Chapter 228 - 227 : It’s my turn
Arthur slowly rose to his feet.
There wasn’t a single visible injury on his body.
He casually brushed the dust off his martial arts uniform before rolling his shoulders as though Layla’s devastating punch had been nothing more than a light warm-up.
A faint smile appeared on his face as he looked directly at her.
"So... that was your first move. Two more remain. Come at me."
For a brief moment...
Layla simply stared at him.
Then...
A wide smile slowly spread across her face.
Not one of mockery.
Not one of arrogance.
But one of pure excitement.
’Interesting...’
’He took that attack head-on without a scratch.’
’It’s been a long time since someone made me this excited.’
Nearly six months had passed since she had awakened the Prodigy System.
Since then, countless quests, trials, and life-threatening battles had forged her into the academy’s greatest prodigy.
Among all the rewards she had received...
One stood above the rest.
Supreme Martial Arts.
An S-Rank talent that allowed her to comprehend martial techniques at an astonishing rate and execute them with nearly flawless precision.
Very few people had ever excited her this much.
Arthur calmly watched every subtle movement she made.
The way her shoulders relaxed.
The slight adjustment of her footing.
Even the rhythm of her breathing.
Nothing escaped his observation.
’System.’
’Use Mind’s Eye on her. Show me everything you can.’
[ 20 Attribute Points have been consumed. ]
A translucent blue screen appeared before Arthur.
══════════════════════════════════════════════
STATUS WINDOW
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Name : Lalatina Rion Armsberg
Race : Human
Age : 19
Gender : Female
Rank : S-Rank (Tier-3)
Potential : SSS-Rank
──────────────────────────────────────────────
CURRENT STATUS
──────────────────────────────────────────────
Mood : Cautious, Impressed
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TALENTS
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• Supreme Swordsmanship (SSS-Rank)
• Supreme Martial Arts (S-Rank)
• Supreme Marksmanship (SS-Rank)
• Supreme Spearmanship (S-Rank)
• Supreme Archery (S-Rank)
• Supreme Dagger Arts (S-Rank)
• Supreme Dual-Wield Mastery (S-Rank)
• Supreme Combat Adaptation (SS-Rank)
• Supreme Survival Instinct (S-Rank)
──────────────────────────────────────────────
UNIQUE TRAITS
──────────────────────────────────────────────
• Prodigy of War
Learns combat techniques at an extraordinary speed and continuously refines them.
• Battle Maniac
Naturally seeks powerful opponents and enjoys testing herself against the strongest.
• Conqueror’s Drive
Desires to completely overwhelm and crush worthy enemies through superior skill.
• Unyielding Will
Never retreats from a challenge once she has accepted it.
• Adaptive Genius
Rapidly analyzes an opponent’s fighting style and develops counters during battle.
• Limit Breaker
Her growth accelerates when pushed into life-or-death situations.
──────────────────────────────────────────────
PERSONALITY TRAITS
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• Name Hater
Absolutely despises being called "Lalatina" and insists everyone call her "Layla" instead.
• Workaholic
Spends nearly all of her free time training and perfecting her abilities.
• Prideful
Possesses immense confidence in her own talent and refuses to admit defeat easily.
• Competitive
Cannot resist challenging capable opponents.
• Disciplined
Maintains strict self-control and relentless training habits.
• Fearless
Faces danger without hesitation.
══════════════════════════════════════════════
[ Unable to retrieve additional information. ]
[ System Level is low. ]
Arthur skimmed through the information in only a few seconds.
’Wow... she really is a monster. Even I don’t have this many talents. That Prodigy System is seriously overpowered.’
Across the arena...
Layla slowly exhaled.
She shifted her weight onto her front foot as streams of Qi gathered around her right arm.
The energy compressed further and further until even the surrounding air began to tremble.
A grin spread across her face.
"A nobody martial artist, huh? Then let me show you exactly why I stand where I do."
She slowly raised her glowing fist.
"Empyrean Divine Art..."
"Third Form..."
"Destructive Qi."
Boom!
The arena floor shattered beneath her feet.
In the next instant...
She vanished.
The spectators could barely follow her movement.
Some only saw a streak of light flash across the battlefield.
Others lost sight of her completely.
"So fast!"
"I can’t even see her!"
"Where did she go?!"
At that moment...
Arthur’s vision changed.
[ Talent: Foresight has been activated. ]
[ User can perceive future outcomes 2 seconds ahead. ]
Arthur didn’t search for her.
He didn’t turn his head.
He didn’t panic.
Because he had already seen where she would appear.
’She’s aiming for my head.’
’She wants to finish this now.’
His breathing slowed.
"Celestial Dragon Flow... Second Form... Flow Reversal."
Golden Qi wrapped around his fist before spreading throughout his body like flowing water.
One heartbeat later...
Layla appeared directly before him.
Her punch exploded toward his face with terrifying speed.
Instead of retreating...
Arthur stepped into the attack.
Boom!!
The instant both fists collided...
A deafening shockwave erupted across the arena.
The ground beneath them cracked in every direction.
A powerful gust of wind swept across the stadium, forcing countless students to shield their eyes.
Layla’s expression changed instantly.
"Impossible... I’m faster than you how did you know ."
Arthur remained calm.
He hadn’t blocked her attack.
He had accepted it.
The force flowed through every muscle in his body.
It was guided.
Redirected.
Refined.
Then...
Released.
Arthur’s fist accelerated forward with explosive precision.
The timing was perfect.
Layla instinctively tried to evade, but the counter had already occupied the only path available.
She crossed her arms to brace herself.
Then...
Arthur’s fist stopped barely an inch from her face.
The pressure alone caused several strands of her silver hair to dance wildly.
Layla’s breathing hitched.
For the first time...
She realized just how close she had come to losing consciousness.
Arthur smiled before withdrawing his fist.
"That was your second move. Only one remains. If I had completed that counter, this duel would’ve ended right there."
Silence.
Then...
The entire stadium erupted.
"HE STOPPED HER!"
"HOW DID HE READ THAT?!"
"THAT COUNTER WAS INSANE!"
Even several professors exchanged shocked glances.
Layla slowly lowered her guard before looking directly into Arthur’s eyes.
"I admit it... you are a worthy opponent. I’ve underestimated you. From this moment onward, I’ll fight you seriously."
Arthur smiled inwardly.
’System... let’s properly overwhelm her. I think five hundred points will be enough. Add five hundred Attribute Points to Agility... and another five hundred to Durability.’
[ As you wish, Host. ]
[ Agility : 765 → 1265 ]
[ Durability : 455 → 955 ]
[ Attribute Points Remaining: 980 ]
A surge of strength spread throughout Arthur’s body.
Every muscle became lighter.
Every breath felt smoother.
His heartbeat remained calm, yet immense power coursed through every fiber of his body.
The ground beneath his feet cracked under the pressure of his enhanced physique.
Across from him...
An even denser layer of Qi enveloped Layla.
It flowed around her like a living flame.
Arthur calmly looked at her.
"I won’t dodge your final attack. If you can knock me out... victory is yours."
A notification immediately appeared.
[ Host... are you serious? Taking her final attack head-on is still dangerous. ]
Arthur smiled.
’It’s the only way to break her pride. She’s far too confident in her martial arts. I’ll use that against her. If she decides to draw her sword after this, the fight will only drag on, and defeating her will take much longer. I’d rather end it quickly.’
His gaze briefly shifted toward Victor and Damian in the audience.
’This ends now. I don’t have time to waste here.’
Layla’s expression hardened.
"Don’t underestimate me! I’m better than you... No, not just you—I’m better than everyone. That’s what a true prodigy is. I’ll show you...so watch carefully."
Her voice echoed across the arena.
The next moment...
She disappeared once again.
One instant she stood several meters away.
The next...
She was directly before Arthur.
Her body twisted gracefully as a powerful kick swept toward his head.
Arthur didn’t move.
Bam!
The impact echoed throughout the stadium.
His head snapped to the side as he slid backward several meters before firmly planting his foot into the ground.
The arena fell silent.
Arthur slowly straightened his posture.
He wiped the corner of his mouth with his thumb before smiling.
"Three moves... are over."
He looked directly into Layla’s stunned eyes.
"Looks like it’s my turn now... Lalatina."
Layla’s eyes widened.
"Don’t you dare use that na—"
Before she could complete the sentence.
Arthur disappeared.
Layla’s pupils shrank.
’Where—?!’
His voice calmly echoed behind her.
"Sixth Form... Flow of Tempest."
The words barely left Arthur’s lips before the atmosphere shattered. In an instant, a state of absolute focus washed over him, stripping away every stray thought and shutting out everything around him. Movement ceased to be conscious—it became pure, lethal instinct.
Before Layla could even process the sudden, crushing shift in pressure, Arthur vanished.
Before she could even process what happened.
What followed was a relentless storm of destruction.
Arthur became nothing more than a blur as he unleashed an endless barrage of strikes. Every punch was infused with an overwhelming amount of Qi, compressed to its absolute limit so that each blow carried devastating power. His movements flowed seamlessly from one attack to the next, leaving no openings, no hesitation, and no wasted motion.
Each strike bypassed Layla’s conventional defenses entirely, landing with unstoppable precision before she could even begin to react.
In the next instant, a merciless barrage descended upon Layla.
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
His fists struck with terrifying precision, hammering her chest, ribs, abdomen, shoulders, arms, collarbone, and jaw one after another. Every blow landed on a different part of her body before the last impact had even finished.
Boom!
A crushing knee buried itself into her stomach, followed by a vicious elbow to the side of her head. Another fist slammed into her ribs, then her chest again, each strike carrying enough force to send violent shockwaves through her body.
Layla felt every impact.
Agonizing pain surged through every nerve, yet she couldn’t even scream. Every time she tried to draw a breath, another brutal strike stole it away before a sound could escape her lips.
Arthur showed no mercy.
Dozens upon dozens of devastating blows rained down in less than a heartbeat, leaving her no chance to breathe, defend, or counter.
Then, with one final, terrifyingly heavy punch to her chest—
BOOOOM!!
The impact unleashed a violent shockwave that shattered the arena floor beneath them, blasting the stone apart into a massive crater, sending up a massive cloud of shattered stone and dust.
The entire arena held its breath, waiting to see what had happened.
When the debris cleared, Layla lay unmoving at the center of a massive crater. Her body was battered and coated in blood. Standing directly over her was Arthur, his breath steady, his own knuckles stained crimson from the sheer force of the onslaught.
He looked down at her motionless form, his voice calm and cold.
"Fighting me using only martial arts was your biggest mistake."
The academy’s protective subspace immediately activated.
Golden motes of light surrounded Layla before her figure gradually dissolved and disappeared from the battlefield, signaling the end of the duel.
For several long seconds...
No one spoke.
Then Aaron suddenly leaped to his feet.
"Brother Arthur won!"
Evangeline and Isabella immediately joined him, cheering with bright smiles.
Their excitement quickly spread through the stands.
One student began clapping.
Then another.
Soon, the entire training ground erupted into thunderous applause as countless students acknowledged the unbelievable victory they had just witnessed.
Layla’s flawless undefeated record had finally come to an end.