Above the mage

Chapter 767: Belief Needs No Reason

"Who will Fritz send out for the fifth game?" Madam Wang Mian asked from her high vantage point, her gaze sweeping over Fritz and even capturing his serious expression.

Faced with Lady Wang Mian's question, Richard lowered his eyes slightly, thought for a moment, and then said, "It should be Gareth."

Ellie Warwick is a typical melee-focused mage, known for her burst damage and aggressive playstyle.

In a close contest, Gareth, known for his defensive prowess, can be considered a counter to Ellie Warwick's offensive system to some extent.

Of course, the problem now is that the forces are uneven and the opponent is outmatched.

But at least Gareth is the obvious best option among all the choices.

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang Mian shook her head slightly: "You still have the same problem. You only consider the theoretically optimal solution for everything, but you always ignore the most uncontrollable but crucial variable."

"Human will and temperament."

"What do you mean?" Richard looked at his mother.

Lady Wang Mian did not answer directly. Her gaze slowly shifted and landed on Evan, who was standing beside Gareth. Her eyes were deep and knowing.

"Evan is an academy graduate, consistently ranking first among his peers at the Royal Academy of Magic, a top-tier academy-trained mage."

"These young monks believe most in honor and integrity."

"The battle situation is now dire, the team's morale is low, and everyone is convinced that this battle will be lost."

But for Evan, victory or defeat on the field was secondary; the dignity of a mage and the glory of the academy were not to be trifled with.

"In such a hopeless situation where defeat is inevitable, others would avoid it like the plague, but he would take the initiative to step forward and ask to fight."

Richard frowned even more, still not entirely convinced, and said in a low voice, "If he volunteers to fight, will Fritz choose him?"

Lady Wang Mian's gaze fell on Richard's handsome face with its distinct features.

The son, who was clearly raised by her personally, was somehow completely different from her.

Especially in their philosophies of life, they are completely different schools of thought.

Having held a high position for a long time, she knew that rules and theories could never withstand the fluctuations of human nature.

Therefore, in dealing with matters, she often puts people's hearts first.

Richard, on the other hand, adhered to order and firmly believed in his ideals, lacking flexibility.

Lady Wang Mian did not force her son to conform to her ideas.

However, in some respects, she felt that Richard was too idealistic.

An overly idealistic successor would be unable to uphold the immense wealth and legacy of Wang Mian's family.

After a moment, Madam Wang Mian withdrew her gaze, a faint, composed smile playing on her lips: "Let's take a gamble and see if the final player for the fifth round is Gareth, as you predicted, or Evan, as I saw."

Richard looked up at his mother beside him.

Lady Wang Mian's appearance was only above average, not stunningly beautiful, and far inferior to that of her children.

However, the composure she has cultivated over the years in a high position makes her stand out exceptionally.

Richard nodded slightly and declined gently, "I dare not bet with my mother."

"If you don't want to gamble, then let's just watch quietly and see whose prediction is more accurate." Madam Wang Mian wasn't annoyed at all; instead, she smiled gently.

Because she knew that Richard wasn't "talking back" to her, but rather that he was indeed a humble, polite, upright, and self-disciplined person.

Richard nodded in response, his gaze once again becoming focused, fixed firmly on the preparation area of ​​the Golden Flower players below.

The atmosphere in the preparation area below the arena was somber and gloomy.

They all knew that in the fifth singles decisive game, their chances of winning against God King Ellie were extremely slim, almost a certain defeat.

Fritz looked around at everyone with a solemn expression. He had already decided in his heart to send Gareth to fight, but he had not yet announced it.

Just then, a clear voice suddenly rang out, breaking the silence.

"Mage Fritz, I will take the lead in this round."

Evan stepped forward, his expression calm and fearless.

If they lose the final round, as the final player, they will most likely be seen by the public as the culprit for the defeat and bear most of the criticism and condemnation.

Even knowing this, he still chose to take on the heavy responsibility and help the team finish the final leg of the finals.

This move was completely unexpected by Fritz.

The teammates beside him snapped out of their daze and looked at Evan as he stepped out, instantly understanding his thoughts.

With a score of 3-2, most of the criticism will be directed at the player who lost the final game.

This is unreasonable, but it is the norm.

Everyone was deeply moved, but the desire to argue immediately arose, with Gareth being the most vehement in his reaction.

Gareth immediately stepped forward and firmly retorted, "Mage Fritz, it's not Evan's turn. I can specifically restrain Ellie's close-combat offensive style, so it should be my turn."

"My defensive capabilities after transformation are not weak either, and I also have high mobility that you don't have. My suitability is higher than yours in this round, so it's only right that I go first." Evan's attitude became more and more determined.

Both sides have their own version of events and their own reasons.

Fritz stood there, frowning, looking at the two team members who were eager to fight and unafraid of defeat, feeling a mix of emotions.

It was his miscalculation that forced the team into this passive and desperate situation, and ultimately made the players bear the pressure of inevitable defeat.

Moreover, his original choice of candidate has wavered, leaving him in a dilemma.

Gareth's decision was the most rational one, but Evan's request to join the fight made it impossible for him to refuse.

After a brief deliberation, Fritz looked at everyone and made a compromise decision: "The choice of players for the deciding game will be decided by everyone."

"Gareth, or Evan?"

"Mage Fritz, let me do it." Before anyone else could offer a suggestion, God spoke up first in response to Fritz's question.

Fritz paused for a moment, then gave a helpless, bitter smile.

Well, what was originally a stalemate between the two has now become a third contender.

He didn't refuse directly, but instead asked, "What are your reasons?"

"I can win," Gao De said succinctly.

His reasoning was the shortest, but also the most weighty.

Gareth and Evan, who were still arguing, immediately fell silent and subconsciously turned to look at Gao De.

Their previously well-founded reasons for participating in the war suddenly became weak and ineffective.

Gao De, however, remained calm as if he were simply stating a perfectly ordinary fact, such as "the weather is nice today."

Fritz paused for a few seconds, suppressing the absurdity in his heart, and hesitantly asked, "You've broken through to the fourth ring?"

This is the only possibility, but it's also impossible...

If he remembered correctly, Gao De initially reported that his mage level was only mid-stage of the third ring.

"No," Gaode answered truthfully, "but I made some minor improvements recently and am currently in the late stage of the third ring."

"The late stage of the third ring..." Fritz didn't know what to say.

Ellie possesses a mage level second only to Liuying, at the mid-fourth ring.

Moreover, as an elite mage of the empire and the captain of the imperial mage squad, she possessed pure wolf blood.

As long as they don't face Liu Ying, even a typical late-game fourth-ring mage would definitely be no match for Ellie.

In this situation, even if Gao De is also at the mid-stage of the fourth ring, no one can guarantee that he can beat Ellie.

As a result, only Gaode, in the later stages of the third ring road, calmly stated that he could win.

It's absurd no matter how you look at it.

But Gao De spoke such absurd words with such seriousness.

Just as Fritz was overwhelmed with emotion and unable to make a decision, another clear voice rang out.

"Let Gaode play."

The voice was soft, gentle, and even somewhat tender, yet it sent a jolt through everyone's hearts.

Because it is the firefly that opens.

Even Fritz turned his head in surprise to look at Liu Ying.

Faced with the surprised looks from the crowd, she asked in return, "If Gao De can win, why not let him play?"

""

This single sentence leaves no room for further argument.

After a few seconds of silence, Fritz suppressed his doubts and anxieties and slowly nodded: "Alright, the decisive game is up to Gao De."

.

Gareth and Evan, who were arguing fiercely, opened their mouths, but then hesitated to speak.

They wanted to say something, but found themselves speechless.

Compared to Gaode's reasons, their reasons are far too weak.

However, they really found it hard to convince themselves that a mage with a level of only late third ring could defeat Ellie Warwick.

However, the most authoritative figure, whose "credibility" even surpasses Fritz's in their minds, "guarantees" Gaode, which makes them unable to voice any doubts, even if they don't believe it.

With the selection finalized, Fritz didn't hesitate any longer. Suppressing all his emotions, he turned and went to the referee's table to submit the final roster.

The Holy Empire's leader mage stepped forward at the same time and handed over the roster.

"It's quite an experience to take what you want openly and honestly in front of all of you within the territory of the broom."

This time, however, the Holy Empire team leader, who had always returned to the player area immediately after submitting the roster, stopped and spoke to Fritz.

"Let's talk big after we actually take it," Fritz said, his expression darkening slightly.

After saying that, he didn't say anything more, turned around and went straight back to the Golden Flower contestants' area.

The referee verified that the two lists were correct and immediately announced them aloud. The sound echoed throughout the Dragon Ridge Arena and was simultaneously transmitted to the outside world via "broadcast".

"The decisive round, a one-on-one duel, with the Holy Empire's representative..."

...Ellie Warwick!

A burst of enthusiastic cheers erupted from the stadium.

Although the people of the Holy Empire who had traveled from afar had some complaints about their team's defeat without a fight in the first two games, they still gave their full support in the decisive game.

"The Golden Flower Dynasty Mage Team's lineup..." When announcing the Golden Flower roster, the referee's gaze fell on the list, and he subconsciously paused for a moment, a clear look of surprise flashing across his eyes. After confirming that it was correct, he continued.

"Gaode!"

The arena, which had been buzzing with excitement because of Ellie Warwick, fell silent for a moment.

The first to react were not the audience seats, but the Holy Empire players' area.

The Holy Empire's team leader mage, who had just returned to the contestants' area, raised an eyebrow, his face full of disbelief.

"In the decisive game, instead of using a key player from the fourth ring, they sent out a substitute from the third ring?"

Whether the main players from the fourth ring or the substitutes from the third ring are sent out, the result will not be different.

But this choice was still quite unexpected for him.

Conrad, Viola, and the others all looked surprised.

After a brief moment of surprise, Conrad quickly shook his head and sneered, "You know how to cover your tracks, don't you?"

He had already come up with the only reasonable explanation in his mind.

Fritz recognized the impending defeat and, knowing full well that he was destined to lose, deliberately sent out substitute player Gord to take full responsibility for the loss, while also preserving the face and mentality of the team's key players.

Others may not share Conrad's thoughts, but they are full of confidence in Ellie's fighting ability and have not considered the possibility of Ellie's failure.

So no matter what the Golden Plantation Dynasty's reasons were for sending Gao De, they were at most surprised, and had no further emotions.

Compared to the Imperial players' dismissive confidence, the emotions of the Plantagenet Dynasty's local audience were far more complex.

In such a crucial decisive game, the player who finally got to play was Gao De.

The huge gap between their expectations and reality left them feeling lost and confused.

Why would we send a substitute?

"This is the decisive game of the finals! How could they send a third-ring mage to face the Empire's fourth-ring ace player?!"

"Such a pure and utter stomp, how can we possibly fight back?!"

"Match-fixing?!"

"6

""

The discussion was lively, with all sorts of speculations.

Even if they support their team, it's completely impossible for them to believe that a third-ring mage can defeat the Empire's ace player.

No one could understand this unusual decision.

"None of us guessed right."

In the tranquil Dragon Claw platform, Richard's gaze fell on the figure of the young man standing beside Liu Ying, who was behaving intimately with her.

Lady Wang Mian remained silent for a few moments.

She also considered human will in the theoretical optimal solution, anticipating Evan's initiative to volunteer, but in the end, it was Gao De who neither of them had expected to fight.

What does this mean?

No matter how surprised they were, the fact is that Gaode, who shouldn't have been chosen by any angle, did indeed play as the final player.

"Let's see." Madam Wang Mian's thoughts were churning, her gaze falling on Gao De, and a hint of anticipation unconsciously arose in her heart that she herself was unaware of.

After the list was announced, the referee team immediately began drawing lots for the venue for the decisive French match.

The draw was swift, and the results were announced immediately: "The decisive French Open will be held in the Ancient Tree Garden!"

The Dragon Scale Platform immediately opened and closed in a staggered manner, rapidly rising and falling and recombining, with rocks, soil, and plants quickly gathering and taking shape under the influence of elemental magic.

As its name suggests, the Ancient Tree Garden simulates a forest environment of giant trees.

Dozens of ancient, massive trees, each as thick as a person's arm, rise straight up from the ground, taking root in the terrace.

Green vines droop and sway from the tree canopy, crisscrossing each other.

The ground rises in layers of planks and wood, creating a gentle, staggered effect.

This is a battle terrain centered around the pure wood element, with a simple structure yet rich tactical levels.

The center of the arena is left open, suitable for head-on spell battles and quick victories.

The surrounding area is interspersed with trees and has undulating slopes, providing ample space for mages to perform tactical maneuvers such as repositioning, concealing their vision, and utilizing the environment.

"Favorable terrain!" Arya's eyes lit up, unable to hide her excitement.

Although Gaode is versatile, he still has some strengths, namely ice and wood elemental spells.

This battlefield, rich in pure wood elements, would definitely provide him with a significant boost, making it a terrain perfectly suited to his strengths.

Gao De glanced around at the completed tree-garden battlefield and nodded slightly: "Not bad luck."

His confidence in this battle doesn't stem from favorable environment, but drawing terrain that is advantageous for him is always a good thing.

A moment later, the reconstruction of the Dragon Scale Platform was completely completed, the battle situation in the Ancient Tree Garden stabilized, and the flow of magic within the arena was smooth and undisturbed.

Seeing this, the referee immediately raised his hand and announced, "Both players, enter the arena!"

Gao De turned to look at Liu Ying beside him: "I'm in."

After he finished speaking, he strode out of the contestants' area, showing no signs of tension before the battle, and steadily walked towards the central fighting arena, facing tens of thousands of eyes from the audience.

At the same time, a tall figure stepped out from the Holy Empire's player area on the opposite side.

As the captain of the Imperial Mage Team, Ellie Warwick showed no arrogance even when facing an opponent who was "just" an insignificant third-circle mage. Her expression was cold and her eyes were sharp.

With each step she took, she moved with a steady and powerful air, heading straight for the fighting arena.

The figures on both sides were walking towards each other.

The clamor of discussion, doubt, ridicule, and anticipation in the audience subsided at this moment.