Isekai Absolute Copy and Online Shopping

Chapter 110: Gart's Challenge (SS)

After playing with Lala and bade the mother and daughter as well as all the orphanage children and caretaker farewell, I decided to go back home throughout Al manor together with Anna.

Even though I could take Anna with my teleportation into my hidden base directly, but I pressed that thought as I quite curious about her circumstances between the orphanage and her.

Not only that, since I need to talk and ask her about the progress of the condition I gave to her before, it would be good to walk and have a conversation with her about these things along the way.

Of course, since my fame in this town quite big and would hinder our journey later if I didn't do something about my appearance, I didn't forget to wear my cloak and cover my face with the Illusive Barrier like before.

[So, did you build the Orphanage in that slum?]

Hearing my question, Anna silently glanced at me as she wondered why I suddenly asked her this question. 

She hesitated for a while before telling me about her circumstance and her relationship with that Orphanage.

[Yes, I build that orphanage 7 years ago after seeing a lot of poor women decided to abandon their children in that Slum to suffer and malnourished, I start taking the initiative to build that Orphanage. As you already know, I'm not into riches and golds, so I spent most of my earnings to build the orphanage and helping the disabilities veteran adventurer that have nowhere to go, a job to guard the slum area for the decent poor people live there safely]

[Umu, you're very benevolent aren't you?

If it was me, I'll just leave them all alone, and just taking a few people that I fancy of and interest in to help

I'm not that benevolent after all...

did you regret it now after knowing my true nature?]

Hearing my question, she looked at me weirdly before started answering me in a confused tone

[Sir Alex, I don't think you're a bad person by nature? Why do you always thought as if you're a bad person?]

[Because I always thought of myself I am, maybe it makes me better to think that way as it will lessen my burden when facing the expectation coming from someone else. Just so you know, I don't like to think of myself as a good person. I don't want people to think I help them because of my benevolence, the same thing happen with your case, I help you because I get something in it and we have the same enemy. I just want to help others if I concern and I think if it needed to]

[Umu, I think your mindset is quite reasonable. Anyway, most of the people in this world tend to have this kind of mindset and I don't have a problem with it. So, of course, I will not regret my decision by following you and being yours]

Hearing her firmed resolution, I peeked at her expression and somewhat sensed a hint of lingering feeling from her eyes

'Did she worried about the Orphanage and the Slum residents?'

I noticed that it was quite a possible explanation from her expression she made right now and decided to reassure her.

[Don't worry, I will do something about that slum area of course, I help them not for a charity, but it's just me that needs a lot of manpower to begin with. And since I decided to help them, they need to get training first, to be able to work under me properly and erased their lackluster habit they have all this time by living in that slum.

As for the disabled one, I will try to make some artificial limbs from them later. Anyway, it's in line with my research on a mechanical and artificial limb so just count it as their luck to get my help]

Hearing me suddenly saying these things, Anna looked at me gratefully as she bit her lips to hide her expression in front of me

[Thank you]

[Don't mind it, come to think of it, How about Gart, did you already told him your decision?]

As I asked her this question, unbeknown to us, we're already arrived outside of Al manor vicinity. Anna who wanted to answer my question suddenly stopped her feet and stare at the person not far from her

[Alex! I propose a duel!]

Hearing a familiar manly voice shouting at me, I somewhat recognized the person who seemed angrily approaching my direction without looking at it. I looked at Anna's face, only found she already had a bitter expression as she stared at the approaching burly handsome man.

Yes! That burly handsome man who shouting toward me was Gart! For some reason, I saw Alexa and the priest Damian quietly watching the situation far behind Gart.

After realizing what Anna's expression implied by reading the sudden situation that happened in front of me right now, I shook my head helplessly

'It seems my intuition is correct this Gart, he has a hidden feeling toward Anna. It's good that I give her a chance to tell her decision toward him as Anna look quite numb and insensitive about people feelings'

As I having this thought, Gart already arrived in front of both of us as he stared at me with a burning fighting spirit. I silently observed his expression and sense a lot of emotion jumbled together from his eyes.

There's gratefulness, a bitterness, and helplessness mixed together and hid by his fighting intent and slight anger.

'Umu, it seems the situation became more manageable, it's good if he still recognizes me as his friend. 

And confronting it face to face is better than sneakily trying to hide this thing in the first place but this Gart I wonder how he can recognize me when I just wearing a cloak and cover my face with the Illusive Barrier mask, he's quite good'

After realizing that I had to face him directly to settle this problem, I decide to undo my Illusive barrier and unveiled the hoodie of the cloak that covering my head to show my appearance.

[Gart frankly speaking, I don't have a grudge with you, but since I understand your feeling, that's why I give this condition to Anna I know you'll respect her decision right? and one more thing I need to remind you, maybe it will be harsh if I said this directly to you, but since I always respect you as my friend, I have to say it. You're not my match, so please stop this dueling thing]

[I know it already, there's no way I can beat you if it's an ordinary duel, so I propose a sword duel! And Alex, even though I grateful you consider my feeling as a friend, but you should know! As a man, I can't give up that easily! So if you want to convince me to give up, you have to beat me in a sword duel!]

As I tried to answer him, I suddenly turned my head toward my surroundings and saw some of the townfolks not far from Al manor vicinity already started gathering around to see what happened after hearing Gart's loud voice.

[Hey, isn't that Gart? And wow!! It's the Immortal Dragon Alex! Did they want to do a sword duel? It'll be interesting for sure!]

[The TwinBlade Gart and the Immortal Dragon Alex Sword Duel! If it's an ordinary duel, I can be confident to bet Alex will 100% win the duel, but since it's a sword duel, there's a chance that Gart can win this!]

[Everyone, place your bet here!!]

[hey! 1 silver for Gart!]

[10 silver for Alex!]

[Let me in, 1 gold for Gart!]

[Hey, are you losing your mind? Alex is grandmaster you know?!]

As the crowd started to gather, they became rowdier and even started making a bet between our duel. Looking at the situation that could escalate and out of hand at any moment, I decided to teleport Gart, Anna, and myself outside the town vicinity.

Seeing a teleportation magic circle started surrounding our body, some of the knowledgeable townsfolk realized what was I trying to do and became disappointed as they started telling the people around them.

Without hearing these people trying to complain, I had already teleported the three of us to the destination, the Arkham forest outskirt not far from arkhaim town.

After checking the surrounding and confirming the safety of this place, I shrugged helplessly and looked at Gart once again

[Are you sure you want to have a duel with me?]

Gart nodding his head with a resolute expression as he gazed at my eyes seriously.

[Anna, please take some distance, since he wants to prove something to you, you have to honor his feeling]

Anna silently nodded her head before leaving some spaces for both me and Gart to have a place for our sword duel.

I just realized that I already lost my sword when fighting with Immortal Ogres and decided to control a lighting element into a lightning sword in my hand and swung it to examine it.

[I'm sorry since I broke my original sword, I'll use my lighting ability to create a temporary one for this duel.]

[Don't worry, as long as you don't use it as magic, I don't have any problem with it]

Seeing me already prepared myself, Gart unsheathed the two swords from his back as he gazed at me seriously.

After confirming the lighting sword in my hand really function just like an ordinary sword, I moved my gaze from my sword to Gart and pointing my lightning sword at him

[Come, give me your all]

[Haaaaaaaahttt!!!!]

With the Gart's high spirit scream, our sword duel began! 

Or it should be

[Stardust Streeeammmm!!!!]

I stunned and became flabbergasted after hearing his skill name

'Kir***to, is that truly you?!!'

Gart swiftly swinging his two swords as I evaded it effortlessly. 

'As expected, the gap of status between us is very tremendous...'

With just my raw status alone, I could feel myself to overwhelm Gart in any area. 

'His sword technique isn't that great either'

Since I found a lot of opening from his form, I decided to take advantage of that and swinging my lightning sword at a lightning speed as my hand started blurring!

Since there's already no meaning between this duel, I decided to end this meaningless duel earlier.

'Anyway, it'll be rude if I held my strength here too'

Swuussh

Swussh

Slasshh

[Gurrghhhhh!!!]

After taking three strikes from me, I realized that I almost depleted all his HP with the last strike and decided to add lighting energy to it.

With my third imbued with lightning energy, He started to lose his consciousness from it as the lightning energy made his body numb and paralyzed him. 

Brughh~

His body fell to the ground weakly as I saw his HP already drop to the very low

'It seems my attack power becomes more ridiculous as expected, the gap between the grandmaster and ordinary powerhouse is really huge I'm glad I teleported us to this barren place, or I will hurt Gart self-esteem for sure wait->

After realizing something I hurriedly moving my gaze toward Anna's direction and saw her speechlessly looking at Gart with a hint of pity in her gaze.

Looking at this, I gazed back toward Gart's direction and realized the worst possibility in my mind really happened. I saw his eyes already became blank as no vigor or spirit could be felt from it.

'Ughh it seems I make a blunder maybe I'm not humiliated him in front of a lot of people, but isn't humiliated him in front of his crush is more terrible? Ugh what should I do?'

I started to scratch the back of my head as I sighed in helplessness.

For some reason, I could feel my head started twitching and getting some headache after realizing the bad situation in front of me right now

'For now, let's take him back to his party first'

With this, the Duel between me and Gart ended in an incredibly awkward situation...