Dark Warlock in the Apocalypse

"It's about time. Let the duel begin."

"W-Wait a moment!"

The Dark Elf stood up after about thirty minutes had passed. Several of the leaders hurriedly rushed forward, but the Dark Elf merely scoffed at them.

"I've already given you more than enough time. What is it you still need?"

"It's not enough! Just 15 more minutes...!"

"You fool."

The Dark Elf looked down at the leader who had spoken, her gaze filled with disdain.

"What difference would 15 more minutes make? Whether you were indecisive and failed to make a decision, or your subordinates refused to follow your orders, the result is the same."

"Damn it! I said I'll have it sorted out soon!"

"'Sorted out'? What exactly would you sort out? Do you need more time to pressure someone into fighting, or are you still trying to convince someone who doesn't want to do it?" she snapped, her words sharp as a blade.

The leader's face flushed red in embarrassment, clearly struck by her remark. The Dark Elf sneered at him, her voice dripping with disdain.

"If you were a real leader, you would have made your decision long ago. Either your subordinates would have followed your orders without question, or you'd have had the charisma to force someone into action. But you are neither."

Her words were cutting. This leader had no one willing to sacrifice themselves for him. He lacked the charisma to force his subordinates into danger, and he didn't have the resolve to make a decisive choice. All he had left were empty threats and wasted time on fruitless persuasion.

"How pitiful! A leader begging for obedience that he can't command? What kind of leader is that?"

"...!"

The leader's fists trembled with rage. For a moment, it looked as though he might lose his composure and attack the Dark Elf. But as soon as she raised her finger, his body flinched back. One snap of that finger, and he might be reduced to nothing but a puddle of blood, just like the imp earlier.

When the disgraced leader finally stepped back, the Dark Elf lowered her hand again.

"What a waste of time. Now, let the duel begin."

"Before that, I have a question."

"What is it?"

"Is it possible to forfeit this trial? None of us wish to send someone to fight."

The Dark Elf, who had been frowning at the interruption, nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes, forfeiting the trial is certainly an option. As I said before, this trial won't be the end. There will be more to come."

"Then we'll forfeit."

"Very well. You may rest until the next trial."

Despite the forfeit, the Dark Elf didn't seem displeased. In fact, it looked as though she respected the decisiveness in that leader's choice.

'It makes sense. For a leader, it's sometimes wiser to avoid obvious dangers rather than charge blindly ahead for short-term gains,' Justin thought. By giving up now, the leader may have lost points, but he likely earned the respect of his subordinates for not risking their lives unnecessarily.

Another voice echoed across the group.

"We'll also forfeit this trial!"

"So will we!"

One by one, other leaders followed suit, and by the end, four leaders had officially forfeited the trial. The Dark Elf acknowledged each decision with a nod and told them to step back. With a few competitors withdrawing, some of the remaining leaders sighed in relief.

"Now that those who wish to forfeit have stepped forward, it's time to begin the duel."

Snap!

The Dark Elf snapped her fingers, silencing any further questions. Above the heads of two leaders, glowing circles appeared. Everyone stared in surprise as the Dark Elf spoke in a calm voice.

"The two leaders chosen by the circles must now send forth their champions."

"...!"

At long last, the time had come. The two selected leaders exchanged tense glances before choosing a member from their groups. One of the leaders whispered a few final words to their chosen warrior before stepping back.

As the duelists stepped forward, the Dark Elf waved her hand, creating a large, glowing circle on the ground.

"The champions will enter this circle. Leaving the circle will result in immediate defeat."

"I have an announcement!"

Before the duel could begin, one of the champions suddenly shouted, drawing everyone's attention. His voice rang out clearly, and everyone turned to look at him.

"I swear that no matter what, I will not kill my opponent!"

"...!?"

"I may wound my opponent, but I will avoid fatal blows! No one will die here today! We must not kill each other!"

"You dare!"

The Dark Elf's face twisted with fury as she jumped to her feet, but the champion had already made his declaration. His opponent, who had initially looked confused, now widened his eyes in realization.

"How dare you defy the rules!" the Dark Elf hissed.

"Come now, why the anger? Let the duel proceed," another voice chimed in, calm and almost mocking.

The Dark Elf gritted her teeth, her frustration audible as she clenched her fists. It was clear she was furious, but there was nothing she could do now. The duel had to proceed.

"...Begin the duel!"

With a voice tight with anger, the Dark Elf declared the start of the battle. And so, the two champions faced each other—but neither attacked with lethal intent. Their strikes were weak, clearly intended to avoid serious injury.

'Smart move.'

Justin couldn't help but admire the strategy as he watched the duel unfold.

'You won't kill me, and I won't kill you. In a single-round match, such an agreement would never work, but...'

He glanced at the other leaders, noticing their expressions had softened. Relief spread across their faces.

'But in a situation like this, where the duels are continuous, things are different.'

No one wanted to die. Even if a champion won one duel, they would have to face another, and then another. How many battles could they survive before making a fatal mistake? The constant threat of death would weigh heavily on them.

'By making this unspoken agreement, the champion has subtly proposed a new rule: no one dies.'n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

In a battle to the death, the mental pressure is overwhelming. But by removing the threat of death, the duelists could focus on simply outlasting one another.

'There's no reason for a duelist to refuse such a proposition. After all, they're the ones risking their lives.'

In the center of the circle, the two duelists continued their struggle, neither aiming to kill. Unable to land decisive blows, they resorted to wrestling, trying to push each other out of the circle. Eventually, the first champion to declare the "no-kill" rule managed to shove his opponent out of bounds.

"Oof!"

"I won!"