The Endurance, Dueling Cage.
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Half an hour ago...
In the spacious hall, three dueling cages stood side by side.
Unlike previous times, where people were divided into distinct groups, today they were all crowded around the central dueling cage, yet there was no noise—only the occasional sound of footsteps broke the silence.
At the center of the crowd, two men were facing off.
The man on the right had pale skin, his flesh taking on an unnatural texture as if it had been corroded by toxic gases for years. The man on the left had a fierce look, with a large scar running across his exposed skin.
"Old man, you know you are about to be replaced, yet you're still so arrogant?"
[You little brat who can't even speak Gothic properly, just stay on your pathetic little planet.]
Though the two didn't understand each other's language, they both grasped from the expressions and tone that insults were being hurled.
Among the crowd, those who understood bits of the other language began to stir.
"That old guy is insulting Barbarus! Joze, beat him up!"
[Corinna, those brats are tarnishing the honor of the Legion!]
The initial conflict was soon ignored as the crowd’s emotions boiled over. Compared to the Barbarus soldiers, the Terrans appeared more restrained.
Among the Terrans, however, some veterans showed signs of murderous intent, only to be softly reminded by those standing nearby.
Tensions within the Legion, the undercurrents beneath the surface, finally burst forth at this moment.
The soldiers of Barbarus had long grown tired of the so-called Terran rules. Some malicious veterans had intentionally sabotaged their training.
The Terrans, on the other hand, looked down on the arrogant Barbarus recruits. These kids had never seen real interstellar combat yet strutted around as if they owned the place?
But deep down, the veterans couldn’t swallow their pride.
Beat them up!
This was the shared mentality of both sides.
Even if some Barbarus soldiers thought this was too extreme, and some Terrans believed it wasn’t good for the future of the Legion, at this moment, the tension was too thick for anyone to stop it.
Trained soldiers understood that the rules of the Legion would not allow open conflict or brawling.
Barbarus soldier Joze was the first to leap onto the high dueling cage beside him. Standing atop it, he stared down at Corinna with contempt.
Tsk.
Corinna jumped onto the duel platform as well.
Veterans fighting recruits—it felt too easy, but he had to teach these arrogant guys a lesson.
As the two men stepped onto the platform, the crowd naturally parted. Whistles and cheers erupted from the Barbarus soldiers, while the Terrans stood with arms crossed, watching in silence.
These Terran veterans knew these recruits had no chance against them. Overconfident fools.
But if it could make these guys show some respect, then this one-sided duel would still be worthwhile.
Both sides, each with their own thoughts, watched the figures on the platform.
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Dueling Cage Rules:
Pick up your weapon and fight until your opponent loses the ability to continue or surrenders.
No fatal or disabling injuries. If this occurs, spectators may intervene, and the violator will be dealt with according to Article 36, Beta Level.
No armor allowed.
All provided weapons in the dueling cage are semi-sharpened melee weapons.
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Joze grabbed a scythe from the weapon rack without a glance, looking challengingly at the veteran across from him.
He was a regular in the dueling cage, one of the top three fighters from the equatorial region of Barbarus.
Recruits can't beat veterans?
What a joke!
Corinna remained calm, though his expression was filled with killing intent. He wasn’t one of those pacifists talking about "thinking about the future." These recruits needed to be taught a lesson.
He reached out and grabbed a two-handed greatsword from the rack.
Buzz!
The bell rang, and the duel began!
Corinna abandoned his usual defensive style from the battlefield and directly launched a fierce attack with his greatsword—
Against these recruits, there was no need to use his best moves.
Clang!
Joze blocked the strike with the handle of his scythe, twisting it to disperse the force and step back.
It looked as though Corinna had been thrown off balance, stumbling.
Perfect opportunity!
Joze immediately swung his scythe downward, only to find Corinna, who seemed unsteady a moment ago, suddenly regaining his stance and swinging his sword forward!
[Calm down, kid.]
[Don't fall for such a simple trick.]
Corinna’s greatsword rested steadily against Joze’s waist. A little more pressure and the blade would pierce him.
Meanwhile, Joze’s scythe froze in mid-air.
The outcome was clear.
The Barbarus crowd booed in frustration, feeling as though the veteran had tricked them.
The Terran veterans remained silent, unsurprised.
After all, crushing a bug didn’t require applause.
Joze shot Corinna a resentful look, withdrew his scythe, and stepped down from the platform, spitting corrosive saliva onto the ground, which sizzled upon contact.
"I'll go!"
Huznir leaped onto the platform, grabbing the scythe.
Just as the two were getting into position, a commotion erupted at the entrance to the hall—
The tall figure of a Primarch appeared in the duel hall!
Mortarion, clad in full power armor, his face hidden behind a gas mask, entered slowly. Poisonous fumes rose, obscuring his features even further.
The Death Guard warriors in the hall immediately snapped to attention and saluted.
How could this be?!
This was the first time the Primarch had ever come to the duel hall!
Some of the more rational Terran veterans sensed something was amiss. The timing—just as tensions between the two groups were about to explode!
To these veterans, the Barbarus recruits stood no chance. A private lesson would have sufficed, but now that the Primarch was here, the situation became more complicated.
Defeating soldiers from his home planet in front of him wasn’t exactly the best idea.
Even if Mortarion wouldn’t say anything outright, it would likely worsen his view of them.
On the other hand, if they held back, the Primarch would certainly see through their intentions.
What’s more, the veteran stepping onto the platform wasn’t one of the pacifists! These guys were intent on slapping the Primarch in the face!
Some Terran veterans were already sweating, regretting coming to the dueling cage today and getting caught up in this mess.
In contrast, the Barbarus soldiers were eager, determined to earn glory in front of their Primarch.
Behind Mortarion, Calas Typhon appeared. He signaled, and a servitor pushed forward a chair suited to the Primarch's massive frame.
Mortarion sat down, his heavy power armor groaning with the movement. The bronze censer hanging from his armor clinked softly in the otherwise silent hall.
The "Dusk Lantern," crafted from xenos technology, rested quietly at Mortarion’s waist.
Mortarion’s deep, amber eyes, hidden beneath his hood, scanned the room. His gaze flowed like molten lava.
He raised both hands and clapped lightly.
"Begin, warriors."