Emperor Joan and 'Kenion,' the Martial God's personally accepted disciple, both immediately rose to their feet, smiling as they greeted Hedesen. Hedesen was an exceptionally affable person, and he returned the greetings to Emperor Joan and Master Kenion.
Shortly afterward, the three judges took their seats again.
Behind the judges' platform, there was another long row of seats, occupied by a large group of people — the imperial princes, princesses, empress, and consorts.
"Nina." Wotton spotted Nina among the group.
Nina had spotted Wotton too. Over the past while, the Emperor had forbidden Nina from leaving the palace, and the two of them had not seen each other in over a month. For people with the depth of feeling that Wotton and Nina shared, three days apart felt like three years. Being separated for over a month was an excruciating ordeal.
Wotton and Nina locked eyes, and from each other's gaze they read the deep concern and love flowing between them.
"Hmph." When Blumer saw this, he couldn't help but let out a cold snort. For an ordinary person, details would be invisible at a distance of several hundred meters. But Blumer's eyesight was extraordinary — he could make out every nuance of their exchanged glances.
Sometimes, having too sharp eyesight was not such a good thing.
The silver-haired elder turned toward Emperor Joan on the judges' platform. The Emperor nodded to him, and the silver-haired elder then announced in a booming voice: "Everyone, please quiet down! The decisive battle between the two great geniuses of our O'Brien Empire is about to begin. First to take the field is the Martial God's personally accepted disciple, Blumer!"
The challenger entered first; the one being challenged entered afterward. This was the rule.
Blumer had a long sword strapped to his back. Dressed in a fitted blue warrior's outfit, he took a single step and launched himself tens of meters forward, landing directly upon the fighting stage.
"Blumer!"
"Blumer!"
A great many among the eighty thousand spectators began to shout. Blumer clearly enjoyed considerable support. In the minds of many, the brothers Olivia and Blumer were the pride of the O'Brien Empire.
"Quiet," the silver-haired elder said with a smile. "Next, we have Wotton of the Dragon Blood Warrior family taking the field."
*Tsss* — Wotton tore off his shirt in one motion, baring his muscular upper body for all to see. The sight sent the spectators into a frenzy of excitement, and roars of approval erupted throughout the arena.
"Hmph." On the fighting stage, Blumer watched this display with nothing more than a disdainful snort.
Wotton then gripped the War Blade Slaughter and vaulted onto the stage. With his towering frame of over two meters, the massive war blade in hand, and his upper body completely bare —
Wotton radiated an air of raw, untamed ferocity.
Ferocity!
This primal intensity drove countless spectators into cheers and screams. The cries of "Wotton!" "Wotton!" rose in waves, and his supporters were every bit as numerous as Blumer's.
"What exactly makes Blumer worthy of being accepted as the Martial God's disciple? Today, everyone will find out," the silver-haired elder declared in his resonant voice. "And as for why the legendary Dragon Blood Warriors are called the ultimate warriors — today, you will see that as well."
"Now, I declare —"
The silver-haired elder's voice rose to a crescendo, "Let this battle begin!"
Almost in the instant his words fell, Wotton's body was engulfed from head to toe in jade-blue dragon scales. A dragon horn sprouted from his forehead, and a cyan dragon tail lashed behind him, sending tremors through the entire stage. Under the brilliant sunlight, the jade-blue scales blazed with a dazzling radiance.
"Oooh!"
A wave of astonished cries swept across the entire arena. Not a single spectator had ever witnessed a Dragon Blood Warrior's transformation before. Wotton's first transformation was utterly breathtaking.
But the shock lasted only a moment before giving way to even more frenzied cheering.
"A Dragon Blood Warrior?" The three judges on the platform leaned forward, eyes gleaming. Hedesen studied Wotton with particular interest. "If only he had reached the Saint Realm."
A Saint Realm Dragon Blood Warrior was said to be the supreme powerhouse within the Saint Realm.
And Hedesen, the Rock Sword Saint, was the foremost fighter of that very realm. It had been many years since he had tasted the sting of defeat. Against a true God-level expert, of course, he would certainly lose — but that kind of defeat, where one had no power to resist at all, was something even Hedesen could do nothing about.
He longed for a Saint Realm powerhouse who could defeat him.
Perhaps then he could grasp the final insight, break through the last barrier, and ascend to the God level.
"Is that a Dragon Blood Warrior?" A boy of eleven or twelve sitting beside Nina gripped her hand and whispered. Nina gazed at the figure on the fighting stage and nodded. "Yes. That is the legendary ultimate warrior — the strongest of them all."
Given her deep bond with Wotton, Wotton had long since demonstrated his transformation for her in private.
"Ha ha! A Dragon Blood Warrior — not bad," Blumer said, actually laughing aloud as he looked at Wotton. "But my Archisolen family has never believed that the four ultimate warriors are the strongest."
Blumer's eyes turned cold as he regarded Wotton. With a flick of his wrist, he drew the long sword from his back.
The blade was translucent, like a slab of ice. Under the sunlight, it refracted a dreamlike play of seven-colored light. Blumer regarded Wotton with a confident gaze and announced clearly: "This is the treasure sword 'Ice Dream,' bestowed upon me by my elder brother."
Wotton hefted the War Blade Slaughter and replied in a cold voice: "The War Blade Slaughter — heirloom treasure of my Baruch Family, and the personal weapon of the very first Dragon Blood Warrior."
"Oh?" Blumer let out a cold laugh.
The entire stage fell completely silent. Every single spectator had eyes wide open, drinking in every detail of this battle between two geniuses, afraid to miss even a single moment.
*Whoosh!*
In the blink of an eye, Blumer vanished from his spot. A sudden gust of wind materialized across the stage from nowhere — the violent wake of Blumer's extreme speed.
The gust of wind washed over Wotton's face, yet Wotton remained standing in place, motionless.
"Hm?" Wotton suddenly noticed a figure of Blumer appearing to his left. He pivoted to charge forward and attack, only to feel a violent rush of air hurtling toward him from the right.
Indeed.
On his right side — that was the real Blumer.
Blumer smirked coldly at Wotton, the Ice Dream sword swinging down mercilessly. But Wotton, whose back was turned, lashed his dragon tail like a steel whip, striking with tremendous force.
*Crack!* The tail slammed into the Ice Dream sword, and its tip whipped across Blumer's body.
*Boom!*