Since killing him would only stir unnecessary trouble—especially after Jeanne mentioned that her sister once fought beside him—Ren sighed inwardly and decided to play along.
"System, open the shop," he muttered under his breath. "I need a weapon for close combat—barefist type. Keep it subtle; I don't want to attract attention. Handle the purchase automatically."
[How many points do you wish to allocate?]
"Make it around one to two hundred," Ren replied. "Most of my points vanished when I got dragged into this world."
In the next instant, faint particles shimmered before his eyes—pixelated fragments dancing in the air before condensing into shape. A cold glint reflected off a newly-formed metal knuckle, compact yet forged with purpose, its surface bearing faint engravings from another craft's hand.
[Item Materialized — "Iron Knuckle"]
[Type: Melee — Fist Weapon]
[Grade: Common]
[Description: A dense iron gauntlet designed for raw efficiency. Enhances striking impact and reduces recoil upon contact. No enchantments detected.]
[Durability: Moderate]
[Points Consumed: 200]
Ren slipped it onto his hand, feeling the cool metal settle against his skin. The balance was perfect—no flash, no magic, just cold, functional steel.
"Simple," he murmured, flexing his fist with a faint grin. "Exactly how I like it."
Arden shifted to the side, his sword glinting as he held it with calm precision. "I'll ask you one last time," he said, his tone sharp. "What did you do to them?"
"I don't know," Ren replied mockingly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Why don't you find out yourself—if you can defeat me, that is."
"I'm not just going to defeat you," Arden growled through gritted teeth. "I'm going to tear you apart!"
He lunged forward, swinging his sword down in a powerful arc. Ren sidestepped to the left just as the blade cut through the air, narrowly missing him. But before Ren could react, Arden followed up—slamming his shield forward with crushing force.
The impact sent Ren sliding backward, his feet dragging against the ground as dust rose from the force.
"Nice response," Ren said, casually straightening his posture and rolling his shoulders as if nothing happened.
"Hmph… that was just my way of saying hello," Arden muttered under his breath.
What the hell…? Arden thought, his expression tightening. That was my full-power ram, and he's still standing without a scratch. I'm a Rank C, and he's not even wearing armor—just who is this guy?
"Hey," Ren said calmly, flexing his wrist with a faint crack. "You know boxing?"
Arden blinked in confusion. "Basking? What's that supposed to mean?"
Ren let out a soft sigh, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. "Not quite. But I see it's not just Jeanne who struggles to pronounce certain words."
A faint smirk played on his lips as he lowered into stance, his knuckles tightening. "Guess I'll have to show you what it means instead."
Ren dashed forward without warning, catching Arden off guard. The sudden burst of speed made Arden flinch, but he quickly regained his footing and countered with a flurry of precise thrusts.
Each strike was fast and sharp—yet Ren slipped past them effortlessly, weaving through the attacks with practiced grace.
"There's a saying…" Ren muttered with a grin as he moved, his body light and sharp as wind. "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."
In the blink of an eye, Ren closed the distance, his fists becoming blurs of motion. Each blow struck with pinpoint accuracy—chest, ribs, shoulder—forcing Arden backward under the relentless barrage.
"But me?" Ren said, his tone turning cold as he drew back his arm. "I'm no bee… I'm a hornet, baby."
With that, Ren drove a devastating straight punch into Arden's chest. The impact echoed through the fields as cracks spread across Arden's armor, and the young knight was sent flying back, crashing into the dirt with a grunt of pain.
"Is that it?" Ren muttered, lowering his fists slightly. "Did I hit him too hard?" He tilted his head, eyes narrowing as he studied Arden sprawled on the ground. "I didn't kill him… did I?"
A low groan answered him. Arden knelt, stabbing his sword into the ground for balance as he pushed himself up. His chest armor was cracked—right where Ren's punch had landed—bearing a perfect imprint of a fist.
"What… incredible strength," Arden wheezed, clutching his chest. "You're no ordinary thug, I'll admit that. But in the power of lo—" He caught himself, clearing his throat. "I mean… friendship! I will not give up! I'll protect my princ—uh, my party member and dear friend from you!"
Ren blinked slowly, expression blank. "…Is this guy for real?" he muttered under his breath, giving Arden a look that mixed confusion and secondhand embarrassment.
Arden let out a sharp roar, his eyes blazing with determination as he locked his gaze on Ren.
"Spirit Fortification!" he shouted.
In an instant, a burst of light-blue energy erupted from his body, swirling around him like a gust of wind before fading just as quickly. The air trembled faintly from the surge of mana.
[Report: The opponent's mind and body have been enhanced — approximately twice the average strength.]
Ren raised a brow, watching the faint remnants of energy disperse. "A buff, huh? Magic enhancement?" he muttered, cracking his neck. "So they've got the same concept as in my world… just with a different flavor."
A small grin tugged at his lips. "Interesting."
Arden swung his sword to the side, his stance shifting as a spark of energy rippled beneath his boots.
"Lightning Step!"
In the blink of an eye, he vanished—leaving only a faint crackle of static in the air.
Ren's eyes sharpened, his instincts flaring. He didn't move recklessly; instead, he focused on the faint disturbance in the air currents around him.
A whisper of displaced wind—behind.
Ren spun just as Arden reappeared, blade cutting through the air in a wide, vicious arc. But before it could land, Ren's knuckle met the strike dead-on.
CLANG!
A shockwave erupted between them, kicking up dust and debris as steel and hardened gauntlet collided.
"H-how did you—!?" Arden stammered mid-swing, shocked that his speed meant nothing.
Ren exhaled slowly, his tone calm but edged with mockery. "Amateurs always pull the same trick. Vanish, appear behind, swing for the kill…" He tilted his head, smirking faintly. "It's getting old, you know?"
Ren's knee shot out like a bullet, slamming hard into Arden's right torso. The impact stole the air from his lungs, his eyes widening in shock as pain rippled through his side.
"But you're different from the rest of them," Ren said coldly.
Before Arden could react, Ren seized him by the collar, pivoted sharply on his heel, and used his momentum to hurl him over his shoulder. The ground shook as Arden's body slammed into it with brutal force, dust scattering from the impact.
"Urgh—!" Arden gasped, his body recoiling and rolling slightly from the hit, armor scraping against the dirt.
Ren rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck as he hopped lightly on his feet, fists raised again. "That buff's really paying off for you, huh?" he said with a faint smirk. "Good. I'd hate it if you went down too fast."
What a perfect first day in this world, Ren thought as he readied himself and watched Arden struggle to his feet.
"Got any skills to show?" Ren taunted, voice low and theatrical. "Try hard—if you don't, you won't get to see those two anymore."
"W-what?!" Arden spat, panic and anger mixing in his voice. "You're going to kill them after you beat me?"
"No," Ren said coolly, amusement in his tone. "It's the other way around. I'll kill you first. You barged in here making demands—why should I bother with anyone else while you're still standing in front of me?"
"I'll pull my punches this time, just to warm up," Ren thought, tightening his stance and flexing his fingers.
Arden thrust his shield forward, muscles coiling as he drove himself straight at Ren, feet digging into the ground with force. Ren pivoted sharply, spinning just as the shield neared, letting the momentum carry him around Arden's guard. In one smooth motion, Ren's elbow snapped backward into Arden's exposed ribs, the strike precise and punishing.
Arden froze for a moment, grunting in pain—tch—but he quickly shook it off. He spun on his heel, bringing his sword around in a wide, circular slash meant to overwhelm Ren from every angle.
Ren dropped his body low, ducking under the sweeping blade with ease. "When you make a wide swing, you always leave something vulnerable," he said, eyes sharp. In the same motion, he drove a precise uppercut into the gap of Arden's stomach armor, striking the softer underplate beneath.
The blow slammed Arden backward, the impact rattling his ribs and sending a sharp sting of pain through his torso, forcing him to stagger slightly to regain his balance.