Chapter 148: An Unexpected Spectator

After the match, Zac returned home, took a long bath, and went to bed early. When the system asked about training, he closed his eyes and gave a simple answer.

"I want my mind and body fresh for tomorrow."

[For a match against a fellow student? You are being unusually careful.]

"I don’t know why, but I feel like tomorrow won’t be as simple as the matches until now."

And just like he predicted, the next day looked less like a small academy tournament and more like a grand event.

The entire arena was packed.

From the family members of market workers to the academy staff, almost everyone had come. Only the principal, the vice-principal, some third- and fourth-year students away on missions, and a few high-ranking people with important duties were absent.

The people from the market area had completely taken over the outer sections. Some opportunists had even opened small stalls to sell snacks, drinks, and various other things.

Flyers had been passed around since morning, raising the heat around the final match even further.

Even the stage had been polished and redesigned. The stone floor was clean, the boundary lines glowed faintly, and small floating devices hovered in the air, ready to record every single moment.

The arena was divided into five levels surrounding the stage.

The ground level was filled with first-year newcomer students. The first floor was reserved for the common residents of the academy. The second floor was filled with second-year students and a few third-years. The fourth level belonged to the teachers and academy staff. The highest level was reserved for the judges and the important figures of the academy.

Zac and Sabrina stood near the contestant entrance with the others, watching the packed arena.

Marty looked at the crowd and sighed. "Finally, a real audience. It’s unfortunate I can’t perform in front of them."

Daniel stood beside him, fully recovered from his fight with Ravena. Shobin stood with his eyes fixed on his VSB, as usual, reading something from the academy forum.

Adrian, dressed as if he had come to attend a royal ball instead of a tournament, stood nearby. After seeing Daniel lose to Ravena as well, his wounded pride had made a miraculous recovery.

"Such a packed audience," Adrian said with deep regret. "It should have been me standing in the final. What a tragedy."

Marty nodded solemnly. "Yes. The world was robbed of watching you get stepped on again."

Adrian turned to him. "Do not speak ill of me, you overgrown buffoon. I only lost because I refused to lay my hands on a woman."

"Will you say the same after you get married?" Marty asked.

Adrian placed one hand over his chest. "Such dirty thoughts. Even now, surrounded by the common cruelty of this world, I remain graceful." He raised his chin slightly. "How magnificent I am."

Shobin suddenly looked up from his VSB. "Did anyone see the cursed girl?"

Daniel turned toward him. "Why are you suddenly asking about her?"

"I was going through the forum, and a lot of people are talking about yesterday’s match."

"About what?" Zac asked.

Immediately everyone looked at him.

Marty was the first to react. "Really? Like you don’t know?"

"I am 99.6% sure what they’re discussing," Marty said. "And after the stunt you pulled yesterday, it’s completely understandable why she isn’t here."

"She is there," Sabrina suddenly said, and everyone followed her gaze.

Ravena stood in the arena, completely alone, with no one anywhere near her. But unlike before, she was not zoning out or ignoring everyone.

She was staring directly at Zac. "Why is she staring at me?"

Once again, everyone looked at him with the same ’really’ expression.

A few minutes passed, and Ravena was still glaring at him.

Marty slowly leaned closer. "Man, you really made her yandere this time."

"Oh, shut up, I don’t think that’s why she’s looking at me."

"Then what could it be?" Marty asked. "You hugged her yesterday, and now she’s staring at you without blinking. I am not a three-year-old, Zac. I can understand basic patterns."

"You either created a yandere or a mortal enemy; either way, she is now obsessed with you."

"Fine. Whatever it is, we’ll think about it later." Zac looked away from Ravena. "Let’s drop the gossip for now."

Mimi stepped onto the commentary platform, dressed in her customized uniform. Compared to yesterday, it somehow had even more ribbons and star-shaped accessories.

A floating microphone circled her like a loyal pet, and her smile was bright enough to threaten people’s eyesight.

"Hello, everyone!"

She spread her arms wide. "Your lovable, cutest, smartest, ever-talented Mimi welcomes you to the final match of this thrilling tournament!"

The crowd immediately erupted into cheers, whistles, and excited chatter.

Mimi’s eyes sparkled. "That’s right. Bask in Mimi’s presence."

"Five days ago this tournament began with eighty-seven students, five stages, and seven audience members!"

The crowd laughed instantly.

"That’s right! At that time, the participants were several times more than the people watching!"

Mimi looked across the arena and blew the crowd a kiss. "But now, after epic victories, shield-bearing stubbornness, martial arts surprises, mana explosions, noble tragedies, and many other questionable life choices, only two contestants remain!"

The screen above the central stage lit up. "In just a few minutes, Class A’s Zac Delencore will face Sabrina Snow from the same class in the final match!"

Mimi pointed dramatically toward the stage. "That’s right, everyone! The two most talented newcomers are finally about to collide!"

Her voice rose with excitement.

"One is a charming devil with ravishing looks and a long list of troublemaking side effects. The other is an Ice Queen who shows fewer emotions than a stuffed doll!"

The crowd roared again.

"Lightning vs ice! Boy vs girl! Chaos vs cold discipline! Flexibility vs. Stiffness! This is going to be an epic showdown! Are you all ready?"

The arena answered with another wave of cheers.

"There she goes again, making up names and titles," Kelly said.

At the same time, a poster-like image appeared on the screen above the stage.

Zac looked at it. "When did they make that?"

Marty blinked at him. "You don’t know?"

"What don’t I know?"

"After you left yesterday, that poster started circulating everywhere. They even made flyers."

Marty searched through his pockets and pulled out a folded paper. "Here."

Zac took it and stared. "Wow. They’re really going all out."

"Actually," Shobin said, "it’s not the academy that made it."

Zac looked at him. "What?"

"It was created by our commentator to increase the popularity of this match."

Marty nodded. "More like to increase the popularity of herself."

"That too."

From the stands, people were already shouting and talking while looking at Zac and Sabrina.

"Wow, Zac looks even better today."

"That troublemaker is so cool."

"Look at the Ice Queen. She looks as magnificent as always."

"I think they look good together."

The moment that comment appeared, several people immediately turned on him.

"Are you an idiot?"

"What nonsense are you speaking?"

"They dislike each other!"

"That’s right. They completely hate each other!"

Mimi smiled nervously. "What are these people mumbling about? I am the one who made this tournament so popular, and they’re talking about them?"

"They may look a little good, but I am the perfection of beauty. Why are they not talking about me?"

Her smile twitched.

"And what the hell is this good-together nonsense? One is an expensive ice sculpture, and the other has anger issues. Why are people already pairing them?"

"It seems our audience is already burning with excitement! Or freezing, depending on which finalist they’re rooting for."

Marty leaned slightly toward Kelly. "She’s good."

Kelly did not answer. Instead, she suddenly stepped in front of Zac and Sabrina. "Please don’t hurt each other too badly."

Both of them looked at her, and neither said anything.

Marty then turned to Zac. "Don’t lose after all that bragging, and Sabrina, please don’t win too easily."

At the top section, Matilda watched the group near the contestant entrance with amusement. "They look lively."

Murphy glanced at the stage, then toward Simon. "So, who do you think will win, Sir Simon?"

Simon folded his arms. "Fifty-fifty."

"Both of them are mysteries in their own way, but if we only consider what we have seen so far, Zac has better combat experience. He adapts quickly, his body can handle more force, and physically, he is stronger too."

"As for Sabrina, her mana control is cleaner and more precise. Her mana response is faster than anyone I have seen at her age, and that is crucial in this kind of match."

Matilda looked at the two finalists below. "So, fifty-fifty."

"Yes."

"All right, everyone!" Mimi’s voice rang through the arena again. "The final match will begin in just a few..."

’tremble...tremble...tremble...’

Before she could continue, the entire arena trembled. A heavy pressure descended from above, pressing down on everyone like an invisible mountain.

Mimi gripped her microphone. "Whaaa... What is... this? An... earthquake?"

Zac’s expression changed. "Not this again."

In the top section, where Matilda, Simon, and Murphy stood, the door suddenly opened, and a woman walked in.

"Up there!" one student shouted.

Immediately, countless eyes turned toward the highest level.

Without any announcement, ceremony, or entourage, Armani entered the booth. Under the gaze of hundreds of people, she walked calmly toward the center seat and sat down with one leg crossed over the other.

The arena instantly filled with whispers.

"Is that the vice-principal?"

"Armani Wild?"

"That’s right. The infamous Wild!"

"Do you want to die? Don’t call her that. Don’t you know she hates that title?"

"Why is she here?"

"Someone of her status came to watch a first-year tournament?"

"Maybe she was bored."

"Are you an idiot? Do you know who she is? Even if she were bored, she wouldn’t come to something insignificant like this for no reason."

In the booth, Matilda and Murphy immediately bowed. "Vice-Principal Armani."

Matilda’s smile had become strangely gentle, almost like a hidden fangirl trying very hard to remain professional.

Murphy, on the other hand, looked visibly shaken by her presence.

Simon did not turn or bow; he stood, still looking at the arena. "Did you really have to make such an entrance?" he asked quietly. "You truly are an attention seeker."

Armani leaned back in the chair. "What can I say? I need to keep up my image."

Murphy quickly stepped forward. "Are you here to watch the tournament, Vice-Principal?"

Armani looked at him. "Is there something else happening here that I don’t know about?"

"No, no, Miss. Of course not."

Simon said nothing more aloud, but a moment later, his voice sounded only in Armani’s mind. "You shouldn’t be here, Armani."

Armani’s expression did not change. "Come on, Sir Simon. My nephew is fighting in his first tournament. How could I miss it?"

"Your presence is putting too much pressure on the students."

"Since when did you start caring about that? We both know you are not that kind of person. Besides, if they can’t handle a little pressure, what good are they?"

Simon stared at her for a moment. "Fine. Do whatever you want, as always."

"Sir Simon, please. If you truly don’t want me here, just say the word. You know I respect my elders."

"Like hell you do. Do whatever you want."

"You said it."

Simon picked up a microphone. "Are you all done staring?" His voice snapped through the arena and immediately killed most of the whispers.

"Start the final match already. The vice-principal is here to witness it, so don’t disappoint her or anyone else."

The pressure in the arena had also disappeared, and the tournament had become even bigger now.