Chapter 156: The Battle is Not Yet Decided

Chapter 156: The Battle is Not Yet Decided

In this aspect, especially for Arthur, who was currently holding the upper hand, the pressure was even greater.

Cain erupted with speed.

This meant that if Arthur made even a little mistake, he could easily let Cain break free from his attacking rhythm.

If that happened, the advantages he had just fought so hard for would be completely lost.

Thus, both of them gritted their teeth and struggled to hold on.

Arthur dared not let his pace slow down; if he did, it could allow Cain to escape.

At the same time, Cain, while blocking Arthur’s attacks, hoped that Arthur would tire out quickly, just as he had before. That way, he might not just turn the tides, but at least recover from his current disadvantage.

And so, the combat continued in the arena.

Arthur’s onslaught against Cain was like an unstoppable torrent.

But Cain couldn’t absorb Arthur’s relentless attacks like an ocean could.

With each blow from Arthur, he began to suffer injuries.

Though his armor prevented deep wounds, impacts to his arms, thighs, and ribs still caused harm.

Especially when joints were struck, it would severely affect his performance in following fights.

Despite the progress made in battle, Arthur still appeared calm and collected.

However, he didn’t press the attack further and instead decided to pause.

Although he wanted to keep the pressure on Cain, Arthur could clearly feel that he was starting to run low on energy.

He needed a brief rest.

Therefore, halting his assault was a very wise choice.

Otherwise, he might end up in the same predicament as Cain had just moments ago.

From the very beginning, Arthur had set the tone for today’s battle: to play it safe.

As long as he could maintain stability, he’d have a strong chance of victory.

Straying off the path suited Cain.

Seizing the opportunity, Cain quickly distanced himself from Arthur and stared him down.

Although he had escaped, Cain was far from happy.

Arthur had not entirely exhausted himself.

Unlike earlier, he had known when to pull back, saving some stamina for himself.

That meant even if he launched a counterattack against Arthur, he would still be able to respond effectively.

In this regard, Cain had to admit that he had acted impulsively before.

Knowing that his own attacks were fruitless, Cain refrained from retaliating against Arthur.

Instead, he started to catch his breath.

With both protagonists resting, the arena suddenly became harmonious.

However, the battle-scarred ground vividly spoke of how intense their previous clash had been.

The audience’s anticipation for their rest was palpable.

They initially thought Cain would be easily defeated by Arthur, but it was clear now that Cain was not going down without a fight.

This meant Cain still had a possibility of defeating Arthur.

At least from what just transpired, he had weathered Arthur’s fierce onslaught.

With this thought in mind, many spectators began to cheer for Cain.

This, of course, irked the supporters of Arthur.

As a result, the two fighters rested, while the audience engaged in a battle of words among themselves.

Each person yelled and cheered for their respective champions.

After all, many had placed significant bets.

If they won, they’d cash in big; if they lost, it’d be a long stretch of hardship ahead.

Watching the suddenly raucous Grand Arena, Airael frowned slightly.

Though this scene appeared to generate excitement, it was far too chaotic.

It was not just Airael; the nobles felt the same way.

As dignitaries, they prided themselves on being gentlemen who understood propriety and etiquette.

Such a scene was clearly undignified.

However, facing the frenzied commoners, they had no immediate solution.

Inviting the army or security would seem overly reactionary and could easily tarnish their image.

Since they couldn’t control the situation, they had no choice but to endure it.

Moreover, their feelings mirrored those of the common spectators.

The commoners had bet a lot of money, and so had the nobles.

Everyone shared the same mindset: they all wanted to profit, not lose.

After a brief rest, Arthur and Cain locked eyes, then charged toward each other.

Having experienced the previous round of combat, they both had a sense of each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

Thus, despite their simultaneous charges, their thoughts were quite different.

Arthur intended to continue entangling Cain, keeping the battle within his rhythm.

Meanwhile, Cain planned to strike and then retreat, fully utilizing his speed advantage in a guerilla-style fight against Arthur.

It’s undeniable that both of their thoughts were well-conceived, recognizing their own and the other’s strengths and weaknesses.

However, things were bound to unfold differently than they envisioned.

In an instant, the two agile fighters clashed once more.

Their swords collided with a sharp, ringing sound.

Immediately, Cain used the force from Arthur’s attack to swiftly retreat.

Arthur, without a moment’s hesitation, launched a pursuit.

His sword continued to rain strikes upon Cain, but the latter easily evaded Arthur’s relentless attacks with his superior speed.

Yet, in his effort to dodge Arthur’s onslaught, Cain couldn’t find the opportunity to counterattack.

Thus, another round passed.

No clear victor had emerged between the two.

After the audience had rumbled for a while, they quieted down and focused on the competition.

Cheering and hurling insults was surprisingly exhausting.

Under the audience’s watchful gaze, Arthur and Cain clashed again.

However, with the lessons learned from the previous round, this time Cain didn’t engage in a head-on confrontation.

Instead, as they were about to clash, he suddenly sidestepped to evade Arthur’s descending sword.

Arthur noticed something was off, but before he could react, it seemed too late, and his sword swung down uncontrollably.

With Cain having successfully maneuvered to Arthur’s side, he didn’t hesitate and took a decisive swing.

A triumphant smile crept onto his face.

Just as he thought he had the upper hand, Arthur made a clean, swift turn, effortlessly deflecting Cain’s incoming sword, nearly forcing it from Cain’s grip.

Caught off guard by Arthur’s sudden move, Cain stumbled back, disbelief etched on his face.

Logically, Arthur should have been in a rigid state, unable to turn.

Unless…

Realization struck, causing a cold sweat to break out on Cain.

Arthur had seen through his plan completely; he had merely played along with Cain’s strategy.