Honor duel.
Referred to when two people had irreconcilable contradictions over a matter and could adopt this ultimate resolution method.
The loser must make concessions on this matter and couldn't use it as cause for future trouble.
Though theoretically anyone could initiate an honor duel, in practice, generally only nobles among dwarves would use such duels to resolve disputes.
And it wasn't very commonly used.
After all, it was a duel—killing someone wasn't unusual.
Even if not going personally, those who could fight on behalf of nobles were inevitably capable generals with both strength and loyalty. Any accident would be extremely heartbreaking.
Suddenly receiving a duel invitation, it was difficult for young Badri not to be shocked.
Because such duels didn't occur often, few people living outside the mountains knew of them.
And an outsider actively provoking an honor duel—the last time that happened was over twenty years ago.
That arrogant foreigner who consecutively initiated over a dozen duels, beating the Blacksteel Clan with whom he'd had conflicts until no one dared speak again, was called Airaven Slaine—the now-deceased Sword Saint.
Young Badri's eyes narrowed to slits.
That time, the Blacksteel Clan had been the laughingstock of the other three major clans for quite a while. And now, he himself had actually received an honor duel from a foreigner!
Even more humiliatingly, only sending out a Puchi?!
Did they think he didn't dare accept?
Feeling looked down upon, young Badri stepped forward two paces, looking up to glare at Inanna: "Human woman, do you know what you're saying?"
Inanna nodded: "I know. If I win, you have to let us pass."
"But if you lose, then get lost back where you came from and never set foot in the mountains again. Have your duke father send someone with hair on their lips instead!"
Inanna nodded. She believed in No. 14's strength.
In fact, even the honor duel was proposed by No. 14. She was merely conveying it on his behalf.
As for the Sword Saint, he merely proposed the simplest, most effective solution based on his past life experience.
Elves and dwarves—if the Sword Saint truly had to choose which he preferred, the Sword Saint would choose dwarves.
Though elves were friendlier toward him, though quite a few dwarves disliked him, unfortunately, honor duels were just too useful.
Encountering difficulties? Honor duel!
Someone mocking you? Honor duel!
Dislike someone? Deliberately provoke them, then honor duel!
Honor duels actually had implicit rules—you could only challenge peers or elders.
The older generation wasn't unable to reverse-initiate duels, but that would be too shameful. Even if the opponent refused, they'd only receive others' understanding and sympathy.
Back at twenty-something years old, using [Sword's Extreme], though not yet at LV70 lord level, in the mountains—forget young peers, even those forty-fifty-year-old renowned old-timers, he'd beaten several.
Unless several major clan leaders and the numbered experts beside the dwarf king came fully armed to trouble him, he truly had no restraints.
Finally made it so that the Blacksteel Clan who'd provoked him, except the clan leader, all avoided him like turtles hiding in their shells. Only then did that matter conclude.
So-called honor duels, put bluntly, ultimately came down to who had bigger fists.
The Sword Saint had always been in the tier with the biggest fists, naturally quite fond of such rules.
This time was also path dependency.
As for elders challenging juniors...
He was now No. 14, age under half a year.
This young Badri clearly looked around thirty-something—naturally couldn't count as bullying the weak with strength!
Lin Jun was still pondering how to transport talent to the Northern Territory. He hadn't intervened in this matter and wasn't worried at all.
Please—a guy not even at hall level probably didn't even have the ability to let the Sword Saint have some fun.
Young Badri still didn't know what he faced. He just angrily set the time and location before leaving with his people.
Honor duels weren't fought just like that—they needed to be public with dedicated witnesses.
And in Forge Ash City, the only one qualified to witness the honor duel between Inanna and young Badri was the local lord, Badri.
"Honor duel? I told you to give them some trouble, and you actually created an honor duel? And with a Puchi?" Old Badri glared at his eldest son, very dissatisfied.
"But Father, that woman actively proposed the duel. If I'd refused, that would truly lose the family's face."
"She proposed it? Then indeed you couldn't refuse." Only then did old Badri nod, realizing he'd wrongly blamed young Badri.
He waved his hand, letting his son go prepare.
Inanna's action was somewhat beyond Badri's expectations. Originally he just wanted to torment the delegation before letting them pass. After all, it was ultimately a human delegation—couldn't really keep blocking them in the city forever.
Never expected this human called Inanna would respond with such intense methods.
Since she proposed an honor duel, young Badri had to take a stance, making her get lost from the mountains forever after losing.
After all, if the loser's penalty was too light, that was also a manifestation of the victor's weakness.
But this was problematic. Making difficulties for the delegation was one thing. Actually driving them away was another matter entirely.
After thinking, he planned that after young Badri won the duel, he'd still let the delegation pass. The penalty of Inanna never setting foot in the mountains would take effect after the delegation departed. Compromising like this should be fine.
His difficulties with the delegation weren't without reason. Badri loathed humans and elves, these two so-called allies.
Elves cowering from start to finish like wimps need not be mentioned.
Humans, these so-called allies, secretly summoning the Hero—through much post-investigation, this had now almost been confirmed.
When they summoned the Hero, leading to demons provoking war, they hadn't thought to notify their dwarf allies first.
After war began, they couldn't defeat the Empire. The dwarf king, for the bigger picture, had to hold his nose and launch offensives against the Empire with even his own elemental disturbances only half-cleared.
Lost several ancient siege war golems. After finally achieving some results and occupying several cities and mountain passes, the human side suddenly ceased hostilities.
The mountain pass his second son traded his life for had, not long ago, again been planted with demon banners.
How could he possibly respect humans?
Among current mountains, dwarves with similar views to Badri were not few.
Regarding conflicts with the delegation, they likely wouldn't mind speaking a few words for Badri.
Therefore, though the honor duel matter was somewhat unexpected, it wasn't a big deal.
He knew with his eldest son's personality, such matters would definitely be handled personally.
Though he didn't think a Puchi could pose much threat, now he only had this one son left. To be safe, he still lent his own armor to young Badri.
The next day, when the sun was high, the public forge side unusually had only scattered hammering sounds remaining.
Forge Ash City's residents mostly all gathered at the plaza, surrounding the overnight-constructed duel platform.
News that the lord's eldest son young Badri would duel a Puchi spread throughout the city in just one day. Those arriving late couldn't even squeeze into the plaza.
Inanna poured mana potion onto her hand, then evenly spread it on the Sword Saint's mushroom cap. That counted as preparation complete.
On the duel platform, young Badri clad in enchanted heavy armor, gripping a red iron great axe, had already been waiting for a while.
He would, before that woman's face, smash her little pet into a puddle of mycelia!
(End of Chapter)
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