BATTLE FOR STARS

Ding Yufei glanced at the screen beside him, which displayed detailed information about the two fighters. Jace stood at 1.65 meters tall and was known for agility, while his opponent, Berg, was over two meters tall and famous for his immense strength.

Under normal circumstances, fighters with such a large disparity would never face each other. But as an exhibition match, the audience wanted to witness this stark contrast in a life-or-death battle.

“Who do you think will win?” Emperor Hogan asked casually, as if making small talk while watching the two in the arena.

Ding Yufei glanced at the analysis provided by his smart glasses. Based on data and past exhibition match outcomes, Berg’s probability of winning was as high as 96%.

But Belina didn’t answer directly. Instead, she turned to Ding Yufei. “Who do you think will win?”

Ding Yufei hesitated. The answer seemed too obvious—how should he respond? After a moment, he said, “Hmm… I think the shorter one will win.”

“Oh?” Emperor Hogan looked at him, clearly surprised. This was the first time he had directly addressed Ding Yufei. “And why is that?”

“My… intuition,” Ding Yufei replied. He had no solid argument to present.

“Haha, what an answer. Let’s see if your intuition is correct,” the emperor laughed.

Sword fighters could choose several weapons or pieces of equipment. Jace selected a round shield strapped to his left arm and held a blade in his right hand, with a dagger at his waist. The shield was nearly half his height, made from a special material—light yet extremely durable.

Berg, on the other hand, kept it simple. He wielded a halberd-like spear with both hands and carried a short blade on his back. Because of the overwhelming advantage of his weapon, the rules prevented him from choosing additional gear. The two stood on opposite sides of the circular arena.

The exhibition match had unique rules. It consisted of five rounds, each lasting ten minutes. If no winner emerged after the first two rounds, then from the third round onward, the fighter who had been at a disadvantage or had taken more damage would be required to discard one weapon or piece of equipment at the start of the next round.

This meant that if one side only evaded without counterattacking, by the fifth round they could end up completely unarmed—turning the match into a one-sided slaughter.

With flashing lights, the match officially began. The arena was about seventy to eighty meters in diameter, with flat ground in the center. There were also two large cylindrical pillars—over ten meters tall and two meters thick—and a couple of small platforms, all designed to enhance combat dynamics and entertainment value.

As soon as the signal sounded, Jace rushed into the arena and quickly positioned himself behind one of the pillars. This location clearly limited the effectiveness of long weapons, reducing Berg’s advantage.

Berg, however, moved calmly into the open center of the arena. Holding his weapon steady, he watched Jace hiding behind the pillar without any urgency. This was a common strategy—his opponent was weaker in strength and would likely rely on delaying tactics.

Unlike Jace, Berg had voluntarily entered this exhibition match and was selected. For him, victory would come easily, along with substantial rewards—far more than he could earn in matches against similarly ranked opponents. Of course, some heavyweights avoided such matches due to the life-or-death stakes.

Berg slowly approached the pillar and began probing attacks, circling around it and launching strikes. His approach was straightforward—direct thrusts meant to force Jace out of cover.

But Jace remained cautious. He avoided each attack the moment it came, quickly retreating to the opposite side of the pillar, constantly circling it like a game of cat and mouse.

For the first seven or eight minutes, the match stayed in this rhythm—Berg attacking, Jace evading. Both seemed accustomed to the pace, and the fight appeared almost uneventful.

“They’re both very cautious,” Ding Yufei whispered to Belina.

“Yes,” she replied softly. “From what I’ve read, matches usually start like this. But from the second round onward, one pillar will be removed. By the fifth round, the arena will be cleared entirely, leaving only direct confrontation.”

“I see.” Ding Yufei hadn’t expected such a progressive design.

Just then, Berg suddenly accelerated. With a swift step forward, he thrust his halberd along the edge of the pillar toward Jace. Jace dodged to the other side, but before the thrust fully extended, Berg had already withdrawn his weapon. Spinning in place, he transformed the motion into a powerful overhead slash aimed at Jace.

“Whoa!” Ding Yufei exclaimed, surprised by the feint followed by such a fierce attack.

With a loud clang, the blade struck Jace’s shield. Seizing the moment, Jace rolled backward to safety. Before Berg could follow up, Jace had already leapt up and sprinted toward another pillar, resuming his defensive strategy.

Berg pursued immediately, but with Jace once again using the pillar as cover, the situation reset. Each time Berg attacked, Jace refused to engage directly, continuing to evade.

Just like that, the first round ended quickly. Neither fighter had injured the other. It appeared to be a draw, but according to the rules, Berg had been the aggressor. If this continued, he would be considered to hold the advantage after the first two rounds.

The second round was essentially a repeat of the first. Berg attempted to lure or force Jace out of position, succeeding once, but Jace ultimately escaped again.

The match was somewhat monotonous, but it was clear that Berg held a significant advantage. At this rate, victory seemed only a matter of time.

During the break after the second round, Emperor Hogan had fruits brought in. Belina picked some and placed them on a small plate, handing it to Ding Yufei behind her. This gesture surprised the emperor.

In his view, a male attendant was little more than decorative companionship—rarely given attention. Only the emperor and Princess Belina were seated; everyone else stood. The only difference was that the emperor’s female guards stood farther away, while Ding Yufei stood directly behind Belina.

Hogan had already noticed the closeness between the two, which was why he had spoken to Ding Yufei earlier. But he hadn’t expected the princess to show such consideration for him. He simply glanced at Ding Yufei again, saying nothing.