The opponent clearly wouldn’t let such an obvious weakness slip by. In the following attacks initiated by Zhang Wen against the trio, nearly seventy percent were directed primarily at Amelis. Though Zack and Cloud did their best to support Amelis, they themselves were barely holding on and were powerless to stop Zhang Wen from carving wound after wound into her body.
As a girl born of imperial aristocracy, although Amelis couldn’t be considered a noble lady of the highest rank, she certainly had never imagined in her wildest dreams that she would one day endure such hardship!
The opponent clearly wouldn’t overlook such an obvious weakness. In the subsequent attacks Zhang Wen launched against the trio, nearly seventy percent were directed at Amilis. Zack and Cloud tried their best to support Amilis, but they were barely able to protect themselves and couldn’t prevent Zhang Wen from inflicting wound after wound on Amilis.
As a girl with noble blood from the empire, Amilis, though not exactly a high-born lady, had never imagined in her wildest dreams that she would endure such suffering one day!
Indeed, the physical pain was beyond Amilis’s imagination. However, she also displayed a level of perseverance that even Zack and Cloud found hard to believe. After more than an hour of relentless attacks from Zhang Wen, Amilis had sustained over a dozen wounds of varying sizes. Yet, she clenched her teeth and endured, not uttering a single cry of pain.
Moreover, even when she was in so much pain that she could barely stand, she still meticulously completed the task of covering her companions every time Zhang Wen attacked Zack and Cloud.
“Wow! Amilis, I’m really starting to admire you!” Zack couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise after Amilis blocked another attack from Zhang Wen.
Having come from the Shinra military, Zack had witnessed countless rigorous training sessions. He knew exactly how much perseverance it took to endure to the extent Amilis had.
“Hey! Don’t lose focus, idiot!” Just as Zack spoke, Zhang Wen’s sword slipped in from his blind spot, leaving a cut about an inch long on Zack’s handsome face.
“Whoa!” Zack, startled and breaking into a cold sweat, shouted and quickly refocused all his energy on the battle at hand.
Under the desperate defense of the three students, Zhang Wen was never able to inflict decisive damage on any of them.
Of course, Zhang Wen could still continuously add new wounds to the students, especially Amilis. However, since the wounds in the mental combat simulator didn’t actually bleed or drain physical energy, those minor injuries didn’t affect Zack and the others’ combat effectiveness.
“Take a fifteen-minute break.” Seeming to realize that his attacks weren’t having the desired effect, Zhang Wen suddenly frowned and stopped the assault.
By this point, four hours had passed since Zhang Wen and the trio began their “hellish training.”
“Damn it! That cold-blooded teacher finally stopped! What the hell! We know all the moves he’s using, so why can’t the three of us combined beat him?” As soon as Zhang Wen walked away, Zack plopped down on the ground, panting heavily and complaining loudly.
“Save it! He didn’t even use his combat energy and still managed to take down twenty Themis students single-handedly. Do you think the three of us combined are stronger than twenty Themis students?” Amilis coldly retorted, also leaning weakly against the wall.
“So, you’re saying that cold-blooded teacher was holding back?” Zack retorted, unconvinced.
“Not necessarily. After fighting for so long, I’ve pretty much figured it out. What he’s best at is disrupting the opponent’s balance and then using their own strength to launch attacks. None of us have combat energy, so the strength he can borrow is limited.”
“In other words, the stronger the opponent, the stronger he becomes. Anyway, whether or not Teacher Zhang was holding back, as long as we keep going, there will be a chance to counterattack.” Cloud concluded with a smile, and the three students fell silent.
Although the mental combat simulator didn’t drain their physical energy, the prolonged battle took a toll on their mental energy just like any normal fight. The searing pain from their numerous wounds only added to their misery.
The fifteen-minute break Zhang Wen provided was like manna from heaven for Zack and the others.
However, happy times are always fleeting. Just as Zack and the others caught their breath, Zhang Wen mercilessly announced the resumption of the battle.
Seeing Zhang Wen’s ghostly figure charging towards them, Zack and the others hurriedly got up and reformed their formation.
Clang! Zhang Wen’s sword clashed heavily with the students’ energy swords.
“Huh? Why does it feel like the cold-blooded teacher’s strength has increased again?” Zack immediately exclaimed in surprise.
“Hmph! Idiot! You’ve never tried fighting purely with your body, have you?” Zhang Wen responded to Zack’s confusion with a ruthless taunt. “When you tense up your body’s strength, it gradually reaches a peak. If you suddenly relax, that strength dissipates. It’s not something you can just bring back to its peak whenever you want. So, the strength you can exert now is at most seventy percent of what it was before the break.”
“What? You cold-blooded teacher, you’re so despicable! Since you can’t break through our defense, you resort to these tricks!” Zack couldn’t help but roar in fury.
“Hmph! Tricks are part of strength! When you’re fighting an enemy, can you tell them in advance not to use tricks?” Zhang Wen dismissed Zack’s anger with disdain.
“Shameless!” Zack was fuming but had no way to retaliate. He could only muster all his strength and be more careful in dealing with Zhang Wen’s attacks alongside his two companions.
When they truly couldn’t handle Zhang Wen’s “suddenly increased” strength, Zack cleverly learned Zhang Wen’s usual tactics, striving to find weaknesses in Zhang Wen’s attacks and trying to disrupt his balance to counter them.
Under the trio’s desperate efforts, they managed to survive the initial dangerous period. However, just as they were starting to adapt to Zhang Wen’s strength again, Zhang Wen once more called for a fifteen-minute break.
“Despicable! So despicable! You cold-blooded teacher!” Zack stomped his feet in frustration.
Yet, the trio had been suppressed by Zhang Wen from the start, with no ability to launch an offensive. So, despite Zack’s furious outbursts, he had to swallow his anger.
And so, this cycle continued endlessly. Every time the battle lasted about three or four hours, and just as Zack and the others adjusted and adapted to Zhang Wen’s strength, Zhang Wen would immediately call for a break. Then, Zack and the others would once again find themselves struggling to hold on.
The three students kept accumulating wounds under Zhang Wen’s attacks. However, they gritted their teeth and endured, only choosing to regenerate when the pain became so intense that it significantly affected their combat ability.
But, as the saying goes, great pressure is the driving force of growth. Facing a “hell” more painful than death, Zhang Wen’s three students rapidly grew stronger.
In just a single day, the coordination between Zack and the others had become as smooth as if they had been practicing for months. Not only could they solidly defend against Zhang Wen’s attacks, but they also managed to occasionally launch a couple of effective counterattacks.
Of course, among the three students, the one who changed the most was undoubtedly Amilis. In the twenty-four hours of continuous, intense combat, Amilis underwent a complete transformation. At least in terms of proficiency with the Spring Water Sword Technique, after a full day of fierce battle, she was no longer a burden to her two companions.
In fact, whether it was Zack, Cloud, or Amilis, Zhang Wen had taught them the Spring Water Sword Technique without holding anything back. And after practicing the sword technique for over two months, the techniques of the Spring Water Sword Technique were already ingrained in their bodies. In terms of pure skill, Zhang Wen had nothing left to teach Zack and the others.
However, for Zack and the others, who had never experienced real combat, they hadn’t even realized the potential they had gained from learning the Spring Water Sword Technique from Zhang Wen!
They hadn’t even considered that the Spring Water Sword Technique they learned from Zhang Wen was itself a sword technique that included combined attack techniques!
If Zhang Wen had enough time, he could have used a gentler method to make Zack and the others gradually realize their potential and slowly bring it out. But with only five days before Zack and the others faced Link, Zhang Wen had no choice but to use a more brutal method to awaken their potential.
“Hey! Zack, Cloud, I think something’s not right here!” After six or seven similar cycles, Amilis suddenly spoke up during a break.
“Hmph! Of course it’s not right! That cold-blooded teacher only knows how to use despicable tricks! If it were right, it would be strange!” Zack grumbled angrily.
“No! It’s not about the tricks.” Amilis shook her head vigorously. “Don’t you find it strange? We’ve been fighting him for so long. In terms of coordination, we’re now on a completely different level compared to when we started. In terms of individual strength, at least I feel that if I were to face the Amilis from the beginning of the training now, I could take on three or four of her without a problem.”
“Hmm… Now that you mention it, my strength has indeed improved quite a bit!”
“So why is it that even though our strength has improved so much, when we fight Zhang Wen, it’s still either evenly matched or slightly at a disadvantage?” Amilis clenched her fist, voicing the question that had been puzzling her.
“Yeah, why is that?” Zack also scratched his head in confusion.
“Stop talking! Teacher Zhang is coming back!” Cloud, who was on guard, shouted, making Zack and Amilis hastily end their discussion and stand up.
However, as soon as Zack’s eyes met Zhang Wen’s sword, he suddenly cried out as if pricked by a needle.
“Ah! Look at his combat energy!”
“What combat energy?” Zack’s abrupt shout left Cloud and Amilis puzzled.
“Idiots! Look at his sword! Amilis, the answer to your earlier question, just look at his sword and you’ll know!”
“What do you mean?” Following Zack’s shout, Amilis and Cloud instinctively looked at the sword in Zhang Wen’s hand.
Immediately, both their expressions turned extremely strange. If not for Zack’s reminder, they probably wouldn’t have noticed that the blue glow on the sword in Zhang Wen’s hand was definitely not something a first-tier combat energy could produce!
“Judging by the brightness of the energy sword, the combat energy he’s using is at least second-tier! That cold-blooded teacher, he’s really enjoying tormenting us!” Zack exclaimed angrily.
Although the three students were extremely nervous and didn’t believe they could handle Zhang Wen’s sudden surge to third-tier combat energy, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and face him together.
However, as the battle resumed, Zack and the others were all surprised to find that the pressure from Zhang Wen’s energy sword, now enhanced with second-tier combat energy, wasn’t as terrifying as they had imagined. Although they felt Zhang Wen’s strength was slightly greater than before when their swords clashed, it was still manageable.
In fact, the degree of Zhang Wen’s strength increase felt very familiar to them. Every time they rested and just started fighting Zhang Wen again, the sensation was almost the same!
“I get it! Teacher Zhang didn’t suddenly increase his combat energy from first-tier to third-tier; he’s been gradually increasing it! We just never noticed! He must have been quietly raising his combat energy a little bit each time we rested. The brightness of first-tier combat energy isn’t much different from third-tier, and he only increased it slightly after we adapted, so we couldn’t tell!” After a few exchanges with Zhang Wen, Cloud suddenly had a realization and blurted out the truth.
“What? So that’s how it is?!” Zack was dumbfounded.
“So, all that theory you mentioned earlier about ‘not being able to exert full strength immediately after relaxing’ was just a lie?” Amilis’s beautiful eyes stared intently at Zhang Wen’s face.
“Haha! Finally figured it out, huh? You guys are really slow! That’s right! I made up all those theories just so you wouldn’t notice that I’ve been secretly increasing my combat energy a little bit each time. Heh! There aren’t that many strange theories in the world. It’s amazing you idiots actually believed them!” Zhang Wen sneered, but his hands didn’t let up.
With the power of third-tier combat energy, Zhang Wen’s sword swung towards the three students again and again. And with third-tier combat energy, Zhang Wen’s speed far surpassed what it had been at the start of the training.
Even when the pain became so severe she could barely stand, she still carried out her duty to protect her comrades with unwavering determination. Every time Zhang Wen attacked Zack or Cloud, she would still do her best to shield them, despite her own condition.
“Wow! Amelis, I’ve really got to hand it to you!” Zack couldn’t help but exclaim in astonishment after Amelis blocked another of Zhang Wen’s attacks for him.
Having witnessed countless grueling military trainings during his time in the Shinra army, Zack knew exactly how much willpower it took to endure at Amelis’ level.
“Hey! Don’t lose focus, you idiot!” The moment Zack spoke, Zhang Wen’s sword suddenly slashed in from his blind spot, leaving a nearly inch-long cut across Zack’s handsome face.
“Wah!” Zack jumped back in shock, breaking into a cold sweat, and hastily refocused all his attention on the battle at hand.
Despite the three trainees’ desperate defense, Zhang Wen was still unable to land any decisive, fatal blow on any of them.
Of course, Zhang Wen continued to inflict fresh wounds on the trainees, especially Amelis. However, since injuries sustained in the Materia Combat Simulator didn’t actually bleed or drain physical stamina, these minor wounds that didn’t impair mobility or combat effectiveness had little impact on Zack and the others’ fighting ability.
“Pause for fifteen minutes.” Seemingly realizing his offensive hadn’t achieved the desired effect, Zhang Wen suddenly furrowed his brow and halted the attack.
By then, it had already been exactly four hours since Zhang Wen began his “hellish training” with Zack and the others.
“Darn it! That cold-blooded teacher finally stopped! This is insane! We know all the techniques he’s using, so why can’t the three of us even beat him?” As soon as Zhang Wen walked away, Zack plopped down on the ground, panting heavily and complaining loudly.
“Save your breath! He’s someone who can take down twenty Thamis trainees all by himself without even using combat energy. Do you really think the three of us combined are stronger than twenty Thamis trainees?” Amelis coldly replied, slumping against the wall in exhaustion.
The opponent clearly wouldn’t overlook such an obvious weakness. In the subsequent attacks Zhang Wen launched against the trio, nearly seventy percent were directed at Amilis. Zack and Cloud did their best to support Amilis, but being barely able to protect themselves, they couldn’t prevent Zhang Wen from adding wound after wound to Amilis.
As a girl with imperial noble blood, Amilis, though not exactly a high-born lady, had never imagined in her wildest dreams that she would endure such suffering one day!
Indeed, the physical pain exceeded Amilis’s expectations. However, she also displayed a level of perseverance that even Zack and Cloud found hard to believe. After more than an hour of relentless attacks from Zhang Wen, Amilis had sustained over a dozen wounds of varying sizes. Yet, she gritted her teeth and endured, not even letting out a single cry of pain.
Moreover, even when she was in so much pain that she could barely stand, she still meticulously completed the task of covering her companions every time Zhang Wen attacked Zack and Cloud.
“Wow! Amilis, I’m really starting to admire you!” Zack couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise after Amilis once again blocked an attack from Zhang Wen.
Having experienced countless rigorous trainings in the Shinra military, Zack knew exactly how much perseverance it took to endure to the extent Amilis had.
“Hey! Don’t get distracted, you fool!” Just as Zack spoke, Zhang Wen’s sword seized the opportunity to strike from his blind spot, leaving a cut about an inch long on Zack’s handsome face.
“Whoa!” Zack, breaking out in a cold sweat, shouted and quickly refocused all his energy on the battle at hand.
Despite the desperate defense of the three students, Zhang Wen was never able to inflict a decisive injury on any of them.
Of course, Zhang Wen could still continuously add new wounds to the students, especially Amilis. However, since the wounds in the psychic combat simulator didn’t actually bleed or drain physical energy, those minor injuries didn’t affect Zack and the others’ combat effectiveness.
“Take a fifteen-minute break.” Seemingly realizing that his offensive wasn’t having the desired effect, Zhang Wen suddenly frowned and stopped the attack.
By this time, four full hours had passed since Zhang Wen and the trio began their “hellish training.”
“Damn it! That cold-blooded teacher finally stopped! What the hell! We know all the moves he’s using, so why can’t the three of us combined beat him?” As soon as Zhang Wen walked away, Zack plopped down on the ground, panting heavily and complaining loudly.
“Save it! He didn’t even use his combat energy and still managed to take down twenty Thymis students single-handedly. Do you think the three of us combined are stronger than twenty Thymis students?” Amilis coldly retorted, also leaning weakly against the wall.
“So, you’re saying that cold-blooded teacher was holding back?” Zack retorted, unconvinced.
“Not necessarily. After fighting for so long, I’ve pretty much figured it out. What he’s best at is disrupting the opponent’s balance and then using the opponent’s own strength to launch attacks. None of us have combat energy, so the strength he can borrow is limited.”
“In other words, the stronger the opponent, the stronger he becomes. In any case, whether Teacher Zhang was holding back or not, as long as we keep going, there will be a chance to counterattack.” Cloud concluded with a smile, and the three students fell silent together.
Although the psychic combat simulator didn’t consume the physical energy of either side, the mental exhaustion from prolonged combat was no different from usual. The searing pain from their numerous wounds only added to Zack and the others’ misery.
The fifteen-minute break provided by Zhang Wen was like manna from heaven for Zack and the others.
However, happy times are always fleeting. Just as Zack and the others caught their breath, Zhang Wen mercilessly announced the resumption of the battle.
Seeing Zhang Wen’s ghostly figure charging towards them, Zack and the others hurriedly got up and re-formed their formation.
Clang! Zhang Wen’s sword clashed heavily with the three students’ energy swords.
“Huh? Why does it feel like the cold-blooded teacher’s strength has increased again?” Zack immediately exclaimed in surprise.
“Hmph! Fool! You’ve never tried fighting purely with your body, have you?” Zhang Wen responded to Zack’s confusion with a ruthless taunt, “When you tense up your body’s strength, it gradually increases to a peak. If you suddenly relax, your body’s strength dissipates. It’s not something you can just do at will to bring it back to its peak. So, the strength you can exert now is at most seventy percent of what it was before the break.”
“What? You cold-blooded teacher, you’re so despicable! Unable to break through our defense, you resort to these tricks!” Zack couldn’t help but roar in fury.
“Hmph! Tricks are part of strength! When you’re fighting an enemy, can you tell them in advance not to use tricks?” Zhang Wen dismissed Zack’s anger with disdain.
“Shameless!” Zack was seething with anger but had no way to deal with Zhang Wen. He could only muster all his strength and be more careful, along with his two companions, to handle Zhang Wen’s attacks.
And when he really couldn’t handle Zhang Wen’s “suddenly increased” strength, Zack cleverly learned Zhang Wen’s usual tactics, trying to find weaknesses in Zhang Wen’s attacks and disrupt his balance to counter his moves.
Under the desperate efforts of the three students, they finally managed to survive the initial dangerous period. However, just as they were getting used to Zhang Wen’s strength again, Zhang Wen once again stopped the fight and told them to take a fifteen-minute break.
“Despicable! So despicable! You cold-blooded teacher!” Zack stomped his feet in frustration.
Yet, the trio of students had been suppressed by Zhang Wen from the beginning and had no ability to launch an offensive. So, despite Zack’s furious stomping, he had to swallow his anger.
And so, this cycle continued. Every time the battle lasted about three or four hours, just as Zack and the others were adjusting and getting used to Zhang Wen’s strength, Zhang Wen would immediately call for a break. Then, Zack and the others would once again find themselves in a desperate struggle.
The three students kept adding wounds under Zhang Wen’s attacks. However, they gritted their teeth and endured, only choosing to regenerate when the pain became so intense that it significantly affected their combat effectiveness.
However, as the saying goes, great pressure is also the driving force for growth. Facing a “hell” more painful than death, Zhang Wen’s three students rapidly grew.
In just a short day, the coordination between Zack and the others had become as smooth as if they had practiced for months. Not only could they defend against Zhang Wen’s attacks quite steadily, but they could also occasionally manage a couple of effective counterattacks.
Of course, among the three students, the one who changed the most was undoubtedly Amilis. In the twenty-four hours of continuous intense combat, Amilis underwent a complete transformation. At least in terms of proficiency with the Spring Water Sword Technique, after a full day of fierce fighting, she could now keep up with her two companions without holding them back.
In fact, whether it was Zack, Cloud, or Amilis, Zhang Wen had not held back at all when teaching them the Spring Water Sword Technique. And after practicing the sword technique for over two months, the techniques of the Spring Water Sword Technique had long been ingrained in their bodies. In terms of pure skill, Zhang Wen had nothing left to teach Zack and the others.
However, for Zack and the others, who had never experienced real combat, they had no idea what potential they had unlocked after learning the Spring Water Sword Technique from Zhang Wen!
They hadn’t even considered that the Spring Water Sword Technique they learned from Zhang Wen was itself a sword technique that included combined attack techniques!
If Zhang Wen had enough time, he could have used a more gradual method to let Zack and the others slowly realize their potential and gradually bring it out. But with only five days before Zack and the others faced Link, Zhang Wen had no choice but to use a more brutal method to awaken their potential.
“Hey! Zack, Cloud, I think something’s not right here!” After six or seven similar cycles, Amilis suddenly said to her two companions during a break.
“Hmph! Of course, it’s not right! That cold-blooded teacher only knows how to use despicable tricks! If it were right, it would be strange!” Zack grumbled angrily.
“No! It’s not about the tricks.” Amilis shook her head vigorously, “Don’t you think it’s strange? We’ve been fighting him for so long, in terms of coordination, we’re now on a completely different level compared to the beginning. In terms of individual strength, at least I feel that if the current me were to face the Amilis from the start of the training, I could take on three or four of her without a problem.”
“Hmm… Now that you mention it, my strength does seem to have improved quite a bit!”
“So, why is it that even though our strength has improved so much, when we fight Zhang Wen, it’s still only evenly matched or slightly at a disadvantage?” Amilis clenched her fist, voicing the question that had been puzzling her.
“Yeah, why is that?” Zack also scratched his head in confusion.
“Stop talking! Teacher Zhang is coming again!” Cloud, who was on guard, shouted, making Zack and Amilis hurriedly end their discussion and stand up.
However, as soon as Zack’s eyes met the sword in Zhang Wen’s hand, he suddenly cried out as if pricked by a needle.
“Ah! Look at his combat energy!”
“What combat energy?” Zack’s abrupt shout left Cloud and Amilis somewhat confused.
“Idiots! Look at his sword! Amilis, the answer to your earlier question, just look at his sword and you’ll know!”
“What do you mean?” Following Zack’s shout, Amilis and Cloud instinctively looked at the sword in Zhang Wen’s hand.
Immediately, both their expressions turned extremely strange. If not for Zack’s reminder, they probably wouldn’t have noticed that the blue glow on the sword in Zhang Wen’s hand was definitely not something a first-tier combat energy could possess!
“Judging by the brightness of the energy sword, the combat energy he’s using is at least second-tier! That cold-blooded teacher, he’s really enjoying tormenting us!” Zack angrily shouted.
Although the three students were extremely nervous and didn’t believe they could handle Zhang Wen’s sudden surge to third-tier combat energy, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and face him together.
However, as the battle resumed, Zack and the others were all surprised to find that the pressure from Zhang Wen’s energy sword, now powered by second-tier combat energy, wasn’t as terrifying as they had imagined. Although they felt Zhang Wen’s strength was slightly greater than before when their swords clashed, it was still manageable.
In fact, the degree of Zhang Wen’s strength increase felt very familiar to them. Every time they rested and just started fighting Zhang Wen, their feelings were quite similar!
“I get it! Teacher Zhang didn’t suddenly increase his combat energy from first-tier to third-tier; he’s been gradually increasing it! We just never noticed! He must have been quietly increasing his combat energy a little bit every time we rested. The brightness of first-tier and third-tier combat energy isn’t that different, and he only increased it a little bit after we got used to it, so we never noticed!” After a few exchanges with Zhang Wen, Cloud suddenly had a realization and blurted out the truth.
“What? So that’s how it is?!” Zack was dumbfounded.
“So, all that theory you mentioned earlier about ‘not being able to exert full strength immediately after relaxing’ was all a lie?” Amilis’s beautiful eyes stared intently at Zhang Wen’s face.
“Haha! Finally figured it out, huh? You guys are really slow! That’s right! All that theory was made up by me, just to make sure you didn’t notice me increasing my combat energy a little bit each time. Heh! There aren’t that many strange theories in the world. It’s a wonder you fools actually believed it!” Zhang Wen sneered, but his hands didn’t slow down.
The sword, now imbued with the power of third-tier combat energy, swung by Zhang Wen, attacked the three students repeatedly. And with third-tier combat energy, Zhang Wen’s speed far surpassed what it was at the start of the training.
“Not necessarily. After fighting him for so long, I’ve more or less figured it out. His specialty seems to be disrupting his opponent’s balance and then using their own strength against them. Since none of us have combat energy, the force he can borrow from us is limited.”
“In other words, the stronger the opponent, the stronger he becomes. Anyway, whether or not Teacher Zhang held back, if we keep this up, we’ll eventually get a chance to counterattack.” Cloud concluded with a smile, after which the three trainees fell into simultaneous silence.
Although the Materia Combat Simulator didn’t drain physical stamina from either side, the prolonged battle still consumed just as much mental energy as a real fight. The burning pain from their countless wounds only made things worse for Zack and the others.
The fifteen-minute break provided by Zhang Wen felt like a divine blessing to the three exhausted trainees.
However, as always, happy moments were fleeting. The moment Zack and the others caught their breath, Zhang Wen ruthlessly announced the resumption of combat.
Seeing Zhang Wen’s ghost-like figure charging toward them, Zack and his comrades hastily rose and reformed their battle formation.
Clang! Zhang Wen’s sword clashed heavily against the three trainees’ materia blades.
“Huh? Why does it feel like the cold-blooded teacher’s strength just increased again?” Zack immediately shouted in surprise.
“Hmph! Idiot! You’ve never tried purely physical combat before, have you?” Zhang Wen responded to Zack’s confusion with merciless sarcasm. “When you tense your body’s strength, it gradually builds up to a peak. If you suddenly relax, that strength dissipates. If you want to build it back up to the peak again, it’s not something you can just do at will. So the maximum strength you can exert now is only about seventy percent of what you had before resting.”
“What? You cold-blooded teacher, that’s so underhanded! Can’t break through our defense, so you resort to these underhanded tricks!” Zack couldn’t help but angrily roar, his fury barely contained.
“Hmph! Tactics are also part of strength! When you fight enemies, do you expect them to tell you in advance not to use any schemes?” Zhang Wen scoffed at Zack’s anger.
“Un…unforgivable!” Zack was so furious he was practically steaming, yet utterly helpless against Zhang Wen. He could only pour all his energy into carefully coordinating with his two comrades to counter Zhang Wen’s attacks.
When they truly couldn’t withstand Zhang Wen’s “relatively surging” strength, Zack even cunningly adopted Zhang Wen’s habitual techniques, desperately searching for weaknesses in Zhang Wen’s attacks and attempting to disrupt his balance to counter his assault.
Through the trio’s desperate resistance, they finally managed to survive the initial dangerous phase. However, just as they had barely readjusted and adapted to Zhang Wen’s strength again, Zhang Wen once more voluntarily halted the battle, announcing another fifteen-minute break.
“Underhanded! So underhanded! You cold-blooded teacher!” Zack stomped his foot in frustration.
Yet from beginning to end, the trio of trainees had been completely suppressed by Zhang Wen, lacking any ability to launch a proactive offense. Thus, despite Zack’s furious outbursts, he could only swallow his anger bitterly.
Then, this cycle continued repeatedly. Every time the battle lasted about three or four hours, just as Zack and the others finally adjusted and adapted to Zhang Wen’s strength, Zhang Wen would immediately call for a ceasefire. As a result, Zack and the others would once again fall into a desperate struggle.
The three trainees kept accumulating more wounds under Zhang Wen’s attacks. However, they all gritted their teeth and endured as much as they could, only choosing to regenerate when the pain became so severe it would significantly impact their combat effectiveness.
However, as the saying goes, great pressure is also a driving force for growth. Facing a “hell” more painful than death itself, Zhang Wen’s three trainees rapidly improved.
In just a single day, Zack and the others had already developed a level of coordination that felt like they had trained together for months. They could not only defend against Zhang Wen’s attacks quite stably, but they could even occasionally manage one or two effective counterattacks.
Of course, among the three trainees, the one who changed the most was undoubtedly Amelis. After twenty-four hours of continuous, intense combat, Amelis underwent a complete transformation. At the very least in terms of proficiency with the Spring Water Sword Technique, after an entire day of fierce battle, she had already reached a level where she no longer held her two comrades back.
In fact, whether it was Zack, Cloud, or Amelis, Zhang Wen had held nothing back when teaching them the Spring Water Sword Technique. After practicing sword techniques for over two months, the applications within the Spring Water Sword Technique were already deeply ingrained in their muscle memory. In terms of pure technique, Zhang Wen had nothing more to teach them.
However, for Zack and his comrades, who had never experienced real combat before, they hadn’t even realized until now that learning the Spring Water Sword Technique from Zhang Wen had already unlocked tremendous potential within them!
They hadn’t even considered that the Spring Water Sword Technique itself was a sword style containing combined attack techniques!
If Zhang Wen had enough time, he could also use a relatively gentle method to gradually help Zack and the others realize their own potential and slowly develop it. However, they only had five days before facing Link in battle. This forced Zhang Wen to adopt a more brutal method to awaken their potential.
“Hey! Zack, Cloud, I think something feels off!” After going through six or seven similar cycles, Amelis suddenly said to her two companions during the break.
“Hmph! Of course it feels off! That cold-blooded teacher only uses underhanded tricks! If it didn’t feel off, that’d be strange!” Zack grumbled angrily.
“No! It’s not about the techniques.” Amelis shook her head firmly. “Don’t you find it strange? We’ve been fighting him for so long. In terms of coordination, we’re nowhere near the same level we were at the beginning. And in terms of individual strength, at least I feel like if I faced my earlier self right now, I could easily take on three or four of me.”
“Hmm…now that you mention it, I do feel like my strength has improved quite a bit too!”
“Then why is it, even though our strength has improved so much, when we fight against Zhang Wen, we’re still only evenly matched or slightly inferior?” Amelis clenched her fist tightly, voicing the question that had puzzled her endlessly.
“Yeah, why is that?” Zack scratched his head in confusion.
“Shh! Don’t talk anymore! Teacher Zhang is coming again!” Cloud, who was on lookout duty, suddenly shouted, causing Zack and Amelis to hastily end their discussion and quickly stand up.
However, the moment Zack’s eyes met the sword in Zhang Wen’s hand, he suddenly yelped as if pricked by a needle.
“Ahh! Look at his combat energy!”
“What combat energy?” Zack’s sudden exclamation left Cloud and Amelis momentarily confused.
“Idiot! Look at his sword yourselves! Amelis, the answer to your question—you can see it just by looking at his sword!”
“What do you mean?” Following Zack’s shout, both Amelis and Cloud instinctively turned their eyes toward the sword in Zhang Wen’s hand.
Immediately, their expressions turned extremely strange. If not for Zack’s reminder, they probably wouldn’t have noticed until now that the blue glow on the sword in Zhang Wen’s hand was definitely not something a first-tier combat energy could produce!
“Look at the brightness of the materia blade—he must be using at least second-tier combat energy! That cold-blooded teacher really enjoys tormenting us!” Zack angrily ranted.
Although all three trainees were extremely nervous and didn’t believe they could handle Zhang Wen’s suddenly increased third-tier combat energy, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and charge forward together.
However, as the battle resumed, all three were surprised to find that Zhang Wen’s materia blade, now infused with second-tier combat energy, didn’t feel nearly as terrifying as they had imagined. Although they felt Zhang Wen’s strength had indeed increased slightly compared to before, it wasn’t unmanageable.
In fact, the degree of Zhang Wen’s increased strength felt strangely familiar to them. It was almost exactly the same feeling they experienced every time they resumed fighting after a break!
“I get it now! Teacher Zhang didn’t suddenly boost his combat energy from first-tier to third-tier—he must have been gradually increasing it all along! We just never noticed! He must have been secretly increasing his combat energy a little bit each time during the breaks. Since the brightness difference between first-tier and third-tier combat energy is barely noticeable, and he always slightly increases it only after we’ve adapted, we naturally couldn’t detect it!” After a few exchanges with Zhang Wen, Cloud suddenly had a realization and blurted out the truth.
“What? It was actually like that?!” Zack stared in shock.
“In that case, all those theories you spouted earlier about ‘not being able to immediately regain full strength after relaxing your body’—they were all lies, weren’t they?” Amelis stared intensely at Zhang Wen’s face with her beautiful eyes.
“Hehe! Finally figured it out, huh? You guys really are slow! Yes! All those theories were completely made up by me, just to keep you from noticing that I was secretly increasing my combat energy a little each time during the breaks. Hah! This world isn’t full of all kinds of strange theories, you know? I’m impressed you fools actually believed all that!” Zhang Wen sneered as he spoke, not easing up on his attacks in the slightest.
Swinging his sword infused with third-tier combat energy, Zhang Wen launched wave after wave of attacks against the three trainees. With his combat energy fully unleashed, Zhang Wen’s speed now far surpassed his initial state at the start of the training.
However, whether it was because they had already grown accustomed to fighting under disadvantageous conditions, this time the three students actually adapted to Zhang Wen’s strength quicker than ever before.
“Rest for fifteen minutes,” Zhang Wen still coldly announced the moment the time was up, leaving the three students behind.
“Tch! Three-stage battle energy can’t take us down anymore. It looks like we’re about to level up again!” Zack lay sprawled on the ground with no grace, grumbling nonstop.
This time, however, Cloud did not respond to Zack’s chatter.
Unlike the straightforward Zack, Cloud had fully realized the changes happening within himself. Just a day ago, Cloud hadn’t thought he was any different from an ordinary fifth-stage physical combat student. Yet now, together with his two companions, they could actually fight Zhang Wen, who was using third-stage battle energy, to a draw without using any battle energy themselves!
Did that mean that if all three of them were at full strength, they could break past the limitations of battle energy and face opponents three stages stronger than them? Moreover, this seemed far from reaching their limits!
As Cloud pieced these thoughts together, he couldn’t help but feel a strange sensation. Cloud had never experienced such complex emotions before—simultaneously fearful yet full of anticipation for the upcoming battle.
Perhaps, this was what it felt like to grow stronger… Cloud leaned motionless against the wall, his right hand, which gripped his sword, repeatedly and unconsciously performing the motion of “gripping and relaxing.”
“Time’s up!” Fifteen minutes later, with a clear shout from Amy as she kept watch, the three students immediately rallied their spirits to face Zhang Wen’s attacks once again…
Thus, the “Trial Training” continued for more than four days. For the three students under Zhang Wen’s guidance, it felt like living in hell for four days.
At first, the three students couldn’t adapt to the intensity of the combat, relying solely on an unyielding belief to barely hold on. But gradually, they became numb to it. Eventually, they no longer had the thoughts or energy to consider anything else. Day after day, it was nothing but battle after battle, as if they had transformed into tireless fighting machines…
“Huh…” With a long exhalation, in room 147 of the Temis Inn, Zhang Wen finally pushed off the helmet of the psionic combat simulator after spending more than a hundred hours on the psionic combat training device, rising wearily to his feet.
“Only took four and a half days total? That’s about a day shorter than the expected five days.” Zhang Wen casually removed the psionic conductive wires from his body, lifting his head to glance at the pitch-black night outside, a faint and subtle smile appearing on his face, “It seems this time might actually be even more promising than I had imagined.”
“Eh?!” Not long after, a strange commotion also erupted from several other rooms in the Temis Inn. Zack’s loud voice, filled with both excitement and confusion, was clearly audible even to Zhang Wen in his own room.
Zack certainly had every reason to be excited.
In the battle that had just ended the “Hell Training,” it was precisely Zack’s life-risking distraction that had allowed Amy the opportunity to land a decisive blow on Zhang Wen. Although Zack himself was seriously injured by Zhang Wen’s counterattack, this was still their first major victory earned purely through their own abilities in a direct confrontation with Zhang Wen, making it especially significant!
However, perhaps because they had already grown accustomed to fighting at a disadvantage, this time the three students adapted to Zhang Wen’s strength even faster than before.
“Take a fifteen-minute break,” Zhang Wen coldly announced as soon as the time was up, leaving the three students behind.
“Tch! Third-tier combat energy couldn’t handle us, and now he’s going to ramp it up again!” Zack sprawled ungracefully on the ground, muttering incessantly.
This time, Cloud didn’t respond to Zack’s chatter. Unlike the straightforward Zack, Cloud had fully realized the changes happening within himself. Just a day ago, Cloud hadn’t felt any different from an ordinary fifth-tier martial arts student. But now, alongside his two companions, he could hold his own against Zhang Wen, who was using third-tier combat energy, without even utilizing any combat energy himself!
Did that mean that if they returned to their normal state, they could break through the limitations of combat energy and face opponents who surpassed them by three tiers or more? Moreover, it seemed they were far from reaching their limits!
As Cloud pieced these thoughts together, an odd sensation washed over him. He had never felt such a complex mix of emotions before—fear of the impending battles, yet brimming with anticipation.
Perhaps this is what it feels like to grow stronger… Cloud leaned motionless against the wall, only his sword-holding right hand unconsciously repeating the motion of ‘grip, relax.’
“Time’s up!” Fifteen minutes later, with a sharp call from Amelith, who was on watch, the three students immediately snapped back to attention, ready to face Zhang Wen’s attacks…
And so, the “trial training” continued for over four days. For the three students under Zhang Wen, it felt like living in hell for those four days.
At first, the three students couldn’t adapt to the intensity of the battles, relying solely on their unyielding determination to barely hold on. But as time went on, they gradually became numb. By the end, they had even lost the capacity to think about anything else. Every day was just battle after battle, as if they had turned into tireless fighting machines…
“Ha…” With a long exhale, Zhang Wen finally pushed off the helmet of the mental combat simulator in room 147 of the Temis Inn, standing up wearily after spending over a hundred hours on the machine.
“Only four and a half days in total? That’s about a day shorter than the expected five days.” Zhang Wen casually removed the mental energy wires from his body, glanced at the pitch-black night outside, and a faint smile appeared on his face. “It seems this time is even more promising than I imagined.”
“Huh?!” Not long after, inexplicable commotion broke out in several other rooms of the Temis Inn. Zack’s loud, excited, and confused voice was so clear that even Zhang Wen, in his own room, could hear it perfectly.
Zack had every reason to be excited.
In the final battle of the “hellish training,” it was Zack’s desperate distraction that gave Amelith the chance to deliver a fatal blow to Zhang Wen. Although Zack himself was severely injured by Zhang Wen’s counterattack, this was still their first major victory against Zhang Wen in a fair fight, and it was of monumental significance!
As for the confusion Zack was feeling, Zhang Wen could probably guess the reason. At the start of the hellish training, Zhang Wen had told Zack and the others that he himself had ten chances to respawn. By the end of the training, Zhang Wen had only used four of those respawns. As for the times he was truly defeated by Zack and the others, it was only once before he exited the game, choosing not to continue the “trial.”
It’s worth noting that before they could officially score their first point against Zhang Wen, Zack had already used up eight respawns! Cloud had respawned seven times. Amelith had exhausted all ten of her respawns. She had only managed to endure the excruciating pain of countless wounds through sheer willpower, persisting until the very end.
From any angle, if Zhang Wen had chosen to respawn, the three students would have had no chance to continue fighting him. With Zack’s straightforward personality, he couldn’t immediately figure out why Zhang Wen, who was on the verge of victory, suddenly gave up on their trial. As a result, he became suspicious and kept asking Cloud beside him whether they had actually passed Zhang Wen’s trial or not.
“Sigh… Is it because of their age? After four and a half days of continuous training, these little brats are still so energetic.” Hearing the noise Zack was making in his room, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but shake his head and smile wryly.
It was already past two in the morning! With Zack jumping and shouting like this, Zhang Wen was sure to be reprimanded by the head instructor of the mental arts department tomorrow for failing to maintain discipline.
But at a time like this, Zhang Wen naturally wouldn’t interrupt their excitement.
Initially, Zhang Wen had told Zack and Cloud that he had a way to defeat the Temis Academy without relying on them. That was just Zhang Wen talking nonsense. The reason he said that was to test the resolve of the three students. After all, if they had only joined the training because of Zhang Wen’s bold claims or a momentary impulse, they would never have been able to endure such brutal battles to the end.
Honestly, when Zhang Wen had said those words to Zack and Cloud, he had been a bit nervous. What if their responses didn’t align with his expectations, or if they chose to give up after witnessing the cruelty of the training? What would he have done then? Yet, in the end, the three kids not only persevered through four and a half days of hellish training but also won a fair and square battle.
Both in talent and determination, Zhang Wen’s three students had proven through their actions that they had exceeded his expectations. Their level of effort had even left Zhang Wen in awe. With students like these, what more could Zhang Wen possibly complain about?
Just as Zhang Wen had removed all the mental energy wires from his body, ready to enjoy a good night’s sleep to dispel the fatigue accumulated over the past four days, his door was suddenly pushed open. A ghostly figure quietly slipped in.
“Xiao Xi?” From the sound of the footsteps, Zhang Wen immediately recognized who had entered his room.
“Tch!” Xiao Xi, who had originally planned to sneak up and scare Zhang Wen, stood up straight upon being discovered, revealing a face filled with the frustration of a failed prank. “Is the training over?”
“Yes, it’s over. You’ve worked hard these past few days.”
It should be noted that before they could even earn their first official point from Zhang Wen, Zack had already used up eight of his regeneration chances! Cloud had used seven. Amy had even exhausted all ten of her regeneration chances. She had only endured to the end through sheer willpower, despite the excruciating pain from countless wounds across her body.
From any perspective, as long as Zhang Wen chose to regenerate, the three students would have no remaining resources or strength to continue battling him. With Zack’s straightforward nature, he couldn’t understand why Zhang Wen, who had victory clearly within reach, suddenly abandoned the trial. As a result, he became suspicious and restless, repeatedly asking Cloud beside him whether they had passed Zhang Wen’s test or not.
“Sigh… Is it because of my age? After four and a half days of intense training, these little brats still have so much energy,” Zhang Wen couldn’t help shaking his head and smiling bitterly upon hearing Zack’s noisy voice from the room.
It was already past two in the morning! If Zack kept jumping and shouting like that, tomorrow Zhang Wen would certainly be scolded by the head instructor of the psionic department for failing to maintain discipline.
However, at a moment like this, of course Zhang Wen wouldn’t go interrupt their enthusiasm.
Initially, when Zhang Wen told Zack and Cloud that he had other methods to defeat Temis Academy without relying on them, that was nothing but nonsense. He had said it merely to test the determination of the three students. After all, if they had only chosen to participate in the training due to Zhang Wen’s boastful words or a momentary impulse, there was no way they could have persisted to the end of such brutal combat.
To be honest, when Zhang Wen spoke those words to Zack and Cloud, he had felt a bit nervous. What if their response wasn’t what he had anticipated, or if they chose to give up after witnessing the cruelty of the training? What would he have done then? Yet, the final result was that the three younglings not only endured four and a half consecutive days of hellish training, but they also won a fair and square battle.
In terms of talent or perseverance, the three students proved through real actions that they exceeded even Zhang Wen’s expectations. Their level of effort left Zhang Wen in awe. What more could Zhang Wen possibly have to complain about regarding such students?
Just as Zhang Wen had removed all the psionic conductive wires from his body and was preparing for a good, restful sleep to dispel the accumulated fatigue of these four days, suddenly his door was pushed open. A ghost-like shadow quietly drifted inside.
“Xiaoxi?” From the sound of the footsteps, Zhang Wen immediately recognized who had sneaked into his room.
“Tch!” Originally wanting to scare Zhang Wen secretly, Xiaoxi, upon realizing she had been discovered, could only stand upright, revealing a face filled with reluctant disappointment from a failed prank, “The training is over?”
“Yeah. It’s over. You’ve worked hard these past few days.”
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