Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke

William felt a flicker of irritation the moment the word duel reached his ears.

The intent behind the challenge was obvious, but more than that, the situation itself was absurdly unfavorable for him.

A sixteen-year-old brat, sure, but he's been formally trained longer than I have. On top of that, I can't use my old sword techniques, and my body is still too weak from lack of conditioning. If we fight properly, I'm at a clear disadvantage.

A battle between novices, where techniques were out of the equation, boiled down to one thing—raw strength. The harder and faster one could swing, the deadlier the strike, and the more difficult it was to block.

But William wasn't just stripped of his techniques; his body had weakened from years of a sedentary, self-destructive lifestyle. Compared to Joshua, who had consistently trained his physique, there was no chance he could overpower him in a contest of brute force.

Damn it. If I had just two more months, I could have crushed him outright.

Despite the blessings of his body, William knew that the true advantage of his pure mana could only manifest once he had properly trained himself. Right now, he was nothing more than an inexperienced fighter with an incomplete foundation.

A coincidence, perhaps, but an infuriatingly well-timed one.

Yet, refusing the duel outright would undo all the work he had put into building his reputation. That was simply not an option.

Fine. I'll just push through with experience and force a draw.

He might have lost his strength and sword techniques, but battle experience was something he had in abundance. Joshua, on the other hand, had never even swung a blade in real combat.

If he squeezed every last bit of his knowledge and instincts into this fight, a draw should still be within reach.

At least, that was what he believed—until Joshua made an unexpected proposal.

"How about we fight with real swords instead?"

William's eyes widened.

Real swords?

That changed everything.

"What a fantastic idea! Let's do it right now!"

"...!?"

Two people stared at William as if he had lost his mind.

The mere prospect of using wooden swords was enough to warrant concern, yet he welcomed real steel without hesitation?

Aizen, in particular, looked as though he had misunderstood something deeply. His grip tightened on William's shoulder as he nearly shouted.

"Your Highness! You've never even wielded a real sword before! How can you be so reckless?"

"What's the problem? The whole point of swordsmanship is to wield actual swords, isn't it? If anything, using real blades will give us a better feel for real combat."

"That logic only applies to skilled fighters! Do you have any idea how many novices injure themselves simply because they swing a sword the wrong way!?"

"I've heard stories."

William had not only heard such stories—he had lived them.

During his early years of self-training, he had made the very mistake Aizen was warning against. Twice, he had misjudged the weight of his own swings, sending his sword flying and nearly slicing into his own shoulder and thigh.

But instead of admitting that, he kept his expression neutral and pressed on.

"Besides, this is just a duel. Since we'll be careful not to hurt each other, it should be less dangerous than full-powered training swings. Don't worry."

"That's not—!"

"My brother speaks the truth," Joshua interrupted smoothly. "Master, you worry too much. Surely, you don't think I would actually harm him?"

Aizen shut his eyes tightly.

With both participants in agreement, he had no argument left to stand on. There was no legitimate reason to continue objecting.

With a heavy sigh, he gave a reluctant nod.

At that, a faint smirk tugged at Joshua's lips.

"Bring him a sword."

"Yes, my lord."

The moment the order was given, a servant hurried forward, presenting a blade with both hands.

William didn't hesitate for even a second. He reached out and snatched the sword from the servant's grasp.

"Aah… this cold, solid weight…"

His fingers traced the steel, his expression one of reverence.

Joshua stifled a scoff.

How naive. Does he not realize what's about to happen?

It was natural for men to be drawn to weapons, but this one was failing to grasp the most important part—that the very sword he admired would soon be turned against him.

No matter. That works in my favor.

If William was already mentally prepared for the duel, he would panic less when their blades finally clashed.

And that, ironically, would make his humiliation all the more complete.

Joshua had one goal—to instill fear in William.

He intended to break the young man's confidence and shatter the reputation he had been building.

There weren't many witnesses here, but it hardly mattered. As long as Aizen, the revered swordmaster, acknowledged William's disgrace, the damage would be undeniable.

"Now then," Joshua said. "If you're ready, draw your sword."

Schiiing.

In perfect synchronization, both blades slid free of their scabbards.

Two flawless, polished sword edges glinted under the light, cold and sharp.

To an untrained observer, it was a mesmerizing sight.

To a swordsman, it was a reminder.

Once a blade reached the neck, the mind turned blank.

At that moment, the only thought that remained was the overwhelming, primal desire to survive.

Now… let's see how you handle this, brother.

Joshua positioned himself, the anticipation bringing a smirk to his face.

"Begin."

Whoosh.

The instant the word left Aizen's mouth, a razor-sharp blade hurtled toward Joshua's head.

Clang!

A shock ran up Joshua's arm.

"Kh…!"

"Your Highness!?"

"My Lord!"

The resounding clash of steel was instantly followed by cries of alarm.

It was an unrelenting diagonal slash, clean and merciless.

Had he failed to react in time, Joshua's shoulder and abdomen would have been cut open in a single stroke.

William, however, paid no attention to the gasps of their spectators.

Instead, he swung his sword again.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

"What the hell…?!"

Sparks erupted with every collision, Joshua's pulse spiking with each strike.