The moment the elder said those words, everyone’s expression changed. In fact, even the elders watching looked into each other’s faces, and one could see their greed.
On the ground, Rand tightened his grip on his bow when he heard the words. To him, this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to acquire a heaven-grade skill since they are very expensive.
On the other hand, Unity maintained her calm expression, but inwardly, she was talking to Kent.
⟪Is this your doing?⟫
[Yes. I wanted to spice things up a bit,] Kent replied while maintaining a calm expression since Ingrid was staring daggers at him with suspicion in her eyes.
⟪But I already have four heaven-grade skills and even a divine-grade cultivation technique; I don’t need any more skills.⟫ Unity said.
[I know. That was why I only left ice bow skills in the box. There are also a couple of some things inside. If you win, you can be generous and gift them to your opponent,] Kent said through telepathy, making Unity sigh.
She doesn’t need the skills, considering she can get one whenever possible. Vexthra has already told them to milk Kent dry. But she also has millions of spirit stones, thanks to Kent’s generosity.
So, while Heaven grade skills might be the most amazing thing for people like Rand, she didn’t lack any. She could even get one if she talked to her sister, who is a goddess.
Having someone like Vexthra sure has its perks.
Even Kent would want to brag about that, mainly because Vexthra has proven her worth many times, so while she cannot come down and help him, she can do it in her own way.
⟪Then, thank you in advance,⟫ Unity said before focusing back on her opponent.
“You already know the rules. Go all out, and don’t worry about dying… only worry about the pain of dying.”
Unity and Rand nodded and focused on each other.
“Begin.”
The moment the elder gave the order, Unity and Rand took action. A powerful ice qi burst out of Rand’s body, filling the space with its icy coldness.
He brandished his bow, and a long, thick arrow formed from frost appeared in his bow.
Pulling the bowstring, a chilling ice exuded from the bow, and then he let loose the string, sending out an arrow and a trail of frost in its wake.
On the other hand, Unity also brandished her bow and took out one of the arrows in her quiver, locking it in her bow.
It was a simple arrow, but the moment she released the bowstring, a powerful force shot the arrow forward.
The two arrows raced toward each other, cutting through the air with precision.
Rand’s frost arrow left a trail of icy mist, freezing the ground beneath it, while Unity’s arrow, though seemingly ordinary, carried an overwhelming force that distorted the air around it.
The arrows collided midair with a deafening crack. Rand’s frost arrow shattered into countless icy shards, scattering like glittering dust, while Unity’s arrow continued its trajectory, barely slowed.
Rand’s eyes widened in shock as he swiftly dodged to the side, the arrow grazing his arm and leaving a shallow cut.
The shocked him
It wasn’t just him who was shocked. Even Unity herself was stunned by the unexpected power of that shot.
She had only intended to test one of the skills Vexthra had embedded in the bow—a skill called [Unbreaking Arrow].
The skill allowed Unity to imbue her arrows with spiritual energy, and while she was only a Root Grandmaster, the skill multiplied the amount of energy she infused by five. That was all there was to it.
What she never anticipated was that her arrow would be so devastatingly powerful. It became clear to her that her foundation rebuilding had been far more successful than she had realized.
If such a small amount of her energy could produce such a result, what would happen if she poured more energy into it?
Strangely, despite taking an arrow from her quiver, three still remain, meaning that somehow, the arrow she fired has returned to the quiver or was replaced.
All the same, she only had three in the quiver and shot one, yet three still remained.
But that can wait until the duel is over to investigate.
Rand was shocked that he nearly lost his arm in the first exchange, which would have been disastrous for him, considering losing a duel after a single exchange would have been too disgraceful.
Rand nocked another frost arrow without hesitation, this time infusing it with even more qi. The air around him grew colder, and frost crept up his arms.
He released the arrow, which split into three mid-flight, each one homing in on Unity from different angles.
Unity remained calm, her expression unreadable.
She quickly drew the three arrows from her quiver, firing them in rapid succession. Each of her arrows intercepted one of Rand’s frost arrows, causing them to explode into bursts of icy mist.
The crowd watching gasped at the display of skill and precision.
[Though you are a monster master, I think Unity is someone meant to wield the bow. Her precision and speed are admirable.]
Gaia’s voice echoed in Kent’s mind, bringing a smile to his face.
Indeed, Unity’s display was impeccable. It was just like how Kent was with the sword. Her control, and even her demeanor as arrows sped toward her, showed she was in the moment—one with her bow.
She wasn’t behaving like Rand, who seemed to be panicking at the display. He was firing icy arrows, but Unity was countering every one of them.
Kent couldn’t help but watch the duel with a smile. Though one might wonder how two archers could duel, seeing it now changed everything.
Watching as pointed arrows met midair and exploded, or sometimes one cutting through the other… one couldn’t help but admire it.
They weren’t using any active skills yet, but Rand wasn’t having it easy.
He fired an arrow that was twice as fast and deadlier than the previous ones, but Unity countered it with her own arrow, shattering the thick ice arrow effortlessly.
Rand gritted his teeth, realizing he was being outmatched. He changed tactics, channeling his qi into the ground beneath him.
A wave of ice surged forward, spreading rapidly toward Unity in an attempt to trap her in a frozen prison.
Unity, however, was already a step ahead. She leaped into the air, her movements graceful and fluid, evading the icy wave.
While midair, she drew another arrow, this time infusing it with a faint golden glow. She released it, and the arrow streaked toward Rand like a light beam, forcing him to dive to the ground to avoid it.
The arrow struck the ground behind him, creating a small crater and sending a shockwave through the arena.
Rand got up and realized he had to act fast; otherwise, he would lose.
He extended his fingers and pulled on the bowstring. This time, a green arrow made of ice materialized in the bow, and instantly, the surroundings were plunged into an icy coldness.
“Penetrating Ice Killing Arrow!”
He shouted as ice qi surged from his body and bow. Then he released it, and the entire space between Unity and him froze as the arrow sped toward her.
“_”
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