"Cut the nonsense!"
Rex let out a furious roar as he began drawing upon the energy within his body.
As a Planetary Rank Level 6 warrior, his strength was nothing to scoff at. His movements suddenly became lighter and faster, his entire body seeming to blur. The military saber in his hand danced through the air, leaving behind streaks of silver light.
"Wind Blade Slash!"
Several razor-sharp wind blades shot from the saber, slicing straight toward Barton.
This was Rex's signature technique, one that had earned him victory countless times before.
But Barton was no pushover either.
With a thunderous roar, energy erupted from his body. Crimson light began pulsing across his massive warhammer.
"Crushing Hammer Break!"
The enormous hammer slammed into the ground with terrifying force.
Boom!
The resulting shockwave shattered every incoming wind blade. At the same time, spiderweb-like cracks spread across the earth beneath his feet, revealing just how devastating the strike truly was.
The battle instantly entered its most intense stage.
Both men fought with everything they had.
Techniques exploded one after another.
Rex relied on speed, constantly darting around his opponent and carving fresh wounds into Barton's body.
Barton, meanwhile, trusted in overwhelming strength and endurance, patiently waiting for the opportunity to land a fatal blow.
"Neither of them is weak," Rowan observed quietly.
"But Barton seems to have the advantage in stamina."
"Agreed."
Rovan nodded.
"Rex's attacks are sharper, but they consume a lot more energy. If he can't finish this quickly, he'll eventually lose."
That assessment proved accurate.
As the battle dragged on, Rex's movements gradually slowed. His breathing became heavier and more ragged.
Barton was exhausted as well, but his condition was clearly better.
A cruel grin spread across his face.
"It's over."
He raised his warhammer high into the air.
"Die, Rex!"
The hammer descended like a bolt of lightning.
Rex no longer had enough strength to evade completely.
Yet just as death seemed inevitable, madness flashed in his eyes.
"Then we'll die together!"
Ignoring the incoming hammer, he thrust his saber straight toward Barton's heart.
Bang!
The warhammer crashed into Rex's chest.
The sound of shattering bones echoed clearly through the canyon.
At the same time, the saber pierced through Barton's chest.
Blood erupted instantly.
Both men collapsed almost simultaneously.
Crimson stained the ground beneath them.
The entire camp fell silent.
A deathly silence.
"Rex... you lunatic..."
Barton lay on the ground, his voice growing weaker with every word.
"You had already... lost..."
"Cough... cough..."
Blood streamed from Rex's mouth.
"At least... we're dying together..."
"That scale... belongs to neither of us now..."
Their life force faded rapidly.
Moments later, both men were dead.
The duel born from greed over a single scale had ended in mutual destruction.
Karl walked over to the bodies expressionlessly.
After briefly examining them, he spoke in a calm, detached voice.
"They're both dead."
It sounded as though he were commenting on the weather.
"Looks like the scale belongs to the organization now."
He casually removed the prized scale from Rex's stiff hand and stored it inside his spatial device.
"Captain, should we bury them?" Old Wu asked.
"No."
Karl's answer was immediate.
"The dead are a burden in the Mist Forbidden Zone."
"Take anything useful and move on."
The mercenaries immediately began stripping the corpses of weapons, armor, and valuables.
Their actions were disturbingly practiced.
No one mourned.
No one questioned the captain's decision.
Standing nearby, Rowan and Rovan felt a chill run through their bodies.
Until now, they had thought the Black Shark Mercenary Corps was merely a ruthless mercenary group.
Now they understood the truth.
These people were genuine killers.
Desperate men who viewed life as worthless.
Karl turned toward the remaining mercenaries.
"Now you've all seen it."
His voice carried unmistakable warning.
"This is what happens when discipline is broken."
"I don't want to see another dispute like this."
"Anyone who challenges my authority will end exactly the same way."
Every mercenary lowered their head.
Including Rowan and Rovan.
In this situation, even the slightest objection could be fatal.
"Good."
Karl nodded with satisfaction.
"Pack up."
"We continue advancing."
"Today's objective is to cross the Spatial Distortion Zone and reach the outskirts of the ancient ruins."
The team quickly reorganized.
The two corpses were left behind.
Soon, the gray mist swallowed them completely.
As if they had never existed at all.
As they marched onward, Rowan spoke quietly through gritted teeth.
"Now you understand."
"We're not traveling with ordinary explorers."
"We're surrounded by people who've completely abandoned their humanity."
Rovan's expression darkened.
"This is far worse than I imagined."
"That Karl... he's a monster."
"He sent two of his own men to their deaths over a single scale."
"Not just that," Rowan continued.
"Did you notice the others?"
"Their reactions?"
Rovan immediately understood.
"They didn't care at all."
"Exactly."
Rowan nodded.
"That means this kind of thing happens regularly."
"If it didn't, they wouldn't be so indifferent."
A shadow passed through Rovan's eyes.
"So what do we do?"
"If we keep following them, sooner or later we might become expendable too."
"Now isn't the time to leave."
Rowan's voice remained calm.
"Traveling alone in the Mist Forbidden Zone is even more dangerous."
"For now, we stay quiet."
"No conflicts."
"No attention."
"Survive first."
Rovan nodded.
"You're right."
"We can't give them any excuse to target us."
The two continued forward with the expedition.
But their hearts had become much heavier.
The bloody duel had opened their eyes.
The dangers of this journey weren't limited to the unknown horrors lurking within the mist.
The greater threat might be the cold-blooded companions walking beside them.
Suddenly, Rowan remembered something.
"By the way."
"Did you hear what Karl said earlier?"
"The scale would be handed over to the organization."
Rovan frowned thoughtfully.
"I noticed."
"That means the Black Shark Mercenary Corps isn't acting alone."
"There's a larger force behind them."
"Exactly."
Rowan nodded.
"I don't think this expedition is just a treasure hunt anymore."
"We may have already been pulled into something much bigger."
The third day inside the Mist Forbidden Zone began beneath a strange and eerie dawn.
Because of the dense mist, sunlight could not penetrate directly.
Instead, a faint silver glow spread across the landscape, draping the world in an otherworldly haze.
The expedition had camped overnight on a relatively open plain.
The mist here was thinner than elsewhere, allowing slightly better visibility.
Even so, nobody had slept peacefully.
Sentries had rotated throughout the night to ensure no creatures approached the camp.
"Everyone, prepare to move."
Karl stood before the team.
"Today's route takes us through a complex canyon system."
"According to the map, spatial distortions are common in that region."
"Stay alert."
Rowan crawled out of his tent and stretched his stiff muscles.
He had barely slept.
Partly because of the unfamiliar environment.
Mostly because of a growing sense of unease.
After witnessing yesterday's duel, he felt even more wary of this group.
Especially Karl.
The man's cold cruelty was deeply unsettling.
"How are you holding up?"
Rovan approached quietly.
"You were tossing and turning all night."
"I've got a bad feeling."
Rowan adjusted his gear.
"Did you notice everyone's expressions after yesterday's battle?"
"You mean how excited they looked?"
Rovan nodded.
"That wasn't normal."
"Most explorers would feel relieved after surviving."
"They looked like they enjoyed it."
"The fighting."
"The killing."
"Exactly."
Rowan's expression turned grim.
"That worries me."
"We have to be even more careful from now on."
Just then, an argument erupted from another part of the camp.
The two looked over.
Two mercenaries were shouting at each other.
One was a lean man with a scar running across his face.
His name was Rex.
The assault specialist who had fought fiercely against the beast yesterday.
"The scale is mine!"
"I knocked it off that monster!"
The other man was large and muscular, his face covered in thick flesh and scars.
Barton.
The heavy weapons specialist.
"Nonsense!"
"My attack wounded the beast!"
"That scale belongs to me!"
Old Wu approached with a frown.
"What's going on?"
"The ownership of this scale."
Rex held up a gleaming purple scale.
"We found it at the same time yesterday."
"Now we're settling who gets it."
Rowan examined the scale carefully.
It was larger than the others.
More importantly, it emitted a far stronger energy fluctuation.
Clearly, this was no ordinary trophy.
"Seriously?"
Rovan whispered.
"They're fighting over one scale?"
"No."
Rowan shook his head.
"Feel the energy coming from it."
Rovan focused his senses.
Moments later, his eyes widened.
The scale contained an extremely unusual energy.
One that seemed capable of assisting cultivation.
"No wonder they're desperate."
"That's definitely a treasure."
The argument continued escalating.
Neither man was willing to back down.
Then a cold voice echoed through the camp.
"Enough."
Karl had arrived.
Instantly, silence fell.
"Making a scene first thing in the morning?"
"What kind of disgraceful behavior is this?"
"Captain!"
Rex immediately stepped forward.
"Please judge fairly. The scale belongs to me."
"Bullshit!"
Barton roared.
"I saw it first!"
Karl slowly walked between them.
His cold gaze swept over both men.
The entire camp held its breath.
"Both of you want this scale?"
"Yes, Captain!"
They answered in unison.
"Good."
A chilling smile appeared on Karl's face.
"Then we'll settle it the old way."
"The old way?"
Rowan glanced at the surrounding mercenaries.
Their expressions had suddenly grown serious.
"A duel," Old Wu explained quietly.
"It's a tradition of the Black Shark Mercenary Corps."
"When disputes can't be resolved, they're settled through combat."
"A duel?"
Rovan stared in disbelief.
"For a single scale?"
"In the Black Shark Mercenary Corps, duels are sacred."
Another mercenary spoke grimly.
"And they're fought to the death."
A cold shiver ran through both Rowan and Rovan.
A death match over a single scale.
The rule was absurdly brutal.
"You heard him."
Karl looked at Rex and Barton.
"The winner gets the scale."
"As for the loser..."
A cruel smile spread across his face.
"The loser gets nothing."
The two men exchanged glances.
For the first time, hesitation appeared in their eyes.
Earlier anger had been easy.
Facing death was another matter entirely.
"What?"
Karl's tone turned mocking.
"Scared?"
"If you're afraid, you can withdraw now."
"Of course, anyone who withdraws will be expelled from the expedition."
"In the Mist Forbidden Zone."
"They can fend for themselves."
The threat left no room for retreat.
Being expelled here was essentially a death sentence.
"I accept!"
Rex gritted his teeth.
"Barton, today is the day you die!"
"Hmph!"
Barton sneered.
"The one dying will be you!"
"Good."
Karl nodded approvingly.
"You've got guts."
"The duel begins now."
"The rules are simple."
"No ranged weapons."
"Only melee weapons and personal abilities."
"The fight ends when one side dies."
The mercenaries quickly cleared an open space.
A crude arena formed.
Rowan and Rovan stood among the spectators, watching with mixed emotions.
"This is insane," Rovan muttered.
"Risking your life over a scale."
"No."
Rowan shook his head.
"This was never about the scale."
"It's about authority."
"Karl is making an example of them."
"He wants everyone to remember that his rules are absolute."
The truth was obvious now.
This brutal duel wasn't just conflict resolution.
It was a demonstration.
A warning.
A lesson written in blood.
Rex drew a sharp combat saber engraved with intricate runes.
Barton hefted a gigantic warhammer that looked capable of crushing steel.
"Begin."
Karl's cold voice rang out.
The moment the command was given, both men charged.
Rex moved like the wind, trying to circle behind his opponent.
Barton answered with overwhelming force, swinging his massive hammer head-on.
Clang!
Steel collided with steel.
The deafening impact echoed through the canyon.
Rex's saber nearly flew from his grasp.
A savage grin spread across Barton's face.
"Looks like you've gotten weaker, Rex."
He raised the warhammer once more.
And the brutal duel continued.
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