Alyssa couldn't help but reveal a hidden smirk as she felt Noah's gaze upon her. To be honest, she wasn't entirely sure what she felt toward him, but it was something far beyond the camaraderie they had built during their time in the hidden dimension. It definitely wasn't limited to being mere acquaintances. Even if it had been, she didn't want their relationship to stay at that level. There was something more there—an unspoken connection, perhaps curiosity, or even something deeper, though she couldn't quite put a name to it yet.
She slowly unsheathed her sword, the sound of metal scraping against the scabbard slicing through the air. With a practiced motion, she coated the blade in her Essence, watching as her wings burst forth from her back in a brilliant display of dark energy. Her wings unfurled with a soft crackle, their shadowy feathers shimmering under the ambient light. Then, with a powerful dash, she propelled herself forward, the Essence flowing through her body like a raging river.
Her legs transformed into wisps of dark smoke that spread around her, demonstrating her mastery of the Path of Body. Her agility and speed were unmatched, her movements fluid and graceful. Behind her Phoenix Battlesoul, a ring of pure darkness formed, approximately 10 meters in diameter. This ring wasn't just for show—it unleashed a powerful attraction, pulling in the ambient Essence around her with great force. It devoured the energy greedily, converting it to match her own Essence signature before channeling it into her Core. This was a clear demonstration of her prowess in the Path of Essence.
The sword in her hand vibrated slightly, resonating with her power as a strange, chaotic night-like glow enveloped the blade. Alyssa's eyes narrowed as she prepared to strike, the sheer intensity of her focus radiating from her. She swung her sword with deadly precision, unleashing her signature move. "Dark Angel Sword: Crucifix!" she cried, her voice echoing in the suddenly still air.
The environment around her plunged into chaos. The glow that surrounded her sword, clearly her Pseudo-Intent, created a disorienting and hostile atmosphere. Even though her strike was not yet upon her opponent, they could already feel the razor-sharp intensity of the attack, as if the very air was being split apart by her power.
Her four opponents, recognizing the danger, hastily erected their defenses. The leader of the group summoned an imposing armor of stone to shield his body, while a yellow aura—his own Pseudo-Intent—reinforced the armor, adding another layer of protection. The others followed suit, fortifying their positions and bracing for impact.
Yet Alyssa's Crucifix attack was not to be deterred. Her blade cut through their defenses as though they were nothing more than paper, slicing through the stone armor and Essence barriers with ease. It was as if her blade could sever even the concept of defense itself. Though she was facing three 9th Level Adepts and a Pseudo-Expert Stage opponent, their combined strength didn't seem to present any significant challenge for her. With one devastating move, she incapacitated three of them, leaving only the student with a Pseudo-Intent still standing. He remained on his feet, but he was still injured. Any more harm done to him would immediately activate the token on his body.
Despite this, he wasn't ready to give up. What Noah didn't know, watching from a distance, was that there were ranks and subtleties within Pseudo-Intent, much like there were variations in elemental affinities. The Pseudo-Intent used by this student was rudimentary, almost simplistic. It seemed to only enhance his defense, offering no additional advantage beyond that. In contrast, Alyssa's Pseudo-Intent was far more sophisticated. It amplified her sword's power and carried with it a destructive force specifically designed to tear through Essence-based defenses.
Alyssa's mastery of her Essence Path was also apparent in the way she seamlessly absorbed the lost Essence from her Execution Flow, redirecting it back into her Core. This immediate assimilation of her own Essence was an efficient, cyclical process, allowing her to conserve energy and remain in control of the battle.
The last opponent, however, refused to go down easily. Injured as he was, he summoned the last reserves of his strength. He was, after all, a proud student of Starlight Academy, one of the most prestigious institutions in the land. To retreat without giving his all would be a disgrace. His muscles swelled as yellow Essence coated his skin, and with a roar of defiance, he smashed his fists into the ground. The earth trembled beneath him, sending large, uneven slabs of stone hurtling into the air. With ferocious precision, he punched each slab, launching them toward Alyssa, his Essence empowering the projectiles with crushing force.
Realizing that her current stance wouldn't be enough to counter such an aggressive assault, Alyssa decided it was time to use her Soul skill. Night's Blessing—an ability that allowed her to amplify either her body or the intensity of her attacks—was one of her most powerful tools. It could even enhance her already potent Pseudo-Intent, making it a force to be reckoned with. However, like all powerful abilities, it came with limitations.
For Night's Blessing to function at its full potential, there had to be a significant amount of Dark Essence present in the environment. This meant the skill was most effective during the night or in battles where she had the opportunity to flood the area with her own Dark Essence. While the former was ideal, the latter required a substantial amount of her Essence reserves, making it less practical in extended combat situations. It was only after she began treading the Path of Essence that Night's Blessing truly started to make an impact on her battles.
With a thought, Alyssa commanded her Dark Essence to flood the stage, covering a 10-meter radius around her in an inky, suffocating shroud. The air grew heavy with the presence of darkness. With another mental command, the glow on her sword intensified, responding to the surge of power from Night's Blessing. She slashed forward once again, this time sending out multiple sword-shaped Essence projectiles. These projectiles hurtled toward the incoming stone slabs with terrifying speed and precision, shattering them upon impact before continuing on toward her opponent.
The earth-affinity Battlesoul master gritted his teeth and activated his Soul skill once more, reinforcing the stone armor that coated his body. He punched forward with all his might, but even with his remaining Essence poured into his defenses, it wasn't enough to stop Alyssa's relentless assault.
Her projectiles sliced through his stone armor, leaving deep, jagged gashes in his skin. Blood poured from the wounds, though it could have been far worse if not for his keen Internal Sight, which allowed him to narrowly avoid fatal injuries by protecting his vital points. He staggered back, clearly struggling to stay conscious.
"Damn it," he thought, his frustration evident. He had always known his earth element and Pseudo-Intent were weaker compared to the prodigies of the Academy. That was why he had begun walking the Path of Soul, enhancing his Internal Sight to improve his control over his element and Intent. Against most opponents, this strategy would have been enough. But today, his luck had run out. He was up against Alyssa Elrith, a monster among geniuses. "What terrible luck," he muttered.
Alyssa, however, had already deemed the battle over. With a single flap of her wings, she closed the remaining distance in an instant. Her sword rested lightly against her opponent's neck, her gaze hard but not cruel. Her eyes spoke the unspoken question: Do you surrender?
The student let out a bitter chuckle, realizing he had no other choice. "Well, that's scarier than saying it out loud," he thought. Resigned, he dismissed his Essence, raised his token, and crushed it, activating its teleportation function and marking his defeat.
And so, the first match of the third stage concluded in a somewhat anticlimactic fashion, with the top student of the Year 3s, Alyssa Elrith, thoroughly dominating her opponents.