Chapter 215
I never joined such death-seeking group activities. Seeing no one else objected, I shook my head and stepped back: “I’m heading back to the dorm.”
“Wait!” Ai Baozhu called out warily, suspicious. “You didn’t foresee something bad, did you?”
“Slander! I don’t foresee everything, you know?” I protested innocently. I hadn’t used my ability or even checked their Destiny Compasses. It was all just manga-logic guesswork.
But Ai Baozhu didn’t buy my excuses—trusting me was like trusting a ghost. Still, she refused to believe she’d face danger in the Ability Government’s venue. Neither did the others. With teachers around, any danger could be handled quickly. In the end, they chose to explore the venue, though Jiang Tianming reported to Meng Huai as a precaution, ensuring teachers could rush to their aid if needed.
I returned to the dorm and checked the new King of Abilities update. Since it covered the individual matches, nothing special, I focused on whether it revealed anything about the “Black Flash” organization’s plans.
But perhaps because it was only the first day of the Tri-School Competition, there was nothing on “Black Flash.” Sighing, I patiently reviewed our day’s matches through the manga.
There were some details I hadn’t known, like the other Academies’ match arrangements.
Skydome Ability Academy had indeed built a four-support-one-core team around Huangfu Mingzhe. The four supports might not be their best students, but they were the most compatible with him.
The manga didn’t specify how they meshed, but their confidence suggested it was formidable. Huangfu Mingzhe’s ability was already powerful—if these four could keep him unscathed, the other Academies might get wiped out.
Houde Ability Academy didn’t bother with flashy tactics, fielding a standard five-track team. But they had a detailed plan: if executed perfectly, it would crush their opponent.
Their teacher in the manga said the plan could only be used once, as the other Academy would prepare for it afterward. They hadn’t decided which Academy to use it against, planning to assess tomorrow.
No need to guess—they’d target Endless Ability Academy. Why else call us the protagonist squad? We were born to face trouble.
Based on this, I pondered. Knowing Houde Ability Academy would likely use their trump card on us, they’d probably lose to Skydome Ability Academy.
As the protagonist squad’s Academy, Endless couldn’t lose. So the final standings would be: Endless Ability Academy > Skydome Ability Academy > Houde Ability Academy.
With Team Battles yet to start, I’d already predicted the outcome. After a brief smug moment, I felt bored. Manga worlds were like that—read enough, and patterns emerged.
Maybe only when this book ended could I truly enjoy freedom.
I skimmed the forum. Nothing new—mostly people celebrating Lan Subing’s new ability. No one found the “heart’s voice” thing cringey.
Fair enough. When I read manga, I rarely mocked characters’ cheesy lines, even finding them epic. But living it myself…
By evening, Meng Huai had the next day’s match order. First: Houde vs. Skydome. Second: Houde vs. Endless. Third: Endless vs. Skydome.
Each match had a two-hour break. Barring objections, results would be announced after the third match, with the audience voting for the third day’s entertainment match contestants.
Our Academy’s first-match lineup was the planned main roster: me, Jiang Tianming, Lan Subing, Si Zhaohua, and Ai Baozhu.
No one objected. Though others wanted to compete, following the teacher’s plan was best. If someone got injured or teamwork faltered in the first match, others could step in for the second.
Early the next morning, we arrived at the venue’s lounge. Though the first match wasn’t ours, meaning we could’ve slept an extra hour, it was our opponents’ match. Observing their strength and tactics was crucial.
Entering the lounge, we were stunned by the view through the floor-to-ceiling window. The arena had doubled—no, nearly tripled—in size, occupying most of the ground. The organizers must’ve revamped it overnight for the Team Battles.
A larger arena suited Team Battles but risked teammates being picked off before regrouping.
For spectacle, immovable obstacles like dead trees, boulders, and dirt walls were randomly placed. They were immovable to prevent Ability users from exploiting them, ensuring fairness.
A massive screen beside the arena displayed yesterday’s individual match scores:
Endless Ability Academy: 17 points
Skydome Ability Academy: 7 points
Houde Ability Academy: 6 points
Endless Ability Academy dominated individual matches. When the screen lit up with yesterday’s scores, the audience gasped. I heard many say, “‘Endless Ability Academy’ lives up to its hidden-top reputation. So strong.”
The first match soon began. Both teams started on opposite sides of the arena, forming their formations. At the start, they charged per their plans.
Skydome Ability Academy’s strategy was distinctive. Except for Huangfu Mingzhe, everyone gathered in the farthest corner from the enemy.
A tall boy erected a fortress of unknown but sturdy material in the corner, shielding his teammates. Huangfu Mingzhe, glowing with various colors, charged straight at Houde Ability Academy.
“That’s crazy bold,” Qi Huang gaped. “He’s really going 1v5?”
Mo Xiaotian, unlike her, clapped excitedly: “So badass! If only I could do that! What if I wrapped myself in an ‘Air Cube’ and rushed in to trigger an air explosion?”
“You’d probably attract attention and knocked out before the explosion,” Wu Mingbai mocked with a fake smile. “Maybe that’s your goal?”
Ignoring their banter, Jiang Tianming analyzed seriously, “Those glows on Huangfu Mingzhe are likely his teammates’ abilities. No idea what they do, but they give him the confidence to face five enemies.”
“Good chance to observe,” Lan Subing said, focused on the match below. Others crowded by the glass window, standing in a row.
I was smarter, adjusting my chair’s height to sit and watch unobstructed from above, no need to squeeze in between them.
On the arena, Huangfu Mingzhe was unstoppable. Clearly familiar with his opponents, he targeted their support first. Houde Academy’s support this time was a powerful Ability user with both healing and enhancement, perfect for their physical-combat teammates.
With her, Houde was an endless, powerful perpetual motion machine. Her enhancement reportedly boosted their team’s strength by over double, per Lei Ze’en.
Other Academies knew the support’s importance, and Houde even more so. Seeing Huangfu Mingzhe’s intent, they all moved to protect her.
Unfazed, Huangfu Mingzhe waved a hand, summoning two arm-sized golden dragons. One coiled around a Control Track and another around a Defense Track, both potential support protectors. Seizing their shock, he teleported behind the support.
Luckily, Houde’s Defense Track reacted fast, taking a hit to shield the support. He conjured a slime-like barrier behind her, repelling Huangfu Mingzhe, who was raising a dragon claw to strike.
Huangfu Mingzhe swatted the slime away, then clashed with the approaching [All-Cleaving Blade] Ability user.
The team’s only Special Track, the Green-Haired Boy, locked eyes with the support girl, and both vanished. He’d used his ability, taking her into the [Arena].
Seeing this, even I couldn’t help but marvel, “What a dirty play.”
Dirty indeed. It cost them two fighters, but it preserved the support and Special Track, keeping them safe while her abilities still worked on the field.
This was highly effective against Skydome’s current setup, with only one fighter. Even after losing two, Houde still had a numbers advantage.
“Tch.” Huangfu Mingzhe was annoyed but helpless against the vanished duo. Houde’s students were smug, proud of perfectly countering their tactic.
Just as Endless saw through Skydome’s four-support-one setup, Houde had too. Knowing this, they’d sent the [Arena] Ability user, whose ability was otherwise ill-suited for Team Battles.
“Hmph, think this can stop me?” Huangfu Mingzhe sneered at their smugness. “I’ll show you what true strength is!”
He wasn’t bluffing. He then displayed absolute dominance to opponents and audience alike. Despite it being 1v3, he held his own—rather, the larger side struggled.
His physique was unmatched, with flight and teleportation. His two dragons—one spitting water, one fire—meant his side’s numbers weren’t inferior.
In individual strength, he crushed any single opponent. His physique overwhelmed physical attackers, like water dousing fire or metal cutting wood, holding every advantage.
His dragons, though weaker, were agile fliers, restraining Houde’s Attack and Control Tracks. Huangfu Mingzhe focused on the Defense Track to prevent him from aiding teammates.
Despite off-field support healing, the Defense Track couldn’t hold on long against such strength and was knocked off.
With the best counter to Huangfu Mingzhe gone, the remaining two fell quickly. After their defeat, the support and Special Track didn’t resist much, cleanly surrendering.
Huangfu Mingzhe single-handedly won the match.
The arena fell dead silent, then exploded in cheers and applause. Undoubtedly, his strength earned every spectator’s respect and admiration.
The contestants’ mood was the opposite. My team and I felt a sinking dread. His 1v3 dominance shook our confidence in winning.
“He’s that strong?” Jiang Tianming’s face grew grave, then he turned to Si Zhaohua, the only one who’d fought Huangfu Mingzhe. “How was it fighting him?”
“His strength and speed are top-tier. Keep him at a distance. Magic attacks work better than physical ones,” Si Zhaohua said calmly. “Once he gets close, winning’s hard. I used ‘Holy Judgment’ because I felt I was losing.”
This made everyone realize something. Normally, Si Zhaohua wouldn’t use his trump card lightly. It must’ve been a dire situation.
Before we could respond, he continued, “My feather attacks barely hurt him, but ‘Angel Beam’ did significant damage. Without ultimates, if I keep him at bay, even with his dragons’ harassment, I’d win.”
This gave us some clarity. Trapping him and hammering with magic attacks was the best way to beat him. If his teammates stayed hidden, we could win easily by doing this.
“Aren’t you forgetting your next opponent?” Meng Huai interrupted their discussion, smirking. “Need I remind you, you’re facing ‘Houde Ability Academy’ next.”
“They seem pretty beatable,” Mo Xiaotian said innocently, oblivious to the bias in his words.
The others felt the same. Compared to what we’d just seen, Houde’s Team Battles seemed unimpressive. If they swapped contestants, that’d change, but discussing that now was pointless. Better to focus on the more distinctive Skydome.
“You’re confident,” Meng Huai shook his head, saying no more. Our points were high—unless we lost both Team Battles, we’d win overall.
If we lost both… Meng Huai let out a silent sneer.
“Why’s it suddenly cold?” Mo Xiaotian shivered, looking around like an alert meerkat but finding nothing, sheepishly retracting his gaze.
The break ended quickly. Second match: Endless Ability Academy vs. Houde Ability Academy.
Walking to the arena, I pondered Houde’s strategy. Their match against Skydome was clever but tailored for them.
In the manga, I’d seen they had a plan to win against any Academy. Not using it on Skydome meant it was for us.
Thinking this, I activated my ability, checking our four teammates’ Destiny Compasses. Except for Jiang Tianming, everyone’s looked bad—small pointers far right. Even mine was heavily right.
The large pointers were fine, but likely only temporarily. Issues might arise once we started.
Looks like this Team Battle hinges on Jiang Tianming. I leisurely took my place at the arena’s edge.
The opposing five soon appeared, but unlike last match, most were new. The Green-Haired Boy and their support weren’t there.
The Green-Haired Boy’s absence made sense—his ability was only useful in Team Battles to counter someone like Huangfu Mingzhe. We had no one like that, so he wasn’t needed.
But the support’s absence was odd. She was on their main roster with a strong ability. Normally, she wouldn’t be excluded.
Was the issue with the support? I wondered uncertainly, my gaze settling on their new support.
After both sides submitted their lineups, Lei Ze’en briefed us on the opponents’ five abilities.
Their support’s ability was [Synced Link], reportedly allowing linked allies to share statuses. Linking to a fragile teammate and a Defense Track ensured the fragile one’s safety without the defender’s effort.
An interesting ability, but I couldn’t see anything special about it.
The match started normally. Though I slacked off at the back, since their support lacked combat power while ours, Lan Subing, could fight, it was effectively 4v4, a tie.
The audience, seeing this, began whispering.
“That yellow-haired guy competed before, right?” a boy asked uncertainly. My brief [Arena] match left little impression, only my striking yellow hair standing out.
“It’s him, it’s him!” His girlfriend, though, remembered me vividly. “I’d never forget such a handsome face!”
Boy: “…”
Speechless, he subtly rolled his eyes at me on the arena before continuing, “I recall he’s pretty strong, right? He crushed that green-haired guy who won several matches yesterday. Why’s he slacking back there today? Not fighting with his team?”
“I feel like he’s enjoying it,” his girlfriend said uncertainly, glancing at me—then, caught by my looks, glancing again.
The boy turned her face back to him: “Stop staring. You can’t even see clearly from here.”
“There’s a big screen. So handsome…” She pointed at the arena’s screen, now showing a close-up of my face instead of scores.
Boy: “…”
Before he could say anything to reclaim his appearance-obsessed girlfriend’s attention, she gasped, “An enemy’s coming for him!”
He turned and saw on the screen that I was already fighting someone.
It was their support. Though his ability had no offensive power, trained at Houde Ability Academy, he was a weapon himself.
But trying to outfight me without an ability was like showing off an axe at a master’s door. In under three minutes, I had him pinned, immobile.
“Really strong,” the pinned support panted. “Little Green wasn’t exaggerating.”
“Little Green” likely meant the Green-Haired Boy. I raised an eyebrow: “Knew my physical combat was strong and still came to mess with me?”
As I spoke, something clicked. My gaze swept over both teams, realization dawning: “Oh~ You’re here to drag me down with you.”
At that moment, except for Jiang Tianming and their strongest Attack Track, everyone’s large pointers pointed to “Exit,” signaling imminent elimination. The support’s sudden attack on me was likely tied to this.
Hearing me, the support’s eyes widened in shock, muttering, “Is this Destiny Track?”
I hadn’t acted, yet I seemed to have seen through everything. This ability unnerved him. But he also felt relieved: “Good thing you’re getting eliminated too.”