The elder stood firmly in the center of the platform, his aura as steady and oppressive as a mountain. He smiled at the two before him. "Excellent. Your teamwork has piqued my interest. However, the real battle is only just beginning!"
Roy heard Alice's low, steady call: "Ready?" He nodded, his eyes brimming with fighting spirit.
"Mental Disruption!" Alice swung her staff, and waves of faint purple energy radiated outward, directly assaulting the elder's mind.
The elder's brow furrowed as he felt a subtle mental impact. A faint smile played across his lips. "Mental energy? Interesting!" Though the effect was brief, it caused his movements to pause for a fraction of a second.
In that moment, Roy seized the opportunity. His entire body erupted with sword energy, the concentrated aura surging like a storm. Gripping his sword tightly with both hands, he let out a deep roar: "Sword Intent: Wind-Cleaving Strike!"
The sword energy sliced through the air with devastating force, bearing down on the elder. His expression shifted slightly as he quickly raised his energy in defense, crossing his arms before him. "Energy Shield!"
The sword energy crashed against the shield with a deafening explosion, shockwaves rippling across the battlefield. Dust and debris swirled as cracks appeared on the shield. The elder slid back slightly but held his ground, his voice calm yet firm. "Impressive, but not nearly enough!"
Roy didn't allow the elder a moment of respite. Lightning coursed through his body as he charged forward again. Slapping the flat of his blade with his left hand, he activated his elemental skill: "Thunderforce: Armor Breaker!"
The elder was about to counter when a faint numbing sensation spread through his body, slightly slowing his reaction. Roy capitalized on the delay, slashing downward with ferocity. The elder narrowly dodged, the blade grazing his sleeve and leaving a thin, clean tear.
"Hahaha!" The elder laughed heartily, a glint of approval in his eyes. "To think you'd make me work for this—you're not bad at all!"
Alice stood at the rear, her sharp gaze tracking every detail of the battlefield. She swung her staff repeatedly, channeling healing energy to alleviate Roy's stamina loss and even restore a portion of his depleted energy.
"Roy! Show him what we've got!" Alice called out confidently. She then clasped her hands in a series of intricate motions, gathering faint purple energy into spectral chains that emanated a strange, oppressive aura. The chains lashed out, wrapping around the elder's limbs.
"Mental Chains!" Alice cried out.
The elder felt his movements and speed restricted. With a faint grunt of displeasure, he muttered, "Mental energy truly is troublesome!" He mobilized his energy to break free, but these chains were far stronger than the earlier disruption.
Roy seized the moment, dashing toward the elder once more. His sharp gaze was locked on his target, and his sword energy intermingled with lightning, each strike bearing explosive force as it assaulted the elder's defenses.
Despite the restraints, the elder's combat experience shone through. He defended with precision, occasionally counterattacking when he found an opening. Though Roy avoided these counters by the skin of his teeth, every near miss left the crowd holding their breath.
"Impressive! Your teamwork is applying real pressure. But if you think this is enough to defeat me, you're mistaken!" The elder's voice boomed as his energy surged outward, shattering the mental chains with sheer force.
Alice's expression faltered for a moment before quickly regaining composure. "As expected, we couldn't hold him down. But Roy, we're not out of options yet!"
Roy gave a small nod, gripping his sword more tightly. His gaze burned with renewed determination as he charged forward once again. Meanwhile, Alice stood her ground, gathering her energy for the next support spell.
After breaking free from the chains, the elder's speed increased dramatically. He turned swiftly, raising his hand and releasing a sharp energy blade that hurtled toward Alice.
Clang! Roy appeared in front of her just in time, deflecting the energy blade with a decisive swing of his sword.
"Focus!" Roy said in a low, steady voice, though his tone carried an unmistakable sense of trust. "I'll protect you."
Alice didn't reply with words. Instead, a confident smile crossed her lips as she refocused her efforts on preparing both support and control spells. "This time, I won't let you down."
As the elder's energy surged to Level 50, the very air seemed to grow heavy with an oppressive force. Standing tall, his aura surged like a tide, emanating an unstoppable dominance. He spoke in a calm but commanding tone: "Your performance is commendable, especially your teamwork. But in the face of absolute power, the outcome has already been decided."
Roy and Alice exchanged a glance. Despite the overwhelming pressure, their eyes burned with determination.
The elder's words had barely faded when his figure vanished, moving so fast it became untraceable. He reappeared instantly behind Alice, his palm brimming with immense energy as it struck toward her back.
"Eliminate the support first—this is the law of the battlefield," the elder said coldly.
Alice reacted instinctively, summoning a mental barrier. However, it only held for a fleeting moment before shattering under the elder's palm. She let out a muffled groan, stumbling several steps back and nearly losing her balance.
"Alice!" Roy roared, his energy surging wildly. His sword aura grew sharper, and lightning coiled around him like a raging tempest. Charging toward the elder, he sought to intercept the next attack.
But the elder was even faster. Appearing before Roy in an instant, he swung a fist forward. Roy raised his sword to block, but the immense force caused his body to shudder, cracking the stone slabs beneath his feet.
"So strong…" Roy gritted his teeth as he held firm, refusing to retreat. With a low growl, he unleashed a strike, his sword aura entwined with thunder, cleaving toward the elder.
The elder dodged effortlessly, sidestepping with ease. In a swift counter, his palm, brimming with energy, struck Roy's shoulder directly. The force sent Roy staggering back several meters, dropping to one knee as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
As the elder prepared to press the advantage, Alice steadied herself, her hands moving rapidly to form seals. Her energy surged like a tide, and her voice rang out, calm yet resolute: "Mental Shackles!"
Transparent energy chains suddenly materialized around the elder, wrapping tightly around his legs and attempting to restrict his movements.
The elder paused momentarily, then burst out laughing. "Not bad! Interesting!"
With a powerful burst of energy, the Mental Shackles shattered. However, they had managed to buy Roy precious time.
Roy suppressed the turmoil in his body and gripped his sword tightly. With a thunderous shout, he unleashed a devastating attack: "Sword Intent: Thunder Slash!"
A torrent of sword energy fused with violent lightning surged forward like a roaring dragon, hurtling toward the elder. The elder countered with a swift palm strike, the energy collision generating a shockwave so powerful it cracked the ground beneath them.
The elder smirked, unfazed. "Impressive, but still not enough!"
He unleashed a sudden burst of strength, dispersing Roy's sword energy before delivering a palm strike to his chest. Roy was sent flying, crashing to the ground with a heavy thud. Blood spilled from his lips, but he struggled to his feet, unwavering.
"Roy!" Alice cried out, immediately casting a healing spell. Gentle green energy enveloped Roy, mending his wounds and restoring some of his strength.
Roy clenched his teeth, panting as he spoke. "I'm fine… Keep working together. We can hold him off!"
The elder observed the duo's tenacity, a faint smile of admiration forming on his lips. "Impressive. A rare pair indeed. But tell me—how much longer can you endure?"
Roy's sword intent radiated like a tangible force, with whistling sword energy that seemed to tear through the heavens and earth.
Behind him, Alice stood firm, channeling her energy at full capacity. Her Mental Shackles and Psychic Disruption once again bound the elder, causing his movements to pause momentarily.
The elder narrowed his eyes slightly, inwardly impressed. "This level of coordination is truly rare. But your limits have been reached!"
Roy's sword intent surged toward the elder like an overwhelming tide, yet his energy was nearly depleted. His breaths were heavy, his body trembling faintly as his strength drained away. At that moment, from deep within his spiritual veins, a new surge of power erupted—his core pulsated violently, and a warm energy filled his entire being.
"This feeling…" Roy murmured, then suddenly snapped his eyes open, golden light flashing within them.
Boom!
The aura of Level 27 exploded forth, like a torrent breaking free, sending ripples through the surrounding air. Lightning energy merged seamlessly with his sword intent, and his power surged dramatically as he charged toward the elder.
The elder's eyes sharpened, a faint smile appearing on his lips. "Breaking through in the heat of battle? A true genius!"
No longer holding back, he crossed his palms as a surge of energy erupted from him. "Windbreak Surge!"
A tempestuous wave of energy surged forward to meet Roy's attack. The two forces collided midair, generating a deafening explosion that rippled through the battlefield, distorting the sky above with the clash of spiritual energy.
Roy poured every ounce of his strength into his final strike, but the elder's overwhelming power proved too great. The shockwave sent Roy flying, and he landed heavily on the ground, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth. Struggling to stand, his body had reached its limit.
Alice rushed to his side, her palms glowing with a gentle healing light. Her brows furrowed as she spoke with a mix of concern and irritation. "You idiot! I told you not to push yourself so hard!"
The elder retracted his energy, standing tall as his voice resonated across the battlefield. "Even with a breakthrough to Level 27, there's no way to overcome a gap of 23 levels. However…"
He paused, his gaze filled with admiration. "Your coordination is flawless! At the same level, I doubt anyone could stand against you. Both of you—I'm impressed!"
Turning to the crowd below the stage, the elder spoke loudly, his voice commanding attention. "Take a good look! This is the power of teamwork! This is the essence of true combat! You all would do well to learn from them!"
He then turned back to Roy and Alice, a rare smile gracing his face. "Roy, Alice, you've passed. From this moment, you are outer disciples of Celestara Academy! I have no doubt it won't be long before you become inner disciples, elite disciples, or even personal disciples."
Thunderous applause and cheers erupted from the crowd, many wearing expressions of awe and respect. Roy and Alice had proven their worth and earned everyone's admiration through their skill and unity.
The elder gestured for them to leave the stage. "Go and rest. Your student identification tokens will be delivered to you shortly. Prepare yourselves for the challenges of academy life."
With Alice supporting him, Roy limped off the battlefield. Though his face was pale, a faint smile lingered on his lips. Glancing at Alice, he muttered, "You did well out there. We worked together perfectly."
Alice rolled her eyes, letting out a huff. "Of course we did! If it weren't for me, you'd already be lying flat on the ground!"
Roy chuckled helplessly. "Alright, alright. I owe you one. I'll treat you to something nice later."
Alice's eyes lit up instantly. "Remember what you said! I want the best desserts, with the most cream! Don't even think about backing out!"
Supporting each other, the two made their way to the resting area, disappearing from sight amidst the crowd's envious and admiring gazes.