Chapter 145: Dismantling

Nobody would ever think that someone unknown would use the [Lightning Step] that was made famous by the Lindbergs.

It was a technique that many people coveted because of its powerful speed.

"They even gave the [Lightning Step] in the lootbox?!"

"Lucky! I wish I had been part of their group!"

"Damn... I would be happy learning that Martial Manual even if I didn’t get a License!"

Many were still hung up on the fact that Eren received a lootbox from the Lindbergs. However, the Proctors were focusing on something completely different.

"Another gem in the dirt... I didn’t think I’d see the day."

Yes, getting to learn the [Lightning Step] was a privilege that only few people ever get. However, the Proctors knew that mastering the technique was a completely different thing entirely.

It was not something that could be picked up and be used like most Martial Manuals.

It required not just months of training, but also the proper talent to achieve even the lowest tier of mastery.

Not even the Lindbergs themselves could so easily teach their heirs about the [Lightning Step]. It was something that was very hard to master and usually required luck.

So, it was a great upheaval to see an unknown person use the [Lightning Step] so effectively. From their perspective, they could see that Abe had reached the Lower Proficiency Mastery for the Martial Manual.

Reaching that level in only a few days? That was a different beast entirely.

Perhaps this kind of talent could only be compared to the likes of the big names in this License Exam like Dantes, Magnus, Ku’Vara, or Pang Cai.

"That’s three for three," Kaiser muttered to himself.

The three people that Eren picked out for the duel ended up showing tremendous talent. It could be that Eren truly just got lucky and recruited three talented individuals that only bloomed recently.

Or there could be something else that was happening. And the more often that this was happening, the more Kaiser was beginning to think that Eren had something to do with it all

Meanwhile, back in the duel, Carter was truly flabbergasted upon seeing Abe show off his [Lightning Step].

"Impossible...," he muttered to himself. "How could he... how could they..."

It didn’t make sense to him that they suddenly showed off this tremendous strength and talent?!

Carter had made sure to scout Eren’s group properly. And from what he had gathered, only Eren was talented amongst them.

He was the only one who had been doing the hard work in conquering Territories, while the rest of his group was relegated to bodyguard duty.

But now, they were suddenly showing off a tremendous talent no one had ever seen before!

It didn’t make sense! Was this a deliberate ploy by Eren? Was he hiding their strengths from the very beginning?!

And in the end, it didn’t matter. Carter had already gotten himself in the middle of all of this mess.

He couldn’t back down now. He eventually looked up at the skies above the Pit, and reminded himself that the Elvenied Riders were watching him right now.

He couldn’t disappoint them.

"You! Go and fight him," Carter said to one of his group members.

"But I can’t possibly defeat someone with the [Lightning Step]!"

"I don’t care. Just make sure to exhaust him!"

Carter’s tactics had warped from a dominant victory, to simply a battle of perseverance.

Abe’s next opponent didn’t even try to fight him. He simply tried to run away from Abe, making him use the [Lightning Step] as much as he could.

But in the end, Abe eventually won out. That was the fifth fighter, meaning Carter now only had five fighters left.

In comparison, Eren had only deployed three fighters. And none of them lost. They simply just voluntarily admitted their defeat.

And so, Carter’s sixth fighter came in. And just like before, their tactic was to make sure that Abe was exhausted more than trying to attain victory.

In the end, Abe won this fight too. But Carter’s group had achieved what they wanted to achieve. Abe was far too exhausted from exerting his [Lightning Step] to continue any further.

Carter’s seventh fighter stepped forward. This time, it was another woman. Unlike the Witch, this fighter looked more like a teacher more than anything else.

Straight black hair and sharp eyes, this woman looked to mean serious business.

"Looks like it’s my turn now," Celeste said as she stepped forward.

Meanwhile, Carter turned towards his fighter and whispered. "We don’t know what her technique is going to be. So try and elongate the fight so we could find out more."

The straight-laced woman nodded wordlessly before facing Celeste again.

Soon enough, they both stepped forwards and the duel began.

Celeste lunged with her Reinforced fists. Her arms turned into something like that of a cat’s paw.

Sharp claws struck the straight-laced woman.

Celeste’s opponent opted for a defensive strategy, following Carter’s advice. She raised her hands and Reinforced it to the best of her ability.

But in the next second, Celeste redirected her attack and struck the space where her opponent’s guard had an opening in.

Her cat’s paw slashed at her opponent’s face, causing them to stagger.

By then Celeste had the upper hand. She landed blow after blow. And in a matter of a few moves, the straight-laced woman fell down on the ground, unconscious.

The people watching the duel were completely silent as they saw this.

After all, there was no use of fancy Martial Manuals like the fights before.

This time, Celeste won because of her skill. It was a perfect dismantling of her enemy. She was a tiger playing with its food.

The Proctors watching this fight could only nod their heads, impressed with her skills.

"Good use of spacing and feints. She knows what she’s doing."

"I wonder who her teacher is. They must be good."

"Do we have any prior history of this girl? From what I could see, she’s no ordinary talent at all."