[Chapter 18 Comment]
[Midday_Eclipse: I have returned from my deep contemplation for the past 4 to 5 chapters to tell you Sir Theo that by the time you read this it will be the Holiday known as Fathers Day in our world… see more.]
[Adam_Balch_7324: I'm guessing it's Haruka]
The next day. They had gathered on the school field, which had a designated seating area for spectators due to the nature of the academy. Theo and the other students were seated, observing the six participants who were about to engage in combat. Teacher Gareth was also present, having caused this event, and he volunteered to be the referee to ensure the students' safety.
While waiting for the participants to prepare, Theo took a moment to read the comments from the previous chapter. He quietly remarked, "Oh, Father's Day. It's a joyous occasion. I'm also a father, after all. So, on behalf of all the fathers in this world and on the other side, Happy Father's Day."
He noticed a small detail in one of the comments that made him realize the chapter must end with him meeting the fourth student, although their identity wasn't revealed to add intrigue to the story. With a playful smile, Theo responded, "I won't give you any spoilers. Haha."
It appeared that the participants on the field were ready. Gareth approached and suggested, "We should make a bet. If the talented students win two out of three matches, or even three out of three, you will resign as the teacher of the S Class. The B Class would be more suitable for someone like you."
"Is that so? I don't mind accepting that bet. But what will you do if you lose?" Theo inquired.
"As for me, I never lose," Gareth harrumphed.
"Does that mean you are still a virgin?" Mia interjected playfully, raising her hand. "You said you never lose, right? That should include your virginity, right?!"
Gareth's body shook, and he glared at Mia while exclaiming, "How did you raise your daughter?!"
"Technically, she's not wrong, but you still need to apologize Mia. It's rude to reveal someone's secret." Theo shrugged, waving his hand as if to prevent Gareth from pursuing the matter. Mia stuck out her tongue while Theo presented his demand to shift the topic. "If you lose, I'm not planning to ask for much. Just apologize to the students who have been affected by you, especially those whom you have looked down upon. Simply say, 'Please forgive me because I have been biased towards others. I was wrong and will not do it again,' and kneel before them. That should suffice to demonstrate your sincerity, don't you think?"
"You..." Gareth gritted his teeth.
"What's wrong? I am just a commoner, as you said. In your world, a commoner must kneel before a noble, correct? In that case, why wouldn't you do the same? I'm merely giving the nobles a taste of their own medicine. Or... are you afraid despite your overwhelming advantage?" Theo smirked.
Gareth wanted to explode, but he eventually harrumphed, saying, "Do you think I'm afraid of losing to you? The chances of you beating me are less than one percent."
Theo shrugged. "I'm just confirming. Do you agree to the bet or not?"
Gareth, annoyed by Theo's persistence, erupted, "I agree! This is why a commoner is so unreliable. They can't even understand my words."
Theo smiled, waving his hand dismissively.
"In that case, let's begin the first fight. Mia!" Theo glanced to the side.
"Got it!" Mia raised her hand, and a giant teddy bear emerged from the ground. The bear carried a board with six names written on it.
"Who will fight first?!" Theo snapped his fingers.
The names on the board started to flicker until they eventually stopped on Li Wei and Jayden.
Realizing they were chosen, Li Wei and Jayden stood facing each other while the other students moved aside.
Li Wei held a sword, gazing at Jayden, who appeared quite grim. It seemed he was determined to give his best to win.
Li Wei clasped his hands and said, "I hope we can learn from each other."
Jayden harrumphed, "I'm going to defeat you in this match."
Li Wei nodded.
Gareth examined both participants before raising his hands. "You may begin!"
Li Wei unsheathed his sword, and Jayden assumed a defensive stance.
"Strength," Jayden roared, causing a powerful essence fluctuation to shake the field.
Even Li Wei couldn't help but step back, sensing the danger in Jayden's aura.
"Hmm?" Li Wei realized he had been momentarily frightened, thinking that Jayden would unleash a devastating attack. However, after his conversation with Theo, Jayden had come to understand that the strength demon could take on any form. This time, he incorporated the strength demon to grant himself a beast-like strength that preyed upon Li Wei's senses.
Li Wei's step back indicated his sense of danger.
"I see." Li Wei took a deep breath, calming his racing heart. Understanding what Jayden had done, Li Wei swiftly lunged forward, slashing his sword downward.
Jayden punched the blade without hesitation. His gloves had been reinforced with metal, offering protection.
The clash of blade and fist resounded with a clicking sound.
Li Wei and Jayden locked eyes, both contemplating their opponent's moves.
Suddenly, Li Wei infused his essence into his sword, and Jayden coated his fist with essence, turning his glove into a formidable weapon.
Their eyes flashed as they accelerated.
Cling! Cling! Cling!
The field reverberated with a series of clicking sounds as Jayden relentlessly punched away the incoming blades.
However, Jayden appeared slightly overwhelmed and had to resort to punching the ground. The impact caused the ground to crack, with a chunk of it nearly striking Li Wei if he hadn't jumped back in time.
Jayden gritted his teeth. Although his gloves offered protection, the force of Li Wei's blows was formidable, leaving his hands slightly numb.
This power disparity was evident between one of the top students and one of the lowest-ranking students in the class.
Li Wei raised two fingers, gathering his essence behind him.
"Sword Qi."
Golden essence coalesced, forming a large sword above Li Wei. With a single wave of his hand, he unleashed a translucent golden sword toward Jayden.
Jayden, empowered by his strength, concentrated his essence into his fist. Rather than punching the sword, Jayden directed his fist downward.
Suddenly, the essence flowed from his fist and onto the sword, hammering it into the ground. Li Wei's Sword Qi dissipated before reaching its target.
"Haaa!" Jayden roared, charging forward. As he closed in on Li Wei, he delivered a powerful punch, creating a shockwave that headed straight for him.
Li Wei muttered, "If I wish to cut, there would be nothing I can't cut." He swiftly slashed his sword downward, splitting the shockwave with his sword intent.
With the obstacle cleared, Li Wei continued his charge, slashing his sword at Jayden's neck. Jayden managed to intercept it with his left hand while throwing a punch with his other hand.
Li Wei contemplated blocking the punch with his sword, but he noticed Jayden's raised foot. If he blocked the punch, Jayden's foot would surely kick him.
Recognizing the situation, Li Wei directed his sword toward the ground, channeling all his essence into it. Dust billowed up, creating a smokescreen.
Bam!
"!!!" Jayden widened his eyes, realizing Li Wei had used the smokescreen as a diversion. Jayden's kick connected but missed its intended target. Instead, he found himself within Li Wei's striking range.
Li Wei's swift retaliation surprised Jayden. Seven strikes from all directions rained down upon him.
"Kh." Jayden gritted his teeth. Despite the wounds he had sustained, he summoned the courage to face the problem head-on. Jayden charged forward, attempting to repel all the sword strikes.
Li Wei was amazed by Jayden's recklessness, a departure from his usual cautious approach.
"Are you insane?" Li Wei gasped as Jayden managed to parry four of his attacks. Two strikes landed on Jayden's right arm and left waist, creating superficial wounds. The final strike was halted as Jayden caught Li Wei's sword.
"I've got you!" Jayden smirked triumphantly.
Li Wei was completely astounded. Unable to free his sword, he found himself vulnerable to Jayden's subsequent move.
Li Wei hurriedly raised his foot to block it, but he was a fraction too late. Jayden delivered a powerful kick to Li Wei's stomach.
"Gah!" Li Wei coughed up acid from his stomach before being sent flying.
However, Jayden couldn't move either, as he noticed something peculiar. He looked at his hand and saw that Li Wei had managed to retrieve his sword.
When Jayden opened his hand, he discovered a sword wound covering his palm, blood staining his hand. Despite all his efforts, Jayden realized Li Wei possessed the strength to counterattack even in this situation. It was a testament to Li Wei's skill as one of the top students.
Nonetheless, Jayden had received a forceful blow to his stomach.
Li Wei struggled to stand, his right hand gripping his sword, his left hand clutching his stomach in pain as he fought to stabilize himself.
However, due to the earlier strike, Li Wei found it challenging to lift his sword. When he finally managed to do so, his hand trembled.
"Kh." Li Wei never expected Jayden to display such strength. Normally, Jayden would have sought to escape, lacking the confidence to confront Li Wei head-on. It appeared that Theo's teachings had instilled in Jayden the courage he had previously lacked. Li Wei wondered if he could still employ his technique in this state, and even if he could, there was a high chance it would miss.
Meanwhile, although Jayden sustained some wounds, they were not deep. At this point, the battle favored him.
Even Gareth gritted his teeth, unwilling to see Jayden emerge victorious.
However, Jayden pressed forward, attempting to deliver a finishing blow.
Gareth glared at Li Wei, silently urging him to remember his lesson and secure victory.
"..." Li Wei could only remain silent. Understanding Gareth's silent message, he attempted to recall the lesson. But his eyes subtly shifted, stealing a glance at Theo.
In that instant, Li Wei's expression transformed. The hesitation vanished from his eyes.
As Jayden closed in on him, Li Wei stepped forward and swung his blade.
Their clash was brief, with Li Wei subtly shifting his body to pass by Jayden. Once the clash concluded, Li Wei suddenly coughed up blood, gasping, "Gah."
It seemed that Jayden had emerged victorious. Surprisingly, Gareth declared, "Li Wei wins!"
The students were taken aback, but soon, seven sword wounds appeared on Jayden's body, slicing through his clothes and breaking the skin. Blood began to stain Jayden's body.
Despite his reluctance, Jayden could only collapse to the ground.
Gareth smirked, believing he had won. Li Wei approached him, seemingly preparing to express his gratitude.
Gareth raised his head proudly, closing his eyes, anticipating the praise. However, Li Wei walked past him without a word.
Instead, Li Wei approached Theo, clasped his hands politely, and bowed. "Li Wei expresses gratitude to the teacher. I apologize if my words or actions have offended you in any way. Please teach this unfilial student."