Chapter 116: Fourth Group’s Battle Begins [2]

Lexa drew her bow’s string again, this time pouring more Originat into it as a wind arrow formed. The air around the arrow shimmered, the pressure building as she held the draw.

She released.

The wind arrow shot forward with insane speed, streaking toward Kante like a blade of condensed air. The force of its passage carved a faint line across the arena floor, dust and debris trailing behind it.

Kante had prepared himself for this attack. He held his saber firmly, his stance solid, ready to defend against her assault. His eyes tracked the arrow’s trajectory, calculating the exact moment to strike.

At the nick of time, when the arrow was almost upon him, when it was about to clash with his armament, it deviated.

His eyes widened.

He felt the danger at that moment, a cold prickle running down his spine. His instincts screamed at him to move, but his body was already committed to the defense.

He raised his saber, planning to destroy it like before, but the wind arrow curved sharply, coming at him from his left instead of head-on.

Kante twisted, his saber swinging in a desperate arc to intercept the arrow. The blade caught the edge of the projectile, deflecting it just enough to avoid a direct hit. The arrow grazed his shoulder, tearing through his uniform and leaving a thin line of blood on his skin.

Kante stumbled back, his hand instinctively moving to the wound. It was shallow, but it stung.

He frowned. If not for his instinct, he would have been injured more than this, and it would have cost him the match. This long-range battle wasn’t favouring him. He needed to find a way to get close.

But Lexa didn’t give him a chance. She drew her string again, firing another arrow.

Kante moved.

He stepped to the side, the arrow passing inches from his chest. He didn’t stop. He pushed forward, his saber raised, ready to deflect the next one.

Lexa’s bow sang again. Another arrow, this one glowing with condensed wind energy.

Kante twisted, his saber coming up to deflect. The arrow veered at the last moment, curving toward his shoulder. He pivoted, the blade grazing his sleeve as he avoided the full impact.

She’s controlling the arrows mid-flight. This is going to be a problem.

He pressed forward, closing the distance. Lexa retreated, her bow firing arrow after arrow. Each one was faster, more precise, more unpredictable.

Kante’s saber moved in a blur, deflecting, dodging, weaving. He caught one arrow with his blade, twisting to redirect another that curved toward his back. A third arrow came from his left, and he dropped low, feeling the wind of its passage ruffle his hair.

He was gaining ground.

Lexa’s eyes narrowed. She adjusted her aim, firing a rapid succession of arrows, three in quick succession, each one curving at a different angle.

Kante’s jaw tightened. He leaped, twisting in mid-air, his saber cutting through the air. He deflected the first arrow, then the second, but the third clipped his leg, leaving a shallow cut.

He landed in a crouch, his breathing steady but his muscles tensed.

Lexa was already drawing another arrow.

’She’s fast. But she’s also predictable.’

He moved again. This time, he didn’t try to dodge. He charged forward, his saber raised, ready to close the distance.

Lexa released the arrow.

Kante swung his saber, not to deflect, but to cut through the arrow itself. The blade met the projectile mid-flight, splitting it in two. The halves passed harmlessly on either side of him.

’Got her.’

Kante thought as there was less than a meter distance between them. All he needed to do was to burst his agility and attack her.

But as he planned this, he met Lexa’s gaze. He was surprised to see no fear in her eyes. Those innocent, clear eyes gave him a bad feeling for no reason. ℯℯ𝘭.

Lucien, who was watching the battle, saw this and shook his head.

’Kante is too hasty. He’s fallen into a trap.’

Well, it couldn’t be blamed on him. He wasn’t aware of Lexa’s full talent, and he was thinking Lexa wasn’t a close-combat person. Yes, she wasn’t, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t come up with ideas and skills to eliminate such a weakness.

Kante pushed the thought aside as he closed in and decided to attack. He raised his saber, ready to strike.

But as he did, Lexa’s figure disappeared, leaving only a fragment of light behind.

It wasn’t that she had vanished, she had simply moved away from her position with incredible speed. Her movement was so fast that it left a trail of fading light in her wake.

Kante’s eyes widened in surprise.

Before he could react, a large green circular rune appeared below him in the arena. Green vines burst forth from it, immediately entangling him and holding him in one place.

’Another Talent.’

This surprised Kante and the students watching.

The attack shook Kante. When he sensed it, it was already too late. He immediately tried to untangle himself from the binding of the vines, his muscles straining against the thick, woody growths. But the vines held firm, reinforced by Lexa’s Wood Talent.

Then he felt intense danger. The hair on his body stood on end as his instincts screamed at him.

He looked up.

Lexa stood a few meters away, her bow already drawn. A massive wind arrow, twice the size of the others, formed at the string. A large green circular rune appeared before the arrow, pulsating with Originat.

"Wind Burst Arrow."

She released. The arrow pierced through the circular rune, and it felt as if it had been given some buff, glowing with green light as it burst through the air with insane speed. The wind itself seemed to bend to the arrow’s will, propelling it forward like a bolt of concentrated air.

Kante’s instincts screamed for danger. He knew he couldn’t hide some of his strength any longer, or he would lose.

Dark Originat exploded from his body, thick and suffocating. The vines around him withered and crumbled under the oppressive force of his Originat. He freed himself in an instant, his saber already raised.