Chapter 2470 - 275 - 284

Chapter 275: Friend Turned Enemy

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Zachery was the most powerful pirate because there were no other pirates who could defeat the three factions' alliance and challenge the Confederation publicly.

He made the first contact with the Kaedians and brought the scourge of war to earth.

The Pirate King Zachery was one of the brightest stars in the history of interstellar pirating history. He could have made history if he had not been confronted by the most powerful man in the world—The Blade Warrior.

During that time, Zachery was the only person whose power could rival Li Feng and Rilangalos.

However, all that he had built up had been destroyed by Li Feng. Wang Tong reckoned that Einherjar Wannabe was a much more terrible opponent than even an Einherjar because of his brutality.

Wang Tong conceded that he could not let such a maniac let loose in the real world, so he decided that he should do whatever it took to keep Mr. Wannabe in here.

Wang Tong always believed that there was no free lunch, and this turn of event had proven that he was right.

Ever since he had gotten this space crystal, he had gained a lot of help from Mr. Wannabe. He had been extremely cautious in keeping the crystal a secret, but it seemed that Mr. Wannabe had become the greatest threat after all.

No, not Mr. Wannabe, it was the Pirate King Zachery.

Zachery looked relieved after revealing his secrets. He would be lying to say that he did not form any friendship with Wang Tong, and it was in the name of their friendship that he had given the latter the second option.

Zachery waved his hand and turned around, looking at the gray expanse of the horizon. He was so close to getting out of his jail. Without Li Feng and Rilangalos, he would do whatever he wanted, and no one would be able to stop him.

Using Wang Tong's identity, Zachery was confident that he could quickly take advantage of the power of House of Ma and House of Li. Eventually, he would be able to bring chaos to the human world once again, and he would sit on his throne of bones, watching the world burn.

To put it simply, he was the most dangerous person in human history.

Seeing that Zachery was not looking at him, Wang Tong ran away even knowing that Zachery looked away on purpose to give him an opportunity to run away from him. Wang Tong had only one day to prepare for the battle, so he could not afford to waste too much time.

Although Wang Tong didn't know why Zachery was in the crystal, he knew Zachery was imprisoned by the Blade Warrior, which made him an enemy of Li Feng. The thought of fighting General Li Feng's enemy made Wang Tong concede that he would have his work cut out for him for the next ten days.

Despite their friendship, Wang Tong reasoned that he would not be able to get out of this jail without defeating Mr. Wannabe.

Suddenly, Wang Tong realized that this might be an excellent opportunity to defeat the Pirate King once for all, as he recalled that Mr. Wannabe was gravely injured while defending Wang Tong on Norton.

Wang Tong wagered that Zachery had told him about his injury out of sheer confidence. The Pirate King's confidence was not unfounded, since he was the only person that was able to stand up against Li Feng and Rilangalos.

Despite Zachery's injury, Wang Tong reasoned that he would not afford to rely on that one advantage entirely. A newfound determination rose inside him as he realized that his only option was to win, so that the Ma Xiaoru and his friends would not fall victim to this evil pirate.

Wang Tong kept on running for a few more minutes until he could not sense Zachery's presence any longer, and then he stopped. As he studied his surroundings, he realized that this place was a virtual space, and therefore, no matter how long he ran for, he would never reach the exit.

After understanding how the crystal space worked, Wang Tong then wondered if Zachery purposely gave Wang Tong the false hope that he could run away from this crystal space.

Wang Tong registered that the upcoming battle was not only a competition of soul energy, but also wits. Wang Tong reckoned that he should carefully analyze every word spoken by Zachery to see if they contradicted each other. It would not only help Wang Tong to avoid deception, but it was also a good way to seek out the truth among lies.

This was the first time Wang Tong had encountered such an opponent that not only tried to outpower him on the battlefield, but also tried to outwit him with words

However, Wang Tong had decided to never give up regardless of how powerful and deceiving his opponent was.

Wang Tong kept on studying the terrain. He reminded himself to think with a clear mind and never to be mired in details. The more doubts he had, the harder it would be for him to see through deceptions.

Wang Tong remembered that Zachery had overspent his soul energy last time at the Aurora city, and it took him a while to recover. While on Norton during Wang Tong's previous battle, Zachery had spent much more soul energy than he did at Aurora city. Therefore, Wang Tong was convinced that Zachery had not been fully recovered yet, but he wasn't certain about how much he had already recovered.

Wang Tong decided to probe Zachery first. After all, his enemy would only become stronger the longer he waited. He suspected that Zachery had avoided fighting right away by intentionally tricking Wang Tong to run away from him, saving him some precious time to recuperate his soul energy. However, Zachery had underestimated Wang Tong's intelligence and determination.

Wang Tong had only been running for half a day, so he was confident that Zachery would be able to catch up with him. He studied the terrain and tried to find a good ambush spot.

Wang Tong looked around and found a Zerg Hive. Since this world was somewhat of a copy of the real world, it was not surprising to find Zergs here as well. Wang Tong reckoned that he might be able to defeat Zachery with the help of Zergs. `He found it ironic that in this virtual world, he would have to fight alongside with his enemies from the real world.

Wang Tong killed off a few lower level Zergs and smeared their blood and flesh all over his body to hide his scent, then continued searching for an even larger hive.

Wang Tong finally found what he was looking for after two hours of searching. He crept into the hive and buried himself in the dirt. All he had to do then was to wait for Zachery to turn up. While buried under the earth, Wang Tong started to initiate the Tactics of the Blade. Soon, he felt as if he himself had become one with the world around him.

From time to time, there was a Zerg who stepped on Wang Tong's head, but luckily, the cave was too small for larger Zergs to enter. So, Wang Tong's head was not instantly squashed into meat paste.

Slowly, Wang Tong fell asleep and forgot the passage of time.

He woke up to the heavy thuds of Zachery's boots on the ground. He was finally here.

Zachery knew that Wang Tong was hiding among the Zergs, and he found Wang Tong's plan laughable.

Zachery knew Wang Tong was inside the hive, but the entrance was where the trail went cold. It was clear then that the Tactics of the Blade was capable of concealing the user entirely.

The world inside the crystal was both real and an illusion; it was real because the Zergs would be able to deal real damage to other entities such as Zachery and Wang Tong. Meanwhile, the life force of these Zergs were entirely conjured up by the power of the crystal.

Chapter 276: Fighting An Einherjar

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Although Zachery could not pinpoint the exact location of Wang Tong, he knew his prey was not far away.

Sensing Zachery's approaching soul energy, the Zergs poured out from the hive to respond to Zachery's blatant taunt by walking so close to their territory. A wave of Zergs threw themselves at Zachery, and Wang Tong saw Mr. Wannabe's real power for the first time.

In a blink, a hill of Zergs bodies piled up in front of Zachery.

More Zergs rushed toward Zachery.

Zachery opened up his sea of consciousness and unleashed a shock wave that disintegrated all Zergs around him, as he slowly levitated into the air. His body was surrounded by cracking energies that resembled lightning. The lightning-like energy jumped around form Zachery's one hand to the other, resembling a deadly lightning bolt in his hands.

"Come out!"

"Come OUT!"

Every shout that tumbled out of Zachery's contorted mouth sent a small earthquake across the land. Wang Tong remained still, but his soul energy was able to sense exactly what was happening outside.

Wang Tong wagered that although Zachery had already known that he was inside the hive, the old pirate was not able the pinpoint his exact location. Zachery's shouts also confirmed Wang Tong's suspicion that his opponent was still injured. Otherwise, he would have already stormed in and annihilated any living thing inside the hive.

Wang Tong was unruffled by Zachery's taunts as he continued thinking methodically. Wang Tong had already given up the hope of getting out of the crystal space alive, and all his remaining hope was to trap the psychopathic ghost here even if it meant that he, too, would have to be trapped for eternity.

The Zergs were not ruffled by Zachery's display of strength either. After waves of cannon fodder came the humongous tank Zergs and other higher tier Zergs. From within the hive, Wang Tong could hear the outrageous roar of the Zergs that were charging out of the hive to punish Zachery for his conceit.

Wang Tong reasoned that although Zachery was a powerful fighter, years of confinement might have made him underestimate the strength of Zergs.

However, he soon learned how wrong he was. Wave upon waves of high tier Zergs rushed at the old ghost, but they were dead before they could even make a scratch.

For the first time, Wang Tong witnessed the usage of GN shield in real life combat. As long as Zachery had enough soul energy, the Zergs would not be able to harm him due to the protective layer of GN force that covered his body.

Wang Tong reasoned that the flawless defense was what gave the powerful fighters such as Zachery and Einherjar the ability to unleash a massive amount of damage while staying unharmed.

The Zergs had poured all of their forces in the hive at Zachery, yet, the old ghost stood his ground and did not waver the slightest.

"It looks like Zachery was never injured. Could I be wrong in thinking it was otherwise? " Wang Tong asked himself. He held back the urge of rushing out with the Zergs, still fearing the power of Mr. Wannabe's palm strike.

"He would slap me into a pulp like a fly if I go out there." Wang Tong reminded himself.

"Should I bug out?" Wang Tong's mind raced. He knew that if he made a wrong decision, there would be only death waiting for him in the crystal space.

The Tactics of the Blade was still running inside of Wang Tong's dantain, quickly calming his mind. Wang Tong remembered Old Fart's saying that to win a girl's heart, one needed to act like as if he didn't care. So, Wang Tong reasoned that if one wanted to kill his enemy, he should first conceal his power. By the same token, if Zachery were shouting taunts at him, his real intention might be trying to scare Wang Tong and send him running.

Wang Tong found it puzzling that ever since Zachery had engaged the Zergs, he had not yet moved forward an inch. With that much power, Wang Tong reasoned he should have already made his way into the hive a while ago.

"Was he afraid because he was indeed injured?"

"But he didn't look like he was injured at all."

"What is he hiding?" Wang Tong's mind raced as questions kept on popping up.

Wang Tong decided to head out and find out the answers to his questions himself.

Hiding in the shadows of the Zergs, Wang Tong slowly sidled up to Zachery. As Wang Tong got closer, he could see that the pirate's powerful soul energy was maintained at a constant level without any sign of depletion. Things didn't seem to add up, so Wang Tong paused and pondered the cause of this strange finding.

A few moments later, realization dawned on Wang Tong's face as he figured out another strategy used by Zachery: recycling of soul energy. As long as Zachery remained still, he would have an unlimited supply of soul energy due to recycling. Therefore, he could continue killing Zergs until they were all dead.

This was an amazing unheard technique!

Wang Tong conceded that he would have to break Zachery's recycling circle. Otherwise, when the Zergs were all dead, so would he be.

He only had one shot at this!

It would be a dangerous task even if he succeeded. However, Wang Tong knew that he didn't have any other options.

Finally, the Zergs had sent out their highest tire warriors: Were Kongs, Diamond Beatles and a few other Zergs that even Wang Tong could not name. Sensing the new wave of strong opponents, Zachery adjusted his GN force to prepare for the combat engagement.

Zachery's adjustment finally presented an opportunity for Wang Tong to strike, so he dashed out of his cover and attacked at Zachery.

Zachery's lips curled up slightly as thousands of GN force tendrils lashed out at Wang Tong. Seeing his opponent's counterattack, Wang Tong gritted his teeth and continued his strike without any hesitation. Wang Tong had channeled all of his power into this strike, counting on it to interrupt Zachery's energy recycling. However, Wang Tong reasoned that if Zachery still wanted to survive the Zerg's attack after his recycling was disrupted, he would need to reserve some energy instead of pouring them into this counter-attack.

When Wang Tong's fist pounded on Zachery's chest, the tendrils of lightning shot though Wang Tong's body almost simultaneously. Wang Tong felt the taste of blood in his mouth which almost make him gag, but he didn't hesitate as he carried the punch with its full intent. Zachery's recycling was interrupted, and as a the Zergs swarmed at Zachery, his soul energy started to drop down slowly.

Zachery's face turned black at this turn of events. Out of sheer rage, he slammed a fist on the ground, and the earth trembled due to the incredible force.

After finishing off a few Zergs in front of him, Wang Tong stated to run away from Zachery, who was then too busy fending off swarms of vicious Zergs to pay attention to Wang Tong.

Wang Tong was injured by the attack of the lightning tendrils, but he could still run fast. His top priority right then was to find a hiding spot to lick his wounds.

Another advantage that gave Wang Tong the courage to attack with abandon was his incredible ability to heal, which, Wang Tong wagered was an ability that the old ghost did not possess.

The pain in Wang Tong's body was unbearable. A few times, Wang Tong wished that he could slow down and take a breath, yet he carried on. He lamented that he couldn't even hide in another Zerg hive since after having sustained such a lethal blow, any Zerg would be able to gobble him down the throat with ease. So, Wang Tong kept on running.

A few hours later, the sky turned dark. Wang Tong finally stopped and buried himself again in the ground. He prayed that he wouldn't be spotted by a Zerg or any other dangerous animals.

Wang Tong could barely survive a gentle touch of the lightning tendrils, much less a full-on assault. At the very last moment, before the lightning GN force was going to crush Wang Tong's sea of consciousness, the Tactics of the Blade saved Wang Tong's life by engulfing the lighting GN force completely. Wang Tong's new and purer form of soul energy had also helped during the process of dissolving the belligerent energy in the lightning GN force. As the golden energy flew across Wang Tong's body, it slowly transformed the trapped invading energy into that of Wang Tong's. Although the emerald colored lightening force was extremely stubborn in the process of transformation, Wang Tong's golden energy was persistent and carried out the procedure with tenacity.

Wang Tong's breath slowed down. He felt like his body had ceased to exist, and only his consciousness floated in this dreamlike time and space. Wang Tong felt that life inside of the crystal seemed to be ethereal, and was beyond death and decay. Only In this world, Wang Tong found that he could finally devote both his soul and body to the fight.

Wang Tong had accidentally unlocked the ultimate fighter mod.

Chapter 277: The Great Escape

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

After one night of recovery, Wang Tong already felt much better. He was convinced that his amazing healing ability was a unique strength that he needed to utilize, so he quickly improvised a plan that hinged on his faster healing speed.

His plan was simple, to let Zachery keep on fighting the Zergs until he burnt out.

With his new strategy in mind, Wang Tong waited impatiently for Zachery to show up. However, after waiting for two hours, there was still no sign of Zachery.

Wang Tong figured that Zachery must be recuperating somewhere out there, and he could not afford to let him do that. So, he decided to head out and hunt him down.

Wang Tong's opponent was not a simple-minded brute. Instead, he was a cunning pirate king. Zachery had anticipated Wang Tong's strategy, and therefore, decided to give up chasing and wait for Wang Tong to come after him instead.

In order to defeat Zachery, Wang Tong would have to find him first, but where the heck was Zachery? Or, a better question would be, how did Zachery find him?

Wang Tong chewed over the question but failed to find an answer, as he got more and more anxious. The anxiousness also seemed to slow down the rate healing, which made him feel even more stressed.

Wang Tong quickly realized the vicious cycle he had fallen into, so he held back his train of thought and tried to calm himself first.

A day had passed, as both Wang Tong and Zachery spent the day in unease and waiting.

On the fourth day, Wang Tong was completely recovered, so he made up his mind this time to seek out Zachery, since if he didn't do so, the odds of him winning later were only to going to get smaller.

Although he didn't know where Zachery was, he figured that the easiest way to find the pirate king was to head back the way he had come.

Wang Tong headed towards the ancient battlefield where they had first met, thinking that Zachery wouldn't wander too far away from there.

After six hours, Wang Tong could already sense Zachery's powerful soul energy. The air around Wang Tong seemed to waft towards the direction were Zachery's soul energy was detected. Wang Tong wagered that this was Zachery's unique way of recovering his soul energy by absorbing the energy inside this world.

Wang Tong paused, fearing that Zachery might be able to detect him the same way Wang Tong would detect him. Instinct told him that he had to interrupt him.

Wang Tong then guessed that Zachery had already found him, and the reason that he didn't attack him was because he was still too weak to do so.

Wang Tong was almost right. Zachery was indeed hiding and licking his wounds. He could have done away with Wang Tong then and there without recovering his soul energy. However, he figured it was too risky.

Wang Tong had taken form in the crystal space through his soul energy, and if Wang Tong perished from this world, he would still have a body to return to in the real world. However, this soul energy form was the only form that Zachery had. Simply put, if he died here, he would be gone forever.

Zachery reasoned that if he actively sought out Wang Tong, he would risk overdrawing his soul energy again. However, if he bid his time and waited for the perfect moment, Wang Tong could be dealt with in one strike.

Wang tong probed his opponent with his soul energy a few times, attempting to lure Zachery out of his hiding spot. Failing that, Wang Tong gave up and disappeared for three days.

Three days later, Wang Tong showed up again. After sensing that Zachery had only recovered a small amount of his soul energy, he nodded and pressed forward.

This discovery encouraged Wang Tong as he strode toward Zachery's hiding spot without worrying about any danger. In Wang Tong's hands, he held a box with a large boulder attached to it.

Wang Tong paused at about a hundred meters away from the source of the soul energy. He cracked a wicked smile, and then hurled the stone towards the location of Zachery's hiding place.

The box rattled after it landed right beside Zachery, and then a dozen tiny creatures escaped out from it and scattered while chirping along their way.

When Zachery realized that these were Encephalon Zergs, it was already too late for him to block the message sent to their ferocious cousins from these seemingly harmless creatures. The Encephalon screamed in unison, and soon, the ground started to tremble due to the fast approaching Zergs.

Wang Tong immediate went into hiding after he had dropped the Zerg bomb on his enemy. Within the three days, he had spent most of his time finding Zerg hives and capturing their Encephalon to make a home-made bomb.

Wang Tong's heart sank after having sensed Zachery's approaching soul energy that threatened to reveal Wang Tong's hideout.

However, the Zergs acted faster, as a tsunami of Zergs rushed towards Zachery.

In about five minutes, the first wave of Zergs appeared. The Encephalon had only provided the Zergs with a general direction, and when the Zerg army was close by, they were led by Zachery's soul energy that was burning like a bright torch in the night.

Wang Tong sunk in the shadows, biding his time. He was curious as to how Zachery would handle this situation. When the opportunity presented, Wang Tong would join the Zergs and attack Zachery with abandon.

Zachery didn't run away. Instead, he presented Wang Tong another incredible display of strength.

Zachery was convinced that Wang Tong was trying to use the Zergs to defeat him. However, Wang Tong simply wanted Zachery to burn out by not letting him take a rest.

Wang Tong's harassment tactic was brilliant. If Zachery chose to break free from the Zerg's encirclement and chase Wang Tong, Wang Tong would run away. Later, when Zachery had finally cleaned up all the Zergs and decided to stop and recuperate, Wang Tong would then lure a new wave of Zergs towards their old neighbor.

Although there had been some challenges in capturing these Encephalon Zergs, Wang Tong believed that it was nothing compared to standing up against Einherjar Wannabe.

He then lamented over how despicable Zachery was, since the ten days limit had already passed and he was still here.

Within the few days of skirmishing with Zachery, Wang Tong had broken three bones, and it took him another three days to fully recover. On the bright side, Zachery could not sleep nor rest well, as he had been fighting the Zergs for days on end.

Despite the fact that Wang Tong's opponent had been becoming more and more cunning and hard to deal with, he didn't lose hope as time passed. Every time he was on the brink of falling into despair, Ma Xiaoru's tender and soft gaze would always bring him back.

He would not die here!

Wang Tong lived on the edge every day ever since he arrived at this crystal space. He needed to not only find a way to improve his own power but also to prevent Zachery from recovery. He knew that once Zachery was back to his full soul energy, Wang Tong would have lost the battle.

Wang Tong lived under immense stress every day; his tough enemy had somehow made him miss the Zergs on Norton. Wang Tong would have to harass Zachery at least twice a day in order to do some real harm to the pirate king's soul energy, and every harassment was as dangerous as a suicidal mission. Zachery had mortally injured Wang Tong a few times, but every time, Wang Tong was able to recover in a few days. Time had lost its meaning to Wang Tong in this perpetual motion of fighting and running away, but Wang Tong had not yet felt that he had weakened Zachery enough for him to confront him directly in a fight.

However, Wang Tong was not entirely devoid of any advantages. He had learned to blend his soul energy perfectly into Zerg's life force, so that he would not be detected while skulking near his enemy among the Zergs. Therefore, should Wang Tong decide to attack, the element of surprise would always be on his side. Also, Wang Tong possessed much faster-healing speed than the old pirate.

The immense pressure had helped Wang Tong improve his soul energy by leaps and bounds. Wang Tong was no longer certain what level of his soul energy he was currently at. However, he knew that it was still not enough to counter even one strike from Zachery. Therefore, in order to save his life and to see Ma Xiaoru again, Wang Tong decided to hold back the thought of fighting Zachery directly, at least for now.

Chapter 278: Soga

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Protecting Ma Xiaoru from this crazy maniac had become the only thing that supported Wang Tong in continuing his fight in this dreamlike world.

Wang Tong stood on a cliff while looking down. Beard and mustache had grown stubbornly on his face, as craftiness shone through his eyes. He had matured a lot over the year he had spent in the crystal, and not only his combat ability had increased, but also his willpower.

It was the time to harass Zachery again. He had to stop Zachery from absorbing the energy from the world. Otherwise, the pirate king would only become stronger until he was unstoppable.

Zachery was sitting underneath the cliff, eyes closed. Suddenly, the pirate opened his eyes and shot Wang Tong a glare. Wang Tong immediately sensed that Zachery had already fully recovered.

Wang Tong gasped and then noticed Zachery had already disappeared from under the cliff.

Half a second later, Wang Tong could feel Zachery's soul energy pressing down on him. The strength of the soul energy confirmed Wang Tong's suspicion: Zachery was fully recovered.

It was already too late for Wang Tong to run away. Wang Tong cranked up his soul energy to get ready for the battle. He had previously reached the peak of level five, so his soul energy had soared to five hundred in a blink of eyes. In real life, Wang Tong's soul energy combined with the Tactics of the Blade should make him almost invincible. But when faced with the Pirate King, it seemed less than adequate.

Zachery nodded approvingly and allowed Wang Tong some time to charge up his soul energy to its maximum capacity. Zachery reasoned that since he had already recovered, finishing Wang Tong was merely a matter of time. So, he was in no rush anyways.

"Let me see what you have learned in this one year," Zachery said calmly.

Wang Tong took a deep breath. Although he had been avoiding confrontation with Zachery at all cost, he knew right then that the time for the final battle had come.

"Charcoal, gear up!"

Wang Tong had been relying on Charcoal's weapon ability extensively ever since he was trapped in the crystal world. Wang Tong was not sure how Charcoal had gotten into this world, but this little robot had already saved his life many times.

A black light flashed around Charcoal, and then he turned into a spear. Wang Tong had fought Zachery ninety-three times, and every time he had tried a different weapon that charcoal was able to morph into. He knew that spears were the only weapon that could fend off Zachery's palm strike.

Wang Tong's understanding of weapons was different than that of a weaponry expert. He neither knew or cared about the elegant spear technique of the Dower family, which made the spears such a praised option for weapon masters. His choice of using spear was hinging on the fact that only the aggressive and overbearing attacks of the spear would be able to rival Zachery's overbearing palm strikes. He believed that spear was the only weapon that could help him to survive.

Wang Tong had spent a half year trying out different weapons, and eventually decided to stick with the spear.

Zachery stood with pride, but his eyes were filled with admiration. He conceded that it was not only Wang Tong's talent, but also his hardwork that had made him into such a potent genius.

Zachery, too, had been a splashing genius and an invincible warrior until he met Li Feng. However, it seemed like time had changed, since it was then his turn to end Li Feng's protege's path to glory.

Wang Tong attacked, as a black light dashed across space in between the two fighters. Speed was the key attribute in Wang Tong's attack, it went so fast as if it had broken breached the very fabric of time.

However, the lightning-fast attack was quickly stopped by a giant palm. It was apparent that the speed in a physical sense would not be of any threat to Zachery.

As the spear collided with the palm, it unleashed a wave of GN force that ripped apart the Zergs around them.

Wang Tong didn't falter. He channeled GN force into the spear once again, and the spear started to spin like a drill. As the spear spun faster, GN force arched from the tip of the spear to its body from time to time. Once delivered, the GN fused spearhead would be able to drill through any form of defense.

In the real world, this technique would be another breakthrough in human history for bringing out the so-called auxiliary force, a technique that had been long deemed impossible.

Zachery extended his left hand and wrapped his soul energy around the spinning spearhead. Time seemed to have slowed as the spearhead slowed down its speed, until it was motionless.

Wang Tong's second attack was resolved by Zachery as well.

Wang Tong reasoned that in order to gain control of the battle, he would have to act aggressively. However, despite a large amount of GN force that had been consumed in those two strikes, Wang Tong did not gain the upper hand as he had expected.

"Is that all you can do during your last moment? You disappoint me." Zachery shook his head. After Zachery had regained his soul energy, the gap between the two was unbridgeable.

Zachery's soul energy soared as the wind started to howl. The clouds, as if commanded by Zachery's soul power, scuttled to block sunlight, as the wind howled across the land. The insistent howling of the wind was laced with the rumble of thunder in the distance. This was Zachery's real power.

"You are finished. I will honor you with my most powerful coup de grace." Zachery sounded calm and placid, and there was a certain measure of respect in his voice. He reasoned that if it were any other opponent, he or she would have been defeated by him a while ago, if not by the elements of the harsh world.

Truth be told, Wang Tong was very much like Zachery, as both of them had the habit of disregarding rules. However, they had taken two very different paths.

Zachery extended both of his hands as lightening tumbled through the sky and into his body. Soon, Wang Tong felt the power emanate from Zachery seemed to take a physical form, as it pressed heavily onto Wang Tong's body.

Was this the power of the Einherjar?

Was Wang Tong really going to die?

Wang Tong had given all he got, but the gap in their power was enormous. Wang Tong felt that he was losing control of his body, and he wondered if this was how it felt to be disintegrated by an Einherjar's coup de grace.

"Kiddo, remember, even the strongest have their weakness." Old fart said with a joyful expression as he handed over an ice cream cone to Wang Tong. He was in a good mood since he had finally won a round of blackjack.

He had bet his life on a game of blackjack with the so-called "Casino King," and he won.

Wang Tong still remembered the taste of the ice cream Old Fart had bought for him on that day.

"I cannot die yet. He must have some weakness!"

A golden light shot out from Wang Tong's eyes. He had finally breached the level five bottleneck and ascended to level six. The golden energy then quickly surrounded the coal back spear.

Wang Tong attacked with abandon as golden energy pierced through the web of lightning protecting his enemy.

Suddenly, Wang Tong felt a mighty blow as pain shot through his body. He finally tasted the real defense of an Einherjar.

Wang Tong tasted blood and bitterness in his mouth; he knew that if he could cultivate another year, he might have a chance at defeating Zachery.

"Get up Kiddo!" Wang tong felt a forceful kick on his butt. He sat up and saw Zachery was right in front of him.

"You finally wake up… I thought you were dead!"

"You" Wang Tong stared at Zachery with his mouth open. Zachery looked slightly different then; he looked more like Einherjar Wannabe.

"You have graduated my Academy of Hell. Get up now. That's all I can teach you." A warm smile appeared on Mr. Wannabe's face.

"You...you...you" The dramatic turn of event had made Wang Tong forget how to speak.

This had been a terrible joke.

Mr. Wannabe cracked a smile and then said, "I told you that you were inexperienced. How could I be such a bad guy? I read some story on the internet and thought that I might be able to trick you. Haha! I was right; you are dumb as a stump."

A mixture of feelings came over Wang Tong as he felt that Mr. Wannabe's joke was too over the top.

"Don't look at me like that. I know I have great acting skills—AH!"

Wang Tong threw himself at Mr. Wannabe without any hesitation, and the two scuffled like kids until both were tired out and released each other.

Watching the starry sky above him, Wang Tong felt relieved and calm.

"Kiddo, the world outside is more dangerous than here. Be careful"

"I will be fine as long as you don't pull another one of your jokes on me."

Before Wang Tong finished his words, he noticed that Mr. Wannabe seemed to be fading away. He touched Mr. Wannabe's shoulder, and his hand went through the ghost's body, and Wang Tong felt nothing.

"What the hell? What's going on?" Wang Tong jumped to his feet and looked around him. The world was fading as well, and he was slowly pushed out of the crystal space.

"Mr. Wannabe! Are you still alive? Answer me!"

Even Wang Tong's voice was fading away as the world around him disappeared. Mr. Wannabe had used up his soul energy to create this world, and staged his show to force Wang Tong to become stronger.

Nonetheless, Wang Tong's last moment strike had impressed Mr. Wannabe, not only because of its power, but also because of Wang Tong's resolution.

Chapter 279: I'm Hungry

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Wang Tong let out a heart-wrenching cry at the quickly fading world. He hated to be in a position where he would not be able to repay the help he had received.

Like most heroes when they were sober, they always liked to either blame everything on themselves or refuse any favor from others.

"Oh, shut up, will you! I'm not dead !"

"Balls! Why didn't you answer me? I thought you had a heart attack or something." Wang Tong then immediately remembered that, as a ghost, Mr.Wannabe most likely didn't have a heart.

"You little prick! I had lost a lot of my energy, so I probably won't be able to come out of the crystal for a while. Try to stay alive; I still need you to take me to the Hall of Valhalla! Your last"

Mr. Wannabe's voice faded away before he could finish his sentence. He was telling Wang Tong that his last spear attack had gravely injured him, but Mr. Wannabe thought it was a good sign as it had proven Wang Tong's strength.

Wang Tong was going to ask Mr. Wannabe to speak up when a bright white light flashed in his eyes.

"Wang Tong! Wang Tong! Time to go to the class!"

Wang Tong heard Zhou Sisi's voice outside of the door. He ran to the door and saw Zhou Sisi's familiar face and then smiled.

Zhou Sisi furrowed her brows as she saw Wang Tong's suspicious smile. "Hey, What you smiling at? Are you thinking of slacking off again? You are the S club leader; you should lead by being an example." Zhou Sisi announced as she placed her hands on her hips. However, Wang Tong kept his smile as if he was enjoying Zhou Sisi's voice.

"Sisi."

"What?"

"I am hungry." Wang Tong said as he rubbed his belly.

"Let's go eat then."

As they walked towards the cafeteria, Zhou Sisi felt something was off about Wang Tong, but she could not put the finger on it. What could have happened in one night anyway?

Zhou Sisi shook her head; she was convinced that Wang Tong had been slacking off, and that's why he acted so wired.

'Closer observation and a more frequent reminder of his duty are required.' Zhou Sisi thought to herself.

Although he had spent an entire year in the Crystal space, the time in real life had only been less than twelve hours. Wang Tong appreciated Mr. Wannabe's help. He felt that he was not fighting alone, as so many friends stood behind him and supported him.

Einherjar Wannabe's estimation of where Wang Tong stood in the real world was very accurate. Wang Tong should be victorious in most of the fights he would encounter in the future. However, his power was inadequate should he want to be the champion of the pan-solar system tournament.

The pan-solar system tournament had attracted many competitors from across all seven planets. Although the opening day was still far away, the tournament had already become the most talked about topic.

The earthlings had always been the biggest players in the tournament, as they always encouraged the students to participate, and set an additional reward for winners.

In addition to the military academies, disciples of the Templars would also join the matches. The most significant difference between the Templar's court and their Martian counterpart, the Sect of Divine Master was their outward involvement in worldly matters. The Templars were the guardians of the human race, so their interests were in the wellbeing of the world, while the divine masters cared mostly only about their personal cultivation towards the Divine Path.

The moon held their usual indifferent and aloft attitude. They recruited students and partook in the fight without any passion for victory. To the Ivantians, the tournament was merely a test to the students. The age difference among the combatants was quite large, as they could be as young as 14 or as old as 25.

An interesting fact about the tournament was that most of the champions were younger than the average age of all combatants.

Martians were the most devoted to the tournament since to them, it was a great opportunity to brag about themselves. During almost every tournament, they would send out all of their top fighters such as Lie Jian. Lie Jian had attended the tournament last year, and was expected to snatch away the title of champion. However, he was defeated by Li Shiming in the showdown when the title of champion was already near his fingertips. Despite the fact that the title of the second strongest fighter was less than what the Martian's had expected, they were quite satisfied with the outcome. After all, the outcome of one fight would not be enough to define the superiority of one fighter over another, especially when both fighters were at such a high level.

The Martians had been preparing for the tournament for a while. They were determined to do their best regardless of their opponent taking the tournament as seriously as they did. The Lie family had also trained a group of solid fighters in preparation for the tournament. They had learned from their failure in the last tournament and deepened the ranks of middle tier fighters. This time, the Lie Family planned to use these competent middle tier fighters as cannon fodder to pave the way towards success for their starfighter: Lie Jian.

Rumors had it that both the sect of divine masters and the Kaedeians were going to send a few of their fighters to the tournament as well.

In addition to the Earth, Moon, and Mars, Crete had also sent in their contestants as the rising star among the three traditional big players.

Crete was the moon of the Planet Mars, and had achieved incredible development in the recent hundred years. The miracle of the Crete's growth was in part due to the Martian's eagerness in proving themselves equal in every aspect to the Earthlings. Earth had a developed moon, so should Mars. The Crete not only had significant economic power, but also was of considerable strategic importance to the Mars and the Solar System. As the great achievement of Martians, Crete had reduced the pressure from overpopulation on Mars.

Unlike the absolute autonomy that Moon had enjoyed, the Crete had always been under the tight grip of the Martians. From time to time, a violent uprising would erupt on Crete, followed by the Martians condemning the Earth and Ivantians' involvements in instigating the insurgency. In reply, the latter two parties would blame the uprising on Martian's oppression on the freedom at Crete. Despite the fierce debate, any uprising was usually quickly dealt with using more oppressive means, and then there would be peace until the next revolution and rinse repeat.

The Crete was built with the sweat and blood of millions of Martians, and therefore, they would not give it up freely.

Although all the academies on Crete were under the control of the Martian Education system, they had sent in their own combatants in addition to the Martians' team.

Another band of warriors came from the distant Andromeda Galaxy. For a while, the Andromeda galaxy had been an undeveloped no man's land. However, due to the absence of Zergs, it had enjoyed an extended period of rapid growth. Some people had been refereeing the remote colonized planets as the backyard of human civilization.

Although that the three colonized planets had gained tremendous development with the help of technology breakthrough made on Earth, they were also entirely under the Confederation's control. Ever since the conception of these colonies, the Confederation had established a serious of laws to ensure its dominance in the future. To put it into simpler terms, colonization on three planets were well planned and organized ahead of the settlement, unlike other colonies where the rule wouldn't be improvised until the population had reached a certain threshold. To prevent the rise of localism, all the officials of the government on colonies were assigned by the Confederation, and their term on each planet would last no longer than four years.

Many of the rules served to tighten the Confederation's control and prevent insurgence of local separatists. Unity was the key to surviving the scourge of Zergs. Ever since the Blade Warrior had blocked off the portal where Zergs had transported from into the human world, no more Zergs reinforcements had been added into the Zerg army. In other words, the Zergs that the humans were fighting right now were the offsprings of those that had teleported here hundreds of years ago. That being said, no one could guarantee that the Zergs would never reopen another portal again. With the looming threat hovering above the human fate, human race at large finally learned to work together and focus their effort on collaborating in technology advancements instead of infighting.

The number of participants for this year's tournament was unprecedented. In order to defeat the ever-evolving Zergs, the humans would need to make sure that their next generation was getting stronger as well.

Many large corporations had been contacted for sponsorship, and rumors had it that the Ma family would be one of the platinum sponsors. Therefore, it was very likely to see a super METAL suit as the reward.

Although many people were excited about the tournament, no one had heard anything from the strongest fighters yet.

Li Shiming, Lie Jian, Patroclus, MiXiu, Odin, and Heidi were the five of the strongest warriors of their age.

Li Shiming and Lie Jian had joined the tournament last year, and they met at the final match. It was a fight that many people still talked about even after four years.

So far, none of the five fighters had stated their stance on whether they were going to join the tournament or not, but people were confident to see at least one of them: Lie Jian.

The academies had already started to accept applications, so Wang Tong applied. Not only he had to fulfill the promise he made to Ma Xiaoru's father, he also needed to get into the Templar's court so he could deliver Mr. Wannabe to the Hall of Valhalla.

Chapter 280: The Powerful Presence

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

After the class, everyone gathered at the S club's meeting room. Every student group had their own meeting places, and S club's meeting place was much larger than other student groups, thanks to its substantial influence. At the meeting, Zhou Sisi handed out application forms to everyone.

"Please everyone, feel free to put your name down. You have been warned though. There are many tough fighters this year from just earth alone. I will count myself lucky to be able to make it to the playoffs." Zhou Sisi cracked a smile.

The qualifier games were carried out on each planet before each planet sent their students into the playoffs. This year's finale would be held on the Moon, in the newly renovated starry sky arena.

This Arena was of historical significance to the human race, as the Blade Warrior had fought against Rilangalos here hundreds of years ago. Although there had been many other significant fights since then, no fight could come close to the significance of this particular one.

The starry sky arena was finally back into service after being fully renovated.

Hu Yangxuan finished the application and handed it in, "There are so many pretty girls on the Moon… I just can't pass up this opportunity."

"Very well, let's form a training group! If the age could go as high was 25, we might even have to fight newly graduated students who are now soldiers." Wang Tong said with a broad smile.

Wang Tong wanted to consolidate what he had learned in the crystal space. He appreciated the critical lesson that Mr. Wannabe had given him. Without it, Wang Tong would still be filled with a blind self-assurance that his power was on par with that of Patroclus. However, the days he had spent in the crystal had made he realized how arrogant he was. Should he rise to the challenge and fight Patroclus without the leveling up in the crystal space and careful preparation, he would have become a laughing stock as Lie Wushang did.

Wang Tong knew that Patroclus's interest wasn't in him per se. Instead, it was in Wang Tong's tactics after seeing the unfamiliar tactics' ability to control different GN attributes.

"Training together? I was hoping to do it by myself since you have already recovered." Hu Yangxuan pulled a taut face. He had been the only person that had been deemed worthy of Wang Tong's training partner. Unfortunately, Hu Yangxuan found that being Wang Tong's training partner was an unbearable task because he could never win.

"No way!" Everyone replied to Hu Yangxuan in unison.

The overall strength of Ayrlarng students had been improving by the day, and campus had also turned into a very positive learning environment. Although it still lacked students who could rival top level fighters, Ayrlarng's rise to prominence would only be a matter of time.

The tournament was divided into two groups: METAL combat and the fleet combat. The fleet combat was on a much smaller scale than the METAL combat, and the Kaedeians dominated it. Human's feverish devotion to the METAL combat always puzzled the Kaedeians, since to them, the fleet combat was the determining factor in winning a large scale battle.

The difference in the Earthlings and Kaedeian's take on METAL combat stemmed from their different cultures. The earthlings loved the visceral feeling of a METAL combat, and considered winning a METAL combat the only way to prove themselves.

The tournament was very much like the ancient games of Olympics that had helped to keep the torch of human determination in self-improvement lit.

It would never be a good thing for a race to be overly reliant on machines and technologies, and neither was it reasonable to abandon technology altogether. Therefore, it was essential to strike a balance between the two extremes. Li Feng had discovered GN forced, and thereby changed the course of human history. However, he didn't give up on technology. Instead, he used it to enhance the already powerful GN force.

Members of the S club handed in all of their applications. The tournament would be carried out in two stages; the first stage would be the fleet combat, and the second stage would be the qualifiers and the playoffs of the METAL combat.

After everyone had left the meeting room, Wang Tong dragged Hu Yangxuan to the gym to test his new powers.

Zhou Sisi watched as Wang Tong walked out of the locker room to the combat gym. She had a nagging feeling that something was not right about Wang Tong, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. Zhou Sisi had been worried for Wang Tong, as she was not confident that Wang Tong would be able to reach his former peak condition in such a short time.

Zhou Sisi had learned that the depletion of Soul energy was curable, but not only the process would take a long time, the treatment also had very rarely restored the patient's full power.

However, Zhou Sisi could feel the strong energy inside of Wang Tong right then. Despite all signs that pointed to the same conclusion, Zhou Sisi couldn't bring herself to believe that Wang Tong was fully healed. She knew that the higher her expectation was, the harder the reality would hit her.

Hu Yangxuan and Wang Tong had both changed into sparring gear. Despite his slacking behavior, Hu Yangxuan had been training very hard ever since he came back from Norton, and he reasoned that with Wang Tong's injury, he might have a chance in defeating Wang Tong this time.

Hu Yangxuan was excited about this fight, and so was Wang Tong. Wang Tong was pleasantly surprised by his new ability to accurately detect Hu Yangxuan's inner flow of energy, as if he saw through Hu Yangxuan's body. Thanks to this unique ability, Wang Tong already had Hu Yangxuan's number before the fight had started.

Wang Tong felt the new ability was refreshing, and the promise of finding out his other new skills made him even more eager to start the fight.

Hu Yangxuan seemed to have noticed the change in Wang Tong. He furrowed his brows to ponder on his suspicions, as disbelief glinted in his eyes.

This was...impossible!

Hu Yangxuan found it incredible that Wang Tong had changed so much in just one night. Just yesterday, Hu Yangxuan had found no problem in picking up clues in Wang Tong's movement as to when and how to attack. But right then, Hu Yangxuan felt he was completely lost and was unable to initiate a single blow.

This situation would only occur when one fighter's power was much more potent than the other. As a former disciple of the Templar, Hu Yangxuan had this disabling feeling before, but that was when he had to face a fighter of the sixth level. Unless, Hu Yangxuan reasoned incredulously, Wang Tong had already reached level six!

Hu Yangxuan's suspicion was correct. Wang Tong's soul energy had improved by a miraculous amount in the crystal space thanks to the effective but harsh methods of Mr. Wannabe.

Wang Tong wanted to examine the results of his training in the crystal space, and already had given his opponent a great measure of pressure before the fight had even started.

Sensing the immense belligerent energy in Wang Tong, Hu Yangxuan faltered as pea-sized sweat appeared on his forehead. He wanted to make a move, but Wang Tong's presence seemed like a huge mountain that pressed on him, restricting his movements. Hu Yangxuan conceded that Wang Tong's ability had greatly exceeded that of people of his age group, because Hu Yangxuan had only seen this kind of power once from a Templar Elder.

Zhou Sisi wanted to warn Hu Yangxuan about the danger, but she was in the same boat as Hu Yangxuan, as she struggled even to speak out loud. Wang Tong's presence seemed to project an unseen force that gripped firmly onto everything around him.

Sudden the door was slammed open, and Karl rushed into the gym.

The sudden development disrupted Wang Tong's focuses, and as soon as he was distracted, Hu Yangxuan thudded heavily onto the ground, breathing laboriously.

Zhou Sisi was also exhausted and leaned against the wall. Seeing this strange scene, Karl scratched his head and asked. "Did I interrupt anything ?"

Hu Yangxuan waved his hand and said, "Quite the contrary, you might as well have just saved me. Gosh, I was going to be suffocated." Confused, Karl looked around the room and wondered what was happening in here before he entered.

"Wang Tong! that was too much for Hu Yangxuan, even I felt it !" Zhou Sisi pressed her chest, surprise written all over her face.

"Shit! Boss, did you come up with a new technique?" A broad smile appeared on Karl's face.

"Wang Tong, have you leveled up again? No Level four fighter could do what you just did!" Hu Yangxuan's words had hit the mark.

Wang Tong cracked a smile and then said, "I had a dream last night and I was...enlightened if you will."

Hu Yangxuan slowly got up to his feet and mumbled, "Bullsh*t! There is no such thing as enlightenment."

What Wang Yong had experienced was much gruesome than just an enlightenment, as he had to live with the Zergs for a year, and had to worry about Zachery's attack constantly. It was hell.

Chapter 281: Charcoal Is a Genius

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Wang Tong grinned as he reflected on the hellish time he had endured to gain more power to fight Li Shimming. Wang Tong knew from the beginning that as the protege of Li Feng, his fate would cross path with that of Li Feng's descendants, regardless if Wang Tong had met and fallen in love with Ma Xiaoru or not.

"Boss, what are they talking about? Try it on me!" Karl said as he pointed the finger at himself. Karl had also made a significant improvement in his soul energy, but he didn't spend much time on training METAL combat skills. Instead, he had chosen to focus on fleet combat.

Hu Yangxuan wanted to warn Karl about Wang Tong's new power, but it was already too late. As soon as Wang Tong initiated his tactics, Karl's face turned bleak and stumbled back a few steps before he was pressed against the wall.

It took Karl a while to gather himself.

Looking at Karl's painful expression, Wang Tong realized that he was too hard on his friends. While in the Crystal space, he had gotten used to attack his enemy relentlessly and forgotten the importance of controlling his energy while in the real world. His classmates were not Zachery, so they would not be able to withstand nearly as much power as Zachery could.

Hu Yangxuan and Zhou Sisi helped Karl to his feet, "Oh shit! Boss, are you trying to kill me? I felt like being dropped into an icy pool!"

Hu Yangxuan nodded and then said, "Wang Tong, that move was brilliant. But excuse me, I wouldn't be able to spar with you any longer… I want to live."

Wang Tong's power had even caught him off guard. However, he knew that the magnitude of his current power was only the bare minimum of what it would take to survive in a real war.

"I am not sure if I want to attend the tournament any longer if I would have to stand up against freaks like you." Hu Yangxuan announced helplessly.

"I disagree. We all have our roles to play and try our best. You should still attend." Zhou Sisi encouraged Hu Yangxuan.

"I will. I will. I was just saying how unfair it is. It's tough to be a friend with Wang Tong, you know. Luckily, we also have you in our rank." Hu Yangxuan cracked a smile at Zhou Sisi.

"Let's all try our best. Especially you, Wang Tong."

"Will do."

"Awesome! Boss, we can finally fight alongside each other again! Oh, I am here to tell you guys that our school has made it to the top ten list!"

"What's the ranking?" Zhou Sisi asked.

"Number six." Karl beamed from side to side. Ayrlarng had never been on the top ten list, but ever since it had defeated Capth, Ayrlarng had brought a lot of attention and fame to itself.

"Not bad! But I say we will show them that they had still underestimated us!" Wang Tong patted on Karl's shoulder and said.

"Well said, boss! We want to be number one!"

Wang Tong usually would like to stay low-key. However, he was affected by Karl's ambition and spirit, and felt he was ready to march into the tournament.

"Very well. Let's use the school intranet for our training and invite Cao Yi as well."

Everyone agreed.

Every academy, as well as the military, had set up the intranet to be used inside their institutions. Students would only need to use their student ID to log in to the school intranet. They logged onto the intranet and looked for their allies from Bernabeu. Without Apache, Cao Yi had quickly become the leader of Bernabeu.

Cao Yi was pleasantly surprised by Wang Tong's recovery. He had been worried that Wang Tong would not be able to reach his former strength after the soul energy was depleted. However, right then, it seemed that his worry was unnecessary. The group of students developed a new set of training methods that aimed to learn from Wang Tong's far-superior skills.

After the training, Wang Tong and Zhou Sisi walked home together.

Zhou Sisi could feel that Wang Tong had been increasingly opening up to her, and considered her as a trustworthy friend. However, the thought of being "befriended" made Zhou Sisi feel bitter.

Zhou Sisi had prepared herself for the worst, and being Wang Tong's friend was far from the worst that could happen. She conceded that she would be content seeing Wang Tong's happy face every day.

Wang Tong went straight to bed and didn't turn the light on. Charcoal stood beside the bed, faithfully protecting his master.

Wang Tong loved Charcoal's presence when he went to bed, because it made him feel that he was not alone. Without Charcoal's companionship, Wang Tong would have already gone mad in the crystal space. Wang Tong liked to talk to charcoal, and he found out that the robot was an excellent listener. He often lamented that without Charcoal, he would not speak a single word after he got home.

Wang Tong understood that despite the immense power of the Tactics of the Blade, the other five major tactics were no less potent. Besides, what determined a fighter's ability was not just the type of tactics they had cultivated, but also their talent and the amount of time they had spent on honing their skills. Wang Tong reckoned that Li Shiming ought to be a more powerful fighter than him, because not only was Li Shiming talented, through years of cultivation, he had also built a more solid foundation than Wang Tong. Also, he had an experienced father who could continuously provide him with guidance.

Thanks to Mr. Wannabe's boot camp, Wang Tong had gained a more realistic view of his power.

Wang Tong conceded that Patroclus must have a more accurate estimation about Wang Tong's power, and therefore, the reason for his challenge must be because he was impressed by the tactics, but not by Wang Tong as a fighter.

If it were anyone else who had piqued Patroclus's interest, he or she would be thrilled. But Wang Tong couldn't find any joy in him, because his goal was to defeat Patroclus.

The deal Wong Tong made with Ma Dutian seemed simple. However, as Wang Tong mulled over his situation, he started to doubt if the Ma would be able to fulfill their end of the deal and reject House of Li's request should he succeed the mission.

Suddenly, Wang Tong realized that Ma Dutian had also hinged his decision on the outcome of the tournament. Should Wang Tong able to prove himself and defeat Li Shiming, Ma Dutian would also gain an excuse to back out of the marriage proposal.

Wang Tong was right. As a figurehead of a great house, the crafty Ma Dutian would not disclose his real intention up front. But, he had believed that Wang Tong was smart enough to figure it out himself.

Wang Tong had thought that Ma Xiaoru's father would humiliate him for asking his daughter's hand, since the Li and Ma had been traditional allies, and Li Shiming was also a competent young man. Therefore, Wang Tong was pleasantly surprised when he was given a second chance to prove himself. It would have made thing easier for Ma Dutian if he had rejected Wang Tong, but Ma Dutian's love for his daughter's had eventually changed his mind.

Wang Tong mumbled his thoughts to Charcoal, and the latter listened quietly.

"Charcoal, how would I make Li Shiming attend the tournament? He didn't seem to be that interested."

Wang Tong heaved a sigh and continued his mumbling, "It would be easy if it were Lie Jian who I had to defeat. I could always lure him into the tournament using Einherjar Wannabe's identity, but Li Shiming was never on PA."

"..." Charcoal muttered something quietly.

"Oh, Sh*t! You are a genius, Charcoal!" Wang Tong embraced Charcoal and kissed on its cold metal panel out of excitement "Now, clean the room for me. I want it to be tidied up before I am home."

Wang Tong rushed out as soon as he released Charcoal.

Wang Tong realized that the best way to lure Li Shiming to the tournament was to use a bait whose power was at par with Li Shiming. Charcoal had reminded Wang Tong that he just so happened to have one such bait wrapped around his little finger.

When Wang Tong arrived at the familiar virtual Cafe, the owner of the cafe almost broke into tears as he had missed his lucky charm day and night. Without Wang Tong visiting the cafe, his business seemed to be slumping.

Wang Tong was puzzled by the tears held in the owner's eyes as he walked into his VIP room. All this while, he wondered why Lie Jian didn't challenge Patroclus to avenge the defeat of Lie Wushuang.

Chapter 282: Inner Thoughts

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

After much thought, Wang Tong finally understood the reason why Lie Jian hesitated in challenging Li Shiming. Despite the fact that Lie Jian was eager to have a match with Li Shiming, he would have to put his family name in danger if he failed. He would be deemed too careless by the elders of the family, thereby weakening his position in the family.

However, Lie Jian was convinced that practicing with someone that was at the same level as him was the best way to improve himself. Therefore, he was insistent on the fight with Einherjar Wannabe. Lie Jian had challenged Einherjar Wannabe to fight in a real life combat instead of in the PA system, because not only Lie Jian lacked trust in the PA system, there was also the added secrecy to protect information regarding his tactics.

Lie Jian might seem brash, but he was a crafty fighter with great attention to detail. He only wanted to use Einherjar Wannabe as a stepping stone to achieve his ultimate goal: defeating Li Shiming. Lie Jian also reasoned that compared to Patroclus; Wang Tong was not only easier to defeat, but also more likely to accept his challenge. Therefore, he was the ideal opponent.

Once Wang Tong had gained a better grasp of the situation, he found it easier to draft his challenge letter as well. Wang Tong didn't have to worry about secrecy, because so far, he did not have any secret weapons hidden under his sleeves. All of his attacks and defense moves drew its effectiveness from his experience, and therefore, it would be impossible for other people to copy. The only secret he had was the name of his tactics.

Wang Tong finished the letter in one go and sent it out without giving it a second round of edit. The message in the letter was clear: he would only accept the challenge in TPA.

Wang Tong went offline as soon as he sent out the letter. His online status had already alerted thousands of PA players, but before they could send him a single message, Einherjar Wannabe had already gone offline.

The DREAM had intercepted the message the moment it was out of Wang Tong's mailbox. After reading the contents of the letter, they decided to do whatever they could to make sure that Lie Jian received and read this letter.

Although Patroclus's appearance at the PA System had attracted many people's attention, he had disappeared ever since. It wasn't to the DREAM's benefit to have the four Martians defeated by the Ivantian prince, so DREAM was elated to see that Einherjar Wannabe had finally resurfaced again and responded to Lie Jian's challenge.

The DREAM knew that they would have to spare no expense in making sure that this fight between Einherjar Wannabe and Lie Jian were carried out.

Meanwhile, Li Shiming had just returned to Earth from Norton.

"There have been some changes in your marriage proposal." Li Zhedao said.

"Father, I thought the marriage was already set in stone?"

"I have told you to tread carefully with House of Ma. Despite what you have done out there on Norton, if you fail to secure the marriage, you have failed altogether."

"Anything happened to Ma Xiaoru?" Li Shiming asked placidly.

"Focus your attention on the Ma and don't waste your time on anything else."

"Yes, father."

"Hey brother, pissing dad off again? Haha… Where is my gift anyways?" Li Ruoer smiled as she asked.

"It's in the living room. Is that Wang Tong still alive?" Li Shiming shook his head and asked his sister.

"I didn't expect him to be so lucky to survive a nuclear blast. But fret not, everything is under my control. Ma Dutian and Wang Tong seemed to have formed some kind of a pact. If we lash out right now, I am afraid that our action might only become a hindrance rather than help." Li Ruoer said.

"If what you said was true, then I agree that it would be too late to do anything. My only question is how Wang Tong managed to persuade Ma Dutian. Is Wang Tong really that powerful?" Li Shiming said calmly. He already knew that his sister had a lot to do with helping the Wang Tong and Ma Dutian forming the pact, whether she did it intentionally or not. However, Li Shiming didn't feel like he needed to blame her at all.

Watching her brother's calm demeanor, a sense of respect rose inside Li Ruoer. She had always admired his brother's coolness, as if he always held the solution to all problems.

"He was not bad, but not nearly as powerful as you. Level five at the most."

"Hehe, is that so? First year and already at level five? I think there's more than what meets the eyes." Li Shiming cracked a smile, trying to squeeze more information from his cunning sister.

Sensing her brother's will to intervene, Li Ruoer complained, "We had a deal. You said you will leave this Wang Tong to me. My plan has just started."

"Gosh... I didn't say anything yet. Fine, fine, just go ahead. I will handle things on my end." Li Shiming said indifferently.

"You are really full of yourself. You are not worried at all that you might not be able to marry Ma Xiaoru? To tell you the truth, I can sense that Ma Xiaoru is serious about her relationship with Wang Tong. You know how spoiled she is by her father, so I do worry about you."

Li Shiming shot her sister a side glance and then said, "I am not worried because you will make Wang Tong fall in love with you, and then you will dump him. Problem solved!"

Feelings ashamed for having her trick seen through, Li Ruoer stomped the ground frustratingly and then uttered, "Can you be nice to me just once?"

Li Ruoer held higher regard for her brother, even higher than for her Einherjar father. Although the House Li had abundant potent fighters, they lacked skills in political intrigues, a skill that the Ma was a master of. However, unlike his father and all his ancestors, Li Shiming had demonstrated an acute sense for political matters, and was astute in handling affairs with other houses.

After Li Ruoer had left, Li Shiming lounged on a sofa, enjoying this precious quietness.

Li Ruoer didn't transfer directly to Ayrlarng. Instead, she had chosen a compromise to satisfy both Ma Xiaoru and her family duty. By pulling some strings in the school system, she made the principal of the Capth to send out a student group to visit Ayrlarng, and she had conveniently become one of the visiting students.

While on Moon, Samantha was pleasantly surprised by Capth's request. It could be a turning point in Ayrlarng's history. Ayrlarng had wanted to establish a formal relationship with Capth, but Capth had always ignored Ayrlarng's request, much less extending the olive branch willingly to the A class academy.

Samantha knew there was more than what met the eyes, and a nagging feeling told her that Wang Tong must have something to do with it. Samantha's devotion to her career was what had defined her, so although the thought of Wang Tong made Samantha feel guilty, she was determined not to change her course for anyone.

The only silver lining for Samantha after the breakup was to see that Wang Tong had chosen the right person: Ma Xiaoru.

Despite the recent failure in her love life, her career had been progressing rapidly. She had turned the formally decadent school around and brought it back to the right track.

Although Ayrlarng was still far behind from the peak of its former glory, everyone was impressed by what the young principal had achieved in such a short time, and could feel her will of making a positive change. Samantha's ultimate goal was to become a politician, and she thought Ayrlarng would be her perfect launchpad. She had won the hearts of both older generations for restoring the school's former glory, as well as the younger generation for her ability to bring about change.

She had also gained the favor of the military by providing resources for their training in the PA system.

She had invested heavily in herself in the recent years, and it seemed like it was about time for her to reap the benefits. Samantha believed that without the hefty initial investment, she wouldn't be able to accomplish anything. Soon, the Confederation would witness the rise of the youngest female councilor, and the change she would usher to the world.

Wang Tong was shocked by the news about the visiting student group from Capth.

"Are you serious? Stop pulling my leg… It's not funny." Wang Tong announced incredulously. Although he no longer held a grudge against Li Ruoer, fear was rooted deeply in his mind.

"It's real, boss. Capth had extended their olive branch to us this time. Isn't it weird? There will be a student group of about thirty members visiting our school. They would spend some time here, studying with us." Karl said excitedly. Karl was not alone in his excitement. All of his classmates were pleasantly surprised by Capth's 180-degree turn of attitude towards Ayrlarng.

The even more striking fact about this student group was that Li Ruoer was also one of the participants, despite the discreetness she was well known for at Capth. Li Ruoer announced that she was interested in learning more about the school where her greatest ancestor General Li Feng graduated from. And therefore, she had jumped aboard.

Knowing the feud between Li Ruoer and Wang Tong, Zhou Sisi became worried. She knew that the Enchantress was as dangerous as a ticking bomb.

Wang Tong also questioned Li Ruoer's motives. He doubted that Li Ruoer would sacrifice her Family's benefit for her friend. However, she had indeed helped him last time and brought him to Ma Xiaoru. If not for her help, Wang Tong would not have gained the chance to prove himself to Ma Dutian.

Unsure of the real intention of Li Ruoer, Wang Tong pondered on with a puzzled expression.

"Boss, don't you worry about it! She is in our hood, and we will show her who is calling the shots here." Karl pounded his chest and announced as everyone marveled at his ability to think positively regardless of the situation.

Chapter 283: What Do They Want?

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"She is just a girl… I will handle it for you!" Hu Yangxuan cracked a smile and then said. Wang Tong held on to Hu Yangxuan's hand and pleaded. "I'll be counting on you for it… Don't let me down."

It would be a weight off Wang Tong's mind should Hu Yangxuan be able to distract Li Ruoer while he was busy training for the tournament.

"Haha. I will make her regret coming here!" Hu Yangxuan said with a smug expression.

"She is an Enchantress. So, be careful not to be enchanted, if you know what I mean" Zhou Sisi reminded Hu Yangxuan.

"Don't you worry. I was a capable disciple of the Templar."

Wang Tong wasn't sure why Li Ruoer was here, but he was determined not to let her get in his way of defeating Li Shiming.

Regarding the fleet combat, Wang Tong would have three training partners: Zhou Sisi, Karl and best. Zhou Sisi had improved the most among all of her classmates. Although Zhou Sisi's techniques might fall short when compared to the others, her calm and attention to detail—both invaluable qualities of a fleet commander—would make up for her lack of micro control.

Although the advantage of the three opponents was clear, so were their downfalls. In a matter of a few simulations, Wang Tong had already gained a deep understanding of their technique, so there was no chance for the three to win against Wang Tong anymore.

Regarding METAL combat, Wang Tong's training partner was Hu Yangxuan and Cao Yi. Occasionally, he would also test his soul energy against Luo Manman. However, because of the vast gap between the two, Wang Tong had improved very little in doing that.

Although Wang Tong felt confused as to if he was his friend's training partner or their coach, he conceded that weak opponents were better than none.

Wang Tong wanted to fight with Lie Jian because he was eager to find out how he would fare among the strongest. Wang Tong considered Lie Jian a perfect opponent, since he was the weakest among the elites. So, he would be a good stepping stone for Wang Tong to challenge more

Meanwhile, Lie Jian was also brewing his plan. He marveled at Patroclus's ability to finish off Lie Wushuang without lifting a finger. Lie Jian wasn't afraid of Patroclus and his tactics, but he was intrigued. He wagered that he would only gain a better idea of Patroclus's tactics if he were standing in the same arena as him, which is not likely to happen for a while. As Lie Jian lamented at the lack of a decent opponent in his life, he thought about Einherjar Wannabe again.

Lie Jian had never believed that Einherjar Wannabe was only 16 years old because it was not impossible to cheat one's age on the PA system. Lie Jian was certain that the age of Einherjar Wannabe would be around 20 to 25.

Lie Jian was good at many things, but not compromise. However, the urge to fight a worthy opponent had rattled his firm stance, tempting him to accept the fight in the PA system.

He figured that if he didn't accept Einherjar Wannabe's challenge in the PA system, Patroclus definitely would. So, he reasoned that it would be a pity to lose such a perfect practice target to his opponent for some minor details.

Therefore, Lie Jian decided to accept Wang Tong's terms. Yet, he figured that he needed some preparation before the fight.

After the school was done, Wang Tong headed straight to the virtual cafe to check if Lie Jian had replied his message. He was greeted by the owner's gleeful face. The lucky charm had worked. His business had turned around right after Wang Tong's visit.

Although Einherjar Wannabe didn't accept or refuse any challenges, his appearance at the PA system alone was a sensational news. Without an official explanation of Einherjar Wannabe's action and intent during that brief period he was online, all kinds of rumors spread across the internet.

Wang Tong turned on the terminal and saw Lie Jian's reply, and accepted all of the terms of conditions Lie Jian had listed.

According to Lie Jian's new terms, the PA match would take place on the weekend, and it would be a closed-door competition, meaning that no recording nor public was allowed during the game, and each combatant was allowed to bring only one witness to the arena.

Despite the peculiar terms, Wang Tong singed the contract and sent it away. Wang Tong couldn't care less about the forms and conditions of the fight, as long as the fight would be able to reveal his position among the elites.

Who would Lie Jian bring with him as a witness?

And who would Wang Tong bring?

The question pressed on Wang Tong since no matter who he brought with him to the fight, he ran the risk of blowing his cover at a very critical time before the pan-solar tournament.

After the meeting with Ma Dutian, Wang Tong realized that he had unknowingly gained a certain measure of conceit after having been under so much attention which had made him think that he was the focus of the entire world, and that his slightest move would have a significant impact on the world. However, Ma Dutian had taught him that he was nothing but a tiny drop in the sea and so was the significance of his actions.

So, Wang Tong wondered what would be the harm in revealing to the world his identity as the heir of the Blade Warrior anyways.

After clearing his thoughts, Wang Tong found that being the heir of the Blade Warrior had turned into a burden for him. After recalled the brief encounter with General Li Fen, Wang Tong conceded that the extra pressure of being the heir was added by himself, since Li Feng didn't expect him to achieve great deeds or save the human race just yet. With the burdens out of the way, Wang Tong decided to worry less and do more from then on, and his train of thought came back to his problem at hand: who should he bring him as a witness? And then a perfect candidate came to Wang Tong's mind.

The visitors from Capth arrived Ayrlarng on Tuesday, and they were greeted with a red carpet treatment. Although Principal Samantha was not able to attend the welcoming ceremony, many of the Shang Jin's politicians had made it.

Walking at the front of the team was their instructor, someone who Wang Tong knew: Mr. Harmon Sandler

Among the group of visiting students stood a third-year student called Porten, who was the son of the head councilor. Everyone at Capth knew that he had a crush on Li Ruoer, and had embarked on the helpless journey of courting her.

Wang Tong also saw Flash, Bisu, and Kal among the ranks of the Capth visitors. However, he was disappointed that he didn't see Wang Ben's face.

Judging by the students that Capth had sent, it was clear then that they meant business. Despite being honored, Ayrlarng was caught off guard by Capth's splendid entourage.

Wang Tong was one of the student representatives of Ayrlarng. As the leader of the S club, he had become somewhat famous. Many visitors recognized Wang Tong, and Mr. Sandler had even nodded at him with a smile.

The visitor's attention given to Wang Tong had made other Ayrlarng's students jealous. They didn't expect Wang Tong to have such a far-reaching popularity.

The opening ceremony was soon over, and it was time for the meet and greet. Wang Tong decided to sneak away quietly as he didn't want to run into Li Ruoer.

As soon as Wang Tong turned around towards his dorm, someone called out to him.

Wang Tong turned around and saw Flash walk to him and greet him. "Long time no see, Wang Tong."

"Welcome to Ayrlarng!"

"Thank you! You know, we had come here specifically to train with you and Karl. As you know, we would be both allies and opponents in the pan-solar tournament. I look forward to learning from you."

"Haha! well, I could learn a lot from you as well."

"We shall see. I have to warn you though, I have improved a lot ever since my last defeat, so watch out! Haha."

"Well you too, haha!" The two shook each other's hand as both faces were lit up with glee.

"Ah, on another note, Wang Ben wanted me to send you a message. He said he will do all he could to defeat you in the tournament, so he wants you to be prepared." Flash said with a broad smile on his face.

Wang Tong could tell that Wang Ben had already become friends with the candid and open Flash.

"I will wait for him, and I hope he won't let me down."

The two smiled knowingly at each other before they parted.

Li Ruoer and Porten had become the most popular students among all the visitors.

Porten had been a famous prodigy, as he had finished all the university subjects at the age of five. His expertise was not in METAL combat but research related to battlefield command and strategies. He never wanted to be the boots on the ground. Instead, he focused on his reach and communication skills to pave his way into politics. He firmly believed that he was born to be a leader.

Chapter 284: Fifty Shades of Ambition

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

The PA system had published another sensational news. But, the news was both exciting and saddening. DREAM had announced that Lie Jian and Einherjar Wannabe would have a close-door duel.

DREAM had signed the confidentiality letters, so nothing about this match would be disclosed to the public.

In addition to the two legendary combatants, they had both invited a witness. The identities of the two witnesses seemed to be even more mysterious than the closed-door match.

Lie Jian had invited the young master from the sect of Divine Masters, Michaux Odin, as his witness, and Einherjar Wannabe had invited Patroclus.

When Patroclus had subdued the four Martian killers, people were wondering if Patroclus had sent out a challenge to Einherjar Wannabe. The two fighters' relationship had become even more perplexing after Einherjar Wannabe invited Patroclus as his witness.

It was well known that no one had ever been able to persuade Patroclus, but it seemed that Einherjar Wannabe had done the impossible, because Patroclus had accepted his request without any hesitation.

Wang Tong was not surprised that Patroclus had accepted the invitation. He was no longer worried about his identity, and thought that instead of worrying, he should stick to what he thought was the right thing to do.

Wang Tong's message to Patroclus was straightforward, "Come see me if you want to know who I am."

Wang Tong's ultimate goal was to force both Patroclus and Lie Jian to partake in the tournament. After spending a year in the crystal, Wang Tong seemed to have been affected by the recklessness of the preliterate king, and started to wonder why he often lived like a worrier instead of a warrior.

He had realized that he was no one's puppet, and not even fate could tell him what to do. So, he made up his mind to do things on his own terms and become truly himself.

Zhang Jin was shocked after hearing that Patroclus had agreed to become Einherjar Wannabe's witness. She already found it strange when Patroclus intervened the rampage of the four Martians, and right then, the development seemed to get even more puzzling.

"Pat, are you sure you would be able to get more information on him this time?" Zhang Jin was one of the very few people who knew the number of Patroclus's direct line.

On the display screen, Zhang Jin saw Patroclus was practicing ichibana—the art of flower bouquet. He treated every petal with care, and layered the flowers into a splendid display of beauty and color. Patroclus smiled and then said,"Jin, I am very sure this time."

"You mean " Zhang Jin's face became taut. The identity of Einherjar Wannabe was the biggest mystery of the PA system, and she knew that only Patroclus would have the ability to solve the riddle, because he would be able to see through Einherjar Wannabe's cover like Rilangalos could through that of the Blade Warrior.

Their fate was intertwined.

Patroclus had finished his ichibana creation, and he was smiling at it satisfyingly. Zhang Jin watched as Patroclus suddenly smashed the beautiful composition of flowers into broken fragments of colors in a fit of rage.

Zhang Jin wasn't surprised by Patroclus's outburst of anger. Patroclus gathered himself and grimaced, "When I first started to take an interest in him, I could feel a surge of power inside me. I have tried many ways to subdue the power, but it's only getting stronger."

"What did he say in his invitation?"

"He's very open. He said if I want to know who he is, I should attend as his witness. I can't refuse." Patroclus smiled helplessly, but his voice was filled with anticipation.

"There might be some difficulty in detecting his real identity in the virtual world, but I have confidence in your ability."

"Jin, I am very confused and lost. If his tactics could really control the elemental attributes of the GN force, then he has to be the heir of the Blade Warrior, but…"

"I know how you feel. You are afraid of being disappointed if he was too weak."

"The force inside me... I have been trying many ways to control it, but it's been gaining force ever since Einherjar Wannabe appeared. My tactics are also feeding it, making it even more difficult to manage. I think something in my blood has awakened and it is hungry."

Zhang Jin felt for Patroclus. He had been alone for too long, and suddenly he seemed to have sensed the promise of a worthy opponent and a real companion. His anticipation had made him doubt himself, and turned him into a bundle of nerves as he was afraid that it was only a false alarm.

But Zhang Jin knew from deep down that Patroclus had nothing to worry about; the chosen one had finally returned.

Patroclus was considered the reincarnation of the perfect warrior, Rilangalos, and same as Rilangalos, Patroclus needed to keep his thirst for power and blood in check, and rein in his inner daemon.

Einherjar Wannabe's power had somehow awoken the dark side of Patroclus's power, even though that Einherjar Wannabe's strength was still far behind that of Patroclus.

Sensing Zhang Jin's concern for him, Patroclus cracked a smile and said, "Don't you worry Jin. I am only going to confirm his power, and that's it. If he were indeed as weak as I thought, I would go on a vacation to make myself feel better."

"Let me know if you need a travel buddy." Zhang Jin said with care in her voice.

Patroclus nodded as he shifted his gaze to the pile of broken flowers and then he shook his head helplessly.

Lie Jian was ecstatic. He was pleasantly surprised that Wang Tong would be able to bring Patroclus with him, someone as quiet as a mute and as still as a rock.

The development was turning more interesting to Lie Jian by the second. Lie Jian had invited Michaux Odin to detect the inner workings of Einherjar Wannabe's soul energy, especially his ability to control the elemental effect of his GN force. Although it would be difficult to do so in a virtual reality setting, Lie Jian thought it would still worth a try.

What really made Lie Jiang's day was that he had heard Li Shiming had been trying to become a witness as well, but was refused by DREAM. The thought of Li Shiming being left out of such a significant match filled Lie Jian with satisfaction.

No one that had done wrong to House of Lie had been able to rest well until they were dead, and Lie Jian was confident that this time was no different.

"Michaux, I need you to help me this time. Can you try to use your ability to probe Einherjar Wannabe's tactics? They have made it sound like he is invincible, and it would be a good opportunity to see exactly how he had done it." Lie Jian smiled and asked Michaux politely. There was nothing to hide from the young master, since his only desire was to reach the divine path. Therefore, he would not take an interest in the worldly matters.

Michaux nodded and then said, "I always admired Patroclus."

"Nah, he should have admired you, young master."

"I could tell that Patroclus has some information that we don't have."

"That's not the point. We are only interested to know how his ice elemental GN force would able to counter my fire attack, that is if he weren't defeated by me first."

There were many kinds of ambitions, and Michaux's was to seek the Divine Path through cultivation. The divine masters believed in the divine path, and they considered the Blade Warrior a proof of its existence. They believed that Li Feng had merged his soul with the universe and achieved the ultimate state of existence after his physical body had perished. Although the first divine master had failed to enter the divine path, he was very close, so close that he had left a road map for his followers. However, to embark on that journey meant one had to forsake worldly possessions and desires.

The public was rattled up by not being able to watch the fight. They protested to the DREAM, but nothing would be able to change Lie Jian's mind in keeping the content of the match a secret.

Even though the public wouldn't be able to watch the fight, they still hoped that they would learn about the outcome.

They knew that it was impossible to hear any comments about the match from Patroclus and Michaux, so they all counted on Lie Jian's loud mouth to reveal a thing or two about the match.

Meanwhile, in Ayrlarng, the fleet combat simulation room was packed with students who were watching a routine exercise between Capth and Ayrlarng. Capth had walked the talk and started training with their A class counterparts as soon as they have arrived.

The Capth's primary goal was to study Karl and Wang Tong's strategies to prepare for the upcoming tournament.

The exercise right then was just a probe to get a better understanding of Ayrlarng's overall strength in fleet combat. Wang Tong slipped up a few times and let Flash gain the upper hand. Wang Tong's minor mistakes should not have been a problem while fighting against a common opponent, but Flash was not an ordinary opponent. Instead, he was one of the best at fleet combat. Therefore, once Flash detected Wang Tong's mistake, Wang Tong's defense crumbled in an instant.

Wang Tong was pleased by Flash's ability to detect his weakness, and was convinced that his defeat would eventually make him strong enough to face the mighty Kaedeians.

After the practice, the group of students gathered around and shared their insights on the match.

"Wang Tong, your skill has gotten worse. Time is ticking, and you better try harder."