Mixed Blessing System

After a few minutes, the middle of the day arrived, and each competitor on this last day of fights moved to their respective areas.

The arena stands were a bit empty today, as many students enjoyed themselves in the local minibusses or learning about this new service.

But regardless of how crowded the arena was, the people involved in the competition would continue with the fights as soon as the referee gave the signal, which didn't take long to happen after the sun was high in the sky.

Lothur saw Larissa appearing in that venue of competitors and immediately considered what he had already predicted would happen.

'She's going to challenge someone from Sector 5... Probably Annaliese.' He narrowed his eyes, looking toward that white-haired, white-eyed woman.

Larissa could not challenge Elke, as this young redhead was fighting against opponents from Sector 4 as she had already challenged someone from that sector. But since she was the strongest among the remaining competitors, it would be useless for the young Ritter's associate to try to challenge her.

At the same time, it would be shameful for her, one of the strongest in the academy, to try to challenge someone from Sector 4. The 'right' thing to do in this situation was for her to challenge someone from Sector 5, preferably the favorite from this sector.

That was Annaliese, this woman at level 15, the same level as her.

Larissa noticed Lothur's gaze in her direction, seeing he had already understood her plans.

She looked away, feeling ashamed but sure that this was the right way, for a Soul Bone and a place in the Secret Realm was worth any kind of shameful act.

'This is your fault! You shouldn't have beaten me if you didn't want me to use all my alternatives!' She thought in her own way, attached to her goal.

So the day's first matches would take place, with Sectors 1, 2, and 3 soon determining their temporary winners, which could change depending on possible challenges.

When it came time for the final fights in Sector 4, Elke could get through all her opponents without a problem, with no one wanting to fight her.

She had earned a reputation at the academy as an uncontrolled person who could not moderate her strength. Because of this, her opponents feared dying in the same way as the man from the Baier family and let her keep the Soul Bone and the spot in the Secret Realm for the winner of this sector.

But Elke did not immediately receive her prizes. Although she had no chance of losing them, as with the winning students of Sectors 1, 2, and 3, all the prizes were given out together at the end of the day. So she would have to wait until then!

Finally, the matches for the youngsters in Sector 5 began, with Annaliese having to face some bolder opponents since, unlike Elke, she had shown no lack of control over her own strength.

But she was at level 15, a cultivation level that only three other students in the entire academy had reached in the history of this institution. In this way, she won her fights after a few blows, taking the strongest position in Sector 5!

However, when the matches in Sector 6 were about to begin, Larissa climbed onto the battle stage before the match referee called the first competitors of this sector to fight.

"Match referee, I am here to challenge Annaliese Frost from Sector 5. I want the spot and the Soul Bone she is entitled to!" She roared, causing many teachers and students watching the competition to look at her strangely.

As much as she was allowed to make this challenge, this was an act considered ugly and petty by practically everyone in this place.

It was one thing for someone like Elke to win her match and then challenge someone stronger, but it was quite another for a losing competitor to challenge someone theoretically weaker than them!

The first demonstrated their bravery, desire for victory, and overcoming, something beautiful and encouraged everywhere. The second was showing the behavior of a bad loser, someone willing to lower themselves and put aside their honor to achieve their goals. That was not very well regarded in this society!

The referee of the Sector 6 student matches looked at Larissa in an ugly way and asked. "Are you sure about that, student Carstensen? That will go on your record, and people will never forget it."

Larissa knew this and clenched her fists. "If I weren't, I wouldn't be here, referee."

That man closed his eyes and turned his face away. Then, after a moment of disappointment, he announced. "Well then, competitor Annaliese Frost, you have been challenged and have the choice of giving up your spot and Soul Bone or fighting to keep them. Which will you choose?"

Annaliese looked at Larissa with her eyebrows almost together, feeling random shame for this woman she had once respected so much. "I will fight, of course!" She said aloud before standing up and leaping toward the fighting stage.

With that, all commentary in the surrounding area ceased as people began to sense this would be a more exciting battle than that of Lothur and Larissa.

Lothur was much stronger than Larissa, so their fight had been a bit 'unfair' and unbalanced. But the strengths of the Angelic Feather leader and Annaliese were more or less similar.

So it was expected that they would have a more even match!

Annaliese glared at Larissa, into those eyes that in the past she had dreaded looking directly into them, and said. "I hope you won't regret this later, Larissa. Your prestige won't be the same after I defeat you."

Larissa could sense that her opponent's level was no different from her own, so she said. "Let's see. The way I see it, I'll just win a Soul Bone and a spot to a great place... What is there to regret in that? I'll just have to eliminate someone as strong as me. There's no dishonor in that!"

"We'll see if it's really like that!" Annaliese said, feeling good that she was finally not entirely dependent on her sister.

The match referee looked at the two and realized they were both in their seats. Then as he looked at the support referees, who helped prevent irregularities and determine winners in case of draws, he started this match.

"Begin!"

With that permission, the two activated their techniques as they began to move through their surroundings.

When Annaliese left her position, everyone realized that, like Elke, her speed was impressive, indicating that her physical strengths were probably abnormal, like those of that redhead.

Larissa frowned as she realized this, noting the similarity between Annaliese and Elke. 'Why do these two look so similar in this? Are they using the same training method?'

But she didn't have time to think about that at the moment, and soon only the battle in front of her was on her mind.

With that, she began acting a little differently than she had already done against Lothur, slowly aiming to erode her opponent's strength.

In doing so, Larissa realized something after a few moments since the beginning of the fight!

...