Above the mage

Chapter 757 The Finals Arrive

Meanwhile, the members of the Golden Plantagenet Dynasty perfectly missed this brief confrontation in the corridor.

The team leader, Fritz, did not allow everyone to leave immediately after the draw.

Their next opponent in the semifinals is the Emerald Ring.

In their previous knockout match against the Kingdom of Sudan, this team fielded their strongest lineup and revealed their full strength.

All tactical systems, team coordination patterns, and the strengths and weaknesses of the players have been revealed.

The information is completely transparent, with no secrets whatsoever.

Fritz took advantage of everyone gathering in the players' area to quickly finalize the tactics and arrange the lineup, saving the trouble of regrouping later.

In terms of mage level, the Azure Ring's raw power is already much inferior.

Of their five main members, only two are early-stage fourth-ring mages, while the rest are all at the third-ring level, including two late-stage third-ring mages and one mid-stage third-ring mage.

With the Golden Flower lineup, no matter how the formation is adjusted, they have an absolute chance of winning.

Therefore, Fritz's arrangement was extremely casual, directly using the same lineup as the team that played against Linhai City in this round.

The team members all nodded in agreement, with no objections whatsoever.

After the discussion concluded, everyone dispersed and left.

After saying goodbye to his teammates, Gaode returned to his personal residence alone as soon as possible.

Because he sensed that his "True Ice Secret Manual" was about to break through again. The "True Ice Secret Manual" was broken through when he returned to the Northern Territory last time, almost three months ago.

With the power of the Zhenbing bloodline, as long as he didn't deliberately suppress it, the breakthrough speed of the Zhenbing Secret Manual was already extremely fast.

There is still one match remaining against the Holy Empire.

A mage's level increase, even if it's just a small breakthrough, is a good thing, something that high-ranking mages would be extremely grateful for.

Without any reason to suppress it, Gao De allowed the Zhenbing magic power that had been accumulating in his body to slowly surge, making a breakthrough that came naturally.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, his eyes gently closed, and his mind instantly sank into a state of ethereal meditation.

Compared to the abundant basic elements such as earth, wind, water, fire, and wood, ice, as an alien element, exists in far less quantity than other elements in the world, except in the special environment of the North, making it relatively scarce and difficult to capture.

But at this moment, Gao De was like a magnet, drawing in all the rare and fragmented ice elemental energy, which seeped into his skin in strands.

The True Ice Secret Patterns on his body surface were already fully lit up, frantically absorbing ice elements.

While the surface of his body was shrouded in swirling mist, the pool of magical power within him had already undergone tremendous changes.

In the center of the magic pool, the azure star core magic crystal that carries the "Secret Transmission of Zhenbing" floats quietly, and the six star orbits that were previously formed flow smoothly.

Now, it suddenly bursts forth with a deep, clear, icy blue radiance.

New star trails are beginning to take shape.

The three star trails that need to be formed in the later stages of the Third Ring are: mana storage, spell control, and elemental pivot.

Thanks to the blessing of the Zhenbing bloodline, the condensation process of the three new star orbits was smooth and without any interruption, and the whole process was completed naturally.

In the blink of an eye, nine star-like light trails intertwined and cycled inside the Star Core Magic Crystal.

The old and new star trails are seamlessly integrated, forming a complete three-ring post-traumatic system.

The mana pool within his body became increasingly full and abundant.

As the mage's level increases, the gift of spiritual power arrives as scheduled.

The pure spiritual power slowly nourishes and refines the soul essence of the virtuous.

This allowed his mental strength, which had already exceeded the conventional upper limit for the same level, to steadily increase once again.

Four hundred — four hundred and five — finally settled at four hundred and ten points.

This level of mental strength already surpasses all third-ring level mages and is comparable to ordinary mid-fourth-ring mages.

It even comes very close to the level of a late-stage fourth-ring mage.

This is the benefit of dual cultivation: the inevitable expansion of the two basic attributes, mana and spiritual power.

Gao De slowly opened his eyes, and the clear, icy light in his eyes vanished in an instant.

The air around me felt slightly cool due to the convergence of ice element energy, which was exceptionally comfortable.

The later stages of the Third Ring Road project are complete!

At this point, Gaode Maps has achieved the later stages of the double three-ring system.

According to the leaked information, he should only be a mage in the mid-stage of the third ring.

This is also one of his trump cards.

After all, mages in the late third ring have mastered the ability of the elemental cardinal, which can be used to unleash an overlimit burst when necessary and appropriate.

After the quarterfinals, the power rankings underwent a major update.

Gaode has once again made a strong comeback to the top 20 of the power rankings, thanks to its outstanding performance and stable combat power in the previous capture-the-flag battle.

However, in the eyes of most viewers and teams, his rise in ranking was more due to the fact that several core players of the Holy Empire avoided battle and conserved their strength throughout the match.

The credibility of the list is currently under debate.

But that's not important.

The sole focus of this week's power rankings is Liu Ying, who achieved legendary status in her very first official appearance.

She topped the power rankings with an undisputed dominance, leading the field by a wide margin.

In a series of swift and decisive attacks, without moving an inch, they swept aside the formidable Linhai City team, defeating them head-on.

Such an absurd and impressive record would be unbelievable to anyone who hadn't witnessed it firsthand, let alone heard about it.

In the hearts of everyone who experienced the competition, this top spot is unshakeable and irreplaceable.

Gao De got up and went downstairs, where he had a simple dinner at a restaurant next to his residence.

They then immediately returned to the hotel without lingering or wandering around.

Gao De still vividly remembers the earnest reminder given by Grand Duke Wang Mian at the previous banquet.

An unknown foreign force is secretly investigating his whereabouts and background.

The suspects were precisely identified as being between the two major powers of Linhai City and the Holy Empire.

Although Gaode didn't know the purpose of the investigation, given the other party's background, he couldn't afford to be careless.

Moreover, Gao De also had some suspicions in his mind.

Lin Haicheng had very little contact with him, had no grudges against him, and had little motive for investigating him.

The real spy lurking in the shadows is most likely the Holy Empire.

The reason is self-evident.

Liu Ying.

The Holy Empire went to great lengths to orchestrate the forced entry of Liu Ying into the extremely dangerous and desolate Ghost Soul, with ulterior motives.

But the final result was beyond everyone's expectations; Liu Ying, who should have died in the desperate situation, returned safely.

He, an innocent bystander who was implicated and fell into the secret realm, also escaped unscathed.

Unable to uncover the true nature of the desolate Soul Domain, the Holy Empire naturally regarded him, the only one who accompanied Liu Ying, as its biggest breakthrough point.

Grand Duke Wang Mian's speculation was completely consistent with his conjecture.

What alarms Gaode most is that since the other party dares to spy in secret, they may not stop at just investigating.

The Holy Empire could very well seize the opportunity to make a move in secret during the event.

Therefore, out of caution, Gaode has decided to keep a low profile for the time being.

Avoid unnecessary outings and exposure as much as possible to prevent any possibility of being secretly monitored or tested.

Once the Unparalleled Magic Tournament ends and his movements are no longer confined to Mithril City, it will be much more difficult for the Holy Empire to find his exact whereabouts.

After all, on the entire continent of Nolan, only the territory of the Golden Flower Dynasty is a relatively pure land where the Holy Empire's power and covert operations are the most difficult to penetrate and the least able to interfere with.

With a full three days of rest, most mages, unless seriously injured in a competition, can always get back to peak condition.

Gao De's magical power surpasses that of ordinary mages, and he only participated in one capture-the-flag battle.

Not much magic power was consumed, so in fact, it had already recovered to its peak state that day.

Gareth exhausted all his mana in the two-on-one battle due to his irritability.

However, after taking the potion, three days is enough time to fully recover.

During these three days, the contestants rested and prepared for the competition.

The excitement surrounding the event in Mithril City not only didn't wane, but actually surged, reaching its peak.

Each round of the knockout stage produces new memorable moments and explosive highlights, with strong players crushing their opponents and showdowns of hidden trump cards constantly emerging.

This has allowed the already highly anticipated and unparalleled magic fighting competition to continue to dominate all media attention.

The three-day break passed in the blink of an eye, and the semi-finals officially began.

According to the previously agreed schedule, the Golden Flower Dynasty will start the competition first.

After the tough quarterfinal match against Linhai City, the remaining semifinal opponent, Azure Ring, seemed unremarkable to everyone.

This showdown felt like a routine appetizer before reaching the pinnacle, lacking appeal and even leaving many viewers feeling somewhat bored.

Even so, the event's popularity is already deeply rooted, and the stadium remains packed.

Tens of thousands of spectators were in place on time, no one wanted to miss a single match of the Golden Flower Dynasty mage team.

The course of the match unfolded exactly as everyone had predicted beforehand, without any setbacks.

The strength of the Green Ring is limited compared to the Golden Flower Dynasty, with only two early-stage fourth-ring mages in the entire team to hold their own.

In addition, the rule that ace players can only play in two games makes it impossible for the team to assemble a top-tier fighting force.

With limited resources and a simplistic system, its potential is clearly limited.

In the first capture-the-flag game, Golden Bird was in complete control, and Gao De didn't even need to lift a finger.

Ewen transformed into a thunderbird, forcefully breaking through the blockade of two mages from the Azure Ring, and forcefully recaptured the flag, securing a solid victory in the first round.

The second round of the two-player competition was even more one-sided.

The offensive and defensive combination of Gareth and Cedric is a highly compatible top-tier duo tactical system.

Aside from facing the two top teams, Linhai City and Holy Empire, this combination can easily sweep aside most other strong teams.

In the decisive third round of the series, the entire team abandoned the idea of ​​sending Liu Ying to play.

Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut?

Liu Ying's strength is at a level above the rest, so having her participate in a match at this level would be completely unnecessary.

Evan, who had previously volunteered to play, took the opportunity to request to start in a rotation of players.

At this moment, the weaknesses of the Azure Ring in combat power were fully exposed.

The team's four-ring ace has already used up his playing time in the first two rounds.

Of the remaining four contestants, only one is a fourth-ring mage, while the other three are all third-ring mages, resulting in a significant power gap.

With his superior level and combat power, Evan fought with great satisfaction, maintaining complete control of the pace of the entire battle.

Finally, they successfully replicated the previous record of Gaode and Liuying, cleanly and decisively completing a four-in-a-row victory to end the match.

Three wins, shutting out the opponent.

The Plantagenets dynasty advanced to the final with an overwhelming 3-0 victory.

The following day, the other semi-final began as scheduled, and the Holy Empire's match proceeded uneventfully.

The Holy Empire maintained a steady and dominant performance throughout, easily defeating the Twilight Duchy team and securing their ticket to the finals without any suspense, thus meeting the Plantagenet Dynasty in the grand finals.

Thus far, the overall trend of the entire Peerless Fighting Tournament has basically aligned with the predictions of all parties before the tournament.

The only unexpected variable was that the two seeded powerhouses, Golden Flower and Linhai City, met early, causing Linhai City to unfortunately stop in the quarterfinals and withdraw from the championship competition ahead of time.

The closer the final match gets, the more intense the controversy becomes.

Supporters of the two favorites to win the championship each held their own opinions and refused to give in.

The supporters of the broom flower are full of confidence.

Liu Ying's crushing victory over Linhai City in the quarterfinals is enough to prove that she has an unbeatable dominance at this stage.

With her in charge, the Golden Broom Flower has no reason to lose.

But the supporters of the Holy Empire also had their reasons and were full of confidence.

Even after the semi-finals concluded, the Holy Empire remained tight-lipped.

Ellie Warwick, the team's core player, did not make a single move throughout the entire match, and her true combat strength remains a mystery to this day; no one knows the extent of her abilities.

Who dares to assert that this proud daughter of the empire is necessarily inferior to Liu Ying, who became a god in a single battle?

More importantly, in the tough battle against Linhai City, the Golden Flower Dynasty exposed the weaknesses of its main players, such as Gareth and Cedric, in terms of their spell systems, special skills, and offensive and defensive shortcomings, in addition to Liu Ying.

This means that the Holy Empire possesses a complete intelligence advantage, allowing it to address specific issues and tailor corresponding tactics in advance to the weaknesses of each player's playing style.

More importantly, no matter how strong Liu Ying is, she is still just one person, and her appearances are limited.

The championship of the French Bulldog tournament is a team game involving seven people and decided in five rounds; it is never a battle of one person.

The invincibility of a single point cannot fully cover all the variables of the entire game.

The ongoing debate and tug-of-war between the two sides has directly ignited the underground gambling industry's popularity.

Major underground sports betting platforms that are explicitly prohibited from operating have been opened for business at an alarming rate.

Even though everyone witnessed Liu Ying's incredible dominance, the odds of both sides winning the championship remained close to one to one, resulting in a stalemate.

Ultimately, it was the Holy Empire's continuous expansion of its territory and its ever-increasing prestige and influence.

With such illustrious military achievements, the empire's prestige on the continent and the public's trust in it have long surpassed that of the ancient Plantagenet Dynasty.

Subconsciously, the public tends to favor this top power that dominates the continent.

If Golden Flower hadn't decisively defeated Linhai City in the quarterfinals, the odds of winning the championship would have been significantly higher than those of the Holy Empire.

This is precisely why this magical duel, which should have been considered "child's play" by the high-ranking nobles and rulers of the Plantagenet Dynasty, was taken so seriously by them.

The final rankings of the magic combat competition can, to some extent, represent a nation's foundation of magicians, the upper limit of the new generation's combat power, and their future potential.

If the Golden Flower Dynasty wins this tournament, it will prove to the entire continent that the mage tradition of this ancient dynasty has not declined.

The new generation of mages still possess top-tier combat power and talent on the continent, enough to contend with the rising Holy Empire.

This will greatly boost the dynasty's reputation on the continent, making the wavering neutral countries hesitant to easily side with the Holy Empire.

Domestically, the championship honor can completely unite the nation's morale and spirit.

This dispelled public doubts about the dynasty's declining foundation, boosted the confidence and sense of belonging of local Buddhist practitioners, and solidified the foundation of the dynasty's rule.

Conversely, if they ultimately lose, it will further enhance the Holy Empire's dominance on the continent.

The Unparalleled Magic Fighting Tournament is actually much more than just a competition.