“Thank you.” Crystal sheathed her sword and nodded at Aurora. She had to admit Aurora was a tough opponent.
Even though Aurora was a few years younger, their skills were almost on par. Crystal knew Aurora would become someone to watch out for in the future.
“Aurora lost? How…” Alicia was stunned and incredulous. She had anticipated Aurora’s victory, especially after using the Ennea Chorus technique. But in an instant, everything had changed.
“Her talent and strength are impressive, but she lacks experience. Although she lost, she learned a lot. I believe she’ll advance even faster from now on,” Fenley remarked impassively.
He appeared unfazed by the outcome. It was as if he had anticipated it.
Aurora’s cultivation level was on par with Crystal’s, but she lacked battle experience and mastery of technique. Her training was too diverse. She had a basic understanding of everything from hand-to-hand combat to various weapons but wasn’t proficient in any.
In contrast, Crystal had honed her swordsmanship to an exceptional level. She wielded her sword with unparalleled skill. When she struck Aurora with Tantrumia Slash, it was clear that she had the upper hand.
While being a jack-of-all-trades might seem impressive, weaknesses became apparent when facing experts. Instead of trying to master various skills, it was more effective to perfect one skill to an exceptional level.
This was the difference between disciples of the Celestial Alliance and those of the Sword Union. The Celestial Alliance taught various techniques, while the Sword Union focused solely on swordsmanship.
Though the Celestial Alliance had many disciples, their skill level fell short of the Sword Union. Hence, Aurora’s defeat was inevitable.
“Hey! I lost because you’re better. But that doesn’t mean Sword Union is better than our guild. I’ll make a comeback!” Before leaving, Aurora couldn’t resist a final taunt.
She didn’t mind losing. As Alloy’s daughter and representative of the Celestial Alliance, she understood that losing to a Sword Union disciple might attract criticism.
After all, the Sword Union’s rapid growth in recent years had started challenging the Celestial Alliance’s position as the top guild.
Though she lost the match, she didn’t lose her fighting spirit. Even if she couldn’t win, she wouldn’t let her resolve waver.
“I’ll be looking forward to that day.” Crystal just nodded without saying much. She sheathed her longsword and stepped down from the battle ring.
“The winner of this round is contestant number 22!” the referee declared.
The venue erupted in a wave of sound. Cheers mingled with disappointed sighs. Those who bet on Crystal cheered loudly, while those who placed their bets on Aurora sighed in regret.
The match had been a rollercoaster of unpredictability. The outcome was uncertain until the last moment.
Crystal and Aurora had given it their all, but ultimately, Crystal proved superior.
“Yay! That’s great! Crystal won.” Ruby jumped up from her seat as soon as she heard the results. Despite trying to stay calm, she had been nervous the entire match.
She was glad that everything turned out well. Plus, Crystal’s victory brought honor to the Sword Union.
“That’s great! I win. Finally, this is my chance.” Miles couldn’t contain his excitement. Crystal’s victory meant a win for him as well. He had played it safe earlier and worried he might lose everything. But now, he was finally on the rebound.
He could clear his debts and even make more celestial stones with a few more wins. The thought filled him with hope.
“Crystal, you were amazing. That Conquest Breaker technique was just like our master’s.” Ruby couldn’t stop her excited chatter even after Crystal took her seat.
“I won, but we can’t let our guard down. We shouldn’t underestimate the Celestial Alliance disciples,” Crystal replied calmly. Her expression was humble.
The earlier match had shown her that there would always be stronger opponents. She realized she shouldn’t be proud of her current skills, and she was determined to train even harder.
“If you win one more match, you’ll advance to Group A, right?” Miles asked with a smile.
“Probably.” She nodded. “And the same goes for you two. You guys have a shot, too.”
“Count me out.” He shook his head as he looked at his injuries. “I know my limits. Winning even one match was tough. With these injuries, getting back in the battle ring could be deadly. I’d rather sit here and watch.”
As the matches continued, the opponents became tougher. Even those halfway to becoming a grandmaster were defeated. He knew his current strength wasn’t enough.
“It’s wise to sit this out. You’ve already won a match, so there’s no need to risk your life trying to prove yourself,” Crystal said noncommittally.
Given Miles’ condition, he couldn’t keep fighting. As the matches continued, even the weakest contestants were likely halfway to becoming grandmasters. If he ended up facing a grandmaster, he could be killed instantly.
She understood that even she might find it hard to survive.
