Chapter 143: Chapter 143: The Sect Tournament [6]
Damon watched Alena Terra with fresh interest.
An alchemist with a dedicated bloodline. That was rare. That was valuable.
He stored the information and turned his attention back to the stage as Elder Alder raised his hand.
"Begin!"
Marcus Vane charged first.
He was fast, faster than most Earth Spirit Realm cultivators, his steel sword cutting a silver arc through the air toward Alena’s neck.
Alena didn’t flinch.
She raised her staff and muttered something under her breath.
The ground in front of her erupted.
Vines burst from the stone floor, thick as a man’s arm, wrapping around Marcus’s legs and yanking him off balance.
His strike went wide, the sword whistling past Alena’s shoulder as she stepped sideways with practiced ease.
Marcus cursed and slashed at the vines.
The steel cut through them cleanly, but more replaced them instantly, crawling up his legs, his waist, his chest.
Alena tapped her staff against the ground.
A green mist billowed from the impact point, spreading across the stage in a thick cloud that smelled of herbs and soil and something sharp.
Marcus coughed.
His movements slowed and his eyes went glassy.
Alena walked through the mist like she was strolling through her garden, her robes brushing against the stone floor, her staff held loosely in one hand.
She stopped in front of Marcus.
He was on his knees now, the vines holding him in place, his sword forgotten at his side.
"Surrender now." Alena said.
Marcus tried to speak, but only a croak came out.
The mist was affecting his throat.
"I’ll take that as a yes."
She tapped her staff again.
The mist dissolved.
The vines retracted into the stone floor like they had never existed.
Marcus collapsed forward, gasping for air, his hands pressed against the ground as he sucked in clean oxygen.
Elder Alder blinked.
Then he cleared his throat.
"Winner... Alena Terra."
The crowd erupted.
Not in cheers, exactly. More like confused murmurs and scattered applause. Most of them had never seen an alchemist fight like that.
Damon’s eyes narrowed.
Interesting.
She fought with control. With preparation.
With the kind of precision that only came from years of careful, methodical work.
An alchemist’s mindset applied to combat.
He could respect that.
Alena stepped off the stage without looking back at her defeated opponent, her staff tucked under her arm, her expression calm and satisfied.
She passed by Damon’s section of the stands.
Their eyes met for a fraction of a second.
She looked away first.
But not before Damon saw the flicker of curiosity in her green eyes.
****
Elder Alder’s voice cut through the murmuring crowd.
"Match nine. Mio Nightrider versus Kael Stone."
Mio bounced to her feet with a grin, her purple ponytail swinging behind her. She turned back to look at Damon, her deep purple eyes bright with excitement.
"Watch this."
She didn’t wait for his response. She just hopped off the stands and walked toward the stage like she was heading to a tea party.
Kael Stone was already there.
He was a big guy, Earth Spirit Realm Ninth Level, built like a boulder with arms thicker than Mio’s waist.
He carried a massive warhammer over one shoulder, the head of it glowing with orange runes.
He cracked his neck and grinned at Mio.
"I hope you’re ready to—"
Elder Alder raised his hand.
"Begin."
Mio didn’t move.
She just raised one hand, her fingers forming a loose grip like she was holding an invisible bow.
Void energy gathered around her palm.
It was black, darker than shadow, darker than the space between stars. It pulsed once, twice, and then condensed into a single arrow made of pure nothingness.
Kael’s grin vanished.
He tried to move.
He raised his warhammer and activated some defensive technique, orange light flaring around his body like a shield.
It didn’t matter.
Mio released the arrow.
There was no sound.
No whistle, no crack, no explosion.
Just a line of absolute black that crossed the stage in less than a heartbeat.
The arrow punched through Kael’s defensive barrier like it was paper.
It grazed his shoulder, barely a touch, and sent him flying backward into the barrier wall with a thunderous crash.
He hit the ground and didn’t get up.
Three seconds.
Elder Alder stared.
The crowd stared.
Even the other disciples on the waiting benches stared.
Mio lowered her hand and dusted off her robes like she had just swatted a fly.
"Winner... Mio Nightrider."
She hopped off the stage and walked back toward Damon with a spring in her step.
Her face was glowing.
Not from exertion, she hadn’t even broken a sweat, but from pure, unfiltered anticipation.
She stopped in front of Damon and looked up at him.
Her eyes were wide and excited, her lips pressed together like she was holding back a grin that wanted to explode across her face.
She didn’t say anything.
She didn’t have to.
Her whole expression screamed praise me.
Praise me right now. I did good, didn’t I? Tell me I did good.
Damon looked down at her.
The energetic twin who had just demolished an Earth Spirit Realm cultivator in three seconds without moving from her spot.
The same woman who had been trembling in his arms just weeks ago.
He raised his hand and placed it on top of her head.
Her purple hair was soft under his palm.
"Good job."
Mio’s face lit up like the sun breaking through clouds.
She leaned into his hand, her eyes closing briefly, a content hum escaping her throat.
Then she opened her eyes and grinned at him.
"I told you to watch."
Damon’s lips twitched.
"Yeah. You did."
She slid onto the bench beside him, pressing her shoulder against his, her tail of victory still wagging in her chest.
Ariel leaned over from Damon’s other side.
"That was fast."
Mio shrugged. "He was slow."
Ariel snorted.
Mia, sitting on Mio’s other side, didn’t say anything. She just watched the stage with her quiet, focused gaze, waiting for her own turn.
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