Chapter 217: Subduing Corrupted Beast! (1)

Hearing Aisha’s words, Kane finally snapped out of his fear.

He still didn’t want to step onto the arena. Just thinking about facing Jayden made his stomach churn, and he could already imagine the humiliation waiting for him if he lost. After what happened to Vesper and Sabel, he had little confidence that he could do any better.

But what bothered him most was no longer the thought of losing.

It was the possibility that he might never be able to face his friends again after this.

He forced himself to swallow the bile rising in his throat and took a deep breath before turning toward Aisha.

"Aisha, after this... can we still hang out together?"

Aisha was slightly startled by his sudden question.

However, when she saw the uncertainty on his face, she quickly understood what he was worried about.

If they lost this duel against Corwin’s team, they would be expelled from the Imperial Star Academy. Once that happened, there was no guarantee that they would end up in the same school or even remain on the same planet.

They were still young, and the future was full of uncertainties. Perhaps they would eventually find their own paths and become too busy to meet again.

Kane was probably thinking about all of that.

Aisha sighed inwardly.

Young people certainly had a lot to worry about.

"Of course. Why wouldn’t we?" She smiled at him. "We won’t suddenly stop being friends just because of this. So stop worrying about things that haven’t happened yet."

Kane tried to smile back, but the gloom in his eyes remained.

He wanted to believe her. He really did.

Unfortunately, his fear was too great for her words to reassure him completely.

Nevertheless, her words gave him enough courage to move his feet.

Kane finally took a step forward.

Then another.

By the time he reached the entrance to the arena, his hands were still trembling, but he had at least managed to convince himself to go through with it.

He turned around one last time.

"I’m going now."

Aisha nodded.

"Go on. We’ll wait here for you."

Kane took another deep breath before stepping onto the stage.

The announcer had nearly reached the end of the countdown when he finally appeared.

"Eight! Nine—"

The audience immediately erupted into cheers.

The holographic screens above the arena flickered, and the information for the fourth round’s participants appeared.

[Participant: Kane]

[Age: 18]

[Rank: C-Rank Guide]

[Purification Value: 41%]

[Class: 7-D]

On the opposite side was Jayden, whose information had already been displayed earlier.

[Participant: Jayden]

[Age: 18]

[Rank: C-Rank Sentinel]

[Class: 2-B]

The moment the audience saw Kane’s information, a wave of laughter spread through the stands.

"Forty-one percent? Is that his purification value?"

"No wonder he was crying and refusing to come out earlier!"

"He’s a Guide! What can he possibly do against a Sentinel?"

"Even if he is a C-rank, their physical abilities are completely different. Does he seriously think he can win?"

"Honestly, he should’ve just grabbed onto the bench in the waiting area and stayed there. At least he wouldn’t have to embarrass himself in front of everyone!"

The ridicule continued without restraint.

Some students even began discussing how quickly Kane would surrender, while others were already treating the outcome as a foregone conclusion.

Kane heard every word.

The pressure that he had managed to suppress returned almost immediately, and his feet unconsciously moved backward.

For a moment, he regretted stepping onto the arena.

Perhaps he really should have stayed in the waiting area. At least then, he wouldn’t have to stand here while thousands of people laughed at him.

His gaze wandered toward the audience, searching for somewhere he could hide.

Then he saw Aisha.

Unlike everyone else, she was expressionless.

Her grey eyes remained fixed on him, calm and unwavering, without a trace of disappointment or disdain.

For some reason, that was enough.

The uneasiness in Kane’s heart gradually subsided. The voices surrounding him didn’t disappear, but they no longer seemed as overwhelming as before.

He had already come this far.

If he turned around now, wouldn’t that make all the effort he had spent convincing himself to step onto the arena meaningless?

Kane straightened his back and faced Jayden.

The latter greeted him with a smug grin.

"Ready to lose?"

Kane didn’t answer.

He wasn’t confident enough to make any bold declarations, and he had no intention of giving Jayden the satisfaction of letting him know he was intimidated by him.

Just then, the announcer raised his voice.

"Since the participants belong to different classifications, the fourth round will follow a different set of rules!"

The audience gradually quieted down.

"Instead of a conventional duel that tests their combat abilities, this round will challenge the participants to demonstrate their ability to subdue a corrupted beast!"

The announcement immediately stirred the crowd.

"It’s finally happening!"

"I’ve been waiting for this round!"

"Let’s see how they’ll handle a corrupted beast!"

Unlike an ordinary duel, which primarily tested a participant’s ability to fight another opponent, this particular event tested something far more important to the students of Imperial Star Academy.

It was their ability to survive.

Sentinels and Guides were both expected to contribute to missions inside contaminated zones. While Sentinels were responsible for fighting corrupted beasts and protecting their teammates, Guides supported them by stabilizing their mental landscapes and providing guidance.

However, their abilities were not limited to those duties.

Sentinels could use their psychic pressure to suppress certain corrupted creatures, while Guides could use their guiding abilities to influence their targets and interfere with the aggression caused by corruption, allowing Sentinels to fight corrupted beasts more effectively.

However, the results varied depending on the creature, the participant’s rank, and the strength of their abilities.

Sometimes, even a lower-ranked student could surprise the audience with an unusual method of subduing a beast.

Other times, the outcome was far more brutal than anyone had anticipated, ending in complete disaster and a gruesome display of blood and flesh!

Corrupted beasts were notoriously aggressive. They could barely be controlled by conventional means, and once provoked, they would attack anything within their reach.

Naturally, the academy had taken precautions for this event.