Everyone was stunned, so much so that when Zhang Tie jumped off the armored vehicle, the surroundings were completely silent.
Zhang Tie knew that things had gotten a bit out of hand today, but he hadn't expected that everyone in the Iron-Blood Battalion, after learning that someone wanted to duel with him, would actually see this duel as a provocation against the Iron-Blood Battalion and a curse upon everyone in the Iron-Blood Battalion.
Because the Iron-Blood Battalion had the highest casualty rate in the Norman Empire, in the minds of those Norman Empire Iron-Blood Battalion soldiers who believed in the God of War and were somewhat superstitious, fighting against the Iron-Blood Battalion had another layer of meaning: cursing the Iron-Blood Battalion guys for not dying fast enough on the battlefield.
Zhang Tie was somewhat speechless. He had already explained the cause and effect of the duel clearly back at the camp, which prevented the Iron-Blood Battalion from coming out in full force. Under Reinhardt's orders, only a small group of people came with Zhang Tie this time, but even this small group numbered over 100. They rode in armored vehicles and military trucks and stormed out of the camp in a grand procession. The Iron-Blood Battalion soldiers were filled with righteous indignation and all wanted to see what kind of superhuman this bastard who dared to duel the number one true man among the Iron-Blood Battalion's lieutenants was.
As soon as Zhang Tie jumped off the armored vehicle, the two squad leaders who had been sent by the Military Control Committee to patrol and maintain order at the school ran over. They stood at attention and, to the astonishment of the crowd around them, saluted Zhang Tie.
"Sir, we have received orders from the Military Control Committee to maintain order here. We don't know why the Iron-Blood Battalion brothers are here, or if they have any operations that require our cooperation. Please take unified command!"
In a place like the Norman Empire, with its strict hierarchy, wherever soldiers congregate, unless there are special circumstances, especially during missions, the person with the highest rank generally holds the greatest authority. Currently, Zhang Tie, as a second lieutenant, holds the highest rank in the school. The two squad leaders who were originally maintaining order here proactively came over to ask Zhang Tie if he needed their command; this was simply the self-awareness of a Norman Empire soldier.
"No need. I'm only here for some personal matters. You all continue with your tasks and just keep order at the scene!"
"Yes!" Although it was a bit strange, the two squad leaders didn't dare to ask any more questions.
By this time, the order in the school was impeccable, especially after the Iron-Blood Battalion members jumped out of the vehicles one by one. All the onlookers dared not even breathe, and many who had come to watch the spectacle but were unaware of the situation were already beginning to regret their actions. They secretly prayed that they wouldn't get involved in any trouble today. As an occupied city, many people had a natural fear of the Norman Empire soldiers in their dark red uniforms.
The gazes of those around him made Zhang Tie feel his skin beneath his combat suit begin to heat up. Those familiar faces, at this moment, looked at him with astonishment and disbelief.
Zhang Tie saw Captain Colin, Jerome, and a group of teachers from the Provisional Inspection Committee who had been with him during the trials at Wild Wolf Castle. So Zhang Tie walked over and saluted his former teachers.
"I'm sorry, I caused the teachers trouble because of what happened at Wild Wolf Castle..."
Instructor Colin and Jerome were somewhat prepared beforehand, as Zhang Tie had given them a hint last time. Although they were shocked when they saw Zhang Tie, they could at least understand what had happened. However, the other teachers were so shocked that they didn't know what to say.
A newly graduated trainee became a second lieutenant in the Norman Empire in the blink of an eye. Such a thing is probably rare even in the Norman Empire, let alone in Black Flame City, a place that has only been occupied by the Norman Empire for less than a month.
In many people's eyes, Zhang Tie was as dazzling as the sun at that moment.
Could this Zhang Tie be the illegitimate son of some important figure in the Norman Empire, abandoned in Black Flame City? This was the most plausible explanation that immediately popped into many people's minds.
"Now that Zhang Tie has arrived, the duel can begin!" Captain Colin composed himself, walked to the dueling platform, and loudly announced that the duel could begin.
Zhang Tie stepped onto the dueling platform. Looking at the pale-faced Sode, he grinned.
Many people who didn't recognize Zhang Tie before gasped in surprise after he stepped onto Zhang Tie stage. A chorus of gasps and coughs suddenly erupted from below the dueling platform.
"Weapons can be used in this duel. Sode has chosen a spear, and you can choose a weapon as well!" Instructor Colin reminded Zhang Tie.
"Here it comes, here it comes, our platoon leader's weapon has arrived..." As soon as Instructor Colin finished speaking, Beckham and Mus, the two "half-women" of the third platoon, carried Zhang Tie's terrifying battle sword one after the other to the dueling platform. Zhang Tie reached out and grabbed the 358-kilogram battle sword in his hand.
The onlookers fell down one after another. Good heavens, could that terrifying sword, which looked like a door panel, really be a weapon used for duels?
Seeing Zhang Tie hold that terrifying battle sword in his hand, Sode's spear slipped from his hand with a thud, and the pale-faced Sode quickly bent down to pick it up.
Seeing Sode's pathetic state, the soldiers who had come with Zhang Tie to watch the show around the dueling arena became furious. How dare such a coward challenge an officer of the Iron-Blood Battalion to a duel? How dare he challenge a monstrous man who was under the watchful eye of the God of War? He was simply courting death!
Beckham and Mus, who had brought Zhang Tie his weapon, grinned maliciously. "Platoon leader, is that the good-for-nothing guy who wants to duel you?"
"Yes!" Zhang Tie nodded.
"You absolutely mustn't let that guy die too easily and tarnish your mummy nickname! Cutting him in two in one go is too boring. Like smashing a cucumber, you should take this ' Proof of Manhood ' and smash it from bottom to top, that's much more satisfying!"
"Get out!" Seeing Beckham actually call out his nickname in this kind of setting, Zhang Tie wished he could kick the guy off the stage.
" Proof of Manhood " was the name the soldiers of the Iron-Blood Battalion gave to Zhang Tie's sword this morning. Everyone knew that this sword had been sitting in the division's armory for a long time, but none of the division's junior officers could wield it. When Zhang Tie could finally wield it, everyone felt a sense of pride. After all, the guy who could use this " Proof of Manhood " was an officer of the Iron-Blood Battalion, which once again proved that the Iron-Blood Battalion was indeed the strongest unit in the entire division—that was enough.
"Can we begin?" Zhang Tie asked the One-Eyed Dragon had already stepped off the dueling platform. At this moment, only two people remained on the platform— Zhang Tie and the trembling Sode.
"We can begin!"
Whether it was due to extreme fear or some other reason, as soon as One-Eyed Dragon announced the start of the duel, Sode let out a bloodcurdling scream and charged at Zhang Tie with his spear.
In Zhang Tie's eyes, Sode's attack, in terms of power, speed, footwork, and momentum, was utterly childish. It was like watching a toddler who had just learned to walk Zhang Tie at him with a stick in his hand and his eyes closed.
Just as he was about to stab Zhang Tie with Zhang Tie spear, Sode actually closed his eyes.
Zhang Tie was speechless. He simply waved the " Proof of Manhood " once, and Sode flew backwards at three to five times the speed at which he had charged at him, landing ten meters away and never getting up again.
The spear in Sode's hand flew high into the air, landing on the dueling platform as Sode did so. It made a crisp sound upon impact, bouncing twice on the ground. Those watching the duel below stared in disbelief. In a single moment, the reinforced steel spear in Sode's hand had bent at approximately a sixty-degree angle in the middle. Just how much force would it take to bend a spear like that?
The members of the Airplane Brotherhood stared wide-eyed at Zhang Tie, as if they were seeing Zhang Tie for the first time. A level four Battle Soldier had collapsed like a clay chicken or a broken dog under Zhang Tie's casual strike. Was this person really their good brother? Barry and the others were all in a daze.
Pandora, Alice, and the other two girls immediately covered their mouths. Was this the same affectionate boy who had confessed his love to them and thought of their hair after seeing Kuroko in the wild? The jealous gazes of the Rose Society girls were now undisguisedly fixed on Pandora and the other two women.
The brothers of the Divine Grace Society looked at Zhang Tie with shining eyes and clenched fists, their hearts burning with passion. From that moment on, their faith in the Great Blessing Art and the mysterious ancient god was as unwavering as iron. Zhang Tie's image in their hearts was as lofty as a god.
Everyone was watching Zhang Tie, each with their own thoughts!
Zhang Tie's strike just now was actually a slap! If Zhang Tie had turned the blade sideways, there would be four more pieces on the stage right now, and that would have been the end of it, but Zhang Tie didn't do that.
In just a moment, all the teachers present, with their keen eyes, judged Zhang Tie's strength. He was powerful, very powerful. In particular, the strange strength emanating from Zhang Tie far exceeded everyone's imagination. Based solely on that pure physical strength, Zhang Tie's current combat power might have already reached or exceeded the level of a level seven Warrior.
Did Zhang Tie really intend to smash Sode piece by piece like a cucumber? The teachers on the Provisional Inspection Committee looked at Zhang Tie differently at this moment. Teacher Qili's face had turned completely ashen. Jerome frowned and looked at Colin. Colin shook his head slightly—based on Colin's understanding of Zhang Tie, he didn't believe that Zhang Tie was such a cruel person.
Zhang Tie dragged his sword with one hand, letting the tip leave a shallow mark on the concrete floor of the dueling platform, and walked step by step toward Sode...