Heating Up

[Chapter 22 Comment]

[Twin_dragon13773: Maya is strong. :) Her ability feels like a really weak Observational Haki.]

[Adam_Balch_7324: It seems things are starting to heat up]

Maya's incredible display of ability shocked not only the students but also Gareth. Such a feat was thought to be impossible for a student to accomplish. Li Wei's body trembled with regret, realizing that if not for their foolish request, Theo would have taught them much more. Haruka could only hang her head, regretting her decision to challenge a teacher and underestimating Maya, who was considered one of the weakest students.

Gareth turned a blind eye to the situation, while Theo lifted the two of them up. Haruka closed her eyes, silently praying for Maya's victory. Although they were shocked, their reactions paled in comparison to Avalon's.

Avalon was left dumbfounded, unable to believe that Maya had reached this level. Despite his martial prowess and physical abilities, Maya had matched him while moving at a slow pace. If she were on par with him physically, this would have been an entirely one-sided match.

Maya stared at Avalon with a cold tone and said, "Let's end this foolish charade."

"You..." Avalon gritted his teeth, growing agitated. "How did you become this strong?"

"I have always been this strong... I simply never realized it due to the inferiority complex that kept growing because of someone. However, he sees something in me that I am unaware of. I am merely harnessing my hidden talent," Maya explained calmly.

Avalon fell silent for a moment, surprisingly intrigued by their conversation. His temper subsided as he asked, "Do you think he has seen something in me too?"

"I don't know. But I believe he has given you a clue," Maya replied.

Avalon frowned, thinking that the only hint he noticed was Theo using a trick to teach him a lesson. There seemed to be nothing more to it.

"Avalon," Maya took a deep breath. "He never told you to deviate from your path. However, he also never said that walking your path meant you could only move in a straight line. You can lean slightly to the side, you can jump, run, or even pause for a moment."

"!!!" Avalon's eyes widened in shock. He felt like he was on the verge of grasping something.

"Listen to me from now on. Even the strongest person in the world must continue to improve, whether they need to run or position themselves at the side of the road. If they stop, the second strongest or even those below them will soon surpass them. That's why..." Maya raised her knives. "I will challenge myself and surpass my limits by defeating you."

Avalon was stunned. Maya had always been easygoing, and her words were usually light-hearted, like a conversation between friends. This was the first time she expressed a serious opinion.

Avalon took a deep breath, realizing that he had been rude to Maya all this time. In fact, her growth had surpassed his own. He acknowledged that he had wronged Theo by considering giving up as the least he could do to apologize. This way, Theo would remain their teacher.

However, just as Avalon's fighting spirit faded, Gareth noticed and hurriedly shouted, "Avalon!"

"!!!" Avalon's body shook. He had almost forgotten that Gareth was watching the whole time.

"Do you think you can give up? You have to fight with all your strength and defeat her. If you lose today, I will make sure everyone in the kingdom hears about it. Your father is equal to me, so I'm sure he will be disappointed in you."

Those words terrified Avalon. He never expected Gareth to stoop so low.

Even Theo's expression darkened, wondering how far Gareth would go.

Meanwhile, Maya shouted with a big smile on her face, "That's right, Avalon. Let's fight to the best of our abilities. I won't lose."

Avalon clenched his lips, his expression turning grave. He raised his sword and apologized, saying, "I was rude to you. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Maya replied before lunging forward.

Avalon followed suit, unleashing his full strength to strike Maya. Maya focused on her instincts, predicting the trajectory of Avalon's blade and intercepting it with her own knives.

When their weapons were about to clash, Maya suddenly ducked down, refusing to engage Avalon head-on. At the same time, she twisted her body to deliver a few strikes to his body with her knives.

Surprisingly, the moment she evaded Avalon, she screamed in pain, clutching her left hand with her right. The back of her clothes had torn slightly, and a superficial wound was visible.

She was shocked that Avalon's elbow had struck her shoulder when she ducked down, and his wrist had spun the blade to strike her back at the last second.

However, Avalon wasn't in a much better condition. Maya had managed to land seven hits on him during that brief exchange. Most importantly, she had cut his left hand deeply, tearing through the muscle and rendering him unable to wield his sword with both hands.

Avalon endured the pain, his face contorted, but when they turned to face each other, smiles appeared on both Maya and Avalon's faces. It was as if they regarded each other as equals and held each other in high regard.

"Yes, this is the Avalon I know. Even if I can see it coming, it's useless if my speed isn't enough to avoid it," Maya smirked.

"I will fight you with everything I have because I know that you and all the other students in our class are equals," Avalon took a deep breath.

They quickly stood up and charged at each other once again, with the sole thought of defeating their opponent. For a brief moment, they forgot the stakes of the battle and Gareth's pressure.

Even the other students couldn't help but smile. Regardless of who won, they knew that Theo would be a better teacher.

With the students' safety no longer a concern, Theo took the opportunity to read the comments.

"I'm not sure about the Observational Haki you're referring to, but if it involves seeing a few seconds into the future, then yes," Theo agreed with the first comment.

He also acknowledged that things were heating up, aligning with the sentiment expressed in the second comment. However, the one receiving the most heat wasn't Avalon or Maya—it was Gareth.

Throughout the battle, Gareth had been observing silently. It was clear that Maya had gained the upper hand when she retracted her exoskeleton. Even if they continued the fight and ended up with mutual injuries, Maya would undoubtedly win by utilizing her earlier exoskeleton. Despite this, the thought of Avalon losing was simply unforgivable.

"Avalon is going to lose? Does that mean I'm going to lose the bet?" Gareth gritted his teeth.

There were several reasons why he couldn't afford to lose. Firstly, the humiliation he would face. While it might be easier if he only had to give up becoming the teacher of Class S, since Theo was the current teacher, he had the right to punish Gareth if he somehow won the bet. This meant Gareth's humiliation wouldn't be confined to just this school; the people in his realm would also hear about it, turning him into a laughingstock.

Secondly, losing would be an acknowledgment of Theo's superiority. This was unacceptable to Gareth, who considered commoners and less talented individuals to be beneath him. Although Theo was a commoner and an illusionist not held in high regard even in his own world, Gareth refused to admit defeat to him.

Lastly, losing could jeopardize his social status if the news reached his king. While it might not result in him losing his noble status, he would undoubtedly face scrutiny and a potential decrease in rank due to this setback.

Therefore, there was no way Gareth would allow Avalon to lose. His hand sneaked into his pocket, reaching for something, while the battle continued at a rapid pace. Avalon's body was covered in wounds, and Maya's condition wasn't much better, but it was evident that Maya would emerge victorious if the fight persisted.

Determined to ensure Avalon's victory, Gareth was prepared to take action, disregarding chivalrous conduct. Only someone like Avalon would hold such conduct in high regard, and Gareth wouldn't engage in such behavior unless it benefited him. The politics among nobles had shaped him into this person.

"I think this will be the final strike," Avalon smiled, panting heavily. He was already struggling to hold his sword.

"I have to agree," Maya replied, doing her best to remain calm despite her trembling hands.

Both of them knew that prolonging the fight would be futile. They agreed to unleash everything in this final strike.

As they leaped forward, Maya and Avalon swung their weapons. Two clicking sounds echoed across the field, leaving no doubt as to the winner.

"I need to train more," Avalon smiled as he fell to his knees, using his sword to support himself. However, his hand soon gave out, and he couldn't hold the sword any longer. "I can't swing my blade anymore. I surrender."

Maya briefly closed her eyes before raising her hand, declaring her victory. She let out a roar towards the sky, "Haaaaaa!"

Despite wanting to intervene in the battle, Gareth found himself unable to do anything. A bead fell from his pocket, and his hand froze. Multiple blades made of essence surrounded his neck, ready to strike if he made any move.

On the side, Theo, who had been silently observing, raised his hand and pointed his finger at Gareth. It was clear that Theo's essence had locked onto Gareth.

With a dark expression, Theo narrowed his eyes and asked coldly, "What do you think you're doing, Teacher Gareth?"