The Contest Continues (Part 2)

Just as the annual drama 'The Heradi Training Story' was about to begin, the veteran members of the Bell Dragon Rider Regiment, who had been dispersed to various divisions and brigades to serve as officers, spontaneously gathered together and had a heated discussion about Heradi.

"Holy crap! What did that idiot Heradi do this time? It's enough for the boss to personally teach him a lesson!"

Who knows!

"Could it be that this guy has gotten arrogant in front of the boss since becoming the Brigade Commander of the Guard Brigade?"

"That's possible!"

"It can't be that bad! He was beaten up by the boss and got so fat that he had to stay in bed for two weeks to recover. How dare he cause trouble in front of the boss?"

"Old Six, why don't you go to the high platform and ask Old Three?"

"Alright! Wait for me a moment, I'll go ask the Old Three right away what's going on."

As soon as he finished speaking, a middle-aged officer with a full beard crouched down and moved quickly along the viewing platform, getting closer and closer to the high platform. The remaining few were busy choosing spots to watch the spectacle, while also waiting for Old Six's news. Seeing their unusual behavior, a soldier on the platform asked his superior officer with some confusion, "Company commander, aren't we not allowed to run around during the exercise? Why are these people doing this..."

"Shh! What do you know! Anyone who calls the general 'boss' like them is a former member of the Bell Dragon Rider Regiment who were transferred here from Kaysir City with the general. After being transferred from the Imperial Guard Division, these people were either assigned to the five major brigades as Brigade Commander or to the four major standing divisions as Regimental Commander. They hold high positions and have power, so of course they have some privileges!"

"Oh! Is that so? I wonder when I'll be able to reach their level?"

Hearing his subordinate's complaints, the company commander whispered to him, "That's easy, just go and challenge them!"

"Squad leader, why don't you challenge them and get promoted?"

Upon hearing his subordinate's words, the squad leader's face darkened. He ignored the man and focused intently on Sordil and Heradi, who were preparing to fight on the arena below.

After bowing to each other, Heradi whispered to Sordil, "Boss, go easy on him!"

"Don't worry, I've got the job done!"

"If your men were any capable, they wouldn't have beaten me so badly that I was bedridden for half a month last time!"

After mentally criticizing Sordil, Heradi immediately ran to the other corner of the ring, facing Sordil from a distance. Sordil, however, seemed oblivious to Heradi's actions, continuing to cast his spells as if nothing had happened.

"Sand-Shaped Style: Rock Fist"

"Buzz"

As Sordil finished speaking, a massive rock fist rose from beneath Heradi's feet, hurling a corner of the ring into the air. Heradi, relying on his knowledge of his boss, narrowly dodged the attack. Watching a quarter of the ring vanish in an instant, Heradi felt immense relief that he hadn't 'trusted' his boss, but also a growing anxiety about his own fate. In contrast to Heradi's distress, Sordil was overjoyed, for he had finally encountered an opponent capable of dodging his attack. Therefore, to show Heradi his respect, Sordil decided to go all out.

"Wind Shapes: Bee Swarm"

"Sand-Shaped Design: Waves"

Suddenly, swarms of bluish-white bees appeared in the sky and swarmed towards Heradi. At the same time, waves of yellowish-brown rippled across the arena floor, relentlessly crashing against Heradi's feet, making it impossible for him to stand or escape.

"Ah!"

Ouch!

Caught between two attackers, Heradi clutched his backside, which felt like it was about to be split in sixteen pieces, with one hand, and his cheek, covered in welts from the stings, with the other. Sordil, along with the many onlookers in the stands, leisurely watched the exhausted Heradi. Of course, while laughing heartily, Sodir was also contemplating his next move.

"Wind Shapes - Spring Flowing"

"Sand-shaped Iron Cannon"

"Buzz!"

As magical energy surged around them, the swarm of bees in the sky vanished instantly, and the ground beneath Heradi' feet returned to calm. However, Heradi's mood didn't improve; instead, it plummeted. Looking at Sordil, who was all smiles across his face, he suddenly realized that his action of dodging his boss's attack seemed to have ignited his boss's fighting spirit. This made him want to slap himself, because he knew that if his boss fought with all his might, it meant he was 'doomed.' Sure enough, not long after Heradi regained his footing, a bluish-white gust of wind blew him high into the air, and at the same time, a large, earthen-yellow cannon appeared on the arena.

"Bang!"

A black, spherical object flew out of the cannon barrel and chased straight toward Heradi in the sky.

"Bang!"

The sphere exploded above Heradi, the powerful shockwave slamming Heradi towards the ground. Just as he fell a certain height, a bluish-white tornado appeared again, propelling him into the sky. Immediately afterward, the cannons on the arena fired another projectile, forcing him back to the ground. Under this recurring cycle of attacks, Heradi became Ishgar's first "aerial acrobat," his screams echoing as he drifted towards the ground.

"Gulp"

Countless sounds of swallowing filled the stands as every member of the Western Border Army watched with fear as Sordil, who held Heradi's life and death in his hands, stood on the arena. On the high platform, Elkley, watching the 'flying man' in the air, understood why every member of the Guard Brigade held the general in such high esteem. The other Brigade Commander sitting on the Elkley shared the same thought, and they suddenly remembered the quiet mutter that had just appeared on the platform. The next second, they all secretly vowed to be extremely careful in the future, to avoid becoming the second 'flying man'. Unlike them, the Division Commander Kurelle were much more relaxed. They all watched Heradi soaring up and down, laughing heartily and constantly commenting on Heradi's various 'flying postures'.

In a corner of the stands, Old Six, who was in charge of gathering information, returned to the place where the brothers had gathered.

"Brothers, I've already heard from the Old Three why that idiot Heradi got such a bad treatment from the boss!"

Hearing his words, the officers who had been scattered in various positions all gathered around, waiting for him to unravel the mystery. Not only that, the soldiers around them also strained their ears, eager to hear the details. Once everyone had gathered, the Old Six didn't hesitate and spoke directly, "I heard from the Old Three that that idiot Heradi not only slandered Miss Anna, but also disrupted the match between the eldest and Old Two brothers, and just now he even disturbed the eldest brother from watching the match and sleeping, so..."

"Holy crap! Will Heradi even make it back down from the sky alive this time?"

"I doubt it!"

"I guessed so!"

"I actually think that idiot Heradi still has a chance to survive!"

"Old Seven, haven't you seen the eldest brother in so long that you've forgotten his temper?"

"Nonsense! Even if I forgot whether I'm male or female, I wouldn't dare forget the boss's temper! I said Heradi survived because..."

Before Old Seven could finish speaking, a sentence suddenly drifted intermittently from the sky.

"Boss... I... surrender!"