City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Chapter 83: Duel

“The seats are nice,” said Carla as she sat down. They are even better than the modern stadiums on earth.
 
The seats are made of wood and leather with a soft cushion that melds against the body, but that is not the most amazing thing about it. The most amazing thing is the array of enchantments. 
 
This arena is huge, with a capacity of over three-hundred thousand. Double than the biggest stadiums on earth.
 
Even with better arrangements, it is hard for most people to see a thing on the ground clearly, not to mention hearing the sound near impossible.
 
That is where the enchantments does their magic. They create an effect that brings the view much closer, like watching it from the front. At the same time, they provide coherent sound.
 
I have been to many stadiums and watched all sorts of sports in them, but not a single one could compare to the arenas of this world.
 
Our experience is going to be best, as these seats are equal to the club seats. 
 
I wanted to get a suit, but they are always hard to get. Having money is not enough to buy them, you need standing and connections.
 
I look at the stadium; jam-packed with people. 
 
This arena might seem big, but it is average on a world scale. The war cities of Oton had the biggest arenas in the entire world. Having the capacity to hold over a million people.
 
I want to sit in them, at least once.
 
The fight will begin in ten minutes, but seeing the crowd. I cannot wait for long.
 
“Remus. I did not think I would meet you here,” said the familiar voice. I turned to the middle-aged blond man with a smile. “It is a nice surprise. Guild master bow,” I said to the man. 
 
He is Irvin Bow, the guild master of the potters' guild and also a secretory in the merchant guild.
 
“When do you arrive at Owlspring?” I asked him as he sat beside me. Well, besides Carla, I had exchanged the seat with her. 
 
“Just this morning. I had a come a day early to watch this duel,” he replied with excitement palpable in his voice.
 
“It seemed like you are an enthusiast,” I said, and the man nodded unabashedly. “I love battles since I was a child,” he said, and I smiled at that. 
 
 
 
Time passed as I made a talk with a man when suddenly, the whole arena quit down. The arena is still empty, but the lines of enchanted scripts became visible as they lit up.
 
A few seconds later, a change appeared. The area came closer to me. I could now clearly. I felt like, if I crouched down, I could pick up the dust from the arena's ground.
 
I was adjusting myself when I heard the crushing of boots and saw a middle-aged man walking into the arena. It is a handsome half-elf with silvery hair, wearing a white suit.
 
“Everyone, thank welcome to the central arena to watch the duel of the year,” he said, and the crowd cheered loudly.
 
There is no mike on his face, but his voice is clear to everyone sitting.
 
“Knight Commander Valra of Blazing Fist will dual against Viscount Luran from the Kingdom of Mahal,” he said, and the crowd cheered wildly. 
 
“Without further, I call the duelist to the arena,” he declared, and a moment later, the gates on both sides of the arena opened.
 
For a few seconds, there was nothing, before two people walked out at the same time from opposite ends. 
 
One is a short, bearded man, barely five feet tall looked to be in his late fifties. Wearing purple armor with an emblem of a blazing fist at its center. The armor is enchanted and so is the black ax and purple shield he has in his hands.
 
He is Knight Commander Valra, and clearly a half-dwarf. While the man coming from the opposite direction is human.
 
Vicount Luran looked to be in his mid-thirties, quite handsome, with pale blond hair and piercing blue eyes. He is wearing light armor and has an enchanted blue-blade long sword.
 
“Eleven days' war had been especially bad for House Locklaw. Their title, demoted from Count to Viscount, their territory reduced, and their greatest powerhouses, had got injured enough that never able to reach the peak,” informed Irvin Bow.
 
“Bal Luran had also taken part in that war, right?” I asked. To that, he nodded. “Yes. It is said, he hadn’t gained a class that time,” he replied.
 
That would make him less than fifteen years old when he took a part in the war. I wish I could say it was uncommon in this world.
 
Soon, both of them stopped in front of each other and the whole arena fell silent.
 
“Defeating you, I will regain the honor of my house,” said the Viscount Luran. “Hehe. Thousands have said that to me, young man, but very few have been able to do it.” said the Knight Commander with a laugh.
 
An old man turned up in the center of the arena. One minute, there were only two people, another minute he was present.
 
He is human with some elvish blood and looks to be in his mid-sixteen, with shoulder-length blue hair and dull grey eyes. He is wearing simple clothes and held no weapon, but both Viscount Luran and Knight Commander Valra turned respectfully as he appeared beside them.
 
“Is he?” I asked Irvin Bow. “Senon Darius, the marsh hunter,” said Irvin. The S-class powerhouse of Owlspring. Their national treasure.
 
“This is a duel, but not a death duel. You could injure each other, but not fatally or in the way. It will take a long time to heal.”
 
“If I see it happening, I will stop the duel immediately and declare the result,” said the old man in his clear voice, and both of them nodded.
 
“Begin!” He shouted and disappeared, appearing at the edge of the arena a moment later. 
 
While at the same time, Viscount Luran and Knight Valra moved, using their skills from the beginning. 
 
They moved fast, so much so that even with the enchantments, I had to focus really hard to see them. Though from what I could see, Viscount Luran is clearly fast, but speed is not everything.
 
Viscount Luran appeared in front of Knight Valra and swung his sword. The blue sword was so fast that I could only follow the afterimages it had left behind.
 
Clang!
 
A loud sound rang out as their weapons clashed. But that was the beginning of the next moment. Viscount Luran attacked again.
 
His attack is like a storm of blades. The blue blade had transformed into the tens of blades and all of them went to Knight Valra, who seemed unfazed by the attack.
 
He just moved his ax and was not fast either, but could be able to clash against the tens of blades.
 
“Knight Commander Valra is good,” I said, looking at how he is defending himself. “He is very experienced, but Viscount Luran is pressing him. Making him use his ocular skills,” said Irvin.
 
I am a little surprised and turned to Irvin, who is looking at the battle with complete focus and even had a skill active.
 
I looked at him for a moment, before turning to battle, where Viscount Luran had pressed at even greater speed. Still, Knight Valra countered it with his ax, without using his shields.
 
I wonder whether he would use the shield.
 
Clang!
 
I had just thoughts that when he used his shield to defend, before moving forward at amazing speed, wanting to ram the shield into Viscount Luran.
 
He was fast with great timing, but Viscount Luran had avoided it before the shield crashed against him. Though Knight Valra seemed to have expected it as he launched the attack with his ax.
 
Clang!
 
Viscount Luran immediately defended it before attacking.
 
A few minutes passed, and the crowd is roaring in excitement as they fought. The battle is on a completely different level. I have never seen such a battle in my life.
 
I would have in the island if I had been powerful enough, but I was not and wasn’t able to join the High Mage Blackstone in his battle against the lich.
 
In the first minute of the duel, I thought Knight Valra would win. Seeing how he was defending with minimal movement, conserving his energy and stamina, but now, I do not think so.
 
Viscount Luran is not an idiot, and he is fighting with a strategy. If I am right, then he is testing his opponent.
 
The battle continued for half an hour more, when a thing that everybody had been waiting for had happened.
 
‘Aura,’
 
Aura came out of the Viscount Luran. It immediately senses an oppressive feeling across the whole arena. People shuddered and some weaker ones even fainted from it.
 
Aura is said to be a sign of one's will and it is awakened and not gained as skill and classes.
 
Everyone could awaken it, but those with ruling classes awaken it the most. Even in ruling classes, a few could awaken it, and those who do it are considered people with great potential.
 
The aura is not can be used to suppress, but also used in the fight and that is what Viscount Luran is doing.
 
The white aura formed a cover around him, and it is especially thick around his sword as he moved.
 
My eyes couldn’t help but widen as I saw his increased speed and power. I felt like he had teleported and attacked Knight Valra.
 
The aura burst out of Knight Valra.
 
It is white too, like all unspecialized auras. It covered his body and weapons as he moved his shield to defend against the attack.
 
The crowd cheered like never; this is the reason they have come here.
 
If these two had been any other level 30 powerhouses, they wouldn’t be this excited. But these two are not normal. 
 
Both of them have awakened the aura.
 
Clang Clang Clang
 
They fight fast and hard. I am having quite a problem seeing it clearly, but couldn’t help but feel the burning excitement watching the duel.
 
The sheer number of skills they have and the expertise they are using are simply amazing. I couldn’t help but wish to have such skills, but it would be hard for me to reach such a level.
 
Both of them had fought many battles to reach this level, while I like to avoid fighting.
 
The only reason I train so zealously is because I want to survive if there is battle. 
 
Time passed as I watched them fighting hard; they seemed to have unlimited stamina as their speed never lessen, instead; it had increased further.
 
CLANG
 
After more than an hour of fight, the attack landed. The shield heavily smashed against the Viscount Luran, and he staggered. Instead of shooting back like a ragdoll as I expected, given force and speed.
 
Rip!
 
I was surprised when I got even more surprised. When Viscount Luran moved through the attack, Knight Commander through the tiny gap in armor at his elbow, drawing blood.
 
This did not stop them. They attacked each other again, even faster and harder. Injuring each other every few minutes.
 
“This Viscount Luran is really terrifying,” said Caena suddenly. “Why do you think that miss?” asked Irvin, before I could say anything.
 
“Knight Commander is a defensive fighter, but he is not fully defending against the attacks of Luran.”
 
“The most terrifying thing about him is his use of aura. It is not a sword that passes through the gaps. It is the aura.”
 
“One needs to have amazing control over compressing it into a blade that is powerful enough to tear through aura protection and defenses of armor.” She replied I couldn’t help but be surprised hearing that, and I am not the only one.
 
“You have a good eye miss,” said Irvin after a moment of silence.
 
There is one thing she forgot to mention. He is still young and will reach Level 40 if he lives long enough. The same could not be said about his opponent, who is stuck at Level 39 for over a decade.

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