Chapter 179

Lukas realised that when the loyalty stat passed 80, new information would be revealed in the status window.

And this information actually included the feelings that person had towards him.

It seemed that Bargan fully trusted him now. He could tell as much just by taking a single glance at the status window. This meant that he would probably tell him everything about what was happening in Lirua.

“The darkness in this city is much deeper and more dangerous than you think, my Lord. Of course, I don’t mean to underestimate you. But if you were to really listen to what I have to say… it might put you in danger.”

“It’s fine, you can tell me.”

“…understood.”

Just as Bargan opened his mouth with a heavy expression on his face.

Creak-

The door opened and a group walked into the bar.

Lukas’ eyes turned to look at them. He wasn’t the only one, and the reason for this was obvious.

It was because this group was being so obnoxiously loud, that they filled the entire first floor of the inn with their noise, and they acted like the entire world revolved around them.

By the look of them, it could be assumed that they were Fighters.

Nevertheless, Lukas soon took his eyes off of them before turning back to Bargan. Since the first floor had become so noisy, it would be better to go up to their room before continuing the conversation.

However, he saw that Bargan was staring at this group with a hard expression.

“Bargan.”

“Ah… Yes. Yes. I’m sorry.”

Bargan shook his head, quickly returning to his senses.

Deciding not to mention it, Lukas continued in a calm voice.

“It’s noisy here, let’s go up.”

“…I think that would be a good idea.”

With that said, the two of them got up from their seats and went up to the second floor. Or, to be precise, they tried to do so.

“Bargan?”

Someone called Bargan’s name.

Bargan stopped walking, his expression becoming even more severe.

“Right, it’s Bargan.”

Did he know Bargan?

However, maybe because of his exuberant mood, the man’s voice seemed to have a hint of ridicule mixed into it.

Lukas turned around to look at the person who called out to Bargan, and upon seeing the man’s face, he knew that it wasn’t because of his mood.

“The cowardly bastard who ran away like a dog with his tail between his legs has returned to Lirua?”

The one who spoke was an extremely large man who had nothing but sarcasm and contempt on his face.

However, the problem was that it wasn’t just the man. All of the Fighters around also had similar expressions on their faces.

“Bargan? The guy who got kicked out of the arena and became a wanderer?”

“Rumor had it that he’d been drifting around the area near Herui.”

“Ha! How pathetic. I can’t believe he decided to settle in a small city like that… It’s a disgrace to the Lirua arena.”

One by one, they all shouted their own insulting remarks.

Some of them even spat on the floor, saying that their alcohol had lost its taste.

Bargan took a deep breath before turning around to look at them. By then, his expression had become much colder.

“…long time no see, Himba.”

“Right. It’s been about 10 years, hasn’t it?”

“It should have been longer.”

“Kukuku.”

Himba chuckled.

“Come drink with us. It’s been so long, let’s have a good talk.”

“No. I’m busy right now, so I’m just going to leave.”

After shooting those words back with a cold tone, Bargan turned around again. But Himba spoke in an exaggerated tone.

“Uhuh. You don’t have to be ashamed. It’s been a long time since we last saw each other. Or is it that you can’t afford it? Don’t worry, it’ll be my treat. As you know, Lirua’s Fighters never lack money.”

“…”

Bargan’s expression became filled with contempt. He clenched and unclenched his fist a few times. He knew that if he were to stay, he would no longer be able to control his emotions.

“My Lord is waiting for me.”

“…Lord?”

Himba asked with genuine surprise before turning to look at Lukas for the first time.

Then, he asked with an even more bewildered expression.

“That wimpy looking man over there is your Lord?”

* * *

Wimpy man.

Lukas looked down at his forearms.

Now that he thought about it, he’d always heard people mention how thin he was. Even though he’d done his best to train his body when he was fighting against the Demigods or when he had become ‘Frey Blake’ his body had always been like this.

‘Now that I have a different body…’

He could practice martial arts and develop his body.

When he thought about that, the first thing that came to mind was the Warrior King Fist. It was the perfect martial art for developing and building muscles.

But for now, Lukas didn’t really have any desire to practice the Warrior King Fist.

“Ah. Don’t be scared, little man. Even though I look like this, I’m not that type of person.”

Himba grinned slightly as he said that.

Lukas, who had been lost in thought for a while, finally raised his head and looked at him.

“What do you mean?”

“I would never attack someone who isn’t even a Fighter.”

“…”

When Lukas failed to respond, Himba seemed to have come to the conclusion that he was scared stiff. It was a big mistake, but Lukas didn’t bother to correct it.

Instead, it was Bargan who could no longer contain his anger. He gritted his teeth roughly as glared at Himba.

He had long become used to others mocking him. In fact, at this point, it didn’t even bother him.

However, when he saw them looking down on and mocking Lukas right in front of him, Bargan found that he could barely hold himself back.

Several times, his lord had been insulted by someone.

Now, he could no longer contain his anger.

“You guys…”

“Enough.”

It was none other than Lukas who had stopped Bargan, whose aura had erupted as though he was about to attack.

Bargan turned to Lukas with a puzzled expression.

“My Lord.”

“We just came to Lirua. It would be better to not cause a commotion.”

“…understood.”

Himba looked at him with an expression of disgust and pity.

In the past, he was the ‘Headsmasher Bargan’, a Fighter admired by all of Lirua. But now, he was nothing more than the subordinate of someone who appeared to be an outsider.

Moreover, Lukas’ ‘shabby’ appearance made Bargan seem even more pathetic.

Lukas also sensed the meaning in Himba’s gaze, but he still turned and headed upstairs without any other reaction.

This was blatant disregard, but to Himba, it only looked like he was running away.

“Kikiki.”

“Be careful on your way, cowards.”

His companions also waved their hands and jeered as they left, but Lukas never looked back in the end.

Click-

The bedroom door closed.

The interior of the room was neither too spacious nor too narrow, but it had everything that it should.

Beds, chairs, a table, a window, and a sink to wash their faces.

Lukas gave a cursory glance around the room before pulling one of the chairs, sitting down, and looking at Bargan.

Bargan stared out of the window for a while, and it seemed that he had something on his mind. Finally, he slowly raised his head as he felt Lukas’ gaze.

“…the Major City Lord of Lirua.”

Bargan’s voice was soft. This was proof that he’d regained his composure.

“Is a man named Kangki”

“That’s a funny name.”

A smile threatened to spread across Bargan’s face at Lukas’ honest statement.

“Yes. However, no one on Combat Island would ever laugh when they heard that name. Instead, they would be filled with awe and admiration.”

“Because he is a Major City Lord?”

“That is one of the reasons, but the most important reason is that he is a former Grand Champion.”

Lukas couldn’t help but be a bit surprised by this statement.

Grand Champion.

In other words, Kangki had once completed his goal of becoming a Champion and winning the Championship.

“He also won the title of Champion in as many as 16 cities. Kangki is… one of the strongest Fighters in the world.”

“Is that still true?”

“Probably. He was never the type to neglect his training just because he earned the title of Major City Lord. Sometimes he even participates in exhibition matches, where he would overpower the current active Fighters as if it was nothing.”

Lukas, who was even more confused at that moment, couldn’t help but ask.

“And you’re saying that such a man condones match-fixing? Someone who was once the Grand Champion?”

“It’s not just condoning. Kangki is… the one who started it all.”