Frey took a deep breath and stepped onto the platform for the competition, a square stone platform asuring 10X10, specially built for today's match, standing one and a half ters above the ground. Falling off the platform or conceding the match would an losing. Frey had already won two matches before, but as the competition progressed, her opponents grew more formidable. To be honest, she didn't have confidence in continuing forward.
Thinking about this made Frey a little frustrated. Brand had sent her here to grow stronger so she could protect everyone in the village. But now she couldn't say she had achieved that. Compared to those geniuses who seed like monsters, even her initial confidence had been eroded significantly.
Frey raised her Sword; her opponent this ti was an upper-grade student from the academy. Nesia stood watching as always, but upon seeing Frey's status, she couldn't help but furrow her brow.
"Being distracted won't lead you to victory," the upper-grade student also noticed this, speaking out to remind her.
Frey was startled and imdiately refocused. She lifted her head, and for an instant, everything she saw overlapped with the scenes from her dreams—the Red Earth beneath her extended infinitely, and her opponent transford into a Knight engulfed in phosphorous flas.
She couldn't help but panic, shaking her head to escape the illusion. But her opponent had already drawn the Longsword and was approaching, causing Frey to jump in fright, instinctively recalling that dream scene—forgetting all the principles of swordsmanship, she only thought to retreat and avoid.
Laughter erupted from the stands; those present were either nobles or academy students, none had ever seen soone flee so awkwardly in a competition arena.
"Frey, what are you doing!" Nesia too couldn't help but frown and whisper.
But just at this mont, a white Light suddenly flashed on Frey's forehead, and a pair of Light Wings extended from her back with a 'ding' sound, knocking away the academy student's Longsword.
"What is that!"
Beside the Princess, several Important Ministers simultaneously stood up; the scene on the field had just caught their eyes—a white light flashed, and the upper-grade academy student's Longsword flew out of hand, but that wasn't all, a soft 'buzz' resonated, as if in harmony, a white Light suddenly rose from afar in the academy.
"That's the direction of the Yu Song River!" a noble quickly recognized it.
As he spoke, everyone watched as the rising white Light suddenly changed direction in mid-air, tracing a long arc straight towards the academy.
"This... this is..."
Under everyone's gaze, the white Light descended vertically onto the competition arena, landing before Frey. Then the white Light faded, revealing the true form of a stone Longsword embedded in the ground.
At that mont, not only everyone else but even Frey herself was stunned. She didn't know what had happened, only feeling the Sword before her seed to be calling to her, the voice so familiar, like Brand's warm encouragent.
But at this mont Frey's heart was pounding, unsure of what to do.
The arena fell into silence, not a sound to be heard—
"Frey, Frey, there's a strange pattern on your forehead—!" Frey suddenly heard Tisha shouting from below, instinctively touching her forehead, feeling a stinging sensation. When she put her hand down, it was covered in blood.
Injured? How could it be? The girl clearly rembered the white Light flashed and the Longsword was knocked away, not coming close to her, so how could she be injured? She couldn't help but raise the shining Longsword to reflect on her forehead, discovering a beautiful Sky Blue emblem on it.
"This... what is this?"
Of course, Frey didn't know, the pattern held a renowned title in Brand's past World of gaming—Valkyrie Battle Pattern.
This was the testimony of Martha's lifelong honor for her, the emblem of faith in the hearts of all Erune players, the Lighthouse and banner of Erune.
Yet she was unaware, only feeling bewildered. She fearfully raised her head, eting Nesia's cold, dark gaze: "Take up that Sword, it belongs to you, Frey."
Nesia's expression held an indescribably complex glimr, but her first words were spoken with such certainty.
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