Kapitel 23: Quick first match

The two people called slowly walked forward and climbed onto the stage, standing opposite each other. Ander was a girl with brown hair and blue eyes. She held two short axes in both her hands, the axes gleaming with sharpness, ready to cut through anything.

On the other side stood Darwin, a young man with short black hair and black eyes. He wore an annoying smirk as he stood on the platform, holding a one-meter-long golden-colored rod. The rod was beautifully crafted with intricate designs of dragons.

'Gonna crush this one,' Darwin thought.

"Now, the rules of the match are simple: whoever is knocked down and unable to continue makes the other the winner. If you continue when your opponent is down, you'll be greatly punished. Now, get ready to fight!" Jared announced as both fighters took their stances on opposite sides of the platform. Jared stepped off the platform to watch the match unfold.

"Now, fight!" Jared declared, signaling the start of the match.

'Let's see what these amateurs can do,' Zephyr thought, observing with keen interest.

Immediately, Darwin launched the first attack, capitalizing on Ander's momentary hesitation. Ander's momentary hesitation proved to be a critical error in the heat of battle. In combat, any delay can provide an opening for the opponent to strike first, as Darwin astutely demonstrated.

Darwin dashed towards Ander with incredible speed, he swung his rod sideways, aiming directly for Ander's left ribs. Ander, caught off guard by Darwin's sudden movement. She found herself in a vulnerable position, with no immediate defense against an attack that could cause significant harm.

Reacting swiftly to Darwin's attack, Ander positioned both of her axes in front of her to block the incoming blow. The collision between Darwin's rod and Ander's axes sent shockwaves reverberating through her body, causing her to stagger backward. Despite the impact, Ander managed to regain her balance after taking about ten steps back.

'Wow, that was a strong attack, and she defended it like a champ' Zephyr was marveled at the ferocity of the attack and Darwin's adept defense. The weight of the rod explained its forcefulness, yet the axes held their ground admirably. What truly astounded Zephyr was Darwin's effortless wielding of such a hefty weapon. Champions were undoubtedly stronger than ordinary humans, but Zephyr couldn't fathom how Darwin had gained such strength in just a day since acquiring his ability. With a curious gaze, Zephyr activated his inspect skill.

[Inspect]

[Name: Darwin Moro]

[Race: Human]

[Ability: ????]

[Vitality: 95%]

[Threat: Blue]

"Hmm, it's odd that I can't see his ability, and he's categorized as a Blue threat," Zephyr mused. The only explanation he could muster was that the system didn't recognize Darwin's ability, likely due to Zephyr's inspection skill being at Level 1.

Turning his attention to his own weapon, Zephyr activated the inspection feature.

[Inspect]

[Name: Earthshaking Rod]

[Level: Fledgling-level Weapon]

[Skill: Weightless to the wielder]

'Ah, I understand now. It has a skill that makes it weightless for the user,' Zephyr thought, a tinge of envy creeping in. His katana lacked such a feature, though unlike Darwin's weapon, it augmented his attributes. 'Well, at least that's something.'

"Oops, did that sting, princess?" Darwin taunted with a sinister smirk, launching into another assault before Ander could recover from the initial attack. His strikes came in rapid succession, leaving Ander purely on the defensive, unable to mount a counterattack as she struggled to block Darwin's relentless onslaught.

As Darwin's onslaught intensified, Ander found herself increasingly overwhelmed. In a stroke of misfortune, an attack breached her defenses, striking her ribs with a brutal force that sent her crashing to the ground, her ribs broken.

"Ahh!!" Ander cried out in agony, the pain searing through her body, bringing an abrupt end to the match as she found herself unable to rise.

"Looks like you did a great job out there, Darwin wins," Jared remarked from the sidelines, his keen eyes having observed every detail of the match.

As the students processed Darwin's impressive skills and his swift victory over Ander, a mixture of awe and concern rippled through the crowd. Some were amazed by his prowess and the efficiency with which he dominated the match, while others frowned upon his ruthlessness, particularly towards a female opponent, and speculated about the severity of Ander's injuries from the brutal attack on her ribs.

Suddenly, two figures emerged from the shadows, catching everyone's attention. Clad in vests similar to Jared's, these individuals bore the aura of seasoned champions of the academy—individuals who had embarked on numerous perilous missions, risking their lives for the sake of humanity.

The champions, akin to a militarized force, were deployed across various regions of the world, tasked with engaging in warfare or providing protection to the affluent elite of humanity. In a world where wealth often dictated power and influence, there existed individuals who had amassed fortunes through both legitimate and less savory means, using their riches to secure the allegiance of champions for their own protection.

With a callous disregard for Ander's well-being, the two men hoisted her up and dragged her out of the dojo as if she were nothing more than refuse. Their faces remained stoic, devoid of any hint of remorse or empathy, viewing her only as an inconvenience to be dealt with. Their destination: the school's hospital, where Ander would receive the necessary medical attention to patch her up, regardless of their indifference towards her suffering.

When the men exited the room with Ander, Jared proceeded to announce the next candidates for their performances. "Now that the match is over, I'll call up the next candidates to showcase their skills. First up, Ja—"

"Excuse me, sir, can I have a go against that guy?" A voice interrupted Jared, causing him to pause mid-sentence. Surprised, he scanned the room and spotted a girl with her hand raised. All eyes turned to her, curious to see who had dared to interject Jared while he was in the midst of announcing the next fighters.

As the students' eyes landed on the girl who had spoken up, a wave of surprise rippled through the room. It was none other than Jade, the blue-haired girl with piercing gray eyes. Beside her stood another familiar figure—Eva, her sister—who was known for her relentless dedication to training, practically living in the training rooms.

"Isn't that Jade Morrow, the test instructor?" one student murmured.

"Yeah, and aren't there rumors about her sister, the training freak Eva?" another whispered in response.

'Looks like the blue-haired instructor girl wants to fight. This should be interesting,' Zephyr thought, his anticipation piqued as he eagerly awaited to see how things would unfold.

******