Chapter 429 98.1 - Duels [4]

Chapter 429 98.1 - Duels [4]

<Arcadia Hunter Academy, Saturday Morning>

The morning sun had barely begun to rise, casting a soft, golden glow over the academy grounds. Irina was already up, her mind set on one goal: finding Astron.

Today's duels were crucial, and the attention they would receive would be immense.

'This is a good chance.' She didn't want to miss the chance to watch them with Astron and hear his commentary. Since he was good at observing things, in general, he was someone whose comments were helpful to listen to.

With a determined stride, she made her way through the quiet corridors; her thoughts focused on where he might be.

'Considering that he is a training maniac, there is no way he would miss his training.' And, remembering his training routine, she figured the combat training rooms were her best bet since he would be there at this hour.

As for how she knew about his training routine.

Let's not talk about it.

The academy was still waking up, the early morning light filtering through the windows, casting long shadows. The halls were mostly empty, and rarely few students were milling about, but the majority were still in their dorms, preparing for the last day of the exams.

As she approached the training area, the sound of clashing blades and heavy breathing grew louder. Irina quickened her pace, a sense of anticipation building within her. She knew Astron well enough to predict his habits, and her intuition was telling her she was on the right track. Upstodatee from n(0)/ve/lbIn/.(co/m

Sure enough, as she entered the combat training rooms, she spotted him.

TAK! TAK! TAK! Astron was in the center of the room, moving with a fluid grace that belied the intensity of his training, facing the PhantomGlide Dummy. She had seen him fighting against it before, but it was still a feast on the eye. His focus was absolute, and each movement was precise and calculated. His body glistened with sweat, his muscles taut and defined as he executed a series of complex maneuvers with his dagger.

Irina paused for a moment, watching him. There was something mesmerizing about the way he moved, a perfect blend of power and elegance. She felt a surge of pride, knowing that this was the person she cared for so deeply.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward, her presence immediately catching his attention. Astron stopped mid-movement, his gaze shifting to her. For a moment, they simply looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between them.

"G-good morning...."

And since that bastard was someone who had never cared about such socializations, he didn't speak, forcing her to awkwardly greet him.

The embarrassment.

It was somehow there.

Astron, true to his nature, simply looked at her with the same calm, distant expression. "What brings you here?"

Irina wasn't surprised. She knew this was how he was from the start. "I wanted to find you before the duels start," she replied, her voice steady despite the lingering embarrassment.

"Why?"

"Why do you think?"

"....." He stood there for a second, contemplating. And then, he raised and asked. "You want to watch it with me?"

"Took you long enough, you bastard."

Astron wiped the sweat from his brow with the towel in his hand.

SWOOSH!

But then, without warning, he suddenly threw the towel at Irina's face.

"Huh?" Irina caught the towel, looking at him with a mixture of surprise and annoyance. "What was that for?"

"For insulting me," Astron replied nonchalantly.

A mischievous idea flashed across Irina's mind. Smirking, she buried her nose into the towel, sniffing it dramatically. "Thanks for the treat."

Since from the moment she decided to reveal her feelings, she no longer needed to hide them when they were together alone.

She could now do things like these without any concern.

'He really smells good.'

A haircut that was sharp and short, making his face seem a lot sharper and more serious.

And most importantly, I experienced grey eyes that were focused on the enemy.

"General?"

Some people knew about him and his identity as the general of the military.

"The Black Bear."

Some of them knew about him because of the title given by the government.

"Sir Kyle Braveheart."

And some of them knew about him with his name.

But one thing was certain here.

The person is standing before Victor Blackthorn.

It was one of the strongest people alive in this federation.

"What is a general of the military doing here?"

The audience buzzed with shock and confusion. The idea of a military general facing a young student in a duel seemed absurd. How could someone of his caliber be an opponent in this context?

As the murmurs grew louder, the headmaster, Jonathan Verdict, appeared out of nowhere, his presence bringing an immediate hush to the crowd. He stepped forward, raising a hand to address the audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I understand your surprise and confusion," Jonathan began, his voice steady and authoritative. "Allow me to explain why General Kyle Braveheart is here today."

The crowd fell silent, all eyes fixed on the headmaster.

"General Kyle's son is a student at this academy, and as a father, he had expressed his wish to visit and witness his son's duel."

At that moment, many eyes were turned to the young man who was sitting in the front seat. He was also as bulky as the man in the arena, and the hair looked the same.

"Knowing this, we extended an invitation to the General to participate as a sparring partner for Victor Blackthorn. This was not a decision made lightly. We wanted to provide Victor with an opponent who could receive everything he would have desired to display while keeping everyone safe.

Jonathan paused, letting his words sink in. The audience listened intently, their initial shock giving way to understanding.

"General Kyle Braveheart graciously agreed to our request," Jonathan continued. "This duel is not just a competition; it is an opportunity for Victor to test his abilities against one of the strongest warriors in our federation. It is a rare honor and a testament to the high standards we uphold at Arcadia Hunter Academy."

The crowd murmured in agreement, their respect for both the academy and the participants growing.

This was an event that was the first in the history of the academy. Surely, there were many people who faced the Hunters, but no one did it in their first year of the academy.

It was simply an absurd concept.

And that substrate somehow made everything more and more interesting since no one was expecting such a thing to happen.

The significance of this duel had become clear.

Jonathan continued, "To ensure that this duel remains fair and effective, General Braveheart will be restraining himself. He will be wearing these specialized bracelets that suppress the mana of the wearer, lowering its quality and output."

At this, the headmaster gestured towards the gleaming silver bands on General Braveheart's wrists. The audience noticed the subtle glow emanating from the bracelets, indicating their active suppression of the general's formidable power.

"These bracelets are designed to limit General Braveheart's immense strength, making the duel more balanced and allowing Victor Blackthorn to demonstrate his full potential against a controlled but challenging opponent," Jonathan explained.

The crowd murmured in agreement, nodding as they processed this information. The respect for the headmaster's decision grew, and the excitement for the upcoming duel intensified.

Victor, unfazed by the revelation, stood tall and focused. He knew the challenge before him was immense, but it was also an opportunity to prove himself against an unparalleled opponent. His cold expression remained unchanged, showing his readiness for the duel.

General Kyle Braveheart, the "Black Bear," stepped forward, his gaze locked onto Victor. "Cadet Blackthorn. Are you ready?" he said, his voice a deep rumble of authority.

Victor nodded. "I'm ready."

The headmaster stepped back, giving the signal for the duel to begin. The amphitheater fell into a tense silence as the two combatants squared off, the air thick with anticipation. The clash between the academy's strongest student and a legendary general was about to unfold.

With a commanding presence, General Braveheart adopted a stance, his restrained power still palpable. Victor mirrored his opponent, his eyes never leaving the general's form. The crowd held its breath, knowing they were about to witness an extraordinary battle.