Duel

Chapter 81 Duel

Earl Mujik was extremely resentful. Everyone knew that the IOU he presented to the Swood family was just a piece of paper, and his real purpose was to seize the Holy Snow Crystal Mine in Blue Feather Territory.

It was only after paying various bargaining terms that the counts of the noble council agreed not to interfere.

But at this moment, Count Wolf actually sided with Alphonse, that country bumpkin?!

This can't go on! We need to find a new solution!

Count Mujik sat down and said in a deep voice, "Baron Tartarus, although I don't believe what you've said, I will find out the truth. You may return today!"

Alphonse wouldn't believe his nonsense; if he didn't have malicious intentions, why would he hold a meeting?

"The actions of your Mujik family have tarnished the honor of the Tartarus family. If you are unwilling to let Feren be punished, I challenge you to a duel of honor to uphold our family's reputation! If you refuse even this duel, then I hereby declare war on the Mujik family! Make your choice!"

What?

Count Mujik gritted his teeth.

Should we start a war with Coldwind Territory at this time?

The family's army has not yet been redeemed, and its personnel have suffered heavy losses; the situation is extremely dire. If another battle breaks out with Coldwind Territory...

Thinking of that fierce guard, like tigers shrouded in strange blood mist, fearless of death, Count Mujik felt as if a huge rock was pressing on his heart, making it hard for him to let go.

Furthermore, Alphonse, that country bumpkin, also has Mia Sagrando, a high-ranking swordswoman, under his command, whom he barely managed to escape from last time.

Furthermore, Blue Feather Territory may also participate in the war.

What a despicable guy!

"I was unaware of what Ferren did to you, and that needs to be verified. He's still in a coma. Once he wakes up, if it's proven that what you said is true, I'll make him apologize to you and pay you compensation. You should be satisfied with that, right?"

Before he could finish speaking, Alphonse interrupted him, "Just making him apologize is enough? That's letting him off too easily! It's ridiculous to let the perpetrator choose the punishment. I should decide how to punish him! Only death can cleanse his sins!"

"So you insist on proposing a duel of honor?" Count Mujik's face was as hard as a rock. "Then I'll grant your wish! Since this is a conflict between our two families, it should be resolved by the heads of our two families, without interference from others!"

If I can't beat Mia, how can I not beat you, you brat?

"Fine!" Alphonse sneered.

Alphonse understood, of course, that Count Mujik was deliberately trying to humiliate him with words, trying to prevent Mia from getting involved in the battle.

But that's irrelevant. The reason I dared to propose this honor duel is because I was absolutely certain of victory.

He had fully mastered all twelve meridians, completed the second level of the Innate Formless Divine Skill, and advanced to the third level.

The difficulty of this internal energy cultivation method lies in the need to be able to focus on two things at once. The true energy must be divided into two, flowing into the six yang meridians and the six yin meridians respectively, each forming a cycle.

With his experience from his previous life, Alphonse was very skilled and operated with great ease.

All that is needed is to nurture one's true essence, allowing the true energy to grow stronger until one is confident enough to break through the Ren and Du meridians, connect the bridge between heaven and earth, and allow the true energy to circulate throughout the body, so as to achieve the state of yin and yang in harmony and the convergence of dragon and tiger.

"Very well!" Count Mujik said with a sneer, "Let this duel of honor bring an end to the feud between our two families!"

He had already witnessed Alphonse's prowess on the battlefield, and he was absolutely confident that he could defeat Alphonse.

Mia panicked a little, not expecting Alphonse to make this decision to have an honor duel with Count Mujik.

She couldn't help but reach out and tug at Alphonse's clothes.

Alphonse simply turned his head, raised an eyebrow, and gave her a look to reassure her.

Mia didn't understand the look in his eyes; she and Alphonse didn't have that kind of understanding yet. But she remembered what Alphonse had said before they set off: no decision he made needed to be questioned.

There's no need to search for a place to duel; there's a small arena right in the military camp of the Mujik family territory.

Count Mujik hurriedly left his seat, as he still needed to make preparations beforehand.

The judges were naturally the counts who participated in the council of nobles.

They were all there to watch the spectacle.

Duels between nobles were a relatively common way to resolve disputes, and were not something that could be proposed casually.

It is quite rare for a baron to challenge an earl to a duel.

But Alphonse had good reason to do so, as most of the high-ranking members of the noble council in the northern region were present, and there was no need for deliberation.

As soon as Alphonse stepped out of the conference hall, he spread his hands apart, his ten fingers gliding across the room like he was playing a piano.

Instantly, more than a dozen finger strikes were launched.

With a series of hissing sounds.

With their pressure points sealed, the guardian knights of the various families, who had been standing motionless like clay or wooden sculptures in the corridor, were finally able to move, all looking at Alphonse with terrified eyes.

But no one dared to make a move, because they had all seen their master following Alphonse out together.

The counts found it extremely strange; they were all individuals with fighting spirit and could sense that this was a method of projecting external force.

Yet, he could not sense any fluctuations in battle aura.

Clearly, Alphonse wasn't using battle aura.

They were all filled with awe. Just by releasing his power, he was already at the level of the third level of Dou Qi. No matter what kind of extraordinary power Alphonse used, the fact that he could display it so casually showed that his strength was not to be underestimated.

It seems that the rumors that he was just a good-for-nothing playboy are not true; he possesses formidable strength, possibly even surpassing that of his deceased father.

However, there are still doubts about whether he can defeat Count Mujik.

Which old noble family doesn't have some kind of heritage? Alphonse not even wearing a suit of armor or carrying any weapons is indeed a bit arrogant.

If he weren't so arrogant, he would have sent Mia, a knight of the Tartarus family, to duel.

Young people still lack shrewdness.

Upon arriving at the arena, they waited for a while before Count Mujik finally arrived.

He was already dressed in full armor, armed to the teeth.

The armor still gleamed silver and shone brilliantly. The strange gold thread patterns inlaid on it revealed that it was a fine piece of armor with outstanding defensive capabilities.

Mia frowned, leaned closer to Alphonse, and whispered, "This isn't the magic armor he used before. I've destroyed the magic circle on that armor. Don't you really need to find a new set of armor to wear?"

Alphonse recognized it at a glance; it was the same suit that Feren had worn on the battlefield. Presumably, Count Mujik's original armor had been damaged and had not yet been repaired, so he had to use Feren's.

"Need not."

(End of this chapter)