Chapter 97: Victory or Defeat

Her silver hair streamed behind her, her sword's aura a brilliant rainbow. She was now less than ten meters from Xu Feng, victory was beckoning. Yet before the Young Princess could even smile, a piercing roar echoed as burning boulders plummeted from the sky...

Meteor Shower, one of the most awe-inspiring wide-area attack spells, offered her almost no room to evade in this small arena.

Victory was just within arm's reach, but for Niruis, it had become distant and unattainable. Meteors fell like raindrops, the magic combined with the crushing force of gravity from their height. At her current level of power, she stood no chance.

That beautiful figure was swallowed by a sea of flames...

"Ni'er!"

A mother's heart is tied to her daughter's. The Queen rose from the VIP seats, but Mishouleite quickly restrained his wife. For orcs, especially the Behemoth Clan, duels are sacred, and no one is allowed to interfere. Though as a father, he was equally worried.

The raging flames and the falling meteors lasted a full minute before gradually subsiding. The arena had been rendered unrecognizable. Although the audience remained unharmed, the central dueling platform had completely collapsed into a bottomless pit.

"Cousin!"

Arola breathed a sigh of relief seeing her boyfriend safe, but not seeing her cousin filled her with dread. The two young princesses had grown up with deep affection for each other. This time, even though Niruis had been mischievous and reckless, it was ultimately for her own good. Arola certainly didn't want anything to happen to her.

The entire arena fell silent, including the orcs watching the live broadcast through magic crystals outside. They held their breath, silently praying to the heavens for their princess's safety.

But looking at the burning field and the bottomless pit, was that even possible?

Xu Feng still hovered in mid-air. A wind swept through, slowly clearing the smoke and dust, leaving only scattered flames. Suddenly, a flicker of joy crossed the Behemoth King's face as he patted his beloved wife beside him. "Anna, don't be afraid. Ni'er is fine."

"Really?" The tear-streaked Queen looked up. As a mother, she was naturally deeply concerned for her daughter.

Beside the large pit stood a girl of delicate beauty. Though her face was pale, she was clearly unharmed. The young princess looked up at the boy floating in mid-air, her eyes filled with obvious reluctance but also a hint of gratitude. Recalling the earlier scene, if he hadn't shown mercy...

Meteor Shower was one of the most terrifying high-tier spells, its power immense. Given her strength, resisting the burning, plummeting boulders was nearly impossible.

The young princess bore the noblest blood of the Behemoth Clan, her spirit even more competitive than her cousin Arola's. But after all, she was only seventeen this year. When engulfed by the Meteor Shower, a trace of fear surged in her heart—she thought of death.

This wasn't cowardice; she truly couldn't withstand such a terrifying attack. Yet the danger never came. Apart from the first few meteors, the others all fell just past her. Clearly, Xu Feng hadn't aimed at her; he had shown mercy...

Looking at Niruis's stubborn gaze, Xu Feng sighed. When it came to beauties, he simply couldn't bring himself to strike. Besides, if anything really happened to this girl, Arola would surely fight him to the death. This outcome was probably for the best.

The princess was safe and sound, filling the orcs with even greater joy. Someone in the audience started it, and soon the stands erupted in cheers for a resounding name.

"Xu Feng!"

"Xu Feng!"

...

Compared to humans, orcs might be barbaric and backward, yet they were also more sincere and simple, especially the Behemoth Clan, who revered warriors the most. In this duel, Xu Feng had earned their respect with his strength. They no longer resisted this human noble.

However, the matter wasn't over. The reason this duel garnered so much attention, aside from one side being a princess of the Behemoth Clan, was the astonishing wager.

If she lost, she would marry Xu Feng—a promise the young princess had made herself, now spread throughout the entire Orc Kingdom.

The audience in the stands all looked at Xu Feng with envy. Though Niruis was willful and spoiled, in terms of appearance, she was absolutely a top-tier beauty, carrying the noblest bloodline. Just imagine—being able to hold such a strong, exceptionally skilled, and high-status beauty in one's arms—what a sense of achievement for a man! And now, this enviable honor belonged to Xu Feng.

"Your Majesty..."

In the VIP seats, Leanna hesitated to speak. After decades of marriage, the Behemoth King understood his beloved wife's thoughts perfectly, but it was impossible... In the orc tribe, duels held sacred significance. Breaking the wager would disgrace the Behemoth Clan's reputation.

As a father, he naturally didn't want to marry his daughter to a stranger he knew nothing about. But as the king of his clan, he couldn't tarnish the Behemoth Clan's honor.

Mishouleite stood up, and everyone held their breath, waiting for him to announce the result.

"This duel is won by Xu Feng. My daughter, Princess Niruis, will become his fiancée."

...

Though they had anticipated this outcome, the orcs still felt somewhat uneasy. But the discussions didn't last long. The first to support Xu Feng were the female orcs. Unlike the jealous fellow men, many of them were already captivated by Xu Feng's heroic demeanor. Such an outstanding and handsome man, paired with the princess, was simply a match made in heaven.

"Royal Son-in-Law!"

"Long live the Royal Son-in-Law!"

...

The orcs gave Xu Feng their warmest applause. On the ground, Niruis bit her lip. Naturally, she was utterly unwilling about this marriage, but her competitive nature made her unwilling to break the promise she had made herself... What should she do?

P: Fourth update, as promised. Seeking recommendation votes!