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Fang Li's words made the pressure and heaviness filling the space grow even denser.
Fang Li and Kanzaki stared at each other in silence.
If people from the Magic World were to learn that someone who wasn't even a magician dared to say "you basically can't beat me" right in front of a Saint, they would probably laugh themselves silly.
Even within the entire Magic World, Saints stood at the very top.
Aside from God and angels, how many beings in this world could defeat a Saint one-on-one?
And yet, Fang Li had the right to say such a thing.
Not because he possessed the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.
Nor because he was overly arrogant.
It was simply an objective judgment.
Because of her own luck, Kanzaki Kaori had always carried a question in her heart:
"Could it be that those who are not blessed by God can never be saved?"
This was a question only someone like Kanzaki, one blessed by God, would have.
And in the end, that question gave rise to a belief within her:
"If God is unwilling to save the unfortunate, then I, who have been granted this luck, will save them."
Thus, Kanzaki engraved this belief into her soul as her Magic Name,
"Salvare000 (Be the salvation of those who cannot be saved)."
That was Kanzaki's Magic Name.
"With a belief like that, you won't kill. And you won't allow anyone to be killed in front of you."
In an extremely calm voice, Fang Li pointed out an unavoidable disadvantage.
"In that case, you can't defeat me."
If it were purely a contest of strength, then without using his Stigma, Fang Li might not be a match for Kanzaki, a Saint.
However, if Kanzaki could not strike to kill, then it would be absolutely impossible for her to defeat Fang Li.
"After all, unlike you, if you exist to save everyone, then I exist to kill everything."
Fang Li cast his gaze over Kanzaki's body and spoke indifferently:
"With that being the case, what gives you the right to win against me?"
Not to mention, as a Saint, the time Kanzaki could fight at full power was limited.
Once she released her Stigma and gained a portion of the Son of God's power, her body would bear an abnormal burden.
In this regard, it was exactly the same as the side effects of Fang Li's own Stigma.
The difference was that Kanzaki's Stigma granted her the power of the Son of God and strained her body, while Fang Li's Stigma granted him the power of the soul and burdened his soul.
However, if Fang Li were to release his Stigma, he was 100% confident he could defeat Kanzaki.
Even without releasing it, he was confident that, before Kanzaki's body reached its limit, he could rely on his overwhelming speed, agility, and the power of the Mystic Eyes to outmaneuver her, eventually exhausting her to defeat.
And on top of that, Kanzaki couldn't go for the kill…
"With so many disadvantages, how exactly do you plan to win against me?"
So this wasn't arrogance on Fang Li's part, it was a completely objective analysis.
Naturally, Kanzaki also wouldn't think that someone who possessed the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, the power to kill anything, lacked the ability to last until she collapsed.
Therefore…
"Which is why, this time, I didn't come to forcibly take the original Book of the Law from you."
Kanzaki looked at Fang Li as she said this.
"I want to make a bet with you."
As soon as those words were spoken, Fang Li frowned slightly.
"A bet?" Fang Li said with a furrowed brow. "Don't tell me…"
"That's right," Kanzaki replied seriously. "Since you believe I can't defeat you, then let's settle this with the simplest method, a duel."
A duel.
That was the method Kanzaki Kaori chose.
"The time and place are up to you. Given the situation, the Amakusa-Style doesn't have much time, but we can still hold out for ten days to half a month," Kanzaki said. "Before that deadline, we'll decide the outcome through a duel. The winner will obtain the Book of the Law."
"I see," Fang Li said mockingly. "But don't you think your terms are a bit unfair?"
After all, the wager was being provided by Fang Li.
"If I win, the Book of the Law, which already belongs to me, still stays with me?" Fang Li said. "Then what's the point of me agreeing to this duel?"
"Of course, I will also offer an equivalent stake," Kanzaki Kaori replied, as if she had anticipated this. "No matter what, the Amakusa-Style Church is a Christian faction that has existed since before the shogunate era. With such a long history, it possesses at least one original grimoire."
Fang Li had already guessed what Kanzaki intended to say.
"When I left the Amakusa-Style, I considered that without me, they wouldn't be able to protect it and might instead attract disaster, so I took it with me," Kanzaki said, staring intently at Fang Li. "I will use this original grimoire as my stake. That should make things fair, right?"
"Is that really okay?" Fang Li didn't answer directly; instead speaking calmly. "Isn't that an original grimoire passed down through the Amakusa-Style's history?"
"Over its long history, under persecution from the shogunate, the Amakusa-Style has already changed in nature, blending with Buddhism and Shinto. It's no longer what it once was," Kanzaki shook her head and said. "So this original grimoire, which existed before those changes, is not only useless to the current Amakusa-Style, but would only bring them trouble. It's valuable, yes, but of no use to them."
That was why Kanzaki had taken it with her when she left the Amakusa-Style Church.
"So, can you accept this?"
At Kanzaki's proposal, Fang Li closed his eyes.
To be honest, he had no reason to refuse.
Although he had already gathered ten original grimoires and completed Main Quest 2, exceeding the requirements would naturally improve his evaluation.
If possible, Fang Li wouldn't mind completing it even better.
Moreover, Kanzaki's proposal wasn't just about exceeding Main Quest 2.
"Serial Number 11273 has triggered B-Rank Side Quest: The Saint's Challenge."
"Quest Details: Accept the challenge from plot character Kanzaki Kaori. Use the Book of the Law as the wager, engage in a duel, and achieve final victory."
"Quest Reward: 30,000 Exchange Points."
When this system notification rang out in Fang Li's mind, he understood,
A battle with Kanzaki was now unavoidable.
At that moment, Fang Li opened his eyes.
"I understand."
Standing before Kanzaki, Fang Li made his declaration:
"The time will be set after the Daihasei Festival ends. As for the location, you can choose it."
Only upon hearing this did a faint smile finally appear on Kanzaki's face.
Even if that smile carried a trace of sadness.
"Then it's settled," Kanzaki nodded. "As for Index, you don't need to worry. I'll watch from the shadows for now and won't let that child be harmed."
With that said, Kanzaki disappeared on the spot.
Only Fang Li remained, gazing in the direction she had left, lost in thought.
(End Of This Chapter)