The first duel, Dox won. After the match, the reactions of both parties were different.
After the Gray Merchant saved the Wicked Woman, she still hadn't regained her senses and remained in a violent state of combat. To Angel and the others, the conventional method to return her to normal was to achieve the Wicked Woman's goal—to kill Dox. But that was clearly unrealistic; the duel was over, and persisting was unwise.
But if the Wicked Woman's condition wasn't addressed, the duel couldn't proceed. The Gray Merchant was up next, and if he left, none of the remaining apprentices would be able to restrain the rampaging Wicked Woman.
In this dilemma, Angel was curious about what the Gray Merchant would do.
The Gray Merchant's approach was simple: he forcibly grabbed one of the Wicked Woman's tentacles, wrapped it around his wrist, and tied it into a bow.
