Chapter 25: Power and Balance

In fact, Governor Temiso had indeed considered whether there might be something suspicious about Kalayan daring to personally lead a delegation from the Themis Academy to cause trouble. For example… had the Themis Academy produced a genius in psychokinetics, giving Kalayan confidence to overpower the Almace Academy?

However, Governor Temiso quickly dismissed this possibility after a moment’s reflection. If the Themis Academy truly had a genius, signs of it would have surfaced last year. During last year’s competition between Almace and Themis, the psychokinetics department of Almace had thoroughly dominated their Themis counterparts.

Moreover, the standout performer during that match was none other than Luther, who was now the leading figure of Almace Academy. As far as Temiso could tell, there was no one in the psychokinetics department of Themis Academy who could pose a serious threat to Almace’s supremacy.

Given Themis’ prestigious status, they would certainly not resort to the disgraceful act of recruiting outsiders just to win a competition. As for first-year students, Temiso was even less concerned! If someone could surpass even an Almace psychokinetics graduate right after reaching the qualifying age for enrollment, their name would already be the talk of every academy in the Empire!

Besides, Luther himself was already recognized as a once-in-thirty-years prodigy! How could there possibly be someone who could outshine him right from the start of their studies? Could it be that girl behind the idiot Kalayan, who looked so frightened her face had turned pale? Temiso glanced disdainfully at Sailing, his heart filled with scornful laughter.

Kalayan敏锐ly caught the fleeting smirk at the corner of Temiso’s lips. He certainly wouldn’t miss such a golden opportunity to motivate his subordinates, so he deliberately turned to Sailing and the female teacher and said, “Hey! Did you see that? Temiso looks down on you!”

Translation:

Kalayan敏锐ly noticed the brief smirk that flickered at the corner of Temiso’s lips. He would certainly not let such a golden opportunity to inspire his subordinates slip away, so he deliberately turned to Sailing and the female teacher and said, “Hey! Did you see that? Temiso looks down on you!”

“Stupid male chauvinism,” the female teacher sneered, “Sailing will soon show them that their Almace Academy is nothing but a bunch of narrow-minded fools.”

“Haha, exactly! That’s the spirit!” Kalayan laughed heartily, enthusiastically striding toward Governor Temiso.

When the two governors met, all the guests turned their attention, and the previously noisy hall immediately fell silent. At this moment, Zhang Wen’s gaze also landed precisely at the center of the hall, the focal point of everyone’s attention. However, unlike most of the guests, Zhang Wen was not particularly focused on Luther or Karit, but rather on Sailing from Themis Academy.

This girl with eyes as sharp as blades had left a deep impression on Zhang Wen. His intuition told him that this time, the psychokinetics department of Almace Academy was probably about to mess things up.

Zhang Wen’s distracted demeanor greatly displeased Karit. The student council president frowned again, glaring angrily at Zhang Wen and asking, “Mr. Zhang, were you even listening to what I just said?”

“Eh? What did you say?” Zhang Wen finally shifted his gaze from Sailing. “Oh? How come you still have time to chat with me here? Don’t you want to go back and join the fun?”

“There’s no need. Luther senior is enough. After all, this isn’t an official competition yet, so there’s no need to have everyone on the field. Also, I just said that Mr. Robert was indeed in the wrong just now, but…” Karit said earnestly, but suddenly paused, then sighed dejectedly, “Forget it. No need to talk about this anymore. Anyway, Themis Academy won’t come after you again.”

“Exactly! They went after you instead. Didn’t expect that, did you?” Karit’s cute expression while sighing couldn’t help but make Zhang Wen smile. He playfully asked her.

Hearing the sarcasm in Zhang Wen’s words, Karit couldn’t help but raise her pretty face indignantly, responding in an equally sarcastic tone, “Indeed, I didn’t expect it. They must have lost their minds, forgetting their pain as soon as the wound healed! Have they forgotten the lesson Luther senior gave them last year?”

“Haha! If that’s the case, want to make a bet?” Zhang Wen slowly shook his head with a smile, lifting the corner of his mouth, “I bet your psychokinetics department will suffer a crushing defeat this time. Do you believe it?”

“What?” Zhang Wen’s words made Amelis gasp in shock, and Karit jumped up as if pricked by a needle.

“Mr. Zhang Wen!” Karit exclaimed loudly, a flush rising on her cheeks. “No matter what conflicts you have with Mr. Robert, you shouldn’t belittle the psychokinetics department to vent your anger. Regardless, we are from the same school now. We are comrades-in-arms! By doing this, how are you any different from Mr. Robert’s earlier behavior?” Karit stared at Zhang Wen with fury, speaking solemnly. It was clear that this angelic girl was genuinely angry this time.

“Oh? You think I’m belittling the psychokinetics department just to get back at Robert? Tsk tsk tsk!” Zhang Wen said while gently shaking his finger, “You underestimate me too much. I never do anything meaningless.”

“You…” Instead of calming Karit down, Zhang Wen’s explanation only made her angrier. In fact, it was quite natural. Anyone in Karit’s position would likely interpret Zhang Wen’s arrogantly confident explanation as unreasonable sophistry.

“You bet our psychokinetics department will lose, right? Fine, I accept! I bet we will definitely win! Whoever is wrong will lock themselves in the academy’s detention room for a night after tonight’s banquet ends!” Karit, in a fit of rage, immediately accepted Zhang Wen’s bet.

“I don’t care. Anyway, the loser won’t be me. However, spending a night in detention isn’t pleasant. Can you endure it?”

“That’s none of your business. If, by some one in ten thousand… no! One in a billion chance, I really lose, you can personally lock me in the detention room. Will that satisfy you?” Karit said coldly with a stern face, then decisively walked away and focused her attention on the unfolding scene in the center of the hall.

“Mr. Zhang, why did you make such a bet with Karit? Do you really think the psychokinetics department will lose?” After Karit had walked a little further away, Amelis couldn’t help but come closer and ask Zhang Wen in a whisper.

Zhang Wen smiled faintly, as if answering Amelis’s question or muttering to himself, “Heh! I hope the guys from the psychokinetics department can give me the chance to lock myself in detention. Otherwise…”

As Zhang Wen spoke with Amelis, the two governors finally ended their polite small talk. Then both of them laughed and moved aside, leaving the central area of the hall to the real stars of tonight’s banquet—the delegation members from the two academies.

“Hehe, Ms. Lasti, I believe you should be familiar with our talented student Luther Reiss,” Robert proudly introduced the “contestant” from Almace Academy as soon as the governors stepped aside.

“Of course. I was indeed deeply impressed by you when your school visited the planet Fira last year,” Lasti—the female teacher closely associated with Sailing—indifferently ignored the sarcasm in Temiso’s words and turned to Luther.

“Thank you for the compliment. I will definitely give my all in this year’s competition,” Luther said with pride, slightly bowing.

“Hehe, very well,” Lasti smiled arrogantly, suddenly turning back and asking, “Sailing, this is Luther senior, your opponent in this competition. How do you feel? Do you think you can defeat him?”

Lasti’s tone and attitude toward Sailing were completely natural, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. However, as soon as her words fell, everyone in the hall was once again stunned into silence. Not only was Governor Temiso completely taken aback, even Amelis beside Zhang Wen showed signs of astonishment.

Most of them had never expected that this girl, who appeared to have just reached the enrollment age, would be the main player of the psychokinetics department at Themis Academy! Even among the few who had guessed this beforehand, almost everyone assumed she was just a rising star for Themis Academy’s future, brought along merely for experience.

Except for Zhang Wen, no one else in the entire hall could have imagined that Themis Academy would send a girl of such a young age to challenge Luther, the genius of Almace Academy. After all, Luther had already studied at Almace for three full years, and his strength was almost comparable to that of the academy’s teachers! More importantly, the tone in which the female teacher Lasti spoke suggested that the girl had already won, completely disregarding Luther!

However, the crowd soon realized that there was even more shocking news to come. Because after hearing Lasti’s question, the girl named Sailing naturally nodded and answered with two words: “Of course!”

Since entering Almace Academy, no one had ever dared to disregard him so openly! Especially when the one looking down on him was a girl no older than fourteen or fifteen! This was even more intolerable for the self-assured Luther! Amid the crowd’s astonishment, a flash of barely suppressed anger flickered across Luther’s face.

At such an important banquet, Almace Academy certainly could not allow their opponents to dominate them like this! If they lost this battle of intimidation now, even if Almace Academy could win the subsequent competitions, they would have no face to request Princess Sophia’s enrollment!

Governor Temiso was indeed an excellent politician. In an extremely short time, he understood his predicament. In the face of provocation, his only choice was to go all out.

“Hehe, Governor Kalayan, winning victory isn’t just a matter of talking,” Temiso broke the awkward silence first.

“Of course. Haha!” Governor Kalayan laughed heartily, not continuing to tease the crowd. For him, making his point was already enough.

However, while Governor Kalayan could act freely, Governor Temiso did not have such freedom. For the psychokinetics department of Almace Academy, a draw equaled defeat—Temiso was well aware of this. Additionally, Kalayan’s attitude also made Temiso feel somewhat uneasy. Although he did not believe that Sailing could defeat Luther, he also did not want to leave a ticking time bomb until the official competition began.

Thinking thus, Governor Temiso finally made up his mind. While continuing to exchange pleasantries with Governor Kalayan with a smile, he secretly gave Robert a stern look. As a planetary governor of the Empire, Temiso actually took the initiative to bypass several levels and directly issue orders to the Almace Academy delegation. This alone was enough to prove how much Temiso valued Princess Sophia!

In fact, Robert didn’t even need Temiso’s hint to feel ready to explode. He felt that he had endured far too much humiliation tonight!

First, Zhang Wen, a teacher from the physical training department, had the audacity to openly defy him and humiliate him; then, Karit, who was supposed to be on their side in the psychokinetics department, disobeyed his orders and ran off to Zhang Wen’s side. Now, even the two women from the psychokinetics department of Themis Academy wanted to take advantage and look down on him!

How could this be tolerated!

Robert became increasingly furious as he thought about it. With a face flushed red like he was drunk, he instinctively nodded heavily at Luther, who was equally angry.

Lynoa frowned. Indeed, the opponent’s provocation had pushed Almace Academy to a difficult position. If they swallowed their pride, the academy delegation would certainly face doubts from everyone. However, just because of this, would it be even more inappropriate to have Luther challenge a new female student?

In fact, Lynoa was not the only one with such thoughts. Although Luther was angry, his pride made him reluctant to lower himself to challenge a clearly new student.

But just as the delegation from Almace Academy hesitated, the Themis Academy teacher Lasti suddenly let out a mocking snort. Then, Sailing stepped forward coldly and extended her hand toward Luther.

“My name is Sailing. Please take care of me.”

Sailing’s move immediately sparked a buzz of discussion among the guests.

As is well known, unlike the battle energy practiced by physical training students, psychokinetic energy practiced by psychokinetics students is not usually directly used for confrontation.

The role of psychokinetic energy is more often reflected in its integration with the science department, operating and controlling various complex machinery. In psychokinetics competitions, the contest is generally about the ability to control machinery. For example, the most common and popular event in the Empire is having psychokinetics students engage in battles using small warships on a simulator.

However, although psychokinetics is rarely used for direct confrontation, such situations are not impossible. After breaking through to the seventh stage of psychokinetics, a psychokineticist can attempt to launch a direct mental attack on the opponent. The most skilled psychokineticists can even use psychokinetics to control others’ thoughts. In other words, the girl now extending her hand to Luther might be choosing to engage in a direct confrontation with him.

Does this mean she has already broken through to the seventh stage of psychokinetics at her age? As he looked at the delicate hand extended before him, Luther couldn’t help but feel a sense of disbelief. Immediately after, a surge of jealousy almost made him unable to breathe.

Although he was known at Almace Academy as a once-in-thirty-years genius, when Luther was at Sailing’s age, he had barely reached the sixth stage! Could this little girl’s talent really be so much greater than his?

After the intense jealousy, a thought uncontrollably rose in Luther’s mind: What a great opportunity? Destroy her!

“Hello, my name is Luther,” Luther smiled and extended his hand to Sailing as well. Their hands quickly clasped together.

To Luther’s slight surprise, as soon as their hands touched, he did not sense any intention from Sailing to attack with psychokinetic energy. However, soon after Luther launched his attack, he quickly detected that Sailing blocked his assault with psychokinetic energy almost as strong as his own.

The confrontation between two psychokineticists who had broken through the seventh stage also directly affected the psychokinetic devices in the hall. As their psychokinetic energy was released, the lights around them dimmed.

So she really has broken through to the seventh stage. Luther sneered inwardly. Immediately afterward, Luther unhesitatingly unleashed his full strength. Even among the teachers at Almace Academy, few knew that Luther had actually surpassed the seventh stage! In an instant, almost all the lights behind Sailing dimmed. The remaining half of the hall’s lighting illuminated Luther’s back, while the other half cast only a dim glow on Luther’s face, creating a devilish, blurred shadow.

“Damn it!” Lasti suddenly understood Luther’s intention, but by then it was already too late for her to help Sailing. Unaware that Luther had actually reached the eighth stage, Lasti could only watch helplessly as Luther’s psychokinetic energy surged toward Sailing, her anxiety growing like ants on a hot pan.

Luther’s ruthless surprise attack seemed to shock Sailing as well. The cold expression on her face suddenly showed a flicker of surprise. But this look of shock only flashed briefly before disappearing—not because Sailing had hidden her surprise or had been knocked down by Luther, but because all the lights in half the governor’s mansion suddenly went out at that very moment! The previously brightly lit hall was abruptly divided into two halves: light and darkness.

However, the side that turned into darkness was not the one being attacked—Sailing—but rather the attacker, Luther. As for Luther, who had just launched an attack against Sailing, he was now lying on the ground, his face pale. Meanwhile, Sailing stood calmly at her original spot, as if nothing had happened.

Luther, already at the eighth stage… had been instantly defeated by that girl in an ambush?!

Once again, the hall fell into complete silence. No one spoke a word even after all the lights came back on.

“Hehe, wonderful, very wonderful,” finally, Captain Reimue, the leader of the Hawks, was the first to break the silence with a smile and applause. “I never expected that Themis Academy would have such an outstanding genius. Truly admirable.”

“Captain Reimue flatters us,” Governor Kalayan’s face now wore a smile so obvious even a fool could see it. Reimue’s identity as a special envoy sent by the Emperor himself meant that with such praise, Princess Sophia’s foot had practically already stepped into Themis Academy.

Although Governor Temiso’s face was nearly dark enough to drip water, at least he maintained his outward composure and did not erupt on the spot. As for the other guests, they began discussing among themselves. Soon, the hall was filled with unprecedented noise.

“This… this can’t be possible,” Karit muttered in disbelief after recovering from her shock. Even now, she still couldn’t believe that Luther had lost!

“Why not?” Zhang Wen replied calmly.

“I also find it unbelievable! Luther senior’s psychokinetic energy was clearly much stronger than hers, but… how could the result be like this?” Amelis also eagerly asked her question.

“Hehe,” seeing the eager looks in the two girls’ eyes, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but shake his head with a smile, “Do you really think your Luther senior is stronger than that girl?”

“Isn’t he?” Karit retorted, even more indignant, “I could clearly feel that Luther senior’s psychokinetic pressure was stronger than hers!”

“Of course not!” Zhang Wen’s tone was firm, “I can assure you, if that girl wanted to, she could also unleash psychokinetic pressure even stronger than your Luther senior. But she definitely won’t do that. Why? Because she understands the balance of power!”

“The balance of power?”

“Exactly! Don’t think that just by using all your strength at once means you’re strong. If you think that way, you’re making a big mistake! Power that can’t hit your opponent is just wasted. Like this, releasing all your strength at once…” As Zhang Wen spoke, he suddenly channeled both his battle energy and the spring water technique to their maximum.

In that instant, the terrifying pressure Zhang Wen unleashed made Amelis and Karit change expressions. Especially Karit. Ever since she met Zhang Wen, Karit had always thought he was just a clumsy instructor at best a fifth or sixth stage in physical training. But in that moment, the battle energy Zhang Wen released felt even stronger than the eighth-stage instructors she usually encountered in physical education classes! Although Zhang Wen’s burst was only brief, he had indeed stunned the two girls.

“…Anyone can release their power like that. However, in a real fight, doing so is just plain stupid. Remember this, in a fight, the power you use and your control over it must be balanced to fully unleash your potential. Once a person releases all their power, they’re essentially giving up control over it. What use is power without control? Using this method to fight might work against weaker opponents, but if you face someone of equal or greater strength, the result will be just like your Luther senior.” After calming down the brief burst of spring water technique, Zhang Wen resumed his lazy expression and waved his hand at the two girls.

Zhang Wen’s authoritative statement naturally made the two girls fall into deep thought. Meanwhile, in a corner of the noisy crowd, Captain Reimue, who had walked away from the two governors, once again wore an expression of interest.

“Hehe, this instructor named Zhang Wen is truly unexpected. If it weren’t for the ‘Eagle Eye’ we placed on him, we might have missed this interesting conversation. Balance of power, huh…”

“Just some nonsense,” the beautiful female officer beside Reimue maintained her solemn expression.

“No, it’s not nonsense. In fact, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard someone say this.” Reimue’s smile grew even more pronounced.

“Oh? Then, if I may ask, who was the first person you heard say this? Could that person have any unusual connection with Zhang Wen?”

“Haha! Unusual connection? Isaya, you really are a master of cold jokes. The first time I heard this phrase was two years ago, during a chat with the Grand Commander.”

“Ah! The Grand Commander?”

“Exactly.” The sight of the usually dignified female officer being flustered made Reimue burst into laughter.