Chapter 62: Chapter 62: A Farce, Indeed!
The duel bell rang, and both contenders took their positions. Unarmed, was this a fight to the death?
No.
Under the glaring white light, what seemed like a duel between the two was actually a swirling undercurrent of various intentions.
Below the platform, some sneered, some felt relieved, some were clueless, and some were secretly panicking.
Seated above, the Primarch, unmoving as a mountain, had an inscrutable expression.
Among the crowd, Apothecaries were still tending to Calas.
In a corner, Fernando was treating Ugo, with faint flashes of white light occasionally flickering.
Outside the hall, Barasin's hurried footsteps echoed in the corridor.
The undercurrents surged, but all converged on one focal point!
Hades took a deep breath.
"Buzz—"
The duel began!
To mask his intention of stalling, Blanca charged first, reaching Hades in mere moments.
Hades, undaunted, knew they were unarmed and thus had to engage in close combat. He steadied himself, adopting a defensive stance.
Blanca lunged, aiming for Hades's midsection, intending to lift and slam him.
Hades, caught in Blanca's grip, used the momentum to leap over Blanca, gripping his arms and trying to throw him.
But Blanca was no ordinary opponent.
Though smaller and less powerful than Hades, the veteran used his experience to shift his weight, skillfully negating Hades's force.
Seeing his move thwarted, Hades quickly broke free from Blanca's grip, turning to face him. Blanca swiftly responded to Hades's new assault.
Hades tried to drag Blanca to the ground, hoping to use his size to dominate.
But Blanca saw through Hades's plan. Instead of trying to escape, he used Hades's momentum to bring their fight to the ground.
However, this time, with Blanca taking the initiative, Hades couldn't employ his grappling techniques.
Hades tried to adjust his position to launch an attack, but Blanca wouldn't let him. Blanca kept adjusting his stance, occasionally countering Hades's moves.
For a moment, the duel reached a stalemate.
However, unnoticed below, a figure approached the Primarch.
Mortarion turned slightly as Barasin whispered to him.
The Primarch stood.
The sound of his finely crafted power armor creaked, the censers clinked, and heavy footsteps began.
Inside the dueling hall, everyone immediately halted their actions, standing at attention, saluting the Primarch.
Blanca, entangled with Hades, suddenly kicked him away and then stood at attention.
Hades, confused, looked down and realized that Mortarion was leaving.
He felt that Blanca's dueling style was different from what he had seen before.
Hades had been on guard for Blanca's signature moves, but surprisingly, Blanca had missed several opportunities.
Was Blanca stalling?
Realizing this, Hades quickly stood and saluted.
Mortarion acknowledged with a slight gesture.
The warriors ended their salute, watching the towering Primarch depart.
Seeing Mortarion leave, the Barbarus contingent began to exit the hall, following the Primarch like a flowing river.
Mortarion didn't stop them, allowing his people their small gestures.
Soon, the hall was left with mostly Terran veterans.
And on the platform, Hades and the only one below who refused to leave, Vox, stood with a grim expression.
Blanca raised an eyebrow, then looked at Hades, who responded.
"You held back," Hades said.
Blanca laughed, "You noticed. I knew you were on guard."
Blanca had tricked Hades with a feint, taking advantage of his caution to bring him down.
Hades looked at Blanca, pondering, then said, "Now that the Primarch has left, let's continue. No holding back."
Blanca smirked, gesturing to the Terran veterans below, as if saying, "Look at what this rookie is saying."
Some veterans cheered, while others, having seen Hades's duel with Ugo, seemed contemplative.
Hades blinked, then looked down, "Vox, you should go. I'm fine."
Vox had been tense throughout the duel. He felt something was off from the start, thinking the conflict between Barbarus and Terran was orchestrated. He had called Hades, hoping he could help, but now it seemed he had caused more trouble.
Hades looked at him, as if understanding Vox's concerns. His eyes sparkled under the spotlight, "It's okay, Vox. Go join our Barbarus brethren. Don't get left behind."
Vox thought, *If I leave, you'll be the one truly left behind!* But feeling the piercing gazes of the Terran veterans, Vox steeled himself, "Do your best, senior."
Hades grinned, "Don't worry, I'll give it my all."
Vox turned and left.
With Vox gone, Blanca stretched his arms, the white light glaring on him.
"Shall we begin?" he asked.
"Please," Hades readied himself.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone