Don't Summon Gods During Formal Duels

In the vast church, the imperial nobles, though their expressions were tinged with fear, could not hide a hint of reverence as they gazed at this ancient imperial official.

Despite his terrifying appearance, the red-haired man stood as a steadfast beacon for the empire amidst its turbulent times.

At least, with him around, the capital city will not face destruction today!

And this group of Chaos God Church would certainly fear his authority and dare not disregard imperial power in this way again.

After finishing the story, Dekan first glanced at Pritzker, the commander of the First Army of the Reich.

Pritzker abruptly stood up and bowed to Dekan.

"Elector, as you say, I have the utmost admiration for you! You are a role model for our imperial soldiers, and I, Pritzker, will take any instructions you give as gospel!"

He spoke very tactfully to Dekan, each word spoken with force and conviction, as if from the bottom of his heart.

These words caused the other legion commanders present to twitch at the corners of their eyes.

This guy, who previously refused to submit to any faction, is now practically ready to snatch the cane from the red-haired man and swear allegiance!

However, Pritzker's Magic Power remained perfectly stable during his response, which proved that Pritzker's words were true, and his status as an Elector was beyond doubt!

"The empire still has talented people."

Dekan nodded in satisfaction.

Little Purser is still so sensible.

The path in this world is wider now.

No wonder he was given the name of sincerity by the devil back then.

Dekan's gaze then casually swept over the other legion commanders present.

The imperial powerhouses, whose stances were previously ambiguous or somewhat wavering, immediately followed Pritzker's example and bowed to Dekan without a second thought, regardless of whether Dekan saw them or not.

In this situation, neither siding with Ikatinos nor with Olivia will make a difference.

But standing next to this elector is definitely the right thing to do!

He is not only neutral, but also the true and absolute ruler of the empire!

He was the true savior who rescued these imperial people from their predicament.

"..."

Even Menelaus's expression on the notice board couldn't help but show the slightest change.

The situation has become so volatile that even if he managed to avoid mutual destruction with Ikatinos, it has slipped out of his control.

The powerful Elector, whose strength is unfathomable, coupled with the entire Imperial Army that was instantly unified, now seems to be the symbol of the rules.

The position of the electoral ministers is neutral, which also means that no one can disobey them.

Otherwise, the chosen minister would inevitably side with the other party.

Even Menelaus was unsure whether he could truly win if he were to face Ikatinos, along with the Elector and the commanders of the First and Second Army Groups—four ninth-ranked warriors—even with [Chaos Unleashing] activated.

Mie, standing behind Ikatinos, feigned a serious expression, trying her best to cooperate with Dekan's performance, but in her heart she was cursing Dekan for being so damn into character.

If she hadn't known the script, even she would have been fooled by this Imperial Election Minister!

In addition to being Dekan's stylist and makeup artist and making a cameo appearance in the scene, she also secretly assisted Clay in carrying out his business on multiple fronts. Standing at the best vantage point, she also had to act as a cameraman, using her recording magic to capture everything on set!

Mie couldn't help but feel glad that she had repeatedly refused to officially join the Beautiful Soul Squad; otherwise, the multi-talented Mia would definitely have become a super-working queen.

Recording all of this doesn't really serve much purpose, since it won't be widely publicized later anyway.

Dekan definitely wanted to show it to Cornelia.

Because Mie knew that Cornelia's favorite thing to watch was Dekan's shameless live performances.

The thought that she was working overtime for her good friend Cornelia temporarily suppressed Mie's resentment about working overtime.

"Thump!"

Dekan tapped the ground lightly with his cane, as if to remind everyone—

Now that his self-introduction was over, it was time for this farce of the empire, as he saw it, to come to an end.

"I don't want to complicate things, nor do I want to see unnecessary casualties. So Ikatinos and Olivia, my personal suggestion is that you follow the traditional rules of the Empire."

At this point, he looked at the two of them.

"You need not worry that anyone will use underhanded means to break the rules, or that anyone will dare to refuse to keep their promises after losing. Because I will be the upholder and enforcer of the rules."

When he spoke the last few words, his words were filled with unparalleled power and authority, as if even a powerhouse of Menelaus's caliber could be crushed by him if he dared to defy the rules!

"What do you think, Secretary Pritzker?"

After Dekan finished speaking, he asked Pritzker a question, as if he already considered him a trusted subordinate.

"You're right, you will definitely follow the rules!"

Pritzker raised his fist and responded emphatically.

After confirming the reliability of the Elector's promise, Ikatinos and Olivia quickly nodded in agreement.

They all knew what Dekan meant by "imperial traditions and rules".

Dekan continued:

"To prevent any misunderstandings in our understanding of the rules, I will now reiterate the Imperial Classic Duel Rules as I recall them, along with the current costs of victory and defeat. If I have made any mistakes, please feel free to point them out."

"In lieu of a large-scale battle, you two will either fight in person or appoint a proxy to engage in a duel. The victor will become the emperor of the empire as desired, while the loser will be forbidden from ever setting foot on imperial territory again or harming the empire. I will act as the impartial judge."

"If anyone violates the dueling rules, I will personally punish them, and if either party attempts to break the loser's oath in the future, I will force them to do so."

"According to some of the supplementary treaties in the Imperial Rules, also to make the judgments more objective and convincing, one or two assistant judges are required, who also follow the oath of the adjudicator,"

Dekan, having said this, glanced at Pritzker and Cynthia, the commander of the Second Army Group who had remained silent.

"Are you two willing to assist me as assistant referees, remaining completely neutral?"

He stretched out his hand towards Pritzker and Cynthia.

"I'm happy to serve adults."

Pritzker immediately stood up and went to Dekan's side, bowing deeply in respect.

"I, I'm fine."

The blindfolded Anti-Mage Cynthia paused for a moment, then quickly followed Pritzker's lead and came to Dekan's side, answering somewhat nervously.

Although she had sealed her eyes, she was absolutely certain that this Elector was not only terrifying in aura, but also incredibly gorgeous, rational, and captivating in appearance!

I must sneak off the blindfold later to see what he looks like...

Cynthia made a plan in her heart.

"Are you two, and if there are any agents, willing to swear an oath to the Empire's sacred dueling rules?"

Dekan asked.

Princess Olivia glanced at Menelaus, Menelaus hesitated slightly before nodding.

Although this red-haired man will inevitably become an obstacle for their Chaos God in the future, it's best to follow his rules for now.

At least his attitude was absolutely neutral, and he provided reasonable and credible rules.

Menelaus was quite certain that Ikatinos's injuries had not healed; not only was she in far worse shape than in her prime, but her old injuries could also recur at any time.

Meanwhile, Menelaus, in full condition, had already prepared countermeasures to completely counter Ikatinos, based on a review of their last Ikatinos!

Even if one of the reasons Ikatinos dared to return so hastily to fight for her life was that she had obtained the key poison magic from the Shadow Bishop, it was meaningless, as Menelaus had already foreseen this.

The odds are at least 80/20, and he has the power of the Chaos God to back him up. Only if Ikatinos loses will she face utter ruin.

"Mr. Menelaus will fight as my representative."

Olivia said.

Menelaus, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke up, "If absolute fairness can be achieved, I will abide by the rules of this duel."

Dekan nodded, then looked at Ikatinos.

Now it was Ikatinos who hesitated for a moment, and she asked with some worry:

Even if I win, will you still acknowledge me as emperor?

Dekan smiled slightly.

He naturally knew the worry that Ikatinos should be showing at this moment.

From the perspective of the Imperial Censor, she was the true rebel.

"I think you've managed the empire quite well during your time as Empress. If my old friends saw you taking charge of the empire, they probably wouldn't be disappointed. Please rest assured, I will not interfere in the empire's internal affairs; my only task is to resolve this conflict."

Dekan looked out of the rose window at the capital city outside the church, his eyes filled with an indescribable sense of loneliness.

His emotions seemed complex, yet easily understood by the Imperials.

Even though things have changed, he still hopes that the capital city will not be destroyed again.

That's all.

Finally, under the grand drama orchestrated by Dekan himself, both sides compromised.

Unrelated personnel were either temporarily removed or given the freedom to leave the church.

Only a few eighth-tier powerhouses will be able to remain here to witness the outcome of the upcoming battle.

Several tens of minutes later.

Accompanied by three referees, Ikatinos and Menelaus arrived at the Imperial Colosseum.

This ancient imperial building looks quite magnificent, with walls reaching hundreds of meters high, sturdy and thick metal fittings, and dense magical barriers along the edges of the stands, making the entire Colosseum look like a giant work of art cage.

The vast Colosseum was unusually empty at the moment, but after Ikatinos and Menelaus arrived, a few guests began to occasionally pour into the stands.

Although the spectator stands are a hundred meters away from the dueling area, the Colosseum's protective barrier cannot absolutely guarantee the safety of the spectators during a ninth-tier duel.

However, many nobles who had previously been asked to leave the church, Chaos cultists, imperial powerhouses, and residents of the capital city—people who disregarded the danger—still wanted to come and witness the event.

Compared to the devastating war that was about to erupt in the church at the beginning, it now seems incredibly safe.

And all of this is because there is a convincing and absolutely strong person guaranteeing it!

High above the edge of the Imperial Colosseum.

Dekan and the commanders of the First and Second Army Corps stood on the highest platform.

This area was originally reserved for the royal family during grand ceremonies.

But since the area was currently unoccupied, the three of them chose this spot to watch the game.

With Princess Olivia's voluntary transfer of authority, the Elector, as the referee, can also control many functions of the arena, such as its protective barrier.

This location is extremely far from the battlefield, which almost completely ensures that even if they wanted to intervene, it would be difficult to disrupt the match at crucial moments. Moreover, both the referees and the players have had their oaths verified by Pritzker.

Hello everyone. I'll just say a few words here.

Dekan raised his hand, gesturing to everyone in the Colosseum.

"Please ensure your safety in the audience. The referees will not be available to assist you during the duel."

"Please take good care of your belongings and valuables while watching, and try to look after the elderly and children around you. When you leave, please take your trash with you..."

After explaining the precautions, Dekan finally drawled out, "..."

"I declare—"

"The Capital Derby is now officially underway."

Both Ikatinos and Menelaus were already prepared for the battlefield.

After Dekan gave the order, the duel to the death began!

The Terror Magic Power pressure and spell fluctuations instantly stirred up storms, causing many onlookers who had initially looked on with anticipation to panic.

Menelaus floated high in the sky like a god, his entire body shrouded in an eerie and unpredictable radiance, and even the air was filled with an indescribable power!

Enveloped by Menelaus's gravity and pull, the already injured Ikatinos dared not get too close, and could only do her best to curse Menelaus.

Once a true ninth-tier battle begins, even with the protection of distance and the Colosseum's barrier, ordinary people in the stands can only feel the invisible pressure through the air. Even if they are not directly affected, they can feel that they are standing on ice!

Not only the body, but even the mind is like a small boat in a howling icy sea, in danger of falling into this boundless icy abyss and being destroyed at any moment!

Anyone afflicted by Ikatinos's curse, or who loses their grip on the stands and is pulled away by Menelaus's gravity, could be crushed like an ant in the clash of these behemoths, even if they are seventh or eighth-tier powerhouses.

Even though many people risked their lives to witness this unprecedented ninth-tier battle, they finally realized how insignificant humanity was in the face of the world's strongest monster.

"... horrible."

High in the stands, the abyss mage Pritzker narrowed his eyes.

He couldn't help but feel fortunate that he hadn't been in the capital back then.

Even though they were both at the ninth level, he knew he was no match for either of them.

But Pritzker felt no fear whatsoever at that moment.

All my sense of security comes from the Emperor's Chosen One by my side!

With him around, he's practically an organizer! And Ikatinos and Menelaus are just players!

"So, this card is one of Miss Ikatinos's biggest sources of confidence?"

Cynthia removed her blindfold on the other side and peeked at Dekan. She was tense and excited, but also a little afraid of being discovered, so she pretended to be paying attention to the battle and muttered to herself.

She could clearly sense that Ikatinos had stolen the [Netherbright Star Signs] from Cosmo, the High Priest of the Church of Calamity.

Generally speaking, stealing epic cards is unacceptable; even if a captive dies and perishes with the epic card, they will not be willing to break the soul bond.

Unless it's a particularly heinous crime, involving inhuman cruelty in torturing and abusing the captives to force them to hand over the epic card.

Forcibly removing the binding of an epic card in this way can cripple the cardholder, and in the worst case, cause damage to their soul and permanently lose an eight-cost card slot.

This [Netherbright Star Signs] will take up a full eight mana slot for Ikatinos and cannot be easily unbound.

Its buffs do not work on itself, and logically speaking, this kind of epic card with a group support effect is not suitable for Ikatinos, who is good at fighting alone.

However, at this moment, Ikatinos can use the weakening effect of [Netherbright Star Signs] to target Menelaus!

Without a doubt, Ikatinos worshipped the Goddess of Reincarnation and Fate, while Menelaus clearly did not believe in the Sun God Church and even harbored great hostility towards the Goddess!

"I doubt it. She can't defeat Menelaus, who beat her once, with just that. Her real trump card is probably Spell Card that Mie specifically created to counter her, so she can achieve a kill on her first encounter..."

Pritzker pondered, glancing at Dekan as if seeking his opinion.

However, Dekan smiled without saying a word, as if he already knew the answer.

There was a harmonious atmosphere on the referee's stand, like two little boys watching their father.

Several minutes passed, and the duel between the two top experts had reached a fever pitch.

The battles between the two sides so far seem to be a replay of their last confrontation!

They still haven't revealed the move that will truly determine the outcome!

Even with the help of [Netherbright Star Signs], Ikatinos was still at a disadvantage due to her poor physical condition on the battlefield.

By now, she not only looked exhausted, but her old injuries were also starting to flare up.

To make up for her disadvantage, Ikatinos even used her trump card [Pain Annihilation], which she had not used against Menelaus in the previous battle, early on.

As expected, Menelaus seemed to have anticipated her deadly move and prepared a countermeasure, perfectly avoiding it.

This time, not only is it difficult to force Menelaus to unleash [Chaos Unleashing], but even killing Menelaus in his unliberated state will be extremely difficult!

However, by this point, the key cards for Ikatinos and Menelaus had almost all entered a cooling-off period.

If neither side reveals their trump card, another round will be wasted.

But she can't afford to lose her form; the offensive pressure is on her!

Ikatinos took a deep breath.

The time has come.

At this moment, she changed tactics, no longer caring about the heavy pressure from the [Black Insect], and desperately approached Menelaus.

As countless cursed seals rushed towards Menelaus did not choose to dodge. With his back against the [Black Insect], he used the [Authority of Matter] to pull Ikatinos closer, intending to crush her!

Finally, just as the distance between the two shrank to within two meters, the magical storm formed by the intertwining of the heavy pressure and the curse seal seemed about to distort everything around them.

Ikatinos suddenly raised her left hand, as if to strangle Menelaus from a distance, and activated her most powerful mental magic [Absolute Mental Control]!

Menelaus seemed to be gradually losing control of his body, as if his body had been restrained by a puppeteer, becoming extremely stiff.

Despite the excruciating pain of Menelaus's [Chaos Termination] attack destroying her body, Ikatinos managed to forcibly control Menelaus!

This time, however, Menelaus had a strategy in place, recalling the [Black Insect] and [Authority of Matter] well before Ikatinos could take control of his mind.

Lacking the ability to finish off enemies, Ikatinos would certainly be unable to kill Menelaus within this short period of control!

Clearly, she's about to reveal her true trump card once she has Menelaus under control!

Menelaus's expression was cold, filled with disdain for Ikatinos.

He had actually been calculating Ikatinos's positioning all along.

To date, Ikatinos has used and revealed a total of 82 cost cards.

In other words, all she has left to rely on, the only card that could secure victory, is an eighth-tier card.

The eighth tier must be a highly targeted epic card that Mie created for Ikatinos.

This is also the upper limit of Mie's card-making ability!

However, Menelaus had already prepared a counter-card that could completely counter all poison magic.

[Divine Dispel]

[Category: Spell Card]

[Grade: Purple Rare]

[Class: 9]

[Effect: This card can be activated by thought even when under any controlled state, dispelling all status effects on the user, and granting the user immunity to abnormal status effects for 10 seconds after the status effects are dispelled.]

[Note: Forever flawless.]

This card is highly effective against Ikatinos, whose core strategy revolves around curse magic, and it also protects against all poison magic!

No matter what kind of Mie's card Ikatinos played, it couldn't change her fate of defeat!

However.

Menelaus sneered inwardly when he saw Ikatinos reveal her trump card.

It came to an abrupt end.

What she pulled out was a Tier 4 card?!

[Summon Recall]

[Category: Spell Card]

[Grade: Blue Precious]

[Class: 4]

[Effect: Forcefully pulls all summoned creatures within 200 meters of the caster back to the caster's side.]

[Note: Back to work!]

It's not even an epic!

It's just a generic card that's easy to buy on the market!

"What are you doing?"

Menelaus, seeing the enigmatic card in Ikatinos's hand, growled uneasily.

This situation, which he couldn't understand, actually made him worried despite his seemingly certain victory!

As far as Menelaus knows, Ikatinos's card distribution is an extreme pure mage build; aside from a few pieces of equipment, she never even carries any summons!

But even Menelaus couldn't understand what she was trying to do with this summoner's card!

But let's take a step back and say...

If even an eighth-tier card can't solve the problem, what situation can you possibly reverse with four plus four?!

"Snort,"

A sly smile curved Ikatinos's lips, and a rare smile appeared on her tired and aloof face.

"I am invoking the gods."

As she spoke, another fourth-tier Spell Card appeared in Ikatinos's hand—[Demon Curse Seal].

They launched their attack at the Elector on the judges' stand!

This card can grant friendly units the "Summon" attribute and a small attribute bonus equal to one-tenth of the user's attribute!

The next second, while the entire audience was completely bewildered...

The referee has arrived on the field!