Chapter 5: A Tangled Web

The vast training ground was surrounded by many spectators, yet none of them dared to make a sound. Perhaps it was because they simply did not want their voices to disturb the two figures in the arena.

Xiu Lante's formidable power had truly shaken them, but what astonished them even more was that a young man in his twenties dared to challenge Xiu Lante, who had just revealed his full strength!

Like the other onlookers, Kamo could no longer maintain his earlier composure. It wasn't because Mels' boldness had taken him by surprise, but because he was gradually realizing that Mels truly possessed the strength to challenge Xiu Lante. "Go get him, boss! Don't get crushed!" Sol, watching from the sidelines, cheered for Mels with a playful grin, as if he wasn't worried about Mels' safety at all. Meanwhile, Bagina and the others leaned against the wall, their eyes filled with excitement as they watched the training ground, clearly very interested in the upcoming match.

"Sol, Rek, do you think the boss might not be able to beat that guy?" Akafir asked worriedly.

"As long as he doesn't use Summoned Beasts, the boss won't lose. Worst case, it's a draw, and if he's lucky, he might even win," Sol said confidently. However, his opinion wasn't shared by Rek, who was simply more cautious.

"I think it might be a draw, or the boss might lose by a narrow margin. After all, the captain is a Knight Captain. He must have fought for years, so his combat experience is far greater than the boss's," Rek carefully analyzed.

"Would you all shut up? The match is about to begin! Whether he wins or loses, we'll know soon enough! Hmph, if that little punk Mels loses too badly, I'll definitely give him a good beating later!" Bagina's fierce words sent a chill down Sol and the others' spines. They didn't dare speak carelessly anymore and could only watch the impending match with wide eyes.

Kamo, who had been closely observing Sol and the others, was at a loss for words after hearing their conversation. Although this match had started because of his suggestion, he never expected things to turn out this way. He couldn't help but worry now: what if Xiu Lante lost?

"Mels, you truly possess great strength, but if you don't have protective aura similar to mine, our fight simply wouldn't be fair! You should give up," Xiu Lante advised Mels with good intentions. In fact, what he said was entirely true. At this point, Xiu Lante could no longer estimate how much power lay hidden within his body. Therefore, if he were attacked, even if he had no intention of counterattacking, the Qi within him would automatically defend and retaliate.

Faced with Xiu Lante's well-intentioned advice, Mels simply smiled slightly and said, "Uncle, thank you. I don't want to say much, but I believe you'll change your mind once you see my power!" Before the words had even left his mouth, Mels had already put away his charming smile.

Just like when Xiu Lante had activated his combat aura earlier, Mels crossed his fists and moved them to his chest, roaring, "Ha!"

In an instant, a violent whirlwind rose into the air with Mels at its center, spreading outward in all directions. A silvery light, shimmering like snowflakes, drifted back and forth within the storm of Qi before gradually returning to surround Mels' body, condensing into armor similar to Xiu Lante's. The only difference was that Xiu Lante's was golden, while Mels' was silver-white.

"This... this is the signature move of the White-haired Wind God, the leader of the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes!" Kamo suddenly remembered why Mels' move seemed so familiar and finally understood where Mels' confidence came from.

"Incredible! So you're a disciple of the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes. No wonder you're so confident in yourself!" Xiu Lante smiled as he looked at Mels' full-body silver Qi armor. "It's just a pity that with your current strength, you're still no match for me."

Mels chuckled. "Of course. I knew I wasn't your match, so I need you to give me a little more time. I only mastered this next move a few months ago and can't use it proficiently yet. Please give me a bit more time to prepare."

"Of course!" Two words that said it all. At this moment, Xiu Lante had completely forgotten about the match; he was simply thrilled to have found an opponent worthy of facing him!

After hearing Xiu Lante's words, Mels didn't hesitate at all. He closed his eyes, completely relaxed his body, and in an instant, abandoned the Qi armor he had just formed. Seeing Mels drop his guard as if giving up, Xiu Lante was slightly surprised, but he soon realized that the scattered fragments of Qi weren't disappearing but were instead reorganizing.

After about three minutes, Mels suddenly opened his eyes and shouted, "Haaah! True Nameless Divine Style, Supreme Innate Combat Aura, Dual-Layer Blazing Demon Armor!" In that instant, the previously scattered fragments of combat aura suddenly burst into raging flames, like kindling catching fire.

Mels, at the center, was completely engulfed by the flames, hiding him from view. Meanwhile, Xiu Lante and Kamo, standing nearby, simultaneously sensed the aura emanating from the heart of the flames. This was completely different from the aura Mels had emitted earlier. It wasn't just powerful; it felt more like the aura of a newborn war god, yet to reveal its full strength.

Although Xiu Lante's aura might not be inferior in comparison, his was powerful and mature, like that of someone already standing at the peak. Mels' aura was different—not only powerful but also fresh and brimming with potential.

The burning flames gradually died down, and Mels reappeared before Xiu Lante. Except for his head, his body seemed clad in crimson armor. A powerful aura continuously radiated from the blazing armor, astounding everyone present with its overwhelming pressure!

Seeing Mels, who now possessed strength almost equal to his own, Xiu Lante suddenly smiled. His smile took Mels slightly aback, but Mels knew there was only goodwill in Xiu Lante's expression.

The clever Mels didn't speak, quietly waiting for Xiu Lante to say something. Sure enough, Xiu Lante continued with a smile, "Let me ask you, is this a technique of the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes? I've never heard of them having a move with this kind of power before!"

"Well... I should say this is a technique of the True Nameless Divine Style. Because this move requires Supreme Innate Qi as its driving force, and my masters lack that innate advantage, they couldn't master it. However, when my masters use the first-tier power, it's almost as strong as my current strength!" Mels lowered his voice to answer Xiu Lante quietly. Clearly, he didn't want the martial arts secrets of the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes to be overheard by others.

"I see! No wonder I've never heard of it! Hehe, I want to ask you, does this technique have the potential for further advancement? In other words, besides accumulating more Qi over time, can it become even stronger?" Xiu Lante asked.

"Yes! There are five more tiers in total, but I can only reach the second tier right now. My masters say it's because my own Qi cultivation is still too weak.

Actually, this move can't be used alone. Like just now, if you hadn't given me enough time to prepare fully, I wouldn't have been able to activate it. In real combat, enemies wouldn't be foolish enough to let me complete the move," Mels admitted honestly to Xiu Lante.

After hearing Mels' whispered words, Xiu Lante smiled again and said, "Heh... Aren't you afraid that someone might leak your master's secrets after you tell me all this?"

"Of course not. With the intensity of our Qi right now, people outside can't possibly hear our conversation. If anyone were to leak it... it would only be you, but I believe you're definitely not that kind of person! I can't put my finger on why, but I believe it," Mels said with a bright, cheerful laugh.

"Haha, good! On that note alone, we can end this match! But I also have a few things to tell you. Actually, I can still power up twice from this state! Although my current strength is indeed inferior to yours, there will be a significant difference after the enhancements.

It's just a pity that due to certain reasons, I can't unleash that power right now. The reason I'm telling you this is to let you know that I greatly look forward to fighting you in the future! At the same time, you've got to keep getting stronger. Otherwise, you won't be the opponent I hope for!

Also, there's one more thing I must ask of you. With your current strength, participating in the Probationary Knight assessment won't pose any problem at all. But you are not to use your current power during the Probationary Knight trials, and you must never easily reveal it in front of the king or Duke Bolt!

Although I know they'll inevitably hear about your performance today, when they ask you, you must insist that you only managed that by a fluke! I can't explain why I'm asking this of you, but if you trust me, you must do as I say. Otherwise... in short, remember this well," Xiu Lante said seriously.

"Yes, I understand clearly," Mels replied without hesitation, even though he didn't fully grasp Xiu Lante's intentions, he could see sincerity in Xiu Lante's eyes.

After hearing Mels' response, Xiu Lante nodded in satisfaction, then immediately dispersed the powerful Qi he had been circulating. Turning to face Kamo and all the spectators with a smile, he said, "Everyone has seen it, and I believe you've all felt that my strength is indeed far inferior to Mels'! In Qi martial arts confrontations, intensity is what matters. Since I'm completely outmatched in intensity, there's no point in continuing the match. By my honor as a knight, I declare that I, Dragon Knight Captain Xiu Lante, have been defeated by Mels!"

Xiu Lante's words were like a whirlwind, instantly sending shockwaves through the already turbulent imperial capital.

Three days had passed since the match at the Knight Academy, but high-ranking officials still streamed into the noble guesthouse to meet Mels. Completely fed up, Mels decided to claim he was sick and close his doors to avoid meeting those faces with their phony smiles.

On the other hand, Xiu Lante, as the Knight Captain, remained silent after his defeat, even refusing to answer Duke Bolt's inquiries with the excuse, "There's nothing to say."

In the imperial capital, Mels' name became the focus of everyone's conversations overnight. Rumors of all kinds spread like wildfire: "Mels knows magic," "Mels knocked out Sir Xiu Lante with a single punch during the match," "Mels poisoned Sir Xiu Lante before the match," and even bizarre claims like "Mels is a three-headed, six-armed monster" found believers.

Although Mels didn't know why Xiu Lante had suddenly admitted defeat, he felt that Xiu Lante must have done so for some purpose.

After the match that day, aside from taking Mels and the others to visit the Probationary Knight trial grounds, Xiu Lante never contacted Mels again, which only added to the young man's puzzlement.

Time passed in silent, anxious waiting. The day before the trials began, nobles with recommendees were even more fixated than usual on the contestant allocation chart.

Since this year's Probationary Knight trials included Mels and his group, there were a total of 1,005 participants, with only 30 slots available. Therefore, being placed in the same group as Mels, who had defeated Xiu Lante, would make the chances of advancing very slim, which was why they were so concerned about the groupings.

However, the final grouping results blindsided everyone. Among all participants, there were 195 mages, so only 810 warriors actually participated in the first round of combat. Among them, Mels, Akafir, and ten others were selected as seeded contestants and didn't need to participate in the first preliminary round.

The remaining 800 warriors were divided into 20 groups of 40 each for round-robin matches. The top five from each group, along with the seeded contestants, would advance to the semifinals, where they would face off in one-on-one matches, eliminating half. This would leave 55 contestants. Adding the 25 selected from the mage group would form a final pool of 80 for the last round of competition. Although the elimination rate was already high, only 30 out of these 80 would become Probationary Knights. The person most annoyed by this grouping result was Bagina!

When the attendants brought the grouping chart into the room where Mels and the others were staying, Bagina's furious shouts immediately erupted from Mels' room. That afternoon, the attendants noticed that Mels, the "big shot" who had defeated the Knight Captain, and the handsome young man named Sol were both covered in bruises.

Actually, among everyone, Sol was the luckiest. Since he had successfully cast the high-tier spell Million Raging Thunder Curse that day, he was unquestionably selected as one of the 25 mages advancing directly to the final elimination round. Meanwhile, Mels, after receiving Bagina's punches, still had to participate in a real, hard-fought duel, which was why Sol couldn't help but snicker to himself.

Regardless, the time for the Probationary Knight trials soon arrived.

On the day of the preliminary matches, the arena center was packed with people. Although Mels, Akafir, and Sol didn't need to participate in the first day's trials, they still braved the risk of being mobbed by onlookers to go to the arena center to cheer for Bagina.

The most pitiful was Rek. After he easily defeated all his opponents in consecutive matches and secured a decisive spot in the next round, not a single person came to congratulate him.

Due to the large number of contestants, each match had a time limit. If a winner couldn't be determined within the time, the referee would decide the outcome. Since only ten of the twenty groups could compete simultaneously, Bagina didn't get her chance to shine until the afternoon.

At noon, although intense matches were heating up, the audience's attention was drawn to the northwest corner inside the arena.

Under a very large sunshade umbrella, Bagina lay leisurely on a soft chair, taking a nap. Akafir stood nearby, laboriously holding the umbrella, while Mels and Sol stood respectfully by Bagina's side—one holding a plate filled with fruit, the other holding towels and other items.

"Blond Monkey, bring me the towel," Bagina commanded.

Hearing Bagina's call, Sol hurried forward, bowing and scraping. "Miss, today's sun is truly dreadful. Knowing that Miss is competing today, it still shines so fiercely. If it damages Miss's skin, I'll definitely fight it to the death!"

"Hmph! Blond Monkey, no need for your nonsense. How could this young lady's skin possibly get damaged by the sun!" Bagina wiped her sweat lightly and snorted coldly.

Watching Sol's awkward situation of having his flattery backfire, Mels and Akafir wanted to laugh but didn't dare, struggling to hold it in.

However, Mels didn't realize that his expression had already caught Bagina's eye. She slightly raised her head and said, "Little pervert, you seem quite happy! If you're happy, you must have plenty of free time. Then help me remove all the seeds from these watermelons! Remember, if you dirty the watermelon, beware of this young lady's whip!" Like a queen, Bagina didn't care about Mels' dignity at all, loudly making things difficult for him.

Fortunately, Mels was already accustomed to Bagina's willfulness and could only smile wryly as he prepared to tackle the "task" Bagina had assigned him!

Just as Mels was about to face this "arduous" work, the referee came to "rescue" him.

The referee overseeing the match approached Mels and said to Bagina, “You’re up in three minutes—please prepare for your first bout.”

After speaking, the referee kept glancing at Mels with evident confusion, clearly baffled as to why Mels—who had defeated Xiu Lante—would behave so deferentially toward this female contestant.

Mels, however, paid no mind to the referee’s odd looks. Cheerfully, he said to Bagina, “Miss, you’re about to enter the arena—we’ll cheer for you wholeheartedly! Give it your all and crush your opponent!”

Bagina didn’t even deign to glance at him. She rose slightly and replied coolly, “As if. The moment I step in, what fool of an opponent could possibly stand a chance? Hmph—make yourself useful and stay out of the way!” With that, she picked up her sword and strode toward the central ring.

Shortly afterward, as the previous match concluded, Bagina and her opponent—a hulking, nearly two-meter-tall man with bulging muscles, a brutish, scowling face, and a shaved head like a hardened criminal—stepped into the ring together. Beside him, the petite Bagina looked like a snow-white rabbit facing a ravenous wolf. Based on sheer size alone, victory seemed inevitable—for him.

Ordinarily, such a “beauty and the beast” matchup would have drawn little attention—but because Mels and Sol were shouting and cheering wildly for Bagina, every eye in the venue instantly turned toward the central ring.

When the announcer introduced “Bagina of the Magic Family,” the crowd suddenly grasped the truth: So Mels was a professional bodyguard employed by the Magic Family! No wonder his strength was extraordinary! That the young heiress of the wealthy, influential Magic Family would casually compete in the Probationary Knight Selection only heightened public fascination. In an instant, sympathy—and admiration—swung entirely toward the elegant, composed Bagina.

Faced with this shift, Bagina’s burly opponent naturally bristled with resentment. His appearance alone betrayed him as a lawless outlaw—one who certainly wouldn’t fear even the prestigious Magic Family.

He leered at Bagina and sneered, “Heh heh, little missy—don’t get cocky just because you’re pretty. I love playing with pampered rich girls like you! Why not step down now, admit defeat, and have some fun with me? That way, I won’t have to ruin that pretty face later!”

Bagina dismissed his words with contempt—but Mels and the others cheering from below erupted in fury.

Though they were often teased and bossed around by Bagina, as the sole girl among them, they usually indulged her playfully. Yet when a true enemy appeared, their protective instinct toward her knew no bounds.

Sol shouted, “You overgrown oaf! Say one more word, and I’ll roast you into a charred chicken with a Thunder Curse!” Mels, radiating palpable killing intent, bellowed, “No need for this match—get down here! Let this Young Master show you a thousand cuts!” Though Mels and Sol’s names had spread far and wide, the burly man appeared utterly oblivious.

He scoffed contemptuously at Mels and snapped, “Brats like you think you can threaten me? You’re dead!” The moment the words left his mouth, the nearby referee sensed Mels’ and Sol’s fury surging.

Seeing things spiraling out of control, several referees rushed to calm Mels and Sol—who stood poised to act at any second. Then the match referee approached the burly man and whispered urgently, “They’re the two youths who fought Knight Captain Xiu Lante. Don’t provoke them recklessly! Now—start the match immediately, or I’ll disqualify you on the spot!”

In truth, the referees didn’t genuinely believe Mels and Sol possessed extraordinary power. Rather, Mels had been jointly recommended as a seeded contestant by three towering figures: Duke Bolt, Knight Captain Xiu Lante, and Knight Academy Principal Kamo. He wasn’t someone they could afford to offend—so they could only warn the burly man, who lacked powerful backing.

Perhaps realizing Mels truly was formidable—or perhaps swayed by the referee’s warning—the burly man fell silent. Instead, he unslung the spiked club strapped across his back, ready to unleash all his rage upon Bagina.

As the head referee waved his flag, the burly man charged forward, swinging his spiked club wildly—seemingly aiming to pulp Bagina with a single, earth-shaking blow.

But his thinking was far too simplistic—and he gravely underestimated Bagina’s martial prowess! She made no move to counterattack. Instead, she danced nimbly left and right—like a child playing hide-and-seek—evading each downward swing of his spiked club. Each time, he felt certain he’d strike her head—yet inexplicably, his weapon always missed.

Each bout lasted only ten minutes. In their chase-and-dodge exchange, five minutes slipped away in an instant.

Perhaps the relentless assault drained too much energy—or perhaps the spiked club’s weight was simply overwhelming—after just five minutes, the burly man began panting heavily, his earlier ferocity all but gone.

From a safe distance, Bagina observed coldly, “What’s wrong? Tired already? Didn’t you want to ‘play’ with me? How is it you can’t even catch me?”

“You… huff…” he gasped, eyes blazing with impotent rage. But battles are won by strength—not by hollow fury! The gulf between their capabilities told the full story: the burly man was doomed to lose.

“Hmph. Since you’ve lost the ability to attack—let me take my turn.” Bagina didn’t even draw the longsword at her waist. In a blur of motion, she closed the distance and delivered a lightning-fast flying kick to his lower body—sending him hurtling into the air.

“Ah!” A guttural, wolf-like howl tore from his throat before he crumpled onto the ground, curled and trembling.

The entire audience stood stunned. To their eyes, Bagina had merely flickered—and then the burly man lay writhing in agony.

“Blue side wins—Bagina Magic!” At the referee’s decisive call, spectators snapped out of their daze, and cheers erupted like crashing waves from every corner. In the Relkes Empire, strength commanded respect—regardless of gender. Bagina’s sudden, overwhelming victory earned her universal acclaim.

“Hehe—I told you all five of these youths deserved seeding, but you wouldn’t believe me,” Kamo chuckled from the central VIP seats, turning to several elderly men in opulent attire beside him. “Look—Rek secured his semifinal berth several matches early, and now this girl will be the group’s ‘terrifying killer’!”

The elders could only nod in agreement. Though all past fifty, they’d once been elite knights of the empire—how could they fail to recognize Bagina’s exceptional power? One match had been enough to reveal the inevitable outcome.

Sure enough, just as Kamo predicted, after a few more bouts, Bagina advanced undefeated to the next round—joining Mels, Rek, and Akafir in the Warrior Semifinals scheduled for the following day.

Since all five had advanced on the first day—and three were seeded contestants—the noble hotel’s manager, treating their success as personal honor, hosted Mels and the others lavishly that night, wishing them triumph in tomorrow’s finals!

As everyone enjoyed dinner and returned to their rooms, Xiu Lante—who hadn’t appeared for days—suddenly paid them a visit.

His expression remained warm and amiable—as if holding no grudge over Mels’ challenge.

Gathering Mels and the others, he produced the semifinal bracket and said, “These are your opponents tomorrow. Rek, Akafir, Bagina—I believe all three of you need only half your usual effort to advance smoothly. But Mels—you must exercise extreme caution. Your opponent is Magic Knight Marandi, recommended by the Left Prime Minister.

Marandi is thirty-three. Rumor has it he operated in the Karanth Empire before—but to date, I’ve uncovered no concrete details about him.

He’s highly enigmatic. In the preliminaries, he dispatched each opponent in just two moves. By my estimation, his strength roughly matches Rek’s—but… I suspect he may be the mysterious assassin I’ve been tracking.

If so, his infiltration of the Probationary Knight Selection carries ominous implications. I believe tomorrow, when he faces you, he’ll hold nothing back—he must defeat you, or his objective fails. Therefore, you must be doubly vigilant tomorrow—lest his underhanded tactics trap you in an irreversible situation!”

“Thank you for the warning, Uncle—I’ll be extremely careful tomorrow. But there’s something I’ve wanted to ask you these past few days… I hesitated, fearing I’d disturb you…” Mels spoke hesitantly. Hearing him, Xiu Lante smiled faintly—as if he’d already anticipated the question. He spoke first: “You want to know why I conceded defeat publicly that day—and why I never came to see you afterward?”

“I truly don’t understand your intentions, Uncle. Though I know you’re not the sort to use people lightly, I still feel deeply unsettled—so I need to know why you did that.”

“Hehe, Mels—you really are still too young. In fact, judging by what you just said, even if I gave you a plausible excuse, you’d likely trust me—and even feel grateful! Sigh… you’ll surely suffer setbacks like this in the future.” Xiu Lante said, concern etched on his face. Then he looked at Mels again and added, “Alright—let’s set that aside. Since you wish to know the reason, I’ll tell you.” Upon hearing those words, Mels knew the explanation would involve a secret—so he listened intently, hoping at last to resolve the confusion gnawing at his heart.