Felix glanced at Nicholas’ wooden sword imbued with sword energy in a daze. It was radiating heat, warming his cheeks despite it being meters away from him.

According to Guide, a sword energy would leave the sword and continued heading its path. Its manifested form depended on the sword techniques of the cultivator.

Since the Mist-Splitting Line aimed to travel at the shortest honest line, targeting his center of balance, it became even more dangerous as the wooden sword compacted and shaped into a line, heading towards him in a diagonal direction—his body posture was misaligned after retreating.

Felix gritted his teeth and tried to correct his body posture and evaded the sword energy.

Unfortunately, another immediately follow, leaving him no choice but to consume as much as energy to increase his speed and efficiency of the Pattering Step.

Felix’s energy consumption was rapid and huge, worrying him. At the same time, Nicholas was anxious as well. Felix, for some reason, could keep up with his rapid attack.

He was already faster than Felix to begin with—the result of different in constitution because of the difference of the major rank they achieved—so his sword energy should already reached Felix and injured him gravely.

He was at the Commander Rank 1—he had just recently breakthrough just days before Felix had officially become a Beast Tamer.

Yet, in the short span of time, Felix could already keep up with him.

What’s wrong with this guy?

Frustrated, he intensified his attack, to which Felix continued to evade. Eventually, Felix’s speed began to wane, exhaustion was visible on his face.

Nicholas should have been relished and intensified his attacks more, but he was getting exhausted as well. Not only sword energy consumed more, his stamina was being drained.

Nevertheless, Nicholas wouldn’t simply admit defeat, winning was already within his grasp. He wouldn’t just let it go.

Without hesitation, his eyes turned sharp when Felix finally let down his guard. He saw it. His center of balance was clearly open as he just evaded his sword energy.

He didn’t dilly-dally and pounced forward like a tiger ready to devour his prey. He slid his wooden sword upward, aiming to injure Felix’s by his chest to finally end the battle.

However, Felix vanished. Just in time the sword energy was a millisecond away from him.

With his remaining stamina left, as he consumed all his energy to execute the Pattering Step at the highest peak, he performed the Drizzle Slash.

It wasn’t as powerful as before, only taking him six strikes, but all of them landed fairly at Nicholas’ face.

The six strikes left Nicholas with bruises, and the last strike broke his jaw, instantly stealing his consciousness.

He fell to the floor, laying unconsciously.

Felix, on the other hand, could barely stand. He puffed heavily, his eyelids could barely be opened. He was leaning on his wooden sword on the ground to keep himself standing.

Krisha suddenly appeared beside him, and had her arm wrapped around his shoulder, pulling him to her embrace.

Felix smiled and couldn’t say a word of thanks. He was breathing heavily.

Krisha, on the other hand, was silent. She dazed at Nicholas, unable to fully process what had just happened.

He was just about to win. It was in his grasp.

He turned towards Felix, staring at his hair on her shoulder, with shocked expression written on her face.

Did he do it in purpose? He completely deceived Nicholas.

But, that was a risk! If Nicholas was as fast as when he manifested his sword energy, Felix would have been gravely injured.

Krisha could still hear her heart raced just by imagining herself in Felix’s shoes in a decisive moment.

She was in awe of Felix’s sharp judgement. He won the battle, not simply because he was blessed by the divine entity, but out of his shrewdness.

The outer disciples, who finally watched the spectacle, had the same reaction as her. Their eyes were able to follow the speed of Felix and Nicholas’ exchange by watching in a distance.

They were filled with awe and fear at Felix. They finally acknowledged that Felix was not only talented in his sword comprehension, but it was also his shrewdness in a battle that carried most of his win streak in the ramble.

He won against an inner disciple... Unbelievable.

At this point, they knew what they saw would become a groundbreaking news not only inside the Azure Cleave Dojo, but also in the whole Chambers City.

An Awakener Rank defeated a Commander Rank... although it only happened in sword fighting, it was still an earth-shattering news, knowing that the Commander Rank was also an inner disciple of a famous Azure Cleave Dojo.

They worried of how others would perceive the dojo as a result, but they were also thrilled to share the stories of what they had just witnessed.

At this moment, the outer disciples finally acknowledged Felix’s strength. Despite hating him at the bottom of their heart, what he had just shown was deeply admirable.

The duel between him and Nicholas couldn’t just be called as a simple spar anymore. If it wasn’t for the fact they were using a wooden sword, Nicholas would have died.

As they stared at Felix in awe, Krisha glared at them.

They smiled bitterly and dropped their wooden sword, raising their hands to show they weren’t planning of taking advantage of Felix’s current state.

They couldn’t do it—as humans, they possessed conscience.

Krisha heaved a sigh of relief and dropped the wooden sword as well, compelling the dumbfounded Instructor Albert to finally announce the result.

"O-Only Felix remained. Nicholas and others has been eliminated.

Felix has gained 30 merit points...

No. He will now be replacing Nicholas in the ranking. Felix has officially reached Top 15."

After his announcement, silence descended. The usual mumbling of the outer disciples didn’t follow.

Instead, gasped of utter shock echoed around. Their eyes and mouth were fully widened, unable to grasp what had just Instructor Albert announced.

They couldn’t believe it, Felix won against Nicholas.

Not only that, but he also remained his composure to be superior throughout.

It was unprecedented in the history of Azure Cleave Dojo.

No, in every dojo...

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