Kaite's Entrance

The number of viewers for this match was significantly lower than before.

Without Angela's appearance, the outcome of the upcoming match was completely predictable. Although the young masked adventurer was very strong, his performance in the previous battles was clearly not enough to make him the focus of everyone's attention. The spectators were obviously more interested in the battle between the paladins on the other side. However, quite a few people still appeared at the venue, watching the two sides with different feelings. Among them were many adventurers who were commoners. After all, Li Lin and Angela represented the dreams of these people. They had no divine power or background, yet they could defeat powerful paladins, which was like a dream come true. Moreover, they were also eager to see if anyone could defeat a holy knight and enter the finals. Originally, they had high hopes for Angela. However, Angela did not appear in yesterday's match and withdrew, so they had no choice but to turn their attention back to Li Lin. Like the people in the Temple, most of the ordinary people also believed that this might be the last battle.

Standing in the arena, Kaite's feelings were complex. Before the fight began, his teacher, the Holy Knight Walast, had suddenly come to visit him. What puzzled Kaite even more was that Walast, usually so composed and deep, seemed tired and helpless, and his mood appeared quite bad. Moreover, Walast's tone when encouraging him was somewhat off, as if he didn't believe he would win. To be honest, this made Kaite uneasy. He didn't know what had happened to his teacher, but clearly, Kaite didn't have time to think about these questions now. He silently watched the challenger's direction, waiting for his opponent to appear.

When Li Lin appeared, Kaite felt the longsword at his waist seem to twitch slightly out of control, but when he focused his attention to observe, he found nothing wrong.

Everything seems unusual today; even the sunlight seems much dimmer than usual.

Kaite banished these tedious and complicated thoughts, focusing once more on his masked opponent. He gripped the hilt of his sword, slowly drawing it, watching the man warily as he awaited the referee's signal to begin the match.

"Start!"

The competition has officially begun.

As the priest acting as referee began his announcement, the two almost simultaneously took a step back, gripping their longswords and gazing at each other with the most standard and formal posture. This was a complete contrast to other matches where both sides immediately rushed to fight at the start, causing the spectators to sigh in surprise. They had expected a fierce contest, but it seemed neither side intended to take the initiative.

Kaite's choice was not without reason. He had carefully observed the match between the two and discovered Li Lin's fighting style. Perhaps his strength was indeed inferior to that of the paladins, but this man was clearly very skilled in defense. In the previous battles, most of the paladins were focused on winning and thus quickly launched attacks, but Li Lin barely managed to block them. This caused them to expend too much physical and mental energy, which ultimately allowed Li Lin to turn the tide.

Of course, from a conventional strategic perspective, this approach is perfectly acceptable. After all, ordinary people are inherently inferior to paladins, so it's only natural for the opponent to adopt a defensive stance. Conversely, if a paladin doesn't attack first, they risk lowering their own morale, which isn't good for the battle. Naturally, this would also be ridiculed as cowardice, since the opponent isn't a monster but an ordinary human. If a paladin is so timid even when facing ordinary people, their reputation would naturally suffer.

However, Kaite chose this tactic.

Unlike ordinary people, paladins possess divine power that allows them to replenish their energy over extended periods, prolonging combat. Even when fatigued, they recover faster than ordinary people, and they can sustain themselves for longer periods without strenuous activity.

Having witnessed the previous rounds of combat, Kaite no longer intended to launch an offensive. After all, the fighting skills of paladins were all quite similar, and if so many people couldn't break through Li Lin's defenses, then it was unlikely that she could succeed either. Therefore, the only option was to take a risky approach and force her opponent to make the first move, which might offer her a sliver of hope for victory.

Thus, the two sides remained deadlocked in the arena.

"Silly boy."

Watching Kaite's actions, Walast frowned. He understood his student's intentions perfectly well. Indeed, for anyone else, Kaite's tactical choice wouldn't be considered wrong; after all, offense always exposes more weaknesses than defense. However, his opponent wasn't an ordinary person, but Arcane Mage. Although Walast didn't know the exact differences between Arcane Mage and ordinary mages, trying to defeat such an opponent through psychological tactics was clearly not a wise choice.

And the situation unfolded exactly as Walast had predicted.

Ten minutes passed.

Fifteen minutes have passed.

Twenty minutes have passed.

Thirty minutes have passed.

Thirty-five minutes have passed.

The audience couldn't help but start whispering among themselves. Although many of them understood what was going on, as the saying goes, experts see the details while laymen just watch the spectacle. Most people came here to see the excitement, not to watch some boring, stalemate match.

Li Lin was unaffected by the crowd. In fact, he could stand there all day without any problem. Mages need to remain calm and composed, and standing still for a whole day is quite normal in spell training. In order to cultivate concentration, mages must be able to chant calmly at any time, let alone like this.

In contrast, while Kaite remained unaffected by the audience's reactions, his inner turmoil was palpable. He believed that if he could hold out long enough, he could break through his opponent's defenses. For the past half hour, he had been vigilantly watching Li Lin, trying to find an opening in his posture. However, Li Lin clearly hadn't given Kaite that chance. His stance hadn't changed at all from the beginning. Not even his sword-wielding hand had trembled. Continuing like this might not achieve the effect Kaite desired.

"What's going on? Why aren't they attacking yet?"

"Hurry up, a paladin, so hesitant in front of an ordinary adventurer, what a disgrace."

"Hey, you two, hurry up and do it! Do you want to stand here all day?"

The crowd began to grumble, and the paladins of the Temple were equally critical. In their view, Kaite's chosen tactics were far too cowardly for paladins, a disgrace. However, Kaite remained unmoved, though his mood was no longer as calm as before. This time, he saw a hint of anxiety in the eyes of Walast on the sidelines.

Walast couldn't help but feel anxious. After all, he had long believed that Kaite had no chance of winning, and he was also worried that if anything went wrong, Li Lin and Angela would go on a killing spree here. So, from Walast's perspective, he naturally hoped that this match would end as soon as possible, even if he lost, as long as it ended sooner.

Although Walast didn't show it outright, Kate, as his student, keenly sensed it, which made Kaite hesitate about his strategy. Kaite could ignore everyone else's opinions, but Walast's advice was something he couldn't disregard. Therefore, Kaite finally made a decision.

He took a step back, then gripped his longsword tightly and slashed downwards.

Ultimately, Kaite chose to attack.

Faced with this thunderous attack, Li Lin remained unmoved until Kaite's sword reached him. Only then did he suddenly slash his sword horizontally, striking the blade squarely.

"Bite!"

It must be said that Li Lin's sword strike was perfectly timed. Although the vertical slash was quite powerful, it was already at the end of its range when it reached Li Lin. Li Lin's only requirement was to block the opponent's attack, so he didn't use much force. In the end, Kaite's first strike ended in vain.

Just as I expected.

After realizing his attack had missed, Kaite's mood calmed down. He realized that his previous strategy was indeed correct. Although Li Lin was not as strong as him, he did not take his attack head-on like ordinary adventurers, but instead slashed away – a method that was even somewhat similar to the one that Walast often used when instructing him in swordsmanship.

However, what's done is done, and Kaite can no longer regain the mindset she had when she was defending.

Realizing this, Kaite could only grit his teeth and continue his attack. His offensive was relentless, like waves crashing one after another, leaving his opponent with no chance to retaliate. Moreover, there was no way for him to seize any openings in Kaite's attacks to launch a counterattack. In an instant, the situation shifted dramatically once again. Everyone saw Li Lin barely managing to defend against Kaite's attacks. The edge of his longsword was even chipped with nicks, and Li Lin's dodges appeared somewhat clumsy. He seemed unable to extricate himself from Kaite's onslaught, nor could he launch a counterattack. It seemed that he would soon fall to Kaite's sword.

However, Kaite, who was in the thick of it, had a completely different feeling. He finally understood why those paladins had been relentlessly attacking this man.

Because they simply cannot retaliate.

Li Lin's defense was exceptionally tight, yet seemingly full of openings. When he blocked Kaite's sword thrust towards his shoulder, his right side was wide open, offering a chance for a fatal blow. However, just as Kaite thought this and took action, he discovered that the gap that had appeared had already been sealed off, as if it had never existed. At that moment, his sword was already slashing in that direction, impossible to deflect.

In this state, Kaite was unable to defend herself again. At this point in the battle, the most crucial element was striking with unwavering momentum. Losing momentum at this crucial moment would inevitably lead to defeat. Li Lin, however, was clearly determined to defend completely. No matter how small the opening Kaite deliberately created, he would not fall for it. His sword stood firmly in front of him, like an impenetrable wall, refusing to cross the line.

Unable to switch to a defensive posture, nor forced to do so, Kaite was like a cascading waterfall, unable to stop his advance, and his strength was gradually waning. The prolonged, high-intensity war of attrition was slowly eroding his spirit and body, causing his offensive to become fatigued.

Soon, even Kaite himself felt somewhat powerless. He was almost relying on instinct to swing his sword, attacking his opponent as he usually did in training. Even with such a large opening, Li Lin showed no intention of counterattacking. He continued to wield his longsword, deflecting or parrying Kaite's attacks, and even if his opponent paused, he would not attack.

This is really troublesome.

Thinking this through, Kaite finally lost his composure and made his decision when Li Lin blocked his sword once again.

Then, in the next strike, a pure white light suddenly flashed before Li Lin's eyes, and then Kaite's longsword burst forth with a bright light, slashing down with unimaginable speed.

"Ding!! Clang!!"

Faced with this far faster sword strike than before, Li Lin's longsword finally gave way and shattered the moment it clashed with his opponent. After a flash of white light, only half of the longsword remained in Li Lin's hand. The other half had already fallen to the ground, broken into fragments. Upon seeing this scene, the surrounding people were first stunned, and then a barrage of accusations erupted.

"It's a sacred combat technique!"

"Despicable paladin, how dare you use such a technique against an ordinary person?"

"Shameless! Unscrupulous! Is this how a paladin behaves?"

If their opponent were Angela, these people might not be so furious. After all, everyone had witnessed and remembered Angela's incredible speed over the past few days. Using divine power against someone who was almost beyond human capabilities wouldn't be considered cheating. But the situation was different. Regardless of Kaite's thoughts, in everyone's eyes, the masked warrior was struggling to defend himself against the opponent's attacks, while Kaite had a clear advantage. Under these circumstances, for this paladin to resort to divine power was simply outrageous!

Just then, the leather armor on Li Lin's face split in the middle and fell to the ground.

Only then did his face become known to the public for the first time.

Surprisingly, the face was uninjured and unremarkable. If there was anything strange about it, it was that the face didn't look like a warrior at all, but rather more like a scholar or someone similar.

"Well done."

Looking at the leather armor mask that had fallen to the ground, Li Lin shrugged and smiled at Kaite.

"Give up."

Kaite raised his longsword, his posture now more of a show of defiance. He stared at Li Lin with a deep and serious expression. In truth, Kaite felt a pang of guilt about his victory. However, he wouldn't regret his decision. Now that his opponent was unarmed, he couldn't possibly withstand his holy attack empty-handed.

"You're unarmed; you can't possibly defeat me. Surrender, swordsman. I admit you're strong, but you have no chance."

"Arms?"

Li Lin smiled at Kaite's words, his expression so indifferent and relaxed.

"This sword isn't my weapon, it's just a toy. Now, the real battle begins. I hope you can hold it off, otherwise, it won't be fun."

As he spoke, Li Lin raised his right hand and snapped his fingers lightly.

"Angela."

As Li Lin summoned, a white figure suddenly fell from the sky and crashed onto the arena. A loud bang erupted, and broken stone fragments and dust spread everywhere. Only then could everyone see the petite figure standing in the middle.

"Your humble servant has arrived, Master."

Angela's bloodshot eyes were filled with murderous intent and excitement. She gently licked her fingers, gazing at the young knight before her with a cold, wicked smile.

Now, everyone finally understands.

Why didn't this little girl come to the competition yesterday? It turns out she and this masked man were in cahoots!

"Foul!!"

The priest who was to act as judge stepped forward, completely unaware that he was about to face God of Death.

"The competition only allows one-on-one matches; pairs are not permitted! You have been disqualified. I hereby declare you the losers and order you to leave the arena immediately!"

As a clergyman, he was already tired of matches that his own people couldn't win, so he naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity. However, he had barely finished speaking when he saw Angela's face turn cold, her blood-red, icy eyes staring at the referee like venomous snakes.

"Shut up, you piece of trash! This is not your place to give orders."

Then, Angela waved her hand.

A sudden gust of wind arose from the ground, blasting the unfortunate referee off the field. Before the poor fellow could even react, he was swept up by the storm and slammed against the stone wall beside the arena, immediately spitting out a mouthful of blood. It was clear he could not survive.

"What kind of power is this?"

"Oh my god, this is magic!! That little girl is a mage!! Guards, where are the guards!!"

Chaos immediately erupted at the scene, and many paladins drew their weapons, attempting to rush into the arena. However, a semi-transparent barrier suddenly appeared, blocking their movement.

The match is still ongoing.

Li Lin's expression remained unchanged after he cast the protective shield, but this time, everyone saw that his hands were radiating a faint magical light.

"You are... a mage?"

At that moment, Kaite's expression also changed.

"The match is over, mage. Whatever you want to do, I suggest you lay down your weapons and surrender immediately. That way, we can give you a fair trial."

"No."

Li Lin stretched out his finger and gently shook it.

"The match continues, and it must continue. I'm not asking for a fair trial. Because if you don't continue the match, then I'll kill everyone here."

"You think you can take it, mage?"

Kaite gripped his longsword tightly, unaware that the sword was shining even brighter.

"Do you really think you can stand against all the paladins here all by yourself?"

"It's not that I thought."

Li Lin shook his head.

"I can do it. After all, I've killed far more paladins in the Federation than this, and what I'm seeing now is nothing."

As he spoke, Li Lin stretched out his right hand and clenched it tightly.

"Come forth, Scourge Legion."

A gigantic, bright red pentagram suddenly appeared at the center of the arena. Then, the earth churned, and undead creatures crawled out from it, their eyes gleaming with a faint red light. Death, along with anger and fear, accompanied by an aura of despair, began to slowly spread outwards.

"Oh my god!! It's an undead creature!!"

Upon seeing these undead creatures, the crowd erupted in chaos, screaming as they frantically tried to escape. However, the undead, as numerous as the ocean, blocked all escape routes. They merely stared coldly at the crowd before them, awaiting their masters' commands.

The match is still ongoing.

Li Lin glanced at Walast, whose face was ashen.

"If you finish the race, I'll spare these people. If you choose to give up now, then... these people will die immediately."

"... You are a mage, how can I believe your words?"

As Kaite spoke, she took a few steps back to recover the strength she had just expended.

"Who knows if you'll go back on your word and break your promise?!"

This is not something you need to worry about.

Li Lin was not angry at Kaite's answer.

"You can take the gamble; I don't care. The thing is, I won't be the one who dies. Now, make your choice."

As he spoke, Li Lin raised his right hand, and the Ghoul, in sync with this gesture, prepared to charge.

"Continue the game? Or give up?"

"..."

Staring at the man before him, Kaite didn't answer. He waited, he pondered, he searched for the possibility of victory. Then, Kaite reached out and touched something hidden behind his waist. Then, he looked at Li Lin and Angela.

He hasn't completely failed yet; he still has a hidden trump card. And if used properly, he's confident he can completely defeat these two!

There's still a chance, I can't give up, I can win! I must win!

"I agree to your request and continue the fight."

Kaite then gave her answer.