The Key to Bonds

The notification announcing the end of the Ranked Battle rang out. As Arcane Pursuit concluded, the final result appeared on the virtual screen. The young man who had stood alone and been dismissed by everyone from the very start drew his Tang Blade and swung it in a flash.

"I never expected..."

In the Royal Court's Observation Room, Colossus lowered the brim of his hat and murmured in subdued amazement:

"That it would end like this...?"

The atmosphere was silent. At the back, Leonidas stood with his arms crossed, while Neil beside him wore an equally shocked and conflicted expression.

They had lost.

Three whole C-Ranks had lost against an opponent with only one C-Rank.

Their opponent not only possessed the intelligence to set a trap through his performance from the very beginning, but also the astonishing combat strength to suppress and defeat Osphia head-on, even with abnormal trump cards like Bio-Armor and Zero Knight White Wings.

They had nothing to say about their defeat and could not find a single excuse.

"My lady, I'm sorry, I..."

His low, hoarse voice had only just begun when Herschel Lin Hua interrupted him with a calm and dignified voice. She too lowered her gaze as she spoke slowly:

"You do not need to apologize, Leonidas. Whether it was you, Neil, or Osphia, your performances were clear for all to see. None of you made any reckless mistakes, and you strictly maintained a humble and cautious attitude."

"For this C-Rank battle, we dispatched our strongest members and displayed all our strength. As for such an unforeseen result..."

Herschel Lin Hua looked toward the final image on the virtual screen: the figure gripping a Tang Blade, like the person who had led his companions to victory in the previous C-Rank battle.

Her low voice