Chapter 35

Chapter 9: Deko

As the three people approached, the Demon Hunter already sensed their presence. The heightened battle awareness granted by blind combat clearly transmitted the fluctuations of the three people getting closer into the Demon Hunter's mind. The leader's impolite questioning clearly revealed their ill intentions.

Although he had a head of dazzling golden hair, the leader's appearance was extremely ordinary, even somewhat ugly. The Demon Hunter, who had just opened his eyes to observe the other party, pulled the corners of his mouth—what a waste of such beautiful hair, it was being ruined on him!

Perhaps the Demon Hunter was not the first to have such thoughts, or perhaps his expression of disdain and regret was too obvious. The other party immediately roared in uncontrollable anger: "Ye Qi! You dare to look down on me, you scoundrel who insults the Deko family!"

Deko? So that's how it is!

The other party's roar effectively answered the Demon Hunter's doubts. However, the Demon Hunter closed his eyes again in the next moment—anyone who could become a new apostle must have a high status in the Deko family. The Deko family, due to the death of their lackey Tade, wanted to cause him trouble but was restrained by his status as an apostle and the lack of a proper excuse. If he were to fight with the other party now, wouldn't it give the Deko family a perfect excuse to cause him trouble? It would clearly not be a good idea to provoke a Demon Hunter family before he had raised his strength to a certain level!

Therefore, the best course of action at this moment was to ignore the other party's provocations! Of course, if the other party overstepped and attacked first, the Demon Hunter, who would then have a justifiable reason, would not mind leaving a deep impression on the other party. After all, given the other party's attitude, they would eventually cause him trouble. If he could resolve it in advance, the Demon Hunter would not mind! Moreover, according to the Demon Hunter's prediction, with the temperament of a large family like the Deko, they would likely be unable to bear his indifferent attitude and would attack first! At that time...

"Duel! I, Koster Deko, challenge you, Ye Qi, to a life-or-death duel on the arena!"

The situation developed more smoothly than the Demon Hunter expected. Facing the indifferent Demon Hunter, the other party actually proposed a life-or-death duel! This gave the Demon Hunter a considerable surprise—the rules of the life-or-death duel allowed killing without retribution, with life and death determined by one's own abilities. For a Demon Hunter who was not yet strong enough to face the entire family, a life-or-death duel was too suitable! At this moment, the Demon Hunter could not help but sincerely thank the high-ranking Demon Hunters who established the rules of the life-or-death duel, even though the rules were hypocritical, they were very practical at certain times, weren't they?

Want to kill me on the life-or-death duel to avenge the death of Tade, that lackey, on the life-or-death duel? Understanding the other party's intentions, Ye Qi immediately opened his eyes, the corners of his mouth slightly curling into a cold smile.

"Coward! Coward! Did you hear that? Duel, a life-or-death duel on the arena!"

Seeing that Ye Qi still did not speak, Koster pointed at him arrogantly and laughed loudly, so much so that he did not hear Ye Qi's response clearly.

"I agree!"

"What? What did you say?"

"I said, I, agree!"

Repeating the previous words word by word, Ye Qi walked straight to the center of the hall, which had already been cleared by the new apostles. As soon as Ye Qi stood firm, the mission prompt sounded.

"D+ level mission: Koster's Provocation. Defeat the provocative Koster on the life-or-death duel."

Although he had already anticipated that he might receive a random mission, Ye Qi could not help but frown when he saw the mission's level.

If the experience from a D+ level mission were given to him before he became a Mage, Ye Qi would have been overjoyed. However, for Ye Qi, who was now at level 7 in character and level 3 in profession, it was somewhat insufficient. Originally, Ye Qi had hoped that the other party would give him a C- or C level mission to help him reach level 8. But unexpectedly, it was just a D+. However, even a small fly is meat, and it was even delivered to his door. How could Ye Qi refuse?

"Hmph! Do you think you can take me for granted? I'm not a softie like Tade!" Koster stood opposite Ye Qi, suddenly flipping his hand to reveal a vivid green leaf in his hand. Seeing the new apostles' doubtful gazes at the leaf in his hand, Koster laughed triumphantly again: "I dare to challenge you to a life-or-death duel because I have my trump card! See? This is the Starlight-level holy artifact, the Emerald Leaf! And as for my ability—it is also fire control!"

Deliberately drawing out the words, Koster's other empty hand suddenly burst into a bright orange flame.

"Your ability is the same as mine! But I have a holy artifact, and you don't! So in this life-or-death duel, I am sure to win!"

In Koster's smug reasoning, as if to prove the correctness of his words, the Emerald Leaf in his left hand and the flame in his right hand each emitted different lights. When the lights dissipated, a bright orange flame whip and a green thorny whip appeared in Koster's left and right hands, respectively. Then, he angrily lashed out at Ye Qi, who was looking at him with a gaze of disdain.

"Double Viper Strike!"

The two whips, different in color and ability, lashed out from the left and right toward Ye Qi's head and abdomen.

"Slap! Slap!"

Ye Qi took a step back, easily dodging the seemingly sharp but actually flawed attack. Then, he raised his left hand, which had been preparing a fireball spell, and threw it straight.

Seeing the fireball flying toward him, Koster immediately lashed out with his whip. The fireball, one of the basic skills of an apostle who has awakened fire control, generally has low power. Therefore, as an apostle who has also awakened "fire control," Koster did not take the fireball seriously.

However, unfortunately, what Ye Qi used was a fireball spell, not a fireball! Although they looked similar, the fireball spell, filled with explosive energy, was far superior to a mere fireball! Therefore, when Koster ignored the fireball spell and lashed out with his whip, the outcome was already determined.

"Boom!"

In the loud explosion, the entire assembly hall seemed to shake twice. Flames over two meters high surged out from the center of the explosion in all directions. The range of the fireball spell was a 20-foot radius, so within this 40-foot, or 12-meter, circle, the flames raged. Even if the surrounding new apostles managed to dodge quickly, they were still affected! As for Koster, who was at the center of the explosion, he was basically reduced to ashes!

"D+ level mission Koster's Provocation completed; gained 900 experience..."

"What's going on! You damn fools, don't you know where you are? How dare you fight here!"

The roar and the system prompt sounded simultaneously.

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