Chapter 198: Knightly Duel

"Spineless Dwarf, your cowardice brings shame to your ancestors!"

"Ah, old bones, if you are too afraid of my military might to land, then lending me a winged Nightmare beast would also suffice!" Although Sinuoli did not want to go and duel, he was not about to concede in words while holding the advantage.

Seeing that his challenge went unanswered, the Red Duke riding on his Nightmare beast grew anxious. He still had some elites under his command, but the odds of success would not be high if he organized them for another charge.

As for landing directly into the Dwarf formation to "duel" Sinuoli, that was not in his considerations at all. Although this legendary Vampire was somewhat deranged due to the interaction of various powers, he did not want to be sealed away again just after escaping.

"Red Duke, you shall not run rampant before me, Fatisi of Kakasong! Today, in the name of the Lady, I shall thoroughly purify you!"

Suddenly, a loud shout came from the Human lines, and the Questing Knight Fatisi leaped out on his horse. He carried a greatsword on his shoulder and rode his beloved steed.

"Don't!"

"Don't throw your life away, mate!"

"You are not his..."

The Bretonnians and the Dwarfs who had set out from Everpeak all cried out. Even those who had not heard of the Red Duke's illustrious reputation from a century ago knew that Fatisi had no chance of winning after witnessing him slay a Grail Knight.

Fatisi was highly skilled in martial arts and was a very forthright and upright person. Having traveled with the caravan all the way, he always charged at strong enemies first, yet stepped back when it came time to divide the spoils. His great capacity for alcohol had also helped him make many Dwarf friends.

No one wished for this Knight to perish here; if even a Living Saint who had drunk the Grail Water was no match for him, how could this mortal be?

"Gaga! Very good! Prove your worth. If I am satisfied, I might grant you the Blood Kiss!" The Red Duke let out a strange laugh. He still appreciated the courage of this Knight, but he would have to fight him to weigh exactly how much he was worth!

"Clap!" Because the two sides were entangled in front of the lines, there was no space for a Knight's duel. The Red Duke drove his mount across the Dwarf formation from the air and landed on the stone road behind.

The Red Duke gestured slightly with his lance, and Fatisi was also very satisfied with confronting him in the form of a Knight's joust. Therefore, he also turned his horse around, circled out from the back of the formation, and arrived opposite the Vampire.

"Sigh! This fellow, perhaps he is tired." Captain Gelunsen lit his tobacco pipe and sighed as he watched Fatisi's back turned toward the Dwarfs.

Sinuoli knew what the Longbeard elder meant. Fatisi had traveled the Old World in search of the Grail, and had even come to seek inspiration from the chosen of the Dwarf goddess Valaya.

Perhaps he was moved by passing through a place where he had once fought, or perhaps he was stimulated by the words of Count Kairu earlier. This battle-hardened warrior might have already lost confidence in receiving the goddess's forgiveness and gaining the chance to sip from the Grail.

Discovering that Fatisi was not using a lance but a greatsword, the Red Duke seemed to recall something. He bared his teeth, perhaps wanting to smile, but in reality, the corners of his mouth merely twitched.

He then hung his scarlet lance on the saddle hook—a hook-shaped weapon rack installed on the saddle. The Red Duke immediately drew a two-handed sword that shimmered with golden light from its scabbard; unlike the straight swords commonly used by Bretonnian Knights, this was a curved blade.

"Yuejin Sword! The Red Duke seized it from an Araby commander during the Great Crusade! It is said that this sword can grant the user extraordinary speed and energy!" the Dwarf advisor reminded. He was not saying it for Fatisi to hear, but to warn the two young Princes.

As they spoke, the man and the Vampire had already taken their stances. Their mounts were no ordinary beasts, and the distance of several dozen meters vanished in an instant.

"Ding!" As the two horses passed each other, the Knights' swords emitted a crisp clashing sound.

Fatisi's Strength could not contend with the Vampire; as their lifespan increases, a Vampire's Strength grows ever greater. Imbued with dark power, the Red Duke's body was even stronger and more agile, and while possessing the Strength to tear a person in two with half a move, he was also as swift as the wind.

At the first contact, Fatisi was nearly unable to parry; facing the Vampire's monstrous Strength, he was almost knocked off his horse. Fatisi shifted twice before managing to stabilize his posture in the saddle with the cooperation of his mount.

"Ha, come again!"

The Red Duke brought the Nightmare beast around, and the two riders changed directions to charge again.

This time, the Dwarfs could see Fatisi more clearly. It was obvious that he had made adjustments to counter the Vampire's monstrous Strength, attempting to let that strike pass before counterattacking. But unfortunately, he did not have the advantage in speed or experience, and he was slashed in the ribs by a sword strike.

"The blood of a brave man is truly sweet!" The Red Duke extended his unnaturally long tongue to lick the blood of Fatisi stained on the Yuejin Sword. This undoubtedly added an eerie atmosphere to the duel.

"Huff, huff!" Fatisi panted in the winter night, his hot breath forming a thin mist before his eyes.

This time, without waiting for the Red Duke to take the initiative, Fatisi launched the attack first. He brandished his greatsword, making a motion to slash downward; when the Red Duke raised his sword to block, he suddenly shifted the blade, changing the slash into a thrust, aiming straight for the Vampire's chest.

The Red Duke's movements were faster, but he was on the defensive after all; it was too late to parry. The Vampire simply used the same method to thrust the greatsword in his hand toward Fatisi's chest, wanting to force the Questing Knight to defend himself.

"Good heavens!"

"Oh, no!"

The spectators let out cries of shock and heartache. Fatisi actually did not dodge or evade, allowing the curved blade to pierce his own chest just to drive his greatsword into the Red Duke's chest.

Fatisi's face turned pale in an instant, and he began to tremble in pain, but the Red Duke remained as usual. Sinuoli squinted and observed carefully, discovering that almost no blood flowed from the Red Duke's wound; instead, Fatisi's blood flowed along the Yuejin blade toward the Red Duke.

"May his goddess bless him!" Sinuoli stroked his chest slightly. When Fatisi leaped out on his horse, his ending seemed already destined. Sinuoli, who had read many literary works in his past life, even guessed that Fatisi might try to perish together with the Red Duke.

But Sinuoli also knew that his chances of success were slim. The Red Duke had no obvious wounds on his body after slaying the Grail Knight Yagebu. This either meant his strength crushed that Living Saint, or he could use a profane ritual unique to Vampires to quickly recover from his injuries.

Either way, it would cause Fatisi's plan to die in the cradle. But Sinuoli did not stop him, nor was there time to stop him. In this world, everyone has something they are pursuing. If one cannot give it to them, by what right should one block their path?