“What?! Forfeit?!” The word uttered by the referee shocked not only every spectator watching the match, but also nearly popped the eyes out of Zax and his companions at the center of the arena.
Immediately afterward, thunderous applause erupted within the training hall.
This was a tradition observed by both academies during their inter-academy visits. The winning side would offer applause to the defeated as a sign of respect for their “past” bravery in battle.
Although the Thaemis Academy had always held the Almace Academy in utter contempt, now that the outcome had been decided, as the victors, they certainly wouldn’t withhold a bit of consolation for the losers. Moreover, from the perspective of Thaemis, although Almace’s physical combat division still trailed slightly behind Thaemis today, their performance was sufficient to warrant a round of applause and encouragement.
However, when the applause rang out, the three at the center of the arena—Zax and his companions—blushed furiously. Perhaps only the defeated could truly understand how piercing that enthusiastic applause actually was.
“W-wait a second! Who said we were forfeiting?!” Almost simultaneously with the applause, Zax snapped back to his senses. Enduring the sharp pain from his wounds, he rushed over to the referee and shouted furiously at him through clenched teeth.
“It was your academy’s Professor Kaelena.”
“What?!” Zax was momentarily stunned.
“What? Forfeit?!” The word uttered by the referee not only caused an uproar among all the spectators who were following the match but also left Zacks and his team in the center of the arena so shocked that their eyes nearly popped out of their heads.
Immediately afterward, a wave of enthusiastic applause erupted within the training hall.
This was a tradition of the Empire during inter-academy visits. The winning side would offer applause to the losing side as a tribute to their “former” valiant combat.
Although the Thamis Academy had always looked down upon the Almythius Academy, as the victors, they certainly wouldn’t begrudge a little consolation to the losers. Moreover, in the eyes of the Thamis people, while the performance of the Almythius Academy’s physical arts department today was slightly inferior to that of the Thamis Academy, it was still commendable enough to warrant their applause.
However, when the applause rang out, Zacks and his two companions standing in the center of the arena all flushed red. Perhaps only the losers could understand how grating this enthusiastic applause truly was!
“Wait… wait! Who said we’re forfeiting?!” Almost the moment the applause started, Zacks snapped back to reality. Enduring the excruciating pain from his wounds, he ran up to the referee and roared through gritted teeth.
“It was your academy’s teacher, Katerina.”
“What?!” Zacks was dumbfounded.
“Teacher Katerina is from the spellcasting department. How can she unilaterally decide matters for our physical arts department?” Cloud also quickly approached the referee.
“Didn’t we announce earlier? Your physical arts department’s sole representative teacher, Zhang Wen, has been expelled, so the match will be conducted under the supervision of the spellcasting department,” the referee replied impassively.
“Bullshit! Bullshit!! Bullshit!!! That was all decided unilaterally by you bastards!” Zacks was almost exploding with anger.
“Even if we acknowledge that the spellcasting department has the temporary right to supervise, they only have the right to ‘supervise’! They don’t have full authority over the physical arts department’s instructors! I don’t recognize their right to demand our forfeiture!”
“This…” The referee finally sensed the complexity of the situation. He turned to look at Katerina.
“Zacks, Cloud, Amelie! I can assure you, Teacher Katerina has no ulterior motives! She’s doing this for you and Teacher Zhang!” Knowing Zacks and his team’s perception of Katerina, Carrie hurriedly explained on her behalf.
“Huh?” Zacks and his team seemed surprised that it was Carrie who stepped forward to defend Katerina. All three of them were momentarily stunned.
“Haha…” After a moment of silence, Amelie suddenly laughed.
“Carrie! I understand what you’re saying!” Amelie shouted to Carrie with a smile, “I believe Teacher Katerina means well for us. But Teacher Zhang once said, sometimes good intentions can lead to bad outcomes. Teacher Katerina, we appreciate your kindness. However, we’ve fought our way here, and this match is ours! The responsibility that falls on us, we will bear it to the end!”
“Amelie…” From her friend’s eyes, Carrie saw a determination and courage she had never seen before. This made Carrie unable to continue persuading her friend.
“Hey! You over there in the spellcasting department!” The tense atmosphere between the two sides finally made Zacks lose his temper again. He grabbed the microphone from the referee, raised his energy sword, and shouted, “I don’t care if you mean well. This time, you’re meddling in our affairs! I don’t fear any so-called geniuses or fools from the Thamis Academy! You cowards who’ve lost your nerve, I’ll show you what it means to win!”
Arrogant, utterly arrogant! Zacks’ brazen declaration immediately caused an uproar in Training Hall Seven. The supporters of Thamis were all incensed, and even Link’s eyes showed a hint of anger.
Sweeping her gaze over the agitated arena, Katerina knew that no one could stop the match from continuing.
“Let’s go.” Katerina calmly uttered these two words and then turned and walked back to the restroom without looking back.
Most of the spellcasting teachers from the Almythius Academy left in a hurry, but the on-site referee was still in a dilemma. He had already announced the result of the Almythius Academy’s forfeiture, so whether to restart the match was not something he could decide on his own.
“Hmph! Since they want to fight to the end, let them. Otherwise, people might really think we Thamis are afraid!” Governor Karayan narrowed his eyes and sneered, making the final decision.
When the referee announced the restart of the match, cheers erupted in Training Hall Seven. After watching the previous match, the Thamis people had no doubt that Link’s final victory was only a matter of time. They couldn’t wait to see these overconfident Almythius students fall at Link’s feet in regret.
We just applauded your valiant fight and honored your defeat, but this time, you have nothing but defeat! Every Thamis person thought so.
“Hey! I didn’t realize I was boasting so much. Now we’re really pushed to the edge of the cliff,” Zacks muttered to his two teammates on the field.
“Wasn’t it you who boasted? Do you have any idea how to beat that guy?” Amelie asked irritably.
“Well…”
“You have no plan, yet you dared to boast?”
“I don’t have a plan now, but I believe there must be a way! Remember? When Teacher Zhang was training us, he always set defeating him as the final challenge. That means Teacher Zhang based our training on the three of us defeating a ninth-tier expert. So, I think Teacher Zhang’s training must include a way to beat that guy. We just haven’t figured it out yet,” Zacks argued confidently.
“If Teacher Zhang had a way, why didn’t he tell us beforehand?”
“Nonsense! If he told us everything in advance, what would we gain from the training? The method must be hidden within the training for us to discover! If we can find it, doesn’t that prove our level has improved?”
“Alright. You have a point. Method, method… Ugh, I can’t think of anything!” Amelie frowned in frustration.
“If you’re talking about a way to deal with that guy, I might have one. But it’s probably a bad idea,” Cloud, who had been quietly listening to Zacks and Amelie’s argument, suddenly spoke up.
“What? Spit it out!” Amelie and Zacks almost shouted simultaneously.
“Well… Up to this point in the match, I’ve only found one weakness in Link. I always thought this weakness was useless to us. But now I think this weakness might actually be the key to defeating him.”
“What weakness?” They asked in unison.
“Hesitation! Haven’t you noticed? Every time Link lands a successful attack, meaning he’s sure to hit us, his movements always hesitate a bit.”
“Hmm… That seems to be the case,” Zacks, who had the most wounds, nodded. “It’s probably due to lack of real combat experience. When he’s about to hurt someone, he hesitates subconsciously because he’s afraid of seeing blood.”
“Maybe that’s the reason, or maybe it’s something else. Regardless, this is the only weakness I’ve found in him.”
“Cloud, how can we exploit this weakness?” Amelie frowned. “He only hesitates when he’s about to land a successful attack, and it’s just for a split second!”
“Exactly! I’ve been thinking about this too. It wasn’t until Zacks mentioned it just now that I realized Teacher Zhang might have actually included a way to exploit this weakness in our training.”
“What way?”
“Trading injuries for injuries,” Cloud said calmly. “You all remember, during our training, our pain receptors were set to 120%. Moreover, we were almost always fighting while injured. That means our experience and ability to fight while injured are unmatched by Link. Wounds like the ones on Zacks would probably make an untrained person’s movements completely distorted from the pain. But now? Zacks is just a bit slower in his movements.”
“Bullshit, who’s slower?”
“Anyway, my plan is this: we engage Link in close combat. We deliberately give him opportunities to land successful attacks. Then, during that split second of hesitation, we counterattack. It’s certain that even if we land a hit, the injury we inflict on Link won’t be as severe as the ones he gives us. But our advantage is that injuries affect our combat power less. So, the outcome of this fight will ultimately depend on luck and perseverance on both sides.”
With a calm tone, Cloud laid out his plan.
“Yikes!” Zacks sucked in a breath as if he had a toothache. “Cloud, I always thought I was tough. But you, you’re a hundred times tougher than me! Trading your own injuries for the other guy’s, and you say it so casually!”
“I said it might be a bad idea. Teacher Zhang didn’t tell us directly, probably leaving the choice to us. If you don’t want to do it, I won’t force you. At this point in the match, no one is forcing us to win. But even if I’m alone, I won’t forfeit here! I can handle the task of baiting the enemy alone, you just need to be ready to attack. If I can’t hold on and fall…”
“Bullshit! Don’t act like you’re the only one who wants to win! I’ve fought this hard not to forfeit! So what if I take a few more hits? I’m in!” Zacks gritted his teeth and made up his mind. “The chance to defeat a ninth-tier expert doesn’t come often!”
“Hey! I still remember clearly what those Thamis guys said in the training hall that day! Today, let’s show them our true strength!” Amelie’s eyes were also burning with determination.
“Alright, cover each other well. Let’s go!” Cloud extended his hand, and the three of them stacked their palms together, shouted in unison, and gritted their teeth as they charged toward Link.
“Oh?” Seeing the trio from the Almythius Academy unexpectedly take the initiative to approach, Link raised an eyebrow slightly in surprise. However, Link wasn’t worried that his opponents could pull off any tricks. After nearly twenty minutes of combat, Link had already thoroughly assessed the strength of the Almythius trio. He was confident that the three of them were no match for him.
As soon as the Almythius trio reached Link, they immediately split into two teams as before. The team of two actively engaged Link’s attacks, seemingly trying to divert his sword, while Zacks charged ahead alone, shouting as he launched an attack at Link.
“Hmph! Fools who never learn!” The unoriginal attack pattern of Zacks and the others made Link sneer. Just like before, he swung his sword forcefully, breaking through the defenses of Amelie and Cloud, and then slashed toward Zacks’ right arm.
Link was confident in this strike. Even if Zacks tried to defend with his sword, he couldn’t escape adding another wound to his body.
However, what Link never expected was that just as he was about to strike Zacks, Amelie and Cloud, who had been pushed back, were also focusing all their energy, waiting for the moment when Link would show a flaw.
Link’s energy sword deflected Zacks’ defense and slashed toward his right arm…
Now!
At the moment Link’s energy sword was about to hit Zacks, Amelie and Cloud clearly saw Link’s momentary hesitation. The two of them, who had been prepared, simultaneously launched a counterattack. Two energy swords shot out like lightning, aiming straight for Link’s chest.
Under normal circumstances, Link, with his ninth-tier combat power, wouldn’t have cared about Amelie and Cloud’s minor counterattack. His speed would have allowed him to dodge or parry their attacks with his energy sword. But at this moment, Link’s slight hesitation made him fail to notice the two counterattacking energy swords in time. By the time Link reacted, the two energy swords were almost at his chest!
Slightly startled, Link quickly retreated, but he still couldn’t completely avoid the pincer attack of the two energy swords. Amelie’s energy sword left the first wound on Link’s left arm in today’s battle.
Buzz! The wound on Link’s arm quickly caused a small wave of discussion in Training Hall Seven.
“Oh! An unexpected turn of events has occurred again! Thamis Academy’s Link has been injured for the first time in today’s battle!” The announcer, Bolt, raised his voice a few pitches.
“It’s not a big deal. Even Link can make mistakes. The key is to see that Link only suffered a minor wound on his arm, and he’ll just frown and move on. On the other hand, the wound Zacks from Almythius Academy took is probably much more painful than Link’s!” Sir Wilson wasn’t concerned about Link’s minor setback.
“Didn’t we announce earlier that since your physical combat division’s sole representative instructor, Zhang Wen, had been removed, the match would be overseen by the spell-casting division,” the referee replied, expressionless.
“What? Forfeit?!” The word uttered by the referee not only caused an uproar among all the spectators watching the match but also left Zax and his team in the center of the arena so shocked that their eyes nearly popped out of their heads.
Immediately afterward, a round of enthusiastic applause erupted within the training hall.
This was a tradition of the Empire during inter-academy visits. The winning side would offer applause to the losing side as a tribute to their “former” valiant combat.
Although the Thamis Academy had always looked down upon the Almythis Academy, after the outcome was decided, as the victors, they naturally wouldn’t begrudge a little consolation to the losers. Moreover, in the eyes of the Thamis people, although the performance of the Almythis Academy’s physical combat department today was still slightly inferior to that of the Thamis Academy, it was commendable enough to warrant their applause.
However, when the applause rang out, Zax and his two companions standing in the center of the arena all flushed red. Perhaps only the losers could understand how grating this enthusiastic applause truly was!
“Wait… wait! Who said we’re forfeiting?!” Almost the moment the applause started, Zax snapped back to reality. Enduring the excruciating pain from his wounds, he rushed to the referee’s side and roared through gritted teeth.
“It was your academy’s teacher, Katerina.”
“What?!” Zax was dumbfounded.
“Teacher Katerina is from the spellcasting department. How can she decide matters for our physical combat department?” Cloud also quickly approached the referee.
“Didn’t we announce earlier? Your physical combat department’s sole representative teacher, Zhang Wen, has been expelled, so the match will proceed under the supervision of the spellcasting department,” the referee replied impassively.
“Bullshit! Bullshit!! Bullshit!!! That was all decided by you bastards on your own!” Zax was almost exploding with anger.
“Even if we acknowledge that the spellcasting department has temporary supervisory rights, they only have the authority to ‘supervise’! They don’t have full authority to act on behalf of the physical combat department’s instructors! I don’t recognize their right to demand our forfeit!”
“This…” The referee finally sensed the complexity of the situation. He turned to look at Katerina.
“Zax, Cloud, Amelie! I can assure you, Teacher Katerina has no ulterior motives! She did this for you and Teacher Zhang!” Knowing Zax and his team’s perception of Katerina, Carlette hurriedly explained on her behalf.
“Huh?” Zax and the others seemed surprised that Carlette was the one stepping forward to defend Katerina. All three of them were momentarily stunned.
“Heh…” After a moment of silence, Amelie suddenly laughed.
“Carlette! I get what you’re saying!” Amelie shouted to Carlette with a smile, “I believe Teacher Katerina means well. But as Teacher Zhang once said, sometimes good intentions can lead to bad outcomes. Teacher Katerina, we appreciate your kindness. However, we’ve fought our way here, and this is our match! The responsibility that falls on us, we will carry it through to the end!”
“Amelie…” From her best friend’s eyes, Carlette saw a determination and courage she had never seen before. This made Carlette unable to continue persuading her friend.
“Hey! You spellcasting folks over there!” The tense atmosphere between the two sides finally made Zax lose his temper again. He snatched the microphone from the referee’s hand, raised his energy sword, and shouted, “I don’t care if you mean well. This time, you’re meddling in our business! I don’t care about Thamis Academy’s so-called geniuses or fools! You guys are too scared to lose, but I’m going to win and show you!”
Arrogant, utterly arrogant! Zax’s bold declaration immediately caused an uproar in Training Hall Seven. The supporters of Thamis were furious, and even Link’s eyes showed a hint of anger.
As Katerina’s gaze swept over the agitated arena, she knew that no one could stop the match from continuing.
“Let’s go.” Katerina calmly uttered these two words and walked back to the restroom without looking back.
Most of the spellcasting teachers from the Almythis Academy left in a hurry, but the on-site referee was still in a dilemma. He had already announced the result of the Almythis Academy’s forfeit, so whether to restart the match was not something he could decide on his own.
“Hmph! Since they want to fight to the end, let them. Otherwise, people might really think we Thamis are afraid!” Governor Karayan narrowed his eyes and coldly made the final decision.
When the referee announced the restart of the match, Training Hall Seven erupted in cheers. After watching the earlier part of the match, the Thamis people had no doubt that Link’s ultimate victory was only a matter of time. They couldn’t wait to see these overconfident Almythis students fall at Link’s feet in regret.
We just applauded your valiant fight and honored your defeat, but this time, you have nothing but defeat! Every Thamis person thought so.
“Hey! I didn’t realize I was boasting so much. Now we’re really pushed to the edge of the cliff,” Zax muttered to his two teammates on the field.
“Wasn’t it you who boasted? Do you have any idea how to beat that guy?” Amelie asked irritably.
“Well…”
“You have no plan and still dared to boast?”
“I don’t have a plan now, but I believe there must be a way! Remember? When Teacher Zhang was training us, he always set defeating him as the final condition for passing. That means Teacher Zhang trained us based on the premise that the three of us could take on a ninth-tier expert and win. So, I think Teacher Zhang’s training must include a way to beat that guy. It’s just that we haven’t figured it out yet,” Zax argued confidently.
“If Teacher Zhang had a way, why didn’t he tell us beforehand?”
“Nonsense! If he told us everything in advance, what kind of training would we get? The method must be hidden in the training for us to discover! If we can find it, doesn’t that prove our level has improved?”
“Alright. You make some sense. Method, method… Ugh, I can’t think of anything!” Amelie frowned in frustration.
“If you’re talking about a way to deal with that guy, I might have one. But it’s probably a bad idea,” Cloud, who had been quietly listening to Zax and Amelie’s argument, suddenly spoke up.
“What? Spit it out!” Amelie and Zax almost shouted in unison.
“Hmm… Up to this point in the match, I’ve only found one weakness in Link. I always thought this weakness was useless to us. But now I think it might actually be the key to beating him.”
“What weakness?” They asked in unison again.
“Hesitation! Haven’t you noticed? Every time Link lands a successful attack, meaning he’s sure to hit us, his movements always show a slight hesitation.”
“Hmm… That does seem to be the case,” Zax, who had the most wounds, nodded. “It’s probably because he lacks real combat experience. When he’s about to hurt someone, he hesitates subconsciously, afraid of seeing blood.”
“Maybe that’s the reason, maybe it’s something else. Regardless, this is the only weakness I’ve found in him.”
“Cloud, how can we exploit this weakness?” Amelie frowned. “He only hesitates when he’s about to land a successful attack, and it’s just for a split second!”
“Exactly! I’ve been thinking about this too. It wasn’t until Zax mentioned it earlier that I realized Teacher Zhang might have actually included a way to exploit this weakness in our training.”
“What way?”
“Trading injuries for injuries,” Cloud said calmly. “You all remember, during our training, our pain receptors were set to 120%. Moreover, we were almost always fighting while injured. That means our experience and ability to fight while injured far surpass Link’s. Wounds like the ones on Zax would probably cripple someone without training. But now? Zax is just a bit slower in his movements.”
“Bullshit, who’s slower?”
“Anyway, my plan is this: we engage Link in close combat. We intentionally give him opportunities to land successful attacks. Then, during that split second of hesitation, we counterattack. Even if we land a hit, the damage we inflict on Link won’t be as severe as what he does to us. But our advantage is that injuries affect our combat ability less. So, the outcome of this fight will ultimately depend on luck and perseverance.”
Cloud calmly laid out his plan.
“Ouch!” Zax sucked in a breath as if he had a toothache. “Cloud, I always thought I was ruthless. But you, my friend, are a hundred times more ruthless than me! Trading your own injuries for someone else’s, and you say it so casually!”
“I told you, it might be a bad idea. Teacher Zhang didn’t tell us directly, probably because he wanted to leave the choice to us. If you don’t want to do it, I won’t force you. At this point in the match, no one is demanding that we win. But even if I’m the only one, I won’t forfeit here! I can handle the task of baiting him alone. You just need to be ready to attack. If I fall…”
“Bullshit! Don’t act like you’re the only one who wants to win! I’ve fought this hard not to give up! So what if I take a few more hits? I’m in!” Zax gritted his teeth and made up his mind. “The chance to beat a ninth-tier expert doesn’t come around often!”
“Hey! I still remember clearly what those Thamis guys said in the training hall that day! Today, we’ll show them our true strength!” Amelie’s eyes were burning with determination.
“Alright, cover each other well. Let’s go!” Cloud extended his hand, and the three of them stacked their palms together, shouting in unison before charging at Link with gritted teeth.
“Oh?” Seeing the trio from the Almythis Academy unexpectedly take the initiative to approach, Link raised an eyebrow in slight surprise. However, Link wasn’t worried that his opponents could pull off any tricks. After nearly twenty minutes of combat, Link had already assessed the strength of the Almythis trio thoroughly. He was confident that the three of them were no match for him.
As soon as the Almythis trio reached Link, they split into two teams as before. The team of two actively engaged Link’s attacks, seemingly trying to divert his sword, while Zax charged ahead alone, shouting as he launched an attack at Link.
“Hmph! Fools who never learn!” The unoriginal attack pattern of Zax and the others made Link sneer. Just like before, he swung his sword forcefully, breaking through Amelie and Cloud’s defenses, and then slashed toward Zax’s right arm.
Link was confident in this strike. Even if Zax tried to block with his sword, he wouldn’t escape adding another wound to his body.
However, what Link never expected was that at the same moment he attacked Zax, Amelie and Cloud, who had been pushed back, focused all their energy, waiting for the moment when Link would show a flaw.
Link’s energy sword deflected Zax’s defense and slashed toward his right arm…
Now!
At the moment Link’s energy sword was about to hit Zax, Amelie and Cloud clearly saw Link’s brief hesitation. The two, who had been prepared, launched a counterattack simultaneously. Two energy swords shot out like lightning, aimed directly at Link’s chest.
Under normal circumstances, Link, with his ninth-tier combat ability, wouldn’t have cared about Amelie and Cloud’s minor counterattacks. His speed would have allowed him to dodge or parry their attacks. But at this moment, Link’s slight hesitation made him fail to notice the two counterattacking energy swords in time. By the time Link reacted, the two swords were almost at his chest!
Slightly startled, Link quickly retreated, but he still couldn’t completely avoid the pincer attack. Amelie’s energy sword left the first wound on Link’s left arm in today’s battle.
Buzz! The wound on Link’s arm quickly sparked a wave of murmurs in Training Hall Seven.
“Oh! An unexpected turn of events! Link from the Thamis Academy has been injured for the first time in today’s battle!” The announcer, Porter, raised his voice by several degrees.
“It’s not a big deal. Even Link can have a misstep. The key is to see that Link only suffered a minor wound on his arm, and he’ll shrug it off. Meanwhile, the wound Zax from the Almythis Academy took is probably much more painful than Link’s!” Sir Wilson wasn’t concerned about Link’s minor setback.
“Even if we accept that the spell-casting division has temporary supervisory rights, they’re only authorized to ‘supervise’—not to fully assume the responsibilities of a physical combat instructor! I refuse to acknowledge their authority to demand we forfeit!”
“Hmm…” The referee finally sensed the complexity of the situation. He turned his head and looked toward Kaelena.
“Zax, Cloud, and Amyris! I can assure you that Professor Kaelena absolutely had no ulterior motives! She did this for you and for Professor Zhang!” Carlet, knowing Zax and his companions’ feelings toward Kaelena, hurriedly came to her defense.
“Eh?” Zax and the others hadn’t expected Carlet to be the one stepping forward to defend Kaelena. The three of them froze simultaneously.
“Hehe…” After a moment of silence, Amyris suddenly laughed.
“Carlet! I understand what you’re saying!” Amyris shouted joyfully at her friend. “I believe Professor Kaelena has our best interests at heart. But Professor Zhang once said that sometimes good intentions can lead to bad outcomes. Professor Kaelena, we appreciate your good intentions. However, we’ve fought this far already. This is our match! We must bear the responsibility ourselves!”
“Amyris…” Carlet saw a determination and courage in her best friend’s eyes that she had never seen before. That look left Carlet unable to continue persuading her dear friend.
“Hey! You spell-casting guys over there!” The tense standoff finally pushed Zax to his breaking point. He snatched the microphone from the referee’s hand and raised his crystal blade high, shouting, “I don’t care what your intentions were! This time, you’ve overstepped! Whether you’re a Thaemis genius or a fool, I’m not afraid of you! You spineless losers, I’ll show you who the real winner is!”
Reckless! Utterly reckless! Zax’s arrogant declaration immediately caused an uproar in Training Hall No.7. Thaemis supporters were furious, and even Link’s eyes now burned with a hint of anger.
Surveying the agitated crowd, Kaelena knew that no one could stop this match from continuing now.
“Let’s go.” With a calm voice, she uttered just two words before turning and heading back to the lounge without looking back.
Most of the Almace spell-casting instructors followed her out, but the referee still hesitated. He had already announced Almace’s forfeit, and he dared not make a unilateral decision on whether to restart the match.
“Hmph! If they insist on fighting to the end, then let them. Otherwise, people might really think we Thaemis are afraid!” Governor Karajan narrowed his eyes and coldly made the final decision.
When the referee announced the resumption of the match, the hall erupted in cheers. Having watched the earlier rounds, the Thaemis supporters had no doubt that Link’s ultimate victory was only a matter of time. They couldn’t wait to see the arrogant Almace trio fall at Link’s feet, regretting their foolishness.
We even applauded your brave defeat earlier. This time, you won’t even have that! Every Thaemis supporter thought the same.
“Heh! Without realizing it, I’ve made a big promise. Now we’ve really been pushed to the edge,” Zax mumbled quietly to his two teammates on the battlefield.
“Well, wasn’t it you who made that promise? Do you have any idea how to beat him now?” Amyris asked impatiently.
“Well…”
“You made such a bold claim without any plan?”
“I don’t have one now, but I believe there must be a way! Don’t you remember? When Professor Zhang trained us, he always set the final condition as defeating him. In other words, Professor Zhang always trained us with the goal of three of us fighting a ninth-rank expert alone and winning. Therefore, I believe his training must have included a method to defeat someone like him. We just haven’t figured it out yet.”
“If Professor Zhang had a method, why didn’t he tell us beforehand?”
“Obviously! If he told us everything, how could we improve? The method must be hidden within the training, for us to discover ourselves! If we can find it, doesn’t that prove our skill has improved?”
“Okay, that makes some sense. But method… sigh, I can’t think of anything!” Amyris frowned.
“If you’re looking for a way to deal with him, I might have one. Although it might be a terrible idea.” Cloud, who had been silently listening to Zax and Amyris argue, suddenly spoke up.
“What? Quick, tell us!” Both Amyris and Zax nearly shouted in unison.
“Well… throughout the match, I’ve only noticed one weakness in Link. I thought it was useless to us before, but now I think it might be the key to defeating him.”
“What weakness?”
“Hesitation! Don’t know if you noticed, but every time Link successfully attacks—when he’s definitely about to hit us—his movements hesitate slightly.”
“Yeah… that does seem to be the case.” Zax, who had the most wounds, nodded. “It must be because he has little actual combat experience. He’s afraid of seeing blood when he injures someone, so he hesitates instinctively.”
“It could be that, or another reason entirely. Regardless of the cause, it’s the only weakness I’ve found in him.”
“Cloud, how can we exploit this weakness?” Amyris frowned. “He only hesitates when he’s sure of landing a hit, and even then, it’s just a split second!”
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that too. Until Zax mentioned it just now, I realized that Professor Zhang might have actually included a method to exploit this weakness in our training.”
“What method?”
“Trading injuries.” Cloud said calmly. “You both remember, during our training, our pain receptors were set to 120%. And later on, we were almost always fighting while injured. In other words, our experience and ability to fight while injured are something Link can’t match. If someone untrained had wounds like Zax’s, they’d probably already be moving awkwardly from the pain. But Zax here is only slightly slower.”
“Bullshit, I’m not slow at all!”
“Anyway, my idea is this: we close in and engage Link in close combat. We deliberately give him opportunities to hit us. Then, during the brief hesitation when Link attacks, we counterattack. It’s certain that even if we land a hit, the injury we inflict on Link won’t be as severe as the ones he gives us. But our advantage is that the impact of injuries on our combat effectiveness is much smaller. Therefore, the outcome of this battle will ultimately depend on luck and perseverance.”
Cloud calmly laid out his plan.
“Yikes!” Zax sucked in a sharp breath like he had a toothache. “Cloud, I always thought I was ruthless. But you, man, you’re a hundred times worse than me! Talking about trading injuries like it’s nothing!”
“I told you, it might be a terrible idea. Professor Zhang didn’t tell us directly, probably because he wanted to leave the choice to us. If you don’t want to do it, I won’t force you. At this point, no one is demanding that we must win. However, even if I’m the only one, I won’t admit defeat here! I can take on the role of bait alone. You just need to prepare for the attack. If I can’t hold on and fall…”
“Bullshit! Don’t talk like you’re the only one who wants to win! I’ve fought this hard not to surrender! So what if I take a few more hits? I’m in!” Zax gritted his teeth and made his decision. “Opportunities to defeat a ninth-rank expert don’t come often!”
“Heh! I still remember clearly what those Thaemis guys said in the training hall that day! Today, let’s show them our true strength!” Amyris’s eyes burned with fire.
“Alright then, watch each other’s backs. Let’s go!” Cloud extended his hand, and the three stacked their hands together, shouted loudly, and charged at Link with gritted teeth.
“Oh?” Seeing the Almace trio unexpectedly charging forward, Link raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise. However, Link wasn’t worried about any new tricks his opponents might pull. After nearly twenty minutes of battle, Link had already thoroughly assessed the strength of the three from Almace. He was confident enough that those three were no match for him.
As soon as the Almace trio reached Link, they immediately split into two groups, just like before. Two of them rushed to intercept Link’s attack, seemingly trying to draw away his longsword, while Zax charged ahead alone, shouting as he attacked Link.
“Hmph! Fools who refuse to learn their lesson!” The unoriginal attack pattern of Zax and his companions caused Link to smirk slightly. He swung his crystal blade just as before, breaking through Amyris and Cloud’s defenses, and then slashed toward Zax’s right arm.
Link was fully confident in this strike. Even if Zax tried to defend at this moment, he couldn’t avoid receiving another wound.
However, what Link never expected was that at the exact moment he attacked Zax, the repelled Amyris and Cloud had also focused all their attention, waiting for the moment Link would show an opening.
Link’s crystal blade deflected Zax’s defense and slashed toward his right arm…
Now!
At the moment Link’s crystal blade was about to strike Zax, Amyris and Cloud clearly saw Link’s brief hesitation. Prepared in advance, the two immediately launched a counterattack. Two crystal blades shot out like lightning, aiming directly at Link’s chest.
Under normal circumstances, Link, with his ninth-rank battle prowess, would never have worried about such a minor counterattack from Amyris and Cloud. His speed was more than enough to dodge or parry their attacks. But in this moment, Link’s slight hesitation prevented him from promptly noticing the two counterattacking crystal blades. By the time Link reacted, the two blades were already nearly at his chest!
Slightly startled, Link hastily retreated, but he couldn’t completely evade the pincer attack. Amyris’s crystal blade left the first wound on Link’s left arm—the first injury he had sustained in today’s match.
Buzz! The wound on Link’s arm quickly stirred murmurs throughout Training Hall No.7.
“Oh! Another unexpected turn! Link from Thaemis Academy has suffered his first injury in today’s match!” The commentator, Bolte, raised his tone slightly.
“It’s not a big deal. Even Link can have a slip-up occasionally. The key point is that Link only suffered a minor injury to his arm, which he can easily shrug off with a frown. Meanwhile, the wound Zax from Almace Academy received was probably much more painful!” Lord Wilson wasn’t particularly concerned about Link’s minor setback.
In fact, even Link himself didn’t pay much attention to this small “accident.” After all, who could guarantee that they had never been careless before? And the wound caused by Link’s momentary lapse barely affected his subsequent fighting.
However, when Link faced off again with the trio from Almace Academy, another shocking accident occurred! This time, it was Zack who landed the hit on Link—leaving a small cut several centimeters long on Link’s left leg. Meanwhile, Cloud, from behind, suffered a slash from Link, leaving a wound more than twenty centimeters long.
Two consecutive incidents had already raised Link’s suspicions. Yet even after becoming more vigilant, he still couldn’t prevent a third accident from happening.
Cloud once again inflicted a deep wound on Link’s right waist—at the cost of a nearly bone-deep wound on his own left arm.
“Wow!” This was the third time Link had been wounded by the trio from Almace Academy. A wave of astonishment rippled through Training Hall No. 7.
Anyone with a keen eye could tell that these repeated “accidents” during the fight were probably not mere coincidences. While Link had discovered the weaknesses of the Almace fighters, it seemed the Almace fighters had also seized Link’s vulnerability!
In the stands, General William and Countess Melissa sat side by side, equally captivated by this match, their eyes fixed on the four fighters who had become the center of attention in the training arena. However, their expressions were completely different—General William wore a look of admiration and approval, while Countess Melissa remained solemn and serious.
“…The Almace team has surprised us far too many times today! And now, they’ve achieved yet another miracle we could never have imagined. Three students ranked below sixth class, whom we all believed would easily fall beneath Link’s sword, have instead used their tenacity to prove—they haven’t lost yet!”
The psychic waves carried his voice not only across every corner of the planet Fira, but also to the distant planet Kaseres, where countless Kaserians gathered around radios to listen.
Although due to the distance, Kaseres couldn’t receive the visual feed like Fira could, crowds still gathered around street radios to listen to the broadcast.
For the Kaserians, who lived on the most remote planet in the Empire and were often looked down upon by the more prosperous planets as “country bumpkins,” Almace Academy—renowned throughout the Empire—was their greatest source of pride.
When news of Almace’s crushing defeat in the psychic arts division arrived, many Kaserians wept bitterly. But soon, the unexpected performance of Almace’s physical combat division reignited their hope. Of course, this hope came with its own torment.
At first, when everyone had already lost hope, the physical combat team suddenly surged forward and crushed the powerful Themis Academy. But just as everyone began to see the light of victory, the team suddenly pulled their strongest ace off the battlefield and onto the stands! Then came the announcement that Almace would forfeit the match, nearly causing the Kaserians to faint from shock.
The rollercoaster performance of the physical combat team felt like a deliberate tease on the nerves of the Kaserians, leaving them breathless with tension.
At one point, an elderly gentleman with heart problems actually suffered a cardiac episode while listening to Mr. Bolt’s passionate commentary! Fortunately, among the crowd gathered around the street radio were several psychokineticists who knew basic medical techniques. As soon as the old man clutched his chest and collapsed, several psychokineticists rushed forward to administer emergency treatment before rushing him to the hospital, narrowly avoiding a tragedy.
In fact, even Link himself did not pay much attention to this minor “accident.” After all, no one can guarantee that they have never been careless. The wound caused by Link’s “carelessness” this time did not significantly affect his subsequent battles. However, when Link clashed with the trio from the Almisius Academy again, another astonishing accident occurred! This time, it was Zack who struck Link, leaving a small cut several centimeters long on his left leg. Cloud, on the other hand, was slashed by Link from behind, suffering a wound over twenty centimeters long.
These consecutive accidents had already aroused Link’s suspicion, but even with heightened vigilance, he could not prevent a third accident from happening. Cloud once again paid the price with a nearly bone-deep wound on his left arm, leaving Link with a similarly severe injury on his right side.
“Ouch!” Link was wounded for the third time by the trio from the Almisius Academy, and a wave of astonishment swept through Training Hall No. 7. It was clear to anyone with eyes that these repeated “accidents” during the battle were likely not mere coincidences. While Link had discovered the weaknesses of the Almisius fighters, it seemed they had also found a way to exploit his vulnerabilities!
In the stands, General William and Count Melissa, seated side by side, were equally captivated by the match, their eyes fixed on the four figures who had become the center of the training ground. However, their expressions were starkly different. General William wore a look of admiration and approval, while Count Melissa’s expression was grave.
“…The Almisius fighters have surprised us too many times today! This time, they have achieved what we thought was impossible. Three students, none above the sixth rank, have shown us their tenacity when we expected them to fall easily to the mighty Link!”
The fluctuations of psychic energy carried his voice to every corner of the planet Fira, and in the distant Kasares, countless Kasarians gathered around radios to listen to his words. Although they could not watch the match live like those on Fira, many Kasarians still crowded around street radios.
For these Kasarians, living on the empire’s most remote planet and often scorned by the prosperous imperial citizens as “country bumpkins,” the prestigious Almisius Academy was their greatest pride. When news of the Almisius Academy’s psychic department’s crushing defeat reached them, many Kasarians were so heartbroken that they wept. However, the unexpected performance of the academy’s physical combat department soon reignited their hope. Of course, this hope was also accompanied by pain.
First, when all seemed lost, they suddenly turned the tables and defeated the powerful Themis Academy. But just as victory seemed within reach, their strongest ace unexpectedly retreated to the stands! Then, the announcement of the Almisius Academy’s withdrawal from the competition nearly caused the Kasarians to faint from tension.
The rollercoaster performance of the physical combat department seemed to deliberately toy with the Kasarians’ nerves, leaving them breathless with anxiety. In fact, one elderly gentleman with a weak heart even suffered a heart attack while listening to Mr. Bolt’s passionate commentary! Fortunately, among the crowd listening to the radio on the street, there were several psychic healers with some medical knowledge. Seeing the old man clutch his chest and collapse, they rushed to administer first aid and then sent him to the hospital, averting a tragedy.
“…After a brief rest, both sides have resumed the battle. The wounds inflicted by Amelie and Zack on Link seem to be affecting his movements. On the Almisius side, the three students are also heavily wounded, their robes stained with blood.”
At this point in the battle, every change in the broadcaster Mr. Bolt’s tone made the Kasarians’ hearts race.
“…Ah! The fourth clash since the match began is also a draw! Link has been struck on the left shoulder, but he has also stabbed Cloud in the abdomen! This strike was heavy—can Cloud continue? …He’s standing up! Though he seems to be in pain, his fighting spirit remains unyielding! Such resilience!”
“Well done!” Although they knew the fighters on Fira could not hear them, the streets of Kasares erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.
“Hmm… The three Almisius fighters have indeed shown remarkable perseverance and courage. Frankly, the fact that they are still standing can only be described as a miracle!” Even Sir Wilson, a staunch opponent of Almisius, was moved by Zack and his comrades’ tenacity.
Of course, this slight admiration did not mean Sir Wilson would change his stance.
“…I have no doubt that Link will ultimately prevail. You must have noticed that Link’s injuries are not severe, merely affecting his mobility. However, the Almisius fighters’ wounds are far more serious each time they are struck by Link. From now on, I believe they could collapse at any moment.”
Indeed, Sir Wilson was not wrong. By this point in the battle, Zack had sustained over ten wounds, and while Cloud had fewer, his injuries were shockingly severe. Even after enduring Zhang Wen’s hellish training, the pain they were enduring was nearing their limits. Another disadvantage was that the significant blood loss severely drained their stamina and rapidly depleted their combat energy.
After the battle resumed, they had fought Link for less than five minutes before feeling as though they could barely breathe, and their psychic swords grew heavier by the moment.
However, the reason Zack and his comrades continued to fight was that they had noticed something Sir Wilson had missed: Link was also struggling! Throughout the battle with the trio, Link had been on the offensive, exerting full force with every swing of his psychic sword. This had also drained much of his stamina and combat energy.
After exchanging four wounds with Zack and his comrades, Link finally began to breathe heavily. After four clashes, he finally understood their strategy: using their own bodies as bait to create opportunities to wound their opponent… These guys were insane! Even the usually calm Link felt a chill rise from the depths of his heart.
But by the time Link realized this, the two sides were already locked in combat. Neither Zack’s trio nor Link had the luxury of retreating. Unless one side was willing to drop their weapons and forfeit the match, they had no choice but to press on, attacking, attacking, and attacking again!
By this point in the match, every shift in Mr. Bolt’s tone sent waves of excitement through the hearts of Kaserians following the match.
“…Ah! The fourth clash since the match began ends in a tie—Link is struck in the left shoulder, while he simultaneously lands a blow on Cloud’s abdomen! This is a heavy strike—can Cloud continue? …He’s getting up! Though clearly in pain, his fighting spirit remains unshaken! What incredible resilience!”
“Whoa! Well done!” Though fully aware that the fighters on Fira could never hear them, the streets of Kaseres still erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.
“Indeed, the three fighters from Almace have shown astonishing perseverance and courage. To be honest, the fact that they haven’t collapsed yet can only be described as a miracle!” Even Sir Wilson, a staunch critic of Almace Academy, couldn’t help but be moved by the trio’s resilience.
Of course, a little admiration for Zack and his comrades didn’t mean Sir Wilson would change his stance.
“…Of course, I have no doubt that Link will ultimately emerge victorious. You must have noticed that Link’s injuries aren’t serious—perhaps only slightly affecting his mobility. But for the three Almace students, every wound inflicted by Link is far more severe. From this point on, I believe they could collapse at any moment.”
In fact, Sir Wilson wasn’t wrong. By this point in the battle, Zack had already sustained over ten wounds. Although Cloud had fewer injuries than Zack, each one was shockingly severe.
Even after enduring Zhang Wen’s brutal training, the pain both endured had nearly reached their physical limits. Another serious disadvantage was that massive blood loss had severely drained their strength and rapidly consumed their combat energy.
After the battle resumed, they had fought Link for less than five minutes when they already felt suffocating pressure in their chests, and their crystal blades felt heavier and heavier in their hands.
However, the reason Zack and the others continued to fight Link was because they noticed something even Sir Wilson had missed—that Link’s situation wasn’t easy either!
Throughout the fight against Zack’s team, Link had been on the offensive nearly the entire time. Every swing of his crystal blade required one hundred percent effort, which also consumed a large amount of his strength and combat energy.
After exchanging four wounds with Zack and his teammates, Link finally began breathing heavily. After four exchanges, he finally understood Zack’s strategy.
Using their own bodies as bait to create opportunities to wound the enemy… These guys were truly insane! Even the usually calm Link felt a chill rise from the depths of his heart.
But by the time Link realized this, the two sides were already locked in combat. Neither Zack’s team nor Link could afford to retreat. Unless one side was willing to drop their weapons and forfeit the match, they had no choice but to continue attacking—relentlessly, without pause!
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