Yang Cheng was surprised when he heard the voice. He was not expecting that another person was there. He tensed up and was about to ready his stance.
But Carl Baxter was faster to react than him. He yelled,
"Who's there? Reveal yourself!"
A female student walked in front of the three. She was around 154 centimeters tall and had a lean build. She had a shoulder length black hair with a tinge of pink.
She had probably taken the opposite corridor that the three classmates had taken. That would explain why they did not notice her approaching.
"My name is Ariana."
She narrowed her eyes as she looked at them one by one. She then added,
"Ariana Aries. Please step away from that treasure. I found it first."
"Aries!"
Carl winced when he heard her full name. He seemed to have remembered something he did not like.
Yang Cheng was clueless on what this could be. So he asked,
"What's the matter? You know the person?"
His short curly-haired classmate clicked his tongue upon hearing this. Perhaps he did not want to answer such question.
Thankfully Jet Song took over. He said,
"Cheng, you don't recognize the family name at all?"
"Please enlighten me."
"So troublesome, if the Magan Empire have their 'Kings'. Then the Hyugan Nation have their 'Pillars'. They have twelve clans that serves as the foundation of their Guild. And Aries is one of those twelve."
"I see… I'm more familiar with the Militia and their Trogan Warlords though."
Yang Cheng smiled wryly as he reasoned out. On his defense, he had been spending most of his time in his internship. So he had no idea about the structure of the other Guilds.
The female student named Aries pulled his thoughts back when she spoke. She said,
"Thank you for the introduction. But can we please return to the current situation? As I said, I found that treasure first. So please step away."
Carl raised an eyebrow. He seemed to be annoyed with what he just heard. He spat out,
"Hah! Is this how you Pillars do things nowadays? Brandish your names like some kind of a badge!"
"No I don't. As I said---"
"You found the treasure first blah, blah, blah! Do you even have proof for that? We arrived here before you came barging in! So YOU step away!"
"I agree with Carl. You have no proof that you arrived here first. There is no reason for us to step away."
Jet added in. He tapped the shoulder of their classmate who was raising his voice. He then gestured the Warrior student to calm down.
"I agree as well."
Yang Cheng nodded. He might have no idea why Carl seemed to be triggered by the female student. But he do believe that they should not hand over the treasure.
All of the participants have taken the challenge of venturing inside a dungeon. Thus everyone had the right to claim any rewards they might find. And they also have the right to protect whichever treasure the others might try to poach.
The female student named Aries sighed. She was acting as if she was given no other choice. She then said,
"Very well. I invoke my right to challenge you three into a duel. The winner claims the treasure once and for all."
"Hah! I refuse your challenge! First you use your name, now you invoke some mumbo jumbo! You pillars make sick."
Carl sneered. He denied the offer for a duel. Both Jet and Yang Cheng nodded in consent.
They outnumber the poacher. There was no reason to accept such an unreasonable offer.
But the female student grinned in return. She said,
"Sorry, but that is not for you to decide."
"""?"""
The three looked at her in alarm. They were expecting her to use some kind of underhanded trick at any moment.
The answer arrived a few seconds later. But it came from the structure that was between their team and the female student. The fountain started to emit a golden light.
This participant named Aries smiled wider. She glanced at the structure as if it was the proof that she was asked to present. She exclaimed,
"The fountain serves as the witness! It have proven that I do have the right to claim its treasure."
Yang Cheng was dumbfounded. He was not expecting that this particular dungeon had this kind of characteristic. He was about to back away from his stance.
Thankfully, Carl remained firm,
"Hah! This also proves that we have the right to claim the treasure too!"
He crossed his arms and raised his chin. He stared down at the female student. He then added,
"Alright, if you want to be beaten up that badly. I accept! We're going to teach a pillar some lesson today!"
Jet followed through and gave his consent. There was no way Yang Cheng would leave his classmates behind. He gave his consent as well.
The smile of the female student seemed to turn into a smug. She then commented,
"Hmph, 1 versus 3. A little unfair don't you think?"
"No it's not. You are the one who asked for this anyway."
Jet reasoned out. This was because Carl was almost triggered again and was just holding his anger down.
The female student shrugged upon seeing their reaction. She then called out,
"Indeed. So I have to even out the playing field a little bit. Hey, come out! Please save me~"
"Stop calling me 'hey'. We barely know each other."
Another student walked from the corridor that the female student had taken. This time, it was a male with jet black hair. He was around 170 centimeters tall and---
Yang Cheng wanted to describe him further. But his mind froze upon recognizing him. He cried out,
"T-the Lightning Bender!"
The newly arrived male student squinted upon hearing this. But his eyes widened when he seemed to remember something. He replied,
"So it was you!"
"And you're… Ruben Kang!"
Yang Cheng finally recalled his name. He was surprised to see this guy here.
Although he did recognize the uniform that the guy was wearing before. Who would have thought that he would meet the guy again here. What were the odds?
"Ruben Kang?"
The female student tilted her head. She was staring at the guy that was now standing on her side.
"Its… complicated."
The 'inspector' smiled wryly. Yang Cheng wanted to ask the guy for details. But his thoughts were then pulled back by his teammates.
"You know the guy?"
Carl asked. He seemed to be readying his stance.
"Yes! He was the Lightning Bender that I have been talking about."
"Lightning? But he's just a Tier 1?"
Yang Cheng was surprised upon knowing this information. He had tried on estimating the current power level of the 'inspector'.
Unfortunately he was now unable to do so. This would imply that the guy was around the same level as he was.
But Carl said otherwise. His classmate was already at the Mid-level of Tier 2. So his prying eyes would be better than anyone in their team.
However he remembered what had happened to Officer Pailong before. He was also able to pry on the power level of the 'inspector' back then. And yet he was defeated easily.
There was no time to share that incident to his classmates now though. So Yang Cheng gave a warning instead.
"Don't get fooled. He is affiliated with the Hyugan Nation after all."
"Hah! Very interesting! I'll have to beat him up more then!"
His curly-haired classmate grinned upon hearing his answer. He even cracked his knuckles with anticipation. Even Jet was readying his stance now.
"Please don't. Can we not just talk this through like the civilized people that we are?"
"Too late for that. The fountain had acknowledged the validity of the duel. It's time for a Showdown."
The female student refuted the suggestion of the 'inspector'. Her eyes then glittered after mentioning her second sentence.
"""What showdown?"""
All of the remaining students except for Carl asked at almost the same time. The answer though arrived when the glow of the fountain had became brighter.
Yang Cheng closed his eyes from the sudden flash of light. When his vision returned, he was surprised to see that they were no longer at the intersection.
All five of them was now standing on a circular platform that was around a hundred meters in diameter. The scenery beyond the concrete platform was like a desolate wasteland.
"So this is the duel that my seniors had warned me about."
"What do you mean, Carl?"
Jet asked when he saw the solemn expression of their classmate. The Warrior student answered,
"This means that we have to fight. We cannot escape this space until a winner is declared."
Carl clenched his fist. He was grinning for some reason. He then said,
"Unfortunately, the loser of the duel will be disqualified in the event. Too bad for you Aries! Time to step down from your high horse!"
"Now we cannot have that happening. [Weapon Call]."
The 'inspector' stepped forward. The female student beside him seemed to have given him the gist of the situation as well.
A small dimensional gate had formed on his right hand. A knife then appeared. He held on it tightly.
"There it is! Zeta Blade! Hehehe, Zeta~"
"Will you please stop that? By the way, you're going to fight too, right?"
"Don't worry, I'm going to assist you."
"Huh?"
The 'inspector' seemed bothered by how easy-going the female student was. Yang Cheng wanted to remind the two that they were about to have a duel against them.
But Carl moved faster. He kicked the floor and rushed towards his targets. He roared,
"You're too occupied with your personal matters! Don't blame me if you lose because of it! [Bubble Shuffle]!"
Carl attacked immediately when he was around 2 meters away from his opponents. Twelve bubbles were now surrounding him. And it looked like more would soon appear.
"[Agility Up]!"
The 'inspector' countered. He was able to avoid the incoming bubbles. Meanwhile, the female student quickly backed away to safety.
However,
"You're wide open!"
Jet appeared behind the guy. His bow had already materialized. He quickly released an arrow.
There was no way he would miss at that distance.