Niu Niu’s form, which had vanished, reappeared instantly. Her face was a mask of confusion; she hadn't expected her opponent to be so fragile. Fortunately, she hadn't exerted much force.

The fight, from start to finish, took less than a second—a definitive "instant kill." Yet, the referee didn't announce the result for another three minutes, utterly stunned by the sudden turn of events!

Who could have imagined that such an unassuming little girl possessed such power? If they hadn't witnessed it firsthand, they wouldn't have believed it even if they were struck dead!

All the spectators who had previously discounted the "Ten Clouds Drifting Mercenary Alliance" were frozen where they stood, their eyes wide with disbelief!

This outcome defied all expectations. No one anticipated that the "Heavenly King Mercenary Alliance’s" debut match would end in defeat, let alone such a clean sweep where they couldn't even muster a counterattack!

The moment Bishop’s body was launched, Gwendolyn shot up from her seat with a sharp hiss, her complexion turning ashen.

She hadn't foreseen that this outwardly adorable girl possessed such terrifying capability. Had she known, she never would have allowed her son to step onto the platform to serve as a punching bag.

As the saying goes, laymen watch the spectacle, but experts see the method. Though Niu Niu hadn't deployed any intricate techniques, her true strength had been glaringly exposed to many in the audience.

Now, no one dared to underestimate Niu Niu again. All previous doubts and rumors had dissolved without proof!

At this moment, everyone from the "Heavenly King Mercenary Group" poured out from the rest area, their faces etched with shock. However, they paid no mind to Niu Niu, rushing instead toward the fallen Bishop.

"Young Master, Young Master, are you alright?" Someone had already rushed to help Bishop up.

Bishop was merely dazed from the fall and suffered no serious injury. The commotion quickly brought him around.

Seeing her son unharmed, the worry lifted from Gwendolyn’s heart. Yet, her expression hardened, her gaze locked firmly onto Niu Niu as she descended from the stage. This wasn't anger over her son’s defeat; her solemnity stemmed from recognizing the sheer power of her current opponent!

The sheer speed with which Niu Niu launched her attack had stunned her. It was comparable to her own full-force strike. Was this truly a child?

Gwendolyn felt a lingering chill of fear thinking back. She knew clearly that if the little girl hadn't held back, her son would have been crippled, if not killed outright!

“Mother, she ambushed me! She attacked before I was ready. This match doesn’t count!” Bishop protested, attempting to climb back onto the stage.

His loss felt utterly unjust. He hadn't even had a chance to display his true skills before being knocked off, which left him deeply frustrated. Furthermore, losing to a girl younger than him wounded his pride—how would he ever face his uncles with his head held high now?

Gwendolyn seized her son’s arm and stated firmly, “A loss is a loss. Stop making excuses. Have you forgotten what I taught you?”

Bishop seemed intimidated by his mother’s serious demeanor and immediately lowered his head in silence, though the imbalance in his heart remained.

“Young Master, you didn't lose unfairly. That little girl is an expert; we simply underestimated our opponent!” Bankrow’s expression was equally grave. He kept replaying the scenario in his mind: if he had been the one fighting, what would the outcome have been?

“Tomorrow, I will fight personally!” Gwendolyn’s declaration instantly energized everyone present.

This time, no one tried to stop her. Everyone understood that, based on the previous bout, she was fully justified in stepping up.

The next day, the competition resumed.

Thanks to the terrifying demonstration of power from Niu Niu’s match the day before, all the spectators now dared not belittle the "Ten Clouds Drifting Mercenary Alliance." The murmur of discussion was significantly quieter than yesterday; everyone waited in rapt attention for this "Tag Team Match"!

“The match officially begins! Please have the participating members of both teams come onto the stage!” As the referee’s voice echoed, the venue achieved a silence rarely seen before.

Under their astonished gazes, Gwendolyn and Bankrow slowly walked onto the platform.

Reputation precedes reality. Gwendolyn’s appearance immediately ignited the hushed surroundings into a frenzy, with cheers erupting from all corners.

“Look, look! Gwendolyn, known as the ‘Steel Blade Queen,’ is fighting in person! Good heavens, is this real?”

“Major news! This is huge! I never thought the leader of the ‘Heavenly King Mercenary Group’ would enter the ring herself!”

“So unexpected! I thought we’d have to wait for the grand finals to witness the grace of the ‘Steel Blade Queen.’ Happiness came so early!”

“We should thank that little girl from yesterday. If not for the strength she displayed, the ‘Steel Blade Queen’ certainly wouldn't have appeared personally!”

“…”

Gwendolyn ignored the fervent stares, her vision fixed entirely on the "Ten Clouds Drifting Mercenary Alliance’s" designated area. She was intensely curious about who her opponents would be today. Would they be as strong as the little girl from yesterday? She sincerely hoped she wouldn't be disappointed!

Presently, the "Ten Clouds Drifting Mercenary Alliance" fielded their contenders: it was none other than Shallo and Rhys. Although their entrance didn't elicit the same passionate cheers as Gwendolyn’s, they immediately commanded the audience's attention.

Shallo met Gwendolyn’s gaze without yielding an inch. While she eagerly anticipated this fight, she refused to let her own presence weaken. She—Shallo—had long ceased to be a mere, blindly adoring young girl many years ago!

In the high-ranking observation box off to the side, the same servant stood. Upon seeing Rhys enter the ring, a look of distinct anticipation flashed across his face.

“Heraldi, what are you doing? Didn't you hear me calling you?” A commanding voice, edged with fury, interrupted the servant’s observation. The speaker was portly and carried an air of arrogance, appearing to be past fifty yet still remarkably well-fed.

It turned out this servant was named Heraldi. But why was he so focused on Rhys? Did he share some hidden connection with him?

“My Lord, your servant has erred!” Heraldi quickly bowed his head in contrition. However, no one noticed the swift, cold glint that flickered momentarily in his eyes!

“Hmph. If it weren't for your usual quick-witted service, I’d throw you out on the street for this lapse alone!”

Heraldi dared not say more, listening in quiet resignation.

Fortunately, the referee’s announcement broke the master’s focus.

“…The match begins!” At the referee’s command, Gwendolyn instantly unleashed her power, charging at Shallo like a cannonball.

Bankrow followed close behind, his target set squarely on Rhys.

Clang!

The sharp sound of metal colliding echoed—Bankrow’s longsword met Rhys’s.

Gwendolyn and Shallo, however, produced no noise at all, as Shallo smoothly side-stepped Gwendolyn’s attack.

It was astonishing that the very start of the match delivered such a powerful visual impact; one could only imagine how much more intense and thrilling the ensuing battle would be.

Now, the entire crowd held its breath, their eyes riveted on the platform, fearful of missing even the slightest detail.

Shallo continued to evade, while Rhys calmly parried Bankrow’s assaults. Neither seemed in a hurry to reveal their true strength. For them, this felt less like a competition and more like an elaborate warm-up drill.

Shallo appeared genuinely pleased—and understandably so. To compete on the same stage as a former idol was a marvelous experience!

In contrast, Rhys seemed distracted. Ever since stepping onto the stage, he felt as if a pair of blazing eyes were fixed upon him from the audience. An indescribable, strange sensation began to bubble up in his mind.

What is wrong with me? What is it that captures my attention so intensely?

Rhys scanned the crowd while mentally grappling with this, all the while parrying Bankrow’s increasingly swift attacks.

Bankrow grew increasingly alarmed the longer the exchange lasted. He had already exerted all his effort, yet he couldn't gain the upper hand. Meanwhile, his opponent looked completely lost in thought, yet managed to effortlessly deflect every single one of his blows. Who on earth was this man?

Bankrow stole a glance at Gwendolyn’s fight. While Gwendolyn appeared to be the perpetual aggressor, her opponent seemed to be in the same situation as his own—neither side was deploying their true capabilities!

Heavens, what kind of pairing have we encountered?

Bankrow had initially felt supremely confident fighting alongside their leader, but this first clash made him realize that the opponent's strength was something that couldn't be assessed merely by sight!

Bankrow was now caught in a difficult position; he couldn't afford to stop attacking, because the best defense was offense. If he ceased his barrage, what awaited him was…

Just as Bankrow’s mind raced, Rhys’s body suddenly jolted. A whirlwind of complex emotions—disbelief, doubt, elation—flashed across his eyes.

“Sister Shallo, I have something urgent to attend to, I must leave first!” As Rhys spoke, he finally stopped merely defending. He pivoted, dodging Bankrow’s sword thrust while simultaneously snatching hold of Bankrow’s tunic with his free hand. Then, with a sudden burst of force from his legs, he yanked Bankrow downward, pulling him off the platform.

Bankrow hadn't anticipated Rhys’s blinding speed. By the time he realized what was happening, he was already being dragged off the stage.

Due to the competition rules, stepping off the platform immediately forfeits one’s eligibility. This meant both Bankrow and Rhys were instantly eliminated; the fight had devolved into a one-on-one duel between Gwendolyn and Shallo!

Rhys didn't pause after landing outside the ring. He immediately sprinted toward the audience section…