The First Magic World War

Charles had waited a whole day, and Lady Southseraph did not launch an attack. He waited another day, and still, Lady Southseraph made no moves. On the third day, Charles could no longer bear it and asked Mama Karen to relay a message to Cyrus.

Cyrus agreed to the meeting immediately.

Charles angrily accused, "How could you not keep your promise? I even shared the great secret about South Serif with you."

Cyrus simply smiled and replied, "Since it's a secret, let's keep it a secret forever."

"Jonathan raised me from a child, and I only recognize one Jonathan."

Only then did Charles realize he had outsmarted himself. The bond between Cyrus and Jonathan was too deep; he had no desire for a "real Jonathan." Moreover, he did not know that Cyrus had already decided that no matter how elaborately Charles hoped he would stage an assault with a hundred-men, he would never fall for it.

Charles's behavior further convinced Cyrus that he must be plotting something significant.

Charles, utterly dejected, was about to tell Mama Karen to call off the meeting when he heard Cyrus say casually, "If you are willing to duel with me ten times, I'll lead an assault once."

Charles could not help but curse under his breath, "Damned native."

Charles had used Mandarin, which Cyrus did not understand, but that did not matter. He immediately raised the stakes: "Twenty duels, and I'll assault once."

Charles said indignantly, "Do you think I'm a fool? You just want to kill me twenty times and have no real intention of assaulting."

Cyrus raised three fingers and said, "By the Blood God Timothy above, I have promised the commander of Silver Pigeon Fort to duel him twenty times before sending a hundred warriors to assault. If I break my oath, may I never be able to avenge Jonathan."

Charles took a deep breath. Timothy was the ancestor of the Ebulrahan Clan and the Evil God who created the first vampire's Knight Breathing Technique known as Flesh Furnace. His Knight's Spear Technique, Golden Requiem, had once resounded across the continent. Even within the human factions, some admired this Blood Clan knight.

Since Cyrus was practicing the Flesh Furnace and Golden Requiem, although he was human, swearing an oath to Timothy, the founder of the Ebulrahan Clan, it was bound to be fulfilled. Such an oath was very heavy and almost impossible to break.

Charles hesitated for a moment then said, "I accept your terms."

He did not forget to say to Mama Karen, "I'm troubling you again, Mama."

Mama Karen smiled and said, "I do enjoy watching the young ones lively dueling in the Dreamscape."

"It's much better than dueling in the real world. No one dies, and it's not as cruel."

Charles thought to himself, "That's true, since no one dies, dueling a few times doesn't matter."

Cyrus held the Black Knight's Lance towards the sky and shouted, "Fight, coward!"

Charles snorted coldly, and Blood Rose struck first, taking advantage of his speed to attack.

The first time the two clashed in reality, Charles was at a disadvantage after merely seven or eight moves.

Once Charles had mastered the third movement, Eternal Dawn, they could spar for more than ten moves. Stay tuned with empire

Later on, he made continuous breakthroughs, mastering the Wings of the Hatchling Dragon. That time, he had driven Cyrus back and carried Jonathan away with one spear. They did not clash again after that.

The second time they dueled in the Dreamscape, Charles only managed to block thirty moves before he was finally checkmated and "killed" by Cyrus with a spear.

This time, Charles was shocked to discover that Cyrus's strength had improved drastically within just a few days. From the beginning, he was at a disadvantage, and within twenty moves, he was again "killed" by the spear.

About ten minutes later, Charles reappeared in the Dreamscape, facing Cyrus, who was full of battle intent and a fierce killing aura, and a hint of fear began to form in him.

However, remembering that he would not die, he once again urged the Blood Rose to attack aggressively.

This time his defeat was even more miserable; he didn't last twenty moves before Cyrus swept his legs away with one spear and ended his life with another.

At this moment, Cyrus fully displayed the grandeur of a High Order Knight, surpassing even Harriet Alva.

Charles appeared in the Dreamscape again, forcing himself to calm down, no longer recklessly attacking, and began to parry and dismantle Cyrus's moves.

But this time, Cyrus's spear technique also changed, with each spear faster than the last. After twelve thrusts, his momentum peaked and he blew apart Charles's head with one spear thrust.

The fourth battle, the fifth battle, the sixth battle…

Charles's condition fluctuated, but his battle record was on a downward slide, even failing to last ten moves during the tenth dream duel.

When Charles appeared before Cyrus for the eleventh time, Cyrus, with spear in hand, said, "This time, you won't withstand even one of my thrusts."

Charles held the Blood Rose vertically in front of him and said softly, "Yes, this time, it should only be one move."

He leaped high, his frustration from consecutive failures unleashing his boundless potential. Blood Rose turned into streaming flames, no longer thinking of parrying and dismantling, only attack, defense, and guard!

Charles resorted to a mutually destructive move, the Fifth Movement — Dragons' Fire Breath!

Blood Rose and the Black Knight's Lance interlocked in the void, clashing thirty-seven times. Charles was picked off by Cyrus's spear and died again in the Dreamscape, but Cyrus was also struck by Charles with a thrusting sword through his left eye just before his death.

Just as Cyrus said, Charles could not withstand even one move this time.

But in a desperate counterattack by Charles, Cyrus ended in mutual destruction.

This was also the first time in the duel that Charles had managed to wound Cyrus, and directly counter-killed this formidable foe.

Mama Karen, in the Dreamscape, had created a comfortable chair and a quaint little round table, adorned with exquisite snacks and afternoon tea, enjoying both the duel between two talented young men and the scenery, in utmost contentment.

This strike by Charles was nearly desperate; from the beginning, he had not planned to survive, he tricked Cyrus with one move, and all his furious assaults were to manipulate the Blood Flame Qi and launch Blood Rose.

This fight was too calculative, but the next time, with Cyrus on guard, it wouldn't work.

Even so, Mama Karen still held Charles in higher regard, able to constantly reflect during the battle and adapt to his enemy, proving that this young man was not one to reject change or be bound by convention.

"A fine young man."

"Though his past has some dark spots, acknowledging mistakes and sincerely loving Anne, and with a promising future, the old lady is willing to do a little something for the two kids."

"Not sure if it's Anne's good judgment, or meeting Anne was his destiny, that made this young man desperately change."

Charles and Cyrus, this time, appeared together in the Dreamscape.

Charles picked up his confidence again.

A trace of seriousness tinted Cyrus's face, but he still believed that the victory in the twelfth duel belonged to him.