“Concede?” Garvais was in shock. And so was Blorbo.

  Excuse me? Where’s your fighting spirit?

  “I am terribly sorry but I have somewhere to be.” Rob shrugged, reaching over to pull Blorbo up by the arm. “C’mon, let’s—”

  Chunk.

  The table did not let go. And it seemed as though Rob even got some whiplash from an unwanted Retribution Counter, as he let go for a second and rubbed his fingers.

  Rob pulled again.

  [-1 HP]

  Ouch! Stop being so rough!

  Blorbo remained firmly latched to the giant mahogany structure, like some unholy fusion of man and furniture.

  The enchanted latches ensured that the duel’s participants could not leave until the game was officially concluded.

  Garvais snorted and scoffed. “You really think you can just walk away? Sit back down and lose like the loser you are. A failure like you can’t comprehend striving for anything in life.”

  “What did you call me?” Rob, mid-tug, paused. His expression darkened.

  “I called you a loser,” Garvais sneered. “I have never seen a Paladinborn servant.”

  The golden chandeliers swayed. The enchanted latches vibrated.

  Rob’s eyes glowed—a deep, radiant gold, like the sun itself had ignited behind them.

  What? Is he going through an awakening in the middle of a spoon throwing game? He didn’t even transform or whatever the heck it is he’s doing now when Bimbleton was threatening to take his wife away.

  Then his Skill Appraisal triggered. Apparently, Rob’s awakening was counted as a skill.

  First Awakening Event (Paladinborn → Second Level Paladinborn)

  Condition: Under extreme duress and emotional outrage at being falsely labeled a "loser" in a situation objectively more stupid than it is serious, a Paladinborn may experience their First Awakening. This must occur while physically restrained to an object symbolizing societal rigidity. The emotional trigger must not be about life or death, but rather about an insult to their dignity that they internally know is petty but can’t let go of.

  Event Name: "The Principle of the Matter."

  Effect: Upon Awakening, the Paladinborn gains an aura that manifests their sheer, stubborn self-worth. Nearby objects (and sometimes people) will tremble slightly, not from intimidation, but from the secondhand embarrassment at how hard they are digging in over a petty matter. The Paladinborn must conquer their anger to purify their soul.

  The aura also enhances strength, resolve, and accuracy by 300% for 20 minutes. If after 20 minutes, the anger has not subsided, the Awakening will fail and another awakening must be evoked under another set of condition.

  What? Why is the trigger condition so specific? And it CHANGES condition after you fail? No wonder why Rob’s never been able to trigger his awakening!

  Garvais, to his credit, barely faltered. He threw his hands up in a move that was clearly a mockery of fright. “Oooh! I have angered the Paladinborn servant! What am I to do now?”

  Rob sat down.

  He grabbed his spoon.

  He met Garvais’ gaze.

  And then he said, “Commence your Round 3.”

  He was VERY much not in control of his anger.

  Blorbo saw Anders scrunching his nose and frowning from afar, and Lena staring at Rob like she’d seen an alien.

  Has this never happened before?

  The butler cleared his throat. “Round three will now commence.”

  Garvais gave a smug smile. He gripped his spoon, confidence dripping from every pore, and took in a deep breath.

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  “CELESTIAL INFINITY ARC SPOON REQUIEM!” He bellowed, twisting his body as he held his spoon aloft. He launched the spoon forward at incredible speed.

  The spoon soared.

  Rob flicked his spoon.

  Blorbo immediately a strange, compressed pressure, like the very atmosphere had been sucked away for a fraction of a second.

  The spoon barely grazed his surface, a whisper of contact, so light that it shouldn’t have even left a mark.

  And yet.

  A burning sensation shot through his grain like wildfire. A searing, unseen force left its imprint on his very essence, as if something impossibly sharp had just kissed his varnish.

  [-5 HP]

  The spoon left Rob’s fingers at supersonic speed.

  A crackling boom echoed through the hall, knocking over cups, rattling silverware. A gust of wind blowed across the onlookers.

  Garvais’ spoon barely had a moment to exist before Rob’s spoon collided with it. Garvais’ spoon vanished from the game board, turning into a flying projectile so fast that the gathered crowd instinctively split in two, ducking and dodging as the silver utensil streaked through the air.

  It was never to be seen again.

  The hall stood in stunned silence.

  Garvais’ jaw hung open. His hand, still poised mid-throw, trembled in disbelief.

  W-what just happened?

  The butler, recovering first, gave a polite clap. “The servant wins the round.”

  Garvais’ mouth search for words, but the words wouldn’t come. His brain was still catching up.

  Rob’s golden eyes incinerated.

  Expressionless. Unshaken.

  He stared Garvais down and uttered, “Commence your round four.”