Your Holy Sword is Shattered

Ashley is a genuine magic genius.

Born into an aristocratic family in the Imperial Capital, her life was destined to be different from that of ordinary people from the very beginning.

She graduated from the magic academy, became a Saint of the Alchemy Holy See at fourteen, a Priest of the Holy See at nineteen, a quasi-Fourth-tier Sorcerer at twenty, and an Examiner for the Saint Trial. Her life was smooth sailing.

Being an examiner was merely a stepping stone to her brilliant future, just a very, very small interlude.

She was different from those mortals—Ashley knew this clearly; she would have an incomparably brilliant life.

Those without talent, those from remote origins, could only be left far behind by her, only casting admiring glances at her retreating figure.

However, as Ashley stood naked and muscular under the public gaze, feeling the admiring glances cast by those guys, The only emotion she felt was shame, Unparalleled shame.

Shame she had never felt before.

Ashley covered her bare pectoral muscles, her legs clamped tightly together due to the lack of covering. The cold, desolate wind pierced her skin, but it was her heart that felt the chill.

She could feel the eyes of the surrounding audience, pair after pair, falling on her robust skin. Of course, more gazes were fixed on her bright golden underwear, stinging like needles.

She bit her lip slightly, her cheeks flushing with shame.

If it were only this, it would be fine.

What made her feel even more ashamed were Arthur's words.

"A seven-foot man, why act like a coy maiden!"

Damn it!

Who the hell is a seven-foot man!

I was originally a maiden!

Ashley lamented inwardly, but Arthur had no intention of showing mercy to a damsel in distress. His lion-like gaze was fixed on her body, and the Staff, the Holy Sword, struck down directly from the crown of her head!

He put considerable force into this strike, the staff cutting through the air with a whistling sound.

Ashley had no combat experience; she had been a magic genius since childhood, not a Sacred Knight genius.

Fortunately, the Saint-tier Alchemy Array could perfectly replicate the physical condition of the examinees.

Ashley merely relied on the instincts of this Warrior body, subconsciously taking a step back. The staff grazed her face and landed on the ground with a dull roar.

Arthur attacked again. Ashley instinctively blocked with her legs. Sparks flew as the two staffs collided.

Damn it, his staff was made of alloy!

"Let us have a duel full of honor!" Arthur pressed against Ashley's face, "Knight Ashley!"

The audience erupted in cheers. Although they didn't know why a mage duel had turned into a brawl between burly men, witnessing this battle of the strong was worth the price of admission, even if they failed the exam.

This bastard from the Borderlands.

Ashley slowly took a breath, forcing herself to calm down.

No need to be afraid.

Their physical conditions were the same.

As long as she slowly figured it out, she might be able to keep up with the rhythm—she tightened her grip on the staff, her muscles quickly tensing, her strong heart beating fiercely, mixing strength with her blood and sending it to every corner of Ashley's body.

They had already exchanged a few blows. Although Ashley was on the receiving end, she had slowly adapted to the rhythm of the combat.

Or rather, this replicated Arthur's body had learned to fight purely on instinct.

She also mimicked Arthur's stance, smashing the staff backward at him.

This strike was equally powerful and heavy, carrying immense wind pressure—Ashley was about to prove that as long as one was a genius, they could quickly surpass mortals in any field.

She had already sworn in her heart to use the most cruel methods to insult and torment these barbarians from the Borderlands.

Defeating the opponent in their strongest area would be the ultimate insult.

But unfortunately, Arthur's greatest strength was not swordsmanship, but "jian dao" (a play on words, meaning "way of the sword" and "way of being despicable/cheap").

In the realm of being inhuman, Ashley would always be a mortal standing at the foot of the mountain, only able to look up at the god on the summit. Crazy.

Facing the staff pressing down on her face, Arthur slowly closed his eyes.

Arthur recalled a phrase his father had taught him when he was young. Grand Duke Annan had once said, "For a knight of the Sun Family, offense is the best defense."

He remembered his father's teachings and would not let down his father's expectations, nor would he tarnish the honor of the Sun Family.

At this moment, inspiration struck.

Offense is the best defense.

Arthur gave up resisting, a smile even gracing his face.

A bright, unrestrained, free smile.

Just like the sun.

He directly unleashed a powerful upward kick, whistling through the air. This kick was clear in its target and resolute in its attitude, carrying Arthur's purest and noblest will. It was a kick full of honor, full of determination and courage, and it had only one destination—

Ashley's crotch.

This was also why Arthur was naked.

Golden underwear was the first to make contact with Arthur's instep. The fabric was compressed by the wind pressure, then it caved in and continued its advance, moving upward unstoppably!

Advance!

Advance upward!

Advance with resolve and will!

Tearing through all hardship and danger, Like a charging knight, This was the song of courage Arthur Sunny had composed!

Ashley froze in her stance, her metal staff stopping inches from Arthur's face, but she no longer had the strength to push forward. Her entire body went limp.

"Crack."

Her expression froze.

Her eyeballs stopped moving first, widening, her mouth and nose flaring open, her eyebrows raised, the skin on her face slowly contracting.

Finally, even her breathing stopped.

"Hiss—" her teeth clenched, a sound from the depths of her throat.

"Hiss—" All the male audience members felt a chill run down their spines, experiencing phantom pain.

The Saint-tier Alchemy Array was perfect; it perfectly replicated all of the examinee's physical states, thus it could also perfectly replicate that agony.

This was a sensation Ashley had never experienced in her twenty years as a young lady, a feeling she had never known, even a sense she couldn't comprehend.

First, a slight coolness, then a sourness. A sourness spread from her lower abdomen into her internal organs, churning her stomach like a venomous snake writhing within; after this wave of sour cold, came the pain.

The pain was neither sharp nor cramping, but a dull ache. It arrived suddenly and left slowly. In its coming and going, it stole away all of a man's stubbornness and dignity.

This was a man's:

Ultimate insult to another man.

"Hiss hiss hiss—hiss!"

Ashley clutched her crotch and collapsed onto the ground, writhing like a maggot. Her eyes stared at Arthur, vacant and helpless, as if looking at a non-human creature.

What broke Ashley even further were Arthur's words.

"Knight Ashley, as a Sacred Knight, your Holy Sword has shattered."

He put on a show of a master's loneliness. "And my Holy Sword remains unyielding."

Stop insulting the Holy Sword! Ashley was in too much pain to speak.

"What an honorable duel."

Arthur, in a knightly fashion, sheathed his staff. His face still held that sunny, brilliant smile. The sunlight outside pierced through the frost, illuminating his handsome profile and his sculpted, perfect body, making him appear so divine.

"But you remain a warrior with a single testicle."

He chivalrously extended his hand to Ashley, simultaneously announcing loudly to the surroundings, his voice echoing through most of the Alchemy Hall, "I acknowledge your courage, Knight Ashley."

"Good!" Brother Ansu led the applause, and Liszt joined in, praising their fellow villager's courage.

[Exam End]

The voice of the Scales of Order rang out.

[Examiner incapacitated]

[Examinee Arthur Sunny, Candidate Number 59, Exam Score 100 points]

[Next examinee, Candidate Number 60, Liszt Moon, please prepare]

Your courage is stripping naked in front of everyone, and your honor is kicking someone in the groin in plain sight!

Ashley was about to vomit blood from anger.

The Alchemy Array had stopped, and her simulation vanished along with it. All her injuries and pain disappeared.

But for some reason, when she walked, Ashley could still feel a phantom ache.

"From the Borderlands," she gritted her teeth, her eyes full of fury. "Is the next one also from the Borderlands?"

She gazed at Liszt on the preparation platform.

This time, she wouldn't underestimate him like before. She wouldn't fall for the same scheme again.

They were just Borderland minnows.