Chapter Ninety-One: The Werewolf King’s Duel

"I refuse, I refuse! You despicable humans, always relying on numbers to bully the weak. If it were one-on-one, I could kill every last one of you," Lucien roared furiously, pounding his chest with all his might, looking for all the world like King Kong.

Lin Xiao and the others exchanged bewildered glances. Was this guy suffering from selective amnesia? Clearly, it was him who led a large group over to gang up on them, only to end up isolated after Number Eleven took control of his mind. Even as wolves, there had to be some limits to shamelessness.

"So, what you're saying is that if it's a duel, you could beat me?" Lin Xiao hugged Michael tightly in his arms. The two little ones seemed much calmer than before, perhaps from hearing too many jokes.

"Exactly. I hereby formally challenge you to the Wolf Clan's ritual of the King’s Duel. If you win, you become the king of all werewolves in Indiana. If you lose, you hand Michael over to me and our debts are settled—no more trouble from either side. What do you say?" Lucien, even in his werewolf form, maintained his rationality, proof that his abilities had advanced since last time. He now surpassed the vampire count Damont and was hot on the heels of the marquis Lestat, if only a half-step behind.

"What? Are you mad? Challenging a human to the King’s Duel? That’s a sacred ritual of our clan—how dare you, it’s inviolable! You have no right to do this!" Eddie shouted from the sidelines, clearly aware of the gravity of the situation. This was the solemn ceremony that decided the leader of the wolf clan.

"Fine then, why don’t you duel him? We’ll back you up," Lin Xiao replied, looking at Eddie. The werewolf’s expression shifted, and he quickly changed his tune: "Actually, Lucien’s proposal is wonderful. It embodies the noble spirit of a clan leader—truly inspiring and moving. Lucien, I support you. Go for it!"

Everyone laughed until their stomachs hurt. Lin Xiao was already making jokes, and now with another clown in the mix, it felt like they’d stumbled onto a live comedy show instead of a deathmatch.

"I can accept your King’s Duel ritual, but I have one condition," Lin Xiao said to Lucien. Lucien rumbled in reply, "What condition?"

"I'm not interested in becoming your clan’s leader. If I win, let Michael be your werewolf leader," Lin Xiao declared.

Eddie quickly interjected, "Michael’s too young. Why not let me be the leader instead? I have plenty of experience."

What experience? Experience in clowning? Everyone thought inwardly.

"All right then, if you think you’re up to it, go ahead. I won’t stop you," Lin Xiao said indifferently. Eddie glanced at the nearly three-meter-tall Lucien, then at his enormous wolf claws, coughed, and said, "I believe Michael will make an excellent leader. Go for it, baby."

Everyone burst out laughing—these two had truly turned a life-or-death duel into a reality show.

"Come, let’s duel over there. Eric, help me keep an eye on Michael," Lin Xiao handed Michael to Eric and strode toward the left side of the yard, where a spacious garden would serve as their battleground.

Joey watched them, tense and uneasy. Chief Hope and Nick quickly led everyone through the werewolves to the doorway, claiming the advantageous position in case the wolves broke free from control.

Number Eleven still held her hands aloft. With Zoe’s guidance, her energy had grown so much she could maintain control for a long time—enough, hopefully, for the duel to conclude.

Meanwhile, Lin Xiao fetched the Stellar Destruction Battle Axe from his inventory, bestowed himself with the Angel’s Blessing, and then slowly transformed his left hand into the demonic form. Gripping the axe with both hands, magical power surged through his body.

He accepted Lucien’s challenge not only to win his respect, but also to hone his own combat skills in preparation for facing Lestat. Lucien’s strength was second only to Lestat’s—one foot already in the second tier, making him the perfect sparring partner.

Roaring in grief and anger, Lucien lunged, his massive wolf claws as large as millstones, ten nails as sharp as tiger’s claws—with one swipe, even steel could be torn apart.

Retreat! Dash Strike!

Lin Xiao stepped back, dodging the charge, then countered with a Dash Strike, swinging his axe at Lucien’s waist with unstoppable momentum.

Lucien was no novice—using his momentum, he sprang two meters into the air, pouncing down on Lin Xiao like a hungry wolf.

Lin Xiao quickly switched tactics, turning his Dash Strike into a weapon block. He activated the Skill: Martial Dance of the Firmament, spinning the battle axe with flawless precision.

Lucien’s attack collided with the axe, sparks flying. His claws were as tough as the Stellar Destruction Battle Axe, deadly weapons in their own right.

Joey watched the duel in terror, shrinking into Chief Hope’s arms. Chief Hope comforted her, "Don’t worry, Jonathan is strong—he won’t lose easily. And with Eleven here, he won’t be in any real danger."

Number Eleven watched the fight closely, ready to drop her mental control and seize Lucien’s mind if Jonathan started to lose.

After a dozen clashes of axe and claw, Lucien’s momentum waned and he landed. Lin Xiao seized the chance, leaping up to use the Air Slash skill, bringing the axe down on Lucien’s head.

With Lin Xiao’s strength and the axe’s sharpness, the blow could easily cleave Lucien in two.

But Lucien, worthy of a clan leader, kicked off and jumped back with incredible speed, then darted behind Lin Xiao, attacking again and smashing him into the opposite wall.

The reinforced concrete wall trembled, chunks of cement crumbling away—evidence of terrifying force.

Yet Lin Xiao stood up unharmed, dusting himself off as if nothing had happened.

With 155 points of physical defense and an extraordinary physique, even if hit head-on by a speeding truck, he’d come out merely dazed.

Lin Xiao mused that he could easily become a professional scam artist, performing with unrivaled realism.

Lucien’s wolfish face showed a touch of human surprise—such a heavy blow, and his opponent was unscathed. How was he supposed to continue fighting?

"Looks like I’ll have to bite your head off to kill you," Lucien snarled, dropping onto all fours to become a true giant wolf, circling and seeking an opening.

Lin Xiao raised his battle axe, fully alert. He’d expected this fight to be tough, but the difficulty of the duel exceeded his predictions.

Lucien’s strength was at least ten times that of an ordinary human, with a score of at least 100—nearly double Lin Xiao’s own. Without the Angel’s Blessing to boost his attributes and the power of the demon’s left hand, he could never have faced Lucien head-on.

Defeating this werewolf leader was no easy task—no wonder Eddie was so reluctant. If not for the need to subdue his opponent, Lin Xiao wouldn’t have accepted the challenge either.

"Wait, I have a title skill I can use. Wolves and huskies, aren’t they basically the same?" Lin Xiao suddenly had a flash of inspiration—maybe there was a way to defeat Lucien, depending on just how closely wolves and huskies were related.