Chapter 91

Any prize?

Peter Lionel curled the corner of his mouth into a faint cold smile, 'I want that Percy Sage's Staff!'

Paro Wizard was not surprised at all and immediately replied, 'Then I'll take the Percy Sage's Gem.'

Percy Sage's Staff and Percy Sage's Gem—even if you don't know them, just hearing the names tells you the two are closely related.

Both are 4-ring magical items usable by sage-level wizards.

Moreover, they are the top tier among 4-ring magical items.

They were crafted by the renowned grand alchemist Percy Sage, and are his proudest works.

Naming them after Percy Sage naturally has its reason.

The staff and gem can be used separately, each with its own excellent uses, or they can be combined into a set.

If the Percy Sage's Gem is set into the staff's head, the two combined instantly become a 5-ring magical item, and their effect becomes outstanding.

Long-distance spatial teleportation!

The value of this magical item's effect can be called strategic.

For sages who constantly battle across the heavens, even bringing out a 6-ring magical item would not be enough to trade for it.

Why the staff and gem ended up respectively in the hands of Paro Wizard and Peter Lionel, with all their twists and turns, is hard for outsiders to fully know.

Merely, since each obtained the staff and gem, Paro Wizard and Peter Lionel have never ceased trying to acquire the other's item.

Now, it truly is the best opportunity in over a decade, possibly the last.

Once they enter the heavens and wage war on other worlds, gathering again will become difficult.

'No problem!'

Peter Lionel laughed heartily, 'Just set it like that, no going back!'

Paro Wizard curled the corner of his mouth into a light smile, nodded, and counted it as agreement.

At that moment, the noise of the arena vanished.

It was as if the mute button had been pressed, the whole place fell silent.

The lights above the spectator seats were all turned off, and dozens of spotlights from all directions converged onto the center of the dueling platform.

Petals and ribbons filled the sky, drifting down.

When the petals and ribbons landed, a male host covered head to toe in bright, eye-catching colors suddenly appeared, standing with a flirtatious posture.

An intense, hot-blooded background music started at the same time.

Deep war drums formed the base, like the clang of metal strings from clashing swords, explosion sounds, the crackle of burning fire, the rumble of flooding water, collapsing buildings, the groans of fallen bodies, wailing cries, helpless pleas, excited roars, flesh tearing, bone striking bone, chewing, swallowing...

The many sounds mingled together, playing a violent battle melody that was sublimated amid a mournful female chant.

The host, unable to contain his excitement, opened: 'Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Flesh Grinder Arena. Here, what you can and only can enjoy is the most intense life-and-death showdown! The victor lives, the loser dies—there is no third outcome! Now...'

'Boring.'

Most people in the box began to pay attention to the arena's movements, but Selin Wizard suddenly spoke.

She lightly waved her hand, shielding the sound from outside the glass.

Peter Lionel's expression displeased, he turned his head to look at Selin Wizard, his eyes utterly indifferent.

He had arranged to meet Paro Wizard at the arena because this place is suitable for watching two people, in order to survive, try every means to kill each other in a life-and-death duel.

He arrived in high spirits, but was first mocked by Paro Wizard, and now someone has disturbed his interest.

This really made him a bit angry.

'What are you looking at!'

Selin Wizard showed no fear at all, staring back with her big, doe-like eyes.

Everyone here is a third-rank wizard; even if you are about to advance to sage, in terms of wizard rank there may still be a gap.

But you are currently in a transitional phase; in terms of combat power, you are not improving but declining—if we really fought, it's unclear who would win.

Moreover, Paro Wizard is sitting right there—what's there to bluff about?

'Peter, it's just a small matter—why bother to quibble?'

Paro Wizard slightly turned his body, facing the angry Peter Lionel, and smiled as he tried to persuade.

Whether intentional or not, he happened to block the other's direct gaze at Selin Wizard.

Also unintentionally or not, when Paro Wizard turned, he moved his arm slightly, and the glass window quietly changed from transparent to opaque.

Thus, not only could the sound from the arena not reach the box, but the view was also blocked.

Since we've already spoiled their fun, we might as well go all the way.

Anyway, the other side is already angry and holds a grudge; going a step further makes no difference, right?

Lin Ke inwardly exclaimed, 'I've learned!'

'You have a good subordinate.'

Peter Lionel certainly knew why Selin Wizard suddenly pulled this stunt—it wasn't just to disgust him for a moment, but to break the home-field atmosphere he had created, so he said this to Paro Wizard.

'No!'

Paro Wizard seriously corrected, 'Selin is not my subordinate, she is my partner!'

'Is there a difference?'

Peter Lionel scoffed in rebuttal.

'The difference is huge!'

Paro Wizard emphasized solemnly.

'Really?'

Peter Lionel curled his lip, continuing to question with increasingly disdainful tone and expression, 'Partner?'

Paro Wizard merely stated his own principle, not wanting to argue with Peter Lionel, and said no more.

The private room fell inexplicably quiet, and the atmosphere turned somewhat strange.

A heavy pressure suddenly appeared on the bodies of the wizards-in-training standing on both sides, continuously piling up thread by thread.

Lin Ke observed his nose, observed his heart from his nose, and fully operated the Brain Seal Technique to dispel the pressure.

Yet he dared not overdo it; he merely matched the condition of the four Newblood Mutual Aid Society members, likewise causing cold sweat to continually seep from his forehead.

"Ha! I just thought of something funny."

Peter Lionel snorted derisively out of nowhere, ignoring others, and said to himself, "A few days ago, a third-level wizard-in-training whose promotion prospects had been destroyed came to my Pureblood Will, saying, 'Take his life in exchange for an opportunity.'"

Saying that, Peter Lionel turned and asked, "Paluo, guess what opportunity he wants to exchange for?"

Upon hearing this, Paluo the wizard's face grew cold bit by bit.

Obviously, before the appointment, Paluo the wizard had already learned the relevant news and also knew what Peter Lionel was about to do.

But Paluo the wizard did not stop it.

Some things cannot be stopped just because you want to stop them.

The more you try to stop it, the more your enemy insists on seeing it through.

By then, it might even become even more embarrassing.

"Interesting! This matter is extremely interesting!"

Peter Lionel was excited, his laughter growing more unrestrained: "An organization that touts mutual aid, with constant internal strife, even to the point of having to decide life and death—truly interesting!"

To his left, a male wizard who bore a resemblance to Sophie Lucia clapped his hands in response.

A wizard-in-training immediately turned around and opened the private room's door.

Having only seen his photo, never the person himself, the Vice President of the Newblood Mutual Aid Society, Lifusi Fulansi, strode in and headed straight for Antowan Xierdun, sneering with a sinister grin:

"Today, only one of us will walk out of here alive!"

This is Peter Lionel's second matter for today.

"Enjoy the Newblood Mutual Aid Society's self‑slaughter!"

"Paluo, what do you think?"

Peter Lionel looked at Paluo the wizard, kindly seeking his opinion: "These two youngsters have fiery tempers; should we let them fight as they wish, to decide life and death?"

Saying that, Peter Lionel deliberately paused, then added more kindly, "They are both members of your Newblood Mutual Aid Society—one is the current president, the other the current vice president. Oh dear… truly, united in sincerity, helping each other."

Lin Ke felt numb all over from hearing this.

This fellow has a stern visage and a fierce demeanor, yet he also possesses such a gossipy, sharp‑tongued, vicious side.

No wonder, as an opponent of Paluo the wizard, the two of them present such starkly contrasting images!

Paluo the wizard wore a grim face and remained silent.

The promotion of a third‑level wizard to Sage—that is, the metamorphosis period of a fourth‑level wizard—requires, in order to better resonate with the consciousness of the wizard world, that one as much as possible remove the mask in daily life and keep genuine feelings.

Thus, after Paluo the wizard and Peter Lionel engaged in mutual verbal sparring, each had several failures in managing their expressions.

This is not to say their scheming is insufficient; rather, they have no choice but to do so.

Forced expression management, if unnatural, could prolong the metamorphosis period and delay promotion.

Trash talk may seem harmless, but it can also inflict considerable damage.

Paluo the wizard remained silent, so naturally someone on our side had to pick up the thread, lest we show weakness.

Selin the wizard turned to look at Antowan Xierdun, whose face was awful—mixed with hatred, fear, and panic, exceedingly awkward—and said calmly, "If you don't want to, no one can force you to step down; we can escort you out and then bring you back."

"Thank you, Selin the wizard."

Antowan Xierdun's chest rose and fell a few times as he adjusted his emotions; first he thanked Selin the wizard for her assurance, then he declared resolutely, "The trouble I've caused I will settle myself. As the current president, I have not done my job well, damaging the image of the Newblood Mutual Aid Society. If I survive today, I will resign in responsibility!"

Lin Ke listened, feeling that something about this was off.

It seemed Antowan Xierdun greatly feared Lifusi Fulansi, thinking he might not necessarily be able to defeat him.

Yet he is already in his fourth year, while Lifusi is only in his third year.

Even if they were both third‑level wizard‑in‑training, he ought to have been promoted a year earlier than Lifusi!

If it were Lin Ke, with that year's time, not to mention having completed all the preparatory steps for promotion to a full wizard, he would at the very least have far surpassed the other third‑level wizard‑in‑training in strength.

How could Antowan Xierdun's confidence be so severely lacking?

Is it that Lifusi possesses some special quality, or that Antowan himself has some problem?

What Lin Ke could hear, Paluo the wizard, Selin the wizard, and Kedi the wizard could naturally hear as well.

Paluo the wizard's face grew ever darker.

Kedi the wizard's aged, withered face was all wrinkles, showing no particular expression.

Only Selin the wizard, after some thought, gave a practical suggestion: "Don't clash head‑on; respond calmly, wait for change with delay, then achieve victory with a single strike."

These sixteen characters indeed constitute a viable tactic.

Lin Ke felt that this was not only suitable for Antowan Xierdun, but also very suitable for himself.

After all, wearing the Defender 3202 set, his defense is maxed out, making a counter‑attacking defensive style just right.

"Thank you, Selin the wizard."

Antowan Xierdun sincerely offered his thanks, then turned his gaze to Lifusi,

"Come on, I'll see you through!"

Perhaps out of habit, Antowan Xierdun still did not forget to flatter a bit even at this point.

"Under the witness of several wizard elders, I will fight you fairly!"

Thanks to the reward from book‑friend Psychology Missionary, thank you!

(End of chapter)