293 Dekan’s Sister Card Usage Permission
The capital city of the Kingdom was bustling tonight, with citizens and visitors alike gathered around Filloven Square.
The expansive square was packed with no room to spare.
At the center stood a colossal screen capable of broadcasting sound and visuals from afar.
For those unable to secure tickets to the live event, the square provided a lively atmosphere to watch the spectacle.
The final match of the Hero Festival was about to commence.
The grand screen displayed an ancient architectural arena, exuding a sense of grandeur.
As the camera panned, even outside the arena buildings, public security forces and members of the Capital City Knight Squad maintained order among the crowd.
Inside the arena, at the entrance of the Man-made Shadow World, “Bishop of Pain” Dekan and the Empire Sword Saint Adair waited for the judges to announce the official start of the match.
This scene alone was already enough to elicit cheers from many spectators.
Dekan was no longer evading the battle; he was about to confront his opponent head-on!
Dekan calmly stared at the entrance of the Man-made Shadow World activation device without any intention of using trash talk to mess with his opponent’s mindset.
Meanwhile, Adair glanced at Dekan with interest, revealing a hint of a composed smile as if showing no further concern for his opponent.
This was the kind of smile one gives when looking down on a child.
The on-site host then moved into position between both contestants with a series of opening statements designed to ignite the spectators’ screams.
After hyping up the crowd, the host extended the microphone to Dekan and asked:
“Mr. Dekan! I want to ask a question that the audience is most curious about. Are you finally ready to give it your all? Or do you have other preparations that might surprise everyone?”
Dekan simply shook his head and replied:
“This time, I will fight seriously. Additionally, I must stress again—I am not the Bishop of Pain! Please, audience members, exercise some restraint!”
Hearing the wave of “Bishop of Pain—!” cheers rising from the crowd, Dekan felt a chill run down his spine.
Never before had a Hero Festival been like this.
A group of Kingdom citizens were enthusiastically cheering for a Rebirth Church bishop, shouting themselves hoarse and laughing until they cried, as if they all had some grave illness.
The host awkwardly chuckled.
You know you’re not the Bishop of Pain, don’t you!
The Rebirth Church could never do what you did in the first three rounds!
After being tortured by Dekan for three rounds, the host secretly started to take pleasure in it.
Then the host handed the microphone to Dekan’s opponent, the Empire Sword Saint Adair.
“Mr. Adair, are you feeling any pressure facing the Rebirth Church bishop… no, the murderer who has defeated two Rebirth Church bishops, Mr. Dekan?”
The host, close to slipping up, felt Dekan’s gaze and quickly corrected himself.
“Hmm?”
Adair smiled at the host, appearing surprised by the question,
“Are the bishops of the Rebirth Church really that strong?”
Adair calmly countered.
“Hmm.”
The host was momentarily at a loss for words how to respond to Adair.
The on-site audience, however, started shouting again.
They all hoped for the contestants to be brasher before the match.
The fiercer the pre-match talk, the better the show after the fight.
The host was about to retort to Adair with “Have you ever beaten a bishop?” when Adair seemed to have read his mind and spoke first:
“Our empire has never feared the Rebirth Church. It’s not that you Kingdoms all think they’re so terrifying, right?”
Instantly, the previously raucous crowd fell eerily quiet.
They were astonished by the Empire Sword Saint’s trolling.
Isn’t that too arrogant?
The Empire Sword Saint, who had been modest thus far, was now finally unmasking his true intentions.
He aimed to humiliate the Kingdom Union.
As long as he won, not only would Dekan become a super clown nailed to the pillar of shame, but whenever this year’s Hero Festival was discussed, the entire Kingdom Union would be unable to hold their heads high in front of the empire.
“The empire people are f*cking with you! You’re just a little bug in front of the bishop!”
“Give this guy a lesson, Bishop of Pain!”
A deafening roar echoed through the arena, leaving the host at a loss for what to say.
At this moment, Dekan took the host’s microphone.
“The Salong Empire is indeed powerful, but it lost four provinces due to the failure of the Ninth Level Shadow World, a loss equivalent to one-third of its population. I assume the Rebirth Church had no small contribution to this, right?”
Dekan spoke methodically, as if delivering a historical lecture.
This not only silenced the shouting audience but also caused the Empire Sword Saint’s brow to subtly shift.
Teacher Cat in the stands could already sense something was wrong.
Although Dekan’s attacks on the empire people were venomous, something seemed amiss.
Surely he wouldn’t be saying “Reforge the Rebirth Church’s glory; it’s our duty” next, would he?!
But Dekan quickly shifted his words:
“And none of the kingdoms will be foolish enough to allow the failure of the Shadow World to trigger a disaster. Whether the Shadow World or the Man-made Shadow World, they could very well be the lifelong enemies of your empire people.”
He then deliberately glanced at the activation device of the Man-made Shadow World.
Instantly, wild cheers erupted throughout the arena!
Dekan, who seemed not to be using trash talk this time, was exceptionally calm during the interview.
It turned out he was simply waiting for the other party’s response.
Dekan’s intentions were crystal clear.
If you don’t bother me, I’ll treat you with respect. But if you go for the trash talk, I won’t miss the chance to mess with your mindset.
“…”
Recalling how Dekan had been eyeing the Man-made Shadow World activation device all along, a surge of anger rose within Adair.
This guy had been subtly mocking the empire people from the start, and Adair hadn’t even noticed.
But quickly, Adair completely calmed himself, restoring his ever-present smile.
Dealing with Dekan simply required not letting emotions get the better of you.
He smiled and shook his head, showing indifference to Dekan’s aggressive words.
“Thank you both for your statements! The match will start precisely at 6:00 PM! We hand the screen over to the commentators!”
The host took back the microphone handed over by Dekan, and within seconds, he felt Dekan’s likeability restored.
As the host concluded his words, the picture stopped lingering on the exterior scenery.
Instead, it cut to three people sitting side by side in the broadcasting hall.
“Alright, thank you, host! The match will start in about five minutes, and this time we also have two special guests! Let us introduce them to everyone…”
In the center of the screen, a middle-aged male official commentator took control of the situation.
Sitting to his left was Sun God Church Paladin Leader Aljeer, the bronze medalist of this tournament, who had easily defeated his opponent in yesterday’s third-place match and would also receive generous rewards.
Although Aljeer lost to Dekan, he contrasted sharply with Dekan’s unorthodoxy due to his noble competitive spirit during that battle, leaving him with excellent public perception.
Additionally, Aljeer had considered both Dekan and Adair as potential final opponents during the preparation period, offering many professional opinions, which is why he was invited by the organizers to participate as a guest commentator.
Sitting on the other side of the official commentator was a young woman with light blue hair.
She was Kingdom Union’s special correspondent Ludwig, who was responsible for the long-term coverage of Dekan’s exploits and could be considered one of the people who knows Dekan best.
Before the actual match began, the pre-game warm-up announcements continued on the broadcast screen.
The screen continuously showcased the players’ data analysis, ace cards, and their past practical battle highlights.
The official commentator also exchanged views with the guest commentators, analyzing the game situation.
The basic attribute growth of the Empire Sword Saint was briefly displayed just now.
Strength S Magic A Stamina A Spirit B
And then Dekan’s attributes were shown next.
Strength E Magic C Stamina D Spirit SS
“We can see that contestant Adair possesses nearly perfect growth attributes, the dream of the warrior class, while contestant Dekan is more like a genius intellectual.”
“However, viewers familiar with the tournament certainly know that Adair is an all-around competitor skilled in both martial arts and magic. Although a warrior by profession, he showcased overwhelming dominance across the board in the previous few matches.”
“Contestant Dekan, uh…”
When it came to the match data part, Dekan’s match data became very strange, with items like “match duration” and “damage analysis” revealing feelings that seemed like data corruption.
But the commentator soon sidestepped these awkward sections and began discussing the Empire Sword Saint’s deck composition with the guest commentator.
Compared to the notorious ace evil cards of Dekan familiar to Kingdom audiences, the epic cards of the Empire Sword Saint were more unfamiliar.
First, the Empire Sword Saint hadn’t used a summon card at all in the previous matches.
[Warrior Chessboard]
[Category: Summon Card]
[Quality: Orange Epic]
[Rank: 7]
[Effect: Consuming mana summons a large number of seven-rank cavalry derivatives. Extra consumption of mana can summon special cavalry with buffs, special cavalry functions, and commanders.]
[Note: I am the army.]
“This card can give absolute suppression to opponents with a single card, and it counters Dekan’s [Curse Spirit Mask].”
“The [Curse Spirit Mask] though prevents summoned creatures from being dismissed and doubles their mana consumption, it can only be attached to the entity of the [Warrior Chessboard]. The derivatives cannot be equipped with the [Curse Spirit Mask], and their massive numbers would make it challenging for Dekan to deal with.”
“Of course, if Yadair uses it to suppress Dekan, he will have to pay a huge mana cost.”
Aljeer expressed his opinion, clearly having analyzed both participants’ key cards beforehand.
The reason the Empire Sword Saint hadn’t used this card earlier was that the opponents were too weak and didn’t necessitate his effort.
However, this card would indeed give Dekan much trouble.
Because Dekan lacks attack power and area clearance ability, he cannot clear Yadair’s field pressure.
Just as he finished speaking, the next card displayed on the screen caught Aljeer’s attention, causing him to frown.
[Immortal Crystal Body]
[Category: Spell Card]
[Quality: Orange Epic]
[Rank: 7]
[Passive Effect: The lower the life state, the more damage reduction is obtained. Immune to fatal damage, with full recovery. Cooldown time 30 days. Cannot stack with damage reduction, immunity to fatal damage, and automatic recovery effects from other cards.]
[Note: Even wizards can become tanks with this equipped.]
This was the card that caused the Empire Sword Saint’s opponents the most headaches, comparable to the Bishop of Frenzy’s [Hyper Accelerated Regeneration].
Although they had different strengths, this card had a higher versatility, while [Hyper Accelerated Regeneration] suited people with a high maximum stamina.
Following were the known third Epic Card of the Empire Sword Saint.
[Blazing Magic Sword]
[Category: Equipment Card]
[Quality: Orange Epic]
[Rank: 8]
[Effect: Gain a life-draining effect. The damage caused will not be affected by any enemy’s effects. Using this weapon in combat will continuously consume vitality.
[Note: Beware of treacherous women—words from a past user of this sword.]
This was an eighth-rank naturally epic card from Shadow World and also the true trump card of the Empire Sword Saint.
Not to mention the strong regenerative capability brought by the life-draining attribute, the damage it dealt could directly penetrate the opponent’s damage reduction and invincible effects, truly a counter to flashy tricks.
Combined with the passive spell [Immortal Crystal Body] of the Empire Sword Saint, it allowed him to control his blood volume in a high-damage resistant state.
He could even drain blood from the cavalry derivatives created by himself through the [Warrior Chessboard].
Even if the Empire Sword Saint was near death, casting a range skill with this sword would directly refill him.
Invincible written on his face.
One-on-one duels could indeed measure up against bishops.
However, since Adair had never fought against a bishop, his abilities were conservatively estimated to have “quasi-bishop level strength.”
After all, if he really faced the destruction of Archbishop Evans’ unreasonable suppression or Crey’s battle-crazed regeneration, he would likely still be suppressed.
“Empire Sword Saint Adair can carry combined cards up to 80 points. In my preliminary analysis, apart from those ace epic cards, he would also bring a set of cards designed to counter Dekan’s system.”
Aljeer continued analyzing.
The most effective cards against Dekan, such as the [Pain Suppression] which is essential for Dekan’s 60x pain feedback and the [Purification Appointer] against the strong control of [Captain Dekan].
Dekan’s usual tactics involve messing with his opponent’s mindset first, making the opponent hate him to the point of losing control.
Then he uses the trait of [Captain Dekan]—the longer the target hates Dekan, the longer the taunting time—to achieve a control chain.
However, the [Purification Appointer] can remove a designated abnormal state or control effect, and for 10 minutes, the affected person will not experience that particular abnormal state or control effect again.
Moreover, the cooldown time for naming spells is shared at 60 minutes and does not share the cooldown time with ordinary purification magic, ensuring that Adair cannot be influenced by [Captain Dekan] for 10 minutes.
Often, a match decides within 10 minutes.
If the length of the match reaches one hour, the winner will be judged by the percentage of remaining mana.
Of course, this rule hasn’t been used in this championship so far.
It would require two tanks to endure for an hour.
Considering Dekan’s proficiency with poison magic, the ordinary [Purification] and [Forced Dispel] cards were also sure to be included in the Empire Sword Saint’s deck.
Furthermore, there are some blue and purple cards suitable for Adair’s own system targeting other than Dekan.
After Aljeer finished explaining, the official commentator asked Aljeer again:
“I believe many spectators have a question: why don’t these high-level warriors fill their card slots with epic cards? Could Saint Knight Commander Aljeer explain this for us?”
Aljeer nodded and said:
“Although epic cards are powerful, they also have a potential negative effect.”
“That is, they are difficult to unbind.”
“Unbinding an epic card requires valuable materials and puts the unbinding person in a period of weakened state due to soul damage. The unbound card will also be under seal and cannot be rebound to others.”
“So for Dekan, who has a lot of epic cards, his flexible card slots are actually few.”
“This is why we, even at the eighth rank, do not carry six or seven high-cost epic cards.”
For example, Krey and Fahim both only carried three epic cards suitable for themselves to form a coherent system.
The remaining slots were left for blue and purple cards that could be freely exchanged and combined.
Aljeer, who brought five epic cards, was already quite special as an eighth-ranked combat role.
Because as a holy knight, he himself already possesses many holy spells, allowing him to appropriately reduce his card pairing flexibility and increase his deck intensity.
“Also, considering the importance of this match, the empire might have prepared a specialized counter-epic card against Dekan’s system specifically for Adair. If Adair faces Dekan in the final, he would likely bind this card before the match.”
Aljeer analyzed.
Besides the cards broadcasted on the screen, Adair most likely has hidden epic cards that haven’t been used yet.
Their effects would surely cause Dekan a great headache.
Before the match, Adair could almost confirm his biggest opponents would be Dekan and Aljeer.
The empire must also have a strategy and would provide Adair support to win the championship.
The audience, listening to the commentator, realizes that Aljeer actually has a certain bias towards Dekan.
It’s as if he is analyzing Dekan’s moves for Dekan.
Of course, even if Aljeer doesn’t analyze, Dekan should already know.
For fairness reasons,
The commentators also need to analyze Dekan.
“As the most informed official regarding Dekan, Miss Ludwig, I would like to hear your opinion. Do you think Dekan has other epic cards that haven’t been used?”
The official commentator asked Ludwig, who had been sitting quietly beside.
Ludwig smiled, waved at everyone, and said:
“The possibility is low. If Dekan had more epic cards, nearly half of his resource allocation would be occupied by epic cards, which would actually be very costly for him, who pursues tactical flexibility.”
Dekan’s combat role is more like a tactician, a team commander.
Being able to flexibly adjust his blue and purple card slots is very important.
In the intelligence currently disclosed, people have seen Dekan show the epic cards: “Ruined Bard” costs 1 resource, “Purification of Blood” costs 3, “Blood Mimicry” costs 5, “Bachelor’s Despair Sword” costs 5, and “Broken Heart of Pain” costs 5 resources (erroneous intel), these have already occupied 19 out of Dekan’s total 50 resources.
If there were still hidden epic cards, Dekan’s flexibility would be compressed to the point where it severely affects his role.
“But do you still see any possibility?”
The official commentator noticed that Ludwig had not denied the idea earlier.
Ludwig nodded and said:
“Yes, after reaching the third rank, Dekan has proven that he can create orange epic cards, or even red epic cards at the same level. But here we find a suspicious point: Dekan hasn’t shown any fourth-rank epic cards.”
“Your point is, Dekan may have an unused fourth-rank epic card?”
“Yes, that could be Dekan’s trump card.”
Ludwig smirked and saw Dekan looking at her with what seemed like a death glare.
Although she was conducting a serious analysis,
Dekan, hearing it, thought she was hinting at “Dekan’s Gospel.”
Ludwig soon blinked and said:
“Of course, it’s also possible that Dekan created a fourth-rank epic card but decided it wasn’t suitable for himself and resold it!”
After a rigorous analysis, with some time left, the three commentators chatted casually, sharing some personal opinions.
Although the official commentator personally thought this was a suspenseful match, he had no idea how Dekan could win.
Aljeer agreed, he believed that if Dekan didn’t have an ace up his sleeve, he would have little chance to defeat the Empire Sword Saint in a one-on-one duel.
On the other hand, Ludwig believed that Phantom Canyon itself was Dekan’s advantage. Dekan is a cardmaker, which means he possesses the ability to surprise the opponent with hidden cards in a duel.
The best example is Dekan’s first revealing battle — the entrance exam of Hewenlit Academy.
Although Dekan is not proficient in or suitable for head-on, one-on-one battles,
It is essential to note that Dekan’s victory rate in Phantom Canyon is currently 100%.
Phantom Canyon, after all, is a part of the shadow world.
And Dekan is undoubtedly a genius in exploring the shadow world.
…
“We can see both competitors have entered Phantom Canyon! The match is about to begin!”
With the energetic voice of the official commentator, the screen cuts to inside Phantom Canyon, where the commentator’s voice turns into background noise.
Inside Phantom Canyon,
On the mountainous terrain, Dekan and Adair stand facing each other from afar.
During these 20 seconds of preparation, both parties are invincible, unaffected by any effects, and unable to use magic cards.
They are also restricted within a one-and-a-half meter radius.
This is mainly to give contestants the time to observe the environment and adjust their conditions.
“We can see, both parties are ready to seize the initiative, using key magic cards at the instant the duel officially begins!”
“Without a doubt, Adair will use [Pain Block], otherwise, he would not be able to attack Dekan. Even with only one-fourth pain perception in Phantom Canyon, a 15-fold pain feedback can still be fatal.”
“And Dekan will capture the timing of Adair’s [Pain Block] release, hitting him with a 15-fold heart pain attack?”
“Of course, Adair might also bet on Dekan not using pain feedback trio at the start, directly releasing attack spells to go face-first, this is a process of mutual gaming.”
As the commentators began analyzing both parties’ strategies,
The preparation time countdown ended, and the official match started!
In an instant, both Adair and Dekan pulled out the cards they wanted to release first!
As expected, the card in Adair’s hand was [Pain Block].
As he was the advantageous side, there was no need to gamble big with Dekan; he could simply choose a steady strategy to suppress Dekan.
But the card in Dekan’s hand was also a purple card.
Unexpectedly,
The card in Dekan’s hand was not the almost instant-cast [Thorn Crown] or [Cursed Doll].
But a spell card that could be cast faster than [Pain Block].
“Dekan chose to gamble big!”
“This step also indeed works, it was more strategic success rather than winning a gamble, because the Empire Sword Saint wouldn’t be willing to gamble with him at the start!”
“But what is this spell card?”
Dekan’s spell was cast first.
There weren’t any grand special effects.
It seemed like nothing happened around him.
Yet Adair looked amazed, the [Pain Block] in his hand flew out!
And his wrist seemed frozen, unable to move!
The screen quickly gave the appraisal result of this new card by Dekan.
[Vibrate Card]
[Category: Spell Card]
[Rarity: Purple Rare]
[Rank: 5]
[Effect: Dislodge the card in the opponent’s hand and momentarily paralyze the opponent’s arm.]
[Note: Inspired by Cornelia.]
It’s both an extension of the mental magic [Mental Disruption] and the refined result of the poison magic based on the special poison in Demon Realm’s prison, [Anesthetic Toxin], combined with Cornelia’s exclusive combat technique.
It can be seen as Dekan’s masterpiece after coming back from the Demon Realm’s prison, though with some unpleasant memories attached.
But the first thing Dekan did after overcoming fear was to face and conquer it!
After repeated experiments and Cornelia’s help (instruction),
Dekan finally created this new counter card.
“What the heck! What kind of card is this?!”
“Does this guy always keep hiding this card intentionally?!”
“Tell a ghost story, this card may become a universal essential card in duels in the future…”
“I don’t want to participate in those creepy duels where participants Vibrate cards at the start! Can’t you just delete this card?!”
The audience once again recalled a legend.
Dekan had the title of “Deck Environment Destroyer” even before he became famous.
Adair soon returned to his senses and used [Purify] to remove [Localized Paralysis].
He immediately bent down to pick up that [Pain Block].
However, before he could squat, his vision turned white, seeing nothing.
Dekan’s [Sun Fist] deprived the Empire Sword Saint of his sight.
When his vision restored, the [Pain Block] on the ground was gone, replaced by a hole.
A brown mole was rushing underground, holding the card tightly in its teeth.
[Rapid Mole]
[Category: Summon Card]
[Rarity: Purple Rare]
[Rank: 2]
[Effect: Can burrow underground, increasing speed by 200% in soil.]
[Note: Essential summoning creature for geologists.]
This is a purchasable rare card.
It is usually used by scholars and engineers.
But here, Dekan cleverly used it to form a “Vibrate Card” + “Sun Fist” + “Rapid Mole” card-stealing combination.
Adair stood still for a moment.
Instead of being angry, he laughed.
“Your little tricks are truly unexpected.”
Adair shook his head and continued, slowing his rhythm, equipping the [Infernal Flame Sword], seeming not to care at all at that moment.
When this magic sword, with a golden beast’s eye between its handle and blade, and hell flames wrapping around it was summoned, it seemed the whole temperature of Phantom Canyon rose a few degrees!
Even from afar, Dekan could feel the scorching heat that made his skin feel slightly pricked.
“But this is also the tragedy of the weak, even if I do nothing, how will you defeat me?”
Adair shook his [Infernal Flame Sword], looking mockingly at Dekan and asked.
He was taunting Dekan, mocking that if he were truly strong, he wouldn’t need such acrobatic tricks.
Even if Dekan used foul strategies to eliminate one of his [Pain Block] cards at the start.
At present, Dekan was still at an absolute disadvantage.
Adair understood well that Dekan had no means to directly threaten him.
Dekan would defeat Adair more through counterattacks, triggering winning opportunities.
The gap in their levels and attributes decided that Dekan could not cause enough damage to Adair by himself.
All Adair needed to do was to summon the [Chess Chariot Board] and produce derivatives to crush Dekan.
The summoning of the [Chess Chariot Board] seemed to need a bit of time, as orange light points like ocean waves began gathering around Adair, forming a huge chess board.
And the moment this giant chess board was constructed, derivative cavalry could continuously be formed on it.
The damage from summoned creatures and derivatives would not cause painful feedback to the summoner.
It would only stun the summoned creature itself.
Adair was also not worried about Dekan attaching [Spirit Mask] to his [Chess Chariot Board], because Adair could easily destroy the physical body of the [Chess Chariot Board].
“Indeed, if you do nothing, I can’t defeat you.”
Dekan sighed, also showing a smile.
“But do you know why I am called the Bishop of Pain rather than the Archbishop of Destruction?”
Dekan took out two cards and asked with a smile.
He then used the two cards that had no fancy effects.
Compared with Adair’s cards with grand special effects, Dekan perhaps only had his [Ruined Bard] that could match them.
At the same time, the screens displaying the viewing also revealed the attributes of the two new cards Dekan used.
[Mental Toxin]
[Category: Spell Card]
[Rarity: Purple Rare]
[Rank: 4]
[Effect: Cast an odorless and colorless toxin within a range, the poisoned target will continuously lose mana, and when consuming mana, will experience an itching sensation; the more mana consumed, the stronger this effect becomes.]
[Note: Are high-rankers that impressive?]
This was the advanced research result of Dekan’s [Hypnosis Gas] line of toxic magic, with extremely short cooldown times, producing toxins as long as mana was supplied.
It was also one of the new major achievements Dekan and Mia developed last semester.
As for the new armor Dekan wore, looking like a researcher from a terrifying laboratory, it was his upgraded version of the [Super Protective Suit].
[Super Protective Suit]
[Category: Equipment Card]
[Rarity: Blue Precious]
[Rank: 4]
[Effect: Has some resistance to fire attribute damage, and immunity to all toxins and voltages below fifty thousand.]
[Note: Upgraded version of the Insulating Explosion-proof Suit.]
In fact, these things kept hidden at the bottom of the box
Should have been used when fighting the corrupt archbishop Fahim.
However, Krey’s improvisation disrupted the situation, so Dekan didn’t use them but defeated Fahim anyway.
Fine.
One…
Lu Man arrived here and met a person with whom he could resonate.
Now it was the Empire Sword Saint Adair’s turn to experience the treatment that was originally meant for the Ruined Bishop Fahim.
Why did he have to run into this situation?
…
In the arena’s audience seats.
“Still the same feeling! This is Dekan’s Phantom Canyon, Dekan’s first-encounter kill!”
“Good job, pain over, now it’s turning itchy?!”
“What is this Bishop of Pain!! What kind of Torture King is he? He really doesn’t deal damage, he just wants to torture the opponent!”
The audience, who were previously worried about Dekan being at a huge disadvantage, began to cheer.
Dekan may not have been able to deal any effective damage that could threaten Adair.
But he could make life miserable for Adair.
Because Dekan’s principle in the Shadow World has always been to avoid killing if possible. Only those who are alive can be tortured continuously.
In the scene, Adair’s [Chariot Chessboard] was finally summoned.
Dekan immediately cast [Cursed Soul Mask] on the [Chariot Chessboard], causing a horrifying mask to grow on the chessboard as if it were distorted.
Adair’s expression immediately became very interesting.
It was clear that the Empire Sword Saint Adair was trying to endure.
He used all his strength to keep his movements and expressions unchanged.
Because it would be embarrassing.
And with his astonishing willpower and determination to maintain his dignity, he endured the torment that made life not worth living, the unbearable urge to rip his entire body apart, peel his skin and tear his bones.
But.
His face flushed red.
The redness on his face showed that Empire Sword Saint Adair was almost unable to bear it anymore.
He still had one [Purifier’s Appointee] and one [Forceful Dispel] left.
But he already felt it was hard not to hate Dekan.
The [Purifier’s Appointee] must be reserved for [Captain De’Erkan].
So now, he could only use [Forceful Dispel] to remove [Mental Toxin]!
After detoxifying, the Empire Sword Saint returned to his normal state.
But his eyes showed undeniable resentment towards Dekan.
Despite trying not to hate Dekan,
And always believing that Dekan’s previous opponents lacked mental resilience was why they were angered and shaken by Dekan.
Now, Adair realized that was not the case.
This guy was really too despicable!
“This is what I meant by the first-encounter kill possibility retained by Dekan as a cardmaker!”
Ludwig explained smugly.
The other two commentators also strongly agreed.
“I actually feel somewhat relieved now that Dekan could win in that way.”
Aljeer finally couldn’t help but comment.
He didn’t want to experience what Adair was going through at this moment.
In the current scene.
Dekan unexpectedly played the blood-boiling [Captain De’Erkan], trying to control Adair, and again used [Mental Toxin] against Adair.
Adair decisively used [Purifier’s Appointee], becoming immune to taunts, and held his breath, using wind magic to disperse the [Mental Toxin].
After a brief thought, Adair resolutely destroyed his own [Chariot Chessboard].
If it was just the [Cursed Soul Mask], he wasn’t afraid to endure against Dekan.
But with [Mental Toxin] added, the [Chessboard Chariot] card would instead become his biggest risk, leading to his defeat.
Now, the second round of their strategy had temporarily ended.
They had swapped their key cards and entered a certain stalemate.
Currently, it looked like Dekan had gained a slight advantage.
“If Adair wants to win, he will have to attack directly.”
On the commentary desk, the current battlefield situation was analyzed.
But the issue was, for Adair to directly attack Dekan with the [Flame Enchanted Sword], he had to face a 15x pain feedback.
Moreover, Dekan had the [Thorn Crown] to lock his health.
Directly attacking Dekan, Dekan would most likely be fine, while Adair would pass out on the spot.
However, the official commentator seemed to have noticed that both Aljeer and Ludwig were deeply engrossed.
Although it should now be Dekan’s advantage.
“Actually, observing Adair’s reaction, he doesn’t appear worried, and his demeanor doesn’t seem forced.”
Ludwig pondered.
“Do you remember what I said before the match? Adair might have a hidden epic card targeting Dekan. If Dekan can’t handle it, the first-encounter killer will be Dekan.”
Aljeer said seriously.
They all knew that the match was about to enter the third round of confrontations.
And this round could directly determine the winner and loser.
On the battlefield, Adair seemed to have adjusted his breathing.
He raised his sword and looked at Dekan.
“You’re very good, but this is the end for you.”
Adair patted his sword and swung out a streak of pitch-black flames, with an unhidden intent to kill.
It was as if he finally admitted that he underestimated Dekan.
Although Dekan was fifth rank and in a civilian role,
He was a unique profession that would be the hardest to deal with upon their first encounter.
“An eighth rank losing to a bishop is not disgraceful.”
Dekan said indifferently.
Dekan also brought out the [Ruined Bard], preparing for the last confrontation.
Their main cards had basically entered cooldown.
The remaining ones were mostly useless at this moment.
This would be a reproduction of the victory he achieved when he first entered the Phantom Canyon against Master Arno.
Adair instantly approached Dekan, raising his [Flame Enchanted Sword], mercilessly preparing to deliver a vertical slash.
Even in this 0.1-second moment, both parties would still use critical magic cards.
When Dekan felt the familiar chill of death crisis sweep through his limbs,
He knew it was time to summon his ace card, the [Ruined Bard].
An orange divine light flashed like a meteor, and the magic card in Dekan’s left hand had already dissipated and turned into an entity.
Black fog surged towards the ground, spreading and covering like a tide in all directions!
That familiar shadow of darkness appeared behind Dekan!
“Endless thick fog, it’s my sorrow without end…”
…
In the viewing area.
Wherever there was a live broadcast in the Kingdom Union, the cheers of the audience were almost shaking the sky!
This was a classic re-enactment of Dekan’s first battle!
However, a cry of shock soon came from the commentary booth.
“No! Not right!”
“Dekan is done!”
It was seen that at the exact moment Dekan summoned the [Ruined Bard], Adair also summoned a hidden card he had kept behind!
[Believer Slaughterer]
[Category: Summoning Card]
[Grade: Orange Epic]
[Rank: 5]
[Effect: When summoned, destroys all summoned creatures level 3 or below.]
[Note: There’s no seat for the weak in front of the strong!]
Appearing like either a judge knight or a bloody butcher, emitting a deafening roar in an instant, making Dekan’s eardrums tremble.
In an instant, the [Ruined Bard], with an aggrieved roar, turned into ashes, and the black fog vanished.
And the confident Dekan, who had just summoned the [Ruined Bard], was now in a dead end!
Once summon creatures are destroyed, they enter cooldown, so Dekan could not immediately summon the [Ruined Bard] again — he was about to die!
The expressions of the spectators in the stands gradually turned rigid.
They realized the sudden reversal of the situation.
But their expressions didn’t have time to change.
…
In the viewing hall of Hewenlit Academy, Professor Arno looked heavily and tensely at the student who had become a big figure in just a year.
“Dekan, moves you’ve used before have an extremely low chance of success when used again. You need another plan!”
He had asked Dekan when Dekan first entered the academy —
If they went to the Phantom Canyon again, how would Dekan beat him.
At the time, Dekan did not give an answer.
Or,
Dekan could not, at that time, defeat Professor Arno after dealing with the first-encounter kill.
But Arno knew Dekan would seriously reflect on this issue and find a way.
Now, it was time for Dekan to give the answer!
Professor Arno hoped with all his heart that Dekan would win this round!!
This was the most speechless student he had ever met in his teaching career,
And also the one he was the most proud of!
…
In the Phantom Canyon.
In this instant, Dekan felt as if time was moving extremely slowly.
Even if it were just another 0.1 seconds, the attack would reach his body.
Yet Dekan felt that his condition was good, and he even wanted to chat with Master.
For the opponent using such a lethal card to counter him,
The former Dekan would indeed be powerless.
But,
Dekan had already considered what to do if he lost the [Ruined Bard].
This was a contingency plan Dekan had prepared when fighting against Bishop Fahim.
Only that Fahim didn’t manage to force Dekan to use this card then!
“Master, with the situation like this, I hope you won’t blame me for using her.”
“Use her.”
Dekan finished communicating mentally with his master instantly, and he couldn’t help but smile slightly.
There was actually another magic card in his right hand that was behind his back.
A summon card he had never used before.
Also a supplement to his core strategy.
It would sweep away all surprises and finalize his victory!
As Dekan infused magic power into it, blinding orange light instantly erupted from his palm!
Watching Dekan’s struggles, Adair wasn’t worried at all!
Summoning anything wouldn’t change the result!
It was unstoppable!
Adair laughed wildly.
He was already certain of his victory!
The characteristic of [Flame Enchanted Sword] dictated that no summoned creature, even with invincible effects, could withstand the attack of the [Flame Enchanted Sword]!
The air in the entire area boiled suddenly as scorching energy spread out at incomprehensible speed, and in that instant, it seemed like any substance would be ignited.
As expected, when the blade touched the new summon Dekan had called, before the spectators could identify the summon, it was burnt up by the sword’s flames, and the sword’s attack successfully hit Dekan!
With a loud explosion of black flames,
The rising column of fire seemed like it could reduce even rock to ash.
Everyone waited patiently for the smoke to clear.
The audience’s expressions were extremely painful.
Because they knew Dekan must have lost.
The [Believer Slaughterer] Adair prepared directly broke the core of Dekan’s pain feedback system, deliberately going along with Dekan’s strategy of instantly summoning the [Ruined Bard] to achieve pain feedback, intending to use it to defeat Dekan!
However.
The audience discovered.
Before the smoke had cleared, they seemed to hear…
The mournful singing of a woman…
A sound that made one’s scalp tingle.
It was like a sorrowful song, touching yet eerie, carrying the aftertaste of the Ruined Bard’s poetic rhythm.
In the arena, both Dekan and Adair’s figures had fallen!
The only one standing was an unfamiliar summoned creature that no one had ever seen before!
She was a breathtakingly beautiful mermaid dressed in deep blue gauze, like a flower blooming in winter or a lupine wolf walking in the snow. Other than her songs, her gaze seemed capable of stealing one’s soul in a flash.
As for what had just happened, even before the commentator spoke, the identification result on the screen had already given the answer.
It was the bottom-tier tier 4 epic card Dekan had used just moments ago!
[Lamenting Mermaid]
[Category: Summoning Card]
[Grade: Orange Epic]
[Rank: 4]
[Effect: All targets who hear the lament have their perception sensitivity increased to 200%. When this summoned creature is destroyed, it can latch onto another summon card and be immediately re-summoned, adding its base attributes and the first effect to the new summoned creature.]
[Note: How come I haven’t exterminated you yet?]
Dekan had planned all along for Adair to kill the [Lamenting Mermaid] so that he could bypass the cooldown period and forcibly trigger the [Ruined Bard] effects!
Therefore, after the [Lamenting Mermaid] was sacrificed,
Deep-blue sea mist appeared!
As well as the genuine lamentation songs!
[Ruined Lamenting Mermaid]
[Category: Summoning Card]
[Grade: Orange Epic]
[Rank: 4]
[Effect: Through enchanted lamentation, it interferes with the minds of all enemy creatures, doubling the targets’ perception sensitivity to 200% and multiplying their pain by 1000%.]
[Note: Spawned by combining the [Lamenting Mermaid]’s effect with the [Ruined Bard] to create this summoned entity.]
Originally, the 15x pain response.
Thanks to the sensitivity boost from the [Lamenting Mermaid], it achieved a 30x effect.
And it was successfully fed back to the Empire Sword Saint Adair!
Dekan was also hit and pushed back, rolling a few times on the ground before finally stabilizing.
“Really hurts…”
Dekan held his chest and struggled to sit up.
The thorny crown had locked his vitality, and the fatal blow did not defeat him.
However, the pain of having his chest torn open, his ribs shattered, still hadn’t let him recover his senses.
It was the second time he had experienced this.
But for some reason, this time, he felt strangely happy.
Adair,
Had completely lost consciousness and lay motionless on the ground!
[Champion: Dekan!]
Adair was teleported out of the Phantom Canyon, while the sky simultaneously displayed Dekan’s victory message.
“Phantom Canyon, it begins here and ends here. Is this answer satisfactory for you, Professor Arno?”
Dekan relaxed, muttering to himself, and showed a faint smile.
He then held up his right hand.
He flashed a thumbs-up to all the viewers from the Kingdoms.
Today, without any tricks outside of the rules,
He defeated the Empire Sword Saint purely on his own strength!
