Chapter 186: Duel Accepted

"I accept your duel, but I have some conditions that will make it fairer" stated Cole, who knew that it was inevitable that he would have to fight Mason if he truly wanted to be respected in the position that he was seeking.

However, he wasn't stupid enough to try and do so despite the gap in cultivation level and experience, so he needed to somehow gain an advantage over Mason that would seem fair, but would guarantee his victory.

Cole had to take risks and would overcome anything to get the revenge that his parents had left him to complete, but they had to be calculated and realistic.

If he was able to persuade them to make the battle a 3 against 3, then he could ask for 2 of the most powerful elders that were supporting him to assist him in the battle and he could act as a support.

With his wind elemental affinities and the few techniques and skills that he had learnt or created up until that point, he would be a massive supporter in a battle and it may be enough to guarantee their victory.

He was also sure that if he made it a 3 against 3, the great elder would most likely fight with his son, making it so that if he won, he could eliminate them both at once.

'Is this the same Cole that had always been quite unreliable and immature?' thought William who was seeing another side to his son.

He was already amazed by his son's hardworking nature after finding out about cultivation and his origin, which was to be expected after finding a new purpose. However, the confidence that he emitted was completely unexpected.

"What are these conditions?" asked the great elder who was completely confident in his son's ability to defeat Cole who was clearly weaker than Mason.

"The first is that no enhanced or special equipment are allowed to be used during the battle as that would make it unfair since I don't have the equipment and resources that Mason has access to" stated Cole.

"Yes, that is fine. What else?" asked the great elder.

The great elder in his mind and let out a sigh of relief, believing that Cole had no chance against Mason even with the few minor hindrances that he had caused Mason through his conditions.

"I would like the duel to be a 3 against 3. Making it a three against 3 would show teamwork and connections and the duel should be scheduled tomorrow at 9 am" stated Cole.

He wanted to delay as much as possible and look for different options or different possible cultivators that he could get on his 3 man team, and he also considered some of the elders of the Epstein Family as possible options.

Since Cole himself had accepted the duel, the elders that were supporting him couldn't intervene and could merely offer to be part of his 3 man team and support him from the sidelines. However, by doing so, they would be alienating themselves from the great elder and Mason and most of them weren't willing to do that.

With the great elder, Mason and another powerful elder on a single three man team, it would be very difficult for even 3 other elders to take them on, let alone Cole and two other elders.

However, Cole didn't lose hope and found two elders that were willing to join his team then left to prepare himself mentally and physically for their battle that was scheduled the next day.

"Hahahahaha, is that really all your conditions are?" laughed the great elder who was expecting something that would give him more of an advantage over Mason, but instead he chose something that would guarantee his defeat even more.

"Then it is confirmed. Tomorrow at 9 am there will be an official duel between Mason and Cole to see who will be the next family head. It is a 3 against 3 battle and there are no restrictions on the battle or who are in the team apart from neither side being able to use special equipment. It will take place in the Epstein Arena and will be judged by all of the elders as a collective" confirmed the great elder.

None of them could have predicted how the ceremony was going to go, but to the great elder, he was going to finally achieve his target by his son becoming the family head and would also be able to get rid of the 2 people that he had failed to get rid of in the past.

Cole walked away from the crystal with his head held high and he made it seem as though he was confident and prepared to battle, but he couldn't help but worry internally.

He walked over to the few elders that had seemed to wish to support him and wanted to request for them to be options for people to be in his 3 man team, but was also prepared to seek out others that might be more skilled or powerful.

"There is no need to ask boy. Your confidence, talent, elemental affinity and results from the crystal test were enough to convince us. If you need us to be part of your team tomorrow, we would all be willing to fight with you" stated one of the elders that seemed to be a representative for the others.

Cole thanked them graciously and bowed to them slightly to show his respect and gratitude then left confidently with his father beside him.

His father was both proud and worried about his son, as although he had forced his son into the world of cultivation with his deceased wife, he didn't want it to crush him.

"Son are you sure you still want to do this?" asked William who was beginning to feel guilty and regretting pushing his son into such a situation.

"Yes father, there is no turning back now" answered Cole as they left the Epstein Family building.

While Cole left the Epstein Family building with his father and nobody got in their way, the large room where the ceremony was taking place was filled with people talking about Cole and Mason.

The battle that would take place the next day would be held in the Epstein Family Arena that was in the centre of Staten Island and would usually be used for sports, but was being reserved and prepared for their battle.

Nobody would be able to enter with the Illusion Barriers and guards that were stationed all around the arena. Even if one was able to make it inside, it would be the death of them as inside would be hundreds of Advanced Cultivators that were skilled, powerful and influential.

Cole had a few powerful elders that were willing to help, support him and fight with him in the 3 against 3 battle, but he knew that even with that it was still very unlikely that he would win the battle.

He was weaker than Mason and also wasn't experienced in combat apart from what he had read and been told by his dad, so if he really wanted to succeed he needed to find an even more powerful cultivator.

Cole didn't want to lose hope or give up on the task that had been passed onto him by his parents and grandfather, but he needed to be realistic and knew that despite his hate, it would be very hard for him to win.

He was staying calm and parted way with his father so that he could train and prepare himself mentally and physically before his battle the next day. His and his father's safety were guaranteed until the next day at least, since if they were randomly killed, it would look very bad for the great elder and his son.

After training and for many hours, he cleaned himself up, got changed, then left the empty warehouse, which he had been training in for the past couple of months, to get a meal.

While he was on his way to the restaurant that he was planning to eat in, his phone suddenly rang and it was an unexpected call from the person that had continually come to mind over the past couple of months.

'Why would Adam be calling me right now ans at such a weird time' thought Cole who wasn't expecting a random call in the afternoon.

Cole really didn't want to pick up the phone or talk to Adam at that moment, and wouldn't have done so if it wasn't for the fact that Adam continuously came to mind over the past couple of months.

Cole hadn't answered the phone the first few times that Adam called him, but in case it was an emergency, Cole decided to pick up.

Answering the phone, Cole made sure to calm down and make it seem as though he was happy and relaxed, but he was shocked to hear what Adam had to say.