Chapter Twenty-Eight: Duel!

Pompeii, Caesar’s Grand Arena.

Upon the hundred-meter-wide platform, Anderson glowered fiercely at Chu Tian, but the Marquis of Vladino wore a relaxed, unconcerned expression, as if nothing could trouble him. If Anthony’s treasured secret weapons proved useless against a mere Bronze Knight, this would surely become the greatest joke of the year in Caesar!

Seeing Marquis Vladino’s composed demeanor, the crowd erupted into cheers that seemed to pierce the arena’s vaulted roof. Martial prowess was cherished in Caesar; whether noble or commoner, nothing was more exhilarating than witnessing a duel between champions. And today, the combatants were none other than the legendary Marquis Vladino and Anderson, the only son of the Imperial Chancellor. In the blink of an eye, thousands of seats surrounding the platform were packed.

The audience’s cries surged and echoed. Chu Tian smiled triumphantly; if he could defeat Anderson before so many witnesses, the latter would never again have the face to trouble him. Moreover, his priestly title might well be augmented with a new honor—‘Warrior.’

He touched his spatial ring once more and felt reassured. “Master Damar, shall we begin?” Both duelists’ identities were exceptional; ordinary judges lacked the authority to preside, so Chu Tian had temporarily enlisted the Minister of Magic to act as referee.

“Very well, we may begin.” Damar spoke solemnly, then, according to the arena’s customs, walked to each contestant and recited the duel’s rules. Dueling regulations across the continent were complex, but here in Caesar, where boldness prevailed, they were distilled into a single maxim: as long as no one dies, anything goes! In fact, even the ‘no killing’ clause was added only because of the extraordinary identities of today’s participants.

“Be careful! Anderson’s own strength is limited, but his magical companion is said to be formidable!” Damar finished explaining the rules to Chu Tian and added this warning in a low voice, casting a furtive glance back at Anderson. No objection! Damar breathed a sigh of relief; for the honest and upright Minister of Magic, warning one side during a duel was awkward indeed. But Vladino was his creditor, after all!

“Magical companion?” Chu Tian frowned, realizing he’d overlooked something important. Anthony had mentioned that a strongman’s power on the continent included not only their own magic and battle aura, but also their magical beasts. With Andor’s influence, it would be no trouble to tame a high-level magical beast for his son!

Thinking of this, Chu Tian narrowed his eyes, mentally tallying the items in his ring. Then he smiled—though his teacher had given him mostly mid- and low-grade magical items, there was a ninth-level protection scroll within, written in the blood of a Crimson Flame! With that, few on the continent could harm him.

“All right, let us begin!” Chu Tian announced confidently. He activated his spatial ring, and instantly, a blood-red long blade, blazing with fierce flames, appeared in his hand.

“The Fury of Dracula?!” Anderson cried out in terror, “That’s not fair!”

The Fury of Dracula was a legendary weapon once wielded by the tenth-level magical beast, the vampire bat Dracula. Years of being gripped by Dracula had imbued it with his power, granting it the ability to siphon life. Any contact would drain the victim’s life essence into the blade, increasing its potency.

Later, for reasons unknown, the blade became wreathed in eternal flames, which not only scorched foes but also harmed its wielder. Thus, Dracula, master of dark magic but vulnerable to holy spells, abandoned it in fury. Yet the magical flames that so vexed Dracula altered the blade’s nature: the stolen life essence no longer sharpened the blade, but instead fueled the strength of its magic fire. It was said that when the Fury of Dracula absorbed enough life essence, it could unleash ninth-level fire magic, even forbidden spells.

By chance, Anthony acquired the Fury of Dracula, but its sixth-level flames left the holy priest helpless, so Chu Tian, immune to fire, inherited the blade. The only prerequisite was to cast fire protection on his garments beforehand—otherwise...

“This is fair! I said from the start, I won’t use offensive magic, but I never said I wouldn’t use magical items,” Chu Tian replied coldly.

“Indeed! Marquis Vladino has broken no rules!” Damar chimed in. The surrounding audience responded with a chorus of jeers.

Anderson’s hands trembled with rage as he gripped his sword, but his reputation forbade retreat. He glared at Chu Tian, gritting his teeth. “Fine! Let the duel begin!”

With a fierce shout, Anderson’s body shone with a thick blue glow, then he reversed his sword and charged at Chu Tian.

Impressive! Chu Tian thought to himself. Anderson’s character left much to be desired, but that dazzling battle aura meant he was on the verge of becoming a fifth-level Silver Knight. For his age, it was a rare accomplishment. Yet, for all his aura’s strength, his speed was lacking.

At that thought, Chu Tian hesitated no longer. He raised the Fury of Dracula high in his right hand and swung it twice. Two walls of flame erupted at Anderson’s flanks, forcing him onto a narrow path between them. Meanwhile, Chu Tian’s left hand moved swiftly.

Anderson’s pace slowed—a Slowness Scroll!

His sword drooped—a Gravity Scroll!

His steps faltered—a Stun Scroll!

One scroll after another flew from Chu Tian’s hand in a graceful arc, striking Anderson. At last, after the eleventh scroll, Anderson collapsed.

Watching Anderson struggle on the ground, Chu Tian gave a sinister smile, raised the Fury of Dracula, and walked up to him.

“Brave Knight Anderson, the outcome of this duel is clear, is it not?” Chu Tian donned a solemn priest’s demeanor. “Praise the Goddess of Life! To lose to a Grand Priest is no disgrace.” With that, Chu Tian poised the blade above Anderson’s head, the intense heat making his hair crackle.

“You…” Anger and dark magic left Anderson speechless. Yet his sword stubbornly lifted, signaling his refusal to yield.

Damar approached, first examining Anderson, then feigned concern. “Sir Anderson, if you have no objection, I shall declare you defeated in this duel!” He glanced at Anderson, eyes wide with fury but unable to speak, and added, “If you don’t reply, I’ll take your silence as consent!”

Praise the Goddess of Life! Chu Tian chuckled inwardly. Gold coins—what wondrous things! Fifty thousand gold pieces, and the upright Damar could be so shameless. Clearly, he needed to lend him more in the future…

Veins bulged on Anderson’s forehead as he glared at Chu Tian. Suddenly, he bit his tongue, and a surge of pain brought clarity. Anderson roared, “Bandis!”

“Bandis?” Chu Tian paused, then understood—Anderson was summoning his magical beast. Heh! With his own equipment, could any mid-level beast below the sixth rank pose a threat?

With Anderson’s shout, a massive black hole appeared before Chu Tian. From its swirling darkness, a spider with a woman’s face, towering over five meters, crawled out.

“Bandis!? Seventh-level magical beast Bandis?” Damar’s expression changed dramatically. He shouted urgently at Chu Tian, “Forget the rules—use offensive magic, now!”

Offensive magic? Chu Tian laughed bitterly inside. When had this impostor Grand Priest ever mastered such spells?

Yet reality gave him no time to complain. As Bandis opened her cherry-red maw, a strand of silvery web ensnared Chu Tian.