The next morning.
Kelly donned the armor Lily had gifted her, slung a silver sword, and rode a blue leopard, a beast more majestic than a horse, to the arena.
As soon as she appeared, she immediately became the center of attention.
Everyone's attention was focused on the blue leopard at her lap.
Everyone was amazed!
In the box, Lily accompanied her mother to watch the match.
She saw her lover enter, her eyes sparkling.
This was her first time seeing a blue leopard, and she was filled with curiosity.
"Alan! Congratulations on being the center of attention! You're even more popular than me!" Kelly teased her brother with a low laugh.
Alan rolled his eyes helplessly.
In blue leopard form, he could talk to his sister.
But he didn't want to speak, lest he draw unnecessary attention.
Carrying his sister into the competition was embarrassing enough, but he didn't want the audience to reveal his true identity.
Kelly was still considerate of his brother.
She didn't hold a whip or saddle the blue leopard, fearing that his pride would be hurt.
The tournament had thirty-two contestants.
Kelly easily defeated her first two opponents, advancing to the quarterfinals, concluding the first day of competition with a perfect result.
The two main contenders, Leon and Robert, also advanced as expected.
What Alan didn't expect was...
Sister's first opponent tomorrow was Leon, known as the "Thunder Lion"!
Only by defeating Leon could Sister advance to the semifinals.
Leon's strength was on full display in the competition arena today.
Riding a ferocious lion, charging with a spear, he was unstoppable!
The Lancer family's secret martial art, the "Thunder Lance," is immensely powerful!
Lyon's first opponent blocked the lance with a steel shield.
The lightning burst from the lance's tip, conducting through the shield...
The shock made his hair stand on end, his whole body paralyzed, and he fell from his horse.
Lyon's second opponent was even more powerful, known as the "Spider Knight."
This man's mount was a giant spider, and he also mastered the second-level "Web Spell."
As soon as he entered the battle, he cast a spell that created a web-covered trap.
The spider mount could move freely on the webs, but the ferocious lion Leon rode was entangled in the webs, preventing him from taking advantage of the lance charge.
Lyon should have been in a tough fight, but the result was shocking!
Lyon cast a spell on his mount, which was deeply entangled in the webs.
Afterward, the lion suddenly transformed into a fleeting phantom.
The phantom lion carried its master through the spiderweb.
With lightning speed, it rushed to its opponent.
Leon thrust his spear forward and lunged!
Easily defeating the bewildered Spider Knight.
Alan couldn't understand how Leon had managed to break the web trap.
Afterward, he asked his sister to use her magic ring to connect telepathically with Lily in the stands and ask her the question.
Lily explained the situation and revealed that Leon had awakened a Level 2 spell called "Phantom Charge."
After this, both the player and their mount temporarily transform into intangible forms, allowing them to run unimpeded by physical obstacles.
They can even fly!
"Phantom Charge" can only last for six seconds, during which the mount cannot stop running or it will revert to its physical form.
Despite its limitations, this move is still incredibly powerful!
Especially in a limited arena, six seconds is plenty of time to reach your opponent and end the fight!
The thought of facing the powerful Leon tomorrow made Kelly frankly tell her brother that she was unsure.
But what she didn't expect was...
That evening, Leon came to see her privately.
"Arthur, you should forfeit tomorrow's match."
Lyon frankly stated his intentions to his brother-in-law.
"You've done your best by defeating two opponents today."
"You won't be able to defeat me tomorrow."
"In fact, I made this match list."
"You're destined to meet me tomorrow."
"Why?" Kelly finally found a chance to interrupt.
"Because I don't want to make my sister sad."
Lyon sighed.
"If you meet me, you still have a chance to surrender."
"If you meet Robert, you're dead!"
"Don't you understand, Arthur?"
"I deliberately separated your group with Robert to exclude you from the next round."
"That way, you can make a dignified exit before facing Robert and save your life."
"I'm going through all this trouble for Lily!"
"Leon, I want to thank you for your hard work." Kelly said firmly. "The problem is, if I give up, I'm giving up on Lily, and I can't accept that."
"To marry Lily, I must fight to the bitter end!"
"Even if my opponent is me?" Leon demanded coldly.
"Even if my opponent is you!" Kelly was unfazed.
Leon nodded, his eyes filled with complexity.
"First of all, I want to apologize, Arthur. I've always called you a coward, a wimp. I was wrong."
"Your courage amazes me!"
"If it were a different time, a different place, perhaps we could become good friends."
"Unfortunately... it's too late to say anything now."
"Since you insist on fighting, I'll see you tomorrow at the tournament!"
"Let me be frank: I won't show any mercy!"
...
The next day.
The tournament proceeded as usual.
Alan and his sister entered the dueling arena.
Across from them stood Leon, clad in golden armor and riding a ferocious lion.
A visor obscured Leon's face, revealing only a pair of icy eyes.
The referee blew the whistle.
Leon immediately charged with his spear in hand!
Kelly, mounted on a blue panther, was ready.
Lily's urgent voice echoed through his mind.
"Arthur! Don't forget to use that potion!"
The distance between the lion and the blue leopard narrowed.
The spectators, especially Lily, held their breath nervously.
Kelly suddenly raised her hand and threw a potion bottle.
Without a second thought, Arthur swung his gun and struck it!
Snap!
The potion bottle shattered, sending glass shards flying.
Leon and Lily, brother and sister, were both stunned.
It was an empty bottle!
At the same time, Kelly waved her hand and unleashed a "Flash."
The target was Leon's mount!
The galloping lion was caught off guard by the bright light, its eyes blinded.
It howled in pain and stumbled.
Leon, perched on the lion's back, quickly freed his hands to grab the reins.
At that moment, Kelly threw another potion bottle.
Leon had no time to dodge, and the bottle slammed into his visor.
It shattered with a loud bang!
A pungent liquid splattered out.
It trickled down the lattice of his visor...
Leon sat perfectly still on the lion's back.
...Why isn't it working?
Kelly's face paled in astonishment.
"Haha... Did Lily tell you that?"
Leon removed his helmet.
Under his visor, a mask covered his mouth and nose.
Leon's mask blocked out the scent of the potion.
"Do you think I'm stupid?" Leon sneered. "Such devious tactics won't work on me!"
Before he finished his words, he thrust his spear forward!
Hound stride!
Kelly leaped off the blue leopard's back, narrowly avoiding the oncoming spear.
The moment her feet touched the ground, a gust of wind swept over her!
The lion's roar echoed in her ears!
Without a second thought, Kelly braced herself on the ground with both hands and kicked backward.
Bang!
Infused with bone-penetrating force, her right foot struck the lion's jaw hard.
The lion threw its head upward.
The impact of the blow forced its jaw shut, biting its tongue.
A wailing sound, blood streaming from its mouth.
Leon gripped the reins tightly with his left hand, soothing his injured mount.
In his right hand, he raised his lightning-fast lance and thrust it fiercely into Kelly's thigh.
He didn't want to kill her fiancé in front of his sister.
But he had to make sure this arrogant man suffered!
Swish!
A blue shadow suddenly passed in front of him.
It was like a flash of lightning!
Leon came to his senses and found only a clearing before him.
Arthur, who had been kneeling on one knee with his back to him, had been snatched away by the swift blue panther.
What made Leon shudder even more was...the pungent smell that rushed straight into his nostrils!
The blue panther had just leaped past him.
In that instant, it did two things.
One was to rescue its master.
The second was to rip the mask off his face with a swipe of his claws!
"Oh no..."
Leon's heart plummeted!
Alan relented, gently putting Kelly down.
He turned to look at Leon.
The once-arrogant "Thunder Lion" staggered, as if drunk.
Finally, he fell from his mount, his eyes glazed over.
Who could have guessed?
Leon's weakness...
He was allergic to catnip!
...
Catnip, also known as nepetalactone, contains nepetalactone.
Some cats, when they inhale this substance, experience hallucinations, like taking drugs.
They either spin around, uncontrollably excited, or dazed and drooling—just like Leon at this moment.
The medicine bottle Lily handed Kelly contained catnip essential oil.
She had secretly extracted this essential oil to help her lover deal with his brother.
Unexpectedly, Leon was also alert, wearing a mask to block out the smell of catnip, almost making her plan go to waste.
"Thank the ancestors for blessing me!"
In the private room, Lily clutched her pounding heart and murmured to herself with relief.
"Thanks to that clever blue leopard!"
…
Kelly's semi-final opponent was named Sean, known as the "Knight of the Greenwood."
Every knight who participated in the tournament had to identify themselves.
Then there were the "Landless Knights," whose families had fallen on hard times and long since lost their territories, eager to make a name for themselves through the tournament and revive their family.
"Knight of the Greenwood," Sean, embodied the second category.
This man was unknown, and his background was quite questionable.
However, Earl Lancer made an exception and allowed him to attend the conference.
Sean had a letter of recommendation.
A highly respected noble general endorsed him.
Thus, Sean's knighthood was unquestionable.
Alan and Kelly had also witnessed Sean's first three bouts.
His cultivation level was probably in the late first stage.
Of medium height and a thin build.
He had an ordinary appearance and a few minor physical defects.
Uneven shoulders.
The right shoulder was noticeably larger than the left.
It was said that this man had a large tumor on his right shoulder.
This congenital deformity was not only unsightly but also made it difficult for him to wear armor.
Sean's family didn't seem well-off, unable to afford custom knight armor tailored to his deformed body, so he wore standard armor.
He removed his right shoulder armor and replaced it with a piece of leather, wrapping the tumor to prevent it from restricting the movement of his right arm.
Sean's performance in the tournament was unremarkable.
His only skill was his archery.
Rapid, accurate shooting, that's all.
Symbolically, such a mediocre competitor should have been eliminated long ago.
Sean's advancement to the semifinals was entirely thanks to his "mount."
Somehow, this man had tamed a giant python!
The enormous reptile, from head to tail, measured twenty meters!
Its body was as thick as a water tank!
Sean's tactics were truly ruthless!
As soon as he entered the match, he hid behind the giant python and fired his arrows.
When his opponent fired back, he crouched behind the snake-like formation, using its slippery, hard scales as cover to block the incoming arrows.
If his opponent rushed for close combat, Sean would whistle, commanding the python to stretch its body and pounce, entangling the opponent.
He would then run away, hiding at a distance, and continue his attack.
Using this underhanded tactic, Sean won three games in a row.
The knights who lost to him were very dissatisfied!
They accused Sean of playing dirty and claiming victory was unfair!
Sean remained unmoved.
Never mind the dirty tricks, a winner is a winner!
What can you do to me?!
The referee on the sidelines was speechless.
Sean's fight wasn't pretty, even a bit rough.
However, he didn't break any rules, so how could he be declared the loser?
The audience didn't care; they sincerely didn't want this despicable guy to win the tournament.
When Allen and his sister took the stage, the audience applauded and cheered.
When it was the opponent's turn, Sean, the audience booed!
"That's what they call popular support!"
Kelly said to her brother with a smile.
Then, she jumped off her brother's back.
"Alan, you deal with that giant python."
"I'll take care of that despicable Sean myself!"
"Kelly, watch out for that kid's arrows," Allen whispered to his sister. "I smell snake venom on him!"
"Okay, I'll be careful," Kelly replied, holding Leopard Head and expertly stroking her brother's back twice. The referee blew the whistle, and the competition began!
Sean, hiding behind the giant python as always, drew his bow and released an arrow!
Swoosh!
The arrow pierced the air!
Kelly remained calm, raising her hand and unleashing a "Finger Wave" that accurately shot down the arrow.
Her body transformed into a ball of silver mist and vanished on the spot!
Phantom Step!
Thanks to her brother's careful instruction, Kelly had already mastered two second-tier martial arts: "Phantom Step" and "Bone-Breaking Explosion"!
The Earl's family, watching from the sidelines, had mixed expressions upon seeing this scene.
Earl Lancer stroked his beard and nodded repeatedly.
His initially disapproving opinion of his future son-in-law had greatly improved.
"Why didn't I realize before that Arthur had some skills?"
Leon, the Earl's son, had lost to his future brother-in-law in his last match and felt humiliated and unconvinced.
Now, witnessing his brother-in-law perform the "Phantom Step," his expression darkened.
It turned out that his brother-in-law hadn't shown his true abilities in the previous match.
Looking at it that way, his own defeat didn't seem too unfair.
The most excited person was Lily.
The Countess's beautiful eyes sparkled.
She gazed at her fiancé intently, her eyes filled with deep affection.
It had been a difficult journey for her fiancé to get this far, but she hadn't expected him to bring her an even greater surprise!
Lily couldn't even guess what other tricks her lover had up his sleeve.
The Countess was the one who was most optimistic about her son-in-law among the elders.
She had a simple idea: as long as her daughter liked him, that was enough.
On the field, Sean hadn't even had time to fire his second arrow.
He realized something was amiss when he noticed his opponent vanish into thin air!
He decisively dropped his longbow and drew his dagger!
Almost instantly, a silver mist appeared behind him.
A tall, nimble figure emerged from the mist.
Sean quickly turned and swung his sword!
Clang!
Kelly drew her sword, arriving first to block the dagger.
How could ordinary iron match the refined silver sword gifted by the Countess?
They both exerted their strength simultaneously, and with a snap, the dagger broke!
Sean's forehead was covered with sweat.
Grasping the broken sword, he turned and ran!
At the same time, he whistled, calling for the python's servants to come and help.
The python responded to the call and tried to stop Kelly from pursuing her master.
Just then, a flash of blue light appeared!
The speed of a leopard!
The pace of a hound!
The nimble blue leopard blocked the python.
Emerald eyes, a murderous aura!
The python, intimidated by his aura, hesitated.
But soon, the python realized...the blue cat across from it was courting death! In the world of wild beasts, size reigns supreme. The giant python had no reason to fear the smaller blue leopard.
The giant python hissed, baring its fangs, attempting to bite the blue leopard's neck!
Snap!
The leopard's claws lashed out at the giant python's face, leaving three deep, bloody marks.
The powerful blows made it shake its head involuntarily.
The giant python shook its dizzy head, but still unconvinced, it lunged again.
Snap! Snap!
Alan slapped the python twice in quick succession, left and right.
The giant python thrashed violently, its head shaking like a rattle.
Large chunks of flesh were torn off from both sides of its cheeks, leaving a bloody mess!
The slaps stunned the giant python, and Alan pounced on it.
It opened its bloody mouth and bit the python's neck fiercely.
Hiss—
The python, enraged by pain, tangled itself around the blue leopard and tightened its grip!
The blue leopard and the python were tightly entangled.
Will the blue leopard bite the python first, or will the python strangle the blue leopard first?
The spectators on the sidelines stared wide-eyed, holding their breath nervously.
The python's physique was not much different from Allen's.
It would be difficult for Allen to break free in a short period of time.
Should he activate his ancestral form and transform into a giant leopard?
The thought floated through Allen's mind.
After reverting to his ancestral form, his size would double, and his physique would be strengthened by four points, making it easy to break free from the python's grip.
But Allen didn't want to reveal his trump card so soon.
After all, this was only the semifinals.
Robert was waiting behind him.
Allen didn't want to alert his rival.
Suddenly, he thought of another strategy to defeat the enemy.
With his left front paw, he pressed down on the snake's body.
From the pad of his palm, a bone spur popped out!
Puff!
The bone spur, equivalent to a first-tier enchanted weapon, easily pierced the snake's scales and penetrated deep into its flesh.
Allen's venom glands contracted.
He injected the python with his strongest toxin!
Level 6 blood toxin from the mutant flying dragon "Blue Devil"!
The python was, after all, just a reptile.
It lacked fangs and wasn't resistant to toxins.
A single drop of Level 6 toxin, once circulating in its bloodstream, was enough to cause fatal damage!
Within seconds, the enormous python was paralyzed, its muscles slackening.
Allen freed himself, then delivered a final blow, severing the python's throat and ending the leopard-python battle!
…
On the other side of the arena.
The fight between Kelly and Sean wasn't as exciting and eye-catching as the leopard-python battle, but it was even more dangerous!
After a chase,
Kelly finally cornered her opponent.
"You have nowhere to escape. Surrender!"
Kelly approached Sean with her sword.
Sean dropped the broken sword and slowly raised his hands.
Just when Kelly and the referee thought he was about to surrender...
A strange smile suddenly crossed Sean's face.
"Baron, your uncle, General Gondolf, sent his regards."
"May you, your dead father, and your sister, who died young, be reunited in the underworld!"
Huh?!
Kelly's expression changed slightly, and she decisively swung her sword at Sean's throat!
Sean dodged sideways.
Puff!
The sword's tip pierced the tumor on Sean's shoulder, but seemed to be blocked by something soft yet resilient!
With the sword mark as the center, the tumor on Sean's shoulder suddenly exploded!
A bloody head emerged from it.
It looked three parts human, seven parts snake!
The bizarre snake head, with its long, slender neck, extended from Sean's right shoulder and bit Kelly's sword-wielding arm fiercely!
Crack!
The snake's fangs were long, slender, and curved.
Piercing through the leather where the shoulder armor met the arm armor, it pierced Kelly's arm, injecting a frenzy of venom!
"Disgusting monster! Die!"
Kelly swung her sword despite the pain.
Swish!
Sean's head fell to the ground!
Blood gushed from his severed neck, but his body remained standing!
The snake head that had hatched from the tumor replaced it, continuing his life.
The two-headed monster even hissed and grinned!
"Young Master... General Gondolf, greetings..."
"Hiss... Enjoy... my poison..."
"My uncle's taste remains as poor as ever for hiring a grotesque assassin like you!"
Kelly's right arm was paralyzed by the poison, unable to swing her sword. She freed her left arm to grasp the slippery snake head.
"Hiss... Young Master, are you still trying to struggle?"
The two-headed monster muttered contemptuously.
"You can't even kill me with your sword...hiss...what can you do to me with your bare hands?!"
"Ugly ghost! Shut up!"
Kelly's brows were furious, a murderous look etched on her face.
Her left hand frantically gathered magical energy and suddenly unleashed a powerful force!
Explosive Palm!!
Boom!
A roar shook the arena.
Kelly's palm shattered the monster's second head!
The headless corpse, impacted by the explosion, fell backward.
A blood-red mist filled the air.
Alan, like lightning, rushed to his sister's side.
Kelly let out a slow breath.
Her right arm, paralyzed by the poison, drooped limply before her brother.
Freeing his left hand, he caressed the blue leopard's smooth fur, sighing with self-blame:
"Alan, I'm sorry... I was careless and got tricked by that two-headed monster..."
Alan shook his head, raised his left front paw, and pressed down on his sister's injured arm.
The bone spur quietly pierced her arm, extracting the toxin from her body.
A mere level 3 snake venom, a piece of cake.
The toxin left her body, and Kelly regained feeling in her right arm.
At this moment, his fiancée's anxious greeting echoed in his mind.
"Arthur! Are you okay?"
"I was ambushed by Sean and poisoned. Luckily, I was more skilled and took the antidote beforehand."
Kelly lied without blushing or beating her heart.
"That's good!"
In the box, the Countess, whose palms were sweating with nervousness, felt a sense of relief.
Suddenly, a sly glint flashed in Lily's eyes.
"Arthur, listen to me!"
The Countess, through her magic ring, continued her secret telepathic communication with her lover.
"You're feigning pain, as if your right arm is crippled!"
"Don't let Robert see that the poison has been removed!"
"Your opponent in tomorrow's final will be Robert!"
"Given Robert's personality, seeing your injured right arm and the inability to heal quickly, he'll undoubtedly underestimate you!"
"Arthur, act convincingly. This will be beneficial for your final match tomorrow!"
Kelly understood.
She clutched her right arm with her left hand, squeezing it hard. Blood gushed out through her fingers.
Staggering, she made her way to the edge of the court.
When the referee announced her victory, she collapsed to the ground, seemingly nearing death.
"Hmph! That useless Sean, he's so sloppy!"
Robert sneered and turned to leave.
The assassin sent by Gondolf didn't achieve his full success, but for him, it was enough.
Robert would rather Arthur wasn't seriously injured.
Otherwise, the coward would have an excuse to withdraw.
Wouldn't he have missed a golden opportunity to kill his rival?
"Someone!"
The young master of the Wolf family summoned his guards and ordered proudly:
"Go and take a bottle of medicine to Baron Mulan!"
"Pass my command: Tomorrow's battle will determine the winner!"
"Miss Lily will marry the one of us who survives!"
...
The next day.
The tournament ushered in the final showdown.
After several rounds of elimination, the two men finally reached the finals.
Robert, the "Dark Wolf," rode a winter wolf.
And Arthur, the Magnolia Baron, rode a blue leopard.
Compared to the energetic and in-form Robert,
Kelly, impersonating Arthur, looked remarkably pale.
His right arm was wrapped in thick bandages, making it nearly impossible to move.
Everyone could see that the Magnolia Baron was in grave danger!
Before the finals began, Kelly's future father-in-law finally showed a modicum of conscience.
He called Kelly over to express his satisfaction with his future son-in-law's performance in the previous four matches.
"Arthur, I mean... it's not easy for you to make it to the finals."
"Since your right arm is injured and you can't wield a sword, it's understandable that you'd withdraw from the final battle."
"Lily and I will never look down on you for that."
"Child, do you understand what I mean?"
Kelly understood the Earl's subtext.
Earl Lancer had already given up on breaking off the engagement.
Now, he would rather Arthur be more reasonable and withdraw when faced with difficulty.
Only a living Arthur could marry his daughter.
"Sir! I'm very grateful for your kindness, but as a man, there are always battles in this world that cannot be avoided!"
Kelly spoke with a solemn expression and impassionedly.
The Earl was taken aback for a moment, his expression darkening. "Child! Bravery taken too far can turn into recklessness! That's not wise!"
"Father!" Lily came over, hugged her father's arm, and said quietly, "Let Arthur go."
"Silly child, he'll die! Doing so would be irresponsible to you, your fiancée!" The Earl shook his head and sighed. "It seems Arthur is still immature! Otherwise, he wouldn't have acted so impulsively!"
"Father, Arthur is first and foremost a knight who values honor over life, and only then my fiancé."
"If a knight puts his own safety and the concerns of his family above honor, can he still be considered a true knight?"
The Earl was speechless at his daughter's question.
He couldn't tell his daughter and son-in-law in front of so many people: "Honor is more important than life." That would be nothing but empty talk.
It's fine to say it, but to actually put it into practice would be foolish.
...
Kelly mounted a blue leopard and entered the arena.
Robert, standing opposite her, wore a black helmet and armor, a greatsword slung across his back.
A murderous look shone in his eyes, a murderous intent that seemed to possess substance.
The referee blew the whistle, and the decisive battle began!
Robert drew the greatsword from his back and pointed it at his rival.
"Arthur! Your death is imminent!"
Before he finished his words, he swung his sword through the air, a whistling sound piercing the wind!
First-level martial art—Sword Qi Flash!
Kelly, expressionless, raised her right hand and snapped her fingers.
Snap!
Finger Wave!
Two streams of energy collided in the air, emitting a resounding explosion.
Dust billowed, and the arena was in chaos.
Through the veil of smoke and dust, Alan saw Robert, mounted on a winter wolf, charging towards him, greatsword held high.
He quickly growled, alerting his sister on his back.
With a slightly awkward movement, Kelly drew her sword with her left hand, readying herself for battle.
The winter wolf, as strong as a white bear, had already rushed within ten meters.
It suddenly opened its maw and blew out a cloud of pale cold air!
Before going into battle, the brother and sister had taken the magic potion given by the Countess.
The oncoming cold current was blocked by the "Cold Resistance Barrier."
Alan's Physical attribute was a whopping 28 points.
The stronger the physique, the greater the effectiveness of the "Cold Resistance Barrier."
The cold current invaded their bodies, forming only a thin layer of white frost on their glossy blue fur.
Like the breath of air on a winter morning.
The slight chill on their bodies dissipated in an instant.
Blue Panther used his sturdy body to shield his sister from the cold snap.
The slight aftermath of the cold snap barely affected Kelly.
Her gaze was fixed on Robert on the wolf's back.
Feeling her opponent's sword swing, she immediately blocked it with her sword.
Clang!
The two swords collided, sending out a burst of sparks.
The next second, the sparks were swallowed up by the sudden surge of darkness!
Robert, filled with hatred for his rival, unleashed his signature move, "Secret Dark Sword"!
The greatsword, imbued with magical energy, cast a ten-meter-radius dark barrier.
The magically created veil of darkness obscured all natural light.
The blazing sun hung high above the arena, and the sparks from the clash of weapons were all swallowed by the thick darkness! The beastman's "dark vision" only works against naturally occurring darkness and can't penetrate magically created darkness.
Instantly, both Alan and Kelly were blinded!
Robert, on the other side, had previously cast the second-level spell "Devil's Eye," unimpeding his vision from the darkness.
He swung his sword repeatedly, launching a ferocious attack at Kelly.
Kelly remained composed, listening to the wind and determining her position, blocking the broadsword.
Robert's continuous attacks were each blocked by Kelly.
Realizing that his opponent was using his keen hearing to compensate for his vision deficit, he snorted coldly and tugged hard on the reins.
The winter wolf, understanding its master's intention, stretched its neck and howled loudly!
The incessant howl drowned out the sound of the blade cutting through the wind.
Kelly's hearing was impaired, revealing a flaw in her defensive stance.
Robert seized the opportunity and swung his greatsword with all his might!
Seeing his opponent about to be splattered with blood before he could react,
The blue leopard suddenly moved sideways, deflecting his attack.
Clang!
Kelly hurriedly swung her sword, blocking Robert's greatsword.
In the struggle between the two, she was clearly at a disadvantage.
The heavy sword continued to bear down.
The tip of the sword was only half a foot away from her forehead.
Kelly gritted her teeth and decisively activated her atavism!
Leopard bloodline, a first-level atavism, only slightly increased physical attributes.
For a boost in strength, it was better than nothing.
Robert's devilish eyes flashed red.
Seeing his opponent transform into a leopard-headed, human form, he couldn't help but sneer.
"It seems you've been pushed to your limit."
"Then I'll be a little more serious!"
Second-stage Atavism, Werewolf Form!
A thick black mane sprouted from Robert's face.
Sharp fangs and teeth, a particularly ferocious look!
Werewolf Atavism evenly increases both physique and agility.
The agility bonus isn't as good as that of a leopard man, but the physique is far superior.
What's more, Robert activated a second-stage Atavism!
It's superior to Kelly's first-stage Atavism in every way.
With this balance of power, Kelly immediately gave way!
Forced to do nothing, she jumped off her mount.
"Waste! You can't escape!"
"Damn!"
The werewolf Robert roared like a wild beast.
He was about to spur his mount on and kill his rival with a single blow.
At that critical moment, the winter wolf beneath him suddenly stumbled, nearly throwing him off its back!
Huh?!
Robert's heart trembled, and he quickly lowered his head to check.
He was shocked to discover...
A large, blue leopard paw, perfectly positioned, rested on the winter wolf's forehead.
The winter wolf felt as if a mountain was bearing down on it.
It slammed its head against the ground, its face buried deep in the dirt.
Its claws thrashed desperately, like it was drowning.
It sent the dirt flying, but it couldn't escape the grip of the leopard's claws.
The sharp leopard's claws had already pierced the winter wolf's skull.
Blood oozed from the gaps between the blue leopard's claws, accompanied by a numbing sound of bone cracking.
"Damn beast!" "
Robert cursed, raising his greatsword high, attempting to chop the blue panther and free his mount.
Just then, the blue panther looked up.
The emerald green eyes and icy gaze made Robert shudder.
The arm holding the sword froze in mid-air.
An intense fear gnawed at his heart.
His beastly blood endowed him with the survival instincts of a wild beast.
His intuition told him that this blue panther was terrifying!
Unless you're tired of living, it's best not to provoke it!
Robert gritted his teeth, but ultimately obeyed his instinct.
He hurriedly jumped off the winter wolf's back and pursued his rival with his sword.
Away from the blue panther, the fear and alarm subsided.
Robert could no longer care about the winter wolf's wailing behind him.
His opponent was Arthur! Killing Arthur would end the duel.
Crack!
Alan's claws slammed into the winter wolf's skull, crushing it.
Hot, white brain matter splattered out.
The wolf beneath his claws continued to twitch slightly.
Alan wiped his claws on the winter wolf's smooth, snow-white fur.
Turning around with a nimble, graceful cat-like gait, he walked towards his sister.
If he wanted to, with a little more force, he could easily kill Robert.
But he didn't want to.
If he had to conquer everything on his own, how could his sister grow?
Clang!
Robert swung his greatsword with both hands, slashing fiercely at Kelly's silver sword.
This time, Kelly, holding the sword with one hand, was finally unable to block it.
The silver sword flew out of his hand and stabbed diagonally into the ground.
"Die!" "
Robert roared with ecstasy, sweeping his sword with his sword.
The speed of a leopard!
The pace of a hound!
Kelly advanced instead of retreating, suddenly charging at Robert!
The distance between them instantly closed to within a meter.
At such close range, Robert's two-meter-long sword was useless.
Close combat offered Kelly her only chance of turning defeat into victory!
"Fool!" The Wolf family's young master suddenly burst into laughter. "Do you think this is all I have?!" "
A poisoned dagger suddenly emerged from the sleeve of her left hand!
It looked as if Kelly had proactively charged at the dagger.
A hint of smile crossed Kelly's emerald eyes.
Her right arm, wrapped in thick bandages and untouched throughout the duel, suddenly rose and stretched out before her!
Clang!
Robert's left dagger pierced the outside of Kelly's right arm.
A resounding sound of metal clashing echoed.
The bandage was severed by the dagger, revealing a gleaming silver gauntlet!
This was part of the enchanted armor gifted by the Countess.
Kelly's right arm appeared to be covered in a cumbersome plaster cast.
In reality, it was the gauntlet concealed by the bandages!
Robert's pupils suddenly constricted!
Only then did he realize his opponent's right arm was uninjured.
Pretending to be seriously injured was clearly a trick!
"Oops! "Careless!"
Robert's heart went cold.
The next second, Kelly had already knocked the dagger aside and was closing in on him.
She thrust her left hand forward, pressing it against Robert's chest.
Don't panic!
Robert roared inwardly, forcing himself to calm down.
How could Arthur, with his bare hands, harm me in my heavy armor?
As long as he could get through this, victory would be within his grasp!
"Idiot! Are you still harboring delusions?"
A sneer curled the corners of Kelly's lips, and magic power poured madly into her left palm.
"Sorry, you're already dead!" "
Bone-shattering explosion!!
BOOM!!
Qi energy surged, thunderclaps exploded!
Robert was thrown through the air like a rag doll swung by a baseball bat.
The shattered breastplate pierced deep into his chest, damaging his lungs.
Robert exerted his last bit of strength, barely holding his upper body up, but fell back.
His face was contorted in pain.
Blood-stained foam flowed from the corners of his mouth.
Alan stretched out his leopard tail and wrapped it around the silver sword stuck diagonally in the ground.
With a flick of his tail, the silver sword flew towards his sister.
Kelly raised her hand to catch the sword and strode towards Robert.
A mocking smile played on the corner of her lips.
"Lily will marry the one of us who survives?"
"Robert, you are truly a remarkable prophet!" "
Swish!
A flash of sword light!
Young Master Lang's head fell to the ground.
…
Underground Meditation Room.
Alan and his sister ended their meditation at the same time.
Kelly had successfully broken through the bottleneck and advanced to the late First Stage!
Alan and his sister maintained a spiritual connection.
Through the system, he checked his sister's growth after the upgrade.
Kelly's physique and agility each increased by 1 point.
Alan remembered that his sister's last upgrade had increased her agility and spirit.
Look As Leopard Warlocks level up, their Agility always increases, with their Constitution and Spirit increasing in turn.
Kelly also awakened a spell.
The 1st-level "Magic Fang" temporarily increases the enchantment effect of natural weapons like fists, feet, claws, and horns by one level.
Unlike her brother, Kelly possessed an enchanted bone spur, making it difficult to penetrate against enemies skilled in physical training.
With "Magic Fang," this problem averted. At her current level, it was still very useful.
"Alan, I've advanced!"
There's no need for politeness between siblings.
Kelly gave her brother a kiss on the cheek to express her gratitude.
After calming down her excitement, Kelly asked with concern:
"Alan, how are you? Have you broken through to the third level?"
"Just a little bit," Alan replied thoughtfully. "One more meditation, and I should be able to break through."
"What a coincidence!" "Angie's upstairs, I'll call her over!"
"Next, let her take over from me and help you break through!"
Kelly smiled, stood up, and hurried out.
A moment later, Angie opened the door and entered.
She narrowed her beautiful cat-like eyes, adjusting to the dim light of the secret room, and softly called out, "Brother, I'm here~"
"Junior Sister, come and sit." Allen waved to Angie.
Angie trotted over and sat down meekly across from him.
Her eyes were a mixture of shyness and anticipation.