestly?"
"I just want to beat the hell out of him for pissing me off."
He glanced down at the book.
"Does that count as a sin in your book?"
Buer laughed quietly.
"Absolutely."
The demon sounded delighted.
"I always assumed lust or envy would be your vice."
His tone grew amused.
"But I'm quite enjoying this wrathful side of you."
River smirked slightly.
"Of course I'm wrathful."
He adjusted his grip on his staff.
"I've got an annoying demon whispering in my ear every day."
Buer chuckled.
Across from him, Alexander raised his sword.
Knights were frontline fighters.
Warriors who specialized in direct combat and overwhelming power.
Alexander wasn't just any knight.
Only exceptional knights were granted titles.
Celestia had earned the title White Rabbit Knight because of her incredible speed.
Alexander's title was different.
He was known as the Roaring Lion Knight.
They said every time his sword struck—
It sounded like a lion roaring across the battlefield.
Alexander moved first.
He rushed forward and brought his sword down in a brutal overhead slash.
River reacted instantly.
CLANG.
He raised his staff just in time.
The impact rattled his arms.
Alexander's strength was overwhelming—River could barely hold the weapon back.
"Wind Magic — Gentle Breeze."
A soft current of air wrapped around River's body.
His footing lightened.
Using the sudden burst of speed, River slipped out of the clash and slid backward across the ground.
Distance.
That was what he needed.
The moment space opened between them—
River fired.
"Wind Cutter!"
A blade of air shot forward.
Alexander swung his sword.
CLANG.
The wind blade shattered.
River fired again.
"Wind Cutter!"
Another blade.
Another effortless parry.
For most people, River was known as a cleric.
After all, having an affinity for light magic was rare.
But few people knew—
River was equally talented with wind magic.
Alexander grinned wider with every exchange.
"This is fun!"
He rushed forward again.
"Come on, little man! Keep attacking!"
His grin grew wild.
"I might actually have to start using some of my stronger attacks!"
River dodged the incoming strikes one after another.
Each swing of Alexander's sword carved deep grooves into the dirt.
River's wind magic boosted his speed just enough to stay out of reach.
Then—
Alexander jumped.
River's eyes widened.
He knew this move.
"Barrier!"
A wall of light formed instantly in front of him.
Alexander came crashing down.
His sword struck with explosive force.
Lightning burst from the blade.
A deafening roar echoed through the street—
Like the cry of a lion descending from the sky.
The barrier trembled violently.
Cracks of light spread across its surface.
But it held.
Barely.
Alexander landed smoothly.
His eyes drifted toward River's weapon.
"That staff is pretty nice," he said.
His tone carried mock curiosity.
"Where'd a chump like you get something like that?"
River smirked.
"Your mom's house."
Alexander blinked.
"It's the pole she used to dance on."
For a brief moment—
The crowd went silent.
River immediately used a gust of wind to retreat again.
He knew exactly what he was doing.
Making Alexander angry.
Inside the Bible, Buer was laughing so hard he could barely breathe.
"Stay focused, Buer," River muttered under his breath.
"You're still my ace in the hole for this fight."
River glanced up at Alexander.
The knight's face had twisted with irritation.
"Come on," River said mockingly. "Are you really getting mad at someone you kicked out of your party for being too weak?"
Alexander didn't answer.
But River could see it clearly now.
The anger.
Each swing of Alexander's sword became more aggressive.
More reckless.
River forced himself to stay calm.
He wasn't trying to win through strength.
He was waiting.
Waiting for one moment.
"Is that all you've got?" River called out.
He slid back as another strike narrowly missed him.
"I thought you'd do a little better than this."
River casually lifted his hand.
A pulse of healing magic spread across his body.
"Look at me," River continued.
"I haven't even needed to heal myself yet."
Alexander's patience snapped.
"Fine."
Mana surged around his sword.
"You want me to actually attack?"
The air around the blade began to crackle.
"Then so be it."
Unlike mages or clerics, knights didn't cast spells directly.
Instead—
They channeled their mana into their weapons.
Converting magic into devastating attacks.
And Alexander possessed a rare affinity.
Lightning magic.
A dangerous branch of wind magic.
Electric arcs crawled across the blade as power gathered.
River smiled.
"Perfect."
Inside the Bible, Buer suddenly stopped laughing.
"…You're insane."
The demon sounded almost concerned.
"He's about to kill you."
River's eyes didn't waver.
"That's exactly what I need."
He tightened his grip on his staff.
"No spell I know can overpower him."
He exhaled slowly.
"So I'll bet everything on this one moment."
Lightning surged violently around Alexander's sword.
The weapon roared with power—
Like a lion preparing to tear apart its prey.
"Buer," River said quietly.
"Has my wrath stacked up enough power?"
Inside the Bible, the demon hummed.
"Yeah," Buer replied. "You've built up a decent amount."
He chuckled.
"But it won't help much if you end up dead."
River smirked.
"That's fine."
He tightened his grip on his staff.
"Use that power to help me cast Thought Acceleration."
Buer paused.
"…You're serious?"
River didn't answer.
Mana surged around him.
"Thought Acceleration."
The spell activated.
Instantly—
The world slowed.
Alexander's movements became heavy and sluggish, as if the air itself had thickened.
But River knew the truth.
It wasn't the world slowing down.
His mind had sped up.
Thought Acceleration was a support spell normally cast on knights. It allowed them to process information faster during combat.
Every movement.
Every shift in muscle.
Every tiny change in balance.
River could see it all now.
He smiled.
"Now then…"
He whispered to the Bible.
"You remember the freebie you owe me, right?"
Buer groaned.
"…Unfortunately."
River adjusted his grip on the staff.
"When the time comes," he said calmly, "I'm going to cast Perfect Counter."
Buer clicked his tongue.
"Do you even realize how ridiculous that spell is?"
Perfect Counter was infamous.
A spell that almost never worked.
To use it, the caster had to prepare a precise counter-point on their weapon beforehand.
Then—
Within one hundredth of a millisecond—
They had to channel mana into that exact point the moment the enemy's attack struck.
If the timing was perfect…
The attack would be redirected back at the enemy.
Miss the timing—
And the user would receive a backlash.
River exhaled slowly.
He had seen Alexander perform this attack hundreds of times before.
Back when they were still in the same party.
He knew exactly what was coming.
Lightning surged across Alexander's blade.
The roar of a lion echoed through the street.
River lowered his stance.
And smiled.
"Come on, lion cub."
He raised his staff.
"Show me your finisher."
Alexander moved.
He rushed forward—
Then leaped into the air.
Lightning erupted from his blade as mana exploded outward. The weapon roared like a lion descending from the heavens.
River felt the pressure instantly.
The sheer force of the attack made his knees tremble.
This is it.
As the blade came crashing down—
River thrust his staff forward.
"Perfect Counter!"
Under normal circumstances, the spell would have failed instantly.
Perfect Counter was infamous for a reason.
Even experienced mages could barely activate it.
But River had two advantages.
First—
Thought Acceleration.
With his mind moving far faster than normal, the moment stretched endlessly before him.
Second—
This was an attack he had seen hundreds of times.
He knew the exact motion.
The exact timing.
The exact angle.
Normally, even with all of that—
His odds would only rise to about three percent.
Still nearly impossible.
Then there was the third factor.
Onyx January.
A weapon that responded to its wielder's will.
A weapon that became whatever its master needed most.
And in that moment—
More than anything in the world—
River needed this spell to work.
The staff trembled.
The counter-point aligned perfectly.
The lightning strike met the staff.
For a single moment—
Everything froze.
Then the force exploded outward.
When the dust settled—
River was on his knees.
Blood poured from his mouth.
Even his tears had turned red.
Across the street—
Alexander's body slammed violently into a stone wall.
The ground cracked from the impact.
He collapsed to the ground, covered in blood.
Alive—
But barely.
River forced the last scraps of mana in his body into his legs.
"Heal…"
The weak spell barely worked.
Still—
It was enough.
He pushed himself up.
The crowd watched in stunned silence.
River raised his shaking staff.
"I win…"
Then the strength left his body.
He collapsed forward.
But before he could hit the ground—
Celestia caught him.
She held him tightly against her chest.
"You were so brave, River."
Her voice softened.
"Good work, my love."
She gently kissed his forehead.
Then she glanced toward Azura.
"…Don't tell him about that."
Azura crossed her arms thoughtfully.
"Sure."
Her ears twitched slightly.
"But only if you treat me to a really good meal tomorrow."
Celestia smiled.
"…Deal."
By then, several clerics from the town had already arrived.
They rushed forward, immediately beginning emergency healing spells.
Both fighters were on the brink of death.
And the healers worked desperately to keep them alive.