Revenge

Bella was currently like a protagonist in a Souls-like game challenging various rabid elite monsters; she barely managed to parry one attack, and before she could even adjust her stance, another strike was already upon her.

She wanted to launch a counterattack to test the waters, but the moment she moved, Fran had already flashed to her side to begin an assault, forcing her to scramble back into a defensive posture.

She hoped to create an opening through physical contact, but Fran consistently attacked from a distance, refusing to grant her any such opportunity.

If this were a real battle, she would certainly feign a weakness, take a hit with her body, and seize the chance to strike back—her strategy would be trading injury for injury, seeing who would die first, her or her opponent.

However, this was a sparring match, and being hit even once was essentially grounds for defeat, so she could only stifle her frustration and block strike after strike to stabilize her position.

She possessed a combat technique of her own, but she needed to find the perfect moment to unleash it; she only had one shot, and if it were dodged or anticipated, winning would become difficult.

Aside from Instructor John, the audience in the stands could barely keep up with the combat, and many were whispering among themselves.

"Did you see their movements clearly?"

"No, I've only ever seen this kind of sparring in my uncle's battles..."

"That must be a Breathing Technique. If I could use one in combat, I wouldn't have to be here..."

Many apprentices of noble birth cast complex looks toward the stage; some were envious, others jealous... while Mars struggled to track Fran's movements, his eyes filled mostly with hatred.

The battle on the stage continued, and it was Fran who lost patience first; fighting this was like hitting a turtle shell—no matter how she struck, she couldn't land a blow.

She paused for a moment to consider how to execute her combat technique, causing a slight stutter in her movements.

Bella keenly captured this opening and began preparing her own technique.

Fran was the first to strike; she leaped three meters into the air and unleashed the Sky Strike she had been practicing for days.

With her mastery-level proficiency in the technique, the execution was incredibly fluid, and she appeared in mid-air in an instant.

Seemingly caught off guard by Fran's leap, Bella was forced to abort her prepared stance and unleash her technique upward in an awkward posture.

A muffled "thud" echoed out as both wooden swords snapped in two, and taking advantage of Bella's inability to exert force from her awkward position, Fran used the remaining fragment of her sword to strike Bella, winning the match.

You have completed a brilliant spar using the Swift Wind Breathing Technique. Swift Wind Breathing Technique proficiency +50.

Before the other spectators could react, the sound of clapping—"bang, bang"—drew everyone's attention, even though the sound was much quieter than the previous thud.

Even the specially crafted wooden swords had snapped; they were designed not to break even during a clash of techniques, but could they withstand a technique augmented by a Breathing Technique?

"A brilliant battle. Both of you are qualified to enter the Sword Chant School."

The fewer the words, the greater the significance; this statement not only praised their combat but also implied that two of the spots John was meant to recommend had already been decided.

In John's view, Bella was, regardless of anything else, a well-rounded warrior—flawless in every aspect.

As for Fran, she had displayed an incredibly proficient combat technique; had her mastery been any lower or the execution less fluid, the battle would likely have dragged on for several more minutes.

The faces of the surrounding noble scions turned grim; they all knew there wouldn't be many instructor-recommended spots, and two were already taken.

Moreover, they were powerless to contest these two spots, as neither of them could match the combat prowess of the two girls.

In the end, there would likely only be three or four spots left for them to fight over.

The Sword Chant School again? It was one thing for Elan to mention it, but why was Instructor John saying it too? Fran felt a bit puzzled; she would ask Bella about it later.

Fran rubbed her wrist; the strike she had delivered from above was blocked, and since her physique was inferior to Bella's, her wrist was slightly injured.

This was the perfect time to use the Healing Potion stored in her dormitory; she had only turned in three of the ten vials to the association.

Meanwhile, Mars watched Fran's movements, a plan already forming in his mind.

Emerald Heart Tavern.

Elan looked at the box Fran had brought this time; it was significantly larger than the last. He opened it, and the number of Energy Potions inside left him stunned.

"Ten... fourteen bottles!"

He had assumed that even if she managed to find other alchemists to help brew them, she would only be able to get about nine bottles; he hadn't expected it to far exceed his expectations.

He carefully inspected two of the vials, confirming they were indeed Energy Potions, and with a beaming smile, he teased:

"It seems you have quite a few friends. It hasn't even been a week since you were last here, and you already have another batch."

"Of course..." Fran replied, then added:

"I'll be able to bring even more next time. My circle of friends is constantly growing..."

Elan suddenly wondered if Fran had become a middleman like him, taking advantage of her connections to acquire them from within the association.

He knew that the association didn't actually pay the alchemists who brewed Energy Potions a high purchase price, instead using other means to win them over...

Right now, the association was most desperate for funds, so they certainly wouldn't be generous in this regard.

If Fran could bring fifty bottles one day, he would start to suspect that those alchemists were playing both sides—taking the benefits offered by the association while also taking his purchase price.

But it didn't matter; Energy Potions could always be sold, and if there was a loss, it would be the association's loss.

Fran tucked all the money into her pocket and walked out of the Emerald Heart Tavern, remaining vigilant.

Suddenly, she saw an unexpected person—Mars—appearing right before her eyes.

At the same time, two large, burly figures stood beside him, their necks covered in thick, dense fur—they were Orcs.

They don't look like they come with good intentions... they aren't here to rob me of the money I just got, are they? Fran hurriedly drew her weapon.

However, the moment Mars opened his mouth, he dispelled any such doubts Fran might have had.

"It's all your fault... you're the reason I couldn't become a member of the Sword Chant School..."

Fran had already learned about John's recommendation from Bella, and she immediately sensed the flaw in Mars's logic.

"That's not right. Setting aside the fact that John hasn't even announced the recommendation spots yet, your strength actually puts you near the top of the list..."

"No... it's all because of you..." Mars roared. Fran knew this man had likely lost his mind, but wanting to avoid trouble, she still said one thing:

"Are you sure you want to fight? The academy has strict rules against initiating attacks on other apprentices. Even if you win, you won't get the recommendation for the Sword Chant School..."

"Heh..." Mars laughed. "If it weren't for you, how could I have lost that spot..."

It was as if Fran and he were on completely different wavelengths. Fran knew this battle was unavoidable, so she quietly prepared herself.

Mars let out another loud laugh:

"I know your hand is injured, which is why I specifically found two orcs to attack you today..."

"You probably don't know what these orcs are..." Mars revealed a cruel smile: "These are products specifically made for war by the Transmutation School. Their physical constitution is among the best of the squire class, their combat memories are formed from infused crystals, and furthermore..."

Mars took out a whistle and blew it, causing the two orcs to finally pick up their weapons: "They only obey special commands and have no fear of the academy..."