Chapter 352 Anticipation
352 Anticipation
Right now, he couldn't make a single movement. Slowly, the shadow was crawling up, and if he moved even a little, he knew that his footwork would suffer greatly.
Lishia's face grew paler as the spell she used consumed a lot of mana. She had resorted to it because she was on the verge of losing.
"Just a few more seconds," Lishia told herself.
That was all she needed to make Matthew lose his sense of touch and render his entire lower body numb.
"Why is he rushing so much?" Several of the professors were perplexed.
Matthew had a good chance to win if he took his time and didn't force Lishia into a corner like this, but they couldn't fathom his decision.
Shatter!
However, the moment Lishia was waiting for never arrived, as Matthew's sword shattered the mana barrier, slashing the ground beside Lishia, creating a huge cut.
Lishia evaded the attack, but as Matthew swung his sword, she had no choice but to step back.
Every time she conjured a spell, whether it was fire or a black element, Matthew interrupted her, forcing her to retreat.
The only spells she could cast instantly were Tier 1 spells, but they were ineffectual as Matthew could easily cut through or deflect them with his sword.
"It's over," Matthew whispered to himself, dashing towards Lishia, prompting her to unleash a burst of fire.
But Matthew just charged through, his aura shielding him from any harm.
In the nick of time, Lishia managed to conjure a small mana barrier, but the force from Matthew's sword blow sent her flying off the stage.
"Huff, huff, huff," Matthew gazed at Lishia, now off the stage.
However, assessing his own condition, he realized he couldn't feel half of his leg or his right hand. On top of that, he was extremely tired because using Aura was taxing on the body, and using it consecutive burst was even more tiring.
The effects were bound to linger for a few hours, as low-
level potions couldn't counteract the aftermath of Black element magic.
Lishia examined her arm, finding several cuts caused by Matthew's blade. She hadn't expected him to fight with such intensity.
"The winner is Rank 4 Matthew, who will now face Kevin Whiteheart!" Gazil announced. The crowd cheered with enthusiasm, yet their reactions bore hints of bewilderment.
The result of the upcoming bout appeared clear-cut; for Kevin, besting Matthew would likely be even more straightforward.
Matthew withdrew, as the subsequent hour was reserved for the Third Year Matches. In this set, Eric was matched against Leonard.
But instead of clashing, Eric simply surrendered as he had won his match against Rank 6 of the Third Year already. Meanwhile, other top fighters, Raelyn and Tyrone, faced off but were defeated.
Clearly, those three held a significant edge over other rankers, making such outcomes largely anticipated.
Now, the penultimate match for the First Year Students was on the horizon. As Matthew exited his practice room, Sam was stationed outside, awaiting him.
"Why did you fight like that?" Sam inquired.
Aware of Matthew's typically careful and composed nature, Sam was puzzled by his rash tactics, especially since they diminished his chances to face Kevin Whiteheart at full strength.
"I had no other option," Matthew responded, and Sam raised his eyebrows as he understood what might have happened considering Matthew's situation.
Yet even with that understanding, Sam felt powerless. He was ill-equipped to assist others when he himself was trapped in a situation which he couldn't escape from.
"It's alright. I've secured my Rank 3 position," Matthew commented, placing a reassuring hand on Sam's shoulder.
"Good luck in your fight," Sam offered as he watched Matthew depart.
Deep down, he sensed that Matthew's decision today might usher in unforeseen complications.
Especially with the Princess of Halcyon. If she took offense at her manner of defeat today, there would be consequences that Matthew would need to face. The intent behind such a fight strategy was evident: to humiliate her.
"That Leonard bastard, why is he meddling with Halcyon?" Sam pondered aloud.
He was aware that his father had always advised him to maintain a favorable relations with Leonard Tarvian. Yet, thankfully, Jack had no desire for Sam to associate with the Blood Faction.
Thus, Sam had steered clear of them until now, leaving him largely uninformed about their objectives.
"They wouldn't disclose their plans to me even if I were close," Sam murmured.
"At least those Everett sisters are graduating," he added.
"Well, it's his decision," Sam remarked, giving a resigned shrug.
A part of him was reluctant to involve himself in Matthew's affairs, but another part felt the exact opposite.
Matthew walked up to the stage to roaring applause, with Kevin following suit.
They assumed their positions. Kevin carefully observed Matthew's stance and the grip on his sword.
'What a fool,' Kevin mused internally.
Regardless of Matthew's strategy, Kevin's priority was to wrap up the duel swiftly, and the current circumstances seemed ideal.
"3...2...1...Begin!" announced the referee.
Matthew adopted a defensive stance, while Kevin, wielding his spear, lunged straight at him.
All the Seat Holders intently observed the white-haired contender, recalling how just a year ago, he was touted as the most promising talent of his generation.
"His footwork is impeccable," remarked some of the Guild Evaluators watching the duel.
"True to the legacy of Kamden Whiteheart's son," another voice chimed in.
Despite the significance of the day, no one from the Whiteheart Family was present at World Academy.
Both Raelyn and Kevin were aware of this, and it was evident that not all Elite Families attended the End Year Tournament.
Kamden Whiteheart was swamped with the escalating number of dungeons in Desmar, as were other Elite Families.
The rise in dungeons prompted recruiters to present larger contracts to students, aiming to attract as much talent as possible.
However, due to Asher's exposure of numerous corrupt businessmen, many guilds lost their investors, making recruitment challenging.
Even after disappearance of Zephyr, they were still suffering from the aftermath of defeating the calamities.
This chaos was precisely what Asher sought.
The more these guilds depleted their funds, the more capital they'd need. The primary purpose of a guild was to consolidate hunters and generate revenue. Without profit, these hunters would explore alternative opportunities.
What Asher created was a false sense of urgency among the Guilds. However, not everyone was going to act on their impulses, and that was fine.
Shaking a foundation that had been built over years was no easy task, but it wasn't impossible either.
"You can't even move properly," Kevin said, his spear colliding with Matthew's sword.
Matthew was pushed back slightly. Kevin then spun the spear and swung it towards his left side, forcing Matthew to raise his sword in defense.
In terms of speed, Kevin had the upper hand over Matthew. Creating distance between them was already challenging, and Kevin hadn't even activated his lightning aura yet.
Had Matthew been in his usual condition, the fight might have lasted longer.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Despite blocking every attack, Matthew was pushed back each time.
Even with his aura, Kevin was stronger, and Matthew's footwork was compromised; he still couldn't feel the ground beneath him.
He would attempt to sidestep, but his timing was off, forcing him to block Kevin's subsequent strikes.
Each of Kevin's strikes made Matthew take a step backward. Gradually, he was being forced toward the edge, with Kevin effortlessly pushing him back.
"He's not bad," Xarax commented, acknowledging Kevin's strength for his age.
Dalton smiled, feeling validated that his past decisions had been worthwhile.
There were few people whom, just by observing, one could predict had the potential to achieve SSS Rank. Kevin was certainly one of them.
But Kevin's genius made many anxious about someone potentially more talented than him. This was why the majority of the student crowd cheered for Kevin.
"It's over," Kevin declared as Matthew braced himself.
But Kevin's next strike wasn't like the previous ones. His spear radiated sparks of lightning, moving too swiftly for Matthew to block.
Despite being ten steps away from the edge of the stage, the force behind Kevin's strike sent Matthew flying off, leaving a mark on the platform from the sheer power.
"The winner is Rank 2 Kevin Whiteheart!" Gazil announced.
As the crowd cheered, Farnus wore a pleased smile, anticipating the announcement he was about to make.
"But before we continue, our Principal has an announcement," Gazil informed. The crowd, which had been cheering loudly, fell silent.
Even the Seat Holders were surprised except Silvus and Alfred as they knew that admission of the twins was going to be announced today.
But they didn't know that wasn't all Farnus had planned for today.
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