NOVPUBThe intense battle erupting in Desperate Arena plunged every noble in Franklin Hall into a state of shock.
Although Desperate Arena, in the name of fairness, isolated the sounds to avoid outside interference and aid, just seeing the magic aftershock blocked by the barrier made the nobles shudder, the silent flashes of light were enough to chill their spines.
For beings of sixth-order and below, an eighth-order battle was like the wrath of gods, any creature involved would be crushed instantly.
Three uniquely shaped demons closed in on Asksan, forming an invincible frontline.
They were both Sigrid’s sturdy shield and lethal spear against Asksan.
The vanguard demon was the most agile. Even though she held no weapon, every move she made carried an invisible blade, leaving clear cuts on the ground with every ear-piercing swoosh of air.
The midfielder demon appeared mysterious, its body blurred as if made of abyssal water, with endless dark fluctuations rippling through it.
With him standing in the middle, all of Asksan’s attacks and defensive intentions seemed to be seen through and accurately conveyed to the other two demons. As a central command, he occasionally summoned a wide range of dark powers that could swallow everything, intending to drag Asksan into the endless abyss.
The last demon, while appearing lethargic, could cover the Desperate Arena with curse marks with a simple wave of her hand. These marks quickly spun and fused in the air, forming an impregnable airborne barrier, precisely protecting the other two demons and resisting Asksan’s fierce counterattacks.
Bishop of Nirvana, Asksan shuttled through the Desperate Arena.
Facing the siege of three demons, he was in a desperate struggle and every evasion was filled with a desperate determination.
Even the nobles in the seats who didn’t understand magic could understand the fact that Asksan had slim chances of winning if he kept on fighting this way.
"Is this really a battle between a summoner and a sealer?"
A noble in the audience couldn’t help but express such doubt.
Typically, a summoner in combat would have to personally act as the tactical commander, giving all effort to provide the summons with combat orders and enhancement magic, while the summoner themselves could also participate in combat to disrupt the opponent.
Yet these three summons, seemed to have full consciousness, were hell-bent on taking Asksan down!
"I have a feeling this looks more like a gang beating, but I have no proof."
"But when you see the infuriated and cursing expression of Asksan, it seems like he too thinks Sigrid is not playing a fair one-on-one game."
There was much discussion amongst those seated in the grand hall.
At this moment, the female demon at the back had already built a translucent bar and chairs with her pale blue magic power, inviting Sigrid to sit down, and waiting on his commands at the side just like a bartender, showing her professional skills.
If it weren’t for the fact that no beverages were allowed into Desperate Arena, she would probably already be making a cocktail for Sigrid.
"Look, this magic is so bright."
"Indeed, but the king taught us that if you use seventh-order or above magic as fireworks or light shows in the urban area of his homeland, you will be fined heavily even if it does not cause public damage. Once, a friend of his, who is both a teacher and a friend, was fined a lot by the city hall for forcibly dismantling a barrier to stop an abrupt campus competition."
"So his friend is quite powerful then. Why would a campus competition accidentally escalate to that level?"
"The king didn’t say."
Sigrid was doing nothing, just sitting in the chair looking at Asksan being chased by two eighth-order epic demons far away, occasionally chatting with the demon next to him.
On the other side, Asksan was surrounded and beaten by the three Great Demon Clan members, no matter how furious he was, he didn’t have the energy to vent his anger at Sigrid’s shamelessness anymore.
All his rage turned into a grim smile.
Because at this moment, Sigrid, who thought he held the winning ticket, had no idea what was about to happen!
On the outside of the Desperate Arena, to the right of the conference hall, on the seat of the Grand Priest of Nirvana.
A figure, seemingly watching the intense battle in the center of the hall attentively.
Mixed in with the tense and expectant atmosphere of the hall, the conduct of the Grand Priest of Nirvana seemed even more secretive and profound.
His thoughts and calculations were hidden behind this desperate battle, waiting for the right timing to reveal his trump card.
The clone of Asksan left outside the arena continuously shifts its gaze around the upper area on the left side of Franklin Hall.
There sat the southern nobles of the Upper House.
Although it was slightly difficult to devote attention to the clone outside the battlefield, Asksan was certain that this magic aura was somewhere close by.
Analyzing the magic fluctuations from the suspected individuals in the wide Franklin Hall, he would be able to filter out the Saint of Hegemony sooner or later based on his magic characteristics.
According to his inference.
Asksan believed the greatest possibility is that the Saint of Hegemony was a minor noble.
The probability of him being in the Upper House was higher than that in the Lower House.
Next, the chances of the Saint of Hegemony being among the southern nobles were the highest, followed by the eastern ones, and the northern nobles were the least likely.
Thus, he should begin by searching among the southern nobles.
He just needed a little more time, just long enough to hold off the three demons in the battlefield for a moment more.
Foolish Sigrid and her three devil hounds have no idea what is about to happen.
The moment he finds the Saint of Hegemony will be his moment of turning the tide and making Sigrid regret for a lifetime!
Inside the Desperate Arena, rich gray mana constantly flashes around Asksan’s body, condensing into sealing runes. Under his control, he shifts from offense to defense, fending off the onslaught of the three demons as much as possible.
However, the demons fight cunningly and brutally. Like hunters in the dark, they launch surprise attacks at Asksan from every angle.
The solid shield of the Barrier Demon, the sharp blade of the Cutting Demon, the endless darkness of the Abyss Demon, every round of coordinated discipline is draining Asksan’s energy and mana.
They are obviously creatures, not summons!
Summons would have fought him to death.
However, these three demons don’t want to sacrifice their lives, they purely want to exhaust him without injury.
Unfortunately, this was a misstep!
The battle continues, with the aroma of iron-casting and sporadic sparks filling the barrier. Asksan’s body is covered in wounds, but his eyes are blazing with flames.
After several encounters, Asksan suddenly enlarges his sealing skill range. A number of sealing magic circles overlap around him and form a large disc-shaped barrier.
When the demons’ attack hit the barrier, the runes on the barrier react like living beings, absorbing and transforming these attacks, reflecting them back to the demons.
The reflection power of the barrier is extraordinarily strong. Even the three demons felt alert. Instead of breaking through forcefully, waiting for the barrier to fade naturally might be a better strategy.
Under the command of the central demon, the three demons change their offensive measures to regroup and deploy tactically, no longer as reckless as before.
At this point, the desperate fight has already reached a white-hot stage where every collision can determine the outcome in the next moment.
This critical defensive sealing skill that Asksan finally employ could only buy him a few seconds to focus on the outside world.
The avatar he left on the Grand Priest of Nirvana’s seat outside the arena has its brow furrowed.
Something’s wrong.
Why can’t any of the seats for the southern and Hegemony branches match the magic frequency?
The east side has also been screened, but since the seats of the Eastern nobles and senators are far away, there are few suspicious people.
Could it be that that guy is actually hiding in the northern seats?
Moreover, it is faintly discernible.
Asksan always feels the Saint of Hemony is closer to him than he thought.
That feeling is like an itch on his body that he couldn’t place. Every time he tried to scratch it he missed the spot, as if he got the location entirely wrong.
The more he thinks about it, the more agitated he becomes, causing the arm of Asksan’s avatar to tremble slightly.
Just then.
Asksan’s avatar felt a magic aura, like a thread touching his body.
The frequency of this magic is precisely that of the Saint of Hegemony he’s been seeking!
For the weak, even a glance cast on the strong will generate magic fluctuations and be counter-detected by the strong.
Asksan, an eighth-order mage who’s highly sensitive to magic, could immediately detect such subtle magic changes ——
It’s as if the Saint of Hegemony, for some reason, started observing him!
Well, good spot to walk into a trap, huh?!
Although Asksan does not know the purpose of the Saint of Hegemony observing him at this moment, Asksan is confident that only he could feel that crude and immature magic fluctuation. The opponent has no idea —— that this secret observation has been caught by him, Asksan!
The Saint of Hegemony is right behind him.
Finally, I found you!
Asksan chuckled slyly, the cruel smile at the corner of his mouth was that of a hunter that had found the prey’s weakness.
He slowly turned his head back.
Only to find a pair of emerald-green eyes staring at him.
The confused and concerned look seemed to ask, sir, are you not feeling well?
At that moment.
The eyes of Asksan’s avatar widened.
Because the person he saw was——
Rocky McCarthy!!
