They exchanged no words as they were here to greet each other with their weapons.
Soon, the duel began the moment Duran lunged forward.
There was no need for a referee at all.
He wasn't fast, but he was smart. He had a lot of combat experience, and he planned to use it here…
'Maybe this is Shane's method of assessing our individual strength… Very well.' Duran mused to himself as he made his move.
His Swordsmanship was only Level 6, but it was enough to overwhelm the young knight. It was because of his unpredictable movements that aimed not to overpower, but to outmaneuver.
Still, the younger knight danced around him with agility, but it soon became clear Duran was controlling the rhythm, baiting him into overextending.
He deflected, ducked, pivoted, and—
The training blade cracked against the knight's side, sending him stumbling.
A whistle of approval echoed from the nearby pavilions.
"Still sharp, old man…" the knight gasped, rubbing his ribs.
"Still alive," Duran said, stepping back and nodding respectfully.
The Eclipse Knights seemed pleased, and a few even clapped lightly.
The young knight was indeed inexperienced. Still, none of them were offended by his loss since no Aura or Skills were used just now. It was pure Swordsmanship.
Before they could suggest another round, Butler Edwin approached, tapping a signal crystal embedded in his cuff.
He turned to Reylin with a polite bow. "Lord Shane is ready to receive you now. He is waiting in the command tower."
Reylin couldn't help the sigh of relief that slipped from her lips. She didn't mind watching a match, but she definitely wasn't eager to fight one herself.
"Thank you," she said with a small smile. "Let's not keep him waiting."
Just like that, the group followed Edwin away from the training grounds, passing once again through the beautifully paved streets of the Eclipse Domain.
They were led through a pathway that opened to a fortified corridor.
As they stepped inside the inner area of the shelter where the command tower was located, the atmosphere shifted.
The noise of the outer districts faded away, replaced by the serene atmosphere.
More automated guardians or Warden Units moved around, watching silently.
"I think we just pass through a couple of Barriers." Reylin muttered.
Indeed, there were a few magical barrier checks before they finally reached the Command Tower.
Edwin then guided them inside, and soon, they met Shane in his office.
He was dressed not in armor, but in a long black coat… It seemed really comfortable.
Seeing the group of people, Shane smiled as he had been waiting for them for quite some time.
"Welcome… I trust Butler Edwin took good care of you."
Reylin stepped forward and bowed slightly. "More than we expected, Lord Shane. Your shelter… your Domain… It's unlike anything we've seen. I've visited the shelters of the Alliance Clans, but this is by far the best I've experienced."
Shane smiled faintly.
"I'm happy to hear that… But this is only one piece of it. You'll be more surprised if you see my other Shelters." Shane said with a chuckle.
He then gestured toward the seats arrayed around a circular table.
"Please. We have much to discuss. Your people are strong… but with us, they can become part of something that doesn't just survive… but live their life..."
As they took their seats, Reylin glanced once more at the view behind him.
It includes not just the numerous buildings, farming fields, and towering walls, but also the people who seemed to enjoy their life in the shelter despite the dangers brought by the Zombies.
This wasn't just a Shelter for Survivors, but a future that Shane was slowly building in preparation for the complete eradication of the Zombies...
And she was happy to become part of it.
Within Shelter Two of Blood Talon Clan, Tundra was atop the rampart…
It had been five days after he arrived here, and the shelter had become a lot more stabilized with the resources that kept coming in through the portal.
Of course, the previous defensive structures of the Blood Talon Clan were not a great as the ones that they had developed in their shelters.
Because of that, there was still construction going on along the wall's western edge and other areas.
Still, it couldn't be denied that under his leadership, Shelter Two had shifted from a crumbling relic into a fortified stronghold.
Engineers worked enthusiastically as they all wanted to be part of this Shelter's rebirth...
Soldiers could also be seen training in sync, as the quality of the soldiers from the Blood Talon Clan wasn't up to the Eclipse Revenant Clan's standard.
Anyway, food lines had also moved efficiently, which was a vital part of the shelter's progress.
The atmosphere had completely changed; the residents here were filled with hope.
"But I'm already missing Jillian's voice… There's no entertainment here. My inventory of drinks is also draining out. I have to buy more once I get back." Tundra muttered to himself.
As he thought of this, a few soldiers and residents passed by and greeted him enthusiastically.
He returned their greetings with a smile and a gentle.
Well, Reylin and others' absence had made some uneasy at first.
But the presence of Tundra, a walking demolition expert who could plant invisible bombs with a mere touch, made them feel at ease…
With such a strong leader, they all felt relieved.
'Shane was right…' He mused.
Apparently, Shane advised him to show his Terrorist Talent to everyone in the Blood Talon Clan.
Needless to say, Tundra followed his instruction by breaking boulders to create smaller stones for the workers to use in repairing the wall.
Then, with more Super Soldiers, Elves, Warden Units, and the Eclipse Engineers maintaining systems, the shelter stabilized faster than anyone thought possible.
Unfortunately, as Tundra felt that this day would pass without much trouble, something unexpected happened.
A panicked voice echoed from the upper watchtower.
"Movement detected! I saw a red flag and a blue flag being waved by the elves! That means… Multiple Zombies—Unknown Variant!"