I’m Going to Start! A Duel Before the Emperor

After lunch, Lu Chen felt bursting with energy and proposed a duel before the emperor to Ei.

Just kidding—it was only a bit of friendly sparring.

Lu Chen knew exactly where he stood. He simply wanted to test his strength now that it had recovered and was itching to exchange a few moves with Ei.

When everyone heard that Lu Chen wanted to challenge Ei one-on-one, they all exchanged rather odd looks.

Venti pushed open the villa's back door and used Anemo to sweep the debris from the ground, looking eager.

"Yay! We get to watch a fight!"

Yae Miko crossed her arms and looked toward the backyard garden, frowning slightly.

"This yard is too small… won't they be cramped?"

Lu Chen glanced at the two of them. Why did they look so giddy about watching him get wrecked...?

Everyone gathered in the backyard. Only Zhongli's reaction remained composed.

He looked at Lu Chen.

"You said you've only recovered twenty percent of your strength. Rationally speaking, this match is a guaranteed loss."

Lu Chen looked solemnly at Ei standing opposite him.

"'In the face of certain death, fight to live!'"

Zhongli's deep golden eyes glimmered with approval.

"To stand and fight even against overwhelming odds—such courage is admirable."

Lu Chen nodded repeatedly. That was exactly his spirit.

Ei, seeing Lu Chen's serious expression, couldn't help but smile slightly.

"I won't let Chen get hurt, so everyone can relax."

"Huh?" Yae Miko's fox ears twitched as she quickly turned to Ei.

"That won't do! This guy bullies me all the time when you're not around, Ei—you can't go easy on him!"

The word bullies came out especially teasing.

"Hmm?" Ei looked at her, puzzled.

"Hmm?" Lu Chen was even more confused. When had he ever bullied the fox when Ei wasn't around?

Yae Miko ignored him, continuing to stir the pot.

"Lu Chen's just that kind of person. I bet he flirts with other girls behind your back at school too~"

"Hey, hey!" Lu Chen couldn't take it anymore. He was loyal, okay? Aside from Ei, who else was he interested in?

"You fox! Stop trying to drive a wedge between us!"

Yae Miko giggled, her fox ears finally perking up.

"Look at Lu Chen—he's so attractive now. Ei, aren't you worried? If you don't keep a close eye on him, those other girls will surely come flocking!"

Suddenly, the air seemed to grow a little colder.

Ei, half-believing the "rumors," looked at Lu Chen with icy eyes. In her palm, the Musou Isshin faintly appeared.

"Ei, you can't seriously believe that! My heart belongs only to you!" Lu Chen panicked at the sight of the blade. Ei wouldn't actually come at him, would she?

"Referee! Referee!" Lu Chen looked at the Anemo and Geo Archons.

"She's got a divine weapon! All I've got is a stick and a blunt sword—this is cheating!"

Zhongli stood silently on the steps, gazing at him.

"'In the face of certain death, fight to live.'"

Lu Chen: "..."

Venti stood beside Zhongli, cheerfully cheering him on.

"Go, Lu Chen! You've got this!"

Lu Chen: "..."

Grumbling internally, what good are you two?, Lu Chen could only return to the field with a sigh.

...

In the bright afternoon sun, Lu Chen once again stood facing Ei—though this time, his heart felt a chill.

Slowly drawing his Lion's Roar, he gripped it tightly. The wind today seemed unusually restless.

Ei stood ten paces away, one-handed sword at the ready, motionless as a mountain.

Though they had been joking moments ago, Ei always took battle seriously. Defeating her opponent was her sole goal.

Faced with such an Ei, Lu Chen's fighting spirit burned brightly.

He was determined to beat her!

Ten paces.

That was all that separated them. As the weaker of the two, Ei would undoubtedly allow him the first move.

Good—otherwise, with Ei's speed advantage, he wouldn't have time to react.

The first strike held the advantage.

If he used Anemo to accelerate, Lu Chen could close the gap and be in front of Ei within three seconds.

Then he would unleash his strongest trump card: Storm of Resistance.

But Storm of Resistance required charging. Against Ei, even a moment's hesitation would be punished.

Speed was everything!

So he had to move fast—accelerating and building power simultaneously in under three seconds. Even if Storm of Resistance didn't reach its peak, he'd need to strike quickly.

Anemo, Cryo, and Pyro—combining all three would produce unimaginable destructive power. If his first move failed, he'd immediately follow with his second.

Victory or defeat hinged on the second move!

Having mentally prepared his strategy, Lu Chen now stared coldly at his opponent—Ei.

The two stood ten paces apart, locked in a silent standoff.

On this summer afternoon, the air felt thick and frozen. The garden seemed steeped in a chilling tension, and the onlookers instinctively held their breath.

Lu Chen was first to move.

In an instant, his body became a blur, and in the next moment, he was already within five steps of Ei.

Having just adapted to his recovering body, Lu Chen's burst speed was even faster than he'd expected.

Ei remained perfectly still.

Five steps...

Three steps.

One step!

Lu Chen's body curved like a taut bow, his blade aimed straight for Ei's vital point.

The lunge—a classic fencing maneuver. With a forward-leaning body, the weapon would pierce the target with maximum speed and force. Compared to jumping or slashing, this attack exposed fewer vulnerabilities—ideal against someone like Ei.

Lu Chen wasn't bound to any one school or technique. If it worked, he used it.

His Lion's Roar moved so fast that the sound of the wind lagged behind. The instant he attacked, the simple blade was already at Ei's throat.

Finally, Ei moved.

One moment, her purple eyes still reflected Lu Chen's image—then, in the blink of an eye, she vanished.

Too fast! Lu Chen's movements could still be tracked by the naked eye.

But Ei's speed… even a high-speed camera wouldn't catch it.

"So fast!" Venti gasped.

Zhongli nodded silently.

Miko watched the duel with gleaming eyes, while Qiqi sat on the doorstep, big eyes wide with curiosity—still unable to understand why adults enjoyed fighting so much.

The spectators marveled at Ei's speed. But in the arena, Lu Chen's mind was calm. He didn't waste time searching for her. Based on instinct and his understanding of Ei, he knew she'd be behind him within this second.

No need to think—his first strike had missed, so it was time to launch his prepared second move.

A reverse thrust!

Infused with Anemo, Cryo, and Pyro—this was both an all-out strike and the deciding move.

He was betting everything that Ei wouldn't be able to block this second attack.