Chapter 167: Ch167: Eyes of Doubt
Each shaman stood in a straight horizontal line, leaving several meters of space between one another. A few meters in front of each of them stood their target — a thick, human torso-shaped block of wood, embedded deep into the ground.
The outcome was simple.
Either the wood would absorb the impact, or it would burst apart.
However, this wasn’t an ordinary tree.
It was carved from the Paleveil Tree, a species renowned for being nearly twice as hard as ordinary hardwood while possessing rubber-like elasticity that dispersed force instead of cracking.
To make the challenge even more difficult, Marco had each target custom-built with a solid metal rod running through its core and buried deep beneath the ground, making it nearly impossible to topple.
"Take deep breaths. Calm your minds. Feel the heat flowing through your veins... and fire!" Marco shouted.
*ZZZAP! KRAK!*
*BOOM*
Bolts of lightning shot from the shamans’ outstretched hands and slammed into their targets with a deafening roar.
Most of the Paleveil wood remained completely unscathed, but three targets bore blackened scorch marks as thin wisps of smoke curled into the air.
"Good work, Bernard, Zushio, and Brad," Marco said with a nod. "Keep it up everyone. Don’t stop until your target splits in half."
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving the students to continue their training.
Daniel took a deep breath again, channeled the heat coursing through his veins, and unleashed another bolt of lightning.
*ZZZAP!*
*BOOM*
The lightning struck the target head-on, but when the smoke cleared, there wasn’t even a scorch mark.
The wood remained as pristine as before, as if it had absorbed the attack without the slightest effect.
So tough. Not even a scorch mark.
Daniel glanced at the others and studied their forms.
Wait... they’re all using the Third Form? Then why am I still using the First Form?
Marco hadn’t specified which form they were supposed to use, so everyone naturally attacked with the highest form they had mastered.
This time, Daniel took a deep breath and channeled a little longer, far greater amount of lightning into his right palm.
Blue arcs crackled wildly around his hand as it trembled under the overwhelming energy, filling the surrounding air with a sharp electrical buzz.
With a sharp exhale, he thrust his palm forward and unleashed the condensed bolt of lightning.
*BOOM!*
The target exploded into countless splinters, sending jagged wood fragments in every direction and exposing the thick metal rod anchored through its core.
Even the rod had been left with a noticeable dent.
The attack didn’t stop there. The Third Form’s cone-shaped blast tore through two more targets — one belonging to Molex and the other to Brad — reducing them to splinters as well.
Daniel’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Silence settled over the training ground.
Just then, Marco returned with a woman in a black robe accompanied by two men dressed in black tunics, pushing a handcart loaded with water and supplies.
From a distance, Marco noticed something was off.
Three bare metal rods stood where wooden targets should have been.
His eyes narrowed.
Marco hurried toward his students, his gaze sweeping across the shattered remains scattered over the ground.
The shamans stood frozen in shock. No one dared to speak, their eyes shifting between their Master and Daniel with stunned expressions.
"Molex, Brad, Daniel. I didn’t expect you guys to split your targets in such a short time," Marco said with an approving nod. "Well done, boys. Go have breakfast. The rest, don’t stop until you break your targets. No breakfast until then."
The shamans’ mouths fell open, their eyes widening at their master’s words.
Molex, Brad, and Daniel lowered their hands and stepped forward. But just as they turned to leave, a voice rang out behind them.
"Master, they’re cheating," Bernard said, his tone firm.
Marco frowned. "Cheating?"
"Yes, Master. There’s no way someone could destroy three targets at once when the rest of us can’t even crack one," said Bernard.
Marco turned his gaze to Zushio.
"Yes, Master. It was Daniel who destroyed them," Zushio said with a grave nod.
Marco’s eyes widened.
"I hate to say it, but Bernard’s right," Jerald said. "Daniel was gone for an entire week. He didn’t train once. There’s no way he could’ve done that, Master."
Marco’s stare moved slowly to Molex, Brad, and Daniel.
The three said nothing.
The silence stretched.
"Is it true?" Marco asked at last, his voice cold. "Did one of you cheat?"
Molex shook his head, but the motion was tight and quick, as if even that small denial cost him something. "No, Master. I didn’t. Daniel destroyed all three."
Brad gave the same answer after a brief pause.
The air felt heavier.
Then every eye turned to Daniel, and the weight of their stares settled on him.
"No, Master," Daniel replied, his tone calm, though he did not look away. "Cheating isn’t my style."
"Liar," Bernard said.
Marco’s suspicion deepened.
Just a week ago, a Fire-element shaman had been caught using an enhancement potion to fake his strength.
That incident was also one of the reasons the Fire element had finished at the top of the Elemental Masters’ monthly leaderboard.
Ever since then, every Elemental Master had become wary of extraordinary performances.
But no one took it more seriously than Marco Z Dante.
After all, he refused to let his legacy be stained by cheating.
"Then why doesn’t he show us again?" the woman in the black robe said as she stood beside Marco.
Marco turned to her and paused. Then a realization struck him. "That’s a great idea, Queena.
If someone can destroy the target once, then he should be able to destroy another one, shouldn’t he?" Marco said, turning to the students.
Some nodded in agreement, while others remained unconvinced.
Bernard let out a scoff and crossed his arms.
Molex turned to Daniel with a worried look.
The shattered Paleveil wood was quickly cleared from the training ground by the workers, who replaced it with a fresh target.
Daniel stood several meters away from the target.
The other shamans formed a wide circle behind him, leaving him alone at the center.
Every eye was fixed on him.
However, what the shamans didn’t know was that the woman had already cast a spell on Daniel.
