Work Prophet
Chapter 523 - 141 Facing a Powerful Enemy Alone

Chapter 523: Chapter 141 Facing a Powerful Enemy Alone

Kieren finally couldn’t shake off Silver Hand, mainly because this guy was shameless to the extreme, a grown man who would hug his waist and throw tantrums, even planning to stake out outside the inn...

Even more infuriating was that this guy offered to buy drinks for everyone at Purple Wind Chime, but didn’t bring enough money, and in the end, the shortfall was still covered by Kieren in advance.

When the two left the tavern, Silver Hand also stuck close to Kieren’s side, feigning to fan him while asking, "Where shall we go to make money next?"

"Make what money, it’s almost time for Lord Ireya’s duel, let’s go watch the duel first," Kieren yawned, said irritably.

Upon hearing this, Silver Hand’s eyes lit up.

"Meat Mountain Ireya! The Dragon Slayer Hero personally titled by the Empress! A strong contender for the champion of this tournament... There have been poems about her everywhere recently, but it’s still you, brother, who sings the best."

"Alright already, cut it out with the sappiness," Kieren shuddered and walked toward the Triumphal Arch, with Silver Hand humming behind him the newly learned tune of "Dragon Slayer Hero Massacres the Duel Arena."

By the time they reached the Duel Arena, it was already packed with people, a sea of heads as far as the eye could see.

The tournament had now reached its climax, and the remaining eight contestants were all top-notch experts without exception.

Just the thought of witnessing these strong experts clash, even fighting to the death, was enough to make anyone scream with excitement.

However, Silver Hand quickly thought of a new problem, "Didn’t we come too late, all the good spots are gone?"

Apart from those nobles in the stands who had their own seats, the lesser nobles and commoners could only stand on the sidelines to watch the duel.

In such cases, if you arrived late, it’s uncertain whether you could still see the battle inside the arena from behind the crowd.

Kieren, however, didn’t seem worried at all and confidently said, "I’m the Minstrel of Saturdays for the Palace, how could I possibly have to fight for a spot with other people, today’s your lucky day, just follow me."

After saying that, Kieren headed straight for the Duel Arena with Silver Hand following behind, still a bit nervous, as there were too many attendees and many important figures today.

The Emperor and Empress of the Empire had also arrived, sitting in the stands. Silver Hand just had to look up to see them. He was just a little-known minstrel who used to perform around the Golden Valley area, and he had never seen such a scene.

After taking just a few steps, his legs started to wobble, and at that moment a troop of the Royal Knight Order’s cavalry hurried over. Silver Hand even thought these people came to arrest him and Kieren, nearly collapsing on the spot with fright.

However, those knights merely glanced at them, brushing past them. And the guards at the side of the Duel Arena nodded at Kieren when they saw him.

Kieren smiled and greeted them, then swaggered into the tent prepared for the contestants.

But after entering, the minstrel found the atmosphere inside somewhat tense, "How is it, has the next round’s opponent been announced?"

The Wandering Knight Orwell nodded slightly and gently uttered a name, "Earth Bear."

In the eighth round of the duel, Miss Rabbit finally faced off against Earth Bear, an opponent who, unsurprisingly, was the strongest Ireya had encountered so far.

Moreover, between the two there was old resentment which they intended to settle in this duel once and for all.

Lady Ireya took a deep breath; before acquiring the Hand of Judgment, facing the Earth Bear meant she stood no chance at all.

But with the help of Li Yu and Saturday, the young lady had swept away her previous dread and was even impatient for the Earth Bear to taste her might.

However, after so many rounds, Ireya’s mindset had also stabilized considerably. She had watched several of the Earth Bear’s duels and had to admit he was a formidable opponent, not to be taken lightly even for a moment.

While Ireya was studying the Earth Bear, it was likely that the Life Church was also studying her. She couldn’t help wondering if the Priest of Cornelia had prepared some new strategy to help the Earth Bear against her.

Unfortunately, Merlin would only return from the Divine Country tonight, and without Li Yu by her side, Lady Ireya felt somewhat uneasy since she had grown accustomed to relying on Li Yu to solve her troubles.

Miss Rabbit had also felt it rather embarrassing to call out for Merlin to save her every time she faced trouble. She wasn’t without struggle, having tried hard to pull herself together, but often found that the results of her determination weren’t as effective as simply whining and seeking direct help from Li Yu.

So why bother going through all that effort in vain? Once this thought emerged, it was impossible to suppress.

Ireya remembered Li Yu once said that one should not endure hardship for its own sake, as that would bring no benefit.

Enduring hardship is not a source of pride; the Double Rest Sect also never encouraged needless suffering. Enduring some hardship was solely for achieving one’s ultimate goals—she mustn’t confuse the cause and effect.

But in Li Yu’s absence, Ireya still had to brace herself. So first, she would defeat the opponent before her.

The Lady made a resolute decision and had Ge Lipeng perform a final check on her firearms and ammunition.

Ireya glanced at the red bracelet on her wrist, extended her hand, and offered another ardent prayer to Saturday, hoping he would continue to protect her in the upcoming battle, then walked out of the tent.

On the other side, the Earth Bear had already been standing in the center of the Duel Arena, waiting for her.

Seeing the young girl emerge, the Earth Bear’s face broke into a ferocious, cruel smile.

Next, he tore off his robe in one swift motion, revealing a pitch-black armor underneath.

This was a set of Scale Armor. Upon closer examination, Ireya could see the numerous small scales, each much smaller and denser than those of typical scale armor.

The defensive power of Scale Armor mainly depends on the material of the scales, and the one the Earth Bear wore was clearly not ordinary, undoubtedly crafted by Dwarves, likely even a masterwork.

But that wasn’t all; Ireya noticed that the Earth Bear’s lower body as well as his arms and legs were also enveloped in tough armor.

Finally, he placed a massive and heavy helmet over his head, leaving only a slit for the eyes.

After donning this gear, the Earth Bear resembled a mobile steel fortress, and with his strength, even though his armor weighed over forty kilograms, he seemed to handle it with ease.

To the astonishment of the onlookers, he then lifted a Big Iron Shield, nearly as tall as he was, in one hand while the other gripped his great sword.