Chapter 150: Just Leaving a Footprint

Unable to vent his frustration on Mo Fan, Guan Yu directed his anger toward others, hinting with his words: "In any case, don't act like that fool with the golden hair. I've been itching for a suitable punching bag to replace him. The mentors' rule against internal fighting is really…."

As Guan Yu spoke, he fell silent again. The mentors may have forbidden internal conflicts, but when Mo Fan wanted to beat him up, he never cared about those rules.

So, he stopped talking. Continuing further would only make him seem like a clown.

"Guan Yu, I could beat you into a fool right now!" Zhao Manyan shouted angrily.

Zhao Manyan now had a soul-level artifact, and it suited him very well. With this artifact, his defense had increased several times over, making it impossible for someone like Guan Yu, a mere assassin, to break through.

So, even though Guan Yu possessed a soul-level magic weapon, Zhao Manyan wasn't afraid of him.

"You're not worth my effort. I don't want to lose a precious spot over a mere substitute like you. I plan to make a big splash in Venice, so until then, I have plenty of patience for you," Guan Yu replied coldly.

"Do you really think you're that important?" Mo Fan glanced at Guan Yu with a look full of sarcasm.

"Yeah, seriously, if you're so confident, why don't we have a little spar? It would also give us a chance to get to know each other better," Zhao Manyan added, following Mo Fan's lead.

Guan Yu didn't respond and simply went back to his room.

"Damn it," Zhao Manyan muttered through clenched teeth.

Mo Fan patted Zhao Manyan on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, Old Zhao. After the Sakura training ends, you can challenge him directly. Then, you'll get promoted to an official team member."

"Right!" Zhao Manyan's frustration faded, and Mo Fan's words suddenly made sense to him.

"Of course, if you lose, it'll be even worse," Mo Fan added.

"Give me a break. My defense has improved by several times, remember?"

The banquet was held in the lower pavilion, a dining hall as grand as a castle's. To welcome the national team from China, many important figures from the West Pavilion had attended.

Other countries didn't usually engage in such behavior, but Sakura Nation's leaders were likely interested in learning about the Chinese national team under the guise of showing respect.

They masked their intentions well, maintaining an air of politeness, but everyone knew their true purpose was far from friendly.

Naturally, this meant the evening also included a group of pompous, overly proud young wizards from Sakura's academic institutions.

These students were the "supporting actors" here. Handpicked from top universities, they'd undergone months of intense training to serve as obstacles for the national teams of various countries.

Each country's national team needed the approval of enough national pavilion defenders to qualify for the Venice Honor Battle. Osaka's West Pavilion was the first challenge for China's national team. While the mentors didn't interfere, it didn't mean the team could afford to take the pavilion duel lightly.

The pavilion defenders of each country were almost as strong as the national teams. Some defender teams were even stronger, thanks to better synergy and teamwork. This was especially true when a weak national team faced a strong defender team.

The purpose of earning these "tickets" to Venice was to filter out weaker competitors. With hundreds of countries around the world, it would be impossible to let them all participate in the competition. Venice could only handle so many, and even if space wasn't an issue, the competition would take too long. No country had the time to pay attention to a drawn-out event.

By the time the banquet began, the girls who had separated from the team earlier had arrived, carrying large shopping bags filled with items from Osaka.

Particularly noticeable was Jiang Shaoxu, whose table was piled high with luxury goods—clothes, shoes, bags, and jewelry.

"You seem to be having a good time. I remember when the Korean national team came to us, they were all busy with training and still got beaten to a pulp. You girls, on the other hand, spent your first day in Osaka shopping. How are you any different from ordinary girls?" commented one of the Sakura teachers at the head of the table. She clearly couldn't stand the sight any longer.

This teacher was around forty or fifty years old, with her hair tied up in a tight bun and a sharp gaze. She exuded the aura of a strict, menopausal woman who couldn't stand extravagance and had little tolerance for anything other than rigorous training.

"I'm not just a mage, I'm also a woman. Besides, you pavilion defenders don't seem to be that impressive. My indulgence hasn't been wasted," Jiang Shaoxu retorted, clearly not one to back down.

Her words instantly offended every Sakura member at the banquet.

Teachers, guardian mages, elders, and defender mages alike frowned in displeasure. The atmosphere immediately became tense. One of the Sakura female students even tried to clap back, but against Jiang Shaoxu, she was no match for verbal sparring.

The tension escalated when Jiang Shaoxu capped her remarks by saying she had only come here to "leave a footprint." That was the final straw. The Sakura group was livid.

It was clear she didn't take them seriously at all.

The Sakura teacher, Fujikata Nobuko, immediately instructed her subordinates to prepare the duel arena.

Meanwhile, Mo Fan and the others took the opportunity to eat the food laid out on the table. The girls may have been well-fed, but the guys were starving, and the girls hadn't even thought to bring them any food.

While they ate, both sides negotiated the terms of the challenge. The Chinese national team opted for a one-on-one duel with five rounds, best of three.

The Sakura side didn't object. In fact, they were so furious at this point that they would have accepted any format just to get revenge.

Underestimating them, were they?

Sure, Sakura's overall national power wasn't on par with China's, but Sakura still had plenty of talented mages. In terms of magical prowess, they ranked among the best in the world. Other national teams usually treated them with the utmost respect, speaking in hushed tones and behaving with rigid politeness.

But these young Chinese mages? They were acting downright arrogant!

If the Sakura team didn't teach them a lesson, the Chinese team might think they could just walk all over Asia!

That said, the hostility between the two sides had been brewing from the start, so this intense showdown was inevitable.

Once everyone had eaten their fill, the appointed disciple returned respectfully to Fujikata Nobuko and said, "Teacher, the duel arena is ready, and the protective barriers are functioning."

Fujikata Nobuko nodded and announced to everyone, "Since we're all done with the meal, let's not waste time. To the duel arena!"

Both teams were clearly eager to fight. With their stomachs full, they were more than ready to get started!

(End of Chapter)