Endurance, Duel Cage.
Now.
.
Bright white light shone upon the Duel Cage, casting a hazy white glow through the pitch-black dueling hall.
The two men took their positions on the platform, settling into their stances.
Scythe faced longsword.
"Bzzz—"
Domingo, the veteran from Terra, lunged directly with his longsword. His merciless blade flashed across the platform, striking straight at Hazniel.
Hazniel raised his scythe to defend, but as if he had already predicted Hazniel's next move, Domingo suddenly accelerated and broke through from Hazniel's flank. His blade flashed up; in that brief instant, red lines of blood had appeared on Hazniel's arm and neck!
Just one exchange!
Had Domingo been wielding a fully sharpened longsword, Hazniel likely would not have still been standing on the dueling platform.
The victor had been decided!
Hazniel cast Domingo a resentful, indignant glance, but the burning pain of the cuts across his shoulder and neck reminded him, like chains, that he had already been defeated.
He silently leapt off the platform.
On the platform, Domingo stood like an unyielding rock, showing no intention of leaving.
Among the Barbarus men below, some fell silent while others were displeased. The crowd shifted restlessly, producing a small amount of disorder and noise, yet no one dared step onto the platform to duel.
Hazniel was normally one of the top three undefeated fighters in the Duel Cage. Everyone below had, to some extent, been beaten by Hazniel and knew they were inferior.
Yet Vokes, the only one remaining who could defeat Hazniel, had suddenly vanished. He usually watched the duels in the Duel Cage, but for some reason, he was not here.
The Terran veterans remained quietly still. Even if some of them disapproved of Domingo's actions, all they could do now was wait.
The Primarch's massive