Chapter 215: Emergence of an Enchanted Weapon

The announcer’s voice suddenly rang through the arena, almost drowning out the murmurs spreading through the audience.

"What an incredible exchange! Both participants have suffered injuries from that collision, but Jayden is still holding his weapon! Sabel, on the other hand, has lost her staff! Will this be enough to determine the winner of the third round?"

His excited commentary only made the spectators more animated.

"That explosion was insane!"

"Did you see the sparks? That staff must be incredibly expensive!"

"Of course it is. Do you think ordinary students can afford weapons like those?"

The discussion spread from one row to another as students tried to make sense of what they had witnessed.

On the stage, Sabel had finally managed to stand.

Her hands were bleeding, and every movement sent another wave of pain through her arms, but she didn’t reach for the staff lying on the ground.

Instead, she drew another weapon from the storage she had brought with her.

Jayden did the same.

The two charged at each other once more.

Metal clashed against metal, sending sparks scattering across the battlefield. Sabel fought with the stubborn determination of someone who had no intention of giving her opponent an easy victory, while Jayden relied on his remaining strength and his weapon’s sinister energy to keep her at bay.

Neither could afford to make a careless mistake.

Yet, as their weapons continued to meet, the audience began noticing something else.

The weapons they were using weren’t ordinary equipment for students like them to wield.

Each one looked meticulously crafted, with expensive materials and intricate designs that suggested they had cost a considerable fortune. Even the weapons they discarded after a few exchanges looked better than the equipment most students could afford.

A few spectators couldn’t hide their envy.

"J-just how many weapons did they bring?"

"It seems they came prepared. If I remember correctly, Sabel’s family runs a merchant business? I heard her parents have been trading for years."

"That explains it. Her family has the money to buy equipment like that."

Another student turned toward Jayden’s side of the stage.

"Jayden’s family is even more impressive. They’re nobles, with businesses in Sectors 4 and 5. A few weapons like those wouldn’t even make a dent for them."

The comments reached the professors’ viewing area as well.

Several instructors watched the ongoing battle with renewed interest. Although none of them said it outright, a few couldn’t help feeling a little envious of the resources available to students like Sabel and Jayden.

The two had the means to equip themselves with weapons of considerable quality, giving them more options in combat than most could ever hope to possess.

One professor stroked his beard as he watched Sabel narrowly dodge another strike.

"At this rate, whoever runs out of weapons first will lose the match."

His colleagues seemed to agree.

After all, both participants were already injured, and neither had managed to establish a decisive advantage. Their ranks were different, but the gap wasn’t enough to guarantee Jayden an easy victory, especially after the previous match had exhausted him.

Just then, the announcer’s voice abruptly rose above the noise.

"W-wait! One of the participants has brought out an Enchanted Weapon!"

The professors immediately returned their attention to the stage.

An Enchanted Weapon?

Even several students who had been busy discussing the contestants’ wealth stopped talking.

The professors had also noticed the unusual energy radiating from Jayden’s weapon.

The moment he brought it onto the stage, the atmosphere around him seemed to change. The faint darkness clinging to the weapon was unlike the psychic energy normally released by Sentinels, and even the instructors who had little interest in the duel could no longer ignore it.

Then, Jayden stepped back.

He had finally decided to end the match.

A dark light gathered around his hand as he retrieved another weapon from his personal storage, and this time, the reaction was immediate.

An axe appeared in his grip.

Its handle resembled the twisted roots of an ancient tree, with dark, gnarled patterns running along its length. The blade looked old, yet it carried an oppressive presence that made the weapons Jayden had used earlier seem insignificant.

The instant the axe appeared, the air around him grew heavy.

Sabel felt it before she could properly examine the weapon.

A sharp chill ran down her spine, and her body instinctively retreated several steps.

Jayden raised the axe, a smug smile spreading across his face.

"You’re pretty good, Sabel. I never thought I’d have to bring out my family’s weapon just to deal with you."

He sounded almost pleased by the prospect.

Sabel, however, didn’t share his confidence.

Her instincts were screaming at her to stay away from that weapon. She could feel an overwhelming power radiating from the axe, one that had little resemblance to the psychic energy she had encountered from ordinary weapons.

She retreated again.

And again.

By the time she stopped, her back was almost against the protective barrier separating the battlefield from the audience.

On the other side of the arena, Kane had been watching the battle with growing unease.

His attention had remained fixed on Jayden’s weapons for most of the match. The sinister energy surrounding the beast’s skull didn’t look ordinary, and after what had happened to Vesper, he couldn’t help wondering whether Corwin’s team had prepared another trick.

He turned toward Aisha.

"Is something wrong with Jayden’s weapon? Is it another weapon like that gauntlet?"

Aisha kept her attention on the stage and shook her head.

"I can’t tell from here. I’d need to get closer, or touch it myself."

She had already examined the remains of the gauntlet. Although she had confirmed that it contained another Sentinel’s energy, its stored power had been depleted completely. There was little left for her or anyone to investigate.

As for the skull weapon, she couldn’t determine much simply by observing it from a distance.

Still, she doubted that Corwin and Jayden would attempt the same trick twice.

They had already drawn enough attention during Vesper’s match. If Jayden suddenly used another weapon loaded with stolen Sentinel energy, it would become far too obvious, and they would risk exposing themselves before the duel was over.

But that didn’t mean they wouldn’t resort to doing something else to win.

Aisha watched Sabel narrowly evade a strike and counter with her own attack.

The two continued exchanging blows, occasionally switching weapons whenever their current ones became ineffective or damaged. With each collision, the crowd grew louder, fascinated by the variety and quality of the equipment displayed before them.

Aisha, however, couldn’t share their enthusiasm.

There was something about Jayden that bothered her, but she couldn’t determine what it was.

Just then, the announcer excitedly commented about the Enchanted Weapon.