Chapter 5: Combat Skills

In fact, the moment Zhang Wen decided to intervene in the duel between Zack and Cloud, he had already resolved that this matter must be handled flawlessly. Now, Zack and Cloud themselves had handed him such a perfect opportunity to resolve the issue—how could Zhang Wen possibly let it slip away?

As for whether Zhang Wen could handle both Zack and Cloud at the same time, he had no concerns on that front. During their previous consecutive seven-sword attack, Zhang Wen had completely grasped the secret of power application in the Spring Water Technique. Facing Zack and Cloud, who relied solely on brute strength, Zhang Wen was at least seventy percent confident he could withstand their combined assault—this success rate alone was enough for him to make his decision.

“No problem! You two can come at me together. That was my plan all along,” Zhang Wen said, naturally provoking another chorus of astonished gasps.

“One against two? Is that even possible?” Linoa, who had been deep in thought, couldn’t help but raise her delicate eyebrows.

No! That’s absolutely impossible! Linoa immediately shook her head firmly in her mind. With Linoa’s sharp eyes, she could naturally tell that Zhang Wen had only used a fifth-level martial arts technique when he faced Zack and Cloud earlier! Zhang Wen was only able to withstand their attacks because of his boldness and agility!

However, if he were now facing two opponents, Zack and Cloud could completely block all possible escape routes. In that case, he would have to stand there defenseless and take the full force of two fifth-level fighters! Even an eighth-level expert would probably find that impossible!

What on earth is he thinking? Could this be some kind of trick? Is he hoping that Zack and Cloud will hold back for fear of hurting him? Linoa stared at Zhang Wen incredulously, her curiosity about him growing even stronger.

Just like Linoa, almost none of the students in the square believed that Zhang Wen could really stand still and withstand attacks from both Zack and Cloud. At this moment, everyone was wondering the same question in their hearts: What would Zhang Wen do next?

Of course, the answers in the students’ minds varied widely. But only a few people had actually guessed the final outcome correctly. Zhang Wen chose the simplest and most direct method—doing absolutely nothing!

After exchanging a glance with Cloud, Zack slowly raised his crystal energy sword above his head. As his battle energy surged, the sword emitted a buzzing hum, and red flames radiated from its blade. This was a clear sign that Zack had increased the crystal sword’s battle energy enhancement to one hundred percent. On the other side, Cloud had already switched to a two-handed grip. His crystal energy sword seemed to echo Zack’s, emitting increasingly high-pitched hums as both swords radiated dazzling red flames.

Then, when the hums from both swords reached their peak, Zack suddenly took two steps forward, leapt high into the air with thunderous force, and brought his fully powered crystal sword down in a vertical slash aimed directly at Zhang Wen! At almost the same moment, Cloud also charged forward, swinging his crystal sword horizontally from left to right in a powerful crosscut!

Zack and Cloud attacked from front and back, one vertical slash and one horizontal cut, nearly sealing off all Zhang Wen’s escape routes! From the blinding red flames radiating from their swords, it was clear that they had unleashed their full strength, not caring at all about what would happen to Zhang Wen in the process!

“Ahh!” The moment Zack leapt into the air, a chorus of terrified cries erupted from the square. Even the mature and seductive teacher Linoa gasped in shock.

No one present had expected Zack and Cloud to actually attack Zhang Wen with full force! Let alone the fact that Zhang Wen was bound by a rule that prevented him from moving! This combined full-power attack from the two of them would likely overwhelm even a physical combat instructor from Almystis Academy, if the instructor had no restrictions!

As Zhang Wen seemingly lost all chance of dodging, and was nearly certain to be killed by Zack and Cloud’s swords, Carite and Amelice, who stood at the front of the crowd, instinctively closed their eyes simultaneously!

But almost the moment they shut their eyes, Zhang Wen moved. In fact, the moment Zack and Cloud first raised their crystal swords, Zhang Wen had already focused all his attention on Cloud’s every movement in front of him, while using his hearing to monitor Zack’s actions behind him! The instant the two attackers moved, Zhang Wen had already sensed that Zack had started slightly ahead of Cloud, and that his upward leap was faster than Cloud’s forward charge!

This meant that Zack’s crystal sword would reach Zhang Wen a split second earlier than Cloud’s. And that tiny gap was the only opportunity Zhang Wen had to counter their joint attack!

Of course, if it were just a matter of words, countering Zack and Cloud’s combined assault would seem as simple as eating a piece of cake. But in reality, Zhang Wen’s life was in extreme danger at every moment! After all, even in the Empire of Shang Wu, Almystis Academy’s crystal swords were all sharpened and fully functional!

In that impossibly brief moment, Zhang Wen had to perform a series of actions: catch Zack’s crystal sword barehanded, then use Zack’s airborne position to lean his body backward, dodging Cloud’s horizontal slash. If any of these actions were even slightly delayed, the only result would be being cut in half! And most critically, when Zhang Wen reached out to grab Zack’s crystal sword barehanded, he could only rely on his hearing to judge the timing!

Even for Zhang Wen, who had mastered the Spring Water Technique and whose five senses were several times more acute than an ordinary person’s, this was nothing short of a high-stakes gamble!

Meanwhile, the airborne Zack couldn’t understand why Zhang Wen still hadn’t turned around, even though his crystal sword was practically touching Zhang Wen’s head.

Didn’t he notice my attack? Or is his attention completely focused on Cloud? Two thoughts flashed through Zack’s mind in an instant.

However, even if Zack wanted to stop his sword at this point, he couldn’t. Because he had already poured all his strength into that downward slash. All he could do now was watch helplessly as the crystal sword descended toward Zhang Wen’s head!

Closer! So close! In that decisive moment, Zhang Wen had focused all his attention on his hearing. Although Zack’s crystal sword, glowing with red flames, was only a few steps away in his line of sight, Zhang Wen had already stopped seeing it. At this moment, the only thing he could sense was the whistling wind behind him.

The sound grew closer and closer, the pitch rising higher and higher… Suddenly, Zhang Wen’s right hand shot out like lightning behind his head, and in an almost magical way, appeared beneath Zack’s descending crystal sword!

Pak! His palm clamped down like an iron vise, seizing Zack’s crystal sword with unshakable grip. Then, with all his strength, Zhang Wen yanked the sword forward!

The tremendous force hurled Zack forward! But the reaction force sent Zhang Wen’s body leaning backward. As he leaned back, he saw another crystal sword right in front of him—Cloud’s attack had arrived!

With a desperate effort, Zhang Wen threw his head back even further. Then, with a piercing shriek, Cloud’s crystal sword whistled past his nose, striking the crystal sword Zhang Wen was holding in his hand—the one belonging to Zack!

Clang! The sharp crystal swords struck each other with a crisp ringing sound. Using the force from Cloud’s horizontal slash, Zhang Wen yanked Zack’s sword again with all his might, pulling himself upright once more. Combining the forces of both Cloud and himself, Zhang Wen sent Zack spinning through the air, directly toward Cloud, who had charged to Zhang Wen’s side!

Although Cloud did notice Zack suddenly spinning toward him from behind, he was helpless to change direction. His previous horizontal slash had already consumed all his battle energy, and he was now powerless to evade.

Thud! With a dull thud of bodies colliding, the attackers Zack and Cloud actually crashed into each other, both tumbling to the ground in a heap.

“Hahaha!” The unexpected and comical sight of Zack and Cloud’s defeat once again caused the square to erupt into laughter. But honestly, even Zhang Wen himself hadn’t expected such a “classic” ending. His original plan had merely been to dodge their attacks and make them miss.

Then, before the laughter had even died down, the students, without knowing who started it, began clapping rhythmically for Zhang Wen. The mature and beautiful Linoa, clapping as well, stared at Zhang Wen without blinking, as if trying to see straight into his soul with her eyes!

Perhaps only Linoa and a few other exceptionally skilled martial artists in the square truly understood how astonishing the method Zhang Wen had used against Zack and Cloud really was.

He had enhanced his five senses using battle energy; pushed his body’s agility to the limit; and finally, by combining both, he had caused his opponents’ forces to strike mostly empty air, while his own force struck precisely at the most vulnerable point of his enemies!

Before Zhang Wen’s battle today, no one in the Empire had ever researched battle energy techniques to such an extent. Even Linoa, who had an extremely deep understanding of martial arts, had never imagined that an ordinary fifth-level warrior could produce such astonishing results simply by pushing the “technique” of martial arts to its limits!

Although Zhang Wen’s displayed strength seemed to still fall slightly short of the highest-level experts, at one point, Linoa couldn’t help but have a thought that even she found unbelievable—perhaps this person might change the future of martial arts in the entire Empire?

However, Linoa soon shook her head with a smile. She felt that recently, she had perhaps been too sensitive. Even though Zhang Wen’s performance in that battle had indeed been impressive and eye-opening, he was still only a low-ranking fifth-level martial artist.

At this stage, techniques could indeed play a significant role. Linoa had seen many gifted lower-level fighters who could win victories in same-level battles through intelligence and technique. Zhang Wen had simply done it better and more impressively than them.

Moreover, it was probably precisely because he focused too much on techniques that he had only reached the fifth level of battle energy at his current age! Thinking of this, Linoa couldn’t help but smile again as she shook her head once more.

Hearing the rhythmic applause from the crowd, Carite and Amelice, who had just closed their eyes, opened them in surprise. Then, the two young beauties were astonished to discover that Zhang Wen, whom they had imagined covered in blood, was still standing exactly where he had been before; while the two “killers” who should have killed him—Zack and Cloud—were both lying in disarray beside him!

What had happened? Both Carite and Amelice were completely baffled. They simply couldn’t connect the scene they had seen before closing their eyes—the moment when Zack and Cloud attacked Zhang Wen with dual swords—with the sight before them now.

“What happened? What just happened?” After a brief pause, Amelice eagerly leaned toward a martial arts classmate she knew well. Carite didn’t speak, but the moment she heard Amelice’s question, she immediately perked up both her ears.

Just as the martial arts student was explaining the thrilling details of Zhang Wen’s battle to Amelice and Carite, Zack and Cloud both got back to their feet.

Even with the huge limitations Zhang Wen had imposed on himself, and even though they had attacked him two against one, they had still been outmaneuvered and humiliated. Although they hadn’t completed the agreed number of sword strikes, at this point, neither Zack nor Cloud could possibly continue fighting Zhang Wen.

“We lost,” Zack and Cloud exchanged glances, then both walked up to Zhang Wen, lowered their heads in defeat, and handed their crystal swords to him.

“Good,” Zhang Wen said calmly, taking the crystal swords from both of them. Then, in a clear voice, he continued, “Since you’re willing to admit defeat, today’s matter ends here. Whatever conflicts you have between you are completely forgiven. Likewise, according to school regulations, your private duel never actually occurred, so there’s no need for you to accompany me to the detention room. You may leave! Don’t spoil the other students’ enjoyment of the academy festival!”

As Zhang Wen finished speaking, Zack and Cloud, whose faces had been somewhat pale, couldn’t help but exchange glances again.

Although spending a few days in detention wouldn’t cause Zack and Cloud much harm, it would leave a mark on their semester evaluations. After all, both the commander of the Shinra Army and the Chief Executive of the Shasa Alliance were strict, aristocratic fathers who cared deeply about appearances.

Zack and Cloud had been anxiously thinking about what would happen if their fathers found out they had engaged in a secret duel and been caught by the discipline teacher, resulting in detention… At that point, they wouldn’t escape a beating no matter what. But neither of them had expected that Zhang Wen would be so magnanimous as to let them off so easily! How could they not be overjoyed?

“Oh, right! According to school regulations, I should also give you a warning,” Zhang Wen said with a smile, patting both of their shoulders before they could flee. “Don’t duel again. As nobles and senior students, you should follow the rules of Almystis Academy and set a good example for your juniors. No problem with that, right?”

If Zhang Wen had said these words before his duel with Zack and Cloud, anyone who heard them would probably have looked at him with disdainful laughter. But now, not a single person in the square felt anything strange about his words.