Chapter 139: The Blood Debt
The Duke was shaking.
Not enough for anyone else to notice, but Holden’s 10,000x processor caught the tiny tremors in his jaw and the way his breathing had become shallow and controlled.
Behind Holden, the broken mirror frame stood in the middle of the mess. Glass dust still floated through the air as the nobles picked themselves up, brushed off their clothes, and whispered among themselves.
A few of them were staring at Holden now.
The contempt in their eyes was gone.
The Duke stepped forward.
His voice was calm. Too calm.
"That artifact was a Second Age relic. A family heirloom that’s been passed down through the Sterling family for seven generations."
He glanced at the broken mirror.
"You broke it. Under Capital law, there’s a way to settle the debt."
His eyes returned to Holden.
"A sanctioned duel."
Lyra immediately stepped forward.
"Father, that law hasn’t been used in over a century. It’s barbaric—"
"Daughter."
The Duke didn’t even look at her.
"I’m speaking to Mr. Voss."
The ballroom went quiet.
The nobles who had been picking themselves up were now watching closely. Sparring matches at events like this were rare enough. A blood debt was almost unheard of.
Holden looked at the Duke.
"A duel? With who?"
The Duke smiled. It was the first real smile Holden had seen from him all night.
"My Head Bodyguard, of course. Just a friendly exchange. Nothing lethal."
His smile grew.
"Unless you’re afraid to face a real fighter after breaking an ancient mirror."
Renna grabbed Holden’s arm.
"Don’t, Holden. Seriously. This is obviously a trap. He’s going to send some huge scary guy after you and pretend it’s a sparring match. I can feel it in my bones. Literally. My bones are vibrating right now."
Emric leaned closer.
"The law does allow them to kill you if you can’t defend yourself properly," he said quietly. "So yeah... basically a legal way to murder someone."
"I know."
Holden looked at Lyra.
She stood stiffly with her hands clenched at her sides. Small bits of frost flickered around her fingers before she forced them away.
She couldn’t interfere. Not without making things worse.
Holden straightened his cuffs and walked toward the center of the ballroom.
"I accept."
The crowd quickly moved aside, leaving a wide space around the dance floor.
The quartet had already stopped playing.
A figure stepped out from the shadows near the Duke.
He was tall and lean, dressed in black clothes that showed off his wiry build. A black leather mask covered the lower half of his face, and two hooked blades hung from his waist.
He walked to the center without saying a word.
The nobles backed away.
Several of them recognized him.
"The Shade."
"Sterling’s executioner."
"I heard he’s killed over forty people."
"I heard he’s never lost."
The Shade stopped ten feet from Holden.
He pulled out his blades and crossed them in front of his chest.
Then he leaned forward.
"I’ll carve you to pieces, boy."
His voice was low.
"Slowly. I want to hear you scream."
Holden yawned right in his face.
"Sorry. i had a long train ride."
He looked at the man’s blades.
"Are we doing this or what?"
The Shade’s eyes narrowed.
A nervous-looking noble stepped forward. A gold chain hung around his neck as he raised one hand.
"This is a sanctioned Compensation Duel under Capital Law. The fight ends when one side gives up, is knocked unconscious, or can’t continue."
He hesitated.
"Lethal force is discouraged... but not prohibited."
The man swallowed.
"Begin on my mark."
The Shade dropped into a crouch. Shadow energy gathered around his feet, making the air shimmer.
Holden stayed where he was, relaxed.
He didn’t draw his sword.
The referee dropped his hand.
"Begin!"
The Shade vanished.
Shadow-step.
A Rank 2 movement technique that bent light around the user for a brief moment, making them almost impossible to see.
The first blade came from Holden’s left.
Holden’s hand moved.
Two fingers rested on the hilt of the Solar-Forged Sword. He had summoned it from his inventory, but only drew the blade an inch.
He tilted it sideways.
CLANG!
The Shade’s hooked blade bounced off the tiny piece of crimson steel.
The Shade appeared for a moment, surprise flashing in his eyes.
Then he vanished again.
The next attack came from behind low.
Straight for Holden’s knees.
Holden didn’t even turn.
He shifted his grip slightly.
CLANG!
The hook scraped across the Solar-Forged Sword, sending sparks across the floor.
"Your footwork is sloppy," Holden said.
He looked around.
"Try again."
The Shade attacked from above.
CLANG!
From the right.
CLANG!
Then came a spinning slash aimed straight at Holden’s chest.
CLANG!
Every attack hit the same piece of exposed blade.
Holden barely moved.
The nobles watched in silence.
The Shade was Rank 2, 9-Star. One of the strongest people at Rank 2. He had spent years mastering his shadow techniques.
And Holden was stopping every attack with two fingers.
"Stop playing with me!" the Shade shouted.
He landed a few feet away, breathing hard.
"I’m not playing with you."
Holden glanced at him.
"I’m teaching you. You should be paying attention."
The Shade’s face twisted with rage.
He screamed and poured all of his shadow energy into his body.
Then he charged.
Both blades spun in a deadly pattern, black energy trailing behind them.
This time, there was no attempt to hold back.
He was going for Holden’s throat.
Holden’s 10,000x processor caught every detail of the attack before the Shade could reach him. The angle of the blades. Their speed. The slight movement of the Shade’s body that gave away where he would strike.
Holden stepped to the side.
The blades passed within an inch of his chest.
At the same time, Holden’s foot shot forward.
It caught the Shade’s ankle.
The Shade stumbled.
His momentum carried him forward as his blades swung wide.
For one brief moment, the legendary executioner had completely lost his balance.
Holden raised his free hand.
A small ball of Asura energy formed in his palm.
He didn’t need much.
Holden pressed it against the back of the Shade’s head.
THUMP!
The Shade slammed into the floor face-first.
He didn’t get back up.
The shadow energy around his body flickered once before fading away.
[Ding!]
[Sterling Executioner (Rank 2, 9-Star) Defeated!]
[+2,000 KP]
[2x KP Booster Applied!]
[+4,000 KP!]
[KP Balance: 147,890 KP]
The ballroom was completely silent.
Holden could hear the chandeliers swaying above him.
He looked down at the unconscious Shade, then across the room.
The Duke was staring back at him.
All the color had drained from his face.
Holden brushed an invisible speck of dust from his sleeve and smiled.
"So..."
His voice carried across the silent ballroom.
"Do we consider the debt settled?"