Chapter 142: The Final Six

Adrian moved first.

Mana flashed beneath his feet as he crossed the stage at impressive speed, but Ravena remained where she was, expressionless.

The moment Adrian entered her cursed zone, his speed dropped noticeably, and even the density of his mana weakened. Still, unlike her previous opponents, his physical ability and mana control were strong enough to keep him moving properly.

As he closed in, black mana spread over Ravena’s hands.

The crowd immediately stirred.

"There it is! The rumored black mana."

"It looks even better in person."

"Better? That thing looks ominous as hell."

Everyone reacted differently, but their attention remained fixed on the stage.

Adrian drove a punch toward Ravena’s stomach.

She slipped aside smoothly and reached for his wrist.

Just before her fingers touched him, a sudden sense of danger ran through Adrian. He immediately pulled back several steps.

Ravena gave him a faint smile. "Looks like you’re not all talk."

"A noble must always remain aware of subtle danger."

"A noble should also shut the hell up once in a while," Ravena charged.

In the stands, Marty leaned toward Zac. "I like her. She’s got personality."

On the stage, Adrian avoided her daggers while making sure not to touch her directly.

"Run faster, you shiny bastard," Ravena taunted. "Maybe you’ll impress your ancestors before you trip over your own ego."

Adrian’s eyebrow twitched.

More mana surged through his legs.

He weaved left and right before throwing another punch.

This time, Ravena didn’t retreat.

She stepped forward, twisted her body just enough to let the fist graze past her, then rammed her black-mana-coated shoulder into Adrian’s.

He stumbled backward. His breathing had already grown heavier, and the cursed zone was draining his mana faster by the second.

"What? Finally realizing charging at me was a bad life choice?"

Adrian lifted his head. "Your aura is certainly troublesome."

"My aura?" Ravena scoffed. "Damn, listen to yourself. Have you ever stopped to think about how annoying your narcissism is, Pretty Boy?"

Adrian looked genuinely offended.

"Pretty Boy? No, no. That title belongs to Zac. I prefer a gentleman, a noble, or perhaps a radiant protector of humanity."

From the stands, Marty nodded. "He’s right. Pretty Boy is definitely Zac."

Zac lowered his head. "Why am I getting dragged into this?"

Marty glanced at him. "Sucks being pretty, doesn’t it?"

"Shut up and watch the fight."

The battle continued. Adrian relied on his polished footwork, avoiding Ravena’s attacks while searching for an opening.

Ravena was the complete opposite.

There was little refinement or recognizable pattern in the way she fought. Her movements were rough, aggressive, and unpredictable, almost like someone brawling on the streets.

Even so, Adrian struggled to find an opening. And whenever he did, the black mana around her forced him to back away.

Daniel frowned. "This is bad."

Kelly turned toward him. "Why?"

"He’s already fighting inside her cursed zone, which is weakening both his body and mana control. On top of that, he’s deliberately avoiding contact with her black mana."

Daniel kept his eyes on the stage. "If this continues, he’ll lose soon."

Adrian knew it too. "Faster."

"I just need to be faster than her. Hit her before she can reinforce herself."

After nearly four minutes of dodging and probing, he finally found the opening he wanted. His fist slammed into Ravena’s side before she could coat that area with mana, and the blow forced her back.

But instead of getting angry, Ravena laughed. "There it is. Peacock’s got a spine after all."

"You speak too much." With renewed confidence, he started searching for another opening.

Ravena stepped back instead. "That only worked once, peacock."

Black mana suddenly spread across her entire body. "What are you gonna do now?"

The black mana around her intensified, and the cursed energy leaking from her became strong enough that even the referee felt it.

"Ravena Voss! Do not intensify your passive effect! It leaks when I get excited. Not my fault you all have weak nerves."

She went straight back on the attack, and Adrian could no longer afford to dodge everything.

Ravena had become too fast, so he tried to block instead. But every time his mana came into contact with hers, more strength drained from his body.

And the match quickly turned one-sided. Before long, Adrian was barely staying on his feet while Ravena stood in front of him. "Still not giving up?"

She twirled one dagger lazily. "Then dance for me, peacock. Let’s see what else you’ve got."

Adrian raised his head and saw Ravena standing close to the boundary.

He immediately gathered whatever mana remained into his hands and feet, coating them until they glowed brightly.

And went for one final rush.

His hands were almost on her when Ravena smiled and sidestepped. "Caught you." At the same instant, her leg hooked around his.

Adrian’s confident expression vanished.

"Bye, fancy bastard."

His arms windmilled wildly with disbelief turned to panic. A noble had just fallen for one of the most childish tricks imaginable.

Adrian crossed the boundary and crashed off the stage.

"Winner, Ravena Voss!"

The medical staff immediately rushed over to check on Adrian. Zac, Marty, and the others followed close behind.

"Is he okay?" Kelly asked, looking worried.

Shobin studied Adrian for a moment. "Physically, I don’t think he sustained any serious injuries. But...emotionally...I’m not so sure."

Adrian sat beside the stage, staring blankly at his own foot as though wondering why it had betrayed him at the worst possible moment.

From the stage, Ravena looked down at him. "Good match, peacock. Next time, bring less narcissism and more balance."

She turned to leave.

"You could’ve ended that match in plenty of ways. Why did you choose to humiliate him like that? Do you have some kind of beef with nobles?"

She turned and stared at Zac for a few seconds. "I don’t owe you an answer, Pretty Boy."

With that, she walked away.

Marty glanced at Zac. "Looks like she really took that Pretty Boy thing to heart."

"And whose fault is that?"

"Obviously yours. Who asked you to be so pretty?"

Just then, the healer checking Adrian happened to notice Marty. "Aren’t you supposed to be in the medical building right now?"

Marty stiffened. "Ahh...ohh...him. He was my brother. Yeah, brother, we are twins."

The healer continued staring. "Yep. I’m getting my ass out of here." Marty scratched his head awkwardly.

From the upper stands, Matilda silently watched Ravena leave the arena.

Simon stood beside her with his arms crossed.

"She is good," Matilda observed.

Murphy nodded. "And quite efficiently. Her passive aura weakened his overall ability, while her constant taunting clouded his judgment. That final rush was exactly what she wanted."

"It seems she thought the whole fight through."

Matilda glanced toward Simon. "Should we be concerned about the restrictions? Her passive effect gives her a considerable advantage. Some students may complain."

"Let them complain." Simon’s expression didn’t change. "The world isn’t fair. They’d better learn that sooner rather than later."

He looked toward the path Ravena had taken. "Besides, she isn’t deliberately using an awakened ability or skill. The aura is leaking from her because she can’t control it. There’s no reason to change the rules for that."

"But she does need to learn to control it. Once she can, that curse won’t remain a problem. It’ll become one of her strongest weapons."

A few minutes later, the screen above the stage refreshed.

Six names appeared one after another.

Zac Dellencore.

Sabrina Snow.

Daniel Martel.

Shobin Shoji.

Ravena Voss.

Lydia Maron.

Matilda’s voice carried across the arena. "Congratulations to the six students advancing to tomorrow’s round."

"You’ll draw your matchups before the tournament begins tomorrow, so rest well tonight and make sure you’re at your best."

***

The next morning, the arena looked completely different. It wasn’t packed to full capacity, but nearly seventy percent of the seats were occupied.

Students from other fields had come to watch as well. Trainee mana chefs, researchers, array specialists, ruins scholars, and students from various specialized departments filled the stands.

Even shopkeepers and their families from the academy’s market, shopping, and entertainment districts had shown up for the tournament.

Marty, now almost completely recovered, sat with the others and looked around. "Would you look at that? The audience finally realized we’re entertaining."

Kelly gave him a concerned look. "Are you sure you’re completely okay?"

"I am. Can’t you see, Kelly? The Turtle Lord has returned."

Zac glanced at him. "Fine. Just stop yelling."

Marty looked back at the names displayed on the screen. "Who is Lydia Maron, anyway?"

"You don’t know?" Shobin asked. "She’s from Class B, tall, with braided brown hair, and uses a sword."

"She made it through the previous rounds with steady swordsmanship and very controlled mana coating. Her matches didn’t attract much attention, but she’s a good fighter."

Before anyone could say more, the speakers around the arena crackled. "Hello, everyone!" The sudden, overly sweet voice made several students flinch.

A girl skipped out from the side of the arena, a small floating microphone hovering beside her face.

She had bright, round eyes, carefully styled hair, and the kind of smile that looked almost professionally perfected.

Her academy uniform had been customized with ribbons and tiny star-shaped accessories, adding even more to her deliberately cute appearance.

"Your lovable Mimi is here to bring sparkle, drama, and professional commentary to today’s matches!"

The enthusiasm in her voice was almost dangerously concentrated. For a moment, the arena simply stared. Then loud, cheerful applause burst from the speakers.

Marty blinked. "Wait. Are those fake clapping noises?"

He glanced toward Adrian. "I think she’s a poser. Just like you."

"Shut up, turtle."

Daniel looked toward the stands. "Why does she even need fake applause? Half the audience already looks excited to see her."

"There she is! Our Mimi!"

"I could die just looking at her!"

"My goddess!"

"How can someone be this cute?!"

The men in the arena had practically lost their minds. Even some of the older spectators joined in.

"Why couldn’t I have a daughter like that? I’d protect her like the shell of a coconut protects the water inside!"

The girl sitting beside him slowly turned her head. "Don’t be weird, old man."

Seeing the audience’s enthusiasm, Mimi’s smile grew even sweeter. "That’s right, that’s right. Keep your eyes on me. Adore your Mimi. Worship me from a distance, knowing you’ll never get anywhere near me, and be grateful you get to see me at all."

Her gaze drifted toward the women in the stands. "And you girls can keep glaring. None of you are getting this much attention."

"I’m the cutest, the most graceful, and obviously the most beautiful girl here."

All the while, not a trace of those thoughts showed on her face. To everyone watching, Mimi remained nothing more than the same cheerful, adorable girl beaming brightly at the crowd.