Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Tens of thousands of eyes were fixed on the two fallen figures on the arena, symbols of the two empires' pinnacle geniuses—

A dragonfire warrior, covered in blood and scalded, lying on the ground like a charred charcoal; an alchemist, curled up in a corner, his body shimmering with corrupting phosphorescence and the embers of dragonfire, convulsing in pain.

Grand Duke Roland spoke at the opportune moment, addressing the crowd:

"The Western Regions Empire concedes defeat."

By sending a legendary-level transcendent to interfere in their duel, he himself had already violated the rules.

Furthermore, Thorin's ability to counter Alaric's trump card, "Corrupted Soul White Phosphorus," signifies that he has already defeated Alaric.

Even if Alaric were to use the "Netherworld Worm Essence" in the end.

It's hard to say whether Thorin is dead or not, but Alaric is definitely going to die.

In conclusion, Archduke Roland's concesion was reasonable and justified.

The chief referee of the Central Empire and the vice principal of the Holy Radiance Academy looked at the two people lying on the ground with a complicated expression.

This is only the Bronze Group competition; it's hard to imagine what kind of sensation the Silver, Gold, and Legendary groups will cause later on.

Noble Martial Arts Festival!
The last noble martial arts festival before the turmoil on the mainland!

This event is destined to leave an indelible mark on the history of humankind.

After a brief moment of reflection, the referee took over the role of the bronze golem, and the gong announcing victory sounded heavily, with a hint of hesitation and an indescribable complexity:

"The Eastern Empire's Thorin Weiss wins!"

The referee's announcement was amplified and carried throughout the stadium, but it was like a pebble thrown into a stagnant pond; the ripples it created quickly subsided.

The audience did not erupt in the expected frenzied cheers, but only gave sporadic applause tinged with fear and awe, and a tidal wave of hushed whispers.

The medical team and guardians of the Eastern Empire rushed onto the arena at top speed and carefully lifted Thorin's almost shattered body.

Using a specially prepared liquid to cool the body, the accompanying priests from the Life Domain also quickly began casting emergency healing spells.

The scorching heat emanating from Thorin and the lingering aura of "corrupted soul phosphorus" startled even the high-ranking priest in charge of his treatment.

Grand Duke Roland had also disappeared from the VIP seats, and arrived at Alaric's side with guards and healers from the Western Regions Empire to provide treatment.

Thus, the four finalists of the Bronze Division in this year's Noble Martial Arts Festival have been determined.

Nephthys, the "psychic" from Effie.

Freya, a "mechanical sorcerer" from the Kingdom of Ceylon.

Wolf Smith, the "Light and Shadow Walker" from the Southern Empire.

And the recently victorious "Dragonflame Warrior" Thorin Weiss from the Eastern Empire.

This is unprecedented.

Half of the four strongest teams in the Bronze Group came from countries outside the five great empires.

Not only did the Kingdom of Ceylon break its best record, but Efein did as well.

This is the first time since the founding of Effie that a contestant has made it into the top four of the Noble Martial Arts Festival.

It was only then that everyone realized that Effie's rise was unstoppable, and they could no longer view this thriving nation with the same perspective as before.

According to the competition schedule, the semi-finals will begin in three days. These three days will also give the participants time to rest and replenish their magic.

The one who was most seriously injured among the four was Thorin, who fought Alaric to the very end.

However, he has the support of the Eastern Empire, so as long as he has a breath left, he can be saved.

Prince Quentin brought out the healing elixir, the Sacred Fruit of the Spirit, and also sent a legendary-rank priest of the Life Domain to assist in the treatment.

Fury Zorn, on whom the Eastern Empire had placed high hopes, was eliminated early on, and Thorin, who made it into the final four, is now the Eastern Empire's last hope.

Time flies, and three days passed in the blink of an eye.

As dawn broke, the pale purple mist swirled above King's End, the first and most magnificent city on the human continent.

It draped a dreamlike veil over the towering white tower in the city center, which shone with the golden light of dawn.

This is the tallest building on the entire continent, and also the largest magic tower.

Legend has it that the magic circle set up above has the power to block the gods.

Juntandin, the ancient city forged by magic, wisdom, wealth, and power, was once again swept away by an almost frenzied heatwave after a brief three-day silence.

Beneath the white tower lies the Imperial Arena, the focus of attention across the entire continent for the past six months.

In this magnificent arena, which seems to be embedded in the heart of the continent, the huge circular structure was already packed with people inside and out.

The clamor of voices rolled across the earth like thunder, the sound waves converging and crashing against the thick granite walls and the massive bronze gate engraved with ancient runes.

Every gate leading into the stadium was packed with people.

Excitement, anticipation, fervor, and a primal thirst for blood and glory burned fiercely in the air.

Bronze Group Semifinals!

Over the next three days, the first champion of this year's Noble Martial Arts Festival, the strongest Bronze Saint, will be decided!
The cheers and shouts of encouragement seemed to threaten to overturn the entire arena.

"Thorin! Thorin, the Dragonfire Warrior! For the glory of the Eastern Empire!"

"Woolf! The Undefeated Walker of Light and Shadow!"

"Nephthys, the Queen of the Mind!"

"Queen of Ceylon, Freya!"

The enormous sound almost lifted the sky.

Even in the regular spectator area, shrewd vendors had already sensed the business opportunities.

Badges, scrolls, or lucky stones with images of popular players are being sold everywhere.

In addition, in major cities of the Central Empire, and even in various countries on the continent, such as the five great empires, the Kingdom of Ceylon, the Kingdom of Solantis, the Kingdom of Windbreak, and the capital and important cities of Efein.

The enormous "Mirror of the Sky" has already been lit up.

A giant light screen, hundreds of meters in diameter, floats above city squares or castles.

The image above is so clear that every detail is visible, with iridescent runes flowing endlessly around the edges.

The scene of the imperial arena, thousands of miles away, is presented in real time.

Crowds thronged beneath the light screens in major cities, with nobles and commoners alike crammed together, gazing up at the breathtaking spectacle in the sky.

The distant shouts amplified by the magical megaphone mingled with the noise of the scene, creating a strange, shared carnival atmosphere.

In the royal palace of the Kingdom of Ceylon, in the capital city of Quessaon.

King Gaius, Prince Charles, the Saxon prince, and some key figures from Ceylon also had light screens floating in front of them.

The emperor and his ministers stared at the scene on the screen, each with their own thoughts.

Especially noticeable from within the light screen, the piercing cheers from the very scene in Constantine could be heard—

Queen Freya of Ceylon!

The sound was exceptionally clear, traveling across the entire continent through the light screen.

King Gaius's brows were furrowed, his face was ashen, and his eyelids trembled almost imperceptibly.

Prince Charles's voice was unusually shrill:
"Damn it, that traitor must have hired shills on the spot!"

What are my brothers doing? Why don't you stop them?

A soft cough came from behind:
"Your Highness, the First Prince and the others have been restricted from entering the arena."

Because of the previous exposure of the demon, all operations are now under strict control.

Charles couldn't possibly be unaware of this; he said it on purpose.

He wouldn't miss any opportunity to sow discord between Orlando and others.

Gaius's eyes dimmed slightly, perhaps because of the deafening noise from the arena, or perhaps because his three sons were still fighting and undermining each other at this point.

Someone behind me suggested:
"Your Majesty, should we temporarily suspend the projection of the light screen in major cities?"

This suggestion sparked discussion among those present.

Gaius's voice showed no change in emotion:
"Broadcasting the Noble Martial Arts Festival has been a tradition of the Kingdom of Ceylon for thousands of years. How can it be stopped without a legitimate reason?"
Besides, anyone with access to the Magic Network can watch the match. Even if it's banned in public, can it be banned from every single household?

Once again, a deathly silence descended.

Gaius straightened his spine slightly more than usual and said calmly:

"You don't need to worry about the Noble Martial Arts Festival."

Hurry up and prepare for battle, because the war will continue after the martial arts festival ends.

"You can't win on the field, but you can win on the battlefield."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

……

The names of the four contestants scroll across the giant "Mirror of the Sky".

Magic surged, and the semi-final match unfolded before everyone's eyes.

"Dragonfire Warrior" Thorin versus "Mind Sorcerer" Nephthys.

"Light and Shadow Walker" Woolf versus "Mechanical Mage" Freya.

The match between Sorin and Nefertis was the first to take place.

The two contestants began to enter the arena through the underground passage beneath the ring.

Under the dome, the breaths of tens of thousands of people seemed to be instantly choked, followed by a tsunami-like roar that exploded outwards.

"Thorin! Dragonfire Warrior!"

"Tear that cunning sorcerer to shreds!"

"For the Eastern Empire! Glory belongs to the indomitable warriors!"

The sound waves rose higher and higher, almost lifting the dome off its height.

The fervent calls for "Dragonfire Warrior" Thorin gained the upper hand.

Countless eyes, filled with undisguised fervor and anticipation, focused on the exit of the players' tunnel, waiting for the figure adorned with scars and glory to appear.

The near-total annihilation victory three days ago ignited the national passion of the Eastern Empire.

Thorin Weiss has transformed from an empire's hope into a symbol of legend.

He embodies the glory that belongs to warriors.

Thorin silently stepped onto the ring, and his unwavering stance, as immovable as a mountain, reignited the boiling passion in everyone.

Nephthys slowly walked towards the arena, wearing a simple black sorcerer's robe without any complicated patterns.

Her exquisitely beautiful face was completely out of place in this arena filled with passion, roars, and violence.

Although Nephthys also has a high level of popularity and supporters compared to Thorin, most people still favor Thorin.

The audience does acknowledge her talent.

Making it to the semi-finals and eliminating the renowned "battle master" Martin Sanchez of the Central Empire is proof of his strength.

But to most people, especially the Central Empire audience on their home turf, this strength seemed to involve an element of trickery—

“She used opportunism, found Martin’s psychological weakness, and defeated him by taking advantage of Martin’s proud ‘perfect insight’.”

"That's right. Martin's fighting style, which is extremely focused on perfect observation and prediction, is inherently easy to counter. But Thorin is different. His 'perception' is the beastly intuition honed through countless battles, an instinct tempered by blood and fire."

Nephthys's mental manipulation had no effect on him.

"Warlocks are inherently at a disadvantage against warriors."

Once the distance closed, Nephthys had no time to use her mental guidance.

Look at how Thorin fought that alchemical madman three days ago; even engulfed in white phosphorus flames, he managed to reach Alaric. Nephthys's chances of winning are slim.

"Nephthys's methods were just so-so, mental shocks, illusion manipulation... These were far less effective against someone like Thorin, whose will was as strong as steel and whose mental sea had probably been burned."

Thorin must have been prepared.

Almost everyone was in unison—Thorin would win.

However, Nephthys also has many supporters, but most of these supporters are drawn to her beauty and temperament. In terms of actual strength, most people still favor Thorin.

"Ding--!"

The clear, crisp sound of bells, like the clinking of jade chimes, resounded throughout the venue, instantly silencing all the noise.

The sound seemed to carry a strange, calming power, soothing the turbulent battlefield.

The game officially begins.

The moment before the bell had even finished ringing, Thorin moved.

Unlike most of the audience, Thorin did not look down on the stunningly beautiful girl in front of him.

He knew more than most people; the other party came from the Night Rose family, which had a history of over a thousand years and possessed many ancient traditions.

In addition, he has close ties with King Efein, the Child of Prophecy, and the Lord of Shadows.

There must be some hidden trump card up their sleeve.

It must be resolved quickly!

It wasn't the earth-shaking tremor like a volcanic eruption three days ago, but rather a ferocious surge after a period of extreme silence.

Thorin's body transformed into a blurry black afterimage, moving at an astonishing speed.

In order to approach Nephthys more quickly and easily.

What he held tightly in his hand was no longer the iconic greatsword "Dragon's Breath," but a dagger with a dull metallic luster.

Close the distance, crush your opponent, and give them no time to react.

This is the most effective tactic for a warrior against a sorcerer.

Nephthys did not move when Thorin suddenly turned into a black shadow.

She didn't even make a single gesture.

He simply stood there quietly, the corners of his mouth slightly turned up.

Just as Thorin's blade was less than twenty paces away from her.

Om-! ! !
An invisible, intangible, yet seemingly tearing apart of the brain, low-pitched hum suddenly exploded in the depths of Thorin's mind without warning.

It doesn't act on the eardrums, but directly impacts the core of the mind.

This impact was not the same as the one that had tried to disrupt cognition and create illusions during the previous battle against Martin.

Instead, it's a simple, brutal, and purely psychological shock.

It was like a 10,000-ton water pressure instantly crushing a rusty iron nail.

Thorin let out a painful groan, his speed abruptly halting as if he had crashed into an invisible wall of air.

Immediately afterwards, a piercing pain shot through the depths of my brain.

Fortunately, this pain was completely tolerable for Thorin, who had just crawled out of the White Phosphorus Hell and the Soul Burning, and had undergone two consecutive days of Mental Stabilization baptism by a legendary priest.

It could even be said that it was expected.

The mental power of "mind warlocks" far exceeds that of ordinary superhumans of the same level, so mental attacks are the most effective and common means of attack for mind warlocks.

Nephthys's attack was entirely within his expectations.

Thorin remained coldly calm; he had rehearsed this kind of soul-piercing pressure countless times.

In the instant his body froze, Thorin was not disturbed by the excruciating pain in his mind.

Instead, using the reaction force of the impact, the body rotates suddenly, pivoting on one foot, like a steel string being tightly twisted.

The unadorned dagger drew a sharp, lightning-fast arc, slashing towards a seemingly empty space to its side.

Zila——! ! !
It felt as if a hot knife was cutting through solidified grease.

A faint, almost invisible cone-shaped ripple, composed of pure mental energy, was severed by Thorin's blade.

A hint of surprise surfaced in Nephthys's usually calm eyes.

The mental attack was just a feint; Nephthys didn't believe Thorin would fall to a simple mental attack.

Her real killer move is the "Mental Spike" hidden in Thorin's blind spot.

If Thorin hadn't possessed an inhumanly keen intuition for mental danger, this attack would have pierced through his mental defenses and severely damaged his consciousness.

In the VIP section, Prince Quentin's taut fist relaxed slightly, and a look of approval flashed in his eyes.

Thorin's understanding of battle and his ability to react in critical situations have never disappointed.

The battle with Alaric three days ago raised his strength to a new level.

The battle on the arena has entered a fierce stage.

As Thorin shattered the mental spikes, he stomped his foot heavily and charged forward once more.

The distance to Nephthys has been reduced to within ten steps.

The chilling killing intent almost froze the air.

A flicker of excitement flashed in Thorin's eyes. In just a moment, he could place the dagger against that captivating face and end the battle once and for all.

Just as the dagger was about to touch Nephthys, she finally moved.

She did not retreat, block, or cast any visible spells.

She simply made a very quick closing motion with her fair, jade-like hand hidden in her wide sleeve.

It was as if he had grasped something unseen, and then suddenly released it in Thorin's direction.

There was no burst of light, no surge of energy.

The scene Thorin saw, however, underwent a dramatic transformation—

The entire vast Imperial Arena, including the hysterical shouts of tens of thousands of people, the faces in the VIP seats, even the hard obsidian ring below, along with the dagger and body he himself had raised.

They are all like reflections thrown into a calm water, instantly distorted, stretched, and broken down.

Everything before my eyes seemed extremely unreal, like a cheap oil painting that had been splashed with dirty water, with murky patches of color flowing wildly.

This is not a hallucination caused by ordinary mental shock, but a disintegration and alteration of spatial perception and existential cognition.

Thorin's charge came to an abrupt halt, frozen in place, still in the posture of swinging his sword downwards.

For the first time, a fierce struggle and bewilderment clearly appeared on his usually resolute and composed face.

In Thorin's view, everything was undergoing bizarre and strange changes.

He saw the arena floor turn into flowing lava, from which countless pale, skeletal hands emerged, trying to drag him away.

He heard the cries of countless dead souls, piercing his eardrums and screeching wildly into his brain.

He could even feel his skin melting and dripping like wax, his flesh separating from his body...

This utter confusion of perception is a thousand times more terrifying than mere excruciating pain.

"puff!"

Thorin's body shook violently, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

"ended."

Nephthys whispered calmly, her deep purple eyes reflecting Thorin's figure teetering on the brink of chaos and collapse.

He gently raised his finger and pointed it at Thorin's chest, which was panting like a bellows.

A dim gray light gathered at her fingertips, carrying the power to pierce the soul.

The next instant, that gray starlight silently shot towards Thorin's heart.

With a loud bang, the starlight was blocked by a beam of golden light the instant it touched Thorin's body.

The referee, who had been hovering in mid-air, withdrew his hands, his eyes filled with disbelief and shock.

After a long silence, he slowly said:
"The victor is Effie, Nephthys!"

Absolute silence enveloped the entire Imperial Arena.

The stands, which had been roaring with cheers just moments before, now seemed to have been choked by an invisible force.

The fanatical expressions on tens of thousands of faces froze instantly, turning into astonishment, bewilderment, and incomprehension.

They couldn't understand why Thorin, who had just been in the lead, suddenly froze in place, motionless, and was then easily defeated by his opponent.

People across the mainland who viewed the Mirror of the Sky, whether supporters or opponents, were plunged into immense shock and silence.

No one expected this semi-final to end in this way.

Nephthys stood still, ignoring the countless complex gazes behind her.

She slightly raised her head, looked in Cohen's direction, and a captivating smile curved her lips.

In the VIP section, when Thorin collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut, the faces of the truly powerful and important figures also showed shock.

It wasn't that Nephthys was surprised that she could defeat Thorin, but rather that she was surprised by the mind spell Nephthys had just used.

Distorted, fragmented, and exiled perception of reality; a momentary collapse of senses; an eerie sense of spatial dislocation...

This is not a simple hallucination or mental shock, but a combination of mental and spatial magic.

Even the Night Rose family does not have this kind of magic passed down.

The subtle discussions, like ripples on water, initially only appeared in a few corners, but soon spread to the entire VIP area.

A slightly dry, hoarse voice whispered:

"Void Exile is a mind control technique from ancient times."

Lord Landon of the Temple of Battle spoke slowly, a hint of surprise lingering in his eyes.

Prince Quentin of the Eastern Empire asked in astonishment:

"Exile from the Void?"
"Isn't that a forbidden technique used by the demon gods and abyss kings to fight against the gods in the ancient era of gods and demons?"

Pope Atkinson of the Church of Prophecy slowly began to speak:
"It's not that exaggerated; it's more like a simplified version of Void Exile."

True Void Exile can plunge an entire city's population into a nightmare.

That's exaggerated enough, this ancient secret technique that has been extinct for tens of thousands of years...

All the suspicious, shocked, and scrutinizing gazes were fixed on a specific corner of the audience—

That young figure surrounded by a group of alluring beauties! (End of Chapter)