Chapter 4: Conviction

Zhang Wen’s relentless persistence had long eroded Zack’s patience. He felt that Zhang Wen’s current behavior had turned the serious confrontation between him and Cloud into a clumsy farce performed by a group of clowns. Seeing Zhang Wen’s gestures once again only intensified Zack’s anger.

“Fine then. Teacher Zhang, I won’t hold back,” Zack said coldly, raising his crystal energy sword and pointing it steadily at Zhang Wen, who stood about ten paces away.

“Hmm! Come on!” Zhang Wen smiled, lightly beckoning with his finger.

This gesture from Zhang Wen caused all the students nearby to erupt in jeers. Especially the female students who adored Zack, they wished they could pierce Zhang Wen to death with their eyes alone.

After all, no one truly believed that Zhang Wen actually possessed seventh-level martial arts prowess. If he had adopted a more serious demeanor, perhaps there would have been a one-in-a-billion chance he could have survived Zack’s first strike. But now, facing Zack’s crystal energy sword so casually, as if it were a child’s toy wooden sword, he was clearly putting on an act.

“Hmph!” Carrie, standing at the innermost part of the crowd, angrily snorted, her pretty face growing even more furious.

Carrie simply couldn’t understand how she had lost her senses earlier, actually convinced by this guy to make that ridiculous bet, allowing him to tarnish the honor of the Disciplinary Committee. Moreover, what infuriated Carrie even more was how her father could have been saved by someone like this clown.

Among the spectators, the only one who still stood on Zhang Wen’s side was probably only Amelie, who got along best with him. However, judging from Amelie’s worried expression, she clearly didn’t think Zhang Wen had much chance against Zack.

This farce needs to end! Zack coldly said to himself as he raised his crystal energy sword, then suddenly charged forward toward Zhang Wen, simultaneously rotating his sword forty-five degrees to his left.

In Zack’s mind, given Zhang Wen’s obscure martial arts abilities within the academy and his clownish performance earlier, he probably couldn’t even dodge a single strike. If he attacked Zhang Wen with the blade, there was a risk of accidentally killing him.

Although even if Zack killed Zhang Wen, no one could really do much to him because of his status, in an empire with a tradition of respecting teachers, killing a Disciplinary Committee teacher in public would still cause some trouble. Therefore, Zack’s current move was clearly intended to swing the sword sideways with its flat side upon reaching Zhang Wen, sending him flying. This way, Zack could give Zhang Wen a severe lesson without killing him.

With the full impact of Zack’s fifth-level martial arts energy charge, combined with the force of both arms swinging the sword, even if Zhang Wen truly possessed seventh-level martial arts skills, it might still be difficult for him to withstand a direct hit.

However, Zhang Wen certainly wouldn’t confront Zack head-on. As soon as Zack had taken three steps forward, Zhang Wen had already discerned his intention. At that moment, Zhang Wen inexplicably felt a surge of excitement. Although this was Zhang Wen’s first battle since arriving in this world, he felt no nervousness at all. He simply focused intently on Zack’s sword, holding his breath and waiting.

Five steps… four steps… three steps… two steps…

When the distance between Zack and Zhang Wen was only one step, both seemed to move simultaneously. In the blink of an eye, the students around them only saw Zhang Wen’s body suddenly appear to lose balance and fall backward.

Just as the students, ready to mock Zhang Wen’s apparent failure, began to jeer, they were shocked to see the man, who seemed about to fall, rise back up strangely! Instead, Zack, charging toward Zhang Wen, not only failed to strike him with his sword but also stumbled forward several steps, as if he had overexerted himself, before finally stopping.

What was going on? The jeers instantly vanished from the academy square. All the students widened their eyes, stunned as they tried to recall the incredible scene they had just witnessed.

“Did… did we just see that?!” Someone in the crowd stammered, and immediately, the square erupted into astonished murmurs.

Perhaps only a few people in the crowd had clearly seen what had happened just now. For example, Miss Linoah, the beautiful teacher from the incantation department, was one of them.

Just as Zhang Wen and Zack had passed each other a moment ago, Linoah had clearly seen that it was Zack who first swung his sword sideways, attempting to knock Zhang Wen away. Then, Zhang Wen moved a split second after Zack. He extended his left hand, shaped like a clamp, from below. Then, as if intentionally cooperating with Zhang Wen, Zack “delivered” his crystal energy sword into Zhang Wen’s hand!

After grabbing the crystal energy sword, Zhang Wen kept his feet still but leaned his body backward, dodging Zack’s horizontal slash. Then, he suddenly exerted force, using Zack to pull himself back up.

In other words, the movement that had astonished all the students was just a feint. The real essence of how Zhang Wen dodged that slash from Zack was actually the very first move he made, blocking the attack!

However, although Linoah had seen the truth with her own eyes, she was even more astonished than those students who hadn’t seen clearly. Although Linoah was only a teacher in the incantation department, her knowledge of martial arts probably surpassed many martial arts instructors at Almystus Academy! She was well aware of how amazing it was for Zhang Wen to catch Zack’s horizontally swung crystal energy sword.

At that moment, Zhang Wen had to judge the speed and direction of the opponent’s sword swing while perfectly controlling his own movements! His hand had to reach that precise position at that exact time. Any movement too much or too little, or any delay or haste by even half a second, would absolutely not work! It required astonishing control and judgment!

If Linoah didn’t know for sure that Zack had never had any dealings with Zhang Wen before, she would even suspect that the two had colluded to stage this performance in front of the students!

Originally, Linoah indeed followed the “peeping Tom” from the library, as Zhang Wen had suspected, to the square. But now, even if Zhang Wen wasn’t the peeping Tom, Linoah decided she would definitely observe him closely to see what other amazing performances he might have!

Who exactly is this guy? Linoah thought deeply, her interest growing as she scrutinized Zhang Wen among the crowd.

Among the onlookers, another person who had clearly seen Zhang Wen’s move was Carrie, who hated him to the core. Similarly from the incantation department, Carrie didn’t have as deep an understanding of martial arts as Linoah did. Although she was also surprised that Zhang Wen had caught Zack’s crystal energy sword, she soon thought it was just a coincidence.

Due to the angle, Amelie beside Carrie didn’t see Zhang Wen’s crucial move. Like the other students, she was startled by Zhang Wen’s strange dodging method. After a while, Amelie excitedly grabbed Carrie’s arm, asking her repeatedly, “Carrie senior, Teacher Zhang dodged it! He really dodged it! Did you see that? How did he do it just now?”

“Tsk! How come this guy’s luck is always so good? But, let’s see if you have such good luck next time,” Carrie muttered through gritted teeth, half answering Amelie’s question and half talking to herself.

While Carrie and Linoah, as observers, had their own judgments about Zhang Wen’s success, Zack, who was actually fighting Zhang Wen in the arena, had no time to think about how much skill and how much luck was involved in Zhang Wen’s evasion. He only knew that he had attacked an opponent who couldn’t move and ended up not only missing the attack but also being mocked by the opponent!

If the opponent’s strength was indeed far superior to his own, then Zack would naturally have nothing to say. However, in that split second of confrontation, the martial arts level Zhang Wen displayed was at most around fifth-level! In other words, he was just an opponent on par with Zack himself! Throughout Zack’s life, he had never encountered such a frustrating and strange situation!

“I was indeed too arrogant just now!” Zack once again raised his crystal energy sword, pointing it steadily at Zhang Wen, who still stood in place, his expression now extremely serious.

“Hehe! You still have nine chances,” Zhang Wen smiled easily, beckoning to Zack again with his finger.

In fact, if Zack had adopted this poker face before Zhang Wen dodged his first sword strike, Zhang Wen might have felt somewhat uncertain. However, now, Zhang Wen had already built confidence in himself and in the Spring Water Technique. No matter how serious Zack looked, it was just adding to the entertainment value of Zhang Wen’s performance.

The students around did not jeer at Zhang Wen’s finger beckoning this time but instead all widened their eyes, carefully watching his every move.

“Thrust!” At the moment when everyone held their breath, Zack had already started sprinting. He charged toward Zhang Wen again. Zack kept his crystal energy sword at his side, and when he was three steps away from Zhang Wen, he suddenly thrust it forward.

Although Zack was still a bit worried that his full-strength attack might make Zhang Wen unable to dodge, he didn’t aim for Zhang Wen’s vital points but only aimed for the shoulder socket, yet this thrust was done with all his might.

However, back on Earth, probably anyone who had read a little martial arts novel would know that giving your all is a major taboo in martial arts! Zack’s full-force attack did not make Zhang Wen panic but instead made him even calmer. Although the Spring Water Technique that Zhang Wen practiced had not yet reached the terrifying level of “Eighteen Falls from Touching Clothes” in Tai Chi, its skill in using force against force was no laughing matter!

Zhang Wen’s timing was still the same as before, almost exactly matching Zack’s sword swing. This time, however, Zhang Wen’s move was completely different. He did not try to catch Zack’s sword again. At the moment the crystal energy sword was thrust toward him, he suddenly raised both hands quickly.

Among them, Zhang Wen’s left hand slightly curved his fingers and, at a speed barely visible to the naked eye, suddenly lifted to the shoulder socket on the right side of his body, forcefully flicking outward.

Clang! Zhang Wen’s fingers accurately struck the tip of Zack’s crystal energy sword. The full force of the fifth-level battle energy first deflected the direction of Zack’s sword thrust, causing him to miss on Zhang Wen’s right side.

Immediately after the crisp sound of the fingers hitting the sword’s back had not yet stopped, Zhang Wen’s right hand had already locked onto Zack’s outstretched arm. As the two passed each other, Zhang Wen slightly exerted force to the side, pulling Zack, who felt a tremendous force, and then helplessly darted past Zhang Wen’s right side.

Strange! Too strange!

Zack could clearly feel that Zhang Wen had still not used more than fifth-level martial arts strength. However, when he thrust just now, he had used all his strength and his most skilled “thrust” technique. Even an opponent who was a full level higher than him would probably not dare to say confidently that they could dodge it with all their might. Yet, this unknown disciplinary teacher in front of him didn’t even move, letting him miss completely!

This… this is just unbelievable! Zack stared at the crystal energy sword in his hand, his face filled with incredulity.

If even Zack, who was directly facing Zhang Wen, felt this way, let alone the students who were watching from the sidelines. As soon as they saw Zack and Zhang Wen pass each other, a cry of surprise once again echoed across the square.

Zhang Wen had actually dodged another sword strike without moving an inch! Such an unbelievable event happening right before their eyes, how could the students watching not be astonished?

“How… how did he dodge it just now?” After the initial outcry, the students began discussing among themselves. In an instant, the students from the martial arts department, who had previously been the least popular at Almystus Academy, became the center of small circles.

“He just…,” the martial arts students excitedly gestured, showing off to those around them what they had seen.

“Ah? You mean he flicked Zack’s crystal energy sword with his finger?! This… is that even possible? How powerful must he be?” Those who listened to the martial arts students’ descriptions were almost all left speechless.

“This… how would I know? But even our martial arts department’s instructor Fox probably couldn’t pull off something like that—directly flicking Zack’s thrusting crystal energy sword head-on!”

“What? Does that mean his martial arts skills are even better than Instructor Fox’s? Instructor Fox is an eighth-level martial artist, a three-star instructor!”

The students’ discussions made the entire square chaotic. Even the girls who had never thought Zhang Wen could defeat Zack and Cloud were now worriedly whispering among themselves.

Of course, the one who found it hardest to believe what she had just seen, and the most nervous, was Carrie, who had a bet with Zhang Wen. The governor’s daughter, who had been so confident before, for the first time realized that Zhang Wen might actually stand still and block ten sword strikes from Zack and Cloud!

Could it be that I really have to wash that annoying bastard’s socks for a whole month? Thinking about the scene where she would be holding Zhang Wen’s socks freshly taken off his feet, still reeking of male sweat, Carrie couldn’t help but feel a wave of panic.

Amelie, however, was completely oblivious to Carrie’s state beside her. Seeing Zhang Wen unexpectedly display his prowess, successfully dodging two of Zack’s attacks, this little beauty, who got along so well with Zhang Wen, was as excited as if she had won the competition herself, her pretty face flushed red with excitement. “He dodged again! Teacher Zhang dodged again! Senior Carrie, did you see that? I never thought Teacher Zhang could be so amazing!” Amelie grabbed Carrie’s arm, excitedly shouting non-stop.

“Uh-huh.” Carrie could only nod helplessly while desperately praying in her heart that Zhang Wen wouldn’t defeat Zack and Cloud.

However, Zack and Cloud could not hear Carrie’s prayers. Moreover, after Zack’s two failed attacks, he had already become hesitant about making his final move. As for Cloud facing Zhang Wen, his momentum was no longer as strong as Zack’s initial assault. Indeed, Cloud managed to dodge two more of Zhang Wen’s strikes, but that was all.

At this point, the students watching from the sidelines had all been stirred up by Zhang Wen’s performance. Starting from the third strike, every time Zhang Wen dodged a strike from Zack or Cloud, cheers gradually began to rise around the crowd.

After Cloud’s second, carefully planned strike was also dodged by Zhang Wen, both Zack and Cloud lost their confidence in defeating Zhang Wen, while the surrounding students erupted into thunderous applause and cheers.

No matter how much these students had previously looked down on Zhang Wen, the disciplinary committee teacher who entered the academy through the governor, their opinions had now undergone a complete transformation.

Moreover, the confidence Zhang Wen had displayed, which had previously caused outrage or disdain among everyone, now felt completely different when recalled.

As for Carrie, who had been watching Zhang Wen dodge Zack’s attacks from the closest vantage point, her feelings at this moment were extremely conflicted.

On one hand, after seeing Zhang Wen dodge four strikes from Zack and Cloud, Carrie had already realized that she had indeed misjudged Zhang Wen. The reason he proposed that bet was not, as she had thought, to joke around with the honor and duties of the disciplinary committee, but because he truly had the strength to defeat Zack.

Carrie was definitely not the kind of spoiled, willful girl who refused to admit her mistakes; on the contrary, Carrie’s magnanimity and self-discipline were recognized by all the teachers and students in the disciplinary committee, which was why she had been able to hold the position of student committee member in the disciplinary committee. Thinking about how she had openly looked down on Zhang Wen before, Carrie already felt deep regret in her heart. Since Zhang Wen had done nothing wrong, of course, Carrie should not have wished for the disciplinary committee teacher to lose to two students who had violated school rules.

On the other hand, every time Carrie thought about the bet she had made with Zhang Wen, she couldn’t help but hope that Zhang Wen would lose this match as soon as possible.

But… if he really wins, what should I do? Looking at Zhang Wen, who still wore a smile in the center of the field, Carrie couldn’t help but feel her heart in a tangle of confusion.

At this moment, not far from Zhang Wen, Cloud in his black clothes slowly raised his crystal energy sword once again. But judging from his tense expression, it was clear he himself didn’t think this strike would pose any threat to Zhang Wen.

“Wait!” Just as Cloud was about to deliver his final strike to Zhang Wen, Zack suddenly shouted, stopping him.

Cloud hesitated for a moment, puzzled, and turned his gaze to Zack, only to see the latter hesitate for a moment before solemnly addressing Zhang Wen, “Teacher Zhang, you have already dodged four strikes from me and Cloud. Although our agreement was for three strikes each, by now we have given it our all. As an imperial noble, I should actually admit defeat now and follow you back to the disciplinary committee to accept the school’s punishment…”

Zack’s words of surrender caused the male students watching to murmur among themselves again. However, before their exclamations had even died down, Zack suddenly changed his tone, altering his meaning: “However, today’s duel between Cloud and me concerns the honor of the empire. Therefore, I have no choice but to put aside my personal reputation!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Zack, like Cloud, raised his crystal energy sword! The two of them stood one behind the other, sandwiching Zhang Wen in the middle!

Whoa! Zack’s move immediately caused the already murmuring students to erupt into chaos. Cloud on the opposite side also showed a look of surprise.

“Hey! What are Zack and the others up to? The conditions Zhang Wen set were already strict enough. Do they really intend to gang up on him one against two?”

“Exactly! By doing this, they’re really throwing away all the nobility’s face!”

“What are you talking about?! Our Zack would never do anything without reason!” After the initial shock, the onlookers, both male and female, couldn’t help but gather together to whisper.

Amelie couldn’t hold back any longer. As soon as Zack raised his sword, the girl first froze, then flushed red with anger, glaring fiercely at Zack and shouting, “Despicable! Shameless!”

At this point, except for a few die-hard female fans of Zack and Cloud, no one was still defending these two campus idols. Even Carrie, who most wished for Zhang Wen to lose the match as soon as possible, clenched her fists tightly, feeling indignant on behalf of Zhang Wen. Although Zhang Wen had indeed not specified in the bet that Zack and Cloud couldn’t attack together, didn’t these two noblemen have the most basic sense of fairness?

Thinking of this, Carrie’s inner conflict grew even stronger. With Carrie’s personality, she actually felt like rushing out right now, loudly scolding Zack into a pulp, then declaring Zhang Wen the winner. Moreover, as long as Carrie, the head of the disciplinary committee, stepped forward, Zack and Cloud would have no choice but to obediently admit defeat and go to the detention room for reflection.

But, if Carrie really did this, wouldn’t it be equivalent to her voluntarily taking on the task of washing Zhang Wen’s socks? After all, Carrie was only a seventeen-year-old girl. In front of everyone, she really couldn’t bring herself to speak up?

However, just as Carrie’s inner conflict between reason and emotion was still raging, Zhang Wen suddenly raised one hand, signaling for everyone to quiet down.

In the previous battles with Zack and Cloud, Zhang Wen had already established considerable prestige among the spectators at Almystus Academy. With his gesture, the noisy square gradually quieted down again.

Zhang Wen calmly scanned the square, a hard-to-describe smile on his lips. Of course, he knew that if he announced the end of the match now and took Zack and Cloud back with him, even they themselves probably couldn’t say anything against it.

However, if he really did that, would this matter truly be over? Of course not! Because the subdued Zack and Cloud would not be completely convinced of Zhang Wen, and their conflict would remain unresolved! Even if Zhang Wen forced them to serve detention today, once their punishment ended, they would likely find another place to duel again!

Some might say that if the two of them were to duel again after their punishment, it would be their own affair, unrelated to Zhang Wen. But doing things halfway and leaving a tail for others to worry about was simply not Zhang Wen’s habit!