Chapter 4: The Final Confrontation (2)
While the duel between Kaiserlen and Sorenberg was spectacular, the other two fights on the second day were even more brutal and bloody. Klinger, a master hidden within the Great Secret Sect, finally revealed his fierce and ruthless side against the swordsmen of the City-State of Corinth. His combat skills combined with his Fire-Thunder Combat Energy forced the top swordsmen of Corinth to abandon their swords and surrender. Although, in Komer’s eyes, Klinger’s Fire-Thunder Combat Energy was slightly inferior to that of Sorenberg and Vladkov, it still surprised him greatly. After all, for a sect that relied primarily on dark magic, finding such a skilled martial artist, especially one proficient in Fire-Thunder Combat Energy, was truly remarkable.
The clash between Vladkov and Prince Shrupig of the Spartan Kingdom was filled with murderous intent from the start. Whether it was Vladkov, driven by the fate of his close friend Sorenberg, or Shrupig, affected by the outcome of his fellow sect member Kaiserlen, neither of them wasted words upon entering the battlefield—they used their weapons to prove their determination.
Shrupig demonstrated the irresistible power of the Martial Saints through his unparalleled Star Sky Sword Energy. This vast and overwhelming energy controlled the battlefield from beginning to end. Even though Vladkov’s dark combat energy had reached its peak, it was no match for the all-pervasive Star Sky Sword Energy. Vladkov painfully realized that his knightly spear seemed like a child’s toy compared to the elegant sword techniques used by his opponent. No matter how sophisticated his spear skills, they appeared fragile in the face of absolute power. The opponent’s Star Sky Sword Energy seemed to surround him constantly, and no matter what he tried, he could not avoid defeat.
In the end, Vladkov used his dark combat energy along with illusionary puppets to trigger an explosion from his composite armor. Seven blows from his sword severely injured him, forcing him to be carried off the battlefield. Yet his heavy cost was not in vain—his spear pierced through Shrupig’s impenetrable Sacred Combat Energy, shattering his hopes of preserving the Spartans’ immortal glory in the gladiatorial contests.
Bursting into the living room excitedly, Newman exclaimed with enthusiasm, “It’s confirmed! The Spartans have officially announced that they’ll withdraw from the third round of the playoffs. They didn’t explain why Slupig gave up. Now Athens is in chaos—many nobles have flocked to the palace, demanding a clear explanation from the kingdom as to why Slupig withdrew. Heh, those arrogant Spartans have finally seen the power of my methods!”
The design of the Drill Arrow indeed came from Newman’s ideas. Trigger-based composite reaction armor requires extremely high detonation power and even stricter sensitivity. If the sensitivity is too low, external forces won’t be enough to trigger it; if it’s too high, it might explode accidentally, wasting opportunities and even risking harm. Thus, the manufacturing process is highly intricate, and it’s undeniable that Newman put a lot of effort into it.
“Newman, we already know your skills. There’s no need to show off here. Just do what you need to do, okay? Haven’t you always admired Athens’ magic equipment market? There are plenty of semi-finished products there. Why don’t you go and explore it? You might find something valuable.” Mihajevic never spoke highly of his close friend, believing that aside from his expertise in designing magic devices, he was incompetent in every other aspect. Without anyone appreciating his talent in crafting magic devices, he would likely starve to death.
“Uh, Mihajevic, please don’t be jealous of my talent, okay? I understand your feelings. After all, your illusion puppets haven’t been very useful in actual battles, right? I have another question for the lord—what kind of additional magic did you use on the Drill Arrow to make someone like Slupig give up after just one hit? I don’t think the power of my designed Drill Arrow is strong enough to make him withdraw from the competition. His sacred combat energy is at the highest level I’ve ever seen. I even doubt whether my Drill Arrow actually penetrated his energy and entered his body. Lord, please give me an explanation. Ever since the competition ended, I’ve been driven crazy by this question!” Newman glanced at his friend but ignored him, focusing instead on Komer.
“Mr. Newman, I can only tell you this: the dart you designed indeed achieved the desired effect. It must have penetrated Slupig’s combat energy defense shield and struck his body; otherwise, he wouldn’t have withdrawn from the match. As for why he withdrew, I think it was surely due to reasons beyond his control. Well, Mr. Newman, take Mr. Mihajic’s advice and browse the magic equipment markets in Athens. Many of the unique magical materials here are exclusive to the south and are hard to find even in Prague. As compensation for the dart you designed this time, I will give you a generous reward.”
Komer also smiled. This mechanical magician had a truly interesting personality, though his questions were also very professional. This guy knew his own creations well. That dart alone was indeed not enough to make Slupig withdraw from the match, but once the potion he prepared was enchanted onto the dart, its power would be incomparable. He believed that at this moment, Slupig was still lying in bed, dazed. If he hadn’t withdrawn, who knew what kind of farce might have happened on the battlefield?
“Thank you, my lord, for your generosity. If you need anything, I will serve you forever,” Newman replied carelessly before giving a proud glance at his close friend before leaving happily.
“Lord, it seems your skills in preparing potions are getting more and more sophisticated. Could you tell me what you used?” Mihajic was also curious about what method Komer had used to force a strong warrior like Slupig to withdraw from the match. After all, ordinary poisons or anesthetics had little effect on martial experts like Slupig, as their combat energy had a unique detoxifying function that could eliminate toxins in a very short time, unless it was some special poison.
“Oh, Mihajic, I can see your despicable thoughts from your strange smile. Please don’t imagine me as vile as you. I always respect strong warriors like Slupig. How could I use something like poison to harm his body?” Komer laughed lightly, a smile that seemed like that of a demon in Mihajic’s eyes.
“Hehe, I simply soaked the dart in some special stimulants and used enchantment magic to attach my latest developed mental magic to it. After such a fierce battle, Lord Slupig surely needs plenty of time to recover. I just want to help him recover better and faster. I believe he’ll be able to appear before us in full strength in three days.”
With a teasing tone that mixed consecutive attacks and words, he downplayed the tactics he had used, leaving Mihajic unable to figure out exactly what methods the lord had employed. If it truly was something like poison, it was hard to say what emotions the Spartans would have toward the people of Piraeus. Using hidden weapons in such gladiatorial contests was one thing, but resorting to drugs would truly go against the original intent.
“Alright, let’s just let the Spartans worry about themselves. The Olympic Games have basically achieved our goals for us. Even if Miss Helena really decides to challenge Umma, I think the outcome won’t significantly affect us. The fact that no Spartan was able to make it to the finals of their so-prideful gladiatorial contests will surely spark much discussion throughout the Southern Seas. People will gradually realize what this means—the Spartans are no longer the dominant force they once were; whatever the people of Piraeus can do, they can do as well. As for the finals, I hope the Iberians win. Let them be the first to succeed; it will distract the Spartans, which is only beneficial for us.”
Komer pondered for a moment before turning his gaze to Xuro, who had been standing by. “The end of the Olympic Games will mark the beginning of a new era. Both the Great Secret Order and the Dark Faction will need to adjust their strategies. Now is the perfect time. The Great Secret Order should focus on Piraeus and the Kingdom of Iberia—helping these two countries and cities establish mage corps is an urgent priority. Additionally, it’s imperative to unite all the Dark Faction forces in the South. Xuro, you must have a clear plan. We can’t wait until the Church of Light arrives at our gates before waking up.”
“Dark Lord, the Kingdom of Iberia has officially invited the Great Secret Order to help them form mage corps and has also agreed to grant the Order the highest status in their religion to facilitate its missionary work. In my opinion, the Kingdom of Iberia will be even more important than Piraeus; it will allow our Dark Faction to quickly spark a wave of change across the South.”
Xuro’s eyes shone brightly. At this moment, he was happier than anyone else at any time. The highly publicized gladiatorial contests provided the Great Secret Order with an excellent opportunity to rebuild its image, and the Order’s power finally emerged in this way—silently, yet allowing everyone to feel its strength.