Chapter 22: The Dragon and the Dog

Amidst the nearly fanatical cheers of the entire audience, the heavy door on the other side of the dueling arena finally began to creak open.

Unlike the radiant golden light that heralded Olivia’s entrance, this time, a palpably oppressive sense of dread instantly blanketed the entire arena.

Without any fanfare or warning, a torrent of violent, violet-black flames surged forth from the entrance like a burst dam.

This was no ordinary fire; it carried the nauseating stench of sulfur and the bitter resentment of the abyss, instantly swallowing the entry passage whole.

Then, that mass of violet-black fire shot skyward, leaping high above the arena.

Before the eyes of all, it transformed into a blazing meteor with a long, fiery tail, plummeting down with the momentum to annihilate everything in its path!

Boom!

The fire meteor smashed into the center of the arena, landing at a position directly opposite Olivia.

The tremendous impact instantly kicked up a surging shockwave, which, mixed with rolling flames, violently expanded outward as if to turn the entire arena into a hellish sea of fire.

The witches in the spectator stands were forced backward by the heat, their screams and gasps forming a continuous chorus.

As the scorching flames dissipated, a lithe witch stood revealed in the arena’s center, facing Olivia.

She was a witch with a wild mane of untamed black hair, cascading down her back without any care, the ends still smoldering with unextinguished embers, exuding a feral, untamed aura.

A pair of black canine ears stood erect on her head, and a fluffy tail swished impatiently behind her.

But most striking were her violet, slit-pupiled eyes, burning with an unquenchable hellfire.

On either side of her head, two ferocious canine heads, formed from violet-black flames, silently roared their challenge at Olivia.

They had no physical form, yet their oppressive presence was more terrifying than any solid body.

This was the unique magical manifestation of a Hellhound Witch.

“Samotush, the War Witch…”

Mentor Shirley murmured softly, her expression growing increasingly grave.

She adjusted her glasses, her tone serious.

“She’s a war maniac who recently advanced to the rank of Grand Witch, codename ‘Nether Hound’. So she’s Olivia’s opponent for this duel?”

“A Grand Witch? You mean that Samotush, the one who was promoted during the foreign wars and granted a special codename by the Witch Council?!”

Sally froze for a moment before covering her mouth in a gasp.

In the Dona Yala World, only those whose strength had reached the rank of Grand Witch were qualified to receive an exclusive codename from the Witch Council.

It was not just a symbol of power, but a badge of honor.

Looking at Olivia across from her, Samotush’s lips curled into a ferocious grin.

She crossed her arms, her gaze brazenly sweeping over Olivia’s form, her tone laced with sarcastic mockery.

“Well, if it isn’t the strongest genius of our generation. What’s the matter? Haven’t graduated from the academy yet? Seems you’re enjoying your little baby witch games quite a bit.”

Samotush snorted derisively, the provocation in her eyes intensifying.

“So, where have you been fishing for little witches lately? I hear you’re quite popular among those brats. What a fickle one you are.”

Facing Samotush’s incendiary provocation, Olivia’s smile remained composed.

She shook her head slightly, a flicker of resignation passing through her brilliant golden slit-pupiled eyes.

“After all this time, that stupid mutt’s foul mouth still hasn’t changed much.”

Olivia flexed her wrists, the joints emitting crisp popping sounds.

Her tone was calm, yet edged with sharpness.

“I don’t mind using my fists again to fix that rotten mouth of yours, to teach you some manners. Just like back in the Capital Academy days.”

“Enough talk!”

Samotush harrumphed coldly, the fighting spirit in her eyes instantly blazing.

Violet-black fire raged around her body.

“I came back specifically to defeat you this time! I’ll show the entire Dona Yala World who the strongest witch of our generation truly is! Not you, a golden dragon living off her bloodline, but me, the Nether Hound who clawed her way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood!”

Before her words even finished echoing, Samotush’s right hand clenched into a fist.

A ball of violet-black flame coalesced in her palm, instantly forming into a massive war blade burning with hellfire.

Runes swirled across the blade’s surface, emanating a terrifying shadowy aura.

Olivia didn’t hesitate either.

With a faint smile, a flash of golden light surrounded her, and a pair of ancient-looking yet powerfully designed Golden Knuckledusters appeared on her fists.

Intricate dragon patterns were carved on their surface, and a faint dragon’s roar seemed to emanate from them.

Olivia and Samotush turned back-to-back, each walking towards opposite sides of the arena.

Every step they took left a deep imprint on the ground.

The breath of the tens of thousands of spectators seemed to halt at this moment.

Every witch held her breath, waiting for the decisive instant.

The witch serving as referee raised her flag high, then swung it down sharply.

“Duel, begin!”

As the referee’s command rang out, the two figures vanished from their spots simultaneously.

In that split second, a dazzling golden light and a violent violet light erupted from opposite sides of the arena.

Like two waterfalls flowing upstream, they surged towards the center with world-shattering momentum!

The two figures left long afterimages in the air.

Two intense sonic booms, caused by magic compressed to its limit, tore through the arena’s silence.

Clang!

A deafening metallic crash reverberated throughout the arena.

Olivia’s fist, wreathed in dragonfire, collided squarely with Samotush’s hellfire-wreathed greatsword.

Boom!

Terrifying magical power erupted at the point of contact between their weapons.

The immense force distorted the very space around them, then erupted into a dazzlingly brilliant display of magical light.

Ripples of golden and violet magical energy spread outward in waves.

A brilliant pillar of light shot into the sky, piercing straight through the magical barrier covering the arena’s dome, tearing a vicious gash in the clouds.

The split clouds slowly parted to either side, as if drawing back the curtains for this duel.

After several seconds of deadlock, Olivia and Samotush both exerted force simultaneously.

The massive recoil sent each of them flying back dozens of meters.

But this was only the beginning.

Before their footing was even steady, the two witches transformed into streaks of light once more, rapidly clashing together.

Samotush’s blade technique was frenzied and grand in scale, each slash carrying the power to split heaven and earth.

The violet-black hellfire clung like maggots to bone, burning and devouring everything in the path of her swings.

The two flame canine heads behind her also occasionally spewed fire, trying to disrupt Olivia’s movements.

Olivia, however, was like an immovable golden fortress.

Her fist technique was fierce and domineering, each punch accompanied by the roar of a dragon and the snarl of a tiger.

The dragonfire entwined around her Golden Knuckledusters firmly suppressed Samotush’s hellfire.

This was a clash of pure power and peak technique.

The two witches engaged in brutal, close-quarters combat, their dazzling magical exchanges directly igniting the passion of every spectator in the arena.

“Lady Olivia! Go for it!”

“Lady Nether Hound! Cut her down!”

Mountainous waves of cheers rose and fell.

The entire arena seemed to transform into a boiling volcano.

Countless witches waved their glow sticks, shouting encouragement for their chosen idol.

Sally stared wide-eyed, her gaze locked on the two figures flickering back and forth across the arena.

Her neck twisted frantically, following Olivia and Samotush’s movements, terrified of missing a single detail of the duel.

“So strong… They’re both so strong… I wonder who will ultimately win this duel…”

Sally muttered to herself, her eyes filled with awe.

However, just as Sally and Huli were watching with rapt attention, Tunzuo, sitting beside them, suddenly spoke up.

Her tone was as casual as if she were discussing the weather.

“That Samotush can’t beat Olivia.”

“Huh?”

Hearing Tunzuo’s words, Sally blinked in surprise and turned to look at her curiously.

“Why do you say that, Tu-tu Sis? I’m Lady Olivia’s biggest fan, but Lady Samotush isn’t weak either! She’s a Grand Witch tempered by foreign wars, her strength unfathomable. Even someone as strong as Lady Olivia would find it hard to gain an advantage if she doesn’t take it seriously.”

Huli also blinked, tightening her arms around her teddy bear, clearly puzzled by Tunzuo’s assertion.

Tunzuo didn’t answer immediately.

Her deep green pupils contracted slightly as her gaze pierced through the noisy crowd, precisely locking onto the center of the battlefield.

Tunzuo didn’t know Olivia, nor did she know Samotush.

But she knew slaughter and combat.

More importantly, she recognized the shadow magic emanating from Samotush, magic that shared its origin with her own.

Though their manifestations differed—one hellfire, one pure shadow—the dark essence originating from the cosmic dark side couldn’t be faked.

Tunzuo took a deep breath.

Images from the devilish training sessions her bad mommy, Antuxi, had put her through flashed in her mind.

Those life-or-death drills, those analyses of mana flow and combat rhythm, now replayed in her mind like a film.

“Samotush’s breathing is off.”

Tunzuo spoke slowly, her voice not loud, but it made Sally and Huli involuntarily quiet down.

Even Shirley beside her turned her head, listening intently.

“Samotush may be fierce and imposing, each strike heavy and powerful, but her rhythm is already out of control.”

Tunzuo pointed a finger towards the black figure furiously attacking on the field.

“She’s impatient. She wants to win too badly, to prove she’s stronger than Olivia. This impatience has left too many openings in her attacks. Samotush’s mana consumption rate is twice Olivia’s. She’s trading explosive power for pressure, but it’s unsustainable.”

“As for Olivia…”

Tunzuo’s gaze shifted to the golden figure, a trace of barely perceptible admiration flashing in her eyes.

“She’s calm. Calm as if looking in a mirror. Olivia is observing, calculating. She’s waiting for Samotush to reveal that fatal opening. Her mana control is exceptionally perfect. She’s not wasting a single shred of mana on ineffective defense. All her power is being stored, waiting for that decisive instant.”

“This is a gap in mentality and battlefield observation. Samotush is fighting desperately, but Olivia… is hunting.”

Tunzuo’s commentary was vivid and exceptionally professional, each word striking a chord with Sally and Huli. Shirley, however, frowned slightly.

Tunzuo’s seasoned combat insight was somewhat unexpected.

Just as Tunzuo finished her analysis, the situation on the field indeed began to change.

Samotush’s attacks grew increasingly frenzied, but Olivia’s evasions became more and more effortless.

The golden figure weaved through the violet-black sea of fire as if taking a leisurely stroll in her own backyard.

“Window of opportunity. It’s appeared.”

Tunzuo said softly, watching the field.

In the dueling arena, Samotush swung another heavy slash at Olivia.

But due to overexertion, a tiny, almost imperceptible opening was exposed under her left rib.

This fleeting moment might be impossible for an ordinary witch to notice, but in Olivia’s eyes, it was as if Samotush had opened her arms in invitation.

Olivia moved.

This time, she didn’t evade.

Instead, she charged straight towards Samotush’s blade.

In the millisecond before the blade could touch her shoulder, Olivia sidestepped nimbly, avoiding the lethal strike.

Simultaneously, the Golden Knuckledusters on her right fist erupted with dazzling golden light.

The majestic silhouette of a golden dragon roared into existence behind Olivia.

“It’s over.”

Tunzuo’s voice drifted down softly, pronouncing Samotush’s fate.

Boom!

Olivia’s punch, wreathed in dragonfire and overlaid with the phantom head of a golden dragon, struck with overwhelming, unstoppable force, landing precisely on Samotush’s chest.

Thud!

Samotush spat blood, flying backward like a kite with its string cut.

The armor on her chest shattered instantly.

The witch slammed hard into the arena wall, raising a cloud of dust.

The two violet-black flame canine heads let out a mournful cry before hastily flying towards Samotush.

Victory was decided.

The entire arena fell into a moment of silence before erupting into cheers even more deafening than before.

“She won! Lady Olivia won!”

Sally jumped up excitedly in the stands, waving her banner with a whoosh.

Tunzuo leaned back in her seat, letting out a long sigh.

She felt somewhat fatigued.

This kind of high-intensity combat analysis was more exhausting for her than fighting a battle herself.

Tunzuo looked at Samotush, who was already being carried away by medical personnel, then at Olivia, receiving the adoration of thousands amidst the cheers.

A complex mix of emotions welled up inexplicably in her heart.

Annoyance, jealousy, but… also a trace of envy and admiration.

“Tch, looking so pleased with herself…”

Tunzuo muttered under her breath, staring at the triumphant Olivia.