"Six years ago, the rebels in the Monges Southern Wetland swept through like a storm, effortlessly destroying Murphys's military power. But soon after, with the construction of the expressway, the Great Wetland lost its strategic advantage of being easy to defend and hard to attack. Under the reinforcements from the Emperor, the Great Wetland Autonomous Region quickly returned to stability."

Rodrigo the Eleventh wore a look of worry.

"You mean Beima is in the same situation now."

Among the warriors secretly recruited from all over the country by the previous Royal Family, Gedre passed the final selection to undertake a completely confidential mission.

"That's right. At the end of last year, I had the diplomat from Aran poisoned, straining the relationship between the current Puppet King and Aran. So, this year, in Aran's proposed Advancement Movement, Beima was not on the list. The Giant Wall is Beima's last stronghold, but... no one can stop the times. In ten or a hundred years, even if Aran does not raise an army, without a renewed transportation network, this barren land will naturally gravitate towards Aran."

Rodrigo the Eleventh carefully placed a cylindrical glass vessel with a metal base on the table.

"This is..."

"It's the Curse Poison given by the Witch King at the Gate of Truth. Even without a wound, just touching it means certain death."

"Is it related to this mission?"

"Exactly, and... this mission is completely confidential. You should already know before recruitment that, succeed or fail, there's no returning for you."

"I understand."

"Completely confidential means that in Beima Duchy, no one will know who you are."

"I'm very clear."

"What about your family, what can I do for them?"

"Do as you like. The leather shop is just supporting some naval orphans as apprentices. I haven't had a family for a long time."

The mission... is not complicated: win the Martial Arts Competition and seize the chance to assassinate the Emperor.

Gedre took this slender cylindrical vessel, looking at the black liquid inside with surging spell power, stunned for a moment, as if facing a pitch-black fate.

But in a flash, he said nothing, packed it away, and turned his back to leave.

"Wait."

"What else?"

"The Holy Spirit Sect says that the brave will enter the Heroic Spirit Hall after death, with fairies and fine wine, for eternity."

Since Gedre wanted nothing, Rodrigo the Eleventh could only offer this consolation.

But Gedre didn't comment, chuckled, and left the secret chamber.

At this moment.

Aran Imperial City, the National Duel.

A decisive, life-risking slash had passed, the gold foil dimmed, and the flowers withered.

Soloren's abdomen was cut open with a chasm, not shallow, but without bleeding. He also didn't feel it, as if his senses were numbed, with strange black threads spreading near the cut, shedding decayed flesh and continuing to expand.

Meanwhile, a swift sword strike.

Had already pierced Gedre's chest, his heart burst into a spray of blood, the sword blade exiting through his back. Gedre just looked at the wound on Soloren's abdomen, then raised his head, his lips twitching as if in a smile, as his destroyed heart's blood pump made no sound, and his eyes went completely dim.

Soloren pulled the sword out, sending a spray of blood over the gold dust and petals on the ground, and Gedre's body fell, staining the area crimson.

Thunderous cheers erupted from the crowd.

Soloren's strength was unquestionable, with his title of thirteen-time Martial Arts Competition Champion being explosive news throughout the venue.

With Gedre defeated, the outcome was not unexpected.

At this point, compared to Phoenix slumped on the throne, Soloren's regal demeanor was at its peak.

Cicero's gaze was icy.

This was the only occasion where a champion died at the Continent Martial Arts Competition.

And Soloren also discarded his sword, spreading his arms in a victor's pose.

"In front of all Aran people and allied guests, I have won the duel. Cough... since the awards for the top sixteen players are completed, but the sixteenth Continent Martial Arts Competition has yet to conclude perfectly!"

Soloren, in this setting, was certainly going to say something.

Most of the Military Government seats were filled with sullen faces, as Soloren had the character of speaking shockingly, so he was sure to say something extravagant next.

Soloren knew about the news of the Overlord Descendant during the day, and also that Zote's corpse had just been brought up, miraculously bypassing church inspections, which was really impressive.

But since it was a buddy who helped raise Dragons, naturally he needed some covering.

Yet the kingly figure.

Could only be a maintainer of the current system, not a critic of it.

The most important things must be taken out to make a mark.

Soloren was reckless in action, believing that once heading in a direction, he would reach its end.

"Now, in the name of the First Prince of Aran, I grant pardon for Liszt and his group, who eliminated the remnants of the previous dynasty, and neutralize Aran's top criminal, balancing their merits and demerits. And Kai Deng, Saleret, cough... you have a new mission as envoys, bring Liszt to the Imperial City to meet Father Emperor, and also bring the so-called Overlord Descendant, regardless of its authenticity, Aran will ensure that Cyrus's lineage is not exploited by foreign powers!"

Soloren spoke with grand tones.

Kai Deng and Saleret could never have expected such a reversal of events.

And Soloren spoke with the posture of issuing a decree, allowing no rebuttal.

The jaws nearly dropped on the special seats of the Royal Family, really letting these riff-raff ruffians from Heaven Port become national heroes...?

Hey, hey, hey!

Ben was completely dumbfounded.

And the Aran people in the audience cheered, after watching so many years of the Martial Arts Competition, one champion turned out to be the First Prince, and he had crushed his opponent in a duel that influenced the dignity of the Royal Court, this shock was hard to understand unless you were Aran.

"But this is not enough, the perfect conclusion is still missing the most important thing! Decisively!"

Soloren gazed at Phoenix on the special seats of the Royal Family.

Phoenix remained indifferent, awaiting his brother's "challenge."

Just when everyone thought Soloren was about to announce some shocking news.

"And that is!

Cough cough... cough, cough.

I, in the name of the First Prince, issue an order.

Damn flowers, gold foil, keep spraying.

Only then can it be a perfect conclusion."

Soloren coughed incessantly, forcibly raising his spirits, made a small joke, almost scaring the Military Department staff into thinking he was going to do something to Phoenix, they were terrified.

Who would dare disobey the First Prince's decree, the machines controlling confetti and streamers in the arena resumed showering them down.

In this dreamlike spectacle.

Soloren also bowed slightly like at the end of a stage play, indicating a bow to all Aran citizens and foreign guests.

The crowd in the stands roared with joy, captivated and mesmerized by Aran's First Prince. Obviously, the thirteenth champion successfully defended his title and was also the sixteenth champion.

But Soloren needed no wishes, whatever he wanted, he could take!

Thus.

The sixteenth Continent Martial Arts Competition concluded perfectly.

Meanwhile.

Outside Drifting City at the Oasis Camp.

Liszt's group had not sat down since the words "National Duel" appeared, the space around the radio equipment was covered in cigarette butts.

"My, hair?"

Liszt blanked for ten, twenty seconds, only managing to squeeze out three words, my hair?