Chapter 118: Fourth Group’s Battle Begins [4]

"Dark Slash."

He swung. A crescent wave of condensed darkness shot forward, meeting the three arrows mid-flight. The attack tore through the first arrow, then the second, shattering them into particles of light and wind. The third arrow, however, curved at the last moment, slipping past the wave.

Kante twisted, his saber coming up to deflect the remaining arrow. The blade caught the projectile, redirecting it upward where it exploded harmlessly against the arena’s barrier.

He straightened, his breathing controlled, his eyes fixed on Lexa. His Originat was depleting, which signified he had to end this battle.

Lexa drew her bow again as she shot her arrows once more.

Kante prepared himself, raising his saber. He would destroy them again.

But something was different.

As Lexa released the string, he sensed it, a faint, almost imperceptible shift in the air.

Three arrows shot forward.

Kante’s saber came up, dark Originat gathering for another Dark Slash.

Lucien, who was watching the battle from where he was, curled his lips into a smile as he shook his head, seeing something in their battle.

The battle was almost close to ten minutes. If both of them didn’t get really serious, it would end in a draw. But now it seemed not so.

Kante channeled his Originat as he planned how he would defend and counterattack, waiting for the arrows to reach where he wanted them to be before making a move.

The arrows burst through the air with intense speed, almost upon him, when Kante’s instincts screamed for danger.

This momentary danger caused Kante to falter. The sign his instincts were giving was life-threatening.

His eyes immediately scanned before him. That was when he sensed something that irked him.

Looking before him with quick eyes, he saw a light arrow, tiny, almost unnoticeable.

It was small. Faint. Golden. It moved silently, slipping past his awareness like a whisper in the dark.

Kante’s eyes widened.

Arrow Intent. Light Qi.

Lexa had hidden it among the three arrows. While Kante was focused on the larger ones, the small arrow had already closed the distance.

He tried to move, to raise his saber, but it was too late.

The arrow pierced his shoulder, sinking deep into his flesh. A surge of light energy exploded through his body, disrupting his Originat flow. His grip on his saber loosened, and the blade slipped from his fingers, clattering to the ground.

Kante stumbled back, his hand instinctively moving to the wound. Blood seeped through his fingers, warm and wet. The Arrow Intent was rampaging, leaving his injury deep and severe.

He looked at Lexa. He had underestimated her. Who would have thought her comprehension was this strong? And she had three talents, each one deadly in its own way.

He had lost.

"Lexa wins the battle," Sylas’s voice rang out through the coliseum.

The crowd fell into a tense silence. Most hadn’t seen how Kante lost. All they heard was an explosion, and then they saw his shoulder dripping with blood as he stumbled to the ground. Confusion rippled through the students.

But for the few who had noticed, those with sharper eyes and quicker minds, their expressions turned serious. They realized they had gained a formidable opponent in this assessment.

Only Lucien was smiling. He had sensed it the moment she pulled her string. The shift in her Originat, the faint glow of the small arrow hidden among the three. He had seen it coming.

A light shone on Kante after the match ended. His injuries squirmed and healed, the wound closing as if it had never been there. Even his uniform began to self-repair, stitching itself back together.

Lexa stepped out of the arena, having claimed her victory. Her expression was calm, unreadable. She walked back toward the observation platform without looking back.

Kante followed shortly after. Even though he was unwilling, he had lost. His steps were heavy, but there was no shame in his eyes, only quiet acceptance.

Lucien watched both of them leave, a smile still playing on his lips. It seemed his group was full of formidable talent.

"Mentor, why are you smiling?" Ryker turned to Lucien, only to see him smiling, even a bit excited.

Lucien chuckled. "Well, I’m excited. It seems the group I’m in is full of talent."

Ryker nodded slowly. He too had sensed Lexa’s use of Arrow Intent. He had faced Lucien’s sword intent before, so he had experience. He knew what it felt like when a fighter reached that level.

If both of them were to fight... who would win?

The question appeared in his mind. The answer, only he would know. He glanced at Lucien again, his gaze lingering for a moment longer than usual.

Ryker opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Sylas’s voice cut through the coliseum like a blade.

"The next match will be between Lucien Veyrion and Zephyrion Cross."

As he spoke, the shimmering screen in the center of the arena flickered to life. A holographic portrait of Lucien appeared on the left side. His dark hair and sharp features were captured in stunning detail, his expression calm and unreadable. Beneath his image, his name was displayed in elegant silver script.

On the right side, a holographic portrait of Zephyrion Cross appeared. He was striking, tall and imposing, with silver-white hair and piercing golden eyes. Two large, feathered wings extended from his shoulders, their feathers gleaming with a soft, ethereal light. Beneath his image, his name was displayed in the same silver script.

Between them, a glowing emblem of crossed swords appeared, symbolizing the upcoming battle. Below the emblem, text read:

Group 5, Match 1: Lucien Veyrion vs Zephyrion Cross

The students murmured as they saw the display.

"That’s Zephyrion Cross... from the Celestial Angel Clan."

"I’ve heard of him. He’s supposed to be one of the strongest in this year’s intake."

"Lucien’s first match is against him? That’s brutal."

"He’s from the Angel Race. They’re known for their light-based abilities."

"This is going to be interesting."

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