"Behind you."
Zach heart had a jump scare when he heard the sudden voice that came behind him. Realizing that it was the person who he was waiting for, he suddenly felt relief. But his heart was still beating quite fast than normal.
"Do you meant what you said?" Not a hint was given, but Zach knew that the other person understands what he was inferring to.
"Of course." Aviva lips curl up when she saw the doubtful expression on Zach's face. "As long as you do your job properly, I'll treat you well." Reaching her hand into her pocket, Aviva brought out a small bottle filled with red liquid substance.
Observing the small bottle in Aviva's palm, Zach had a complicated expression on his face. Finally, he stammers and ask, "It-- it won't do anything harmful to me if I drink it, right?" He was starting to get nervous.
"Of course not." Aviva said with a chuckled. "I am not a person who would want to see my classmate die."
Well, apart from a certain person.
Continuing, she assured, "Don't worry. It's totally harmless. Apart from making your body a little weak, you'll go back to your previous self once the effects wane off."
Zach hesitated for a moment, before he finally said through his gritted teeth. "Fine."
"Nice one." Aviva had hint of playfulness in her eyes, before passing the bottle to Zach. "All you need to do is to call in sick for tomorrow competition and then leave the rest of the plan to me."
After coming to an agreement, the two parted ways.
...
Inside the hotel room, Xue Yiran was talking with Xue Haoran on the phone. The little guy face appears vibrant on the screen. From his cheerful expression, it seems like he really enjoys his stay with Miley.
"Isn't he so cute." Miley's face appears on the screen. "I really want to kidnap him and make him mine." Hugging Xue Haoran, Miley gave the helpless boy a kiss on the cheeks.
A slight chuckle escaped from Xue Yiran mouth.
She converses a bit with Miley and then ended the conversation.
...
Unlike in the first round, the numbers of students at the stadium had diminished a lot. Still, that doesn't stop the enthused crowd for cheering for their academy.
Xue Yiran was also seated waiting for the event to start.
Vice president Edward came to the stage once again, and began to announce the rules of the competition.
Since it's a combat competition, injuries were sure to take place. Hence, the paramedics were at the side, ready to treat any contestants who gets injure during the fight.
Once the rules were announced, a lot of contestants were quite happy.
One, they were allowed to summoned out their contract beast. Two, they were allowed to play dirty. As long as they do not step out of the arena boundary line, they can fight to their heart content.
Although the rules might sound dangerous, however the judges knew that the students weren't yet exposed to bloody situation.
Even though they could cheat their way through with some few tricks, but in face of real death, they would instantly turn to a coward.
Hearing that summoning of their contract beast was accepted, those among the contestants who had contracted with the cub of a powerful beast were starting to get their ego up.
At this stage of adolescence, most of the beast contracted by teenagers are most likely cub beast who are yet to reach adulthood. Since contacting an adult beast would lead to a severe backlash to the teenager.
Xue Yiran cases of contracting Sky was a special moment. First, Sky who was then a C rank beast king trying to break into a B rank, was bombarded with attack from a B rank monster.
Since he was in vulnerable moment at that time, Sky fighting spirit had depleted a lot.
Also, the moment Xue Yiran was performing the contracting ritual, he had wanted to fight back, which would result to a contract backlash, resulting to Xue Yiran's injury. But just as he was about to do so, he felt a momentum pressure fall upon him and could only cower in fear. And so, follows the next scenario.
The competition was operated by a ballot. Each contestant would have to take a paper out of the ballot box. The name written in the paper would be the opponent they would be fighting against.
In such a case, a contestant from the same academy might likely pick an opponent of the same academy. That could only be said to be the bad luck of the academy.
Hence everyone was nervous as they approach the ballot box with caution. Some were lucky, while some who weren't could only fight with their own academy students.
From the Hermes academy, there were eleven students who had passed the first round. They could be said to be quite lucky. However, the homeroom teacher immediately noticed that the number weren't adding up
'Shouldn't they be eleven. Why are there only ten contestants around?'
The homeroom teacher immediately walked towards the group. "You're all supposed to be eleven. Who is the missing person?" A frown appeared on the homeroom teacher as he asked. This was an important competition. How dare someone lack behind. Do he or she think this is a child play.
"It's Zach." One of the students raised his hands up and answered. He was among those who had walked with Zach yesterday evening. "This morning, I don't know how it happened but when we woke up, we found Zach complexion a bit red. Upon touching him, we realize that he was burning with fever. Me and some roommates immediately rushed him into the infirmary. The doctor said that Zach might have ingested something which his body might be allergic to. However, with a bit of rest, he would be fine by tomorrow."
"Oh." The frown on the homeroom teacher face lessens. A student was sick. This could be said to be a negligence on his side. "Good job." He compliments the student who spoke. "I'll go take a look at Zach. As for Zach space it would be fill in by someone. Just focus on the competition and perform your best." The homeroom teacher said some words of encouragement to the students before leaving.
Xue Yiran was currently seated waiting for the match to start when she saw their homeroom teacher approaching towards them. She detects some hint of worry on his face.
Soon, everyone noticed the homeroom teacher arrival.
Sighed. He really didn't want to do this but there was nothing he could do. "We have a sick student among the contestants. He has been sent to the infirmary. However, there's a spot opened among the participants. Would any of you like to fill in the spots?"
The students were stunned by the sudden question. As a substitute, most of them really do not have a sound combat experience since they were only here to make up for the number. Agreeing to the homeroom teacher means they would have to step on the stage and fight up with the opponent. And since the theme of the competition is combat, there's a high chance of them getting injured.
How could they let that happen to them. Hence none of them spoke up. The homeroom teacher had expected to get such reaction from them.
Still, he looks at the students one by one.
"Do want to go Suzy?"
"I... I..." Suzy began to stammer hearing her name being called. It's evident that the young girl was getting nervous.
The homeroom teacher turned his gaze to the student next to Suzy.
"I'm sorry teacher. I don't want to go. I'm really afraid of pain."
"I understand. What about you?" He glances at the next student.
"I have a stage fright. I don't think I've the courage to go down the stage."
"I injured my back some weeks ago, the doctor told me rest or else I might be paralyzed for life."
Rejection came one after the other. The homeroom teacher was starting to get angry when he heard the silly excuses the students were given.
What do you mean by you injured your back? How come I saw you displaying some stunts yesterday. And you, what do you say. You're afraid of your makeup being smeared with sweat. Does this look like a joke to you?
Finally, his gaze rested on the last person, Xue Yiran. Everyone turned their head to look at her. Each of them all had a nervous expression on their face.
Xue Yiran was their last hope. If she were to refuse, the homeroom teacher would have to pick one of them.
They really do not want it to be them. Hence what would Xue Yiran decision be. They were all waiting with tension.