Probing Situation

Kahn sneered inwardly as he looked at over a hundred abysmithium cores that sized the same as a grown man's fist. At this moment, he was barely controlling his anger and tried to maintain his calm. Because this act of messing with the forging materials wasn't as easy as it seemed. 

If Kahn chose to retaliate… there would be too many questions raised regarding the duel but as an effect, he won't be able to pinpoint the main culprit either. 

Someone wanted him to lose even if everyone was under the impression that he'd lose regardless because he was a duck facing a crocodile inside a pond. And the only merit he had in this fight was that he could choose to fly away in order to flee. Which would eventually declare his loss. 

Also, if he said the duel was rigged from the get-go, many people would use that against him, saying that he was just making an excuse to justify his incompetence as a blacksmith.