Chapter 65: The First Combat Trial and a Presumptuous Challenge

The entire class of students had assembled on the training grounds.

“Isn’t the first day just supposed to be a simple appearance? Why do we have to take a test…”

“Don’t you know? That professor is the notoriously strict Sikong Xiangyu. Once, she even turned an entire class’s holiday into remedial lessons because their grades failed to meet the required standard.”

“Really!?”

A handful of students were furtively discussing their class teacher, unaware that a university professor, possessing formidable strength, would naturally catch every word.

“Those few over there, if you speak again, you’ll run fifty laps around the training grounds.”

“…!”

Every student instantly clamped their mouths shut, as Sikong Xiangyu once again addressed them.

“You might find this abrupt, but such is the nature of real combat; one must always be capable of shifting between a state of rest and battle. For now, everyone is to pair up and engage in combat. Should any of you fail to find a partner, you will face me.”

Upon hearing her declaration, not a single student present dared to dally, understanding well that a university professor’s power was far beyond anything they, as students, could hope to contend with—least of all the infamously stringent Sikong Xiangyu.

‘It would be a blessing if she didn’t beat you until you couldn’t get out of bed, only to heal you and then start all over again.’

“It’s a mutual combat scenario, then what are we supposed to do?”

While a typical grouping wouldn’t pose an issue, this was a simulated battle, making it rather awkward to unleash attacks indiscriminately when everyone was acquainted.

As for gauging an opponent’s strength to precisely control their own power, that was an impossible feat. Most of the students present had known each other for less than a day, and their practical combat experience hovered near zero. The only two likely capable of such a nuanced approach were Bai Li and Lin Xi.

“We’ll have to play it by ear. Though it’s a simulated battle, it shouldn’t genuinely jeopardize any of the students…”

“I’ve found you!”

No sooner had Lin Xi uttered half her thought than another thoroughly irritating voice pierced the air.

Following the sound, they saw, predictably, that particular monkey-like individual bearing the surname Lei.

“I didn’t expect to get a chance so soon. Come fight me; I’ll definitely let you know how powerful I am!”

Lei Haotian’s gaze bore intensely into Bai Li, as though he intended to devour her whole.

Yet, Bai Li offered him not the slightest acknowledgment.

‘To Bai Li, such an individual barely warranted a glance; he was nothing more than a pure clown. Instead of diverting her energy to acknowledge him, she preferred to simply relish her closeness with Lin Xi.’

“You!? How dare you ignore me!?”

In stark contrast to Bai Li’s placid demeanor, Lei Haotian erupted into a furious tirade, his outburst so dramatic it prompted the surrounding students to avidly ‘eat melon’ (TL Note: A Chinese slang term meaning to watch gossip or drama unfold).

“Just what kind of vendetta does this Young Master Lei harbor against her, to cling on so relentlessly?”

“It couldn’t be that he’s smitten with her, could it?”

“Ugh, don’t even suggest such a thing; it’s utterly repulsive. A beauty of her caliber would be utterly wasted on that arrogant young master. She deserves someone equally delightful and gentle, another charming young woman.”

“My sister, I understand.”

“Indeed, you possess a certain charm yourself.”

Momentarily disregarding the sudden shift in atmosphere among the other students, which had inexplicably taken on a ‘tangerine hue’ (TL Note: A Chinese internet slang term, ‘jú shì yǒu biàn,’ implying the blossoming of yuri or lesbian romance), Lei Haotian, who had been ranting like a wild monkey to no avail, suddenly struck upon an idea. It was sparked by the occasional glances Bai Li cast towards the pink-haired girl beside her.

“Heh, so you’re afraid of making a spectacle of yourself before your friend? That’s understandable, considering this young master’s strength is unmatched among our peers. Still, you may flee for a moment, but you cannot escape forever.”

“…”

“Nevertheless, seeing that you and your companion are quite comely, if you were to kneel before this young master and beg, I might just consider…”

Before his words could fully escape his lips, Lei Haotian was abruptly overcome by a sensation akin to plummeting into an icy abyss, a terrifying coldness surging up his spine.

For a fleeting instant, he even glimpsed his own demise.

“…I see. I now grasp the nature of your technique.”

Once he had regained his senses, Lei Haotian felt as though he had deciphered everything.

To exert such a profound effect upon him, even capable of unnerving his bodyguards, indicated a mental-type ability of considerable rank, and a highly specialized one at that.

In other words, her direct combat capabilities were virtually nil!

“Fight!”

Lei Haotian roared, simultaneously drawing forth a sword from seemingly empty air—its bifurcated blade resembling a tuning fork. Perceiving the imminent start of combat, the surrounding crowd swiftly drew back, creating a generous expanse.

Bai Li cast a quick glance towards the professor, observing no discernible ripple of emotion on Sikong Xiangyu’s face. The professor merely picked up a pen, poised to record, utterly devoid of concern even after hearing the grandiose claims regarding Young Master Lei’s prowess.

Upon confirming this, Bai Li allowed a faint chuckle to escape her lips internally. If that were the case, then perhaps it wouldn’t matter if she exerted herself just a little more, would it?

“Let me show you what a true powerhouse is like.”

Lei Haotian rhythmically struck his tuning fork sword again and again, each impact producing waves of resonant sound. As his striking frequency intensified, the volume swelled, growing so immense that nearby students instinctively clapped their hands over their ears.

Witnessing this, Sikong Xiangyu subtly extended a finger, and an invisible barrier shimmered into existence, encompassing the combat arena where Bai Li and Lei Haotian stood. The residual shockwaves radiating from within were consequently attenuated to a level precisely tolerable for the students.

As for Bai Li, who stood within the barrier, directly confronting the onslaught of sound waves, her face remained utterly devoid of expression, betraying even a hint of boredom.

‘If a true powerhouse requires such an extended period to charge up, they would have long since been interrupted and eliminated.’

‘It was a well-known fact that even for ability users requiring transformations—such as the Color Sentai, Kamen Riders, and Magical Girls—compressing their transformation sequence was a fundamental skill. Even an E-rank ability user would be deemed unqualified if they couldn’t complete it within a second, with higher ranks demanding even swifter execution.’

‘This was solely to prevent interruptions or the inability to transform during a critical juncture. For instance, during a prior shopping trip when she encountered that Octopus Head (TL Note: Referring to a powerful opponent from a previous encounter), even though the primary issue stemmed from the opponent’s sudden surge in strength and her delayed reaction, Lin Xi had subsequently striven to further compress her transformation time and streamline the steps. By now, she could seamlessly combine extracting her magic gem and completing her transformation into a single, fluid action.’

‘From this perspective, it became abundantly clear that this young master had utterly no experience in genuine combat.’

“Hmph! How presumptuous!”

As Lei Haotian spoke, the force in his hand intensified yet again, until the sound waves grew so potent they manifested as visible ripples of lightning, charring everything they grazed into cinders.

The tuning fork sword in his hand, as if enchanted by these lightning-infused sound waves, became wreathed in a special effect that continuously discharged arcs of crackling electricity.

“Take this!”

With this bellow, the lightning sound waves coiling around Lei Haotian’s tuning fork sword unleashed their most tremendous roar yet. The lightning shrieked as it hurtled towards the unsuspecting Bai Li. Potent currents and intense heat erupted with a deafening explosion, as though a veritable bolt of divine lightning had descended.