The heat from the three blocks of C-4 going off washed over Jessica’s face and she had to pull herself away from the edge until it passed. When she could finally look back down, she found the jungle zone had been practically flattened. A charred angry and deep hole had been blown into the surface of the arena and Max’s body was nowhere to be found.

“What in the nine realms of death was that?” The female invader said, her calm meditation finally disturbed as she got to her feet and joined Jessica looking down at the field of battle.

After some looking, Jessica found the spearman. He was lying among fallen trees, covered in leaves and foliage that had been shredded like paper with sensitive government secrets on them. His chest was a bloody mess, one arm and a leg were just gone. He looked dead.

“This might be a draw,” the other woman said, her voice hesitant. “That, that would not be good for any of us. Especially him.” Jessica ignored the woman and watched the man's corpse. “But, if the System has not recognized the defeat, he must be struggling to hang on. If he can just hold out until his gifts start healing him again he’ll win.” Jessica looked back at the other woman with an incredulous expression.

“Do not think I am lying. You saw it himself. The General has the gift of fast healing, it is what has allowed him to rise so fast all the way to level 97 to join his family's leaders.”

“If he dies, and is resurrected, what will happen to him?” Jessica asked, as he watched the man raise a hand to the tree limb impaling him in a futile attempt to remove it.

“If he is lucky? His house will be demoted, and he will face exile taking his family's shame with him.”

“And if he’s not?”

“They will execute him, his entire lineage of lower rank than him, and all of his personal assets will become property of the empire. If he is really unlucky, they might let him live.” Jessica shook her head and went back to watching.

The spearman's hand glowed light blue for a moment, and when it came down on the impaling branch the thing splintered into a thousand pieces. Once free, he dragged himself away from the mess and off the stump of the branch, before passing out. She could clearly see his wounds were healing and she wanted to swear. When the chest wound finished closing the System made its announcement.

Congratulations Dragon Empire! You have successfully defeated Earth's First Champion in single combat! Results: 1 victory for the Dragon Empire. 1 Loss for the US Fort Command forces. Personal Results: Reward reduced due to closeness of victory, and major level disparity. 1,000 XP granted to General General Ma’grian Falestian Secundus Martis. Personal Result: Penalty reduced due to closeness of defeat and major level disparity. 15 second penalty is passed on to the next match.

Prepare yourself Jessica Brown, you have 10 minutes until the System is finished repairing the dueling arena.