CHAPTER 159: PATHETIC
Tapping his fingers on the armrest, Emperor Victor frowned slightly as he watched the combat unfold.
Two young mages, one of water magic and one of air magic, combined their magic performing powerful attacks.
It was excellent teamwork, defending and attacking, and even performing some combined spells.
The air magic had fast and quick spells, leaving the water magic a unique versatility, both combined splendidly.
Their opponents, being psionic, could suppress magical energy, but it was the same for mages.
A swordsman was in charge of attacking swiftly while a psionic defended him, however, they were not what took the best player medal.
*BANG*
A shot rang out and that specialized bullet pierced the psionic barrier and hit a psionic’s head.
That shot in an actual situation would have blown that psionic’s head off and at this moment, thanks to the tournament barrier being activated, it protected him from death.
The other psionics tried to attack the sniper to reduce the deadly enemy, and those surrounding her did not allow it and protected her.
The few times they overcame the defense of the Hero Academy, the sharpshooter dodged with agility that exceeded B-rank and reached the A-rank of a fighter.
All while she was a mechanic that should not reach such power.
That was quite a change when this match was pure B-Rank.
The student named Leslie made it clear that the difference in equipment could turn the tide of battles.
“They’re pissed,” Cécile muttered as she watched the fights.
The Hero Academy was angry, and that anger was because of what had happened in the first individual A-Rank bout.
“Of course, they would be angry,” Victor said, and with a simple tone, he commented. “If I hadn’t prepared a powerful barrier, that girl would be dead by now.”
The barrier, just as it did now, protected several students from certain death, letting each student give their best without fear.
However, just as in this fight, no one attacked that student who had fallen and had already lost.
Quite different from what Xu Long did to her opponent, who attacked her after he had won.
“This goes beyond the risk of the tournament. All it shows is the lack of control and how the young man seems intoxicated by his own power,” Elder Harris pointed out, shaking his head.
Was there a risk in the tournament?
Of course, as in any tournament.
Participants could get hurt with a few broken bones, have their self-esteem crushed, or simply realize that the strength they had was not enough.
However, death or a fatal injury was a distant matter.
The first thing Victor secured for this tournament was a way to avoid death for the students.
One who attacked an already defeated opponent did not show any positive qualities but rather showed a lack of control and malice.
It was more obvious when talking about an S-rank and even more so an S-rank in the A-rank tournament.
The attack was made to take advantage of the tournament barrier and cause pain, perhaps seeking to generate trauma.
“We are all arrogant when we don’t know the limits,” replied Director Vincent, giving a sigh.
None of them could deny it.
They were arrogant with their skills and with their strength, the power each had caused pride to awaken in them.
A fighter whose fists could cause enormous devastation, a great Archmage of space magic who could distort space, and a great Archmage of air magic who could create a hurricane.
The Archmages had a person of greater strength near them, and as for the Emperor...
“Terra nova produced many lunatics. I include myself in the group. But it also ushered in prudent individuals,” Emperor Victor muttered, shaking his head.
Lunatics were the most common, believing they had the opportunity to be kings, to conquer and change the world with their strength.
He himself was among that group, but unlike the others, he knew terrifying existences and knew what prudence was.
And for that reason, despite ruling half a continent and being one of the most powerful individuals, he still did not show the arrogance of someone who achieved all this.
Watching as the B-Rank combat ended with a victory for the Hero Academy, Victor sighed.
“We will respect your student’s decision, Vincent. Though in my eyes it is a foolish decision,” Emperor Victor said, as his mood recovered slightly.
He didn’t know the students at the Hero Academy, at least not directly.
However, it was a matter of concern that a student would get carried away so easily in this place, as the trouble they would cause would point to him.
He had a very bad reputation in the international media, so it was clear how they would respond.
He would protect his interests and would not let a random stupid student cause him trouble and for such a reason, he was upset now.
“I guess my students do not wish to create a deep rivalry between the two academies, trying not to let the matter escalate,” Director Vincent said, and seeing his students leaving the arena with no loss, he added. “It seems a little late, though.”
Leslie had taken down most of her opponents with attacks that could certainly be considered fatal.
It wasn’t bad, as she showed the ability she was actually hiding and it was commendable that she refrained from attacking the fallen, as Xu Long did.
However, it was worrisome that she threw off the boundaries when it came to pulling the trigger and while she trusted the barrier; it was still worrisome.
This battle changed from competitive to something more personal, causing everything was becoming a big problem.
For Director Vincent, if the Aetherium Academy student went too far, his students in responding also acted the wrong way.
“This is a tournament where there are no limits. Deadly attacks are common and more so among powerful students. The point is to differentiate between being in the arena and being outside,” Elder Harris pointed out.
The other students were also attacking, giving their best.
Shooting at vital parts, cutting vital areas, casting powerful spells, or using powerful psionic abilities.
No student was limited by victory and that was what Victor wanted and that was what he prepared for, but when the intensity of battle moved from the arena to outside of it, that was the problem.
“For my part, I just hope that student learns from his mistake and gets a grip before things escalate in a bad way,” Cécile interjected, giving a serious expression.
She herself was an S-Rank and was powerful.
The first time she ascended and realized her ability, she felt extremely powerful.
An enormous capacity to summon creatures was certainly unique among all summoners.
The only reason she didn’t feel proud was simply because she knew that there were more powerful individuals with a greater capacity in the summoning branch.
But she understood that the young man ascending at such a low age must feel overwhelmingly strong.
“Well, let’s hope they give us an entertaining tournament,” Emperor Victor said and, remembering that young man’s performance so far, he muttered. “Though I doubt it...”
******
In the break room of the Aetherium Academy, Xu Long observed his companions.
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“Come on, it’s time,” Xu Long said to his team and, seeing their faces, he announced. “We have a big gap of 9 points. Now we have to turn the tables.”
They got 2 points when they won two Rank-B individual bouts, but since he was the only one who won the Rank-A individual bout, they got 3 points.
On the other hand, the Hero Academy won three B-Rank individual bouts, won the B-Rank group bout, and got four victories among the A-ranks, getting 12 points, giving nothing to them.
Xu Long led the A-rank group to the arena whose size was larger than the other arenas.
“They have to hold out to the end. I will take care of all of them.” Xu Long said without appearing tense at all.
A confident tone that let it show as he looked at his team.
However, his team members could only frown and refrained from saying anything.
He was an S-Rank with great strength and on a personal level; he was someone who was renowned in his home country and his family was quite important.
“Once we get to the challenges, things will get easier,” Xu Long announced.
That was the other reason why the other students let their actions and attitudes slide.
With an extra S-Rank, they had a tremendous advantage in the challenges that could be made and some bouts seemed to be quite profitable.
Xu Long climbed into the arena, seeing that on the other side, his opponents were also climbing.
The arena was about fifty meters square and was large enough to allow the combatants greater freedom.
Their provocations were a preparation to incite the Hero Academy to challenge them when the second round was over.
Xu Long had seen that the Hero Academy’s S Rank was very strong, but that individual could not win alone.
Since the academy that was challenged to a duel had the choice of the mode of the match, it was necessary for their opponents to challenge them, allowing them to be the ones to choose the mode.
And for the Hero Academy students to challenge him, he needed to push him as hard as possible, hard enough for them to hate him.
Such was the plan Xu Long was carrying out.
That academy had gone ahead with their excellent students in the extra tournament and a direct way had to be found to clip their wings before they could go too far.
“Remember, once the tournament barrier is activated, it means it is a lethal attack which the student in question cannot withstand or will suffer serious injury, which means they will be considered defeated,” warned the referee with a serious expression.
Xu Long knew they were looking at him, and in response, he shrugged his shoulders.
This tournament repressed the students too much and put a limit on them to prevent self-mutilation for victory.
It was a simple thing, but to Xu Long, it was like salvation for his weaker opponents.
“With all that said... Let the combat begin!”
The announcement came, but the teams did not move or become tense.
Xu Long, as a guide, walked in the direction of his opponents, looking at them in detail.
He had watched them compete closely and had learned what their strengths and names were.
They were undoubtedly strong individuals, but when bought with an S-Rank, it was a very different matter.
“Oh, you woke up. I thought it would take you longer to wake up. I guess that’s another advantage for a scumbag like you,” Xu Long said, giving a smile as he looked at Clémentine.
The young woman frowned for a moment, controlling her expression the next second.
However, the others didn’t have excellent control of emotions, and that was an example of the young fire mage.
Rachael frowned and looked at him like he was an idiot.
Niels, the young dagger wielder and the swordsman named Gregorio, scowled at the same time, letting it be seen that they were annoyed.
“Alice, take care of him. We’ll go get his companions,” Gregorio, the swordsman, ordered.
He seemed to be the most experienced and the one who led the A-Rank group.
Xu Long gave a signal to his companions to go ahead, each one looking for their opponent and their battlefield.
He wanted to stay alone to crush the woman who was looking at him with unique indifference and had insulted him earlier.
“You are a beauty, but I guess behind that shell hides a monster, am I right?” Xu Long asked, looking at her as if she was a creepy creature.
Among the rare innate abilities pulling arms out of the back was certainly one that took a high place among the monstrous abilities.
Alice watched him for a moment and put away her chips.
“I’m hiding something worse. Do you want to see it?” Alice asked, looking at him curiously.
Xu Long narrowed his eyes and released his S-Rank aura.
His aura was way of revealing that he was a dangerous existence and was instinctively noticed by all individuals, however, the young woman did not flinch.
There was no change in expression... No, her lips slipped into a smirk.
As if asking him if that was all.
“It seems like you don’t know fear...”
Before Xu Long could speak his sentence, he felt his body tremble as the young woman released an intense killing intent.
It was a strange sensation that made his hair stand on end as if he was encountering a predator more ferocious and bloodthirsty than oneself.
His instincts immediately rose, and Alice waved her hand, and an arm was sent to his neck.
“¡!”
Xu Long caused her electric energy barrier to activate out of pure reflex and repelled the arm that turned into a spear.
The attack was simple, but the young woman’s serenity and the emotions behind that attack made him realize... That she wanted to assassinate him.
“Didn’t you want to see what I’m hiding?” Alice asked as black arms stretched out from behind her back.
Xu Long felt his heart pounding at the cold stare of that woman.
She was giving him an indifferent look, as if seeing a walking corpse, and the most terrifying thing was that she was smiling.
She wanted him dead... She wanted him murdered.
“...”
The arms transformed into black spears and she threw them against him while Xu Long retreated by spreading waves of electric energy that gnawed and burned the darkness that shaped the arms.
Alice had A-ranked strength, however, the feeling it generated led Xu Long to frown.
She performed each attack in such a way that it sought to cause fatal wounds, trying to cut his neck, pierce his heart or puncture his organs.
Without trying to mask her intention, the young woman did not perform those attacks out of anger, but instead attacked him with a smile, as if she was glaring at him while each attack was performed with murderous intent.
Xu Long felt angry and, even though he was mad, he instinctively restrained himself from attacking.
His instincts told him that if he attacked now, he would regret it and that this young woman who was attacking him as the A-Rank force would make him suffer.
“I think you’re getting too carried away!” growling to push away all those emotions, Xu Long sent a powerful bolt of electrical energy at the woman.
The arms retracted, and a cocoon formed around Alice as the electrical energy began to burn that black mass.
Before a smile could appear on her face, Xu Long realized that the electricity faded.
The black mass in the cocoon took on a darker and deeper shape, making him have the feeling that if he put his hands on that place, he would be swallowed.
It gave the feeling that the darkness was devouring the electrical energy.
It was at the moment when Xu Long was stunned that from the cocoon a black arm stretched out as if it was a giant and no matter how much electric energy tried to burn it; it regenerated swiftly.
“What the fuck...”
As Xu Long tried to shield himself with his personal barrier of his combat suit, he felt the powerful blow that was stronger than an A-Rank attack.
Without giving him time to come out of his daze, the arm spread out like liquid covering his body completely.
“...”
Staring at the darkness of that black mass, Xu Long trembled as they transformed into protrusions, trying to pierce through his body.
Fortifying his barrier with electrical energy, Xu Long could feel the ferocity of those S-Rank attacks and realized that his opponent was not as simple as she appeared.
Until now, she had been showing A-Rank prowess and had manipulated him with the murderous intent of someone who killed with indifference.
Only now did he realize that, in reality, his opponent was of his own rank.
Feeling that he was manipulated twice in the same day made Xu Long burst out in fury.
“That’s enough!”
With a mighty roar, a huge electric wave spread around him, tearing apart that black mass that completely covered him.
It was at that moment when he could see the light, that he noticed the young woman near him.
The black mass forming claws covered her arm that at a great speed transformed into a single sharp claw as if it were a sword.
“¡!”
Xu Long froze at the sight of it and before he could react, he noticed how that claw cut through his barrier and headed for his neck.
The bloodlust was so palpable that, for a moment; he felt like his neck would be cut and he couldn’t react.
“Ughh...”
In fear at his opponent’s smile, Xu Long felt the burning heat on his neck and fell on his butt when he tried to grab his neck.
His heart was pounding so hard as he felt the burning pain that he forgot that there was the tournament barrier that prevented deadly attacks like the one he had received.
“...”
There was silence in the surroundings and only after touching his neck and feeling that the wound was light was the moment Xu Long realized that he had lost and the tournament barrier was active.
“An S-Rank defeated by an A-Rank? This is certainly impressive!”
The voice of the host and Xu Long could see the surprise of all the spectators in the stands.
The attacks the young girl had made were timed to look insignificant and hidden behind a facade of false strength of an A-Rank.
Only her big punch had the strength of an S-Rank along with the protrusions that tried to hurt him, but that last was within that darkness.
Which made it seem as if he was actually toying with her until, finally, in his moment of distraction, she finished him off with a punch that activated the tournament barrier.
In the previous confrontation with Clémentine, she made it clear that an S-Rank could get hurt if he got carried away... Now it was proven that he could be defeated.
“Pretty pathetic, don’t you think?” Alice asked with an amused smile.
The spectators were believing he was beaten by an A-Rank... When in fact he had just been beaten by an S-Rank.
******
When Xu Long and his defeated group entered the team room, they received stares from all their teammates.
“She is an S-Rank,” Xu Long reported with an infuriated expression.
“An S-Rank?” Ryu Sujin asked and with a frown, she questioned. “Is it the truth, or is it an excuse for your stupid defeat?”
She was angry and the look she gave him was not only serious, but enraged, and the problem was that she wasn’t the only one.
“That’s the truth,” Xu Long replied, while inside he was seething with anger.
From the moment he saw the spectators cheering at his opponent’s victory, he realized that Alice’s performance was perfect.
She completely hid the traces of her true strength and made it all look as if an A-Rank managed to defeat him.
She replicated the story of David and Goliath.
That was what everyone believed, and that also extended to his fellow academy members, whose gazes were too deep.
“Tch...” With an annoyed click of her tongue, Ryu Sujin glared at him angrily, and before Xu Long could say anything, she announced. “That’s enough. You lost and ruined everything.”
In the eyes of a third party, he was ambushed like Clémentine was in the individual confrontation and the only difference was that this time, Alice managed to win by activating the barrier.
However, in the end, for any normal spectator, he ended up losing against an A-rank he showed so much disdain for.
Ryu Sujin felt furious.
“They currently have 17 points! And we have only 3! And why? Because you came up with a stupid plan to alter them and now we all have to bear the consequence!” Ryu Sujin growled with an annoyed look, and looking at Xu Long, added. “And you couldn’t even win against an A-Rank.”
“She’s not an A-Rank!” shouted Xu Long, as he couldn’t stay silent.
“So you got beaten by an S-Rank. That doesn’t change anything. You were calling the others ‘trash’ when you’ve ruined everything.” Ryu Sujin replied, giving a serious look.
The first battle was close, letting them see that both teams gave equal effort, but the following battles after Clémentine’s defeat were worse for them.
Being enraged, the Hero Academy students gave their all from the start and surprised their opponents as a form of revenge, turning the tables of battle.
That wasn’t ‘upsetting’, it was giving their enemies a cause and a target along with a boost of energy.
And now...
“I have to suffer against the apprentice of a Grand Archmage,” Ryu Sujin muttered, walking away in front of that idiot and the other students who supported him.
That they got to this point was not because Xu Long was domineering, but also because the other students supported him.
And just as she said, now they all had to take the consequences, with her being next.
After all, Edward was not only the apprentice of Director Vincent, a great SS-Rank Archmage, but he was also a powerful individual.