Because of the two previous letdowns, Michael and Nyla Reid's fight had become the center of attention during this third round. Everyone's gaze was fixed on Michael and Nyla Reid, wondering who would be the last one standing. Even Evan Clark and Victoria Parker were watching with serious expressions, eager to learn more about his abilities.
Amidst the watchful eyes of the crowd, two figures simultaneously jumped onto the third fighting stage. Michael was dressed entirely in black, while Nyla Reid wore leather trousers and a long blue fur coat.
"Who do you guys think will win?"
"It's hard to say at this point. We haven't seen the full extent of Ghost's power, and he's only fought once so far."
"You're right, it's a tough call. But Nyla's seduction skills are unparalleled. Her ability to confuse someone's mind is not to be underestimated."
On the fighting stage, Michael stood across from Nyla. Her body was soft and curvy, boasting a perfect muscle-to-fat ratio and structure. Her blue eyes appraised Michael as she scanned his body from top to bottom.
[Warning! The opponent is attempting telepathic attack on the host! Firewall activated!]
The firewall Michael had installed to prevent Gaya from attempting any mischievous actions now thwarted Nyla's telepathic assault.
[Does the host wish to neutralize the intruder or impose sanctions on the intruder?]
"AH!"
Suddenly, spectators were jolted by Nyla's scream, and they witnessed a golden light emanating from Ghost's eyes toward Nyla.
"What's happening?!"
"What just occurred?!"
Members of the Sunrise sect were bewildered, their attention focused on Nyla as blood began to flow from her eyes, nose, and mouth.
"AH!"
The crowd and the young participants were utterly astonished because Michael hadn't even lifted a finger against her, yet she seemed to be in excruciating pain. Even the celebrity disciples couldn't comprehend the nature of the spell he had just employed.
"What did he do?!"
"Oh my goodness!"
Chaos ensued in the square, with many people unable to comprehend why Nyla was suffering and screaming. As she continued to cry out and writhe on the ground, Michael slowly advanced toward her.
"Human, what have you done?"
"Observe her closely, Gaya. This is the consequence when someone attempts to tamper with my mind."
Gaya felt intense fear, relieved that she had refrained from any meddling following the near-fatal encounter in the tavern room.
"Is he going to end her life?"
"Why hasn't she surrendered yet?!"
Sadie and the other Silver Moon girls stared, shouting at Nyla, who was now being held aloft by Michael, her trembling form unable to reach the ground. Simultaneously, lightning fissures began to materialize in his free hand.
Bzzzzhhh
"Do you genuinely believe you could manipulate my thoughts?"
He inquired icily, while she gasped for breath, her movements feeble.
"Ghost, NO!"
From her position atop the tower, Sadie yelled out, apprehensive that he might execute her fellow sect member in cold blood.
"Nyla! Give up!"
"Give me one good reason not to end her life."
"Human, what are you intending?"
Gaya recognized that this wasn't his usual style of negotiation, devoid of lethal consequences.
"I... will compensate you."
Sadie recalled Orion's claim that Ghost had accepted his quest, and the only reason someone would take a guild quest was for coin.
"I'm listening."
"Is he serious? He's bargaining on the fighting stage!"
Sadie breathed a sigh of relief.
"Five thousand gold."
The crowd was astounded upon hearing the sum, and Michael responded with a slight smile.
"Let's make it ten."
"How dare you turn this competi—"
"Alex, just be quiet!"
Alex couldn't stand watching this prestigious competition and its fighting stage turn into a marketplace, but Sadie wasn't interested in taking any nonsense from him.
"Deal, now please release her!"
It wasn't typical of him to spare someone who had attempted to end his life, but when he was about to execute Nyla, the system issued a warning and suggested reconsideration. This marked the first time the system had cautioned him in such a manner. Michael recognized that the system's warning stemmed from the potential repercussions of slaying Nyla Reid, particularly the ire of Silver Moon's people, particularly Sadie.
He wasn't yet powerful enough to confront her or Silver Moon, so he opted to leverage Nyla to secure some monetary gain and earn Sadie's favor. After all, he had already provoked Morning Star, and having allies would be beneficial as he continued to grow in strength.
"Alright, a deal is deal,"
With these words, he tossed Nyla toward the Silver Moon girls, and Hannah Berry was there to catch her friend.
"Nyla, are you okay?"
Nyla was still coughing up blood and struggling to breathe.
Gradually, the bleeding from her nose and ears subsided, but her face remained marked by fear and pallor. When she had landed on the fighting stage, she had swiftly employed her seduction skill on Ghost in an attempt to bewilder him. However, she never anticipated that her seduction skill would prove ineffective. Not only did he possess a mental fortitude beyond her wildest imagination, but her telepathic attack had also backfired, nearly costing her life.
"Thank you," Nyla expressed, looking at Sadie with gratitude. She had observed Ghost's approach and knew that he wasn't the type to show mercy simply because she was a girl. There was no doubt in her mind that if it weren't for Sadie, he would have killed her.
"You've done me a great favor by sparing my junior, Ghost. If there's anything you require my assistance with, feel free to ask," Sadie purred with a flirtatious tone, openly trying to seduce him.
"Lucky bastard!"
Some of the disciples from the various sects cursed him, witnessing the way Sadie interacted with him. Her flirtatious demeanor suggested that, if he wished, he could spend an intimate night with her.
However, Michael merely nodded with an uninterested smile. Compared to Gaya, these women from Silver Moon were just ordinary to him.
With the conclusion of this battle, the finalists had been determined, and the crowd erupted in cheers for the upcoming fights. Victoria and Evan hadn't fought a single battle until now; all of their opponents had surrendered before even attempting to fight. Michael, the dark horse of the competition, was the one who kept the crowd entertained and engaged. Every time he appeared on the battle stage, his charisma and power made it a memorable spectacle.
No one had expected him to be this strong, as there was little information about his strength prior to the competition. He had emerged victorious in all his battles, and after witnessing his combat prowess, doubts arose whether even Evan and Victoria could defeat him. He appeared exceedingly powerful for a Body Refining Stage Level 1 warrior.
"The final fight will be between Ghost, Evan Clark, and Victoria Parker," announced Celina. Just hearing their names sent shivers down the crowd's spines. They were certain that these three would battle each other without any thought of surrendering.
"Hey, do you think Ghost can defeat them?"
"I think Evan and Victoria will try to eliminate him before they face each other. After all, if Ghost wins the final, it would bring shame to both their sects."
"You're overestimating the new guy. He's only a level 1 cultivator, while Evan and Victoria are both level 8. That's not a small difference, is it?"
The crowd was eager to see how Ghost would fare against Victoria and Evan. Regardless of the winner, this promised to be an epic battle.
"The final will begin in ten minutes on battle stage one."
Victoria and Evan huddled with their classmates, discussing their strategy, while Michael casually approached the group of Sunrise disciples.
"Brother Ghost!"
The girls and boys of the Sunrise sect felt more attached to him due to his easy-going behavior, and the Elders also began to come to terms with the fact that he was now a disciple of their sect.
"Young man, what's your real name? Where did you come from? A genius like you can't be a nobody."
Reaching the 100th step and defeating a genius like Nyla without even laying a finger on her was something beyond the capabilities of a normal person with his low-level cultivation. It should have been impossible, but the youngster before them had achieved it.
Hearing Elder Sandra's question, Michael smiled.
"I don't have a real name. I came from a very distant land, and back there, people used to call me Ghost, so it became my real name."
Since he had to put on various disguises and lie constantly to reach his targets, Michael was very proficient at lying. Because of that, the elders couldn't detect any signs of deception, and they believed everything he just said.
"What you just did, making a deal on the battle stage."
Elder Miles frowned, thinking that what he did was dishonorable. However, Michael waved his hand.
"Does this old dog want us to go to war with Silver Moon?"
Gaya was not happy with Elder Miles's question and shouted in Michael's mind.
"Elder, I believe there's a fine line between courage and stupidity. That Silver Moon girl is a genius, and killing a genius is not as simple as killing a normal disciple. If I had killed her, not only would they have attempted to take revenge on me, but they might have also retaliated against our entire sect. That wouldn't be a favorable situation for us, would it?"
"He's right, Elder Miles. We can't afford to offend those people," Claire added, with the other elders and disciples nodding in agreement.
"But how do you plan to face Evan and Victoria? They won't be as easy as Nyla, and as you just mentioned, you can't kill them."
"I'll just beat the crap out of them, easy peasy."
Even though they had realized by now that he was a freak of nature, hearing him speak so confidently about the upcoming battle still shocked them.
"Young man, don't be too cocky. I've seen them fight, and they are extremely talented, with many powerful spells in their arsenal."
"Elder, trust me, they won't even be able to lay a finger on me."