Chapter 286: Chapter 286 - Brigid’s Last Stand
This was clearly not a pleasant situation for any lord caught in such a condition. The same went for Brigid; after falling so hard, it would be nearly impossible for her to rise again. The damage she had suffered was simply too great.
That was how the alliance worked, lords within it supported one another. They offered reinforcement in the form of resources and troops, and even trade between lords within the same alliance was possible.
However, this time the situation had struck Brigid harder than ever before, and she was forced to make a grave decision.
[You have declared a challenge on Brigid of The Galecrest Reach.]
[Brigid of The Galecrest Reach accepts the challenge for the all-out confrontation.]
And the very next day, Atlas was already standing in the war zone between his island and Brigid’s, where the all-out confrontation would begin in just a matter of minutes.
In truth, the final decision reached was that Brigid would surrender all of her resources to Atlas and choose to stand under the same banner, Gacha Haven.
It might have sounded completely out of character for Brigid, known for her strong will and as one of the fiercest fighters in their alliance. In fact, almost no Lord in the alliance could win a one-on-one duel against her, for her system ability worked perfectly in her favor.
Yet, that very strength was also what led to her downfall. She was too specialized in one-on-one battles, and she lacked the resources and abilities to scale her overall forces on a larger scale.
Even if she could win any individual fight, that did not mean her troops, or her island, could endure in greater numbers or over a long period.
This was very different from someone like Luna. Though Luna was inferior to Brigid in one-on-one combat, her system ability allowed her to transform her forces and grant them a portion of her power. It was a large-scale ability with an immensely wide impact.
Brigid bowed slightly toward Atlas and spoke softly. "It’s a great honor for me to stand on this battlefield today, Atlas."
Atlas gave a faint smile and nodded. "I’ll do my best to honor this moment, Brigid."
Brigid paused for a moment before continuing. "As I’ve explained before, I truly don’t mind if this battle ends quickly. I’ll surrender right after the battle bell rings. It will make the process faster."
But she quickly added, "Not that I’m underestimating you or anything, Atlas. I know how hard you’ve trained, and the fact that you managed to reach rank two in such a short time is impressive."
Atlas smiled again, his voice calm. "You know, Brigid, in our first fight, we were both under several restrictions. You limited your own stats, and neither of us could use active skills or anything like that. You were the one who said the fight would be completely different if we went all out, and unrestricted."
"That’s not what I meant," she replied quietly.
"It’s okay," he said. "We’ll use the Duel Sync Protocol."
He paused briefly. "If both of us agree to activate it, the battle will end automatically just before a fatal strike lands on either side."
Brigid looked at Atlas once more. "That means if I win the battle, the outcome will be..."
Atlas met her gaze firmly. "If I can’t win against someone I believe fights with honor, how could I ever face those who would use every dirty trick in battle?"
A faint smirk crossed his lips as he said it. Because, truth be told, the one most guilty of using dirty tricks in a battle was often him.
Brigid fell silent, then nodded again. "I’ll give my best in this fight."
Atlas and Brigid then walked several paces apart, waiting for the countdown to finish. In that brief moment, both of them began equipping their full armor and drawing their weapons.
Brigid stood tall, her armor shimmering with a faint aura of fire as she gripped her greatsword tightly. Across from her, Atlas donned his full armor infused with a water aura intertwined with streaks of golden lightning. In his hands gleamed the legendary Wavebreaker Spear.
Zefyros would not take part in this battle; this was to be a pure one-on-one fight. Atlas versus Brigid.
Atlas had never truly trained in single combat against one of his own Elite Subordinates before. He often wondered what it would be like to face Kurogasa at full power, or to stand against Morganna, or maybe Karian.
They all possessed far greater combat experience than he did, and their mastery of their abilities and resources made them remarkably efficient. Each of them could maximize even their limited strength to its fullest potential. That was where their true power and value lay.
But today, Atlas would face Brigid. Not because he doubted her, but because he refused to diminish her dignity, even if she had chosen to merge her remaining forces under his command.
He needed to win this battle. No, he would win this battle.
The clash of auras grew fiercer as the countdown reached its end. The moment the barrier between them dissolved, the air erupted with power. They were now fully exposed to each other. Ready to strike, ready to begin the fight.
Brigid took her stance, ready to fight, and so did Atlas.
She was a true warrior, armed with a set of skills and natural talent that made her overwhelmingly superior in pure one-on-one combat. Brigid wielded her blade with masterful control; every parry, every dodge, every strike flowed with flawless precision. Her techniques balanced attack and defense so perfectly that when she fought at her full potential, she was nearly untouchable.
But would she truly go all out this time, against Atlas?
"I’ll make the first move," she said, her eyes locked on him.
"With pleasure," Atlas replied calmly.
In a blink, Brigid vanished from her spot. In the next instant, she was right in front of him, swinging her greatsword with incredible speed.
Clang!
Atlas raised his spear just in time to block the strike. His legs tensed, trying to hold his ground. But the force behind Brigid’s attack was overwhelming. The impact sent him flying backward violently.
His body spun through the air, but Brigid had already leapt after him. She soared above his trajectory, her greatsword gleaming as she brought it down with crushing strength toward the airborne Atlas.
Atlas twisted his body midair, forcing every muscle into motion. In that split second, he managed to raise his weapon to defend again.
Clang!
The next moment, the ground erupted with a thunderous impact. Atlas crashed down hard, the shockwave cracking the earth beneath him as Brigid’s strike slammed him into the battlefield.
Brigid raised her greatsword once more, but Atlas reacted in an instant. Lightning flared beneath his feet as he activated his Lightning Step, his body moving with a sharp burst of speed. He narrowly dodged the next powerful swing, rolling to his feet and darting away from her follow-up strike.
He regained his stance at a distance, chest heaving. This was not going to be an easy fight. He hadn’t even managed to launch a single counterattack, while Brigid had been relentlessly pressing him from the very start.
Brigid lunged again, giving him no room to recover. This time she moved even faster, her movements blurring as she closed the distance between them.
And then!
Her greatsword thrust forward with precise, unstoppable force. The blade pierced straight through Atlas’s chest.
For a heartbeat, time seemed to stop.
Atlas stood frozen in place, his eyes wide, as the gleaming sword remained lodged in his chest.