Overlord: The Last Player

Royal City of Re-Estize~

At the heart of the capital, atop a prominent hill, stood the majestic royal castle of Ro-Lent.

Visible from afar, the castle was surrounded by a massive circular wall, fortified by over twenty colossal towers, connected seamlessly.

This structure separated the royal castle from the city's populace, while the elevation symbolized its dominance over everyone.

Beneath the hill, on the western side, lay a colossal coliseum, the traditional venue for the annual "Royal Combat Trials". These trials were more than mere festivities—they served as a display of the Re-Estize Kingdom's martial prowess to outsiders.

.......

The deafening roar of the crowd filled the coliseum.

Amidst the bustling sea of spectators, Aron reluctantly made his way to one of the seats in the outermost ring.

He settled into his spot and cast his gaze toward the enormous platform at the center of the arena. From his distant vantage point, the fighters on the stage appeared as mere silhouettes.

Yet, even such a distant seat had cost him a steep "five silver coins."

"Quite the lucrative business," Aron muttered, scanning the tightly packed crowd around him.

The sheer number of attendees validated the event's appeal as a piece of living history.

But still—

"If I'd known it'd cost this much, I wouldn't have come," Aron thought bitterly, knowing the outcome of the duel beforehand.

Neither "Gazef Stronoff" nor "Brain Unglaus", had made their entrance yet. Meanwhile, figures on the platform below seemed to be conducting inspections.

To the north of the platform stood a towering structure: the only viewing area elevated higher than the rest of the arena.

It wasn't hard to guess.

That area was undoubtedly reserved for the kingdom's royals and nobles.

In stark contrast to the lively atmosphere elsewhere, this section was eerily quiet—almost unnaturally so.

The oppressive silence emanating from the noble's viewing area seemed to dampen the enthusiasm of the surrounding audience. Gradually, the previously boisterous chatter subsided.

Aron adjusted the collar of his rough, plain shirt and shrugged in boredom. His calm eyes took in the scene with mild disinterest.

While the general crowd might not have understood the cause of this unnerving atmosphere, Aron was well aware.

The trials, at least on the surface, were about finding the kingdom's most capable warriors and showcasing national strength.

But in reality—

The "Royal Combat Trials" were nothing more than a stage for nobles to flaunt their warriors and personal strength.

For commoners who participated, they were mere stepping stones for these aristocrats.

This dynamic stemmed from the kingdom's intricate noble hierarchy.

Only the eldest sons of noble houses could inherit titles, leaving younger sons to seek alternative paths, one of which was the title of "Knight."

This rank, though hereditary for one generation only and without land, still conferred noble status.

It was a coveted title among younger noble sons—not just for the prestige but also for the royal stipend that came with it, which guaranteed a comfortable life.

The "Royal Combat Trials" became a legitimate channel for this system. Talented noble scions who excelled in the trials could earn the title of "Knight."

However, in recent years, some commoner adventurers had begun defeating noble contestants, causing widespread discontent among the aristocracy.

Now, with the rise of Gazef and Brain, who had fought their way to the top in spectacular fashion, the trials had effectively become a stage for commoners to dominate.

........

"Ha," Aron chuckled, imagining the sour faces of the nobles.

When Gazef triumphed, he should have been granted the "Knight" title. Instead, the kingdom created a new position, "Captain of the Warrior Troops", to placate the nobility.

The duel between Gazef and Brain became legendary among commoners, marking the end of the "Royal Combat Trials". No noble wanted a repeat of this scenario.

But for Aron, this drama held little significance.

Compared to the colossal threat of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, these events were mere trifles. Regardless of how much the nobles protested, this duel was unstoppable.

......

About ten minutes later, Aron straightened in his seat, his gaze sharpening as Gazef and Brain stepped onto the platform.

The two shook hands briefly, exchanging a few words, though from Aron's distant seat, he couldn't hear their conversation.

Soon, they parted, putting a measured distance between them before turning to face each other.

At that moment, the entire arena fell silent.

All eyes were on the two combatants, the crowd collectively holding their breath so as not to disturb the imminent clash.

With a sharp burst of movement, both fighters charged. Despite a twenty-meter gap, they collided in an instant.

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

Their swords clashed, sending bright sparks into the air.

"So fast!" Aron's eyes widened in shock, barely able to follow their movements. The rapid swings of their swords were a blur, visible only as streaks of light punctuated by explosions of sparks.

"These guys are on a completely different level," Aron muttered, leaning back.

Witnessing such power firsthand was far more impactful than seeing it in anime or reading about it in novels.

This was merely the level of fighters in their early twenties. For the first time, Aron found himself empathizing with Brain's sense of despair when facing an overwhelming opponent like Shalltear Bloodfallen.

"Nail Clipper" wasn't a derogatory nickname—it was a mark of hard-earned respect.

......

Suddenly, a faint blue glow enveloped Brain as he activated a combat skill.

*Whoosh!*

In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind Gazef, but Gazef, anticipating the move, rolled away to create distance.

"So that's a Martial Art," Aron murmured in awe.

Martial Arts, unique to this world and absent in YGGDRASIL, were akin to a warrior's version of magic. These techniques consumed 'focus points', essentially mental stamina, and excessive use led to fatigue.

Unlike game mechanics, these techniques felt far more grounded and realistic.

......

Then—

[Ding!]

A translucent panel appeared before Aron, displaying a prompt:

[Skill Detected: Flowing Acceleration]

[Requirement: Basic Warrior-Class]

[Class (Condition Not Met)]

["Genius" Class Activated. Requirement Overridden. Skill Available for Learning]

[Consume 1 Skill Point to Learn?]

Staring at the message, Aron's eyes flickered with surprise and realization.

"So that's how skill points work," he muttered to himself, a smile slowly spreading across his face.