Chapter 92: Qualifying Rounds: A Genius’s Dominance, A Rabbit’s Swift Strike

A week passed in the blink of an eye.Soon enough, the event all students had eagerly awaited finally dawned.The qualifying rounds for the Viktor Cup representatives were upon them!

These qualifiers would be held simultaneously at the Magic Sword Academy and the Magic Arts Academy, with each selecting their strongest representative to proceed to the final showdown.

The ultimate victor would then earn the honor of representing Acadia Academy at the Viktor Cup, held during the Academy Festival.

The grand arena of the Magic Sword Academy was already teeming with people.

Even before the matches began, the stands were a cauldron of excitement, with fervent discussions rising and falling in waves.

“Who’s fighting whom in this one? Which side do you think will win?”

“Are you kidding? Just look at the lineup—that’s Celeste!”

“Holy cow, really? The legendary genius mage? Is there even a point to this match then?”

“It’s just a formality. No student can stand against her, and frankly, even a teacher might struggle to beat her.”

“Then why are those people on the other side still clamoring? Are they placing bets?”

“Ha, they’re betting on how many seconds her opponent will last.”

The announcer’s voice, amplified by magic, suddenly boomed throughout the entire venue.

As the introductions concluded, two contestants stepped onto the stage under the gaze of thousands.

Celeste, clad in her academy uniform, her flame-like hair billowing with the wind, exuded an imposing aura from head to toe.

The moment she appeared, fervent cheers erupted from all directions.

Facing her was a man, whose palms were now faintly slick with sweat due to his palpable nervousness.

He was by no means ordinary; having barely crossed the threshold of genius, he was considered exceptional among his peers.

Yet, against Celeste, he seemed utterly outmatched.

“Let the match begin!”

At the announcer’s command, the two contestants, who had been observing each other from afar, simultaneously raised their hands.

Both chose the same spell: Fireball.

In sparring matches between students, advanced magic was strictly prohibited, making Fireball the most common and convenient spell.

The man had no idea what Celeste was thinking, but he committed all his strength from the very outset.

He knew perfectly well that he stood no chance against Celeste.

Nevertheless, he yearned to confirm with his own eyes the vast chasm separating him from that legendary genius.

What followed was a stark, tangible experience of that truth.

Flames coalesced at his fingertips, swirling into a scorching fireball.

Though the spell was identical, the fireball Celeste casually conjured was five or six times larger than his own.

The two fireballs collided, and without even a flicker of hesitation, the man’s spell was effortlessly consumed by hers.

He could only watch, transfixed, as the formidable fireball hurtled towards him.

Boom!

An explosion ripped through the arena, and when the smoke cleared, only the man remained, sprawled on the ground, wisps of white smoke rising from him.

The academy’s specialized barrier had prevented fatal injury, but the immense impact had utterly incapacitated him, rendering him unable to continue the fight.

A one-hit knockout.

The entire skirmish had not even lasted a few seconds.

The audience fell silent for a fleeting moment, before erupting into an overwhelming roar of shouts.

“Whoa, that was terrifying!”

“A one-hit knockout. That guy on the other side truly got unlucky.”

“Is the disparity that huge? Can a person really conjure a fireball like Celeste’s?”

“Haha, she made even a basic spell look ridiculous.”

No sooner had the match concluded than half of the remaining contestants immediately withdrew, without a shred of hesitation.

“I say we just skip this year’s qualifiers and make Celeste the representative directly, no? Heh heh, students from other academies are in for a treat.”

“But did you know, the Magic Sword Academy also has a formidable genius? Apparently, they’re a descendant of the great Orlando!”

“That impressive? Still, I doubt they could compare to Celeste, right?”

“That’s true…”

Disregarding the clamor and shouts of the crowd, Celeste merely offered a slight bow to her fallen opponent, a gesture of respect, before turning and descending from the stage.

Liyang had been waiting outside for quite some time, and upon seeing Celeste emerge, she quickly hurried to meet her.

“That was amazing! You won so quickly?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Celeste offered a faint smile, yet her complexion remained somewhat pallid.

Liyang’s smile slowly faded, replaced by a look of concern. “Are you still not recovered? Is it really alright to use magic like this?”

“It’s fine. Such elementary magic won’t have much of an impact.”

Celeste shook her head.

During her battle with Carol that day, she had sustained severe injuries, from which she had yet to fully recover, even finding it difficult to cast spells.

In terms of strength, she likely couldn’t even muster one-fifth of her former power.

A potent wave of indignation surged through Celeste’s heart whenever she recalled the mysterious girl concealed beneath the black robe.

Had Liyang not arrived in the nick of time that day, Celeste would likely have perished by her opponent’s hand.

She was still too weak, unable even to protect those closest to her.

Thus, she absolutely had to become stronger!

Meanwhile, at the Magic Sword Academy, the qualifying rounds were also in full swing.

Outside the arena, Totomia, clad in combat gear with a stylish longsword strapped to his hip, flashed Yalin a confident smile.

“Brother, I knew you’d come. Don’t worry, just watch me fight!”

Yalin had originally intended to say that he was only there to deliver Luminas’s sword, but in the end, he simply nodded.

“Mm, good luck…”

“Alright, I’m going in!”

With that, Totomia flicked the half-cape on his back and strode towards the arena.

Soon enough, both contestants stood at the edge of the stage.

Compared to the towering Totomia, the diminutive Luminas resembled a small rabbit before a black bear, prompting onlookers to instinctively hold their breath for her.

She kept her head slightly bowed, her listless eyes fixed on her toes, appearing as though she were utterly petrified.

Yet, she stood remarkably steady.

“Since both contestants are present, I officially declare the commencement of the first round of the Magic Sword Academy qualifiers!”

A wave of restless clamor immediately swept through the crowd.

The announcer glanced left and right, nodded, and continued:

“Contestants Totomia and Luminas—let the match begin!”

The moment the words left his lips, Totomia leveled his greatsword, its massive blade instantly enveloped in a brilliant emerald glow.

A fierce gale roared forth, whipping his clothes into a frenzy.

He understood that gaining the initiative was paramount in battle, and thus, without delay, he unleashed wind-attribute magic.

With a swing of his longsword, several fierce wind blades instantly shot towards Luminas.

Luminas remained rooted to the spot, seemingly unresponsive.

However, just as the wind blades reached her, her figure vanished from her position in an instant, leaving only a lingering afterimage.

Totomia’s eyes widened. As a demi-human, he possessed far keener perception than ordinary individuals, yet he was completely unable to react to Luminas’s movements.

His vision was a blank; where had she gone?

A wave of terror gripped Totomia’s heart as he instinctively sensed a surge of killing intent from behind him.

Without a moment’s thought, he swung his sword forcefully behind him, not even bothering to turn his head.

Clang!

A crisp clang of metal echoed through the air.

Luminas’s eyes widened slightly; she had seemingly not anticipated that her strike would be blocked.

However, it was merely a fleeting moment of surprise.

Her petite body executed a graceful flip in the air, effortlessly deflecting Totomia’s longsword before landing steadily on the ground, her silver rapier darting forward like a venomous snake.

Totomia had barely turned his head when he found the sharp tip of a sword halted before him, mere centimeters from his throat.

Cold sweat immediately beaded on his skin, and Totomia’s body trembled, causing his magic sword to clatter to the ground.

Then, he tremulously raised both hands.

“I… I surrender.”

The entire arena erupted in an uproar, yet Luminas appeared unfazed, merely retracting her rapier and offering Totomia a slight nod.

She then descended from the stage, walking directly towards Yalin.

“Yalin, I won.”

“Oh, oh…”

Yalin blinked, a bewildered expression on his face.

Seeing his lack of reaction, Luminas tilted her head up and continued.

“Praise me.”