Chapter 98: The Little Nun Challenger

                                    

                                          
Through Eddie's fragmented story, the four adventurers roughly understood that Tony Ulea had asked Eddie to pass on a message, hoping that EeDeChi would participate in the Warrior Captain competition.
"I don't get it," EeDeChi scratched her head. "This must be old Tony's... last wish, right? He doesn't say who the killer is, and why does he want me to join the Warrior Captain selection competition?"
Barrett rubbed the stubble on his chin, thinking for a moment. "Old Tony was always a cautious and sharp-minded person. He must have had his reasons for doing this. The killer might be someone he couldn't handle, and they could pose a threat to Eddie's safety."
"According to the sheriff's report, there were three other charred bodies at the scene," Sean also joined the discussion. "From the clothing left behind, it's clear that three mages were killed during the battle with old Tony."
"Someone capable of sending three mages to attack Tony Ulea—could it be a mage group from within the kingdom?" 
"No, the ones who attacked him are probably nobles from the Second Prince's faction," Stella speculated. "I know how these nobles operate. For power and influence, they'll stop at nothing, using all kinds of despicable methods—assassinations, framing people, setting up false charges..."
The other three thought for a moment and reluctantly agreed with Stella's guess. Tony Ulea had always been a gentle optimist, rarely getting into arguments during his adventurous career.
Recently, in the Warrior Captain selection competition, he had been working hard for Princess Renner, naturally blocking the interests of another faction of nobles.
"Why don't I just go to the palace and drag that little Second Prince Zanac out, make him spill the beans?" EeDeChi suggested a solution she thought was simple and efficient.
"No, not yet. We don't have solid evidence," Barrett quickly advised his impulsive captain. "Think about it—why would old Tony want the captain to join the Warrior Captain competition? What's the real purpose behind this move?"
"Where is the Warrior Captain selection competition right now?" EeDeChi asked. They had been cooped up at home these past few days, not keeping track of the shifting tides outside.
"Four days ago, I saw on the arena bulletin board that there were still 16 candidates. Based on the rules of the competition..." Sean said, "Tomorrow is the quarterfinals!"
"Quarterfinals... semifinals..." Barrett grabbed EeDeChi's arm and pulled her toward the door. "Hurry up, we don't have much time!"
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The rain had stopped, but the sky remained thick with gray clouds, blocking out the sunlight.
The storm had just washed the earth clean, but the air was still damp and cold. Puddles had formed thin layers of ice, and as one stepped on them, the ice would crack and the dirty water would churn.
In the courtyard of a manor hous, a hulking man stood bare-chested, wielding a two-meter(6.56 feet)-long greatsword with ease.
His muscles were thick and well-defined, his iron-like arms swung the sword down, cleaving a half-meter(1.64 feet) tall granite stone in two with a spray of sparks and stone dust. He withdrew the sword and, firmly planted on his feet, he raised it before thrusting forward. The rough blade seemed to cut through the very air itself.
"Good, keep that energy," said a tall, thin man standing off to the side, dressed in a cotton coat embroidered with patterns, his ears covered by a bear fur hat. He was jotting something down with a quill on a scroll of paper. "Believe in yourself, tomorrow's duel with Schroeve will surely end with him as your defeated opponent."