The First Legendary Beast Master

Chapter 1057: Duel In Nulnalgat

The King of Nulnalgat cleared his throat and opened another portal.

”Champions, please follow me through the portal, so we can discuss the terms of the challenge. Everyone else, you have ten minutes to reach the Arena before the battle begins.”

Karl jumped over the crowd to land on the stage, using [Swims Through Air] to avoid a hard landing.

The spectators began to talk excitedly about his casual acceptance, and his physical control. But the King didn’t wait, and the two followed him through to a room that overlooked a sand floor arena.

”What the fuck were you thinking? A Mythic Ranked duel here of all places? HERE! Forget the fact that the word is already spreading about you challenging someone in Nulnalgat, you did it in the middle of nowhere.” The King raged.

”And you, why did you accept instead of negotiating?”

Karl shrugged. ”He demanded ownership of Guild Members, including myself. Nothing about his terms was acceptable for negotiation. You should feel blessed that I didn’t demand a full-scale Guild War.”

The Champion snorted in amusement, and the King growled at him.

”Jerome, do you have no sense left in your brain? The Darklight Host has a Supreme Ranked Chaos Dragon among their members. If they refused to accept a Duel, there might not be a nation left for you to go home to, even if you won the fight.” The King informed him.

Jerome, the Dragonkin Warrior who had started this whole mess, stared at the King in confusion.

”The only Supreme Ranked Dragon on the entire planet is...”

”Supreme Lady Matilda. Yes. You just challenged HER GUILD to a Guild War.”

Karl’s smirk nearly set off the warrior, and the King of Nulnalgat sighed.

”Do you have to keep annoying him?” He asked.

”Keep annoying him? I fully intend to kill him.” Karl corrected.

A third ring would look good on his tabard.

”I can see that this won’t be solved peacefully. I will have the Royal Council reinforce the barriers on the arena. Take your positions, and I will signal the start of the battle when the barriers are ready.”

Karl and Jerome both jumped down onto the sand to wait while the arena filled.

Already, portals were opening, and Mythic Ranked fighters in well-worn armour were filling the best seats. These must be either friends or competitors of Jerome, though none of them were his Guild members.

”I hope that you’re ready to start crafting. I don’t give days off for failed challengers.” Jerome taunted.

”You know, I always wanted a Mythic Dungeon of my very own. How much time is left on your claim?” Karl replied.

The people in the stands burst into laughter. The annual contest had just ended, he had it for over three hundred more days. At twenty percent tax on what was taken out, Karl would be filthy rich by the end of the year if he could actually win the fight.

But if he could, then he could likely claim a Totem Ranked Dungeon in next year’s challenge anyhow. Not that any of them expected him to actually win this fight.

The visiting mages joined the Royal Council in reinforcing the barriers, trapping the two contestants inside.

[Hey, what’s the rule on duels?] Rae asked.

She had never properly seen one done in an arena like this before, and wasn’t entirely clear on whether she got to come out and play.

Karl checked the System interface.

[No bonded partners or outside assistance. Only the two champions and effects created by their abilities are allowed in the Arena.] Karl read.

Clearly, someone had tried to sign a contract to have a more powerful ally come to them in a challenge before, and the System had turned it into a disadvantage to classes like Karl’s.

[You should leave your weapons in storage and just beat his face.] Cara offered.

Karl did have [Brutal Pugilist], which was far more effective in dragon form. 15 Percent unarmed damage per Rank. Totem was the eighth Rank, so that was 120 Percent in total.

[I hear what you’re thinking. Definitely punch him in the face.] Cara laughed.

The King’s voice boomed through the Arena. ”Combatants, finish your preparations. The Arena has been sealed, and we have confirmed neither party is suffering from negative status effects.”

Karl smiled and called the Haint, the Epic Guard, the Lamia duo and a pair of Dire Bear Golems, then activated [Avatar] to transform into the massive form of a World Dragon.

Jerome smirked. It was all posturing. He was Mythic, with ninety percent reduced damage from all the Totem Ranked trash. He could just ignore the extras, and it would be impossible to miss a dragon that size with any skill he used.

But the audience was beginning to place wagers with renewed enthusiasm. He might still be outclassed, but this Darklight Host Champion had talents far beyond simply crafting.

Plus, he had no fear. That alone put him far above most under Ranked Champions. The hesitation and instinctive need to protect their lives actually cost most of them their fights.

Inside the Tiny World, Opal was recreating the arena scene outside, while Remi did the narration with much more colourful interpretations than what the King had given to the live audience.

”Begin.” The King declared, resigned to the waste of this duel.

No matter who won, it would be an overall loss for everyone else.

Jerome leapt forward, while Karl swatted at him with a massive claw. Dragon claws met Mythril as the strikes clashed, while the two opposing skills exploded outward in a burst of energy that shook the barrier over the arena.

Jerome Roared as he cast an additional layer of physical buffs on himself, but Karl wasn’t concerned. Physically, he was still the far stronger of the two. The issue was going to be the level of power output.

His arm still ached from that strike, and it hadn’t even split the scales.

[Nullify]

Yes, that was better. Jerome wouldn’t have time to fully restore his buffs.

Karl didn’t wait for his opponent to finish preparing for another attack and struck again, using [Void Blast] to rain explosions on the warrior from a distance, then he followed it up with [Ghostfire], used like a dragon breath attack, intending to confuse the enemy.

Jerome flung himself to the wall as the flames licked out. Dragon fire was evil stuff, and if Karl set him on fire, he would have to waste precious seconds putting himself out instead of dealing with this overconfident crafter.

Pushing off the wall, he hurled himself back into combat, but the Haint shoulder checked him, and aimed her long claws directly between his legs.

Cara cheered as the claws struck home, but the Warrior’s defences held, and he was thrown off course with a painful shriek of claws on metal.

When he landed, the Lamia bombarded him with ranged blade attacks and the bears charged, keeping him away from Karl, who was still unloading constant [Void Blasts] at him.

”You damnable coward. I am going to rip you apart, then resurrect you and do it again.”

Karl gave him a huge draconic smile and snapped his fingers, using Tian’s [Earth Manipulation] skill to create a spike of earth, aimed upward from the floor.

Jerome was forced to roll away again, and the crowd burst into laughter.

If Karl lost this fight, the Warrior was definitely going to torture him to death.

Repeatedly.