Chapter 229: Closing In (2)

"It would be better to lay down all the rules now. I don’t want you to point your finger at me again and accuse me of breaking the rules. We don’t want to waste everyone’s time."

She spoke calmly, but her words sent a tremendous shock through those who understood their implications.

This was especially true of the deans, who were already growing impatient with how this unofficial event had forced them to sit there for so long and watch students battle it out over nothing more than a bet.

They had only come to show their respect for Dean Marcus, who had been rising through the ranks. He was also one of the people they suspected might be elected as the next vice principal. Thus, they couldn’t afford to damage their otherwise amiable relationship with him, so they had gone along with his crazy idea.

Once the matches began, however, they showed little interest in the proceedings. This match couldn’t even compare to the real battles between Sentinels and Guides in the larger tournament arenas. But they also couldn’t deny the admiration they felt when they witnessed the talents of these students.

Especially the talents of the students who came from Class 7-D!

Although they were all still rough around the edges, everyone could see that they weren’t slacking off in their training. If given a couple of years, they might even shine brighter than the rest.

Unfortunately, they were still too young, and too many things could happen before they had the chance to shine.

Still, that didn’t mean these important figures wanted to stay and watch any longer. Their irritation grew even more when Dean Marcus suddenly halted Kane’s rightful victory and proposed a rematch.

Surprisingly, the low-ranked Guide had won after replacing the previous participant. And she had performed splendidly under everyone’s watch!

Was this really the Guide everyone had been looking down on?

Hearing her words, they couldn’t help but turn toward Dean Marcus and wait for his response. If he truly intended to change the rules again, the deans would have to step in and force him to stop.

Repeatedly changing the rules for the sake of another student would reflect badly on their image!

How could Dean Marcus not know this? Yet he genuinely didn’t know what to do. On one hand, he couldn’t afford to offend too many people, even with his high position in the academy. On the other hand, he had promised Corwin’s parents that he would ensure Corwin and his team won, no matter what!

Caught between these two sides, Dean Marcus couldn’t reach a decision quickly.

But by this point, Aisha had already prepared for the next match.

Whatever they thought, it wouldn’t change her mind. She had already decided that she would make them pay for everything they had done!

Before Dean Marcus could come up with an excuse or say anything, the next match had already begun.

Aisha was the only one left on her team, while the opposing team still had two students. One of them would have to step into the arena and face her.

However, after witnessing the ruthless display that had left Jayden in such a pitiful state, the last of Corwin’s lackeys couldn’t regain his composure quickly enough. The instant Aisha’s eyes fell on him, he felt a chill run down his neck. Suddenly, the thought of stepping into the arena filled him with dread, spreading through him like poison.

"What are you looking at, you bastard?! Go on the stage!" Corwin barked as he kicked the man forward.

However, what happened next caught everyone by surprise. The lackey dodged Corwin’s kick instead of allowing himself to be pushed forward. With his momentum carrying him past the man, Corwin stumbled forward and accidentally crossed the barrier.

"You—!"

When he saw Corwin glaring at him, the lackey immediately cowered and bowed his head, apologizing repeatedly and insisting that he hadn’t meant to do it. Yet deep down, he simply didn’t dare step into the arena.

The fear Aisha had instilled in him far outweighed the intimidation Corwin could make him feel. It was as though he were facing a gigantic beast and a tiny snake. Of course, Aisha was the cold-blooded beast, while Corwin was the snake. In his mind, the two stood on entirely different levels!

Corwin wanted to drag him into the arena. It wasn’t his turn to fight yet. He believed that if his lackey fought Aisha, the man would lose, and Corwin wouldn’t need to fight at all. Then, he would be able to walk around the academy arrogantly, holding his head high as the victor without having to lift a finger.

But—

"Where are you going?"

Corwin turned around to look at Aisha, who had just spoken.

A cold smile played on her lips. "If you leave the arena, then you’ll have to admit that you’ve lost this round."

Anger immediately flared in Corwin’s eyes. He shot one last deadly glare at his lackey before striding forward, his heavy footsteps carrying him toward Aisha.

Like her, he also forced a smile onto his face, but his expression looked stiff and downright ugly.

He said, "Provoking me will be your death sentence. I don’t care about the rules anymore. We will fight however we want, and I will make sure you regret this, Aisha!"

Aisha didn’t respond. She simply met his eyes without flinching.

Dean Marcus hadn’t expected Corwin to step into the arena at this point. He immediately moved toward the railing and leaned over it, intending to stop the match before it began. However, his terminal suddenly buzzed.

He reluctantly glanced at it, but the moment he read the message, his eyes widened, and his uneasiness intensified!

[Dean Marcus, come to the gate and receive the members of the Association!]

It was a message from the Principal.

Even if Dean Marcus could ignore the scrutiny and dissatisfaction of the other professors and deans to win the favor of Corwin’s parents, he absolutely couldn’t afford to ignore the academy’s Principal!

But why had someone from the Association come?

While his mind was filled with questions, the match between Aisha and Corwin had already begun.

***

Ares looked serious as they flew through the sky.

Escorted by three other Association Sentinels, he had set out on the Chief Master’s orders.

The orders were simple: Retrieve the miasma-suppressing pod and bring Aisha back to the Association, no matter what!