Chapter 570: Duel

Chapter 570: Duel

“Hehe.” Simon laughed softly, but there was nothing light-hearted about it—his eyes gleamed with cunning, and a flash of calculated cruelty passed through them. He turned his head slightly, just enough to conceal the smirk that tugged at his lips.

“As you say, Lord Harthorne,” he agreed, voice smooth like oil over fire. Internally, however, he was already celebrating. ‘Finally… a chance to publicly humiliate Virelia.’

He had been waiting for this moment from the start. He and Virelia had always been at odds within the Black Dragon Palace, their philosophies clashing, their ambitions colliding.

Now, with the looming selection for the thirty-six Compound Masters—positions of tremendous power and influence—every move, every appearance, every result carried weight.

Simon had no intention of losing. And thanks to a stroke of fortune, he had found the perfect tool for his victory.

The Black Dragon Palace oversaw numerous cities scattered throughout the mortal realms across many different planets—cities created to monitor talent, hold inheritance trials, and scout geniuses worth bringing to the Divine Realm.

In one such city, the Hundred Battle City, Simon had stumbled upon a terrifying talent. Garry. A young man who had not only breezed through the inheritance trial but had also reached the seventh floor of the Nine Dragons Painting—a feat that placed him at the pinnacle of all mortal realm geniuses.

Without hesitation, Simon had taken Garry directly to Obsidian Dragon City, knowing he could use this prodigy to crush any rising star Virelia brought forward.

He hadn’t expected to find her parading around with some Seeker Rank boy—but now that Max had shown up, he saw the perfect opportunity to strike. ‘A Seeker Rank mortal realm brat… against Garry? The boy will be lucky to survive.’

Yes, this was ideal. A public duel, a crushing defeat, and with it, a blow to Virelia’s credibility. Simon’s grin widened ever so slightly.

“What do you think, Virelia, about this duel? Do you agree?” Simon asked quickly, his voice eager, almost too eager, as if he were afraid the moment would slip away if he didn’t seize it.

Virelia frowned slightly, but her smile remained composed, graceful. “The duel sounds fair enough,” she said, her voice calm and light. “But shouldn’t a proper duel have proper stakes?” She turned her eyes toward Simon with a look that danced on the edge of amusement. “Surely, Simon, a man like you wouldn’t mind making it… interesting.”

Simon’s expression stiffened for a fraction of a second. Something in her tone felt off—too confident. But then his eyes flicked to Max, standing there quietly with that infuriating calm expression. ‘He is just a Seeker Rank.’ He relaxed again. ‘I must be overthinking this.’

“What do you want?” he asked, his voice firm but curious.

Virelia’s response came smoothly, almost too smoothly. “I don’t want much. If Max wins, I want you to hand over your Counter Mirror treasure.”

The words hung in the air like a blade, sharp and demanding.

Simon’s pupils shrank slightly. That was no small request. The Counter Mirror was a powerful tool, one that could defend against many attacks and even stored some of them for counter attack. It was useful even in the Divine Realm.

But just as he opened his mouth to refuse, Virelia added with perfect timing, “And in exchange, I’m willing to bet my Three Thousand Years Seven Colored Lotus.”

Simon froze.

“The… the Seven Colored Lotus?” he repeated, disbelief leaking into his voice.

Virelia simply nodded, as if she hadn’t just dropped a thunderbolt into the room.

Greed instantly sparked in Simon’s eyes. He had heard about it—everyone in the palace had. A Three Thousand Year Seven Colored Lotus wasn’t just a treasure, it was a legend. Capable of healing near-fatal wounds, improving comprehension, stabilizing one’s foundations, and even extending lifespan.

He had burned with jealousy when he first heard Virelia had found it in a forbidden realm. But now—now—he had the chance to take it from her. Legally. In public. In front of witnesses.

His earlier suspicion flickered again in the back of his mind, but it was drowned by his greed. ‘It’s impossible that brat can win against Garry.’

“Deal!” Simon declared with a wide, eager grin, already tasting victory on his tongue. “Let’s set up the stage immediately!”

“Alright. Let’s go to the private arena,” Lord Harthorne said, rising from his seat with the calm authority of a man accustomed to handling confrontations.

His deep voice echoed slightly through the stone hall, and without delay, he turned and began leading the group down a long corridor that curved toward the rear section of the city’s inner compound—where the private battle arenas of Obsidian Dragon City lay hidden from the public eye.

Max followed quietly behind Lady Virelia, his steps steady, face neutral. His mind, however, was far from calm. He hadn’t cared much for this duel before—had no desire to waste his strength on a stranger’s petty pride.

But now? Now that he had been openly called “trash” by a pompous fool and repeatedly at that, if he didn’t respond to such people, he would be letting himself down.

Just then, Lady Virelia’s voice whispered directly into his mind through sound transmission, soft but firm. “Max, you have to win here. That Counter Mirror—it’s a rare treasure. Very rare. It can block almost any attack in the mortal realm and even some in the Divine Realm. But that’s not all. It can reflect the attack too. Convert the energy. Turn it back on the attacker. Do you understand? This could be your life-saving treasure. If you win, it’s yours.”

Max’s eyes narrowed slightly as he absorbed her words. A treasure that could not only defend him but counterattack? A mirror that could protect him even against higher-level enemies? That… was priceless.

The kind of thing one couldn’t hope to find twice in a lifetime. And given the enemies he had—those lurking in shadows, some even beyond this realm—he knew better than anyone how much a defensive artifact like that could tip the scales of survival.

His calm expression remained unchanged, but inside, a fire had lit.

“Alright,” Max replied through sound transmission, his tone casual but confident. “Then I’ll win.”

Lady Virelia smiled faintly, her steps growing lighter as they continued walking toward the private arena.

Not long after, they arrived at a wide, quiet hall sealed behind thick stone doors—Lord Harthorne’s private arena, reserved only for moments like these, away from the noise of the public arenas.

The place was grand yet simple, with towering ceilings supported by smooth black pillars carved with faint dragon patterns. The hall stretched wide enough to host large-scale battles, but it was empty now, eerily so, save for the footsteps of the few who had entered.

At the far end of the hall, facing each other, were two small chamber-like rooms, barely large enough to fit a person.

“Max, Garry,” Lord Harthorne called, his voice calm but firm, “you both will enter one of those rooms.” He gestured to the chambers at the end of the hall. “Once inside, you may feel a slight discomfort—don’t resist it. It’s just the projection mechanism activating. It’ll create your combat form in the mirrored arena. Step inside, and you’ll understand how the battle will take place.”

Max gave a brief nod, already walking toward the chamber on the right.

Garry scoffed behind him, cracking his knuckles arrogantly as he strode toward the left room like a champion walking into the ring.

Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!