Cantarea stared at Damian, her expression becoming increasingly severe as the young man’s Refined Qi surged through his body.
Longtian’s draconic roar had already silenced the surrounding crowd, and even the Wild Court’s remaining representatives understood that their leader was running out of time.
The centaur woman narrowed her eyes, then slowly lowered her head.
A bitter sigh escaped her lips as she considered the humiliation of being forced into such an unfavorable agreement.
However, the lives of her companions were ultimately more important than her dignity, and she had no intention of gambling them away merely to preserve her pride.
"Very well, Damian Baines. I accept your terms, and the outcome of our duel shall determine whether I remain your prisoner alongside Serra," Cantarea declared solemnly, raising her head once more.
The Wild Court delegation immediately erupted!
"Lady Cantarea, you cannot!"
"Those terms are outrageous!"
"Please reconsider!"
However, before their protests could develop into a proper argument, Cantarea turned toward them with an expression of extraordinary fury.
Her cold gaze swept across the gathering, carrying such unmistakable authority that the words immediately died within their throats.
Serra received an especially severe glare.
The Moon Elf stiffened, her expression twisting with a mixture of humiliation and resentment, but even she understood that another interruption would only make matters worse.
Damian watched the exchange with amusement.
"A wise decision, Lady Cantarea. I must say, it’s refreshing to encounter someone from the Wild Court who actually possesses a functioning brain," Damian praised with a chuckle, lowering Longtian slightly.
Cantarea’s expression darkened, but she wisely ignored the provocation.
Damian then turned toward the two Legends who had been observing the confrontation.
"Lord Roland, Lady Selene, would the two of you be willing to officiate our duel? I believe having two respectable Legends overseeing the proceedings should prevent any unfortunate misunderstandings," Damian requested politely, inclining his head toward them.
The burly Lionman standing atop the nearby kiosk unfolded his arms, his stern eyes moving between Damian and Cantarea.
After examining the two prospective combatants for a moment, he gave a slow nod of approval.
"I have no objection. You have handled this matter reasonably well, young Damian, and a properly supervised duel is certainly preferable to an uncontrolled battle within Rosewood Town," Roland agreed, his deep voice carrying across the courtyard.
Lady Selene smiled from her luxurious carriage.
"How could I refuse such a courteous request, darling? Besides, I would be terribly disappointed if this little gathering ended before we had an opportunity to see what you’ve been learning," Selene replied sweetly, her purple eyes sparkling with interest.
Damian smiled appreciatively.
Their agreement was particularly important because both Legends understood the consequences of allowing a battle of this magnitude to erupt within a populated settlement.
The Legendary Power Restriction Accord wasn’t some decorative collection of regulations intended to make powerful individuals appear civilized.
It existed precisely because clashes involving Legend-level power could devastate enormous areas, killing countless weaker inhabitants who possessed absolutely no ability to protect themselves.
Naturally, both Roland and Selene were confident in their respective abilities.
Neither particularly feared Cantarea or the Wild Court delegation, and either possessed sufficient experience to recognize the dangers presented by the opposing Legend.
However, preventing an opponent from defeating them was entirely different from guaranteeing that every civilian caught within the battlefield would survive.
Even a justified confrontation could become disastrous if the combatants failed to control their power.
And neither Legend wanted to risk attracting the Valorian Overworld System’s attention over an avoidable incident!
Damian’s circumstances were somewhat different, considering his peculiar Administrative Exception.
Nevertheless, that hardly meant he was eager to annihilate innocent townspeople merely because he possessed the authority to disregard certain restrictions.
The solution was obvious.
They needed a proper battlefield!
Cantarea understood the reasoning as well.
Her entire delegation had entered Rosewood Town expecting their overwhelming strength to secure compliance, but the discovery of two additional Legends had completely overturned their assumptions.
Now that she had agreed to a formal duel, her only realistic path toward securing her companions’ freedom involved defeating Damian personally.
And she had absolutely no intention of holding back!
......
The surrounding spectators were quickly dispersed under Roland’s supervision, while the various parties began preparing to relocate.
Their destination was the Ironfang Highlands!
Located beyond the immediate surroundings of Rosewood Town, the region was already familiar to Damian from his earlier examination of the Adventurers’ Guild’s available destinations.
It was classified as a Hard-tier adventuring area, populated by dangerous creatures such as Orcs, Bugbears, Hobgoblins, Gnolls and Kobolds.
Ordinarily, the Highlands posed a considerable challenge even to experienced Silver-ranked Adventurers.
However, against the destructive potential of a genuine Legend, its ordinary inhabitants were hardly the primary concern.
The region’s rugged terrain and comparatively sparse civilian population made it a far more suitable location for a major confrontation.
With Roland and Selene supervising the proceedings, the combatants could operate without exposing Rosewood Town to unnecessary destruction.
Damian approved of the arrangement immediately.
Of course, the relocation didn’t involve only the two duelists.
The Four Valkyries accompanied Damian, as did the members of the Wild Court delegation, while Roland and Selene naturally traveled along to supervise the engagement.
Much to Damian’s annoyance, Lord Ferdinand and Gertrude Opper also insisted upon accompanying the gathering, claiming that representatives of the Rastian Crown had a responsibility to observe such an important confrontation.
Damian couldn’t be bothered arguing with them.
The matter concerning Vivienne remained unresolved, and he had already decided that Ferdinand would receive his undivided attention once the more immediate threat had been handled.
For now, the royal officials could watch!
Throughout the journey, neither side displayed much interest in conversation.
Cantarea maintained a solemn expression, her powerful body carrying an unmistakable readiness for battle.
Behind her, the other Fae appeared deeply troubled, particularly Serra, whose occasional furious glances toward Damian suggested that she remained thoroughly dissatisfied with the arrangements.
The Valkyries were hardly more relaxed.
Although they possessed considerable confidence in their husband’s abilities, fighting a genuine Legend was a serious undertaking, especially when Damian’s current Overall Level remained within the Adept band.
Fortunately, Damian himself appeared completely unconcerned.
He had something considerably more interesting to occupy his attention!
......
While the others traveled in silence, Damian quietly opened his personal interface.
His earlier experiences had already demonstrated that raw Attributes and cultivation advancement weren’t the only methods through which he could strengthen himself.
He possessed an extraordinary assortment of supernatural abilities, many of which had yet to reach their full potential.
More importantly, he still possessed an enormous reserve of Skill Points!
[Skill Upgrade System]
[Current Skill Points: 618.]
Damian’s lips curved upward.
Hehehe! Time for another shopping spree!
Naturally, he couldn’t simply sit down and begin cultivating during the journey, especially when his attention needed to remain available for the upcoming duel.
Neither was he particularly interested in consuming cultivation medicines and attempting another breakthrough under such unsuitable circumstances.
However, improving his existing Skills was another matter entirely.
The Skill Upgrade System could directly provide the knowledge and mastery necessary to advance compatible abilities, allowing Damian to strengthen his combat repertoire without spending weeks or months practicing them.
He opened the Valorian section first.
[Valorian Spell Repertoire
Grandmaster Spells:
Firebolt — Cantrip.
Frost Ray — Cantrip.
Bone Chill — Cantrip.
Burning Hands — Level 1.
Mage Armor — Level 1.
Speak With Animals — Level 1, Ritual.
Speak With Dead — Level 1, Ritual.
Misty Step — Level 2.
Fireball — Level 3.]
Damian nodded appreciatively.
His nine Grandmaster spells represented some of his most reliable abilities, especially since Burning Hands, Mage Armor, Misty Step and Fireball had already developed into Signature Spells.
Nevertheless, the remainder of his repertoire was considerably less impressive.
[Below Grandmaster Mastery:]
[Cantrips and Innate Skills: Mage Hand, Detect Magic, Dispel Magic, Levitate.]
[Level 1: Magic Missile, Entangle, Witch Bolt, Identify.]
[Level 2: Scorching Ray, Barkskin, Web.]
[Level 3: Counterspell, Lightning Bolt, Animate Dead.]
[Level 4: Ice Storm, Conjure Minor Elemental, Wall of Fire.]
[Level 5: Wall of Stone, Chain Lightning.]
Damian studied the list thoughtfully.
Many of those spells were extraordinarily useful even at Novice mastery, particularly the higher-level abilities he had acquired through the Mages Association.
However, the prospect of fighting a Legend made him increasingly interested in strengthening the techniques he could employ without risking excessive collateral damage.
His Level 4 and Level 5 spells were another matter.
Those abilities already possessed tremendous destructive potential, and Damian wasn’t entirely comfortable imagining what their Grandmaster versions might accomplish. Even his familiar Fireball had placed enormous strain upon its magical structure when upcast to Level 5 during the battle against Ravelhorn.
And that was a spell he knew inside out!
Good grief, upgrading those monsters right now would be like handing a baby a rocket launcher and telling him to have fun!
He decided to leave them alone.
The Level 3 spells could also wait, especially since his existing Grandmaster Fireball already provided an overwhelming offensive option at that tier.
For now, he would perfect everything below Level 3!
That meant Magic Missile, Entangle, Witch Bolt, Identify, Scorching Ray, Barkskin and Web, along with any compatible Cantrips that could still benefit from ordinary mastery advancement.
Damian selected the available advancement options.
Naturally, the Skill Upgrade System recognized his Myriad Arts Master Feat, applying its fifty-percent reduction to the costs of compatible combat abilities.
The three Level 1 combat spells required eight Skill Points apiece to progress from Novice to Grandmaster, while the three Level 2 combat spells required fifteen each.
Identify, being a noncombat utility spell, received no such reduction and required fifteen points for its complete advancement.
Mage Hand likewise required eight points to reach Grandmaster.
The three innate Cantrip-class abilities acquired through Drow High Magic remained separate from the ordinary graded spell progression displayed by the interface, so Damian left them unchanged.
He checked the total.
[Proposed Spell Advancements:]
[Magic Missile: 8 Skill Points.]
[Entangle: 8 Skill Points.]
[Witch Bolt: 8 Skill Points.]
[Identify: 15 Skill Points.]
[Scorching Ray: 15 Skill Points.]
[Barkskin: 15 Skill Points.]
[Web: 15 Skill Points.]
[Mage Hand: 8 Skill Points.]
[Total Cost: 92 Skill Points.]
[Remaining After Purchase: 526 Skill Points.]
Damian grinned.
"Perfect the lot!" he commanded internally.
[Advancements Confirmed.]
[92 Skill Points consumed.]
[Current Skill Points: 526.]
The familiar sensation of extraordinary knowledge entering his mind immediately followed.
Magical structures unfolded within his comprehension, their individual components becoming increasingly refined as years of theoretical understanding and practical experience were compressed into a few brief moments.
Magic Missile became considerably more sophisticated, its targeting principles and magical force distribution reaching a level of refinement Damian had never previously possessed.
Entangle and Web likewise developed far greater complexity, their respective control mechanisms becoming easier to manipulate and sustain.
Meanwhile, Barkskin’s defensive structure improved, while Scorching Ray and Witch Bolt underwent substantial refinements in their offensive applications.
Identify and Mage Hand completed the remaining advancements, granting Damian considerably greater precision when examining supernatural phenomena and manipulating objects through magical force.
And just like that, eight additional abilities had reached Grandmaster mastery!
Wonderful! Absolutely fucking wonderful!
Damian almost wanted to test his improvements immediately.
However, the Ironfang Highlands were still ahead, and he had an entirely different supernatural repertoire waiting for attention.
Shengyuan!
......
Damian opened his Cultivation Record.
Unlike Valoria’s ordinary Class-based development, Shengyuan’s cultivation methods relied upon distinct mastery stages, with techniques gradually progressing from Entry through Small Success, Great Success and Mastery before eventually reaching Perfection.
His existing record was already rather impressive.
[Shengyuan Cultivation Record]
[Five Elements Harmonization Art — Perfection.]
[Five Elements Spiritual Canon — Perfection.]
[Seven-Turn Sword Art — Perfection.]
[Object Control — Entry.]
[Gale-Treading Steps — Entry.]
[Shadowless Passage — Entry.]
[Cloud Step — Entry.]
Damian’s attention immediately settled upon the final four entries.
His Five Elements Spiritual Canon was already perfected, and the Skill Upgrade System couldn’t simply purchase cultivation-method comprehension through Skill Points.
The Seven-Turn Sword Art had likewise reached Perfection during his earlier cultivation adventures.
However, his movement techniques remained embarrassingly underdeveloped!
Object Control had already proven enormously useful for operating Longtian, especially when performing rapid changes in direction and maintaining precise control over the Flying Sword.
The other three abilities had entered his repertoire through Qinggong Master, the extraordinary Feat he obtained upon advancing through Qi Condensation.
Gale-Treading Steps improved his short-range movement and footwork, Shadowless Passage reduced the disturbances generated by his movements, and Cloud Step allowed him to briefly support himself in the air through Refined Qi.
All three possessed tremendous tactical value.
Unfortunately, Damian had barely begun exploring their practical potential!
Well, that’s a rather obvious problem to solve!
He focused upon the four Daoist Arts and examined their available advancement requirements.
The Skill Upgrade System recognized them as compatible combat disciplines, allowing Myriad Arts Master to reduce their respective advancement costs.
Their progression followed the familiar stages he had previously employed when mastering the Seven-Turn Sword Art.
[Compatible Daoist Art Advancement:]
[Entry → Small Success: 1 Skill Point.]
[Small Success → Great Success: 2 Skill Points.]
[Great Success → Mastery: 3 Skill Points.]
[Mastery → Perfection: 5 Skill Points.]
[Total Per Art: 11 Skill Points.]
Damian quickly calculated the cost.
Four techniques multiplied by eleven Skill Points each.
Forty-four!
[Object Control — Entry → Perfection: 11 Skill Points.]
[Gale-Treading Steps — Entry → Perfection: 11 Skill Points.]
[Shadowless Passage — Entry → Perfection: 11 Skill Points.]
[Cloud Step — Entry → Perfection: 11 Skill Points.]
[Total Cost: 44 Skill Points.]
[Current Skill Points: 526.]
[Remaining After Purchase: 482 Skill Points.]
Damian nodded in satisfaction.
"Max them all!" he commanded without hesitation.
[Advancements Confirmed.]
[44 Skill Points consumed.]
[Current Skill Points: 482.]
BOOM!
An immense torrent of martial knowledge immediately flooded Damian’s consciousness.
Object Control transformed first, its previously crude manipulation principles developing into an extraordinarily sophisticated system of force transmission, directional control and spiritual coordination.
The difference was profound!
Previously, Damian had relied upon his tremendous Attributes and natural aptitude to compensate for his lack of practical mastery.
Now, the finer applications of the technique had become so familiar that controlling multiple directions of force felt almost instinctive.
Then came his movement arts.
Gale-Treading Steps revealed countless refinements concerning acceleration, balance, weight distribution and instantaneous directional changes.
Shadowless Passage developed an equally intricate understanding of concealed movement, allowing Damian to better coordinate his physical actions with the suppression of detectable disturbances.
And finally, Cloud Step!
The once rudimentary technique revealed increasingly sophisticated methods for supporting and repositioning his body through carefully controlled bursts of Refined Qi.
Damian’s eyes gleamed.
The four improvements didn’t magically increase his cultivation Realm, nor did they provide him with additional Attributes.
However, they dramatically improved his ability to employ the power he already possessed, eliminating numerous weaknesses that had previously existed because his techniques remained at Entry mastery.
His physical Attributes were already extraordinary, his magical repertoire had become absurd, and now, even his Shengyuan movement and sword-control abilities were reaching a level that ordinary cultivators might spend decades attempting to attain!
Hahaha! This is getting ridiculous!
Damian quietly examined the updated record.
[Shengyuan Techniques:]
[Five Elements Harmonization Art — Perfection.]
[Five Elements Spiritual Canon — Perfection.]
[Seven-Turn Sword Art — Perfection.]
[Object Control — Perfection.]
[Gale-Treading Steps — Perfection.]
[Shadowless Passage — Perfection.]
[Cloud Step — Perfection.]
[Current Skill Points: 482.]
Excellent!
Damian slowly closed the interface, allowing the newly acquired comprehension to settle properly within his consciousness.
He could already feel the difference.
His refined Qi responded to his intentions with extraordinary precision, while countless potential applications of his movement techniques unfolded naturally whenever he considered a particular combat situation.
Even Longtian seemed to respond more smoothly to the subtle adjustments of his control.
Damian couldn’t help smiling.
The last time he fought Serra, he had possessed tremendous physical advantages, but his practical combat repertoire was considerably less developed.
He had relied heavily upon Grandmaster magic, brute force and a relatively limited selection of Shengyuan techniques to overcome the difficulties presented by his enemies.
Now?
His Attributes had improved, his Qi Condensation cultivation had advanced enormously, and virtually every combat discipline he intended to rely upon during the upcoming duel had undergone substantial refinement!
If the Damian who fought Serra was a 3, then the current him was practically a 14.5!
Of course, the comparison was hardly a proper measure of combat effectiveness.
Nevertheless, it captured the sheer difference Damian felt between his earlier self and the extraordinary collection of abilities he currently possessed.
And the best part?
He still had 482 Skill Points remaining!
Damian glanced toward the distant Ironfang Highlands, his smile becoming increasingly confident as he considered the formidable centaur Legend awaiting him.
Cantarea undoubtedly possessed extraordinary strength, and he had no intention of underestimating someone capable of reaching the Legend Rank.
However, she was about to discover that her opponent was considerably more dangerous than his apparent Adept status suggested.
Heh! It seems this centaur is in for the fight of her life!