Chapter 187: Accepting the Challenge, and Two Forces Meet in the Desert of Chaos
“I wish to challenge you to a duel, Merlin.”
Upon hearing Leon’s words, Merlin’s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Leon.
“What did you just say? You’re challenging me to a fight?” Merlin asked, his voice tinged with doubt and uncertainty.
Leon nodded slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips as he folded his arms across his chest.
“Yes, I’m challenging you to a fight,” Leon replied nonchalantly, a hint of arrogance in his tone. “So, do you dare to accept my challenge?”
To deal with someone as arrogant and pretentious as Merlin, the optimal strategy was to defeat him so harshly that he’d be forced to acknowledge that there was always someone greater.
Additionally, Leon was annoyed with Merlin for daring to tease Liliana, and this challenge was the perfect opportunity to teach him a lesson.
Upon receiving Leon’s confirmation, Merlin’s hesitant expression instantly turned into one of excitement, a smirk forming on his lips.
At first, he desperately wanted to pummel this man who had mocked him in front of Her Majesty, leading him to lose his temper and embarrass himself.
However, since Her Majesty seemed to protect him, he didn’t dare attack him rashly.
Now, with the sudden invitation to fight, excitement surged through him, causing his body to tremble uncontrollably.
“What’s the matter? Why are you so quiet? Do you accept my challenge?” Leon’s voice rang in his ears, pulling him back from his reverie.
With an eager expression and a glint of murderous intent in his gray eyes, Merlin nodded and was about to respond. However, he quickly remembered Her Majesty and glanced at her to gauge her reaction.
Fortunately, she appeared unconcerned and not angry, signaling that he was permitted to accept this stranger’s challenge!
“Fine! I accept your challenge!” Merlin replied indifferently, his aura of arrogance once again emanating from his body.
Upon hearing this, the faint smile on Leon’s lips widened as he gave a small nod, an aura of holy power and chaos faintly emanating from him.
“Good!” Leon remarked nonchalantly.
The intense stare-down between the two, with the fighting spirit evident in their gazes, infused the atmosphere in the garden with tension.
Unbeknownst to Merlin, Liliana, who had been quietly observing their exchange, couldn’t help but smile and shake her head.
“Merlin, this guy is going to be completely destroyed this time…”
***
In the backyard of the inner palace, a vast field spread out, its short grass covering the ground. There, Leon and Merlin stood opposite each other, two hundred meters apart, their gazes locked in determination.
“In this fight, are there any rules?” Merlin asked in a boastful and arrogant tone, seemingly underestimating Leon.
“There are no rules. You can use whatever weapons or abilities you possess, be it sword techniques or magic,” Leon replied with a faint smile, opening his white robe to reveal a tightly fitting shirt that accentuated his chiseled physique like that of a Greek god.
Merlin’s expression shifted strangely as he regarded Leon, who continued to smile at him.
‘Sword techniques and magic? How does he know I excel in those areas?’ Merlin wondered, feeling both astonished and confused.
Only a select few, including the other seven Demon generals and Her Majesty Liliana, were privy to that information.
How did this stranger know?
After pondering for a few moments, Merlin dismissed the confusion clouding his thoughts.
“Perhaps it’s merely a coincidence, or Her Majesty Liliana informed him,” Merlin speculated, shaking his head as he considered only those two possibilities.
If it turned out to be the first possibility, Merlin would feel relieved; however, if it proved to be the second, jealousy would consume him, driving him to tear this stranger apart!
Taking a deep breath, Merlin’s expression gradually normalized as he fixed an indifferent gaze on Leon.
“I hope you don’t regret this. And if, by chance, I end up killing you, don’t blame me,” Merlin said, his tone laced with eagerness and concealed killing intent.
His mastery of sword technique and magic rendered him exceptionally lethal. No enemy had survived facing these abilities, bolstering his confidence to an all-time high.
As he stretched his body to warm up, Leon couldn’t help but smile faintly at Merlin’s threat.
“Of course, I won’t blame you,” Leon replied casually before adding, “but ensure you have the ability to back it up.”
He naturally grasped Merlin’s thoughts, having observed this person’s arrogance and pretentiousness in the past, which now left him feeling slightly disgusted and bored.
Yet, it must be acknowledged that Merlin’s sword techniques were undeniably formidable, especially when combined with his powerful magic attacks, which had left him feeling somewhat overwhelmed in the past.
Unfortunately, he was already privy to all of his techniques and weaknesses, prompting a laugh at the thought of the surprise that would inevitably cross Merlin’s face.
‘Well, I hope Merlin has improved since our last encounter and has developed a new ultimate attack, so this fight won’t end too quickly,’ Leon murmured to himself, a faint smile playing on his lips.
The purpose of challenging Merlin, beyond teaching him a lesson for daring to seduce Liliana, was to use him as a whetstone to sharpen his mastery of the chaos power within him.
His mastery of chaos power was far inferior to his command of holy power—not even close. This was understandable, given that he had only acquired chaos power last night, whereas holy power had been with him since birth.
Therefore, he could only hope that Merlin would endure long enough to provide a worthy challenge and not let him down.
Meanwhile, Liliana stood on the sidelines, her arms folded across her proud and huge breasts, smiling faintly as she listened to the exchange between the two.
“I’m quite curious to see how Leon will handle Merlin,” Liliana muttered to herself, excitement lighting up her expression, impossible to conceal.
In this fight, her support for Leon was unwavering and unconditional.
After all, Leon’s challenge to Merlin undoubtedly stemmed from her, filling Liliana’s heart with a sweetness akin to honey, reassured by the knowledge that she was defended by someone she loved.
Taking a deep breath, Liliana’s expression gradually returned to its usual nonchalance as she observed the two, who were now poised to fight.
“Are you two ready?” Liliana inquired, her tone slightly elevated yet still indifferent.
Leon and Merlin both gave small nods, responding in unison, “Ready!”
Upon hearing this, Liliana closed her eyes and clasped her palms together.
*Whoosh!*
Suddenly, an enormous blood-red ball of light materialized in the sky above.
Slowly expanding, it eventually fragmented, forming a net that enveloped the entire perimeter of the field, creating a formidable barrier.
After the barrier was in place, Liliana opened her eyes and withdrew a hundred meters, her voice carrying as she commanded, “Let the fight commence!”
…
Meanwhile…
The Desert of Chaos was an exceptionally arid and harsh place where the sun shone fiercely.
Consequently, it had never been inhabited by any living creatures, whether of the Demon Race or mankind, except for a few strange beasts, making it the least populated area compared to other regions.
However, today, the Desert of Chaos, usually defined by its desolation, looked very different.
The two formidable forces of the world’s two strongest races, humankind and the demon race, confronted each other in full force for the first time since the last war era.
On the eastern side of the Desert of Chaos stood humanity’s troops, numbering 600,000 of the Holy Empire of Elysium’s finest and elite troops, led by four formidable figures at the vanguard. Their mere presence suffused the entire eastern region with palpable tension.
Meanwhile, on the western side of the Chaos Desert, the demon troops, numbering no fewer than humanity troops, were led by four powerful figures emitting a terrifying aura, causing ripples of fear throughout the western expanse.
The convergence of these two forces marked the onset of the era’s greatest war. Nevertheless, neither side initiated any action, as if both were anticipating something.
***
“So, it’s the Demon troops, huh? Quite powerful and terrifying.” Valen sat atop his horse, his arms folded, wearing a rare, serious expression.
“Yeah, they’re not holding back this time. It seems they’re unleashing everything against us,” Natasya replied beside him, clad in heavy gold-colored armor with a golden sword at her waist.
Her expression remained nonchalant and calm, though a hint of wariness lingered in her eyes.
The lineup of the Demon Race was undeniably daunting, especially the four figures leading the vanguard, each exuding a terrifying aura as formidable as theirs.
Valen gave a small nod as he observed the middle-aged man positioned in the center, sensing the imminent threat and pressure of confronting a true monster.
‘Is he the Demon Emperor of this era?’ Valen pondered, but he held back from leaping to conclusions.
Next to them, Guren and Rain remained silent, though the tension etched on their faces was unmistakable.
Guren, in particular, appeared both apprehensive and eager, his emotions barely concealed.
This marks his first experience in warfare, especially on such a grand scale, stirring within him a myriad of emotions, including fear, anticipation, excitement, curiosity, and more.
‘I must stand out in this war,’ he whispered to himself, a quiet affirmation of his determination.
On the other hand, the three Demon generals—Lilith, Teran, and Garan—eyed Valen, Rain, Natasya, and Guren with equal wariness.
Only Heidel, atop his black horse, remained composed, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“These heroes of this era are truly formidable,” Heidel remarked, nodding approvingly as he observed Valen, radiating an imposing aura.
However, his expression shifted to one of confusion as he noticed the absence of the Bow Hero among them.
“Where’s the Bow Hero? Is she in concealment?” Heidel pondered, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the surroundings, but she was nowhere to be seen.
*Boom!*
Just as he grappled with this uncertainty, suddenly, a deafening explosion echoed a kilometer away from where the human troops were stationed.
Simultaneously, a powerful surge of holy power shot into the sky, transforming the once bright and sweltering atmosphere into instant darkness, shrouded by black clouds releasing snowflakes.
As Heidel beheld this spectacle, his eyes widened in astonishment.
“This is…”
——-
A/N: Well, since my laptop is still broken and under repair, I could only write one chapter today (yesterday, I just happened to be able to write two chapters).
By the way, since this arc has started to enter the conflict part, who do you think will win in this war?
Leon and Liliana with their demon forces, or Velix and the heroes with their human forces?
Well, just write your support for both sides in the comment section!
Oh! About Discord—coincidentally, because my laptop is still broken, this is a bit delayed. However, don’t worry, because it won’t be long!
Well, that’s all, and don’t forget the support, which will keep me going! Thank you!
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