Hurt!
That's Hurt!
It felt like waking up from a terrible hangover. Owen's head throbbed with piercing pain, as if needles were stirring his brain.
He slapped his head hard, and the pain finally subsided a little.
Then, countless chaotic, noisy voices speaking in an unfamiliar language flooded into his ears.
Gradually, he began to understand the meaning of the words.
"Winning one hundred and nine consecutive matches in the tournament, Madelyn truly lives up to her name as the thorny rose of House Ravenwood, the largest family in the Azure Kingdom. So many self-proclaimed geniuses have fallen at her feet. Who will finally win her heart?"
"The one-hundred-and-tenth match won't be easy. Her opponent is Garner from Blackwind Academy, hailed as a prodigy seen once in fifty years. Blackwind Academy regards him as the 'Tiger in the South,' their ultimate champion."
"…"
Owen forced his eyes open. Warm light streamed down from the clear azure sky, and he squinted slightly, trying to adjust.
The first thing he saw was a spacious plaza, crowded with people. Blonde men and women with blue eyes craned their necks, all focusing on the center stage.
The stage rose several meters above the plaza, made of solid obsidian, entirely black and sturdy.
It covered a considerable area, and there stood a man and a woman facing each other.
Owen's heart skipped a beat when he saw the stunning girl.
He couldn't help but widen his eyes.
The girl had long hair like golden waves, skin as white and tender as a baby's, and her features were still a bit youthful, but her eyes were full of pride.
Her slim waist, impressive bust, tightly wrapped in a purple noble dress, showcased her stunning curves. She was holding a white angelic staff, pointing it forward.
"Madelyn?"
Isn't this the anime character I designed?
The more Owen looked, the more familiar the girl seemed.
He rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
However, the scene before him did not change. Instead, unfamiliar memories began to flood his mind.
"Owen... orphan... commoner... Azure Kingdom... martial arts tournament..."
Absorbing the memories, Owen quickly calmed down.
His predecessor was an orphan, alone and unprotected, who had just suddenly died while watching the competition, allowing Owen to cross over into this world.
Boom!
Suddenly, the young man on the stage took a step forward, charging towards the proud-looking Madelyn. Strange black light patterns swirled around his fists, resembling entwined swords, creating deafening air explosions.
As the young man displayed his formidable attack, the spectators gasped in amazement, their attention entirely focused on the stage.
At this moment, in a crystal palace at the center of the plaza, King Aldric of the Azure Kingdom, seated on his throne, swirled the wine in his glass, watching the stage with great interest.
"No wonder Garner is the most famous prodigy of Blackwind Academy. His explosive power and speed in this move far surpass his peers. I wonder how Madelyn will respond?"
"Although she is an outstanding mage, Garner's close combat power is quite astonishing and poses a significant threat to her..."
Hearing King Aldric speak, Duke Charles Ravenwood, the head of House Ravenwood sitting beside him, confidently bowed and said with a smile:
"Though my daughter is a mage, she knows a bit about combat. Garner's explosive power is impressive, but defeating her is still a long shot.
Blackwind Academy trying to overshadow us is simply impossible!"
Having said this, Charles fixed his gaze on Madelyn.
As Madelyn's father, he knew his second daughter too well. She was astonishingly proud, thinking that other noble heirs were all useless.
She insisted on hosting a martial arts tournament to find a genius who could defeat her and propose marriage.
And Madelyn's strength was almost unmatched among her peers.
So he agreed, thinking that if a young genius could indeed defeat her, it would curb her arrogance, and they could form alliances with exceptional talents, enhancing the family's power.
Whether the engagement would happen or not, the final decision rested with him.
"Madelyn... the future legendary mage, and one of the main character's beloved in the original anime..."
In the crowd, Owen's eyes heated up as he watched the two on the verge of clashing on stage.
As the character designer of the anime, he knew the entire series very well.
Madelyn was an extremely important character.
Not only was she stunningly beautiful, making her the dream girl of many noble scions in the imperial capital, but her future prospects were also limitless!
However, considering his current status as an orphan and a commoner, Owen suppressed his excitement for the moment.
In the rigid aristocratic hierarchy of the empire, someone like him with no background or status could hardly find any opportunity for learning or cultivation, let alone a decent job.
This was why his predecessor lived such a precarious life, struggling even to get enough food and eventually dying suddenly here.
Moreover, House Ravenwood was the largest military family in the Azure Kingdom.
It would be extremely difficult and risky to try to get into their good graces.
Once inside a noble family, life would be entirely out of his control, especially with the turbulent undercurrents within the ducal mansion.
It would be better to rely on modern knowledge first, become a wealthy businessman, and wait for the right moment.
Thinking of the various plots in time-travel stories where the protagonist becomes rich through modern knowledge, he couldn't help but feel a surge of enthusiasm.
With this thought, he calmed down and looked back at the stage, recalling the anime plot.
According to the original anime, Garner might seem fierce now, but he was no match for Madelyn and would be defeated in a few moves.
"Fire Storm!"
On the stage, Madelyn shouted, and her staff erupted in crimson flames, which then turned into a dense rain of fire, surging towards Garner like a blazing storm.
Garner's pupils contracted sharply. The attack was too dense to dodge, leaving him no choice but to defend.
Just as he raised his arms to block, the approaching flames suddenly exploded, creating a terrifying blast wave that sent him flying backward.
The sword patterns on his arms dissipated instantly under the impact, his long sleeves turned to ash, and his arm skin was charred black, emitting smoke and almost turning to charcoal.
"Damn it!"
With his arms nearly crippled and excruciating pain piercing through him, Garner's eyes turned blood-red.
But he did not intend to give up. Instead, he charged at Madelyn like a raging beast.
Even though he was seriously injured, Garner knew that Madelyn had consumed a lot of mana.
If he could just get close to her, he might still have a chance!
"Madelyn! This fight is over; you have lost!"
As he finished speaking, he had already reached Madelyn.
However, Madelyn remained calm, a teasing smile playing at her lips.
Garner suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.
Then, his back felt scorching hot.
The fire storm that had originally passed him by had bizarrely turned back, and the intense heat wave hit him as if he were being struck by magma.
His body began to emit hot steam as if he was about to be vaporized.
"Madelyn!"
An old voice rang out at this moment.
The Vice-Principal of Blackwind Academy appeared on the stage like a ghost, blocking the returning fire storm with one hand while striking Garner's neck with the other, knocking him out.
"Garner was outmatched and embarrassed Madelyn. This fight is yours."
With that, he bowed slightly, then swiftly left the stage, carrying the unconscious Garner.
The sudden turn of events stunned everyone. The spectators widened their eyes in disbelief.
One move!
Madelyn had defeated the prodigy known as the Tiger in the South with a single strike!
Moreover, had the elder from Blackwind Academy not intervened, Garner's life would have been in danger!
After a brief moment of shock, the crowd erupted into wild cheers, looking at the graceful figure standing on the stage like an immortal monument.
"Madelyn is invincible!"
"Madelyn, I love you!"
Madelyn glanced at the unconscious Garner being carried away and shook her head slightly in disappointment before turning her attention to the crowd.
"Who else dares to come up and fight!"
As her voice fell, the previously noisy scene instantly fell silent.
They had already witnessed Madelyn's strength many times, knowing that they couldn't possibly defeat her. Not a single person was willing to step onto the stage.
When Madelyn's provocative gaze swept over them, none dared to meet her eyes.
They hurriedly lowered their heads and stepped back, indicating their submission.
"Oh?"
Suddenly, Madelyn made a curious sound, her gaze stopping on a young man standing in the crowd who had not stepped back.
The young man appeared to be around eighteen or nineteen years old, somewhat thin, with tattered yet clean clothes.
His deep eyes were like black gemstones, calm and indifferent, showing no trace of fear.
This person seemed different from everyone else she had seen.
As Madelyn's gaze focused on him, Owen was taken aback.
Only then did he realize that while he had been engrossed in recalling the anime plot, all the men stared at by Madelyn had stepped back.
He was left standing alone at the front!
Owen's heart skipped a beat. How could he possibly be a match for Madelyn?
Just as he was about to step back, a loud noise suddenly filled his mind, and a mechanical voice echoed in his ears.
Leave, and obtain random information. Step onto the stage and challenge her, and receive a god-tier reward!