Although most of the audience believed that Yale used an illusion spell, the higher-ups were strong enough to deduce the truth.
After all, there was no way that a small spell cast by a kid could affect them.
Those people were also the ones who knew about Time Healing, so they didn't need to think too much before reaching a conclusion.
Yale had used a time element spell and one that was different from Time Healing. That was something that shocked all of them.
Then, Sainac looked at Swordmad, but Swordmad instead of a shocked expression, he wore a satisfied expression on his face. At that moment, Sainac understood that Swordmad already knew about that time spell, but he had kept it as a secret until Yale revealed it himself.
Until that moment, Swordmad was the only one who had seen Yale use Absolute Protection.
However, Swordmad thought that Yale used it unconsciously before and that he managed to control it consciously before the tournament.
Yale had shown all his power in the battle against Heruk.
He had no other way to win against him. Although Heruk was a despicable guy, his battle prowess was undeniable. Even a 4-star mortal would be unable to react properly at Heruk's top speed, which fortunately couldn't be used for too long.
Fortunately, Heruk lacked a strong will because he always had a comfortable life and never needed to worry about his life or his future. He had always been extremely confident in himself and considered himself the most powerful guy of his generation.
Moreover, Heruk was unable to tolerate the pain because he wasn't used to it. That was the main reason he focused on reinforcing his body with spells and skills, his fear of pain.
Another thing that made Heruk lose was his love for torturing his opponents.
If he had tossed Yale off the stage after catching him, Yale would have been forced to cancel Absolute Protection to avoid losing the match, and then Heruk wouldn't be distracted by Yale's sudden disappearance, and thus Yale's attack would have been less effective.
Although Yale shocked all the audience, three people were the most shocked of all.
Those three were Aizu, George, and Ange, who had the closest relationship with Yale without counting Swordmad and the unconscious Zack.
Of the three, Aizu was the one who trained the most with Yale, but although she thought that Yale was amazing before, she never imagined that his real prowess was at such a high level.
George had already felt that Yale had surpassed him when at the third battle, he guessed that Yale had entered in the expert stage, but he thought that their difference wasn't that big and that he would be able to catch up soon.
However, after seeing how Yale battled against Heruk, George couldn't avoid feeling depressed, Yale was already on a monster level comparable to Heruk's, who no one dared to offend.
Ange was the happiest of them, seeing how powerful her little brother became was a relief to her, who was always concerned about Yale's future since Yale was born because their father ignored him.
While everyone was shocked by Yale, Yale himself wasn't happy about his victory because he hadn't been able to really cripple Heruk.
Knowing Heruk's personality, he would start to look at how to harm him and his close ones after he awoke.
If Yale were far more powerful than Heruk, then he wouldn't mind too much, but he won relying on strategy. In a straightforward battle, Yale didn't feel confident in his possibilities. After all, although he had Bloodline Force to increase his power, Heruk excelled at strengthening his body, so Heruk could also reach a body stronger than his level.
On the background side, having Swordmad as his master, Yale didn't fear Heruk's background, but to deal with Heruk, he didn't want to rely on external help.
"Congratulations, Yale. That was an exciting battle."
Sainac went to the stage to congratulate Yale. That was also one of his customs in the academy tournaments.
Of course, it was only exciting on the level of watching a kid's battle in the eyes of someone of his power, but Yale's Absolute Protection really caught him off guard.
Being able to shock someone at such a high level was a tremendous honor for someone at the Mortal Rank.
"Now, it is time to announce the tournament prize!"
As Sainac spoke those words, everyone stopped talking and paid attention to him. The mystery about the tournament's prize was the hottest topic in the academy.
"That is the first time our academy managed to get the honor to be invited to the opening of a Special Realm in the Imperial City! The top eight participants of the tournament will be able to enter!"
The audience barely knew anything about Imperial City, but anything related to that place was awesome in their eyes.
Those who weren't able to participate due to being at a too high level, or who had lost, were regretting losing such a good chance.
"Why limit it to the 3-star Mortal Rank?"
The one who asked that question was the most powerful student from the group that entered the academy before Yale's group. He had advanced to the 4-star Mortal Rank two days before the announcement of the tournament.
Given his prowess, at the 3-star Mortal Rank, he would have been reached the top eight without problems.
"That is because that Special Realm only lets people who are at 3-star Mortal Rank or lower to enter. There's nothing I can do about it."
After hearing Sainac's words, no one else dared to complain.
"We will depart to the Imperial City right now, my old friend Swordmad will be in charge of guiding all of you there, but you will be alone inside the Special Realm."
Sainac's words were even more unexpected. Usually, there would be some time before departing.
At that moment, the concealing spell disappeared as if it was waiting for Sainac's words, and the teleportation portal became visible to everyone.
"That's a teleportation portal. I want the eight qualified students to be in front of it in five minutes, or they will lose the opportunity."
The top eight students in the tournament didn't lose time and went towards the teleportation portal.
Yale was still on the stage while he heard the shocking news.
Hearing that they would go to the Imperial City using a teleportation portal and that Swordmad would be the guide was the best thing he could hear at that moment.
He had managed to vent some of his anger before, but not all. His personality at that moment was halfway between his normal one and his angered one.
In the situation described by Sainac, Heruk would lose his clan's support and the academy rules, while Yale would have Swordmad near him. In that situation, the chances of killing or crippling Heruk had increased a lot.
Yale went to bid farewell to his sister and Zack, who was still unconscious. Although his body was perfectly healed, the mental injuries remained.
"Sis, I will take Wyba with me. I don't know when I will return, and she will cry if I am not near her for more than a day."
Wyba was hidden inside a picnic basket that Ange had with her. She did the same every time the house was without anyone because they wouldn't dare to leave the little Wyba alone.
No one dared to question why Ange was always carrying a picnic basket. If someone with her status wanted to do an unusual thing like that, no one would complain.
"I hoped to say something to Zack before departing, but I doubt he will wake up anytime soon. If I didn't return when he wakes up, please tell him about my battle with Heruk and how I beat him with archery. That should help to heal his mental state."
"Alright, you need to be careful in the Imperial City."
"Don't worry sis, I am tough."
Ange hugged Yale for a while before he picked Wyba in his arms and left towards the teleportation portal.
Swordmad and the other seven qualified students were already there.
Heruk was still unconscious, but Lor was carrying him. She wanted revenge against Yale and knew that she wouldn't be able to do it alone.
Everyone looked with strange faces at Yale who was carrying a cute little wolf in his arms, but since he had shown how powerful he was in the tournament, no one dared to mock about it.
Swordmad didn't say anything to Yale. He feared that Lor and Heruk would refuse to go to the Imperial City if they knew about their relationship.
Of course, their relation wasn't a secret at all, but those two selfish kids never cared about investigating other students. If Lor knew, she wouldn't dare to leave the city with Heruk following Swordmad.
"Listen to me! I will guide you, but nothing more. Imperial City is full of people that you can't offend even in your dreams. If someone seeks death, then that person will die. I won't do anything to protect you. All of you need to behave well because the Imperial City isn't like Nacesai City."
Except for Yale, all the other kids started trembling at Swordmad's words. All of them were at least a bit arrogant due to being geniuses in Nacesai City, but based on Swordmad's words, they weren't anything special in Imperial City.
Yale was still a bit cold-minded, so he didn't react against Swordmad's words.
Furthermore, if Yale got into any problem, then Swordmad would help him. Swordmad's words were directed to the other students.
Yale didn't plan to seek death nor to offend anyone, but if someone in the Imperial City had a personality like Heruk and dared to try harming him without reason, Yale would defend himself even if he would offend the background of the other party in the process.
Swordmad gave them two pieces of a strange material that resembled wood but emanated some peculiar energy.
"Put your Inner Qi or Magic inside those tokens and give them back to me. One of them will remain in the academy while I will have the other. If any of you die for some reason, I will know it immediately, and if I can, I will retrieve your corpse. The academy will also report it to your families as soon as possible."
That was a standard procedure every time there was some activity outside the academy. Some students with an important background already have some bound before. Heruk and Ange were among them. Moreover, Heruk also had tokens bound at his home.
Since Swordmad was always at Yale's side, he hadn't asked Yale to bind one until that moment.
After all of the students, except the unconscious Heruk, put energy on the tokens and gave them back, all of them entered the teleportation portal.
Their destination was the Imperial City, where they would be able to enter the Special Realm.