All he had to do was wait for Hibell to die, and Adolf's inheritance would fall into his hands. A duel added an unexpected turn of events.

But... it didn't matter anymore! A Basic-level Wizard Apprentice who had mastered only one Zero-Circle Magic could not possibly be Tim's opponent.

---

Duels among Wizards were already extremely rare, let alone those involving Adolf's inheritance. The news of the duel between Carl and Tim spread quickly through the Swamp Alliance. Soon enough, the dueling arena was surrounded by spectators.

"Tim, you must be careful," Anslot whispered, "I had a friend observe that man named Carl. He is actually a Knight who has somehow concealed his life essence."

"Oh!" Tim raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? It's surprising that in just over a year, not only had his witchcraft improved, but his Knightly training also hadn't fallen behind." When they first met, the other party was just an inconspicuous Knight's Attendant.

"Hmm." Anslot nodded. "He probably thought you didn't know he had become a Knight, and that's why he provoked you into a duel. A Knight suddenly striking at close range indeed has a chance to defeat an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice."

A Wizard Apprentice's strength lay in their mysterious witchcraft, not physical prowess. Faced with an abrupt attack, it was very likely they wouldn't be prepared with their witchcraft and would be hit in a vital spot. Just like an assassin! Just like Hibell!

"Heh..." Tim scoffed. "Dreams eventually end. Since I agreed to the duel, I won't be careless and let him succeed."

A Knight? I will make him understand the consequences of angering me!

「...」

Carl fetched a soft chair and laid Hibell on it. As he was about to leave, his sleeve suddenly tightened.

"Senior Sister."

He turned around, slightly surprised. "You're awake."

"Carl..." Hibell's voice was weak and breathless, her cloudy eyes filled with endless agony. "Go! Don't... fight..."

Although she was severely poisoned, she hadn't completely lost consciousness and was still aware of the situation around her. She had even overheard the quarrel between Carl and Tim.

"I can't go on..." Hibell struggled to speak. "You go! Hurry!"

For the past three days, she had suffered immensely from the poison; it was a fate worse than death. She had come to Black Swamp full of hope, only to hear the news of her tutor's death and then suffer the blow of Tim's betrayal. By now, she was utterly heartbroken.

Compared to Tim hiring an assassin, Carl's unwavering loyalty seemed all the more precious, and she couldn't help but feel profoundly grateful to him. Now that he was willing to duel Tim for her sake, Hibell's emotions surged. She didn't want Carl to die because of her. In Hibell's view, Carl stood no chance at all; the so-called duel was nothing short of a suicide mission.

"Senior Sister, rest well and don't think about anything," Carl said softly, holding her hand. "I will bring you the antidote. Sleep now!"

He had worked hard to provoke his opponent into agreeing to the duel, especially since the stakes were tied to Adolf's inheritance. There was no way he could back out now. He straightened his back, unbuckled the sword from his waist, and stepped into the dueling arena, which had been temporarily constructed by witchcraft.

The arena was over two hundred square meters. Both combatants stood on opposite ends, more than ten meters apart.

"Come on!"

Eyeing Carl, Tim smirked coldly. His Magic Wand glowed, and a stream of water materialized from thin air.

Duels between Knights were normally used to uphold insulted honor and followed certain protocols. However, it was clear that neither intended to adhere to those so-called rules. They attacked directly!

BANG!

The ground trembled. Carl became a blur, lunging fiercely toward Tim.

Battle Skill—Hawk Strike!

Battle Skill—Gale Slash!

In an instant, numerous afterimages filled the area, like layers of a sword curtain falling fiercely upon Tim from above.

"A Knight?" Tim raised an eyebrow. "So you really became a Knight! But... what of it?"

Zero-Circle Magic—Beryl Guard!

The water spun rapidly, instantly forming a huge water sphere that firmly enclosed Tim.

BANG!

The sword shadows struck the water sphere, instantly causing ripples to spread across its surface. The figure inside, however, remained unharmed.

Although the sword shadows obscured his vision, Tim remained calm. He showed no tension and even said, "In the Natural School, among elemental Wizards, those of the Water Element have the strongest defensive power. Unless you're a Great Knight, you can forget about breaking through Beryl Guard's defense. You... what makes you think you can beat me?"

He hadn't finished speaking when his heart suddenly tightened.

"Tim, be careful!" Anslot cried out in alarm from below the stage.

Tim subconsciously looked up just as a giant hammer materialized out of thin air.

Titan's Hammer!

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