God-Tier Enhancement: My Upgrades Never Fail-Chapter 93: Episode 18 _ Defense is National Power(4)

7.

The Round of 32 played out much the same way.

Knights unable to pierce the overwhelming defense!

Their stats were high, but the only equipment they wore was a single famous sword.

How could they pierce the wall of capitalism!

Another knight knelt.

When he achieved victory up to the Round of 16 like that, the host approached.

"Adventurer Simin, if you have a moment, would it be okay to have a chat?"

"Of course."

There was no reason to refuse.

Han Simin responded to the interview, donning his capitalist smile.

Any thought that a mere Knight Tournament was doing all sorts of ridiculous things was ruthlessly trampled by the expectation of earning money.

"Tomorrow marks the start of the Round of 16, dealing with the candidates for the championship. An adventurer, and a tamer at that, reaching the Round of 16 is a sight I haven’t seen once in the nearly dozens of Knight Tournaments I’ve hosted. Is there perhaps a secret?"

An interview conducted fluently by a mere NPC living in a fantasy world!

Han Simin nodded and spoke seriously.

"Since my original job is an enhancement master, my swordsmanship is weak, and I inevitably have many disadvantages in close combat."

"Yes, that’s right! But seeing you today, you were attacking with taming monsters while keeping the opponent in check yourself."

"Yes, this leather armor set I’m wearing. This is actually my trump card."

"Oh! The aura is extraordinary. Is there a secret hidden in it?"

"It’s not really a secret. It’s a full +15 enhanced armor set. As you can see, even excluding hidden options, the effect is solid enough to block the sword of a kingdom’s Knight Captain."

The host gasped.

The numerous nobles who were watching without leaving their seats because it was an interview with the person of the hour began to stir.

The atmosphere he wanted! The reaction!

Yes, they couldn’t help but be shaken.

They had come to the Empire just to kill time and relieve stress, but having discovered a must-have item they absolutely wanted in their lives, how could they just pass it by?

If he casually brought up the thought they had just instinctively had right here, he would achieve his minimum goal!

"Actually, I’ve been thinking of selling my trump card because I’m short on funds for adventuring recently."

"Ah! Such a treasure...!"

"But I can’t just hand over the greatest masterpiece of my life for a dirt-cheap price either. I plan to sell it through an auction after the tournament ends."

"I see! It seems like an item many people would covet. Now! Thank you for responding to the conversation, and we look forward to a good performance tomorrow as well."

"Yes, thank you."

He was lucky enough to say what he thought he could only say if he got into the Top 4.

Naturally, his mind became at ease, and he felt relaxed.

Now he had no regrets even if he was eliminated.

’If possible...’

Of course, winning would be the best scenario.

His gaze turned to the bracket, which now had three steps left.

Most of them were the Imperial Knights who had been with him.

The time had come to use his real trump card, not something like leather armor.

* * *

Returning to the Imperial Palace, the Emperor let out a hollow laugh.

"Hoho."

Cheeky fellow.

At first, he just let it be.

He’s not acting up for no reason.

He has something to rely on.

Still, the pets are stronger than expected.

But after entering the main tournament, Simin showed off as if to prove that judgment wrong.

Defense and power that didn’t lose out one-on-one against a knight!

The rabbits backing him up were becoming an element destroying the balance of the Knight Tournament.

Naturally, the Emperor had no intention of taking back the words he had spoken.

And there was no reason to take them back.

Whatever method was used, as long as it wasn’t black magic that harmed the continent, it was a world where the strong were recognized.

That was the belief the Emperor had upheld until now.

"Father, I won."

"Yes, your husband did quite well. Tell me your wish."

Thinking about it like that, the princess who predicted Han Simin’s victory seemed amazing anew.

Is she my daughter after all?

Or does she believe in him simply as her life savior and now the man who became her husband?

He didn’t ask.

Whatever it was, she made the right judgment and was qualified to receive what she wanted.

The Princess, who was regaining her past appearance day by day and becoming prettier, smiled brightly and made her wish.

"Please change the sword you will bestow upon the winner to the Symbol of the Empire."

The Emperor was stunned.

A wish that could achieve anything.

The Princess had exchanged the reward for yet another trial.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, Father."

There was no way the Emperor could misunderstand the intent behind her wish.

Was the princess a philanthropist?

Hardly.

Although she had been entangled with some unidentified man and suffered from a damn curse, she was the Empire’s only princess. At the same time, she was a genius among geniuses, praised for having inherited the Emperor’s blood.

She might have been smiling brightly, but inside, she was a woman with a calculated sense of profit and loss. She held the political situation of the continent in the palm of her hand, and having learned by watching since childhood, she showed not an ounce of hesitation in punishing evil!

There was only one reason why the princess would make such a wish.

"Do you believe that guy will win?"

There was no other way to explain it.

The Symbol of the Empire.

It was literally just a symbol, but it was also a famous sword bestowed by the heavens and, at the same time, a blade enhanced by the Legendary Enhancement Master of the previous generation!

If that sword were to fall into the hands of a knight not affiliated with the Empire—among the remaining sixteen knights, six were outsiders—the consequences were unimaginable.

Of course, the Emperor trusted the Imperial Knights, but the fact that the princess believed Han Simin would win was far from pleasing.

"Even if he doesn’t win, it’s certain that a Royal Knight will obtain it, isn’t it?"

"That is true."

"Then please do it, Father."

"...Understood."

It would be fortunate if a Royal Knight took it.

It would create a justification: a Royal Knight holding and protecting the Empire’s sword. Unless they were insane, a Royal Knight would never go around proudly claiming the Symbol of the Empire as their personal property.

But if, by any chance, things went the way the princess wanted...

’I’ll have to buy it back when he tries to sell it.’

The Emperor knew Han Simin all too well.

But what could he do?

It was the princess’s wish.

"Bring the Symbol of the Empire."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

It was the Round of 16.

On the day before the finale of the Knight Tournament, the winner’s reward was changed.

* * *

8.

While the Emperor and the princess were conversing, a secret meeting was also taking place at the training grounds.

The nine Imperial Knights who had made it to the Round of 16.

And Han Simin.

"What is this about?"

The knight commander, one of the nine, asked with an anxious expression.

What on earth was going on?

Why call only the knights who had advanced to the Round of 16 for a chat right before the matches?

There was an assumption that immediately popped into his head, but he shook it off.

That couldn’t be it.

’...It might be.’

No, if it were Han Simin, it would be entirely possible.

That made him even more anxious.

"If this is perhaps about rigging the match..."

"Hey!"

When the commander tried to beat him to the punch, Han Simin frowned.

"What do you take me for?!"

"...Yes, I thought as much..."

"I just called you here to ask you to take it easy."

The commander fell silent.

As expected.

That was exactly what that meant!

They couldn’t bring themselves to shout it out loud.

The knights simply averted their gazes.

It was only natural.

The Knight Tournament was a dream stage that came only once a year for knights.

The title of "Winner" would follow the champion for the entire year, and even if they lost the spot the following year, the honor would stay with them for a lifetime.

It meant they wouldn’t have to worry about making a living even after retirement.

Moreover, hadn’t they become stronger through rigorous training this time?

Although there were cases where they faced each other and were eliminated, they never wanted to let go of the championship.

If it weren’t Han Simin, it wouldn’t have been strange for them to draw their swords immediately and shout at him not to insult a knight’s pride.

"Why? You don’t want to go easy?"

"...It’s not that."

"Wow. You guys really bite the hand that feeds you. I spent, what? Two whole extra days for you guys, working day and night without sleep, even putting my rabbits to work to help you. And now, I’m not even asking you to lose on purpose—just to go easy on me—and you hate it that much?"

The knights remained silent.

’It sounds exactly like you’re asking us to lose gently, not blatantly.’

The knights glanced at each other.

Certainly, Han Simin’s grace was great enough to warrant accepting such a request.

But there were one or two things that pricked their consciences.

"However, if we do that and His Imperial Majesty finds out..."

First of all, this tournament wasn’t something they could manipulate so easily.

A tournament hosted and run by the Emperor!

Is match-fixing happening there?

And orchestrated by the Emperor’s closest aides?

If they were lucky, they’d just lose their heads; if not, three generations of their families could be exterminated.

"Hey, hey. Don’t overreact. Someone listening would think I’m soliciting you to throw the match. I don’t care if I die, but if you guys get too focused on the duel and accidentally hurt my pets, or if they die, I think I’d be too sad. I just called you to ask you to be careful about that part."

"Ah."

At Han Simin’s plausible words, the knights nodded.

Come to think of it, hadn’t they also bonded quite a bit with the cute rabbits hopping around while hunting?

Naturally, they could grant a request of that magnitude.

Besides, it didn’t technically violate the tournament regulations.

"You don’t have to worry about that part. We do not delight in senseless killing."

"Right. Right. Then I’ll trust you on that? Ah! And since I can’t just take this for free, if I have time later, I’ll help you out again like I did with this training."

The knights’ eyes widened.

At the words spoken as if granting a great favor, the knights quickly aligned themselves and stood at attention.

"Thank you!"

"Okay, see you tomorrow then."

They bowed ninety degrees to Han Simin’s retreating back.

A knight’s pride? Compared to the growth they felt this time, it was lighter than a feather.

Smiles formed on the corners of the Imperial Knights’ lips.

Yes, showing that much consideration to Han Simin—the Emperor’s son-in-law and their second master—shouldn’t be a big problem.

Recklessly killing such a benefactor’s pets would be the truly inhumane act.

The Imperial Knights, thinking so simply, dreamed rose-colored dreams.

Han Simin’s combat pattern they had seen so far was simple.

The easiest method was to neutralize the approaching rabbits first, but even if there were some restrictions on that, the Imperial Knights, who had grown more than two levels, saw a high possibility of subduing Han Simin regardless.

’Then the championship is...’

Naturally, the Imperial Knights, having mentally surpassed Han Simin, began to be wary of each other.

In the end, the winner would be one of the Imperial Knights.

And so, the night passed.

* * *

The long-awaited Round of 16.

The step toward the Quarterfinals and the Finals.

Han Simin blocked a knight who wasn’t a Royal Knight with his body, creating an opening for the rabbits to cling on, and won. He passed the Round of 16 without a hitch.

Now, the nobles watching naturally cheered for Han Simin, enthusiastic about the dogfight that deviated from the boring clashes of sword against sword.

And so, the Quarterfinals. A meeting with a Royal Knight.

A matchup that made everyone gulp in anticipation. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Who would win?

The one proving once again with irresistible force that the Empire was the hegemon of the continent, versus the rising rookie!

The nobles cheered for Han Simin but simultaneously predicted his defeat.

The Royal Knight’s performance had been that impressive.

"The second match of the Quarterfinals begins!"

However, that doubt was shaken as soon as the match began.

"Guys! Prototype Transformation!"

"Kyu! Kyu!"

A completely different, unique method of development unfolded compared to before.

The crowd fell silent.

The knight was speechless.

About fifteen rabbits surrounded Han Simin.

Seeing the formation that left no opening to stab, the Royal Knight’s expression crumpled.

* * *