The atmosphere in the bar suddenly grew heavy.
The air seemed to turn into a viscous liquid, and an invisible pressure transformed into a mountain, weighing down on everyone's shoulders. Zabriel's breathing was low, and his eyes cautiously scanned his surroundings, a bad feeling rising in his heart.
If these people were truly pushed to their limit, Emrys would be in danger!
Horrock alone could fight him to a standstill, not to mention a former 'Champion'?
As for Avkar, don't let his old age fool you.
It is well known that aging is illogical for a Space Marine; he strongly suspected that his earlier stalemate with Avkar was merely because this former Knight-Captain didn't want to expend unnecessary stamina.
If it came down to a real fight—Zabriel shivered—this Knight-Captain had the terrifying record of single-handedly piercing through the defenses of a Khorne daemon and personally beheading it!
"After all that talk, since you don't believe me, then let's follow the ancient Knight rules of the Dark Angels."
Emrys tilted his head, a slight smile on his lips.
"You haven't forgotten the ancient Knight rules of Caliban, have you?"
"A duel!" Avkar said in a deep voice.
"Exactly, a duel."
Emrys calmly stood up and, with impeccable Knight etiquette, made his request to Avkar.
"And the loser must offer everything to the winner, including his life."
"Hahahahaha!"
Upon hearing this, Avkar let out a hearty laugh. If it weren't for Emrys' psychic ability, which had preemptively shielded the bar's sounds, the Astramilitarum outside would have long sensed something amiss and broken down the door.
"What courage!" Then, this former Knight-Captain of the Blade Angels stared at Emrys with eyes like brass bells, watching him with considerable appreciation.
"A mere psyker! When I was still in the Legion, I don't know how many I'd slaughtered. To actually have the guts to challenge me, this courage—I acknowledge you!"
"Finished laughing?" Emrys said indifferently.
"You haven't stated your choice yet."
"Do you think you can defeat me?"
Avkar stared at him with interest. How long had it been? Since becoming a Fallen Angel, he had never had the opportunity to duel as a Knight again.
"The conditions are simple. If I win, all of you will pledge allegiance and join the Sons of the Forest, subject to my command." Emrys paused, then continued.
"If you win, not only will I have Lyon absolve your sins, but I will also grant you freedom, promising you a Garden world that will never be disturbed by the Dark Angels, Lyon, or Chaos!"
This condition was so generous that Avkar's breathing suddenly became much more rapid, but soon his face was full of suspicion.
"Why should I believe you can achieve all this?"
"Why?" Emrys sneered, and like reciting a menu, he declared.
"Because I am Merlin Emrys, granted authority by the Emperor himself, the current ruler of the Trader Dynasty.
Chapter Master Calgar of the Ultramarines, Chapter Master Dante of the Blood Angels, Primarch Roboute Guilliman, Lord of the Ultramarines, Lion El'Jonson, Lord of the Dark Angels, Corvus Corax, Lord of the Raven Guard, Living Saint Winnie Winslet, War Apostle Morgana, the chosen and approved.
Also, permanent honorary member of Vigilus Council, Chief of the Roaming Port High Council, personally granted the title of Viscount by the Imperial Ministry of Interior, a friend of the Forge world Stygies VIII—are these—enough?!"
...
Inside the room, there was dead silence.
Avkar's brain had been frozen for a full four or five seconds, like a century, by this string of titles, including status and peerage.
Only then did Avkar realize that this human before him was absolutely not simple!
And thinking further, if he were an ordinary person, could he be appointed as the First Watch Knight by Lyon and the grandmaster of the Sons of the Forest Chapter?
Clearly not.
"Good, I believe you."
Avkar nodded, accepting his duel request, and said calmly.
"Since you are human, I won't bully you. Ten seconds—if you can still stand, I will concede."
"Heh, who are you looking down on?" Emrys sneered, holding up a single finger.
"Ten seconds, if I can still let you stand, then I lose!"
"Psychic powers?" Avkar was very calm.
"No matter, use them as you wish."
"Who said I'd rely on psychic powers?" Emrys scoffed.
"I don't even need psychic powers to deal with you."
Avkar laughed in extreme anger.
"Good, good, good! If you can defeat me in ten seconds, I will immediately lead the Fallen Angels here to submit to you and acknowledge your status!"
At this moment, Zabriel covered his face, sighing.
Horrock, beside him, with Emrys' promise and his confidence in Avkar, was in a great mood at the moment. He patted Zabriel's shoulder.
"Don't worry, the Knight-Captain won't hurt this kid. At most, he'll teach him a lesson, hahahaha—"
However, Zabriel shook his head, his face peculiar.
"You're wrong. I'm not worried about this kid, but—the Knight-Captain."
They didn't know this kid's background.
But Zabriel knew very well how much extra training Lyon had given him to temper him!
The Little Lion King. That was his current title!
It meant that, apart from Lyon himself, Emrys had already gained the recognition of all the surrendered Fallen Angels in terms of strength!
Especially his almost perverse 'precognition'!
The two stood separately in the bar. Among the onlookers, apart from Zabriel, the two Fallen Angels simply didn't believe that a mere human could defeat their Knight-Captain in ten seconds!
Avkar gripped his dagger, stomping his foot heavily. The fragile wooden floor immediately cracked, groaning under the strain. His burly figure, like a cannonball, dragged a bursting gale as he charged straight at Emrys from the front!
Although he spoke disdainfully of psykers, in actual combat, Avkar showed no carelessness at all, even using his full strength from the start.
A lion uses its full strength even to hunt a rabbit.
Things like capsizing in a ditch would never happen to a true Space Marine.
The dagger sliced through the air, emitting a piercing shriek!
Avkar was indeed worthy of being the Knight-Captain of the Blade Angels. Even though his physical functions were aging, his movements were still agile, sharp, and as fierce as ever.
But—no matter how fast Avkar's movements were, they couldn't be faster than Emrys' 'precognition'.
He had already predicted Avkar's hundreds of possible responses, including how to dodge and how to attack.
Under Lyon's almost insane training, Emrys had also mastered this peculiar ability.
His precognitive ability did not belong to psychic powers.
But it was more similar to certain existences like the forest awakened by Lyon or the raven flock summoned by the Raven King.
Among these foreseen outcomes, Emrys could choose one outcome and make it transform from the ethereal 'future' of a parallel timeline into the reality unfolding before him!
Clang!
A sword parried the dagger.
Before Avkar could react, he felt a chill on his neck. He looked down to see a sword held against his throat, and the wielder was Emrys.
"You lose, Avkar," Emrys said with an indifferent tone.
"Now, it's time to fulfill your promise."
What happened?!
Including Avkar, even the onlookers couldn't clearly see what had happened in that brief moment!
Their invincible Knight-Captain Avkar had actually been defeated by this human in just one move?!
"You—what did you do?"
Avkar froze, his mind blank. He hadn't even seen what happened; his dagger was parried, and then a sword was at his throat.
Emrys' pupils were deep, a faint golden light flowing within them, like a god high above the clouds. His voice transformed into an ethereal breeze, echoing in everyone's hearts.
"In front of me, who possesses 'precognition,' victory is the inevitable outcome."
But there was one more thing he didn't say aloud:
Sorry, I'm a cheater!