Even so, Drogba displayed astonishing willpower. Even when unconscious, he seemed to be struggling to stand on the testing ground, refusing to fall. This tragic scene moved countless people around him.
On the opposite side, his opponent, [ Wind and Thunder Staff ] Kanute, was also covered in shocking fist marks. His armor and soft armor were all cracked by the force of the punches. The Wind and Thunder Staff, made of fine steel, was twisted into a crooked rope by the brute force of the two. Blood kept seeping from Kanute's mouth, nose and ears. His huge body was swaying, but he managed to stand up.
Kanute was originally stronger than Drogba, but he chose to fight head-on and suffered a serious injury.
Two true warriors.
Sword Testing Platform No. 6.
The performance of the extremely popular female mercenary Elena has driven countless fans into a complete frenzy.
Her opponent was another member of the [ Twin Peerless Beacon Fire Staffs ] from the Kingdom of Gudong— [ Blazing Flame Staff ] Hulk.
This expert, who defeated Oleg, whom some bards sang about as "whoever meets him is meeting Despairer," in yesterday's match, was originally considered by many to be a strong contender for the top seven. However, he barely withstood twenty moves under Elena's arrow, and was ultimately defeated by the beautiful mercenary's arrow, which shattered Hulk's giant club, pierced his left shoulder, and forced him to retreat below the testing platform.
"Terrifying destructive power; even with [ Wind and Thunder Staff ] Kanute's strength, he was completely outmatched?"
"Hmph, the [ Goddess of the Bow ] once shattered the [ Water Curtain Heaven Flower ] barrier with a single arrow; her strength has long surpassed that of Seven-Star Class. How could Kanute possibly be a match for her..."
On the sword-testing platform not far away.
[ One Finger Shatters Heaven ] Čech, who had always maintained an extremely low profile, encountered [ Silver-Armored Berserker ], who was known as the 'most arrogant and high-profile madman'.
This match was described as the most bizarre of all six matches in this round. The two sides were evenly matched at the beginning, and for the first forty minutes, the game was a close contest with neither side having the upper hand.
To everyone's surprise, at the forty-first minute, the magnificent silver armor of the [ Silver-Armored Berserker ], covered in wondrous patterns, suddenly flashed with a blinding silver light, stinging everyone's eyes. When the silver light faded, Čech was already lying on the testing platform, his life hanging in the balance...
[ Silver-Armored Berserker ], hands on hips, laughed like an idiot, declaring that even if [ One Sword ] and King of Chambord arrived, they wouldn't be his match...
"Can anyone tell me how that arrogant guy managed to win?"
What exactly was that silver light?
"A flash of silver light, and [ One Finger Shatters Heaven ] was already defeated..."
Amidst the murmurs of the crowd, the referee loudly announced the winner of the match. Several Urban Management from Chambord City, who had been waiting nearby, leaped onto the testing platform, glared at the [ Silver-Armored Berserker ] who was posing like an idiot with his hands on his hips, and then carried the unconscious Čech back to the Chambord camp...
On the tenth sword-testing platform.
This was the most predictable yet most nerve-wracking match.
The most popular young girl idol Fernando Torres, has encountered his most formidable opponent—[ One Sword Son of the Wind ].
The facts are as most people guessed--
Facing the so-called " One Sword " technique, which boasts the ability to "hold stalemate with the enemy and only strike One Sword," Torres had no chance. A streak of sword light shot out from beneath the rusty blade, instantly shattering ten Wolf Fang steel arrows into iron filings. Torres ' magical artifact, the Bow of the Eagle, was also split in two. Had the blond youth not been wearing the Sagittarius Star Cloth, this One Sword would likely have already cut him in two at the waist...
Once the One Sword is drawn, there will be no second strike.
It was this incredibly strange rule of "[ One Sword ]" that allowed Torres to escape with his life. Otherwise, given the power of "[ One Sword ]", a second strike would have been unbearable for the already severely injured Torres.
But the reality is different from what most people guessed.
Many people could see that [ One Sword ]'s performance in this duel was very different from the previous ones. Just now, his One Sword clearly revealed a heavy killing intent, obviously intending to kill his opponent in One Sword strike. However, no one expected that Torres's Star Cloth would be so tough and miraculous, actually negating his unparalleled sword energy.
In the end, he even showed obvious hesitation and ultimately did not strike a second time, which saved Son of the Wind 'Torres life.
"It seems [ One Sword ] has begun to harbor hostility towards our Chambord City."
The warden Oleg, who had recovered from his injuries, saw everything that happened on the testing platform. He quickly ordered the Urban Management to carry Torres back to the Chambord camp, while whispering to Inzaghi and Robben beside him.
"No matter what, he is no match for Master." Inzaghi stared at [ One Sword ]'s departing figure and said softly but firmly.
On the Number Two testing platform, another highly anticipated duel is unfolding.
This is a duel between Xindi, the Magic Princess the Bulan Kingdom [ First Goddess ], and the most Bloody and cruel master of this Martial Combat Competition [ Bloody Twin Blades ].
One of them is a Magic Princess, favored by all the gods and known as the " First Goddess," with jade-like skin, unparalleled beauty, and peerless charm. The other is a mysterious and Bloody Bone Blade, ruthless and cruel, with unfathomable strength, who has never left a survivor under his twin blades.
Countless people want to know: after this duel, will the Bloody swordsman receive his just deserts, or will the beautiful, ethereal Magic Princess suffer the horrific fate of having her bones removed?
This is the most suspenseful showdown.
However, so far, there are no signs of either side winning or losing.
Although the Magic Princess Xindi was hailed by the Empire's First Bard as a contender to rival King of Chambord and [ One Sword ] for the ultimate title of the greatest martial artist, in today's duel, this peerless Magic Princess has yet to demonstrate any strength worthy of such praise.
The strangely shaped twin blades in [ Bloody Twin Blades ] moved like a Whirlwind, so fast that their form was barely visible, just a black shadow, impossible to catch with the naked eye. Each strike was merciless, aimed at the vital parts of the graceful body in the center.
Meanwhile, the graceful Magic Princess Xindi remained motionless, her slightly parted red lips uttering a series of low, obscure sounds, while a silver, circular magical shield of ice protected her lithe figure.
In an instant, the Magic Princess, with her beautiful eyes closed as if asleep, holding a giant war staff in one hand, possessed unparalleled grace and exquisite features.
On the sword-testing platform, the sharp wind emanating from the twin swords pierced through the icy, circular, jade-colored protective shield, ruffling the Magic Princess's hair and causing her wide magic robe to billow behind her. The robe clung tightly to her body, highlighting her high, rounded breasts, her slender waist that could be encircled with a single hand, and her long, straight legs. Under the reflection of the jade-colored flames of the icy shield, she appeared even more stunningly beautiful, breathtakingly gorgeous.
This duel turned into a protracted battle.
The bizarre twin blades of the [ Bloody Twin Blades ] swept over the beautiful figure like a storm of blades, but the jade-colored ice shield, radiating waves of invisible coldness, firmly blocked the blades. Although white cracks appeared on the ice shield from time to time, they quickly disappeared with the continuous replenishment of magic power from the Magic Princess. The twin blades, which had cut through the flesh and blood of countless masters, struck the jade-colored ice shield as if striking steel, producing bursts of metallic clang and even sparks.
This situation continued for an hour.
The tens of thousands of spectators below the testing platform showed no impatience; on the contrary, they became increasingly tense. Everyone's heart was in their throat. Everyone understood that this seemingly calm situation was actually extremely dangerous. The two combatants were in a dilemma, and if they accidentally revealed a flaw, they would immediately suffer a fatal backlash!
Gasps of astonishment filled the air. The outcome no longer depended on who had the deeper cards, but on whose endurance was stronger.
Time passed, and the other six matches had all ended. After the matches concluded, the entire crowd gathered to watch this one.
Among them were Sun Fei, [ Wind and Thunder Staff ] Kanute, [ Silver-Armored Berserker ], and others who appeared in the crowd, quietly observing the match.
The Empire Ranking Competition has progressed to this point, and all the winners are absolute masters. Therefore, it is necessary to observe the matches of one's opponents in order to find the weaknesses of those who may threaten one's own position, especially masters like the Magic Princess Xindi, who have been praised by the Empire's First Bard Materazzi.
Everyone understands that no one who has made it this far has gotten in by sheer luck—oh, of course, there is one exception: Prince Andrei Shevchenko of a second-class vassal state. His luck is astonishing; it's like he stepped in dog poop on his way out. He received a bye in this round of the draw and advanced directly to the top seven without having to compete.
With 40,000 to 50,000 people watching, the match lasted for four hours, far exceeding everyone's expectations.
Sun Fei watched until he was halfway through, then chose to leave.
He had already foreseen the final outcome of this somewhat peculiar duel.
Because he saw that the legs of the black-clad man with the [ Bloody Twin Blades ], who had been running wildly, began to tremble. As time passed, the shadowy figure that was almost invisible to the naked eye gradually became discernible, and the speed of the pair of twin blades that were as fast as the wind also slowed down.
While this level of slowness might be imperceptible to ordinary samurai and spectators, it was a fatal opportunity for a master like the Magic Princess to turn the tide and win.
Fourth update