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nEngert’s success and downfall both hinged on his Plate Armor.

nWithout the Plate Armor, Engert wouldn’t have been able to pressure Sword Seven to such an extent.

nFor instance, the first arrow that hit wouldn’t have stunned Sword Seven if Engert had been wearing Leather Armor.

nInstead, he might have been controlled by Sword Seven’s Charge skill and faced defeat.

nUnfortunately, Engert hadn’t anticipated Sword Seven suddenly unleashing a wide-range skill with a high frequency of attacks.

nIf he hadn’t shielded himself with his arms over his head, a few hits would have caused him serious trouble.

nBut Sword Seven seized this opportunity to close in and launch a continuous barrage of attacks.

nTrue, Sword Seven couldn’t inflict severe damage on Engert, who wore Plate Armor. But Engert’s high Defense Value came from his equipment; his physical constitution was relatively weak.

nTherefore, the giant sword continuously striking the Plate Armor caused vibrations that injured Engert, leading him to cough up blood and faint.

nIt must be said, the class counter was quite evident.

nIf Engert hadn’t been so hasty and waited for a magus or similar awakened to challenge, he likely could have won.

nHowever, to qualify, one must win at least five consecutive battles, and inevitably, someone would challenge him with a class that countered his.

nSo, him stepping up early didn’t make much difference.

nAfter defeating Engert, Sword Seven didn’t hesitate.

nHe closed his eyes and sat down cross-legged, quickly taking the opportunity to restore his HP and MP values.

nWitnessing this scene, the eyes of countless awakened lit up.

nSword Seven’s performance had been too impressive, deterring most awakened from daring to challenge him.

nBut seeing him now in a weakened state, their courage was reignited, and several of them rushed towards the stone platform.

nUltimately, a burly man wielding a shield in one hand and a hammer in the other was the first to ascend the stage.

n“Sword Seven, it’s time to wake up,” Glutton called out, having heard Sword Seven introduce himself earlier.

nHowever, Sword Seven appeared to ignore Glutton’s reminder.

nGlutton, not one to be overly kind, didn’t change his expression but simply smiled and announced, “Begin!”

nHis declaration momentarily startled the burly man, who then couldn’t help but grin, “Looks like my luck is really good, encountering someone heavily injured! Hahaha!”

nBefore the man could finish laughing, Sword Seven suddenly opened his eyes and forcefully hurled his giant sword.

nThe sword, immensely heavy, tore through the air with a whooshing sound.

nCaught off guard by this sudden attack, the burly man’s face turned pale.

nHe hastily raised his shield, but it was a calculated move by Sword Seven – he was too slow.

nThe shield was only halfway up when the giant sword slammed heavily into his chest, causing him to stagger backward.

nSimultaneously, Sword Seven closed in, grasping the hilt of his giant sword and launching a sweeping kick.

nBang!

nWith a loud crash, the burly man was kicked off the platform before he could even execute a skill.

nAfter landing, the burly man quickly sprang to his feet, his cheeks flushed red.

nHe stammered, “How could he launch a surprise attack?”

n“A surprise attack?” Glutton chuckled. “I clearly announced the start. It was your own complacency. Are you saying you can’t accept defeat?”

n“He deliberately tricked me!” The man continued to argue. “There should be a rematch!”

nEveryone present was no fool.

nThe burly man knew full well that Sword Seven resorted to such tactics due to his weakened state, aiming for a swift and decisive strike.

nA burst of laughter followed. “This guy seems to be the newly promoted protector from the Shield Bearer Guild, known as the youngest ever, a new generation talent among shield bearers. Who would have thought he’d be so shameless?”

n“His name is Edmund Reagan, right?”

n“So, is this the kind of shamelessness that the Shield Bearer Guild stands for?”

nHearing these comments, Edmund Reagan immediately defended himself, “I was ambushed! I didn’t even get to show my true strength. How can that be considered a fair defeat?”

n“Haha, young man, you want a rematch, don’t you?” Glutton asked with a sly smile.

nHearing this, Edmund Reagan thought Glutton was agreeing with him.

nAfter all, he was one of the higher-ups in the guild.

nEven if a minor one, many in the faction had to give him face – the guild was directly under the Alliance, after all.

nSo, Edmund Reagan nodded and said, “I hope the senior will grant my request!”

n“Sure, sure.” Glutton continued to smile amiably. Just as Edmund Reagan was about to express his thanks, he saw a massive, ferocious beast’s phantom suddenly emerge behind Glutton.

nIn the next moment, an overwhelming force erupted, and Edmund Reagan, light as a feather, was directly sucked into the maw of the fearsome creature.

nWitnessing this scene, the pupils of the numerous spectating awakened sharply constricted.

nThey could sense a strong scent of blood in the air.

nFollowing that, the phantom of the gluttonous beast spat out Edmund Reagan.

nHowever, by then, Edmund Reagan was reduced to nothing but bones.

nA collective gasp of shock rippled through the crowd, leaving them stunned.

nThey had anticipated that Glutton and his companions would be powerful, but they never expected Glutton to kill a defense-oriented fighter in just a breath’s time!

nGlutton, still smiling, dispelled the phantom of the gluttonous beast and glanced over the crowd, saying cheerfully, “I hope I won’t have to make such a move again.”

nHearing this, the awakened couldn’t help but internally comment – with his strength, who could possibly trouble him?

n“Congratulations to Sword Seven for achieving five consecutive victories. You may step down and rest now. When another fighter with five wins challenges you, then we’ll see.”

nWith a wave of his hand, Glutton signaled Sword Seven to leave the stage.

nSeeing Sword Seven’s success, other awakened began to step up, one after another, sparking fierce battles.

nHoward, sitting beside Rick, watched with great interest.

nAfter all, he was in the company of top-level fighters, who would explain the nuances of the exciting battles and teach him how to choose the best strategies.

nTime slowly passed by.

nThe number of awakened with five victories gradually increased. Meanwhile, Old Smokey and Ice Ghost also arrived at the scene.

nFollowing them were the higher-level fighters.

nAs soon as they ascended the stone platform, they sought out members of their own factions to inquire about what had transpired.

nInitially planning to make a scene, their demeanor changed upon seeing Rick.

nThey immediately backed down, recognizing his authority and power.

nSickly Sprout, Ice Ghost, Glutton, and Old Smokey, who had spent years battling demons and extraplanar beings, rarely appeared in public.

nUnfamiliar with them, many awakened didn’t initially fear them, especially in the absence of core members from their factions.

nAfter all, they weren’t central figures themselves; their deaths would go largely unnoticed.

nHowever, with many core members present on the stone platform, these awakened felt emboldened to resist.

nThey didn’t believe anyone would dare provoke so many powerful factions simultaneously.

nUnfortunately, Rick’s presence shattered their illusions.

nRick was a well-known powerhouse within the Alliance. Disregarding his word was akin to disrespecting the Alliance itself. .

nTherefore, even with an increased number of participants, the order remained unchanged, and the contest continued.

nSoon it was the turn of the woman with the eight-eyed devil mask.

nHer technique was fascinating, wielding a steel whip with grace and fluidity, disorienting nearly all her challengers.

nWatching this, Ice Ghost turned to Howard and said, “In front of this girl, never use the Death Six-Step Throw!”

n“Ah?” Howard was taken aback by this sudden comment, asking in surprise, “Why? It seems… I’ve already used that skill in front of her.”

nIce Ghost blinked and shook his head, “Since you’ve already used it, there’s no need to worry now. Just remember, if she ever approaches you, it’s best not to engage with her.”

n“Okay!” Howard nodded in agreement, having no desire to associate with an organization like the Solomon Sacred Assembly anyway.

nHowever, it wasn’t long before the woman with the eight-eyed devil mask, who had just defeated five challengers, suddenly turned to look at Howard.

nWith a light laugh, she said, “Young master of the Kennedy family, you’ve been watching from the sidelines for quite a while. Isn’t it time for you to make a move? I’ve been looking forward to crossing paths with you.”

nHoward’s mouth twitched slightly in response.

nHe hadn’t expected to be singled out despite trying to keep a low profile.

nRemembering Ice Ghost’s words, he realized that the woman had likely mistaken his identity.

nYet, Howard didn’t bother to correct her.

nAccording to the rules of the contest, it didn’t matter when he entered the fray.

nTo win the Starry River Map, he would inevitably have to face these formidable awakened.

nWith that thought, Howard leaped onto the arena.

nThe woman with the eight-eyed devil mask put away her whip and scrutinized Howard closely before suddenly proposing, “You’re quite handsome. How about we make a bet?”

n“What kind of bet?” Howard asked, intrigued.

n“If I win the Starry River Map, then you have to marry me!” she said with a teasing smile.

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