章 24: Strong sisters

"Oh, Jade Marrow, why not? Come onto the stage," Jared said, his tone noticeably softer than before.

The Marrow sisters were widely regarded as two of the strongest students in the school by the teachers. However, the truth was that the Marrow family's considerable wealth had earned them favoritism among the faculty. Their father had donated a significant amount of supernatural crystals, the current world currency, to the school, despite the sisters' reluctance. Nevertheless, in order to ensure their daughters' safety, their father had insisted on the donations, resulting in the teachers treating them with more kindness compared to the other students.

Jade made her way through the students, her steps deliberate as she reached the stage and positioned herself opposite Darwin.

"Okay, I guess we have another match to start," Jared announced before stepping off the stage. "Let the match begin!"

Zephyr observed the scene with a mixture of cynicism and resentment. 'Hm, I see what's going on here. This Jared guy just lets the rich kids do whatever they want, huh? Jared's such a bastard!" he thought, shaking his head in disdain. Whether they were humans or supernaturals, they all seemed to act the same—inept and driven by greed. It was a system where the wealthy were noticed and catered to, while those without riches were treated like trash.

This reality fueled Zephyr's desire to inflict pain upon others when he was the vampire king. Whether they were other kings or civilians, he wanted them to suffer as he had—as a lonely beggar on the streets, where people had trampled over him like garbage after his parents had died when he was very young before he was taken by the vampire king.

Zephyr brooded, "I'll get my revenge, they always say it's best served cold."

The duel commenced with Jade assuming a poised stance, her movements a silent ballet. The bow slung across her back was for show; the real threat lay in the solitary arrow she wielded. Its head began to frost over, the chill in the air lending its power to her weapon.

"Do you take pride in overpowering those who seem vulnerable?" Jade's voice was calm, the growing ice on the arrow mirroring the coolness in her tone.

Darwin squared off against her, his stance a clear challenge. "Your identity is irrelevant. I'm here to compete, and I don't pull punches."

Darwin charged at Jade, his rod slicing through the air with a practiced spin. A smirk played on his lips; defeating Jade, one of the academy's top students, would certainly boost his reputation. He activated his aura vision, only to find Jade's energy looming over him like a towering wave, dwarfing his own flickering spark.

'She's a powerhouse,' Darwin realized, gripping his rod tighter, ready to bring it crashing down. But in a blink, Jade's form blurred—a sudden gust of speed—and vanished.

"Where did—"

His words cut off as he caught sight of the ice arrow in Jade's grasp.

"Oh, Shit—"

Too late. The arrow crashed against Darwin's face, fragments dancing in the air like deadly snowflakes. Jade wasn't done; she seized him by the collar and hurled him backward. His head met the ground with a thud that echoed through the arena.

Silence fell before the announcer's voice rang out, clear and decisive: "And the victor is Jade Marrow!"

Jade's skill left the audience in awe. With swift precision, she countered Darwin's assault, his own momentum driving him into her ice arrow. It was over in an instant.

Zephyr observed with quiet respect. *Impressive*, he thought, as Jade's quick defeat of Darwin played in his mind.

"Next up, Eva Marrow and John Carter," Jared's voice boomed, announcing the new contenders. They stepped onto the stage, ready for battle.

Eva's stance was stoic, her eyes void of emotion—a stark contrast to her striking appearance. Her brown hair and gray eyes were a testament to her beauty, yet it was her aura of indifference that truly defined her. Zephyr found himself drawn to her, not for her looks, but for the enigmatic presence she commanded.

'She's got style', Zephyr mused, his gaze lingering on Eva. He rarely noticed girls, but Eva was an exception. Her sister Jade, though not his type, had shown passion when Amber was injured, retaliating by challenging and defeating Darwin. 'That's the kind of heroism I find unappealing'.

Eva and John faced each other, poised for combat. In Eva's grip were two swords, their hilts exquisitely crafted with dragon scales. John, with a spear measuring a full meter, stood ready. The duel was about to begin.

"Start!"

John didn't waste a second. He dashed at Eva, spear aimed and ready. Everyone said Jade was the tough one. But Eva? She was a mystery. Maybe she'd be easy to beat.

He tried to stab her, but Eva was too quick. She stepped aside, then whacked him on the head with her sword's handle. John's head spun. Before he could recover, Eva's knee slammed into his stomach. He wheezed, out of breath, and hit the ground like a dropped bag.

Jared's voice boomed over the crowd. "Eva Marrow wins! Quickest match of the day!"

Eva strode proudly off the stage, while John was escorted out by the same two men who had carried Ander earlier. The audience was genuinely taken aback by the unfolding events. The Marrow sisters had displayed their formidable strength, defying expectations despite their wealth. Instead of relying on champions or bodyguards, they had proven themselves as strong individuals.

"Now, onto the next match," Jared announced, his voice tinged with slight confusion at the absence of a last name for one of the contestants. However, in this supernatural realm, many were either slaves or born without names or last names, so it didn't carry much weight.

"Emery Villain, and Eh.. Zephyr"

'Finally, it's my turn,' Zephyr thought as he made his way to the stage. There was no trace of fear or shyness in his demeanor as he stepped onto the platform.

"Oh, my. Is that guy Zephyr, hmm!" Jade remarked with a frown. She hadn't expected Zephyr to show up for combat class. "Well, it's understandable. He showed great skill during the test, defeating a large number of zombies single-handedly."

"Hm, why do you dislike that weak guy? You could just crush him," Eva remarked to Jade, who stood beside her, her gaze fixed on the stage where Zephyr and his opponent were preparing for battle. "Don't tell me you're starting to like him."

"What?!" Jade exclaimed, her eyes widening. "No, I don't like him. He's weak and rude. Besides, we're here to grow in power, nothing else." But in her thoughts,

Jade questioned herself. 'Do I like him?'

Feeling a sharp gaze on him, Zephyr glanced towards the audience and locked eyes with Jade among the crowd, standing beside her sister.

'Why's she looking at me like she's going to kill me?' Zephyr thought.

"Begin!" the announcer declared, signaling the start of the match.

Zephyr stood in a firm stance, his hands open and hovering in front of him as if ready to strike. His legs were positioned with one in front and the other at the back, while his katana remained sheathed on his back.

His opponent, Emery, appeared perplexed by Zephyr's stance, as did the rest of the audience. However, one person in particular widened their eyes in surprise at Zephyr's posture.

'Isn't that the Shallow Standing Squat style? How does this kid know that move?'Jared wondered, intrigued by Zephyr's unexpected technique.

*******

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