"Three fireballs converged on him in a pincer movement!" The force was awe-inspiring. "The sound of roaring rushed toward him; though not exactly lightning speed, the sheer momentum made one's heart tremble!
Tuli was startled by the sight, nearly frozen in shock. Thankfully, his extensive combat experience reminded him that this was no time for astonishment; the priority was defusing the immediate crisis.
Tuli dared not be careless any longer. He instantly unleashed his full Dou Qi, maximizing his defenses. Gripping his longsword, he formed an impenetrable wall, attempting to block the onslaught of fireballs!
Even masters have blind spots, and Tuli certainly hadn't earned the title of 'master' yet!
He focused entirely on protecting his front, neglecting the flanks, and was immediately set ablaze where the incoming fireballs struck his clothing. A quick flash of inspiration saved him: he rolled on the ground, narrowly escaping disaster. However, his appearance was utterly disheveled!
Only then did he have a moment to process what had just happened and where those fireballs originated.
Could it have been this little girl?
The thought struck Tuli, shocking him. It seemed impossible, as he had been watching Robin the entire time; she hadn't made any discernible movement—not even a whisper of an incantation, not a single step!
It absolutely could not have been this little girl! Tuli instantly dismissed his initial suspicion.
Yet, a new problem arose: if not the girl, then who?
Sharing his confusion was the match referee. He had managed to dodge quickly; otherwise, he surely would have been caught in the blast!
Wh-what in the world just happened?
Unlike Tuli, the referee now harbored a deep suspicion toward Robin, his eyes seeming intent on piercing right through her!
"Th-that was magic?" Emryda posed a rather naive question to Angelia.
But Angelia's response was merely: "This is just the beginning!"
She understood Robin too well. If it were merely a sparring session, Robin would never engage seriously right from the start. She usually tested the waters, gauging the opponent's maximum tolerance before unleashing a veritable storm of attacks!
And this very tendency was precisely one of the reasons Angelia feared Robin!
Meanwhile, on the viewing platform, though Edwin knew Robin was formidable, he hadn't expected such a monstrous display. Not only could the mage cast magic instantly, but the specific fire magic was unlike anything he had ever seen, preventing him from accurately judging its level.
In truth, the spell Robin had just cast was an evolved form of a Second-Tier magic, originally named "Rain of Falling Fire." However, through Zhong Shenxiu's modifications, it had become the trajectory-shifting form just witnessed.
The other leaders beside Edwin, having had no prior knowledge of Robin and no psychological preparation, could only stare blankly, their mouths agape enough to see down their throats!
"Who is that little girl? Is she from our academy?"
Even outside the arena, after a brief silence, murmurs finally erupted.
"Haven't you heard? That little girl is apparently the one who struck the Discipline Director!" another student whispered in reply.
"So it's her! I knew she was fierce!"
"Did I just imagine that?" Some even attributed what they saw to an illusion.
Those who were surprised had started too early, as the battle had only just begun.
"Do you think I am weak?" Robin suddenly asked Tuli, clearly perceiving the contempt Tuli held for her.
Tuli had been preoccupied trying to deduce the source of the earlier magic when Robin posed such a direct question, leaving him utterly flustered!
Just then, several water serpents descended from above with lightning speed. Although Tuli managed to evade the first two, the following serpents coiled around him securely. More bizarrely, these serpents suddenly shifted form, intertwining to construct "Vines of Water"!
Tuli struggled fiercely, but it was like a beast trapped in a swamp; no matter his strength, it was all in vain!
At this point, the clamor of the crowd vanished again. Compared to the previous fireballs, the visual impact of these "Vines of Water" was far greater!
Yet, what shocked them further was yet to come!
Clearly visible, countless water droplets materialized in the surroundings. Pulled by some unseen force, these droplets all flew toward the struggling Tuli, gathering in increasing volume until they completely enveloped his entire body.
Tuli looked like a drowning man, unable to draw a breath. Though his longsword never ceased its frantic swings, it proved utterly useless.
In that instant, several leaders on the platform involuntarily rose to their feet, their faces etched with horror as they watched the transformation in the arena.
This was the strangest event they had ever witnessed. Ignoring the sheer strangeness of the magic itself, the fact that a single mage could render a swordsman utterly defenseless was deeply bizarre!
Considering the relatively small size of the duel ground, Tuli should have held the advantage in close combat. Instead, all they could see was him struggling fruitlessly, while Robin stood motionless, as if unaffected. The contrast was too stark!
And then, the eyes of these leaders snapped wide open, their faces suddenly contorted in sheer terror, as if witnessing something truly horrifying!
Following their gaze, the water confining Tuli had turned to ice, instantly encasing him in a sculpture of ice!
Moments later, this icy shell suddenly exploded, revealing the shivering, terrified Tuli within!
"Do you have a different opinion now?" Robin asked calmly once more.
By this time, Tuli's mind might have been numb; he didn't even spare Robin a glance.
Reese, who had been watching the match intently from the sidelines, repeatedly slapped his chest. Only now did he realize how much mercy Robin had shown him during their previous spar!
Across the way, Emryda, overwhelmed by excitement and terror, clutched her sister's hand, her heart pounding violently. She wasn't foolish; she understood instantly that Robin was responsible for everything!
Though she was also a mage, she felt completely incomparable to Robin. To borrow a phrase from a simple skit: "For mages of the same gender, why is the difference so vast?"
Angelia glanced at her sister and thought to herself: Now you know why I stopped you?
Emryda clearly grasped this point as well. If it hadn't been for her sister's firm insistence, she would be the one being thrashed in the arena! The mere thought sent a shiver down her spine!
"N-next, I announce that—" The referee’s voice trembled. Observing the combat at such close range, surely no one, except Tuli, had been more profoundly shocked than he.
He had intended to announce the match result, as Tuli was clearly incapable of continuing. However, before he could finish his sentence, he was stunned into silence by what he saw!
Robin had suddenly extended her delicate hand toward Tuli. This was the first discernible action she had taken so far. Tuli's body then seemed to be pulled by an invisible rope, instantly flying close to Robin.
Robin then tilted her hand upward toward the sky, and Tuli shot upwards like a "firecracker"!
What followed was even more astonishing: Robin turned her back without a second glance and began walking toward the edge of the arena, exuding an undeniably cool demeanor.
A dull thud sound brought everyone back to reality.
The spectators looked up; Tuli had achieved "safe return," landing relatively steadily, leaving only a small dent in the ground, otherwise unharmed!
The referee, momentarily stunned, quickly rushed forward to check Tuli’s condition. He breathed a sigh of relief: Tuli hadn't died, merely knocked unconscious by the fall.
This demonstrated once again how refined Robin's control over force had become!
But immediately, the referee began to frown. Based on the overall sequence, Robin had won with overwhelming strength. However, according to the competition rules, since Robin walked out of bounds before Tuli was knocked out, it should be considered voluntary forfeiture, meaning Tuli should be declared the victor!
Declaring Robin the winner would imply negligence on his part; declaring Tuli the winner would suggest favoritism. Whichever path he chose carried negative consequences!
Fortunately, this dilemma was passed up to the high-ranking leaders for a final ruling. After deliberation, the official decision was: Tuli wins!
This outcome was actively sought by the leadership of the "Duberay Magic and Martial Arts Academy." They did not wish to inflict such severe damage on an opponent’s student only to then be branded as corrupt cheaters!
Robin, however, had no interest in the match outcome; what mattered to her was whether she could enjoy the process of the fight!
Next came the ceremony for awarding certificates and prizes. Zhong Shenxiu had no interest in such formalities and promptly escorted Robin away.
The surrounding crowd gradually dispersed, still reeling from the immense shock.
It was unclear how much time passed before Emryda recovered from her stupor. Though she realized she was still holding her sister's hand, she didn't immediately let go, instead asking casually: "Sister, why don't I see Sister Betty? Didn't she go looking for you?"
Angelia startled violently, suddenly remembering Betty, whose acupoints Zhong Shenxiu had sealed.
"Oh no, I forgot about her!" Releasing her sister's hand, Angelia turned and sprinted toward the stands.
Emryda noticed the sudden change in her sister's expression and, driven by curiosity and concern, followed close behind.
When they arrived, Betty was still frozen in the same position, while Zhong Shenxiu and Robin had long since vanished.
"B-Sister Betty, wh-what are you doing?" Emryda gasped in shock.
Betty, however, was in no condition to answer; she remained completely motionless!
"Sister, what's wrong with Sister Betty?" Emryda finally looked to Angelia for an explanation.
Angelia immediately adopted an expression that suggested, How should I know? She was already preoccupied with a new problem: what were they going to do? They couldn't very well leave Betty standing there! If you wish to know what happens next, please log on to [website address] for more chapters and to support the author and the genuine publication.