The Grand Duelist

Joseph returned to the world of Victory once again after he answered the physiological needs of his body.

Checking the Quest Tab located at his Main Menu, a bitter smile lifted on his lips.

"There are only three days left, eh..."

Knowing that he didn't have that much time anymore. Joseph walked outside and once again. Ezreal was already waiting for him outside.

"Good Morning, master. Did you have a good sleep?"

"Oh, Ezreal. You really are punctual, are you gonna do this every day?"

"Do what, master?"

"I mean, waiting for me outside every morning."

"Of course! I should be the first one to look at Master's groggy face! There's a certain beauty with the visage of someone that just woke up. That beauty also exists with you, master!" Ezreal proudly said and Joseph felt a shiver down his spine and he bitterly smiled.

He once again promised that once everything was over. He himself would make some doujinshi for Ezreal, particularly that popular classic, 177013 and his personal favorite with the cameo of his best waifu coded as 298547...

"You really are in a good mood, master. It's still early in the morning yet you are already smiling that much." Ezreal also smiled when he saw Joseph's excitement.

"Ah yeah... But wait! How do you know that it's still early in the morning? Aren't we underground? The sun isn't supposed to penetrate these depths..." Joseph knitted his eyebrows and Ezreal replied with a smile.

"Does master's residence have a window?"

"A window? Yes, mine does have a window." Joseph replied.

"If the world outside master's window is dark, that means that it is currently night on the surface above us. If there is light, then that could only mean that it's currently morning outside." Ezreal explained, but this further deepened Joseph's shock.

"Wait, I thought that the world inside our barracks is just a simulation?"

"Of course, it is a simulation, but the world outside the window is not. As far as I know, there must be something going on underneath it. If I can study it for at least a day, I may find more about it. What about it, master? Do you want me to look further into it?"

Joseph paused on his tracks and he replied while shaking his head: "No, there are far important matters that we must attend to. Right now, I must meet that Legendary Blacksmith."

Joseph walked towards the Maximum Security Tunnel and he soon reached the entrance to the Maximum Security Cellblock. The medallion that he and Ezreal possessed pulsated with energy and once the stone wall recognized their identity, they soon entered the Maximum Security Cellblock.

The layout of the Maximum Security Cellblock was similar to the layout of other Cellblocks apart from the fact that the prisoners were inside their dedicated sealed rooms.

As soon as they entered, the group clad in black that stood at the distance stared at them. However, Joseph didn't even glance at them and so did Ezreal.

The two moved forward and walked towards the direction of a sealed door that was clearly special due to the fact that it wasn't next to other sealed doors. It stood independently ahead. Ezreal also confirmed that a strong aura comparable to a Legend was inside that sealed door.

In the face of his treasures, how could Joseph stop himself? He walked directly towards that steel door but then one of the men clad in black stood in his path.

"What are you doing?"

Joseph asked in a cold manner.

"That should be my question. It seems like both of you are new here, both of you should be the one that Honorable Jail Warden was talking about..."

"But it doesn't matter, I just hope that both of you aren't so arrogant to actually challenge the toughest prisoner of this cellblock just because both of you got promoted fast!" The man dressed in all black said.

The other Inquisitors soon gathered around them. Their eyes radiated coldness that could send shivers down the spines of everyone. But Joseph wasn't having all of that. He only wanted to meet Krid as soon as possible for he only had three days before Krid's public execution.

The man standing before him truly was powerful. Joseph's scaredy instincts told him that he should run as fast as possible from the man, but he really didn't have that much time. He must do what he must do and do it in a manner that was swift, precise and concise.

And so...

"Move."

Joseph coldly replied.

The Inquisitors around the two looked at Joseph in amusement. They didn't mind if a fight happened between Joseph and the man whom they considered as their Captain.

After all, they were in the Underground Penitentiary. Anything could happen here and no one would find you at fault for as long as you were strong and the victor.

"Did you really just told me to move?" The man lightly chuckled, and the unexpected happened.

The man suddenly turned into a blur and when Joseph realized what happened. The man had his sword pointed on his neck. If not for Ezreal catching the sword at the last minute, Joseph's head would've been rolling on the ground right now.

"You..."

Ezreal uttered in anger, his clothes fluttered without any wind and his aura burst forth from his body.

"I admit that you really are capable since you can catch that attack of mine. But is the one you're protecting likewise capable? I don't think that he even saw my attack. If not for your protection, he would've died by now." The man said in an arrogant manner.

"Hmmph..." Joseph snorted maintained a calm and composed expression, but if one looked at him from behind. One could see his back drenched with sweat and his hair standing up from the shivers that he felt when he realized the man's sword near his neck.

"How dare you insult my liege like that!" Ezreal exploded.

Kacha! Kacha!

Cracks appeared on where he stood and the man who taunted Ezreal wore a small smile on his face.

"I don't mind fighting against you if you really like. But don't expect me to play honestly, I may take your precious liege as my hostage and use him against you."

"You..." Ezreal's anger flared once again but he didn't dare to move against the man.

Joseph who listened from the side gnashed his teeth. Right now, he realized that he really was far too weak for someone like him that inherited the strength of the Grand Duelist. Compared to these monsters, he was nothing even though he had one of the strongest classes in Victory.

If not for Ezreal's intervention, he would've died earlier.

"I must become powerful... No matter what... I must not rely too much on Ezreal's strength from now on!" Joseph gnashed his teeth as he thought to himself. Raising his hand, he patted Ezreal's shoulders and said to the man.

"What must be done be done before I can meet the Legendary Blacksmith?"

The man's expression changed into that of interest: "Oh? So you know about that prisoner's true identity? I guess I can't say that you are challenging him just because you are feeling too cocky for your own good..."

"But even though the Jail Warden said that anyone can challenge him, that doesn't mean that there are no qualifications!"

He declared before continuing.

"I cannot just calmly accept those that still haven't proven their capabilities as an Inquisitor casually challenge the one and only Legendary Blacksmith of the current generation..."

"Someone as prestigious like him is being handled by a possibly incompetent Inquisitor? Wouldn't our pride be damaged if something like that happened?"

Joseph knitted his eyebrows when he heard what the man said. He didn't really care about matters of pride. For him, the Underground Penitentiary was a mere tool that he could use as a foothold for his objectives.

Once his objectives were completed then he could escape from it and do whatever that he wanted...

"In that case, then what must be done just so I could prove my capabilities to everyone?" Joseph declared and everyone looked amused.

"Oh? You really are gutsy. I like that." The man lightly smiled and pointed at a particular sealed door.

"Behind that door are bastards who are too tight-lipped, they are also arrogant due to the fact that they are beings who have the curse of immortality from the laws of causality..."

"If you managed on forcing a confession out of them, then I can say that you really are competent." The man lightly smiled and the other Inquisitors audibly chuckled.

Joseph's expression also turned cold when he realized what was happening, but since he was running out of time. He had no other choice but to comply. Ezreal swept his gaze at the Inquisitors before he turned around, hid his wounded hand from Joseph and followed suit on his tracks.

When the two entered the sealed cell. The other Inquisitors flocked around the man.

"Captain, you're really a genius! To think that you would think of such a foolproof method!"

"Yeah, right! If those arrogant brats managed on forcing a confession out of those cursed bastards, we will earn rewards and if they didn't manage on doing it. We could use that as proof of their incompetence and have them kicked out of our crib!"

"Hahaha, what an awesome plan! It's practically impossible for us to force a confession from those bastards since the laws of causality dictate that they could only be imprisoned in here for three days..."

"Not only that, but they also don't feel any pain so we can say that they are the natural bane of us, Inquisitors!"

The man nodded his head and a deep smile spread on his lips. He really looked forward to seeing the anxious expressions on the arrogant faces of those two brats that dared on crossing his path. Particularly that pale-looking, soyboy-like bastard who even told him to move and scram.

"That's what he gets! How dare he do me like that!" The man mumbled and shook his head. He, along with the other Inquisitors patiently waited outside the sealed cell where Joseph and Ezreal were staying.

All of them looked forward to seeing their dismayed expressions once they came out of the cell.