Dekan's Opponent Couldn't Even See His Back

Upon arriving at the borders of the Southern States, the group transferred to a magical orbital vehicle.

In the spacious carriage, the Beautiful Soul Squad and the Idol Group could sit far apart.

Everyone seemed much more at ease.

Dekan felt extremely embarrassed because three people who knew Little Gray's true identity witnessed the scene of her death.

But he is, after all, the producer.

In time, it will naturally pass.

Only Croix, even though they were separated, felt somewhat uneasy.

He wanted to go and talk to Judith again.

But then I felt that this scene was inappropriate.

"Don't worry, Croix. After we arrive in the Philoven Kingdom, I will definitely help you and Judith reconcile, given how wonderful this tourism festival is."

Dekan looked at his best friend and said earnestly.

In fact, Croix and Judith did not have a conflict.

The only thing missing is an opportunity for the two of them to talk things out.

Croix smiled helplessly and nodded.

For him, the most reliable person in the world is Dekan.

But the person accompanied by the greatest uncertainty is also Dekan.

I hope everything goes well.

The three days of the trip flew by.

Soon they would arrive at their destination, the capital of the Kingdom of Philoven.

During his travels, Dekan would often be carrying a book and reading it.

This time, everyone noticed that Dekan seemed to have been holding a thick book and flipping through it for quite a while.

What are you looking at, meow?

Cat Teacher jumped onto Dekan's lap and tapped on the book to see what it was.

The words "The Code of the Philoven Kingdom" were prominently displayed above.

"You son of a bitch!"

Although reading the classics is a form of active learning.

But if it is Dekan who is holding the code, the nature of the matter changes.

"What are you thinking? This country is characterized by its exceptionally strict laws. Even as tourists, we need to be extra careful before we go."

Dekan held up the book and gently touched the Cat Teacher's head.

"Is it really necessary to look at it line by line like this, meow..."

Cat Teacher is now quite certain that Dekan is definitely not approaching this legal code with a learning mindset.

Furthermore, no traveler would study a legal code like a scientific researcher before going to another country!

It looks like they're about to commit a major crime!

Seemingly sensing that everyone was looking at him strangely, Dekan coughed twice and put away the codex.

Then, with a sense of helplessness, he produced the information about the contestants from other countries that he had previously asked Alice to investigate.

Seeing that Dekan had returned to normal, everyone felt more at ease and went about their business.

Dekan began to frown as he looked at the intelligence.

Most of the formidable enemies are at least at the seventh rank, and some are even at the eighth rank.

Furthermore, when facing specialized professionals like Dekan, they will always bring a full set of counter cards.

For example, besides [Pain Shield], [Berserk], which can be used as a backup to reduce pain, might also be included.

At the same time, it will not give Dekan the opportunity to use the second system, "Mana Evaporation Build".

Dekan had just reached level 5 after clearing the seventh level of the Shadow World, and didn't have enough time to create many new cards, let alone develop a third system.

If we're talking about launching a surprise attack, we can only bet on that fourth-tier female card that's been hidden away since it was created, and his new fifth-tier Spell Card.

One-on-one competitive duels.

This is actually the most disadvantageous combat mode for Dekan.

To be honest, even if Dekan wanted to win, he could only win by going all out in the first game.

His initial encounter with a killer is so powerful that almost no one can withstand it.

But.

Those underhanded tricks can't be used again.

Even a second duel would be hell for Dekan.

To overcome all obstacles and win the championship, he'll need to put his brain to work.

The good news is that Dekan, as a seeded player, can skip the play-in stage and start directly from the round of 16.

In other words, Dekan needs to win four consecutive games to be aiming for the championship, and then ask the Astrologer a question at the awards ceremony.

"Dekan, this time I'm all in on you to win!"

Alice said happily.

Having known Dekan for so long, she believes that a serious Dekan is invincible!

Imagine the Bishop of Pain of the Resurrection Church participating in the Hero Festival in a legitimate capacity—it's reassuringly secure!

"Hmm? Alice, I must remind you that betting on this kind of match is illegal under the laws of the Philoven Kingdom. Although it's unlikely to be detected, it's best not to do it; the risk is too great. Also, this country has very severe penalties for tax evasion, so never buy smuggled goods."

Dekan looked up at Alice with a serious expression and said...

Alice: "Huh?"

"So please be wary of scams and stay away from gamblers."

Mie, unusually, added a comment from the side.

Dekan frowned; he had a feeling that Mie was subtly mocking him and someone else.

Dekan then added, "Also, be careful of dangerous drugs."

"Okay, okay..."

Alice pouted and muttered to herself.

Everyone seemed to have great confidence in Dekan, except for Croix was slightly worried.

"Dekan, how can I help you this time?"

"Croix asked."

In previous head-on battles where they defeated powerful enemies, Croix and Dekan were usually paired together.

This time, only Dekan remained. He didn't know if Dekan would struggle against an eighth-tier enemy.

On the other hand, this competition will use the Artificial Shadow World Initiator 2.0, which has addressed many issues of the original version.

The [Demon Curse Seal] will also be ineffective, making it impossible to use this method to turn living people into summons and bring them into the duel, or to enter the Shadow World in summon form to participate in the duel.

"Don't worry, there are a few troublesome opponents in this competition. We just need to study them thoroughly."

Dekan spoke with a serious expression as he flipped through the documents.

"That's good..."

However, Croix suddenly widened her eyes.

He noticed that the information in Dekan's possession was not primarily about the combat characteristics of his powerful enemies.

And what about the life experiences and interests of these opponents!

Croix's lips twitched involuntarily.

He understood instantly.

The Battle of Dekan.

It may have already started...

One week later.

Because the group arrived in the Philoven Kingdom at a moderate time, they were able to catch the opening ceremony of the Hero Festival just the next day.

The qualifying rounds for the main event then began a few days later.

The time slots are filled with various performances and entertainment programs.

And the three members of the Idol Group did indeed take advantage of this opportunity, and their popularity skyrocketed.

At the organizer's request, they began adding more performances and attending a series of events.

Therefore, only Alice and the members of the Beautiful Soul Squad had enough free time to enjoy the trip, while the Idol Group's holiday turned into overtime work.

The round of 16 knockout stage will begin tomorrow.

Dekan will also be making his debut.

Battle against Putira, a seventh-tier summoner from the northern Tayatri Kingdom.

Each contestant is practically the strongest among those who meet the age limit, representing a kingdom of their own.

Therefore, although Putira is a seventh-tier being, he is far beyond the reach of ordinary seventh-tier beings.

Even when a counter-relationship emerges, it might be able to put up a fight against a weaker Tier 8 opponent.

Inside a classic and dignified mansion.

Although it was already dark outside and there was no light in the windows of the second-floor rooms, the lights were still on in the first-floor living room.

This is a large residence arranged by the Kingdom Association for the Norton Kingdom's delegation.

There were enough rooms left over after the Beautiful Soul Squad and the Idol Group had settled in.

The Idol Group was very tired, so they went to rest early.

Only Mr. Cat and Mia Alice remained in the living room, chatting.

However, the three giants of a beautiful mind are gone.

"Are those three up to no good, meow?"

When Cat Teacher thought of the three bullies who used to camp out the Resurrection Cultist in Norton's Royal Capital, he felt that the shadow of evil was about to reappear in the Philoven Kingdom.

"Be confident, change the question into a declarative sentence."

Mie said calmly.

"Dekan really dares to do that, meow?!"

Cat Teacher knew that Dekan was definitely up to something.

After all, Dekan's opponent tomorrow is very strong. Dekan can fight, but he will definitely reveal his hand.

Therefore, it is naturally more advantageous for Dekan to play one less game.

But Cat Teacher thought that Dekan wouldn't dare to openly resort to underhanded tactics this time.

The competition rules clearly state that anyone who intentionally injures an opponent or obstructs an opponent from participating in the competition will be disqualified once the investigation is completed.

With the level of security in the Royal Capital, any attempt to act would be quickly detected and locked by the city's defensive barriers.

Therefore, it is almost impossible to force a teammate to solo kill a level 7 expert before the match.

Mie shook his head.

"Dekan would never do something so foolish. Even if the bishop of the Resurrection Church came, he couldn't launch a direct attack on the enemy without leaving a trace within the town's protective barrier."

However, Alice seemed to trust Dekan quite a bit.

She thought Dekan was invincible and there was nothing to worry about!

In the lead-up to the Hero Festival, Dekan has dominated the headlines in terms of both popularity and controversy.

Even though the knockout stage matchups have already been announced.

No one dares to predict the outcome of the match in Dekan's half of the draw.

This guy is really lacking in raw skill when it comes to one-on-one combat.

But what he might do is truly unpredictable.

A saying even began to circulate, "You can never beat Dekan with the usual methods."

"Have you heard the legend circulating in the Royal Capital lately? After the Hero Festival, you might encounter a mysterious merchant on the streets late at night! He has all sorts of amazing epic cards! If you're lucky enough, you can buy some dream-like cards from him!"

Seeing that Mie and the Cat Teacher had stopped discussing Dekan, Alice began to recount her experiences.

"So Dekan and the others must have gone to capture the mysterious merchant, meow..."

Cat Teacher thought about it and realized it made quite a bit of sense.

After all, every epic card is very special.

It has a price but no market.

Buying a powerful epic card that suits your playstyle is everyone's dream, and it might significantly strengthen your team before the tournament even begins.

The next day.

Round of 16 (elimination round)

And so, as the sun set, the main events of the Hero Festival were finally about to begin.

Luxurious lights illuminated the venue, and magical runes appeared on the platform of Philovian's largest central arena.

The glowing barrier unfolded into a cubic shape, like a special effect that disregarded energy costs, seemingly capable of covering the entire Royal Capital. This gave the Royal Capital a dreamlike appearance centered around the arena, and the cheers rose accordingly.

"Today we will have four matches to determine the first four players to secure a spot in the quarterfinals..."

"And today's opening match will be between the fifth-tier priest Dekan and the seventh-tier summoner Putira! I'm sure they'll deliver a spectacular showdown!"

With the audience's awe-inspiring opening, the host and commentator began to work hard to hype up the atmosphere.

Today's first match will start with the popular player, Dekan.

Dekan was already standing next to the entrance to the Shadow World Starter in the center of the arena.

Whether they were black pieces, white pieces, fun pieces, or random pieces, everyone cheered for him with all their might in this atmosphere.

However.

I waited for several minutes.

Dekan's opponent Putira, has not yet appeared.

Discussions gradually began to fill the venue.

The host could only try to engage in awkward small talk.

After waiting a while longer, the host's somewhat embarrassed voice finally came from the venue.

"Ahem, we just received news that Mr. Dekan's opponent, Mr. Putira from the Tayatri Kingdom, is currently under investigation for allegedly engaging in large-scale illegal smuggling and will be temporarily unable to attend the match. Therefore, we can congratulate Mr. Dekan in advance on advancing to the quarterfinals!"

"..."

The entire room fell silent.

They didn't expect the opening match.

It was over in a second.

In the audience seats.

The Cat Teacher suddenly turned around and looked at Cornelia and Croix.

Both of them looked away, feeling somewhat guilty.

It instantly understood what those three people had been doing last night.

Based on its understanding of Dekan.

Catching the Mysterious Businessman?

What a load of rubbish! The mysterious merchant!

That mysterious merchant was definitely Dekan in disguise!

Those epic cards must have been Fake Card that Dekan used to deceive Flata in the duel, disguised as Tier 3 epic cards or lower.

The legend of the mysterious merchant must have been fueled and amplified by Dekan in the background, which is why it became a sensation in the Royal Capital within a week.

Moreover, given Dekan's cautious nature, he would definitely have Croix disguise himself with invisibility magic first, and then use a [Substitute Doll] to impersonate a mysterious merchant, carrying a bunch of [Fake Card] to "encounter" his opponent and lure them into buying cards at high prices.

All you need to do next is find a way to interrupt the transaction; no substantial evidence of fraud will be left behind.

Cornelia, who had already secretly hidden herself, recorded the transaction using Video Crystal and then retreated as quickly as possible.

An anonymous report was filed the following day.

Regardless of whether the opponent is guilty or not, they will be detained and investigated for a period of time for allegedly committing huge-scale smuggling.

On the field, Dekan sighed helplessly.

He walked away with his hands behind his back.

It seems to be lamenting how lonely it is to be invincible.

He displayed the demeanor of a master.

The audience couldn't help but twitch their lips.

"RNM, refund my money!!!"

"But if you say that Putira is innocent, it's impossible for her to be arrested and investigated. There must be irrefutable evidence for them to so resolutely begin the trial process."

"This player is great in every way, except he lacks confidence. He was probably intimidated by Dekan's momentum at the beginning, and when he finally saw hope of improving himself, he got caught up in it all!"

The matter of Putira going to prison.

Anyone can guess that it's almost certainly related to Dekan!!

This was the first time they had ever seen someone use the law to send an opponent to jail before the Hero Festival competition!