Chapter 474: The Fainted Pro

"Alright, the first game set begins." Ella raised one hand up to signal the start of the game.

"Ely, give them a good serve." Elena gave a thumbs up.

"Mm." Elysia just nodded and checked the ball's flexibility, and muttered in her mind. 'It has been a very long time since I last played volleyball or any ball-related sport. Hopefully, I'm not clumsy when I play.'

After saying that, Elysia tossed the ball into the air. When the ball was positioned in mid-air, she immediately jumped up. She swung her arm to deliver a beautiful serve.

*Pa!*

Elysia slapped the ball pretty hard. The ball shot quickly into the opponent's territory, but unfortunately, the net was relatively high. The ball returned to its own territory and fell to the sand.

"..." Elysia fell silent with a hint of embarrassment. She looked at the net and compared it to her height. Having estimated, she was only about half the height of the net...

"Everything is okay. It was just a test throw." Elena patted Elysia's back.

"One point for the left team." Ella announced and changed the score for her team.

"Wahaha, please try again, Ely!" Sylvia waved her hand high while laughing out loud.

"Here, please try one more time. I'm sure this time will give us a good score." Yuuki walked over and handed the ball to Elysia.

"Okay..." Elysia received the ball and prepared to serve once again.

"Hey!" Elysia jumped up and hit the ball with her lower wrist. She sent the ball high into the enemy team's territory with only a slight distance from the net.

"Theo, don't let the ball fall!" Sylvia exclaimed while pointing at the ball.

"Ho? This is easy." Theo threw his body into the sand. He used his arm to make the ball bounce back into the air.

"Nice, now! Ha!" Sylvia was happy that the ball was coming toward her. She jumped high and gave the ball her best edge, a nice smash.

*Pa!*

"Gio." Elena just mumbled softly.

"Rrr." Gio understands what he needs to do. As his name was called, he only jumped slightly to make himself an absolute wall.

*Thud*

The ball just bounced off Gio's chest and fell back into the opposing team's area.

"Yay!" Elena, Elysia, and Yuuki gave each other a high five. While Gio just folded his arms proudly.

"One point for the right team, hehe." Evelyn giggled and changed the score for her team on the board.

"Well... Gio is a tough opponent in this game. We need to think of a counter." Nell muttered as she picked up the ball. She threw the ball at the tiger man. "Theo, catch this. Give our team a good serve."

"Affirmative!" Theo gave a thumbs up and immediately got ready outside the backline. He tested the ball's flexibility by tossing it back and forth between his hands.

"Pure Muscle Strike!" Theo hit the ball hard and sent it flying, but it immediately dived into the opposing team's area.

"Let me." Yuuki got into her stance and prepared to receive the ball with both arms.

*Pa*

"Mhm!" Yuuki felt the ball was quite heavy, but she managed to bounce the ball into mid-air nevertheless.

"Here, show us a good smash." Elysia provided a pass into the excellent position for any smasher in the center area near the net.

"Hum-hm~ Take this." Elena jumped up and punched the ball. She truly punched the ball and sent it flying like a meteor.

"I can handle it." Sylvia prepared with her stance confidently.

"That's a smash from the divine. The risk is too great for you." Nell flew and hit the ball back into the opposing team's area. She was in a hurry and really didn't put much strength other than a defensive one.

"Haha, that looks a little underhanded indeed. You're just floating around with no height limit for you." Elena sneered and let Elysia pass a ball to her.

She gave Gio eye contact, and the latter just gave the nod.

"That is my privilege." Nell just shrugged her shoulders and spread her arms.

"Hehe, then how about this one?" Elena smiled and jumped. When she was about to deliver a nice smash, she just returned to the ground without any action.

At the same time, Gio's eyes sparkled and jumped. He swung his arms like he was about to slap a giant rock into rubble.

*Bam!*

A meteor-like smash was launched once again. The ball seemed to bend because of the power it received.

"Eh?" Sylvia and everyone on her team became slightly astonished.

They had been preparing to receive a smash from the Goddess of Light, but it turned out to be a ruse.

When everyone realized that, the ball had shot in a different direction and swooped down toward Sylvia.

Sylvia's eyes widened to see that the ball was already right before her eyes in less than a blink of an eye.

"Pa!"

"Urgh!" Sylvia managed to bounce the ball back into mid-air, toward the opposing team's area, using her pretty face.

Gio was impressed by that red-eyed girl. Nevertheless, he just looked up and jumped once more. He dealt a powerful smash to the ball that fell toward him.

"Hey! You're deliberately aiming for me, right? Don't you have any mercy for a beautiful and sexy girl like me? A big man like you really-" Sylvia grumbled while hissed in pain. She was sure her face was turning red by now.

Unfortunately, somehow the ball came toward her again.

*Pa*

The ball hit Sylvia's face once again. She fell onto the sand, unconscious, without being able to finish her words.

"One point for the right team." Evelyn covered her mouth with a look of surprise. It must be hurt. Even so, she changed the score for her team nonetheless.

"Wow, Gio. You really have no mercy even though your opponent is a beautiful and sexy girl." Elena shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. Then, she beckoned a substitute to enter. "One is unconscious, Leila. Take Sylvia place."

"Yay, it's a great ultimate smash Gio. Feel your karma. The friendship ended with Sylvia. Gio is now my best friend." Yuuki jumped in excitement. She patted Gio's back repeatedly.

"Err... Isn't that a little too extreme? You planned this, the Goddess of Light?" Nell frowned as she gave first aid to the red-faced unconscious girl.

"No, not really. It was pure coincidence and Gio also just delivered a good smash. You can't blame anyone for this." Elena shrugged her shoulders as if she didn't know anything. That was the truth. She wasn't involved in this outcome.

After Sylvia was taken off the field, the game resumed once again. Victory went to the right team, and Nell just pouted to accept defeat. Although, the one thing that irritated her so much was the ridicule from Elena.

Simultaneously, any game involving team competition was immediately removed from the schedule for that morning's activity list.

"Shoo, shoo, please don't frown all the time. Would you like this fresh red fruit?" Rhea patted her little sister with her finger. Then, offered a plate of fruit.

"Mm, thank you." Nell took a toothpick to stab the piece of fruit and devoured it. She glanced to the side. A brown cat used a large leaf to provide fresh air for the unconscious girl.

That was the one that made her smile in amusement because, from any point of view, it looked rather funny to see a cute little cat using such a large leaf.

Rhea also smiled to see that. She then turned to Elena, who was relaxing under the lounge chair and the girls who were busy building a giant sandcastle. Surprisingly, Gio was also enthusiastic about building a sandcastle with his earth magic.

"Hah?" Sylvia opened her eyes instantly with an unexpected jolt. She felt like she had just fallen from a high place and returned to her body.

"Wait a minute... Where am I now?" Sylvia looked around while holding her head. She felt a bit dizzy and confused.

"You're awake, Sylvia? Are you all right?" Leila asked softly.

Sylvia looked at the brown talking cat in a slight daze. She needed five seconds of silence to process what had just happened before she fell unconscious.

The memory of a ball hitting her face twice repeated vividly in her mind.

Sylvia became furious and panicked at the same time. She immediately checked her face with her hands, but she didn't feel any pain. Perhaps, she was healed by someone.

However, that wasn't enough to give her heart a sense of relief and calm.

"Please lend me a mirror." Sylvia reached her hand out to the brown cat.

"Mirror? All right, wait a moment." Leila tilted her head slightly before she went to a nearby bag. She rummaged through the bag, then bit a face mirror and brought it to Sylvia. "Here it is."

Sylvia immediately checked her face using the mirror. She used several different angles to make sure her pretty face was okay, without any scar.

"Phew..." Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief.

"I have rendered help to you. There will be no scars or pain for you to suffer." Nell mumbled in between as she ate the fresh fruit.

"Mm, thank you very much for your help, the Goddess of Blessings. Then I need to excuse myself. There is someone who needs to be taught a lesson." Sylvia gave a look of appreciation with a slight bow of respect. She then walked away toward the giant sandcastle.

"Gio, you damn dragon-man! Do you have a grudge against me? Come here and face me!" Sylvia shouted angrily.