Chapter 320: Honorable Clash

Loyal to their very core, Ava and Ruby were ready to face the Lord, all to help Michael in his battle. However, he stopped them in their tracks, tasking them instead with securing the enemy’s acting leader.

The reason was simple. During the last faction battle, Michael had fought three Lords simultaneously, managing to kill one and severely wound the other two. Yet despite his overwhelming strength, there were bound to be people who doubted whether he could truly take on a Lord alone.

Because that achievement would force the population to reconsider all of their beliefs, and such a drastic shift would be hard to accept. So today, Michael was determined to make it unmistakably clear.

The structural integrity of the castle trembled beneath their clash. While Michael wielded his soul-bound weapon, Zagar, true to the name of his faction, used a golden chain aimed at both intercepting Michael’s movements and causing harm.

“How is that possible?!” Lord Zagar bellowed, his face growing paler by the second.

Though he might have been only a Radiant Lord, the first stage of the realm, he was still a Lord nonetheless! How could Michael rival, and even surpass, him in every quality?

With his options quickly running out, Zagar changed tactics. Shattering one of the castle walls, he hoped to draw the attention of the other Lords or even other members of his faction.

Yet to his horror, the Unbroken Chain wasn’t faring much better. The other four Lords were being held back… Three of them by the Lords among the Indomitable Alliance, while the last one was struggling against Victoria, Claire, and Richard.

Even worse, the golden chain Zagar had wielded for so long was starting to show signs of damage. Though it was a formidable weapon, it was bound to eventually collapse under the onslaught of Michael’s Mythic weapon.

’Goddammit!’ Zagar cursed inwardly. ’Since Michael is the only one fighting against me and no one is interfering in our fight, I can’t blame anyone but myself and my own incompetence!’

The Lord’s back broke out in a cold sweat as he felt the crushing gazes of the audience watching the fight live. In his life, he had never felt such pressure, not even when fighting against the alien invasion.

As panic set in, Lord Zagar made a mistake. Though they were fighting on the sand of the vast desert, the ground’s surface was far from smooth. His foot caught the edge of a rock, sending him tumbling to the ground.

“Shit!” Realizing that the misstep would cost him his life, Zagar closed his eyes, awaiting death.

“…”

But when he opened them a second later, Michael stood before him, Devil resting on his shoulder.

“Get up, Lord Zagar.” Michael said calmly, without a trace of exhaustion in his voice. “I won’t let a rock steal my glory.”

For a heartbeat, anger spread across Zagar’s heart. However, it faded swiftly soon after. Michael wasn’t mocking him or underestimating him. Instead, he sincerely wanted to face him with everything he had.

“I am so fucking stupid.” Zagar muttered in frustration. “It’s not him who was the arrogant one. It was me…”

Getting to his feet, Lord Zagar shocked everyone with his actions. His head lowered in a bow.

“Please forgive my insolence. I’ve grown so scarred by humanity’s greed and pride that I lost sight of what a true soldier is supposed to be. Though it’s a bit too late now, I ask that you face me with everything you have.”

Seeing Michael nod, Lord Zagar kept his head bowed for a second more. Then, true to his words, he unleashed the most powerful attack he possessed. His golden chain blurred, surpassing the speed of a bullet, striking Michael like a whip across the chest.

Shockingly, Michael made no attempt to dodge or defend. A large gash opened across his body, drawing blood, yet he remained unfazed.

Instead, a faint smile spread across Michael’s face. Zagar’s attack had indeed been powerful. A second blow would certainly end his life.

Originally, Michael hadn’t planned to get injured during the fight. But Zagar’s request to go all out made him reconsider.

After all, one of his most powerful techniques, Warlock, responded to each wound he accumulated, fueling his body with power in exchange for a little madness to be infused into his mind.

His eyes gleamed crimson. In a flash, his body loomed above Zagar, swinging Devil with newfound power.

The Lord responded, raising his golden chain in a defensive stance.

But this time, the pressure proved too much. Zagar’s chain shattered upon impact. The sword continued its trajectory, impaling itself into the man’s head, rendering his body limp.

The Unbroken Chain was unbreakable no more.

“Hopefully, this should put all doubts to rest.” Michael mused, shifting his gaze toward Ava and Ruby.

The two had effortlessly captured the unfortunate soldier tasked with the leadership role.

It had been a bold strategy. The Unbroken Chain had placed one of their weakest members as the leader, most likely planning to defeat the Indomitable Alliance before they could reach him.

Unfortunately for them, their strategy hadn’t worked.

With a simple nod, Michael signaled for them to kill him. Although many members of the Unbroken Chain were still capable of fighting, he saw no point in prolonging the clash.

The two complied instantly. As expected, the meek man had proven to be the leader. A second later, the battle concluded in the Indomitable Alliance’s victory.

Both factions found themselves standing back at the arena, beneath the golden tree.

Unlike last time, the losers, Unbroken Chain, felt little to no resentment or regret over their defeat. The only real danger had been the threat of being banished from the blessed lands in the first round. After that, only benefits could be reaped, such as fame and battle experience.

Without hesitation, once Zagar regained his focus, he bowed deeply.

“I thank you for the honorable clash!”

There was no malice in his words. Because of the Indomitable Alliance, the Lord had learned how much he still had to grasp.

Although the members of his faction were confused by their leader’s actions, they followed suit.

Michael nodded. It was always a pleasure to encounter soldiers who didn’t let emotions cloud their judgment and were capable of self-reflection. It was the kind of mindset humanity needed most amidst the alien invasion.

With the battle concluded in the Indomitable Alliance’s favor, they returned to their base, resting their bodies to prepare for the battle that awaited.

All the while, the world erupted in shock and admiration over the sheer dominance Michael’s faction had exhibited.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep