"What? You were also defeated by Lancelot?"
"Damn, me too! I ran into Lancelot on the 345th floor and got crushed by one punch."
"I am the 342nd step."
"Step 351."
As more and more people came out, and with Roach's inquiries, the students and school leaders of the three colleges gradually realized what was going on.
This doesn't make sense.
It's understandable if two or three students randomly ended up with Lancelot, but these dozens or even hundreds were all defeated by Lancelot. It's impossible to say there wasn't some behind-the-scenes manipulation.
And so, pairs of strange gazes focused on the Holy Sword leaders, including Vice Dean Louis.
"Louis, shouldn't you give an explanation for this?" Jeffrey from the Infinity Academy said with a half-smile.
Our vice dean raised an eyelid and said unhurriedly, "What instructions? I don't understand what you're saying."
Jeffrey shook his head helplessly. "Everyone says your dean is difficult to deal with, but I think you're no less so. If you wanted to intimidate me, you could have just set up a ring. You actually went and tampered with the Holy Sword Stairway."
Upon hearing this, the vice-dean's expression became even more puzzled. "What trickery? What are you talking about? The energy projections on the Holy Sword Stairway are all random; I can't control them. Don't slander me."
"Hey, Louis, just admit it, it's not shameful. Tell me honestly, are you taking precautions because you're afraid we'll take this opportunity to cause trouble?" Herman patted the vice-dean's shoulder and winked. The two were close friends, so they were quite relaxed around each other.
However, even when asked by friends, our vice dean still vehemently denied it, insisting that it was all a coincidence.
The school leaders of the three academies were so angry they laughed. Hundreds of people had tried to break through the Holy Sword Stairway, and over a hundred of them had been defeated by Lancelot's projection. You're telling me it's a coincidence?
Bah! You old geezer, you're wicked!
Just like Herman said, they're afraid we'll deliberately cause trouble.
After all, the quality of the second-year students at the Holy Sword Academy was indeed not very good, falling short compared to the other three major academies.
It's common for top universities to challenge each other.
Especially the four major academies: Infinity, Holy Sword, Radiant Sun, and Constellation.
The Steel Refining Academy trains scientists, but its combat capabilities are extremely weak.
Crown Academy trains intelligence personnel, agents, and spies, and many of them are highly capable in combat. However, these individuals generally operate in the shadows and try to avoid showing their faces in public.
As a result, combat exchanges mainly occurred between the four major academies: Infinity, Holy Sword, etc.
If one of these four colleges produces an outstanding student, they will most likely take him to challenge other colleges.
Of course, that's not what they say on the surface. They call it "exchange and learning," but everyone knows the truth.
The third-year students of the Holy Sword Academy were of very high quality. Led by Lujin, they swept through the competition, making the three major academies lose face and constantly thinking about how to get back at them.
The overall weakness of the second-year students at the Holy Sword Academy gave the three major academies an opportunity.
We plan to take advantage of this joint operation to fight back.
The vice dean and other school leaders were also prepared to be thoroughly humiliated.
After all, the four academies have engaged in combat exchanges countless times.
Whether being kicked or kicking someone else, we're very familiar with each other.
But no one expected that Lancelot would suddenly appear out of nowhere and leap into the Tier Seven of combat power.
This delighted the vice president and others.
We second graders aren't good enough, but first graders are awesome!
After a brief moment of thought, the vice dean secretly took action.
Nearly half of the students in the three academies were given Lancelot's projection.
You got beaten by a first-year student, and you still want to challenge me?
How dare you even ask?
However, the secret arrangement of the Holy Sword Stairway projection must not be admitted under any circumstances, otherwise it would damage the academy's reputation.
If I deny it to the death, then I haven't done anything wrong.
Jeffrey and the others understood this principle as well: without evidence, no amount of talking will change anything.
Not to mention, that old Louis is a tough nut to crack; he might end up getting himself into trouble instead of catching the fox.
The leaders all backed down and stopped questioning the vice president.
At the same time, they exchanged a glance, and their original plan to cause trouble vanished.
Just as the vice president had predicted.
Damn it, what's the point of beating a second-year student if you can't even beat a first-year student?
As time passed, the vast majority of students from the three academies who entered the Holy Sword Stairway have already emerged.
The rest were all students with combat power at or above the peak of the Tier Six, the elite of the elite.
The three leading students, like Lancelot, also possessed Tier Seven combat power.
As they ventured further into the Golden Cloud Space, Gosdo's expression grew increasingly grave.
This previous year's Joint Entrance Examination champion has come to a deep understanding of the significance of level 409.
"This kid's talent..." Gosdo unconsciously clenched his fist. Although he didn't want to admit it, he understood that if Lancelot could maintain this rate of progress, he would be far inferior to him.
"Phew, there are so many geniuses in the Alliance... Let's continue!" Gosdo cleared his mind of the jumbled thoughts and focused intently on continuing to clear the level.
His Ability Energy are very powerful; he can release all sorts of spell seals, his fighting style is versatile, combining offense and defense, and he is unpredictable and elusive.
In terms of overall strength, Lancelot is currently inferior to Gosdo.
The latter's shock stemmed more from Lancelot's rapid progress.
And just like that, without realizing it, Gosdo reached the 409th step.
A look of astonishment appeared in Gosdo's eyes as he stared at the aloof young man who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere on the grass.
Like Roach and the others, Gosdo really didn't expect to encounter Lancelot's energy projection.
"Fate?" Gosdo murmured to himself.
Nicknamed the Curse Realm," he possesses considerable expertise in mysticism and is quite sensitive to superstitious and mystical matters.
However, what he didn't know was that this wasn't Fate, but rather an arrangement by the vice dean.
"Since Fate has ordained it this way, then let's fight!" Gosdo stood ramrod straight, the strong wind blowing his robes fluttering in the wind.
Their eyes met, Gosdo seemed to feel a sense of destiny.
Boom!
The battle erupted, Lancelot launched a full-speed attack, his body wreathed in blazing lightning like dragons and snakes, transforming into a blue rainbow that stretched across the earth as he shot toward Gosdo.
Seeing this, the latter dared not be careless in the slightest. He spread his hands out, and his palms emitted a large number of tadpole-shaped spell seals, forming layers of six-pointed star barriers to block Lancelot's way.
At the same time, Gosdo also inflicted numerous debuffs on Lancelot, causing the latter's combat power to plummet.
However, relying on his exquisite Combat Skills and secret techniques, Lancelot was still able to fight Gosdo to a standstill.
After a full ten minutes, Gosdo finally seized the opportunity and shattered Lancelot's energy projection.
"He's really troublesome. How did a Ability Energy him learn so many martial arts techniques?" Gosdo gasped for breath, deeply puzzled.
After pondering without success, he shook his head and continued trying to pass the level.
Ultimately, Gosdo stopped at level 421.
"Look, Gosdo appeared."
"As expected of last year's Joint Entrance Examination champion, he's much stronger than the other two Tier Seven, and even surpasses Lancelot."
"Don't even Lancelot. He's a first-year student, we're second-years. What's the point of comparing ourselves to a junior?"
"Uh, that's true..."
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Gosdo stepped off the Holy Sword Stairway and stood before Jeffrey.
"Well done, Gosdo. Rank 421, that's a very good result." Jeffrey said with a smile, not trying to discourage the student because of Lancelot's presence. He knew how hard Gosdo usually worked, spending almost every day thinking about developing his Ability Energy.
But as the saying goes, if hard work were enough, what would be the point of talent?
"By the way, did you run into Lancelot?" Jeffrey asked.
"Hmm? Why do you ask that?" Gosdo asked in surprise. "I did indeed encounter Lancelot on the 409th floor. I feel it was Fate; he will be my greatest rival."
"This..." Jeffrey was speechless, looking at Gosdo strangely, before finally patting the latter on the shoulder and saying earnestly, "Whatever makes you happy."