Chapter Fifty-Six: A Vast Difference in Strength

Tina opened the prison doors and looked at Perine, asking, "Why did you challenge Kien using the rite of combat? I already told you, just endure for a few days, and once Kien is done with his business, you’ll be free to go!"

"Town Guards fear nothing!" Perine rose to her feet. "What did he say?"

Tina shook her head helplessly. "Kien agreed! Why go to such lengths?"

"The form of combat?" Perine asked, her face expressionless.

"Armed combat. You’ll get your sword back right away!"

"Who will I be fighting?" Perine pressed.

"Wolf!"

"That big brute?" Perine queried.

"Yes! You can’t defeat him, even as a Town Guard..." Tina said softly. "You can still back out now. I can make sure Kien pretends none of this happened. You really don’t need to risk your freedom this way..."

"Honor above all else for a Town Guard!" Perine replied calmly. "I was exhausted from fighting horned apes and then ambushed by kobolds; that’s how I was captured. It’s a disgrace to a warrior’s honor! Now that I’ve regained my strength, I must speak as a warrior would! If I win, I claim my freedom and dignity! If I lose, I give up everything!"

This girl is brainwashed, Tina thought, feeling a pang of pity. Perine was clearly shaped by the Town Guards’ training from childhood, a fighting machine whose mind seemed to hold nothing but battle.

"Here’s your sword." Realizing she couldn't sway Perine, Tina fetched her sword from Jia Zhengjin and handed it over.

Perine nodded to her, then strode out of the jail, heading straight for the cleared, open ground.

Word had spread that Perine had invoked the rite of combat to challenge Kien. Tina’s parents, who were working in the fields, as well as Amber’s entire family, hurried over, eager to watch. In a world starved for entertainment, watching a duel was as good as it got.

"No wonder she’s a Town Guard!" Old Harlin exclaimed in admiration.

"She looks strong... Will Lord Wolf be able to beat her?" Amber asked, a touch of worry in her voice.

"Quiet!" Borint hushed those around him.

Tina saw Wolf step out from behind Jia Zhengjin, beaming as he faced Perine. With a sigh, she stood between them. "Do both parties have any objections regarding the rules and the aim of this duel?"

"No objections," Perine replied crisply, her face unchanging.

At Tina’s gesture, Wolf grasped the meaning and shook his head—no objections.

"In this duel, life and death are left to fate. Neither side will be held responsible for killing the other. Any objections?" Tina asked again.

"None," Perine responded.

Wolf shook his head as well.

"Then, please swear by your gods to honor the outcome of this duel and never regret it," Tina declared solemnly.

"In the name of the God of War, I swear to respect the result of this duel, win or lose, and never go back on my word!" Perine held her sword before her and made the oath in all seriousness.

After understanding, Wolf raised his right hand and swore in the common tongue, "In the name of the God of Darkness, I swear to respect the result of this duel, win or lose, and never go back on my word!"

"Both parties have sworn. I now declare the pact in effect!" Tina raised her right hand. "Let the duel begin!"

"Wait! It’s supposed to be armed combat—where’s his weapon?" Perine pointed her sword at Wolf, raising her voice in protest.

Tina had to spend considerable effort to explain Perine’s question to Wolf.

"My body is my greatest weapon!" Wolf sneered, throwing his head back in a howl. His body changed rapidly, transforming instantly into the form of a werewolf. Sharp claws shot from his hands, gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

As Wolf revealed his true form, Amber’s family and Tina’s parents were terrified, taking a moment to recover, but their eyes now brimmed with awe as they looked at Wolf.

"A werewolf, then?" Perine paused for a moment, then lunged forward in a flash.

"Clang!" Wolf easily parried Perine’s iron sword with his claws, then nimbly moved behind her, his sharp claws aimed straight for her back.

Perine spun, bringing her sword up to block the dangerous strike, then quickly put distance between them. Regaining her stance, she lunged for his throat with a precise thrust.

"Whish!" Wolf dodged the attack with ease and kicked Perine square in the abdomen.

The tremendous force sent Perine skidding backward, a trickle of blood appearing at the corner of her mouth.

"Hey, she’s pretty good!" Seeing Perine hold her own against Wolf—even if Wolf was clearly holding back—Jia Zhengjin was a little surprised.

"Kien, don’t kill her!" Tina whispered in less-than-fluent Mandarin to Wang Wei.

"Don’t worry," Wang Wei nodded reassuringly.

"Lord Wolf, you’re the best! Beat her! Beat her!" Amber cheered, ever the superfan, still excited even after learning Wolf was a werewolf.

Wolf wore an easy smile. In this form, neither Perine’s speed nor strength, let alone her experience, could compare to his. This duel was almost unfair; the blue-haired girl was nowhere close to Wolf’s level.

Perine, too, sensed the gulf between their abilities—especially since her opponent was a werewolf, famed for strength and agility. Still, she refused to yield, drawing on every ounce of her skill and launching into a relentless assault.

"Clang, clang, clang!!" The two clashed fiercely, blow for blow, the battle raging for over forty rounds. By then, Perine was gasping, her grip on her sword beginning to tremble. Wolf, by contrast, was as composed as ever, not the slightest hint of fatigue.

Feeling underestimated, Perine knew she had no hope of victory, but she nevertheless summoned her last reserves of strength and shouted, "Everyone, fall back!!"

Hearing her cry, Tina quickly pulled Jia Zhengjin back, calling for her parents and Amber’s family to retreat to a safe distance.

With a quick glance, Perine made sure everyone was clear, leaving only herself and Wolf in the ring. She finally unleashed all her power in a burst: "Sweeping Strike!!"

A torrent of energy exploded outward, a ring of sword light whirling from her hands in every direction, engulfing Wolf in an instant.

Jia Zhengjin stared in awe. "Is that the legendary battle skill? An area attack, not bad at all!"

"Boom!!" Under the onslaught of the slicing sword energy, Wolf’s crossed arms were torn bloody and raw, the sight horrifying. Yet he paid it no mind—those wounds would heal in moments.