Chapter 166: Kelvina Bradley

West Town Saints Academy didn’t have only one S-Rank. No. They had four known S-Ranks. Each of them was considered a once-in-a-generation genius. Each of them possessed strength capable of rivaling veteran Hunters.

And among those four, one was perhaps the strangest.

Deep beneath West Town Saints Academy lay the Genesis Combat Simulation Complex.

Unlike ordinary training rooms, this facility wasn’t built for students below A-Rank. Every wall was layered with awakened alloys, mana-insulating crystals, and dimensional stabilizers capable of withstanding devastating attacks.

Rows of transparent observation rooms overlooked dozens of combat arenas.

Inside one of those arenas, an entire forest stretched as far as the eye could see. Massive trees towered overhead while rivers flowed naturally between moss-covered rocks. Birds chirped peacefully.

At least, until the explosions started.

BOOOOM!!

A wolf the size of an elephant was split cleanly in half.

Its body dissolved into countless blue particles before another beast immediately lunged forward.

ROAR!!

It never reached its target.

SCHWING!

A gigantic sword nearly two meters long cleaved through its skull. Another swing. Another explosion. Another monster disappeared.

Standing in the middle of the battlefield was a petite girl. She couldn’t have been taller than five feet. Well, she was taller than that... maybe.

Her long golden hair had been braided into two thick braids that extended all the way to her ankles, swaying behind her with every movement.

She had golden eyes, fair skin, and a surprisingly youthful face. She almost looked delicate. Almost, because resting upon her shoulders were two colossal greatswords, each nearly as tall as she was. Weapons that would require three grown men just to lift, she wielded them as though they were made of wood.

BOOM!

She disappeared.

The ground shattered beneath her feet. The next instant, three monsters exploded simultaneously. The sheer force generated by her swing created a shockwave that uprooted trees within a thirty-meter radius.

A gigantic armored rhinoceros charged toward her, its body glowing crimson. An A-Rank Beast. It lowered its horn, but Kelvina smiled.

Finally, something worth swinging at.

She planted one sword into the ground, gripped the remaining one with both hands, and pulled. The blade screamed through the air.

BOOOOOOOOOM!!

The beast’s charge stopped instantly. Its horn shattered. Its skull followed. Then... Its entire body split vertically into two perfect halves before dissolving into particles.

Silence returned. Kelvina rested the massive sword across one shoulder.

"Weak."

A mechanical voice echoed across the simulated forest.

[Wave Forty Completed.]

[Wave Forty-One Beginning.]

The forest trembled as hundreds of monsters began appearing between the trees. Flying beasts, armored giants, elemental wolves, poison insects, earth serpents, and many more, causing the sky to darken.

Kelvina’s smile widened.

"Much better."

She rolled her shoulders.

Ding!

A small holographic notification appeared before her eyes.

[Principal’s Office]

[Priority Summons]

[Please report immediately.]

She stared at it for a few seconds.

"Really?"

The monsters continued roaring.

Kelvina sighed. "I was just getting warmed up..."

She lazily lifted one finger.

"End Simulation."

Everything froze. The beasts vanished, the trees dissolved into particles, and the forest disappeared. The entire world shattered into blue light. The simulation pod opened with a hiss.

Cold vapor escaped. Kelvina stepped out while casually resting both gigantic swords across her shoulders. Nearby technicians looked over instinctively.

"She reached Wave Forty again."

"No..." Another technician corrected quietly. "She stopped herself."

"Monster."

One brave employee approached carefully.

"M-Miss Bradley..."

"Hm?"

"The Principal is waiting."

"I know."

She stretched. Her joints popped loudly.

"I’m hungry. After the meeting."

***

A few minutes later, she arrived outside the Principal’s office and knocked. At least she still had basic manners.

"Come in."

Kelvina entered.

The office was spacious yet elegant. Bookshelves lined the walls. Awards and academy banners decorated the room. Standing beside the panoramic window overlooking the campus was the academy’s principal.

He smiled upon seeing her.

"You’ve become stronger again."

"I hit things."

"I noticed."

"They broke."

"I noticed that too."

"..."

"..."

The principal chuckled.

"I’ve interrupted your training for a reason."

Kelvina leaned one sword against the wall before sitting down.

"What happened?"

"The Inter-Academy Selection Tournament."

Her eyes immediately brightened.

"It’s time?"

"It will be announced very soon."

Kelvina leaned forward.

"So we’re finally fighting the other cities."

"Yes."

A grin slowly spread across her face.

"I’ve been waiting."

"I know."

The principal adjusted his glasses.

"This year’s tournament may be unlike any before it."

Kelvina tilted her head.

"Because of the new S-Ranks?"

He nodded.

"Precisely the two from City A, among others."

She remained silent for a moment before asking,

"Will they participate?"

"The official participant lists haven’t been released yet."

"I see."

She rested her chin on her hand.

"What are their names again?"

The principal answered immediately.

"Silas Ashard and Chloe Montreal."

Kelvina nodded slowly.

"I’ve watched every available recording."

"So have I."

"They’re..." She searched for the right word. "Interesting."

The principal smiled knowingly.

"You mean powerful."

She nodded honestly.

"Very." She closed her eyes briefly. "The boy..."

"Silas?"

"Mm. I can’t explain it, but every time I watch him fight, my instincts tell me not to underestimate him." She opened her eyes again. "He doesn’t move like someone who awakened recently."

The principal remained quiet.

"He feels..." She frowned. "Old, as though..."

She lightly tapped the table.

"He’s holding something back."

The room fell silent. Finally, Kelvina stood. She picked up both enormous swords as effortlessly as one would pick up an umbrella.

"Principal."

"Yes?"

"If they aren’t participating..." She shrugged. "Neither am I."

The principal blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"I’m not interested in beating people weaker than me."

"You haven’t even fought them."

"I don’t need to." She smiled. "I can tell. Silas is very strong. And Chloe..."

Her battle-hungry eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Her ice feels dangerous."

The principal rubbed his temples.

"You realize the government expects West Town Saints Academy to compete for first place."

"We still have Ezra."

"We do."

"And the others."

"We do."

"So you’ll be fine."

He sighed deeply. "You truly are impossible."

Kelvina laughed.

"I prefer the word honest." She turned toward the door. "But if Silas Ashard and Chloe Montreal register..."

She looked back over her shoulder. The excitement in her golden eyes was impossible to hide.

"Call me immediately. I don’t care if I’m asleep. I don’t care if I’m eating. I don’t even care if I’m in another city." A grin that could only belong to a battle fanatic spread across her face. "I want to cross swords with him."

After saying those words, she walked out of the office, humming happily to herself. The principal watched the door close before letting out a long sigh.

"This year’s tournament..." He looked out over the sprawling academy grounds. "...is going to be absolute chaos."