The letter from the [ Letters and Visits Office ] mentioned the Church's secret investigation, but it wasn't as detailed as Paris's account. After all, the [ Letters and Visits Office ] was still relatively new and couldn't compare to established forces like Paris's that controlled a significant portion of the capital. However, besides the Church's activities, the letter also compiled a list of recent developments by various forces in the capital. The two of them had essentially figured out the existence of both overt and covert forces in the capital.
It must be admitted that both Zola and Modrić are talents in intelligence. The [ Letters and Visits Office ] is like a seed that is secretly sprouting and growing, constantly infiltrating every aspect of the empire under their control. Sun Fei is not in a hurry to reap the rewards. One day, the [ Letters and Visits Office ] can also become a super intelligence organization on the continent like [ Heaven Search ] and [ Earth Inquiry ].
Sun Fei has been acting very leisurely these past two days, never stepping out of the gates of the Chambord camp. In reality, he's just doing what the Church's intelligence agents, who are secretly observing and monitoring him, are doing.
After all, in the Necromancy incident, Sun Fei is currently only a potential suspect. If the Church cannot find any truly damaging evidence against Sun Fei over a long period of time, they will eventually withdraw such surveillance.
The next day.
In the center of the training ground, at Number One Sword-Testing Platform.
The finals of the Empire Ranking Competition's elite stage are about to begin.
Tens of thousands of people frantically crowded around the fencing platform. Apart from the rest area for the participants from the two finalists' countries and the VIP viewing area, everywhere was packed with people, so tightly packed that not even a needle could get through the gaps between them.
To avoid having their view blocked by the big guys, some people even brought stools to stand on and watch the fight. Those greedy guys who went even further and brought ladders were beaten into pig heads by those whose view was blocked.
In the short span of less than four hours since dawn, countless bloody fights have broken out over front-row viewing spots. Even soldiers maintaining order at the Imperial Capital Public Security Office have been caught in the crossfire, suffering head injuries and bleeding.
Everything indicated that this was the most anticipated match.
The number of royal court magicians guarding the sword-testing platform increased from ten to twenty. Apart from the leader, who had white hair and beard and looked somewhat old, the other nineteen were all young and vigorous magicians, dressed in gilded and red-stamped magic robes. Their eyes held a hint of curiosity and anticipation as they stood around the platform, each twenty meters apart, waiting for the competition to begin.
In the VIP viewing area, the Second Prince Dominguez, the Eldest Princess Natasha, the Witch Paris, the Fourth Prince Christo, and the heads of more than a dozen families and noble groups in the capital all appeared in the seating area.
Despite the fierce battle between the princess and the Witch Paris that took place atop East Mountain in Chambord City, they appeared remarkably amicable in public. Seated close together, they frequently exchanged smiles and greetings. The two ethereal beauties sitting side-by-side attracted the furtive glances of countless men, but only a few could see the dazzling, Sharp Sword -like sparks that ignited between their beautiful eyes when they locked gazes.
In the rest area of Chambord City, Lampard, the Heng and Ha Generals ], and other top warriors from Xiangbo were all present. Dozens of experts surrounded Princess Angela like stars around the moon. The warriors' formidable strength and the princess's unparalleled beauty immediately attracted the attention of countless people.
On the sword-testing platform.
Sun Fei and Shevchenko stood facing each other.
The referee had already announced the start of the match, but the two did not draw their swords and fight immediately. Compared to the frenzied scene of countless enthusiastic people shouting and urging them on from below the stage, the two on the stage were not as tense as many people imagined when they first met.
" Andrei hasn't even thanked His Majesty for sending someone to deliver the medicine yet, otherwise, I probably wouldn't even be able to stand up today, let alone participate in the competition." Shevchenko's massive, unsharpened black sword was stuck in a crevice in the rock beside him, like a stone tablet. With his shield on his back, his strong physique and resolute face made him easy to like.
"I simply want to know just how strong the person who defeated [ One Sword ] truly is," Sun Fei said with a slight smile.
Sun Fei knew that the medicine he sent had indeed had some therapeutic effect, but the main reason was the treatment by the physicians and mages around Shevchenko. In this world, as long as the injury wasn't particularly serious, it could always be recovered quickly with some unconventional treatment methods. It was clear that Shevchenko cared a lot about this battle.
What puzzled Sun Fei was that, although Shevchenko was resolute and strong, he didn't possess the unstoppable, mad, and demonic energy seen in the Diwei Crystal camera. His demeanor and gaze were completely different, like two entirely different people. Why such a huge contrast? Was it because his strength hadn't fully recovered?
Just as Sun Fei was filled with doubt, Shevchenko respectfully bowed, removed the pale yellow wooden-textured round shield from his back, and flicked it with his backhand to grasp the hilt of the black sword.
call!
In that instant, a strange change occurred.
A silent aura permeated the air, like a colorless flame quietly burning.
Sun Fei raised his eyebrows. The moment Shevchenko gripped his sword, he sensed an indescribable change.
It seemed that the opponent standing before him had changed completely.
" Flame Slash!!"
From slightly naive to suddenly going mad, it was all in an instant. Then, the domineering and explosive roar stunned countless people's eardrums. Suddenly, the black sword was covered with fiery red flames, like a burning, fallen pillar of heaven, and crashed down with a sharp whistling sound.
Clang!
Sun Fei instantly Summon his steel barbed gauntlets and slammed his fist into the sword.
The two enormous forces collided, producing a deafening roar. Blown-bright sparks erupted from the point where fists and swords met. The twenty mages beside the testing platform were so shocked by the noise that they turned pale and quickly cast Silence Spell spells on themselves. Some of the spectators nearby were unlucky, with quite a few suffering bleeding ears from the shock.
Sun Fei felt a numbness in his arms as a fire-attribute power seeped into his arms through his gauntlets, and the recoil made him involuntarily take a step back.
Meanwhile, Shevchenko stumbled back four or five steps, bracing his greatsword behind him and sending Mars flying across the hard stone before regaining his footing.
"What immense power! Innate superhuman strength!" Sun Fei looked at Shevchenko and understood a little about it.
He discovered that once the shield and sword were in hand, this opponent was like a completely different person, his entire body shrouded in a frenzied demonic aura. The indomitable and domineering aura that he had witnessed in the Diwei Crystal camera had finally returned to Shevchenko.
" Turning Dragging Sword Slash!!"
Amidst a frenzied roar, the massive black sword transformed into a Whirlwind. Using the sword's swirling force, the human body was violently torn apart, a dark light enveloping Shevchenko's body within it. A storm of cold, gleaming blades swept towards Sun Fei in an instant.
Clang clang clang clang!!!
A series of deafening roars rang in everyone's ears, and huge shockwaves created ripples of transparent water in the air, while sparks flying everywhere were as dazzling as Mars in the night.
In the blink of an eye, their fists and swords clashed no less than a hundred times.
Then the two figures shot backward and separated.
Sun Fei.
Shevchenko retreated eight steps.
Despite his chest heaving violently and his breathing becoming unstable, Shevchenko's aura grew stronger and stronger. His frenzied aura surged wildly, becoming even more terrifying. Almost the instant he was knocked back, the black sword instantly spun back, and his figure pounced back at an even faster speed.
" The One-Character Slashing Technique!!!"
With a ferocious momentum, the black sword slashed down like lightning, forming a straight line. Although simple, it was the most powerful and best embodied the spirit of the "slash" technique. It was the most sharp, as if it were about to split the heavens and the earth.
"Hahaha, great! You've come at the right time!"
In [ Barbarian Mode ], Sun Fei hadn't encountered an opponent in a long time who could give him a truly exhilarating experience in head-on combat. Although he couldn't fully unleash his power, he finally delivered the most direct, shocking, fierce, and domineering feeling. He couldn't help but shout that he was fighting fiercely. When he saw Shevchenko's ' One-Character Slashing Technique ' coming down on him, he didn't even try to match it. Instead, he clashed his fists together, striking the blade of the black sword and forcefully blocking the terrifying One Sword head-on.
In the past three days, Sun Fei's strength has been increasing rapidly. After killing monsters and leveling up again last night, his Barbarian character has advanced to level 80, which is equivalent to the strength of Nine-Star Class Intermediate Stage the real world. This is far superior to Shevchenko's strength. Therefore, this move, the " One-Character Slashing Technique," was effortless for him, except for a slight numbness in his palm.
"Open, open, open, open, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go!"
In a frenzied state, Shevchenko roared repeatedly, his eyes even turning blood red. The veins on his hands, gripping the sword hilt, bulged, and his muscles stood out like the roots of an old tree, clearly showing that he was exerting all his strength.
However, the black sword could not be moved even slightly!
Sun Fei shook his head slightly.
Judging from today's match, [ One Sword ]'s defeat was indeed somewhat unjust. In terms of true strength, Shevchenko could threaten this swordsman, but to defeat him would be extremely difficult. It's just a pity that [ One Sword ]'s performance in the semi-finals was so strange and below par that he was worn down by Shevchenko.
Why did [ One Sword ] underperform? That remains a mystery!
Meanwhile, Sun Fei had already discovered some secrets about Shevchenko's condition.
Shevchenko enters a magical state during battle, a state of complete madness. Such a person is somewhat like the dual personality in the legends of the past. He is usually unremarkable, but when he comes into contact with certain people or things, he instantly transforms into another personality, as if he has become a different person.
This dual personality of Shevchenko is such that, under normal circumstances, he is just a straightforward man with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a resolute face, but when he grasps the hilt of that black sword and that light yellow wooden shield, he instantly enters another personality state—a state of madness!
In this frenzied state, Shevchenko can unleash robotic strength and stability, becoming more courageous and resilient with each battle and setback.
Clang!
Sun Fei clenched his fists, releasing his Nine-Star Class power in an instant before withdrawing it.
Buzz buzz buzz!!
Under such immense and incredible power, the giant black sword flew out of Shevchenko's hand as if struck by lightning. The heavy blade vibrated rapidly, emitting a series of infrasound-like tremors, before falling from the sky with a deafening crash, as if an ancient mountain had collapsed. It slammed onto the stone surface, nearly collapsing the entire testing platform, causing a thunderous tremor.
The gasps of astonishment from all around resounded like a raging storm between heaven and earth.
What happened next confirmed Sun Fei's guess—after the black sword was knocked away, the terrifying blood-red flames in Shevchenko's eyes gradually disappeared, his gaze went from madness to confusion, then from confusion to clarity, and finally to a state of perfect understanding. He withdrew from his madness and became the same cheerful and resolute man he was before he held the sword.
Second update.
Now I'll go to the comments section and add it to the featured posts.
By the way, let me mention the plot. What follows is a high-speed, exciting phase, because the groundwork laid in the early stages, including the competition, has already been written.