"Show no mercy, Instructor Hadrian!"
"Yes! That guy has been too arrogant!"
Different voices rose, and the killing intent in Instructor Hadrian’s eyes grew stronger and stronger. He left it unmasked, letting Caelen see it. He gritted his teeth. "We will know who the ant and the tree are!"
Caelen ignored him, focusing his attention on the fighting platform.
Kolu looked at Tiran. "Shall we proceed, then?"
Tiran wasn’t looking at him so casually anymore. His hand now rested on his sword, and his eyes were like sharp blades, filling the distance between them with unbridled sharpness!
"Did Young Master Kolu think he could finish the battle in the shortest time that Instructor Caelen spoke about?"
Kolu gave him a deep look, a glint in his eyes. "Do you think I can’t?"
Tiran smiled. "It seems all Sicon family members are the same. So arrogant! Well then, please test this sword for me, Young Master Kolu. Is it sharp enough?"
His sword was faster than his words. It reached Kolu even faster, and it was indeed sharp!
Screech! Screech!
Those were the sounds of sword intent splitting the air, shredding it as if it were paper. Sharp lines several inches deep appeared on the platform’s ground, stretching from Tiran to Kolu!
Why was the Seven Delusions of the Fool such an impressive Essence Scripture to practice? And why did those who mastered it become so dangerous and strong? Because they could fool the senses. Their swords would always reach their opponents faster than their senses could calculate!
Before Tiran even drew his sword, he had already filled the space around Kolu with his sword intent, fooling his senses!
How impressive!
Kolu didn’t have time to dodge, and he didn’t!
He still had the same amused smile on his face, but the rest of his body was covered in a shiny white light, like the glint that reflected off metal.
Ping! Ping! Ping!
Sparks actually flew across the room as the sword light struck him! He was like a statue of steel, just standing there! None of the sword light got through.
Kolu looked at Tiran. "Your sword is sharp, but not sharp enough!"
Tiran looked stunned. How could his sword not be sharp enough? He knew how sharp his sword was!
Kolu looked at him solemnly. "I will teach you a lesson today for your own sake. You can hate the Sicon family. That’s your choice. But you don’t have the right to look down on them!"
Kolu was just standing there, but his aura changed instantly! A kind of power erupted from him. He was still Kolu, but now he also carried the pressure of a mountain simply by standing there!
Such pressure, such weight!
Tiran felt an intense sense of danger. His legs began to move almost subconsciously, and his hands weren’t slow to follow. His left hand began forming Essence Technique symbols. He knew he had to stop Kolu!
But he wasn’t fast enough.
Kolu took a single step forward, and it was like a mountain collapsing!
The ground beneath him groaned and then cracked, with broken webs spreading out from the spot where he stood.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Those were the sounds of something moving so fast that it broke the air!
All Tiran saw were shadows. Different shadows covered in silvery light. Then everything around him went dark.
Kolu was moving too fast for Tiran’s eyes to track properly. The palm that struck him in the chest caused his legs to wobble and his body to fly backward like a broken puppet.
The impact left him unconscious! In fact, his chest would have been pulverized if not for the defensive precautions built into the platform. When injuries reached a certain point, the platform would protect the fighters and stop the match! That was why everyone could fight so freely.
Just one hit!
One hit from Kolu, and Tiran was sent flying backward, falling unconscious!
The onlookers were stunned.
Although Caelen himself could perfectly see through Kolu’s speed, he was still surprised by it, as well as by his strength.
Caelen looked at Marek, who was sitting beside him, but the young man only shuddered and lowered his head even further.
Caelen looked at Lysandra next.
Lysandra grimaced. "The Medullaris family is known for its strong defense. Incredibly strong defense. It’s said that they devoured the bones of a Divine Being. Their Essence Scriptures emphasize strength. Raw power."
Caelen now looked at Kolu in a new light. Although the young man looked like a typical young master, his strength was undeniable. At the same time, Caelen began to rethink his understanding of the Sicon family.
What type of Essence Scripture does the Seradon family have? How can I incorporate it into my Sovereign of Blood Aspect?
While he was thinking about that, the attendant had already declared the result in favor of Class Thirteen. Two wins and one loss. Class Sixty-Seven already had two losses!
But now, it was time for the main fight!
This was what everyone in the Academy and beyond had been waiting for!
Instructor Hadrian and Instructor Caelen.
"Let the last challengers come here!" the attendant shouted.
With a flash of cold light, Instructor Hadrian was already on the platform. His face was as cold as a sword resting at the bottom of a lake. When he had called for the challenge, he had thought his class would sweep through Class Thirteen.
How could he have expected things to turn out like this?
Only he could change the tide of this challenge.
Caelen stood up, his movements neither fast nor slow.
Lysandra swallowed. "Are you sure you don’t want to forfeit? There’s still time."
Kolu also met his eyes, but he didn’t say anything.
Caelen ignored them both, but as he started walking, he stopped and looked back, his eyes sweeping over the entire class. "None of you should leave here."
Although it seemed he was talking to everyone, Marek felt the blood in his body surge.
Caelen was warning him not to sneak away! He was already covered in sweat. How could he dare to run away?
Instructor Hadrian and Instructor Caelen stood facing each other.
The two looked at each other, and it was as if their gazes were weapons already clashing.
It was then that the onlookers realized Caelen was actually serious about fighting! The news spread throughout the entire Academy and beyond!
Instructor Hadrian raised a finger. "You can’t retreat now. You have to fight. I won’t let you forfeit! And nobody can fight in your place, not even your secret protector!"
Right, when Instructor Hadrian had felt the killing intent in Class Thirteen earlier, he had thought it was Caelen’s secret protector warning him. That was why he had said all of that. He wanted to give Caelen a proper beating.
Caelen looked at him strangely, then said, "All right."
Instructor Hadrian was still opening his mouth to say more, but now he closed it. However, his finger remained raised. "My student’s sword wasn’t sharp enough. But this one is too sharp for you!"
Instructor Hadrian brought his finger down!
A bright light filled the air, cutting across the distance in an instant and reaching Caelen!
So fast! So sharp!
Just one finger, and it had more power than anything Tiran could unleash! This was the difference between Unbound and Ascendant!
The onlookers praised Instructor Hadrian and mocked Caelen.
"Instructor Hadrian isn’t even taking it seriously. He’s only using one finger! And he’s going to cut down the heir of a Sicon family!"
But how could Caelen let someone cut him down?
Caelen’s left hand pressed forward, and.... he caught the sword light!
He actually reached out and plucked the sword light as if he were reaching for a fruit on a tree!
How could this not cause a ripple to spread?
Shouldn’t Caelen be a useless young master? The only heir in the world to have that title?
He had actually suppressed a sword with one hand!
Caelen looked at the sword light struggling in his hand and then at Instructor Hadrian. He crushed the sword light and said, "Your sword isn’t sharp enough either!"
Instructor Hadrian’s eyes turned dark and grim.
What’s going on here? It shouldn’t be like this.... right? Right? This....
Instructor Hadrian could tell that something wasn’t right, but what else could he do now?
He sneered. "That’s just a finger sword. Do you dare stand there and take a hit from my real sword?"
Caelen narrowed his eyes. "Do you dare take a hit from me while I’m just standing here?"
Instructor Hadrian gritted his teeth. "Good! Good! Let’s fight as instructors!"
Caelen’s mouth curled into a mocking smile. "What? You know you can’t survive a strike from me? Instructor Hadrian, didn’t you say you’d give me a beating? Then come, show me the strength of your flying sword!"
As Caelen said this, he raised his left hand and then bit his finger with his teeth, tearing a small wound into it. Blood swelled instantly. At first, there were only a few drops, but before long, it was flowing freely.