So I read the single review for this book today, and it made me realize that I haven't really explained why children are so mature yet (Thank you EternityCubes). At first, I tried to make them more seven-year-old-like, but that's really hard to do since children don't allow for many in depth plots. It's all "You stole my action figure" type stuff. I also wanted them to be young so its incredibly clear that the school is very strict and that the students are definitely geniuses (which I haven't explained either). Then I realized, the world they are growing into is pretty messed up. Anyway, long story short, I'll explain such things clearly in a few chapters. Thanks for reading by the way, and please comment/critic so I can improve it. Now the last chapter for today. If it's easier, just think of them at that age group.
Thank you,
LZM
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“What happened?”
“Who won?”
Multiple questions rang through the crowd, as they strained to see through the settling dust cloud. On one side, Adeline held her breath, a worried expression plastered across her face. Was Garth able to win? And even if he did, what would happen to him now? There was no way he had come out of the battle completely unscathed, and with how incredible the last attack was, he was probably terribly injured. Now, all he could do was wait for Merlin or Gregory to challenge him. Granted, he had the right to concede, but that would give the two young masters the right to step on his head, and Adeline knew that such a result was unacceptable to Garth.
Meanwhile, opposite to Adeline, the two schemers were watching with bright smiles and malicious eyes. Although they hoped that Garth had lost, it wouldn’t really matter. Everything had gone according to plan, although they were worried by Garth’s casual attitude. Due to the thrashing of his friend, Garth would want to challenge Merlin and Gregory. Yet, due to his pride, he wouldn’t challenge them directly. Thus, he could only wait for them to challenge him. But Merlin and Gregory were unwilling to fight Garth at full strength, so he would have to challenge the first rank in order to lure them out.
The plot rested on three things: Garth’s care for his friends, his pride as a cultivator, and the fact that he himself understood Merlin and Gregory’s plan. Nevertheless, whether he knew the plan or not, what could Garth do? Both Merlin and Gregory refused to believe that he would be able to come out of a match with the first rank freshman unharmed.
Finally, on the stage, the dust had settled. Two figures gradually emerged. One was breathing heavily, with his head back and his eyes closed. This was none other than Garth. At his feet, a large gash was torn through the stage. The scar stretched forward, before it ended at the blade of the heavy sword, still entrenched in the stone, several feet away. Marcus was seen grasping the hilt with both hands like a cane. As he used it to support himself, Marcus stared deeply at Garth’s figure, then started to smile weakly.
“Well played…” Marcus mumbled as his arms failed him and his sturdy frame fell to the floor.
The judge waved the medical team onto the stage, then announced Garth as the winner. The crowd exploded with applause, invigorated by the blood boiling match. Garth closed his eyes and started regulating his breathing. After a few breaths, he walked off the stage and headed to his seat. Along the way, he felt two cold glares drilling into the back of his head. Knowing the culprits, Garth shot a glance over his shoulder, a chill flashing in his eyes.
“Humph,” he snorted as he continued toward his seat.
As he walked up the steps, Garth found Adeline standing next to his seat. Her hip jutted out, her arms were crossed, and her face was twisted in a cute frown with a cheek puffed out.
Garth gave a well natured chuckle as he sat down, “Don’t furrow your brow so much, you’ll turn ugly faster.”
No one knew whether it was because of Garth’s care free attitude or his statement, or both, but Adeline gritted her teeth with rage and suddenly kicked her friend in the shin with rage.
“Oww…” Garth groaned with a smile on his face as he rocked back and forth on his chair while cradling his leg.
At the exaggerated sight, Adeline’s fuming face finally cracked with a smile.
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In the VIP booth, the Headmaster and his wife were chatting busily while Instructor Trujillo continued to announce matches and the Vice Headmaster quietly watched. A messenger entered the booth and handed another scroll filled with matches to the Supervisor. Glancing at the pair ups, his brow furrowed as a frown crept across his face.
As he noticed this change in expression, the Vice Headmaster asked, “What’s wrong Instructor Trujillo?”
The Headmaster and his wife turned to the teacher as well.
“Sir, another person has challenged Garth Franklin, who just completed his challenge for first place among the freshmen,” Trujillo explained.
“Oh?” the Headmaster replied quietly as he searched for the young boy. Looking around the coliseum, he soon found Garth and his daughter messing around. But soon after the Headmaster’s eyes landed on the youth, Garth also turned to the Headmaster, whose eyes widened slightly in surprise.
What’s up with this kid’s instincts? He wondered.
Normally, when someone with such a difference of power as there was between the Headmaster’s tenth stage cultivation base and Garth’s second stage, the boy wouldn’t be able to notice the Headmaster observing him. Suddenly, the Headmaster noticed something else about Garth, and chuckled.
“Sly little brat,” he chuckled, then glanced at the Tournament Supervisor. “Give him an hour to rest, then call his match. Before then, send someone to go get another pair.”
“Are you sure, Headmaster?” the Vice Headmaster asked.
“Hahaha!” the Headmaster replied with a laugh. “Don’t worry, I know the weasel. That boy is fully aware of the situation and knows what he’s doing.”
“Yes, Headmaster,” Instructor Trujillo said with a bow and quickly sent someone to find another match.
With that, the tournament was once again under way, and an hour quickly passed.
Finally, Trujillo’s voice resounded,
“… Rank 220, Merlin Tesla, challenges rank 215, Garth Franklin.”
“Yes!” Merlin and Gregory rejoiced.
The only thing they were worried about in their plan was whether or not the judges would hold their matches today instead of waiting for Garth to rest completely overnight. Merlin smiled as he rose from his seat. In a few leaps, Merlin landed on the stage. Pausing for a moment, a wild aura swept out into the crowd, making a few almost suffocate.
Looking at Garth, a wild violence raged in Merlin’s eyes as he proclaimed, “Come, Garth Franklin! Today you will give over your rank under the might of my Raging Lightning Fist Gorilla Technique! Allow me to show you exactly what it means to face a beast!”
After Merlin finished his speech, all eyes turned to Garth as they waited to see how the child would react. Garth continued to sit calmly, with his right ankle rested on his left knee as his hair lightly covered his eyes. The boy’s elbows rested on the seat’s arm rests while they supported his hands, which were lightly pressing against each other at the fingertips as they formed the “chapel” position.
A smile crept up Garth’s face, and a low chuckle emitted from his throat. Slowly, the chuckle rose into a cackle, before becoming a full-fledged, hysterical laugh after Garth flung his head back. Suddenly, the laugh ended, replaced with a disdainful curl of the lips, as Garth’s eyes landed on Merlin.
“Beast, you say?” Garth asked, a faint amusement hidden in his cold voice. “You call that a beast?”
Suddenly, everyone within a hundred meter radius felt a terrible chill descend. Most around Garth were freshmen, and such a feeling of death was inexplicable to them. Some, however, were upperclassmen who have gone through a couple life and death experiences and have been to places like the Trial Peaks. These students knew exactly what this cold air was: the feeling of being hunted.