The Duel of Honor and Life

For Mofimod Rigles, this wasn’t the first time he had witnessed the magic barrier produced by the Monkacru Industrial Fortress. Yet, experiencing its formidable defensive capabilities once more still astonished him.

The sheer terror of such a magic barrier, capable of withstanding demigod-level power if deployed strategically, was immense.

Although his recent slash had only utilized a fifth of his full power, for Mofimod Rigles, who wielded the Rotten Dragon Blade, even a tenth of his strength was enough to instantly kill a demigod who wasn’t focused on defense.

‘How about it, Lord Domu? As a demigod yourself, I wonder if you can withstand my slash?’ Mofimod Rigles sheathed the Rotten Dragon Blade at his waist, fixing his icy gaze upon Domu, who stood below the stage.

‘However… it will be completed soon. While this method is indeed rather crude, Lord Domu, what is about to unfold is not an ordinary duel. It is a battle staked on honor and life itself.’

‘To protect the dignity and glory of the Norachi Kingdom, I, Mofimod Rigles, shall make a final stand against you here.’ Mofimod Rigles rested a hand on the hilt of the Rotten Dragon Blade at his waist, feeling the faint tremor transmitted through his palm, and thought silently.

“Lord Domu, I am ready.”

Mofimod Rigles gestured to Mr. Tule outside the arena. Following Mr. Tule’s instructions, the staff deactivated the magic barrier. Standing on the stage, Mofimod Rigles addressed Domu, who was below.

“Hmm… it’s just…”

Domu, standing below the stage, did not immediately respond to Mofimod. Instead, he looked around, concerned about Soronna’s current state. He worried about what might happen if Soronna returned and found him gone.

Domu had originally intended to wait for Soronna to return and give her some instructions before going on stage to duel Mofimod. However, he hadn’t expected the “Despair Symphony Orchestra” performance to end without Soronna returning, which caused him some concern.

“Domu, I wonder if you are aware of the special power possessed by Lord Mofimod Rigles…”

Mr. Tule, standing below the stage, approached Domu and whispered beside him.

“Mr. Tule?”

Domu, who was intently searching for Soronna, was startled by Mr. Tule’s sudden voice and asked in surprise.

“Lord Mofimod Rigles is a man endowed with the innate power, the Azure Wolf Soul. This innate power grants boundless strength and an exceptionally unique killing intent. Furthermore, the more severely he is wounded, the stronger his combat prowess becomes.”

“It was with this innate power that Lord Mofimod Rigles single-handedly slew Jokorite Eskrim, the Third Prince of the Actica Empire and a demigod. Now, having received the Rotten Dragon Blade, the Norachi Kingdom’s strongest sacred artifact bestowed by Her Majesty the Empress, Lord Mofimod Rigles possesses the power of eternal life.”

“Although I do not believe Lord Domu would lose to Lord Mofimod Rigles, I implore Lord Domu to proceed with utmost caution.” Mr. Tule softly conveyed all the information he knew to Domu.

However, despite Mr. Tule’s words, he didn’t hold much hope for Domu’s victory in his heart. After all, Lord Mofimod Rigles’ abilities were simply too terrifying. He could only hope that the two lords were merely sparring and that no true accidents would occur.

“Mr. Tule… thank you very much.”

Seeing Mr. Tule’s earnest assistance, Domu felt deeply moved. Yet, gratitude aside, ‘Mr. Tule, I will absolutely not agree to the two of us having dinner alone.’

‘But then again, I never expected Mofimod to possess such an innate power. It feels somewhat like the ‘Berserker’ bloodline among the beast races in “Goddess’s Tears”. While I’m not sure what the Rotten Dragon Blade’s unique power of eternal life entails, these two characteristics are indeed remarkably complementary.’

“Domu, do you have any other concerns?” Mr. Tule gently inquired in a low voice, observing Domu, who was still looking around.

“Mr. Tule, Soronna hasn’t returned since she left a while ago. If she comes looking for me later, I’ll have to trouble you to explain the situation to her. And perhaps I’ll need you to temporarily arrange for someone to look after her, if that’s possible?”

It seemed Soronna wouldn’t be back anytime soon, so Domu had no choice but to ask Mr. Tule for help. He needed Mr. Tule to clearly explain his duel performance with Mofimod to Soronna when she returned.

Since they were within the City Lord’s estate, Domu, though worried about Soronna, wasn’t concerned for her safety. He simply worried that Soronna, immersed in “complete reality,” wouldn’t get into any trouble.

“Domu, please rest assured. If I see Lady Soronna, I will take good care of her and arrange for Philly to accompany her. By the way, I wonder if I might have the honor of inviting Domu… after the event concludes.”

Upon hearing Domu’s request, Mr. Tule happily nodded, then performed an extremely elegant gesture, speaking respectfully to Domu.

“No! I’m going on stage now, Mr. Tule. Thank you very much for your help.”

Before Mr. Tule could finish speaking, Domu quickly interrupted him, then turned and walked onto the stage. Mofimod Rigles, standing on stage, had his arms crossed, his expression still cold, without the slightest impatience or anticipation.

“Heh heh, what a pity… Activate the magic barrier. Phil, go find Lady Soronna. Once you find her, invite her here. Philly, stay with me for now.”

Mr. Tule watched Domu’s retreating back as he walked onto the stage, shaking his head with a touch of regret. Then, he reverted to his radiant smile and gave instructions to the staff, Phil, and Philly.

“Lord Domu, I thought you weren’t coming up.”

Mofimod Rigles’ gaze was icy, but his voice now held a hint of playful mockery.

“My apologies, Mr. Mofimod Rigles. I was delayed for a moment due to some matters.” Domu said, feeling somewhat guilty.

“First, I must apologize to you, Lord Domu, because initially, I had some misunderstandings regarding your character.” Mofimod Rigles spoke to Domu in a very polite tone.

“Character? Misunderstandings? I’m sorry… Mr. Mofimod, I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

Domu truly did not comprehend Mofimod’s words. Although he had previously found Mofimod’s mysterious way of speaking a bit strange, now, after hearing his words, Domu was even more bewildered.

“Hahaha, it’s nothing. I was simply blinded by anger; I should have realized your true nature sooner, Lord Domu. However… if you weren’t involved in that matter, Lord Domu, I would be very willing to befriend you.”

Mofimod Rigles, who had been blinded by Domu and Princess Soronna’s closeness from the very beginning, now understood. This man before him was not a deeply calculating individual at all, but rather an extremely simple fool. Perhaps it was precisely this quality that had made Princess Soronna see him in a different light.

‘However… if only Lord Domu didn’t have a wife and daughter.’ Mofimod Rigles now held immense admiration for Domu. ‘But… things don’t always go as planned. The Princess of the Norachi Kingdom absolutely cannot be with a married man. So, Lord Domu, I apologize, but I can only make you leave Princess Soronna’s side in my own way.’

“Oh oh oh! The barrier is going up! The battle of the century is about to begin!”

During the brief exchange between the two on stage, as per Mr. Tule’s command, the magic barrier once again enveloped the entire stage, including Domu and Mofimod Rigles within it.

“I support Lord Domu! Lord Domu will win! Unrivaled beauty! Moe is justice!”

A fan of Domu was waving a large flag, obtained from who knows where, emblazoned with the six large characters for “Domu Fan Club.” Not just this person, but behind them stood a group with cloth strips tied around their heads, on which was written “Lord Domu is the cutest.”

It was unclear whether this strange organization had suddenly formed due to admiration for Domu’s strength or because of his recent appearance.

“Lord Mofimod Rigles is invincible! Long live Norachi! Long live the Legion Commander!”

Another group consisted of people in Norachi Kingdom military uniforms, clearly Norachi Kingdom soldiers. This group also held a large flag, printed with the green wolf head emblem representing the Norachi Kingdom’s Second Legion. They waved it continuously, demonstrating against Domu’s fan club nearby.

“You don’t understand Lord Mofimod Rigles’ strength! Even if Lord Domu is a newly ascended demigod, he’s no match for Lord Mofimod Rigles in a single move!” The Norachi Kingdom soldiers shouted mockingly at Domu’s fan club.

“Boss, boss…” A soldier covertly tapped the shoulder of his superior, who was yelling at the opposing side.

“Don’t bother me! Can’t you see I’m demoralizing the enemy? Lord Mofimod Rigles is invincible! Though, if Lord Mofimod Rigles goes easy, perhaps this duel will be somewhat interesting!” The officer slapped away the soldier beside him, then turned back to continue undermining the morale of Domu’s fan club.

“No… no… boss…” The soldier crawled back, cautiously trying to speak.

“I said don’t bother me! Can’t you see I’m doing something important! What is it, hurry up and say it!” The officer looked at the persistent soldier, controlling his urge to swat him away, and said helplessly.

“Boss… A-Pi, A-Ben, A-Sha, they secretly snuck over to the other side just now! The ones shouting the loudest over there, ‘Moe is justice, cuteness is not a crime, long live Lord Domu,’ are those three!” The soldier secretly glanced at the officer’s face, steeled his heart, closed his eyes, and shouted loudly.