PFC Chapter 547 Roadblock
Chapter 547 Roadblock
Peruvieri slowly stepped forward with her sword in hand, and the giant man, like a lamb to the slaughter, was instantly pierced through the heart by her.
puff!
After a crisp sound, the burly man's expression was forever frozen in astonishment and disbelief. As the blade was pulled out, his massive body crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of snow dust.
This sudden and swift attack caused all the remaining survivors to gasp in shock, their eyes filled with fear as they looked at Peruvieri.
They then realized that this seemingly exhausted duo still held a terrifying trump card.
Blood beads slid down the sword's edge. Peruvieri didn't even glance at the corpse, her cold gaze sweeping over the other survivors.
"Who else wants to try?"
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling aura forged in the crucible of countless deaths and bloodshed.
After a brief silence, one of the survivors threw down his weapon and said dejectedly, "I...I give up."
Once there was a first, there was a second, a third… In the end, all the survivors chose to give up. Faced with absolute strength and ruthlessness, so-called glory and power were ultimately less important than life itself.
In the Valley of the End, only Peruvieri and Clévy remained, side by side.
The two looked at each other and saw in each other's eyes a sense of relief and exhaustion, as well as a hint of disbelief and disorientation.
We... succeeded?
Dragging their battered and exhausted bodies, the two supported each other, step by step, struggling towards the finish line.
Outside the secret realm, Kailin finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Great! They succeeded!"
She was excited, but Mo Yan remained silent, his brows furrowing even more.
Yes, as Peruvieri once said, at the end of the road, they would face their final test.
Suddenly, the gate below the arena swung open, and the two staggered out as a cold wind blew out from the secret realm.
Looking around, they instinctively closed their eyes. Instantly, a strong feeling of exhaustion washed over them, and the two almost collapsed to the ground, leaning on each other's shoulders to catch their breath, as if they had just crawled back from hell to earth.
"Great! We did it, Pepe!" Claire exclaimed happily, tilting her head back.
Peruvieri didn't answer, but simply held Clévius's hand and smiled.
Just then, a figure exuding a powerful aura silently appeared in the center of the arena.
Short, silver-white hair, icy blue eyes, and a cynical, playful smile.
Fierce Tiger, Sugniel.
“It’s quite unexpected,” he said, his voice laced with a lazy mockery, breaking the brief tranquility of their near-death experience. “There are actually two people who arrived here at the same time.”
Peruvieri and Clévy's hearts sank, and their nerves, which had just relaxed, tensed up again instantly.
Sugniel crossed his arms and scanned the two men back and forth, as if assessing two interesting spoils of war.
"Even so, I'm sorry, but there can only be one Paladin. Only one of you can pass this final trial." A slight smile appeared on his lips.
His words were like ice daggers, piercing the hearts of Peruvier and Clementine with chilling coldness.
Peruvieri looked up abruptly, her bloodshot eyes swirling with anger and resentment at being mocked.
"Why, Lord Sugnir? We're together!" she roared, taking a step forward.
They endured countless hardships, supporting each other and stepping over the corpses of numerous competitors to get here, only to be told that from the very beginning only one of them was destined to survive? This is more cruel than simply killing them!
Sugnir, however, scoffed, "Together? Little girl, the authority of a paladin is not something to be shared. Might makes right, that's an immutable law. So, decide for yourselves, who will stay, or will I... personally eliminate one for you?"
After he finished speaking, a brief silence fell over the room.
Sugniel's words were like a cat playing with a mouse, cruel and mocking, and an invisible pressure weighed on Peruvieri and Clévy like a mountain.
Does he decide who stays, or does he personally "eliminate" them?
So, what was the purpose of their coming here in the first place?
Peruvieri clenched her fists so tightly that her nails almost dug into her palms.
Clementine's expression grew even more somber. She turned to look at Peruvieri, her lips pursed from time to time.
Soon, as if she had made up her mind, she grabbed her hand.
“It’s alright, Pepe, you… should accept this honor.” She held Peluveli’s hands in both, forcing a smile, though it looked more like a grimace. “You are stronger than me, and more suited to this position. I… I’m stepping down.”
Luvelli turned her head sharply, looking at her incredulously: "Clevis, what nonsense are you talking about! Didn't we agree that no matter what, we would change our fate together, become paladins, and show those damned guys that they'll never be able to look down on us again!"
"But only one person can become a paladin, and there's no harm in giving it up. I won't be looked down upon as a member of the guard, even though... we might be worlds apart."
Claire's voice was choked with emotion, but she tried her best to maintain a smile.
Seeing the bitterness and reluctance hidden deep in her eyes, Peruvier felt as if an invisible hand was tightly gripping her heart, causing her so much pain that she could hardly breathe.
They endured the harsh winter in the orphanage together, struggled together in the training camp, and faced life and death together in the secret realm... All the vows and all the efforts, are they all destined to turn into nothingness and end up being separated by fate?
No! She will never accept it!
"Don't be naive, Clementine. You think you won't be looked down upon as a member of the Guard? What a joke! Those high and mighty guys will only see us as lucky 'lowlifes'! Only by standing on their level, only by wielding real power, can we shut them up! Only then can we change everything!"
Peruvieri's voice suddenly rose in pitch.
"And don't forget, we went through the trial together. If you're not qualified, then neither am I! It's either we stay together, or we leave together! There's no third option!"
Pa~pa~pa~
Just then, Sugniel clapped his hands and walked towards them, laughing.
"Brilliant, this is a development that has exceeded my expectations. It seems I underestimated your friendship. Phoenix was right, if I wanted to break you up, ordinary attempts to sow discord wouldn't work."
After saying that, he twisted his wrist and paused for a moment.
“However, the position of Paladin isn’t something you can just take or leave as you please, especially since the trial isn’t over yet.” Sugnir’s tone shifted, and elemental energy surged around his arm, instantly forming a pair of sharp claws. “So, since you can’t decide for yourselves, I’ll make the choice for you!”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Sugniel's figure approached like a ghost, so fast that he left only a blur.
"Pepe!" Claire exclaimed in shock.
With a whooshing sound, the right claw aimed straight for Peruvier's throat. She barely managed to block the attack by leaning back almost instinctively.
Even so, she was still struggling. The immense force coming from the sword made her hands tremble uncontrollably. The difference in their strength was like an insurmountable chasm.
"Not bad, you actually managed to block it. But... you're still far from good enough!"
Sugniel's left hand followed closely, bringing an even fiercer gust of wind, aiming straight for Peruvieri's unsuspecting waist and abdomen! If this strike landed, it would be enough to disembowel her!
Because her sword was caught in Sugniel's right claw, Peruvieri was unable to move her hands holding the sword. Just as the claws were about to strike her, suddenly, a scythe slashed from the side, precisely blocking the fatal blow.
"I won't let you hurt Pepe!" Claire gritted her teeth.
At this moment, the two exerted their strength simultaneously, forcing Sugniel back several steps.
A hint of surprise flashed in Sugnir's eyes, which then turned into even greater interest: "Interesting. It seems I underestimated you. Alright, in that case, let me have a good experience. Don't disappoint me!"