Chapter 83: The Ambush On The Road To Stormvale

Chapter 83: Chapter 83: The Ambush On The Road To Stormvale

The competition would last three days. Any martial artist under the age of twenty was eligible to participate.

Students from martial academies could enter, but independent young martial artists were also allowed to register.

In practice, however, the strongest competitors almost always came from the region’s four major martial academies.

That was why independent martial artists rarely managed to break into the top ten.

The competition itself was straightforward. After registration, all participants would draw lots and be divided into four groups.

They would compete through one on one matches, with the strongest fighters advancing through each group.

The top three from each group would eventually qualify for the final twelve.

Those twelve contestants would then compete against one another, with the final rankings determined on the third day.

To maintain fairness, the use of performance enhancing elixirs was prohibited. Weapons would also be provided by the government rather than brought in by the contestants themselves.

This year’s competition was being held at Stormvale Martial Academy, which was roughly sixty kilometers from Arcadia Academy.

Because of the distance, the participating students were required to travel together on a school bus.

Xavier had no intention of participating. The competition required real name registration, and he had no desire to expose his identity unnecessarily.

His original plan was simple. He would see Mira off, then head to Constance District and meet Steven Holloway.

But as he watched the faculty members responsible for escorting the students, his expression gradually changed.

Only one of the three instructors leading the group possessed Spirit Platform level strength.

That instructor was nowhere near strong enough to deal with every possible threat.

Xavier’s eyes narrowed. Mira had already attracted the attention of too many dangerous forces.

The Sinclair family had made their intentions clear. The Lindsay family had their own interest in her. And the Bloodshadow Cult had already sent assassins after her.

Inside Arcadia Academy and Stormvale Martial Academy, Mira would be relatively safe.

The journey between them was another matter. An attack in the middle of an isolated road would be difficult for ordinary security personnel to handle.

Xavier sighed inwardly. It looked like his trip to Constance District would have to wait.

He followed the school bus from a distance.

For the first several kilometers, everything went smoothly.

Then, after roughly ten kilometers, the bus entered a quiet suburban road.

The number of vehicles around them gradually decreased. The surroundings became increasingly deserted.

Suddenly, the school bus slammed on its brakes.

Xavier’s expression immediately sharpened. He looked ahead.

Two imposing elderly men had appeared directly in the middle of the road.

They stood there without the slightest intention of moving aside. The atmosphere around them was cold and threatening.

Then one of the old men shouted toward the bus.

"Mira, get off the bus!"

Xavier’s eyes turned cold. He recognized the two men immediately.

They were members of the Sinclair family. And judging by the hostility in their eyes, they had clearly been waiting for her.

The peaceful journey to the Barley Cup had just become an ambush.

The sudden stop jolted the students in their seats. Several people leaned forward to see what had happened, only to find two imposing figures standing directly in front of the bus.

"Who are those two old men? Mira, do you know them?" one student asked.

Mira glanced through the window, and her expression immediately darkened.

"I think they’re elders of the Sinclair family," another student said after studying their faces. "I’ve seen them once before."

"The Sinclair family?" A student nearby frowned.

"Aren’t they the ones who expelled Mira? Why are they coming after her now?"

"Something doesn’t feel right. Look at their expressions. They definitely didn’t come here to make peace."

Whispers spread through the bus as more than twenty participants exchanged uneasy looks.

Most of them had heard something about Mira’s falling out with her family, and the sight of two powerful elders blocking their school bus only made them more suspicious.

At the front of the bus, Caleb Hart’s expression grew serious.

He opened the door and stepped outside, positioning himself between the two elders and the students.

"Mira is a student of Arcadia Academy," he said firmly.

"She has already been expelled from the Sinclair family, so I don’t see what business you have with her. Why have you stopped our bus?"

"That’s none of your concern," Gerald Sinclair said, the hot tempered Third Elder glaring at him impatiently.

"Mira was born into the Sinclair family, and that fact won’t change just because she no longer carries our name. The family needs her now, so she’s coming back with us."

Caleb stared at him in disbelief.

"Do you really expect us to hand over one of our students just because you say so?" he demanded.

"The Sinclair family might have considerable influence, but that doesn’t give you the right to ignore the law and do whatever you please." He gestured toward the bus.

"We’re on our way to Stormvale Martial Academy for the Barley Cup. Move aside and let us continue. If you insist on causing trouble here, you’ll have to answer to Arcadia Academy."

Caleb knew Mira’s troubled history with the Sinclair family.

He had personally wanted her in his class, and he certainly was not about to stand by while the same people who had cast her aside tried to drag her away.

There was another reason he could not allow this to happen.

Mira was now a 7th-Star Foundation Establishment martial artist and one of Arcadia Academy’s strongest candidates for the competition.

Losing a student of her caliber would be bad enough, but allowing a family to seize her in broad daylight would be an even greater disgrace. If he let the Sinclair elders take her without putting up a fight, he might as well hand in his resignation.

Unfortunately, neither Gerald nor Paul Sinclair appeared remotely concerned by his warning.

"Save your breath," Gerald replied. "We’re taking Mira with us today. You can either cooperate or get out of our way."

In the past, the Sinclair family would have thought twice before openly confronting Arcadia Academy.

The academy enjoyed government backing, and provoking it could bring consequences the family would rather avoid.

Things were different now. Through Collins Lindsay, the Sinclair family had established a connection with the powerful Lindsay family.

Collins had taken an interest in Mira, and handing her over would strengthen that relationship considerably.

As far as Gerald was concerned, securing the Lindsay family’s favor was worth offending Arcadia Academy.

He and Paul had already discussed the risks before coming here. Neither of them intended to leave without Mira.

Caleb’s face tightened when he realized that invoking the academy’s authority was not going to work.

"Are you saying the Sinclair family is willing to become an enemy of Arcadia Academy over this?" he asked.

He sounded firm, but his confidence was slipping. Both elders possessed far greater cultivation than he did, and a direct confrontation would put him at a serious disadvantage.

He could only hope the academy’s reputation would make them reconsider.

Instead, Gerald turned toward the bus and raised his voice.

"Mira! Get out here!" he shouted. "Don’t make me climb aboard and drag you out myself!"

Inside, Mira felt her stomach tighten. She had known the Sinclair family would not give up easily, especially after Collins Lindsay expressed an interest in her.

Still, she had not expected two elders to block a school bus in the middle of the road simply to take her away. Their intentions were obvious.

They wanted to deliver her to Collins, just as other members of her family had attempted before.

Apparently, Samuel Bush’s warning had not changed anything. The Sinclair family was still determined to force her into a situation she had never agreed to.

Mira rose from her seat. She had no intention of returning with them, but she also did not want to put the teachers in a tight position.

Caleb was clearly outmatched, and the other teachers on the bus were not strong enough to turn the situation around.

While Caleb had been arguing with the elders, she had tried calling Samuel. Unfortunately, he was not picking up.

She could not keep everyone waiting for help that might not arrive in time. If she had to fight the two elders herself, then so be it.

She would rather risk her life than allow the Sinclair family to control her again.

"Mira, wait!" a female teacher said, hurrying over and catching her arm. "Vice Principal Johnny is already on his way. He should be here in about ten minutes. Just hold on until he arrives."

Mira hesitated, glancing toward the door. Ten minutes might as well have been an eternity with Gerald and Paul standing outside.

She appreciated the teacher’s concern, but she was not convinced the elders would give them that much time.

Outside, Gerald had apparently reached the same conclusion. He was no longer interested in wasting time on an argument.

"If you won’t listen to reason, don’t blame me for what happens next," he said, stepping around Caleb and heading straight for the bus.

"Stop right there!" Caleb barked, moving to block Gerald’s path and throwing a punch at him.

Gerald barely looked at the incoming attack. He simply turned and struck back. Their fists collided with a heavy thud, but the difference in strength was overwhelming.

Caleb was thrown backward, stumbling several steps before finally regaining his balance. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Gerald, meanwhile, had not even shifted his footing. He was a 7th-Star Spirit Platform martial artist. Against someone of Caleb’s strength, the outcome had been decided before the fight began.

"Consider that your warning," Gerald said coldly. "Stay out of my way if you value your life."

He turned away from Caleb and continued toward the bus, intending to seize Mira himself.

Then a dark blur shot across the road. The figure moved so quickly that neither Gerald nor Paul had time to react.