Date: Unspecified Time: Unspecified Location: Myriad Realms, Lil. Red Storm, Seed World, Trophy Section, Duel Realm, Crafting Sector, Venue: Chaos Dwarven Forge.
Corpse puppets were tools of war. Deadly and handy, they were also notoriously complex to use. Consequently, they weren't everyone's cup of tea. Unless one had prior training or experience in handling similar tools, wielding a corpse puppet in combat for the first time was an uphill battle—likely disastrous.
Thus, randomly plucking someone from the audience to operate a corpse puppet in a fight was absurd, if not outright foolish. Yet, Bigold and the Judges didn't seem concerned. That was because Bigold's Frosling corpse puppets were basic, fighter-type models. They were relatively easy to grasp, even for a novice. However, the same couldn't be said for Wyatt's Frosling corpse puppets, which seem to require understanding of complex spells to wield effectively in battle.
Bigold's plan was clear: by using this arrangement, he aimed to tip the odds in his favor during the duel. Despite his puppets being inferior in raw capability compared to Wyatt's, this setup might give him a fighting chance. The Judges recognized his intentions. Normally, they wouldn't agree to such an arrangement, but today was an exception.
"Do you agree with this, or do you have a reason why we should not proceed?" the Judges asked, turning to the unknown demon merchant. Their eyes narrowed slightly, gauging his reaction.
The Judges couldn't unilaterally alter the terms of the duel without consent from both contestants. In the event of an impasse, they were duty-bound to listen to both sides and deliver a fair verdict that neither contestant could dispute.
"User-friendliness is indeed a crucial factor for any tool," Wyatt began, his tone measured but confident. "I don't have a problem with the arrangement. However, as crafters, we should have the right to choose who will represent our tools in the duel. Otherwise, it's a no from me." He delivered his words with a calm but firm expression, despite having seen through Bigold's strategy and the Judges' reasoning. Wyatt trusted the capabilities of his corpse puppets and made his stance clear.
"That's reasonable," the Judges admitted, their brows lifting slightly in surprise. Wyatt's lack of resistance caught them off guard. They turned to Bigold and asked, "Don't you think?"
"Yes, I agree. It makes it fair," Bigold replied with a faint, crooked smile, as if feigning magnanimity. He spoke of fairness as though he were granting it to Wyatt, though his intent was transparent. Wyatt, however, merely smirked in return, knowing his puppets would soon speak for themselves.
"Contestants have half an hour to select three demon or devil merchants from the audience to operate their corpse puppets in the upcoming match," the Judges announced, their tail swishing with satisfaction as they addressed the crowd. "To the interested audience, you may use the Duel Realm network to volunteer as a contestant's champion to their attendants."
The Judges fixed their gaze back on the unknown demon merchant, their subtle smirk hinting at satisfaction in reasserting their authority as they announced, "Contestants, your thirty minutes start now. Choose your champions!"
Soon, Dulas's demon codex chimed with a flurry of notifications. When she saw the sheer number of audience members volunteering to be the unknown demon merchant's champions, her eyes widened in astonishment. The enthusiasm of the crowd, however, did little to distract her from the real issue at hand. Despite her contestant's Frosling corpse puppet being superior to her uncle's in every way, it was likely to lose simply due to incompetent representation.
Just when she had hoped her contestant would deliver a satisfying comeuppance to her uncle—teaching him a long-overdue lesson for all the suffering he had inflicted on her—her uncle, like a cornered rat, managed to claw his way out of trouble again. Dulas clenched her fists, unable to suppress a sense of sympathy for her contestant. At the same time, she couldn't help but wonder why he had agreed to her uncle's arrangement so readily, without putting up a fight.
"Why didn't you argue against my uncle's appeal?" Dulas asked, her brows furrowing as she turned to the unknown demon merchant. "Why would you agree to something so disadvantageous that it could cost you the duel?"
Wyatt met her gaze, his expression calm and composed. With a gentle smile, he replied, "Isn't it obvious? I'm confident in my craft."
Dulas blinked in surprise, Wyatt's words sinking in slowly. "Oho!" she exclaimed, a sudden realization dawning on her. True confidence in one's skill and craft wasn't a choice or an act of resolve—it was a natural byproduct of the quality of one's work. A crafter's confidence in their item was only as strong as the craftsmanship behind it.
At that moment, a shiver of admiration and reverence coursed through Dulas. Her respect for Wyatt crystallized into something deeper: awe. In her mind, he transformed into an idol, a role model she yearned to emulate. She resolved to one day grow into a crafter as skilled and self-assured as him.
Determined to do her best for her newfound idol, Dulas turned her focus to the task at hand. She began combing through the extensive list of audience members who had applied to be Wyatt's champions, carefully sorting out those she deemed most qualified to operate a corpse puppet. Just as she prepared to present her findings to Wyatt, his voice broke through her concentration.
"Don't tell me no one from the audience has applied to be my champion so far," he said, his brows knitting together in a deep frown.
Dulas froze for a second, then realized her mistake. In her eagerness to help Wyatt, she had forgotten to inform him about the overwhelming number of volunteers. Hastily, she clarified, "No, no! More than two-thirds of the audience have applied to be your champion. I was just trying to sort out the most eligible candidates and forgot to tell you. I'm sorry!"
"It's not your fault. I should have asked sooner," Wyatt reassured her, his tone warm with appreciation for her enthusiasm. Then he added, "You don't need to sort them out. I've already chosen the people I want as my champions. Could you help me check if they're willing?"
"Of course! Just point them out to me, and I'll contact them right away," Dulas replied, her voice brimming with determination. She didn't utter a word of complaint about her wasted effort, instead focusing on fulfilling Wyatt's request.