Shiro continued fighting, holding his ground against the power of the three nobles. Surprisingly, he managed to match their strength and speed, fighting on equal footing. But as the battle went on, it became clear that Shiro was beginning to surpass them.
With precise movements and quick reactions, Shiro eventually knocked out Ken and Kyusu. Jowa, seeing this, stepped back and ended the match, declaring Shiro the winner. Despite being attacked by all three at once, Shiro had managed to outspeed and outmaneuver them.
"Get some rest, Shiro," Jowa said. "You'll be facing Lintaro again soon."
"So early?" Shiro asked, catching his breath.
"We need to make you stronger as quickly as possible," Jowa replied.
"Alright then," Shiro nodded and walked toward Riku.
Once they were alone, Shiro asked, "Why are they so focused on making me stronger?"
Riku smiled slightly. "After watching you grow stronger so quickly, it makes sense. They believe with your help, we can win the upcoming tournaments against other kingdoms."
Shiro sighed. "Sounds like a lot of trouble."
Riku chuckled. "I know. But honestly, I didn't expect you to be this strong. When I first saw you, I could tell you were different—strong, maybe even as strong as a noble. But now... now I don't even know where your limits are."
"Isn't it strange?" Shiro said. "Why am I this strong?"
"You'll find out eventually," Riku replied. "Don't worry."
Shiro stretched. "I need some sleep."
"Of course. I'm heading back to my hometown," Riku said.
"What? Really? Why don't you stay here?" Shiro asked.
"I brought you to this kingdom and now you're being recognized by the nobles. Soon, the whole world will know your name. You don't need me anymore."
"But you helped me so much. I owe you."
Riku shook his head. "If you were just anyone, I wouldn't have helped. I'm not the type to save strangers off the street. But you were special. Anyone in my place would've done the same."
"Even so, you're a good person to me," Shiro said.
Riku smiled. "I'll visit you soon."
They both said goodbye, and Riku left for his hometown. Shiro returned to his room and quickly fell asleep.
Four hours later, a guard knocked on his door. "Sorry to disturb you, but the nobles are waiting at the arena."
Shiro rubbed his eyes and sat up. "Yeah, I'll be there."
He headed toward the arena, and as he arrived, he saw Lintaro and the nobles already waiting for him.
"Welcome back," Lintaro said with a calm yet serious tone.
Jowa stepped forward and said, "Are you ready to face Lintaro?"
Shiro took a breath and replied, "I guess I am."
Lintaro walked into the arena with a confident smile. "I heard you managed to surpass three nobles," he said.
Shiro nodded. "That's true."
Without wasting a second, Lintaro launched himself at Shiro with incredible speed. Shiro immediately began dodging, his reflexes sharper than ever. Lintaro was going all out from the very start, but this time Shiro could keep up. He blocked and dodged the attacks—not easily, but it wasn't impossible anymore.
The last time they fought, Shiro had been knocked out the moment Lintaro used his full strength. But now, he was standing his ground.
All the nobles watched closely from the sidelines. Liro leaned in and whispered, "At this rate, he's going to surpass Lintaro soon."
Lintaro narrowed his eyes. "You've really powered up," he said. "But let's see if you can handle everything I've got."
He increased the intensity of his attacks. This time, it became extremely difficult for Shiro to keep up. He managed to block some blows, but many still landed. After all, Lintaro was a man capable of defeating five nobles at full power. Holding his own against him was already a massive achievement.
But Shiro wasn't done. As the fight continued, he kept growing stronger. Every punch he took, every dodge he made, pushed him past his limits once again. Sweat dripped from his face, but his eyes remained focused.
Their battle went on for a long time. Eventually, Shiro matched Lintaro's speed—blow for blow, strike for strike. But the effort had taken a heavy toll.
Shiro's knees buckled. His strength gave out. And finally, he collapsed to the ground.
Jowa stood up and called to the guards. "Take him to his room. Let him rest."
Two guards rushed forward and carefully lifted Shiro. As they carried him away, the nobles remained silent, their expressions filled with awe.
Shiro had fallen—but not in defeat. He had proven something far greater.