Jasper was startled and instinctively raised his arm to stop Willem’s advance.
Despite his efforts, the vast power gap between them rendered Jasper helpless against Willem’s relentless pressure. He could only watch in horror as Willem’s fangs inched closer to his neck.
Jasper panicked and urged, “What are you fools waiting for? Get in here and help!”
“Quick! Help the General!”
In an instant, the Glorian silver- armored guards, numbering in the hundreds, swiftly responded as if awakened from a deep slumber.
Some drew their bows, releasing a volley of arrows, while others advanced with spears raised, ready to strike.
The arrows were unleashed from bows.
Each carried an explosive force as it rained down on Willem without mercy.
In an instant, his back turned into a pin cushion, resembling the spines of a hedgehog. Blood stained his clothes, reflecting an eerie sheen in the moonlight.
“Isn’t a duel supposed to be fair? And you’re calling for reinforcements? Are Glorians so devoid of honor?” Willem turned and glared at the silver- armored guards.
“I agreed to duel with you, but I never said it had to be one-on-one!” Jasper seized the moment to break free.
Then, he boldly asserted, “My subordinates are under my command. They are willing to face whatever comes our way. It’s perfectly reasonable for them to engage you. I see no issue!”
“Outnumbering me, huh?” Willem sneered, his contempt evident.
For ages, he had been warned of the Glorians’ ruthless tactics and disregard for honor in pursuing victory. Today’s encounter only cemented those warnings into grim reality.
With unabashed pride, Jasper retorted, “Who cares if we outnumber you? It’s a matter of pride for us Glorians to have strength in numbers!”
“Bailey, did you catch that?” Willem raised his head. His eyes fixed on Bailey.
“Mr. Jasper, you’ve already lost,”
Bailey urged, his brow furrowed. “Just apologize to Mr. Willem. So, we can put an end to this whole charade.”
Willem could have easily incapacitated Jasper with just one bite if nobody intervened.
“Why should I apologize? We had the upper hand. Why should we admit defeat?”Jasper challenged defiantly.
“A duel isn’t about outnumbering your opponent,” Bailey reminded, his tone icy.
“Hmph! Our strength in numbers is our skill. If this pale simian can’t handle it, he should gather more people to face us!” Jasper proclaimed.
“Mr. Jasper, I’m trying to uphold Glorian’s best interests. Don’t betray our principles,” Bailey cautioned.
“Mr. Bailey, your bias is showing. You know this pale simian can’t defeat us, so you’re obstructing us at every turn!” Jasper countered.
“Jasper Crest, are you sure you want to keep going?” Bailey’s expression darkened.
“Yes!” Jasper declared firmly. “Today, I’ll teach that pale simian a lesson he won’t forget!”
“Very well,” Bailey conceded, his tone edged with frustration. “I’ll give in to your demand. This duel has no bounds and no regulations. Survival rests solely on your skills. I won’t interfere.”
With those words, the gravity of the situation became clear to everyone.
Bailey was the referee in the previous duel between Willem and Jasper. While his involvement wasn’t decisive, it ensured that neither combatant faced fatal consequences. 1
Initially, the confrontation was meant to be controlled to determine a clear winner. However, the stakes had now escalated to a fight for survival.
With no rules as a guide, it had devolved into a battle of life or death, where victory depended solely on individual skills.
In such dire circumstances, Willem’s combat abilities would prove incredibly advantageous. As an immortal sustained by blood, he wasn’t worried about facing multiple opponents. 15
To him, they were merely prey, regardless of their numbers.
