Theo casually released Alice's hair from his left hand.
She lay unconscious on the arena floor, like a lifeless body.
Thud─
A chilling sound echoed through the arena.
Despite her slender build, the noise was surprisingly loud.
Swish─
As Theo flicked his right hand, blood spattered across the arena, painting it red.
The announcer, witnessing the scene, declared hesitantly:
─Eh, the victor of the last match in the round of 32 of the Elinia Academy Festival [Martial Arts Competition]... is Theo Lyn Waldeurk!
No applause came from the audience.
Everyone was silent, just gazing at Alice, now a bloodied heap.
Theo's group, however, was different.
"······As expected, Theo is in a league of his own. Such beautiful violence."
Seria's eyes sparkled like stars.
It was because he was so breathtaking.
"He's a real man. He isn't anything like those frail men."
In her mind, Theo's relentless brutality was different—a mercilessness beyond the capability of ordinary people.
······Unless they truly detested someone.
As far as she knew, there was no prior connection between Theo and Alice.
In contrast to Seria, Woohee was analyzing the situation critically.
"Now that I think about it, her movements were peculiar."
Her torso and arms seemed to be out of sync.
That's how Alice appeared to Woohee.
"······What future did he foresee?"
His actions, though bold, usually had hidden intentions.
She knew he had recently shared the breathing technique she taught him with classmates like Neike, though it didn't really matter to her.
"······He must have his reasons."
After all, her main concern was finding her friend Woo Hyoyeon.
She trusted him simply because he knew the name of her friend, which she had told to no one else.
Following my match with Alice, I reached out to Taylor, a Branch Chief of the Healers Guild [The Hilté].
Responding promptly to my call, Taylor arrived at the contenders' waiting room.
He observed Alice, who was lying bloodied and unconscious on the bench.
"Hmm, it might look like a serious injury at first glance, but there's no broken bone. She's simply fainted. I didn't expect you to contact me so soon, Theo."
After shifting his attention from Alice, Taylor extended his hand for a handshake.
I shook his hand firmly.
"I contacted you considering your esteemed position, Branch Chief. Can you heal her to the same condition she was in before the match?"
"Being thoughtful is always part of the job. Anyway, that level of injury... it's barely even a treatment. It's simple."
Immediately, Taylor released a white energy from his palm.
Sssss, sssssss─
The white energy swirled around Alice.
Instantly, her appearance was restored to how it was before the match.
······Incredible.
Judging by the energy, it was mana, not divine power.
Mana is usually a much less efficient medium for healing than divine power, yet it was effective to this extent.
"Thank you, Branch Chief. But why hasn't she woken up?"
"Hmm, well, the treatment worked fine, but... just a moment."
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.
Taylor rapidly jabbed his hand close to Alice's still-closed eyes.
She remained completely motionless.
Taylor shrugged.
"It doesn't seem like she's faking sleep. It might be a psychological issue."
"······I see."
I nodded in understanding.
Taylor, who had been closely observing my right hand, spoke up.
"By the way, it looks like you're a bit injured too, Theo."
Following his remark, I checked my right hand.
The skin near my knuckles was peeled off.
But there were no broken bones, just superficial abrasions.
I replied casually.
"Ah, it's because I mostly used my right hand to strike."
"Just a moment."
Taylor then emitted a white energy onto my right hand.
Immediately, my right hand was restored to its pre-match condition.
Observing Taylor's magic, I was once again amazed at the power of divine energy.
If it was divine energy, the healing could have been much more efficient.
"It seems there's no one else requiring additional treatment. I'll take my leave now, Student Theo."
"Thank you, Branch Chief. I plan to visit soon to express my gratitude and perhaps seek some advice. Would that be alright?"
"Ho! Does Student Theo need advice too?"
"Indeed, Branch Chief. I am always seeking the 'advice' of esteemed adults."
Though, it's more about making 'suggestions' rather than seeking advice.
Taylor is a remarkable individual, skilled enough to create imitations of panaceas, and he possesses an open mind.
Even though I'm not sure of his goals, he seems well-disposed towards me.
I need to involve him in my plan against Maitri.
"······Ha ha ha, hahahaha─!"
Taylor laughed heartily.
"Oh, my apologies, Student Theo. That was the most amusing thing I've heard this year. No, in the last three years. I'll be looking forward to it."
"It wasn't meant to be funny. But anyway, I'll visit you soon, Branch Chief."
"Alright then. Oh, before we part, I have a gift for you."
Taylor picked up his luxurious-looking bag.
Judging by the inner Theo's reaction, it seemed to be a high-end item.
He took out an elegant box from the bag.
Though not as fancy as the one that previously contained the imitation panacea, it was still quite sophisticated.
"I recently developed this. Please, take a look."
Upon his invitation, I cautiously opened the box.
Inside was a glass bottle containing a deep blue liquid.
Of course, I knew exactly what this liquid was.
"Is this... a Mana Elixir?"
Mana Elixir.
A potion that continuously restores MP by a percentage over a certain period.
Simply considering MP recovery, it's almost a superior version of regular elixirs.
Of course, consuming the Mana Elixir would be ineffective for me, as my mana is at zero.
My magic relies on the [Magic Cartridge] that resides within my body.
But a Mana Elixir is an incredibly valuable item.
Like the elixir, it's a sought-after item even for top-tier active heroes with wealth and prestige, as well as famous nobles across the continent.
It's not easily obtainable.
Taylor smiled subtly.
"You recognized it instantly. Like the panacea I gifted, this one is an imitation too, so its actual effect is less than a tenth of the genuine product.
But rest assured, the quality is guaranteed. It's been clinically tested."
"I'll accept it with thanks."
Refusing such a gesture would be impolite.
I'm unsure of Taylor's ulterior motives, but I'll hear him out and decide on them later.
"I'll take my leave now, Student Theo. I feel like I've taken too much of your time, especially since you're busy preparing for the next match."
With that, Taylor left the room.
"······."
I gazed at Alice, who was still lying with her eyes closed.
During the Elinia Academy Festival in the game, various incidents and accidents happen, but so far, nothing significant has happened.
The incidents and accidents in the game were all orchestrated by [Turning White].
But now, Alice, wearing an artifact created by Maitri, a key figure in [Turning White], has appeared.
······The implications of this are clear to anyone who isn't a fool.
"······Hmm."
The round of 16 matches will start soon, and Alice showed no signs of waking up.
I'll have to visit her later.
I wrote a note, placed it by her head, and then cast a [Tracking] spell on her before stepping outside.
Theo's opponent in the round of 16 was Travis from the Hero Department.
Like Theo, Travis ranked at the lower end of the Hero Department students, yet he had shown exceptional growth, having achieved a semi-final result in the previous Knight Department 2v2 tournament.
However, the match itself was rather uneventful.
Throughout the 5-minute duration, Theo did not allow even a single effective strike from Travis─
"Ah, ugh!"
The match concluded with just one effective hit from Theo.
Just as he had done with Jacob, Theo offered Travis some useful advice.
Enlightened, Travis nodded continuously and then hurried off to the training ground immediately after the match.
Soon, the [Martial Arts Competition] of the Elinia Academy Festival had advanced to the quarter-finals.
The announcer on the stage declared:
─We have now entered the quarter-finals of the Elinia Academy Festival [Martial Arts Competition]! This tournament has been full of surprises. Have we ever seen a competition where students from the Hero Department were so underpowered? Only 2 of the quarter-finalists are from the Hero Department, a record low! The rest are all from the Knight Department! Now, let's unveil the much-awaited quarter-final matchups!
As he spoke, the matchups appeared on the central screen.
[Quarter-final Match 1: Irene vs. Julia]
[Quarter-final Match 2: Tarkan vs. Kurok]
[Quarter-final Match 3: Sagran vs. Lagmar]
[Quarter-final Match 4: Theo vs. Abigail]
"······."
In the audience, Theo calmly observed the screen.
His next opponent was Abigail, a student from the Knight Department and a member of the [Order of Light].
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