Chapter 104: Who Is This Strange Woman?

Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Who Is This Strange Woman?

Nothing happened. He tried again, carefully adjusting the amount of energy he supplied, but the runes remained lifeless.

"Could it work like those life saving rune fragments Minister Bush gave me?" he wondered aloud.

"Perhaps it needs time to accumulate energy before it can be activated with spiritual energy."

He could not be certain, and without a proper explanation of the fragment’s workings, experimenting with it further would be pointless.

He returned it to his spatial ring, intending to investigate it another time.

For now, he had more important things to consider.

He had no intention of making another investment in Mira until the threat from the Lindsay family had been dealt with or he had grown strong enough to confront them directly.

Even if his system could provide astonishing returns, he was not willing to expose his wife to unnecessary danger just to accelerate her cultivation.

* * *

The commotion caused by Collins’s death spread beyond the academy, but the competition at Stormvale Martial Academy continued without interruption.

Xavier remained close enough to keep an eye on Mira throughout the afternoon.

Fortunately, nothing unusual happened. No suspicious figures approached her, and no one from the authorities came to question her about Collins or Pat.

That told Xavier something.

Samuel had probably already begun taking measures to keep the investigation from interfering with Mira before there was sufficient evidence to justify questioning her.

Once again, Xavier found himself appreciating the minister’s character. Samuel Bush was someone worth maintaining a good relationship with.

The following morning, Xavier returned to the academy.

It was the final day of the Barley Cup, and once the competition ended, Mira would be able to spend an extended period at Arcadia Academy.

With her settled somewhere safer and the immediate danger reduced, Xavier would have more freedom to cultivate and make use of his system.

The day passed quickly, and by evening, the martial arena was packed with spectators.

"Go, Mira!" one spectator shouted.

"Mira, you’ve got this!" another cried.

"Come on, Derek Yannick!" a third called.

The crowd’s cheers rolled across the arena as the contestants prepared for the final match.

Mira would face Derek Yannick, a second year student from Vermilion Bird Academy. Their duel would determine who took first place and who finished as runner up in this year’s Barley Cup.

Derek was one year older than Mira and had reached the 8th-Level of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

He had also awakened the Unyielding Martial Body, a special constitution considered above average among martial physiques.

The Unyielding Martial Body strengthened its user’s physical abilities across the board, giving them greater power, speed, and endurance than ordinary cultivators at the same level.

It also granted exceptional resilience, allowing its owner to withstand punishment that would overwhelm most opponents.

Throughout the preceding two and a half days, Derek had impressed the spectators with his skill and composure.

His performances had earned him a growing number of admirers, and many had expected him to claim the championship.

Had Mira not entered the competition, he might well have done so.

Unfortunately for him, Mira was here.

As soon as the referee announced the start of the final, both contestants sprang into action.

The sharp clash of weapons rang out as they exchanged their opening attacks.

Derek wielded a long spear with impressive precision. His movements were fluid, his attacks forceful, and his transitions between offense and defense gave him the appearance of a seasoned spear master.

To the audience, watching him fight was almost like witnessing a legendary warrior brought to life. It was no surprise that he had attracted so many fans.

Xavier watched from the stands, however, and remained thoroughly unimpressed by the attention Derek received for his appearance and performance.

Good looks and a flashy fighting style were one thing. Winning was another. If appearance alone determined the champion, Xavier suspected he could have walked onto the stage and claimed first place without lifting a finger.

The thought amused him, but his attention soon returned to the actual fight.

Mira had improved considerably over the course of the competition.

Her experience in the earlier rounds had sharpened her reactions and helped her adapt to different fighting styles.

More importantly, she had successfully mastered the Wind and Thunder Sword Technique, advancing to its second level of proficiency.

With each exchange, her control over the technique became more apparent.

Derek’s spear gave him an advantage in reach, and his Unyielding Martial Body made him difficult to overpower through physical strength alone.

Yet neither advantage could compensate for the chilling aura surrounding Mira. The cold energy released by her Frost Phoenix Bloodline steadily interfered with his movements.

Every time he tried to press his advantage, Mira countered with precise sword strikes, forcing him to defend while the freezing aura continued to wear him down.

Derek fought hard, refusing to concede easily. But his disadvantage grew with every passing moment.

Just over three minutes after the match began, he finally lost his footing and collapsed, unable to continue fighting.

The referee immediately declared Mira the winner.

"She did it! Mira is the champion!" one spectator cried.

"The academy’s beauty really is something else!" another said.

"She’s incredible! Nobody could keep up with her!"

Cheers erupted from every side of the arena.

Many spectators had already admired Mira for her beauty, but watching her defeat one powerful opponent after another had earned her genuine respect.

With the final match concluded, the Barley Cup officially came to an end. The next event was the award ceremony.

As champion, Mira was entitled to a 5th-Grade martial arts manual, a 5th-Grade elixir, a 5th-Grade piece of equipment, and a mid grade spirit stone.

The organizers would select the most suitable manual, elixir, and equipment for her based on her performance and cultivation needs, leaving her with a collection of rewards that would be valuable for her future development.

Before long, Mira and the other nine finalists had gathered on the podium.

According to the established procedure, Samuel Bush, the deputy minister of the Extraordinary Division, was supposed to present the awards personally.

However, he was not alone when he approached the contestants.

A woman in her thirties walked beside him. She had short hair, a confident bearing, and wore a dark green military uniform.

A bright five pointed star adorned her shoulder, marking her rank as a major general.

What caught everyone’s attention, though, was not merely her rank. It was her identity.

Samuel deliberately walked half a step behind her, making it clear that she was the more important figure in their delegation.

The woman stepped forward and offered the contestants a composed smile.

"Hello, everyone," she said. "My name is Victoria Quill."

The moment she introduced herself, excitement swept through the young martial artists on the podium.

Even Mira, who had been focused on the competition, could not hide her surprise.

Victoria Quill was no ordinary military officer.

Her name was widely recognized throughout the martial arts communities of Valemont, and information about her achievements could even be found in online encyclopedias.

For these young cultivators, meeting someone of her stature in person was an unexpected honor.

And now, she was standing right in front of them.

Victoria Quill’s reputation was legendary throughout the Dragon Kingdom, and for good reason.

Born into an ordinary family in Valemont in 1967, she had shown extraordinary martial talent from an early age. At seventeen, she awakened a top tier martial talent.

A year later, she manifested the Bright Moon Divine Body, a rare physique that set her apart from countless other cultivators.

By nineteen, she had made a decision that surprised everyone around her. She abandoned her studies and enlisted in the military.

That choice marked the beginning of an extraordinary career.

At twenty two, Victoria participated in a small scale conflict along the border with the southwestern territory of Shiva.

Despite being only at the 5th-Level of the Spirit Platform Realm, she accomplished something few could imagine: she killed seven enemy martial artists who had reached the peak of the same realm.

Her performance earned her one First Class Merit and four Third Class Merits.

Two years later, she broke through the peak of the Spirit Platform Realm and entered the Star Sea Realm.

That same year, a newly emerged secret realm brought disaster to Northgate in the northern region.

When a peak 4th-Tier monster king threatened the city, Victoria took command of her team and turned the battle around, ultimately killing the monster king and saving millions of people from catastrophe.

Her progress showed no signs of slowing. At thirty, she reached the peak of the Star Sea Realm.

Across the entire Dragon Kingdom, cultivators who attained that level were exceptionally rare. Victoria was the youngest person in the country’s history to achieve such a feat, making her a figure of admiration throughout the martial arts world.

Although there had been no confirmed report of her breaking through into the Divine Power Realm, her combat record remained formidable.

Two years earlier, she had led a force against demons invading the Dragon Kingdom’s western frontier.

During the campaign, she confronted a 5th-Level demon general in a fierce battle, severely wounded the enemy, and withdrew without suffering any serious injuries herself.

Her military accomplishments had earned her widespread recognition, and her name had become synonymous with courage, talent, and achievement.

To the people of Valemont, Victoria Quill was more than a decorated major general.

She was a source of pride and an inspiration to the younger generation of martial artists.

That explained the commotion on the podium.

Many of the students had thought the woman accompanying Minister Samuel Bush looked familiar. However, they had not dared to believe their suspicions until she introduced herself.

Now that her identity had been confirmed, their excitement was impossible to contain.

"General Quill, I’ve admired you for years! Could I take a picture with you after the ceremony?" one student called out.

"General, I heard you were stationed at the southwestern border. When did you return? Could I have your autograph?" another asked.

"Major General Quill, you’re my idol!" a third exclaimed.

The students crowded around her with barely concealed excitement. Their expressions were almost indistinguishable from those of fans meeting their favorite celebrity for the first time.

Victoria laughed warmly at their enthusiasm.

"Of course, I’ll take pictures and sign autographs for you," she said. "But let’s finish the award ceremony first, shall we?"

Her friendly response only made the students admire her more.

The ceremony proceeded with the tenth place contestant receiving an award first, followed by the remaining finalists in ascending order of rank. One after another, the students stepped forward to accept their prizes from Victoria.

Finally, it was Mira’s turn. As the Barley Cup champion, Mira had already drawn considerable attention. Yet what happened next made the other contestants even more envious.