Chapter 150: One Step Too Far

For several seconds, nobody made a sound. Those who didn’t recognize the bracelet looked around in confusion at the people who clearly did.

Almost every current and former academy student knew about Simon’s training bracelets. Their eyes remained fixed on the black bracelet lying outside the stage.

Then the arena exploded.

"He was wearing it the whole time?"

"That’s a gravity bracelet, isn’t it?"

"Not just gravity. It also suppresses enhanced physical attributes."

"Wait, are you guys serious?"

"What do you think? We all used them when we were first-years."

"So you’re telling me he fought every match until now while wearing that?"

"What kind of training freak does that?"

Marty slowly sank back into his seat with a blank expression. "Of course." He stared at Zac. "Exactly this kind of training freak."

Even Daniel looked genuinely shocked. "So he was nerfed this whole time."

Marty covered his face with both hands and shook his head. "I should’ve known this freak was up to something. But never in a million years would I have guessed he was handicapping himself even while fighting that cursed girl."

Shobin suddenly frowned in thought. "Now I get it."

Everyone looked at him. "When he sparred against Simon, the speed and power he used back then were almost the same as what he’s been using throughout this tournament."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "He was wearing the bracelet back then. If he’d removed it afterward, he should’ve automatically been stronger during the tournament."

Shobin nodded. "Exactly. But he stayed at almost the same level, which means he’s been wearing it this entire time."

He paused, staring at Zac. "I should’ve noticed. How did I miss that?"

In the upper stand, Matilda turned toward Simon. "You knew?"

Simon simply nodded. "I did. It’s my bracelet. It doesn’t just suppress them. It also tracks their vital signs, so of course I knew he was still wearing it."

Murphy raised an eyebrow. "Was this your idea?"

"No. I gave everyone permission to remove their bracelets before the tournament started. This was entirely his decision."

Simon glanced sideways toward Armani. "Seems someone has been pushing him hard enough that he thinks he still needs to train like this."

Armani gave no reaction, her eyes remaining on the stage.

The referee looked at the discarded bracelet, then up toward Simon.

Simon reached for the microphone. "It’s a training bracelet. It does not amplify or increase the wearer’s power in any way. Wearing it violates no tournament rule."

"Let the match continue."

Mimi immediately raised her microphone. "It’s been confirmed by Sir Simon himself! Our Charming Devil has been voluntarily making his own life harder, which is either dedication, stupidity, or a very dramatic way to show off."

She flashed a bright smile. "And personally, I think it’s all three."

"I feel like I’ve been reborn," Zac thought as he stretched his body.

[So you’ve finally decided to go all out?]

"Not exactly. I still can’t use my skills or abilities."

Across from him, Sabrina watched with the same deadpan expression she always wore.

Zac looked at her with a faint smirk. "Surprised?"

"Hardly. At least now it’s worth continuing."

"You know, you’re strangely annoying sometimes."

"Says the guy who peeks at innocent girls."

Zac moved. The instant his foot struck the stage, his body vanished from where he’d been standing.

The crowd barely had time to react before his sword was already in front of Sabrina.

She raised her blade at the last possible moment.

Clang!

The impact rang across the arena like metal striking a bell, and Sabrina’s feet slid several meters backward.

"Peeking? Yeah, I did that accidentally once. But innocent? Come on."

Zac immediately followed her.

Sabrina tried to use her mysterious swordsmanship to overwhelm him again, but things were different now.

Removing the bracelet hadn’t just taken away the increased gravity. It had also released the physical attributes it had been suppressing. And compared to others his age, Zac’s attributes were already absurdly high.

Now, instead of being dragged down by the bracelet, his speed and strength were finally free.

Their blades collided again and again.

Sabrina’s sword moved fluidly, almost like a dance, and Zac’s was the exact opposite. Aggressive, direct, and relentless.

Sabrina’s flowing swordsmanship was still difficult to deal with, but Zac no longer needed anything complicated.

He simply forced his way into the moments where her style needed room to breathe.

Rows of spectators began standing as the pace of the fight climbed.

"Yeah! That’s it!"

"This is what we wanted from the final!"

"Go, go, go!"

"Pummel her, Zac!"

"Beat the crap out of him, Ice Queen!"

Mimi leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. "Zac Delencore has finally started overwhelming the Ice Queen! He’s attacking from every angle as aggressively as possible, and somehow the Ice Queen is still blocking every single strike!"

She thrust a hand toward the stage. "Behold, people! This is what a final should look like!"

Both of them exchanged strike after strike, evading and parrying without giving the other a single inch. But Sabrina had now fully adjusted to Zac at full power.

Even when she blocked or parried his attacks, every blow forced her backward. It was becoming painfully clear that when it came to sheer physical attributes, Zac was almost untouchable.

Her feet slowly neared the glowing boundary line, and the arena watched with nail-biting tension, waiting to see if Zac would finally force her out.

In the upper stand, Matilda watched just as intently. Then, just as Zac prepared for the final strike, her eyes narrowed at something on Sabrina’s sword. "Wait... is she?"

On the stage, Zac’s blade slipped toward Sabrina’s guard, aiming to force her out before she could regain her footing.

Sabrina raised her sword to block. Their blades collided. But this time, she didn’t move.

Zac felt a jarring shock run through his hands, as though he’d struck an immovable wall, and Sabrina stood firm without even the slightest tremble.

He immediately pulled back, confusion flashing across his face, and a small smile appeared on Sabrina’s lips. "Didn’t expect that, did you?"

Then she lunged, with her sword flashing toward Zac.

He blocked with his own blade, and although his coating held, the force behind her strike was far heavier than before.

Another clash followed. Then another. And this time, Zac was the one being pushed back.

The audience stared in complete confusion. Only moments ago, Zac had been one strike away from forcing Sabrina out of bounds.

Now he was the one retreating under her attacks.

In the upper stands, Matilda spoke quietly. "Compression coating."

Murphy stared at Sabrina in open surprise. "She’s learned it already? What has it been, two or three months?"

Matilda’s expression grew more serious. "It’s not just compression coating. She’s already reached three-times compression."

Murphy’s expression changed as well. "No wonder she stayed calm even after seeing Zac’s gravity bracelet."

"What’s happening, System?"

[Looks like the girl learned how to compress her mana. With the physical strength you’re currently using, breaking through three-times compressed coating won’t be easy.]

Sabrina attacked again.

Zac blocked, a faint smile appearing on his face. "So you’ve reached this far."

Sabrina’s eyes remained cold. "What? Getting shaky?"

"Never in my life." Their swords erupted into another furious exchange.

"I can’t let this keep going," Zac thought as he deflected another strike.

[Then don’t. Just give up.]

"Helpful."

[You’re welcome.]

Sabrina pressed forward with even sharper attacks.

Mimi’s voice rose above the crowd. "The Ice Queen has finally turned the match around! I have absolutely no idea what she just did, but it looks like she’s pushing our charming devil to the brink!"

She grinned brightly. "She’s proving that beauty can be quite deadly! Not that your beloved Mimi is any less beautiful, of course. That’s a completely separate discussion."

Zac’s foot came dangerously close to the boundary line.

[How does it feel being on the other side?]

"Not good."

His eyes sharpened. "Time to change strategies."

Instead of meeting Sabrina head-on, Zac began targeting the places she hadn’t reinforced.

Whenever she attacked, his blade shifted toward her wrist, elbow, thigh, or another exposed point, forcing her to constantly move her compressed mana around her body.

Again and again, Sabrina had to redirect her coating, and the constant shifting disrupted her rhythm just enough to give Zac room to breathe.

Daniel watched closely. "He’s good at adapting during a fight."

Kelly nodded, unable to take her eyes off the stage. "They’re both amazing."

Marty nodded as well. "Amazing and terrifying."

Realizing what Zac was trying to do, Sabrina created some distance.

Then she moved again. Her mysterious swordsmanship returned, that graceful, flowing dance now combined with her compression coating.

Zac’s expression tightened. "Now this is bad."

[You mean the dance?]

"No, that’s still beautiful."

Sabrina rushed toward him with frightening speed, her sword raised high.

Zac could feel the amount of power gathered into the coming strike. He immediately poured mana toward his sword, layering his coating at the point of impact.

BOOM!

The stone beneath his feet cracked with debris and dust flying from the force of impact. Pain shot through his arms, climbed into his shoulders, and spread across his back.

Sabrina’s gaze sharpened when she saw he was still standing.

Mimi gripped her microphone with both hands. "This is getting ridiculous! At this point, I’m no longer sure whether I’m watching first-years or two instructors who forgot to grow older!"

The second- and third-year students in the stands had gone unusually quiet.

Some watched with excitement, and others looked distinctly uncomfortable.

One third-year swallowed. "Could you do that in your first year?"

His friend didn’t answer and simply kept staring at the stage.

"Looks like those two are going to make a lot of seniors lose sleep tonight," Murphy said.

Simon watched the two students below before slowly lifting his gaze toward the arena ceiling.

"This is how a New Dawn Academy student should be. At least... this is how it used to be."

Murphy and Matilda both looked toward him, but neither asked.

Armani remained completely still, her eyes fixed on the stage. Then her voice entered Simon’s mind. "Don’t worry, Sir Simon. It won’t be long.Soon, we’ll become what we once were. We’ll return to our former glory."

After a moment, Simon looked back toward the stage. "I hope so."

On the stage, the fight reached its peak. Zac caught Sabrina’s wrist with the flat of his blade and forced it wide.

Instead of retreating, Sabrina stepped in. Her shoulder brushed past his guard, and for half a breath, her sword changed hands.

Zac’s eyes widened, and his body moved before his mind fully understood what was happening.

He leaned back, and the blade passed barely a finger’s width from his throat.

The audience screamed.

Zac planted his foot and countered with a short slash. "Are you trying to kill me?"

Sabrina blocked it. "You’ll survive."

Her heel was now dangerously close to the glowing boundary line.

Marty nearly jumped out of his seat. "Finish it!"

Shouts erupted from all around the arena, but Zac heard none of them. His world had narrowed to Sabrina and Sabrina alone.

He saw a small opening and stepped forward. Mana surged through his legs as thick layers of coating gathered around his sword.

Sabrina saw the attack coming, and for the first time, her expression shifted slightly. She raised her blade, the three-times-compressed coating reinforcing it.

Zac drove forward with everything he had.

Sabrina’s feet slid backward closer and closer. Her heel reached the glowing boundary line.

Everyone in the arena rose from their seats, and even Mimi had forgotten to comment.

Zac pressed down harder. "One more step.Just one."

Then Sabrina suddenly relaxed. Her entire body softened, and her sword tilted with the motion. Instead of Zac’s attack breaking through her defense, his blade slid along hers.

The force he had committed to pushing her backward was redirected past her.

Zac’s eyes widened.

Sabrina turned with the movement, her graceful footwork carrying her around the edge of his attack. At the same time, her compressed coating struck against the side of his sword, guiding its path farther away.

Zac tried to stop, but he had put too much force and mana into that final attack. As his face passed Sabrina’s, he caught the faint mocking smirk on her lips.

"This bitch."

His body carried forward. Zac twisted desperately, trying to regain his balance.

But it was too late. His heel came down beyond the glowing boundary line.

The arena went into complete silence.

Zac looked down and saw he was out.

"Zac Delencore has stepped out of bounds. Winner, Sabrina Snow!"