676 First Slash (1/2)

”Why aren't they fighting yet?”

”Half a day has already gone by, and they're still drinking… What are they doing?”

Happy and One Emperor continued to sit by the stone stage while facing each other. One of them poured wine for the other, and that person would drink it. It was as if they were old friends talking to each other, and they did not show any intention to enter a duel to the death, causing quite a number of the players who had come over with great curiosity to feel very gloomy, and they complained nonstop.

Every single time such voices rose in the crowd, someone else would immediately look at them with scorn.

”It's not as if they're here to put on a show.”

”That's right. They didn't ask you to buy tickets to watch them fight either. This has always been a fight they agreed to in private, so what does it have to do with you? You're watching from the sidelines, and you're still making so much noise…”

The people who complained would fall silent when the others criticized them and continued to wait once they calmed their hearts.

*****

The voices in the crowd gradually turned silent. It was only then that Happy and One Emperor looked at each other and smiled.

”At the very least, there are some who have a sound mind in the crowd, or else, we wouldn't have our duel today.”

”That's right, if too many people make noise on the side, I'd feel agitated. I wouldn't be able to hold back and want to commit mass murder.”

”Since that's the case…” One Emperor spoke with a drawl when he said these words. His gaze on Happy's face gradually turned much sharper. ”Let's not delay things much further. When I lost to you during the fight to accumulate points in Hero's Mountain Villa, I was a little reluctant to admit defeat. This time, I can fight to my heart's content against you.”

”You didn't kill at Spirit Snake Island, and this time, you might not have the chance to.”

Happy's tit-for-tat answer caused One Emperor to stand up with a laugh. ”Come.”

The two of them disappeared from the spot practically at the same time.

The group of people watching from the distance felt dazzled. The two players instantly appeared on a large empty space not too far away. They were less than sixty-five feet away from each other.

Silence fell among them.

Many eyes in the crowd lit up. Then, they noticed that neither of the fighters had taken the weapons from the stone stage.

The ancient divine weapon Heaven Crystal and the third-echelon high-grade divine weapon Seventh Sword were both in their original positions. They were right next to the pot of wine and wine cups and were not put away.

The eyes of many players began sparkling when they saw it from their positions in the crowd.

However, if they wanted to reach the stone stage by the cliff, they had to pass through the spot where Happy and One Emperor were about to fight.

This discovery made them feel as if a basin of cold water that chilled their bones had been poured over their heads, and it got rid of many people's restless thoughts.

But they still had great admiration for Happy and One Emperor's unruly and bold trust toward each other.

If it were anyone normal and they had something so important, they would definitely not let it leave their side. They would not put them in public and abandon them while they did something else.

”Aren't you going to use that weapon?”

Happy was surprised when One Emperor brought out the black longsword he used in the past, not Seventh Sword, which stood at the top of Divine Weapon Rank!

One Emperor laughed heartily. ”That weapon is just a game item that I created on a whim. It's somewhat useful when I have to fight against many people, but if I have to fight against you, I find this weapon easier to use.”

He stopped talking for a while as his gaze landed on Happy's Golden Gloves. ”I refuse to believe that the clan master of Mu Clan does not have a better weapon as well.”

”Hah. I'm the same as you. This is something that I've become used to, and if I suddenly change it, I'll find it hard to make best use of it.”

Happy might have said that, but in truth, he just did not want to reveal the fourth-echelon Heavenly Silk King Ice Gloves, especially in front of so many people. Also, he needed to be close to his enemy if he wanted to Heavenly Silk King Ice Gloves go bring forth its effects. There were a lot of restraining factors to it, and the difference would not be big if he had or did not have that weapon.

”I heard that Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms will be stronger the further into the fight you are. My sword technique is different. It can bring forth its greatest damage at any moment I desire.”

One Emperor caressed his sword gently, and his tone was stern.

Happy let his smile drop when he replied without batting an eyelid. ”You specialize in fatal sword techniques, and your skills with the sword have reached transcendence… but I've learned a lot of martial arts, and you might not know all of them.”

”If that's the case…”

One Emperor slowly lifted his black longsword and looked at Happy.