The next afternoon, everyone from Lin City gathered at the appointed location.
Not far away, the Black Fang Legion watched them like tigers eyeing their prey.
The “Three Flag Challenge” simplified a large-scale military conflict into three one-on-one matches.
For either side, it was a way to resolve the matter while minimizing losses.
“Judging solely by the Magic Power fluctuations coming from them, the legion’s highest combat power should be a 5-Crown. That would be General Mord,” Lockes said, looking toward the man sitting on a mink fur chair.
The other man was also sizing him up with a calculating gaze.
“How is it? Can you beat him?”
Qiaolin asked.
“What a joke. To think a mere human—”
Lockes started to disparage humans as usual, but seeing Qiaolin standing right there, he quickly cleared his throat and continued, “Ahem. I am a warrior personally trained by Her Majesty. I am invincible among those of the same rank.”
“My, my… ‘invincible among the same rank,’ is it?”
Loki, standing behind Qiaolin, teased with a smile.
“I recall that in every Mock Trial, your results were never as good as mine.”
“You… you always hide in the back! Don’t think I don’t know you only step in to snatch the kills after all our comrades are dead!”
“Well, there’s nothing I can do about that. You know how my magic works. I can only make a move after someone else attacks first.”
“…”
“Alright, alright. We’ll rely on Brother Lockes’s performance. He is our trump card,” Qiaolin said, acting as the peacemaker.
‘This Vampire youth has a solid foundation. He doesn’t seem like the other Vampires I’ve seen before who increase their strength by forcibly draining the blood and Magic Power of others. While that method is fast, the stolen power never truly belongs to them. That kind of hollow strength usually fails against opponents of the same rank.’
The aura radiating from Lockes felt different to Qiaolin.
At least every bit of power in his body belonged to him.
Combined with the naturally robust physique and rapid healing of the Vampire race, it allowed him to maintain an advantage against those of the same rank, just as he had claimed.
Aurora stepped forward to meet Mord.
Both sides exchanged information regarding the participants to ensure they belonged to their respective factions.
“You look quite calm, Miss Aurora. Are you certain of victory in this match? Or do you have other plans?”
“What is that supposed to mean, General Mord?”
Aurora’s brows furrowed.
She had prepared extensively for this battle that staked the fate of Lin City, yet the opponent was questioning her resolve.
“I am merely reminding you. Although we Balthars are known for being unscrupulous—which may have left you with a bad impression—we will maintain the traditions of our ancestors even at the cost of our lives and honor. The glory of the Three Flag Challenge cannot be tainted. There is only winning and losing; there is no room for negotiation.”
“I feel the same way. However, we are fighting to protect this city and its people. We are not like you invaders!”
Facing Aurora’s poise, Mord could not help but feel a spark of admiration for the City Lord of Lin City.
However, with his mission at hand, he knew he had to take Lin City to establish a foothold in the Celtic Forest.
“Since you have chosen this path, please see it through to the end.”
The soldiers of the Black Fang Legion prepared the field.
They used white cloth to create three flags.
Mord walked beneath the flags and opened his palm, releasing his Magic Power.
Thick, yellow earth-attribute Magic Power fell upon a white flag, instantly dyeing it.
Mages were not the only ones who possessed Magic Power.
Everyone in this world had it within them.
Warriors skilled in Taijutsu could also use Magic Power to enhance themselves.
Compared to Mages, their Mental Power might be slightly weaker, but their robust physiques compensated for it.
Mord made a “please” gesture.
Aurora understood and stepped forward, releasing her own Magic Power as well.
Blue, red, and yellow Magic Power splashed onto the white flags like dye.
The appearance of the three colors caused the members of the Black Fang Legion to wear expressions of shock.
“She actually has a multi-attribute Magic Power talent? No wonder they dared to issue a challenge!”
“This is the first time I’ve seen someone with three different types of Magic Power.”
“Silence!”
As the soldiers whispered among themselves, Mord’s shout restored silence to the field.
Wiggins smiled and shook his head.
He looked at the dyed flags, a trace of regret flashing in the depths of his eyes.
“The so-called Three Flag Challenge involves capturing the opponent’s flag. The winner of the first match only gains the white flag. This flag can prevent your own flag from being taken if you lose the second match. I assume I don’t need to explain the rest.”
“I understand.”
The result of the match was only settled when the flag dyed with one’s own Magic Power was captured by the opponent.
The white flag served as a single chance for error.
It was essentially a best-two-out-of-three system.
The Three Flag Challenge was indeed simple and straightforward.
After returning, Aurora explained all the rules to everyone and looked over the opponent’s roster.
This included the legion commander, Mord.
Following the Balthar tradition of admiring the strong, his strength was undoubtedly the highest in the entire legion—at least a 5-Crown.
“They only sent three people. In other words, regardless of the situation, their combat arrangement is absolute,” Qiaolin said, glancing at the list.
Qiaolin did not recognize the remaining two, but no one was worried about the identity of the participants being faked.
The only premise that kept this trial going was that both sides tacitly agreed to follow the rules.
“Stinger Ashi… I recognize this man,” Edmond said.
As the commander of the city guard, his strength was among the top in Lin City, so he naturally had a part in this challenge.
“Oh, I remember now,” Qiaolin said with a smile.
“Didn’t you two have a bit of a disagreement in the city before?”
“Thanks to Mister Qiaolin’s help, I had the chance to teach him a lesson. That guy’s strength is actually nothing to scoff at.”
“Don’t worry. When I encountered him, I felt he only had the strength of a 4-Crown.”
Qiaolin turned to Edmond and asked, “What is your rank?”
“Mister Edmond’s strength is at the 3-Crown level,” Aurora said.
The young knight scratched his head awkwardly.
This meant that if the two faced off, Edmond’s chances of winning would be very slim.
If he were to fight Mord, the outcome would be even more certain.
“It seems I might not be of much use, even though I really want to give that arrogant guy a beating!”
The group fell silent.
Having confirmed the opponent’s lineup included a 5-Crown and a 4-Crown, the third person certainly wouldn’t be lower than a 4-Crown.
On Lin City’s side, there were Lockes, Aurora, Qiaolin, and Edmond.
They were known to have a 5-Crown and a 4-Crown, but Aurora specialized in Healing Magic.
While her Demon Race bloodline gave her a larger Magic Power capacity than human Mages of the same rank, allowing her to outperform them, she still felt uneasy.
“Had she been a bit too impulsive?”
“Don’t overthink it, Miss Aurora.”
A soft voice reached her. Qiaolin walked up to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her.
“This match hasn’t even begun. None of us know the final result. Doubt will only weaken your power and slow your pace.”
“It isn’t just me behind me. It’s all the residents of Lin City.”
“Then you must be even more firm in your confidence. If it really comes down to it, let me tell you a secret…”
Qiaolin shielded his mouth with his hand as if he were truly sharing a private whisper with Aurora.
“My Taijutsu isn’t bad either.”
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