Arcelia's mother stepped beside Nyra and Elira. Her gaze remained sharp, but she decided not to interfere any further. "I'll be watching from here," she said, her voice cold yet full of authority.
Arcelia looked at Linggis with anticipation. "Had enough rest? Let's continue this duel now."
However, Linggis didn't move right away. He tried to stand, but his body felt unbearably weak. The wounds on his body began to sting, and the blood flowing from his temple blurred his vision. He took a deep breath, stepped back into the arena with his cane, and raised his right hand in a gesture of surrender.
"I surrender," he said flatly.
Everyone in the arena looked shocked. Arcelia stared at him with wide eyes. "You surrender? Just like that? Is this some new trick?"
Linggis let out a small laugh, though his face was pale. "No tricks. I really surrender. My body hurts too much for this. Besides, I'm just a retired Hunter who wants to live peacefully. This stupid duel nearly killed me. You win, Arcelia. Congratulations."
Arcelia looked confused, but she couldn't hide the slight sense of pride on her face. "You're giving up just like that? You were fighting like an unstoppable force just a moment ago. Do you really have no fighting spirit?"
Linggis gave a faint smile and slowly sat down on the arena floor. "It's not that I have no spirit. I just realized that fighting isn't the only way to prove something. Besides, you've already won here. So why should I push myself any further?"
Arcelia frowned. "Then what do you want? You're clearly more than just an ordinary man. I could tell from the way you fought earlier."
Linggis looked at Arcelia calmly. "What do I want? A peaceful life. But I do have an offer for you. I can teach you something far more useful than this duel."
Arcelia tilted her head. "Teach me what?"
Linggis shrugged. "That game. You want to be the best, right? I know all the tricks and strategies you need to reach the global number one rank. If you're really serious, I can guide you until you achieve it."
Nyra, who had been listening to the conversation, immediately reacted. "What do you mean? You want to be my sister's coach? Is that a sincere offer, or just another way to manipulate her?"
Linggis looked at Nyra with a tired smile. "Of course, it's sincere. I have no reason to manipulate anyone. Besides, I'm already retired as a Hunter and a former fugitive. If I can help Arcelia achieve something she wants without having to fight to the death, then why not?"
Their mother, standing beside Nyra and Elira, watched Linggis with deep consideration. "And what guarantee do we have that you won't do anything to endanger my daughters?"
Linggis raised both hands as if to show he meant no harm. "Guarantee? You can watch me as much as you want. I don't mind, as long as I can return to my peaceful life after this."
Arcelia sighed and turned to her mother. "Mother, let me decide. If he truly wants to help me, I'll take his offer."
After a moment, her mother nodded. "Very well. But I will keep watching. If anything suspicious happens, I won't hesitate to stop you."
Linggis gave a small smile and struggled to stand, though his body still trembled. "Good. So, when do we start training?"
Arcelia crossed her arms and gave a faint smirk. "We start after you recover. But I warn you, if you try to deceive me, I won't hesitate to fight you again."
Linggis chuckled weakly. "Of course. But trust me, I'm not the type who wants to die twice over a misunderstanding."
And with that, their battle ended—not with a total victory, but with the beginning of an unexpected partnership.