"ARGHHH… urghh" He couldn't even scream properly because of the pain. As Evelyn increased her power output a bit more,
"ENOUGH!" A loud voice interrupted everyone.
It was Chloe who intervened, unable to bear the sight of a student from her academy suffering in such agony, regardless of the non-lethal nature of the attacks. Undeterred, Evelyn continued to increase the intensity, prompting Antonie's shrieks to pierce through the arena once more.
"I still didn't hear this worm surrendering." Evelyn didn't stop and again increased the intensity, making Antonie shriek again with pain.
"We…" Chloe struggled to reply. Admitting defeat after swaggering so much was really painful for her. "We admit defeat."
Evelyn's response to Chloe's admission of defeat was a simple, "Sure." She released Antonie and gracefully departed from the fighting area. The astonishing aspect was that Evelyn emerged unscathed, not a scratch on her, while Antonie bore the marks of a thoroughly intense battle, his body wounded in multiple places.
French academy students quickly attended to Antonie, carefully examining his injuries. Chloe, while overseeing the situation, couldn't help but express her disapproval.
"The students should exercise some restraint," she admonished, her tone carrying a hint of a lecture. "Although it was a spar, it was a friendly spar. You shouldn't have gone this far."
The aftermath was evident not only in physical injuries but also in the mental trauma Antonie endured. Chloe harbored doubts about his ability to engage in sparring again anytime soon.
Zen, however, couldn't let the matter rest. He scoffed at Chloe's authoritative stance, even in the face of defeat.
"If the French Academy can't teach the students to have some values, I think it should be our responsibility to hammer it down to them."
Chloe, clearly agitated by Zen's comment, squinted her eyes in displeasure. "What do you mean, boy?" she retorted, challenging his insinuations.
"I mean, does your academy teach to gamble girls on spars?" Zen's words cut through the air, his tone carrying a pointed accusation. Although Zen didn't show it because he was sure that Evelyn could handle it. He trusted her that she could always stand on her own. But that doesn't mean that he wasn't enraged. How can his blood not boil catching someone lusting towards his girlfriend in such a perverse manner.
Chloe, left with no effective response, could do nothing but grit her teeth. The tension in the arena lingered, awaiting the resolution of both the spoken and unspoken conflicts that had arisen during this intense inter-academy sparring session.
"Let's move on to the next match." She said to change the subject. "Throw Antonie to the medical center." She ordered the students who were checking up on him.
Now it was Zen's turn to step into the arena. His opponent, a sophomore, awaited the challenge. Zen, however, exuded confidence. Positioned at the 3rd outer ring, he was well-aware of his capabilities, backed by his bloodline and techniques, giving him the assurance that he could easily defeat anyone under the 8th ring.
"Zen Ashford," he declared confidently. "1st outer ring."
The declaration sent ripples of shock through the training ground. Gasps and murmurs spread like wildfire.
|Wh– How did he start cultivating?|
|Isn't he a commoner? How did he even afford a bloodline?|
The astonishment was palpable. Cultivation was not unheard of among commoners, but it remained a rare sight. Moreover, everyone was well-acquainted with the supposed condition of Zen's family, as presented by the Ashford family as a cover.
The whispers and gasps echoed, creating a buzz of speculation. James, surprised by this revelation, couldn't help but seek confirmation from Zen's sister.
"Anna" James called out, "Is it true that Zen started cultivating?" The news seemed almost unbelievable. A friend who was a normal human just a week ago was now revealed as a cultivator.
Anna nodded in affirmation, providing an explanation, "Yes. Vice-director sponsored the bloodline for my brother."
They had anticipated such inquiries and were prepared with carefully crafted responses. Zen chose not to disclose his true cultivation level for now, aware that it wasn't necessary at this moment. He harbored no fear of doing so and remained ready to use higher rings during the spar if required. However, he understood the potential consequences, knowing that revealing his rapid advancement from no cultivation to the 3rd outer ring might attract the attention of the UHF. Even if they can't harm him or his family, it sure as hell will become noisy. Since he decided to stay on Earth for now, he wanted to train without disturbances and enjoy with Evelyn and his friends.
On the stage with Zen, another contender entered, a boy with long red hair and a chubby face adorned with a full beard. The moment Zen laid eyes on him, a thought flashed through his mind – 'This guy has a face screaming cunning.'
"Otto Muller," the boy declared, flicking his hair with an air of confidence. "3rd outer ring." As he spoke, a flicker of electricity sparked around him, revealing his affiliation with the lightning element.
Zen, intrigued by the revelation, was surprised to find that his opponent shared the lightning element with him. A spark of interest lit up in Zen's eyes.
'Lightning? Interesting!' Zen thought, readying himself for the impending battle. The air crackled with anticipation as the two contestants faced each other, both armed with the potent energy of the lightning element.