My Love Debts Are Everywhere!

"Fated One, I apologize for the interruption, but may I ask a small favor?"

Thalon's sudden words startled Leon, Nana, Elina, Rhaven, and Faelar.

"A favor?" Leon raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What favor, Thalon?"

Thalon clasped his hands together and bowed slightly. "Fated One, may I duel with you?"

For a moment, silence hung in the air.

Elina was the first to break it. "What are you thinking, Thalon? You want to challenge the Fated One? Do you understand what that means?" She asked, her brow furrowed in clear disapproval.

"Of course I understand, Elina—no, Princess. That's exactly why I want to duel with him. I want to witness firsthand the true power of the one foretold in the prophecy," Thalon replied solemnly.

Rhaven and Faelar exchanged glances before taking a deep breath.

"What should we do? Why would Leader Thalon challenge him out of nowhere? Should we stop him?" Rhaven asked, worry evident in his voice.

"There's no point. You know how stubborn Leader Thalon is," Faelar replied with a sigh.

Thalon was one of the strongest warriors of their race—ranked among the top five.

He was a role model, but he had one glaring weakness: his stubbornness and unyielding nature.

Once he made up his mind, nothing could change it.

That was why Faelar knew attempting to stop him was pointless.

Thalon's stubbornness irritated Elina. She never expected him to challenge Leon to a duel.

Elina didn't actually mind the duel itself. What worried her was how it might affect Leon's perception of their Elven race.

After all, Leon was the Fated One. If he felt offended, it could have serious consequences for their entire race.

Besides, Elina and Leon had formed a strong connection. To her, he was no longer just a majestic figure to be admired from afar—he had become her closest friend.

And if that friendship were to be broken because of Thalon's reckless actions—if her best friend came to hate her—Elina wasn't sure she could ever forgive Thalon.

What Elina didn't know, however, was that Leon wasn't upset in the slightest.

In fact, he was smiling broadly, without a hint of resentment or irritation at Thalon's challenge.

Born a hero, battle was in his nature—and he loved it.

But since his fierce clash with the dragon ancestor, he hadn't found anyone who could truly excite him—anyone who could make his blood stir.

Now, Thalon had stepped forward with a challenge.

To Leon, this was a golden opportunity he couldn't pass up.

He also wanted to gauge the Elf's strength—as a reference for what might come in the future.

Without hesitation, Leon gave a small nod and replied with enthusiasm,

"Alright, I accept your challenge. Let's find a suitable place."

***

Three hundred meters to the south, a wide clearing stretched between two colossal trees, each towering over one hundred and fifty meters tall.

At the center of that space, Leon and Thalon stood facing each other, twenty meters apart.

Meanwhile, one hundred and twenty meters away, Elina, Nana, Faelar, and Rhaven stood side by side, their expressions tense and serious.

"Do you think Leader Thalon can defeat the Fated One?" Faelar asked in a low voice.

"I'm not sure," Rhaven replied, shaking his head. "But one thing's certain—Leader Thalon is incredibly strong and a master of hand-to-hand combat."

Nana and Elina remained silent, listening to the exchange. They both knew how powerful Thalon was.

After all, he wouldn't have earned his place among the five strongest elves otherwise.

However, they had witnessed Leon's strength firsthand—and it was unlike anything they had ever seen.

That was why they doubted whether even Thalon could win this duel.

"What kind of duel are you proposing, Thalon?" Leon asked casually as he stretched his arms. "Swords, spears, or something else?"

Thalon smiled, then pressed his palms together and extended them forward.

"I want hand-to-hand combat, Fated One," Thalon said eagerly.

"Oh? Taijutsu, huh?" Leon looked slightly surprised, then grinned. "Alright, let's begin."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Thalon's figure vanished and reappeared right in front of Leon.

With a swift twist of his waist, he launched a kick with his left leg.

*Bang!*

A solid thud echoed as Leon blocked the attack with his right arm.

Surprised that his strike was stopped so easily, Thalon didn't hesitate. He spun midair and followed up with a kick from his other leg.

*Bang!*

Once again, Leon effortlessly blocked the blow, this time raising his arm high.

Seizing the opening, Leon extended his right palm and slammed it into Thalon's chest.

*Pafft!*

The strike landed squarely, unleashing a shockwave that sent Thalon hurtling through the air, flying hundreds of meters.

Fortunately, he quickly adjusted his posture and landed safely.

Had he not recovered midair, he might have crashed into the massive roots of a three-meter-high tree two hundred meters behind him.

"As expected of the Fated One. That was an incredible strike," Thalon said, clutching his chest.

The blow had hit a vital spot—but because Leon had held back, Thalon was still standing. Otherwise, it would've been fatal.

Leon gave a faint smile at the praise. "You're strong too, but I can tell that wasn't your best. Come on—show me what you've really got."

Fired up by the challenge, Thalon slid his left foot back, then launched forward.

*Whoosh!*

Thalon moved like the wind, his palms clenched as he launched a strike toward Leon's chest.

"Nice attack, but it's too slow!" Leon exclaimed, his palms opening as he prepared to counter.

To Leon's surprise, Thalon's fist suddenly opened. He hooked his fingers around Leon's hand and jerked him backward.

In the blink of an eye, Leon was lifted off the ground. Thalon chased after him, spinning midair, and then delivered a powerful kick to the left side of Leon's chest.

Caught off guard, Leon quickly twisted his body and tried to defend.

*Boom!*

The force of the kick sent Leon crashing into a tree root, his body bouncing away.

"Ahem..." Leon coughed, slowly rising to his feet and brushing the dust off his clothes.

His appearance was a bit disheveled, but there were no wounds on his body. Given that his body had been strengthened by his dragon ancestor through rigorous training, this came as no surprise.

He glanced at Thalon, who stood about a hundred meters away, and smiled.

"I didn't expect you to use that move, Thalon. Your combat experience is impressive," he said with a light chuckle.

Thalon grinned. "But you're completely unharmed, Fated One. Your body is extraordinary."

"Of course." Leon nodded, his pride evident.

Their gazes locked, and in the blink of an eye, both vanished—resuming their intense duel.