Chapter 164: 164 The End of First Round.

The crowd’s gaze gathered on the blue-haired girl who stood not far away from them, holding a magic item in her hands.

Selene fixed her tone and coughed the awkwardness in her mind.

“Um, sorry for the disturbance, we will begin the next matches”.

She looked toward the book Dannan had left there, inside the list of candidates’ names written neatly, and her eyes widened.

“Hum, I never expected this, the tenth match is between two students from Promethys academy, we will welcome Kurobe and Kael, please go to the arena”.

Jin glanced at the arena, where the silence still dominated.

Then he saw two shadows walk past him, their gaze straight filled with determination.

Kael, the rebellious student who used to see everyone around him with arrogance, now had a more calm vibe.

In months, Jin trained him, and he knew firsthand just how talented Kael was. However, perhaps because of that, the boy lost his way until he met with Jin.

Instead of him, Kurobe, the demi-human from the East. The cat boy adores Jin like a senior and big brother, coming from Kurobe’s admiration for Jin’s martial arts.

Not only did the demi-humans in the East tend to revere strength above all else, but they also held strict rules against misusing it.

Because that action was nothing but a tarnish in one life and also in the name of true strength.

They believed that true strength was something to be used for the benefit of others, not for oneself.

Two ideologists from two different paths met under the same care from Jin.

Jin watched as the two stood a few meters apart from each other.

Kurobe and Kael’s faces were calm, almost indifferent.

However, the tension and the flickering flames in both eyes were palpable, igniting the blazing passion inside.

The passion to have a fair match.

Selene’s cheerful voice resonated in the colosseum, melting the stiffness that still lingered around.

“Finally, the match between my two juniors, are you ready?”.

Kurobe spread his legs apart diagonally; his left hand stretched forward in an open palm and his right hand in a tight fist around his waist.

A brown glove coiled Kurobe’s entire arms, coated with a silver plate around its back, gleaming under the sun.

Kael summoned his sword with a straight posture; he drew the word inside and prepared his stance.

On her seat, Selene alternated her gaze between the two and then raised her voice to liven up the dead atmosphere.

“The tenth match begins!”.

Pushed by her spirit, the crowd roared in cheers, lifting the dampened mood.

’Its begin!’. Jin’s eyes narrowed.

Kael moved. His hand retracted back as his body vanished, and he thrust his sword straight in one clean stroke to Kurobe’s neck.

Kurobe slapped the blade with his gauntlet, spark scattered with a thunderous clank.

But Kael didn’t finish as he kept hurling his opponents with rapid thrusts.

A continuous clank and spark erupted the tide of excitement that died down from the earlier match.

“Hmph, I can’t understand these people”.

Nerine’s sharp comment froze the atmosphere in the tunnel as all eyes gathered on her.

“Such barbarics acts. They are happy seeing each other fighting, truly a repulsive sight”.

“Neri, please don’t speak anymore”.

Hearing Iris’s resignation behind him, Jin couldn’t hold his lips from twitching, barely keeping the laugh he suppressed.

’Iris seemed to struggle to have another child. .. A rebellious one at that’.

Jin inhaled deeply and gazed at the arena, watching his two classmates battle, which had just elevated its pace.

Kael, with his abnormal reflex, could even shame the demi-human. He danced with refined movement.

His technique and footwork looked sublime, trying to gauge Kurobe’s impenetrable defence.

Meanwhile, Kurobe’s calculated movement caused Jin to hold his breath.

All the steps, breath, and Kurobe’s flow were none other than Jin’s own technique in his ’Black Heaven Combat Style’.

It was the martial art he developed in that sanctuary.

Initially, he only trained the movement by observing Athena’s movements during their sparring.

The martial art relies heavily on flow, and a single strike can end the enemy’s life instantly.

Because of that, if someone wants to practice it, they must have perseverance and grit to accommodate its full potential.

And Kurobe did it flawlessly, nearly reaching Jin’s level in technique.

Spark continued to spill into the ground as the two continued to display their martial powers.

The crowds were silent, their mouths agape as they watched the breathtaking scene.

Kael’s sharp and aggressive movement was countered perfectly by Kurobe’s calm and dedication.

As the pace continued to rise, the people above leaned forward. Their fingers curled into tight fists as they saw the high-speed exchange.

On the side, in the tunnel where the Alpha Class were waiting. Jin’s emerald eyes narrowed.

He nodded solemnly, muttering something under his breath.

“Both do great, kael shows promising development so far as his wild side was a bit dimmed and…”.

Jin paused and turned to the other candidates.

’Kurobe was indeed exceptional in martial arts, he could grasp the essence of my own martial art and implement it on his own’.

The boy knitted his brows; his chest was heavy for some reason.

Unconsciously, Jin clicked his tongue and grumbled. ’These damn geniuses’.

As the battle continued, Jin snapped from his daze and saw Kael’s breath turned ragged.

Kurobe used that as a change but kept his stance wary.

The cat boy blocked Kael’s blade, inciting a thunderous clank and slipped inside his opponent’s range.

Kurobe thrust his fist forward; it was swift and filled with a force from his body.

Kael was waiting for this moment when Kurobe tried to launch an attack. He released the grip on his sword hilt and wanted to grab Kurobe’s wrist.

However, Kurobe also anticipated this outcome as his wrist was tightly gripped, and he saw the world spin before his eyes.

The cat boy twisted in mid-air and let the weight in his body concentrate on his leg as he kicked Kael in the chin.

A dull thud resounded as Kael’s body stumbled onto the hard floor, unconscious.

Kurobe stood before Kael, casting a shadow that enveloped his lying body. With batted breath, Kurobe raised his fist, showing the winner in the match.

Cheers erupted, shaking the whole place as if wanting to chase away the gloom from the match earlier.

Selene’s energetic voice rang through the arena, pulling the curtain of the match closed.

“The match is over, and the winner is Kurobe”.

Her voice boomed with the crowds; after watching Kurobe, she pulled Kael on his shoulder and brought his unconscious boy to the tunnel.

Jin clapped his hands, proud and happy at the same time.

“You did well, Kurobe and Kael too”.

His voice was calm, but it reverberated in the narrow tunnel, attracting the others’ gaze to him.

Kurobe held his breath, scratching his cheek with a blush on it.

“…Thanks a lot, big bro, Jin”.

He turned to the boy behind and opened his mouth.

“Kain, bring your brother to the infirmary, tell him my message if he awakens”.

Kain adjusted his glasses and nodded; he took Kael from Kurobe’s shoulder and left the tunnel with a heavy mood shrouding his back.

However, no one spoke a word. Jin wanted the two to understand the gravity of their defeat and lament it so that they could become a better version of themselves.

’With this, my classmates have gone to all tier matches’. Jin shifted to the arena.

The golden light bathed the messy stage with its grace, exhaling a soft breath that filled the place with passion.

“Into the next match, what do we have?…”.

Selene’s voice incited an excited howl, and she guided the rest of the match in vigour.

After that, the match continued from the Valor side, meeting a young adventurer filled with dreams in wanting to challenge the chosen people who enter the academy.

Both were having a good fight; a mage from Valor’s side dominated with its quick casting and utilized his good environment.

The swordsman struggled at first but was aghast when he was trapped inside tall, towering walls. Its thick width is even adorned with pointy thorns like an iron maiden.

For the other two matches, all were won by Valor Academy.

With this, the first round of the tournament is finished.

Selene addressed the crowds, her voice still retaining its youthful energy despite having screamed for hours.

“Thank you to all the participants in this festival. We will take a break to let the candidates rest and will continue the second round later”.

She paused to catch her breath, then resumed.

“While waiting, why not enjoy the stalls and food outside. This is a festival to celebrate after all”.

Claps spread through like wildfire, giving Selene the whole credit for accompanying them this hour.

“Okay everyone, make sure you return when the sun is at its highest. Because that’s when the second round will begin, have fun out there”.

Jin exhaled and loosened the tension that weighed down on his shoulders. He turned to his classmates and opened his lips.

“Let’s visit those two and have lunch together”.

All members nodded unconditionally except for Nerine on the corner, whose mouth was blocked by Iris.

He reached out to his pocket, summoning several gold coins in hand. ’I think it’s time for me to splurge some money’.

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