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Altair stood tall in the center of the grand arena of the Rasyidia Empire. Thousands of eyes were fixed on him, all waiting for the duel that had been announced by the Emperor. His opponent, Prince Aldebran, stood before him with a confident smile.
"I want to see for myself how strong the one Feran calls 'brother' really is," Aldebran said as he drew his sword.
Altair gave a faint smile. "Then see it for yourself."
Without warning, Aldebran dashed forward. His sword swung with incredible speed, but Altair blocked it calmly. They clashed fiercely, steel against steel, each strike sending sparks flying and echoing through the arena.
But Altair was clearly superior. After several minutes, with one swift motion, he disarmed Aldebran and pressed the tip of his blade against the prince's neck.
Silence.
Then, a thunderous cheer erupted from the spectators, amazed by the intense duel. Altair smiled faintly, ready to withdraw his blade, but before he could savor his victory—
"Don't get too comfortable yet," a firm female voice rang out.
Altair turned and saw a woman stepping into the arena. She wore light armor bearing the crest of the Rasyidia Empire. Her long hair flowed gracefully, but her eyes were sharp and full of fire.
"That's the Emperor's eldest daughter…" whispered one of the spectators.
The crowd murmured in surprise at her presence. She was known as a formidable swordsman in the Empire, her strength said to rival even Feran's.
"I challenge you," the princess said, unsheathing her sword. "You've defeated my brother—now show me if you're worthy enough to fight me."
Altair raised an eyebrow. He was a bit surprised—not just by the challenge, but also by the fact that such an elegant woman possessed such incredible power.
"Of course," Altair replied, raising his sword once more.
Their duel began. Unlike the previous fight, Altair had to be fully alert this time. Princess Veyra attacked with razor-sharp precision and unwavering discipline. She could read Altair's movements well, making the fight drag on longer.
But in the end, Altair gained the upper hand. With his final move, he caused Princess Veyra to lose her balance. As she nearly collapsed from exhaustion, Altair instinctively caught her.
Their eyes met. A faint blush colored Veyra's cheeks, while Altair merely looked at her with a calm expression.
Cheers once again erupted across the arena.
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After the Duel
After the duel, they returned to face Emperor Xarian. The Emperor acknowledged Altair's prowess.
"You did not only defeat my son, but also my daughter—one of the finest swordsmen in the Empire. I am impressed."
Feran smiled proudly beside Altair, patting him on the shoulder. "I told you—he's extraordinary."
A few weeks later, the Rasyidia Empire prepared for war against the Niaris Empire. Within just three days, Altair and Feran led their forces to a swift victory, conquering a large portion of the Niaris territory.
After the war ended, they found themselves near the area marked on the map—it turned out to be under the domain of a duke of the Niaris Empire. Wasting no time, they decided to head straight to that region and send a messenger to the Emperor to report the situation.
Altair and Feran's journey was just beginning.
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