A Smile That Cuts Deeper Than a Blade
"Pfft—!"
The sound was sharp.
Ugly.
It shattered whatever fragile composure remained in the arena.
After the Referee Elder announced the result, Shera’s body trembled violently. A mouthful of blood burst from his lips, staining the front of his robes.
For a mont, he remained standing—
Then his knees buckled slightly.
"Teacher!"
The disciples behind him panicked instantly.
They rushed forward, their movents clumsy, desperate, almost colliding into each other as they tried to support him.
Shera’s face had turned deathly pale.
The veins on his forehead bulged like twisted roots, pulsing with suppressed rage.
His breathing was uneven.
Heavy.
Each inhale sounded like it scraped through his chest.
Two consecutive defeats.
And not just losses—
Crushing.
Humiliating.
Public.
The kind of defeat that didn’t just wound the body—
It stripped dignity.
Not far away, the second Secret Sword Summit student slowly walked back.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
His head remained lowered.
He didn’t dare lift it.
Didn’t dare et Shera’s eyes.
Earlier, he had spoken with such confidence.
Such arrogance.
He had even ignited Shera’s expectations.
Shera had believed in him.
Even imagined reclaiming face.
Even imagined humiliating Leon.
But now...
He couldn’t even make Selena draw her sword.
Not even once.
And in the end—
He had been kicked off the arena like trash.
Clean.
Effortless.
Final.
The humiliation wasn’t just his.
It belonged to Shera now.
To Secret Sword Summit.
To everything they stood for.
A bitter taste rose in his throat.
This... is worse than death...
"Teacher... I’m sorry..."
His voice trembled.
Barely audible.
"I’ve embarrassed you..."
He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white.
Still, he didn’t look up.
He couldn’t.
"Trash!"
Shera’s voice exploded.
Raw.
Ugly.
Spilling with fury.
"A bunch of useless trash!"
His chest heaved violently as he roared.
For a mont, it looked like he might cough up blood again.
But he forced it down.
Barely.
The surrounding disciples stiffened instantly.
No one dared speak.
No one dared move.
The pressure in the air beca suffocating.
They all knew—
If anyone said the wrong thing now...
They would pay for it.
Shera closed his eyes briefly.
His fingers trembled.
Not here...
Not in front of everyone...
He swallowed his rage.
Forced it down.
For now.
When we return...
I’ll deal with all of you.
--------
At that mont—
A soft rustle of fabric drew attention.
Selena stepped down from the arena.
Her movents were calm.
Unhurried.
As if the battle just now had ant nothing.
She walked toward Leon.
Her silver hair swayed gently behind her, catching the light like threads of frost.
Her snow-white robe clung softly to her slender fra, the pale blue sash hugging her narrow waist. The faint curve of her hips moved with quiet elegance as she approached.
Even after such a fight—
Her breathing remained steady.
Her expression unchanged.
She stopped before Leon and bowed slightly.
"Teacher."
Her voice was soft, calm.
"I didn’t disappoint you."
"I’ve taken him down."
Leon had witnessed everything.
Every mont.
Every expression.
Especially Shera’s face—
That face that looked like he had just swallowed sothing foul beyond words.
Leon almost lost it.
Damn...
This feels way too good.
Inside, he was already laughing.
But on the surface—
He remained completely composed.
Even... serious.
His expression didn’t change.
Not even slightly.
"Student..."
His tone turned stern.
"What did I tell you?"
Selena blinked slightly.
"You should leave so dignity for your Guardian Elder."
His voice was calm.
asured.
But every word—
Sharp.
"Don’t be too ruthless toward his students."
A pause.
"Why didn’t you listen to ?"
The surrounding crowd froze.
They could already feel sothing coming.
Sothing dangerous.
"That was your Guardian Elder’s student."
Leon continued, his tone carrying faint disappointnt.
"A one-in-a-million genius."
He sighed lightly.
"And yet..."
"You kicked him out of the arena with a single strike."
The silence deepened.
Every word landed heavier than the last.
"If word gets out..."
Leon continued slowly,
"People will think this is the level of Secret Sword Summit’s students."
His gaze shifted slightly.
Cold.
Calm.
"How is your Guardian Elder supposed to face others in the future?"
The entire arena went silent.
Dead silent.
Not even the wind dared move.
Shera’s face—
Turned red instantly.
The veins on his forehead throbbed violently.
His eyes widened.
His lips trembled.
That calm tone.
That "concern."
That fake sympathy—
It cut deeper than any blade.
"Pfft—!"
Another mouthful of blood burst out.
This ti—
He couldn’t hold it back.
His vision blurred.
The world spun.
And then—
Darkness.
Shera collapsed.
Completely unconscious.
"Teacher!"
Panic erupted.
The Secret Sword Summit students rushed forward in chaos.
So tried to lift him.
So shouted.
So froze, not knowing what to do.
It was a ss.
Even Mike couldn’t ignore it anymore.
He stood up quickly and walked over.
His movents were steady.
Calm.
He checked Shera’s pulse, then his breathing.
After a mont—
He exhaled softly.
"He’s fine."
His voice reassured the crowd.
"It’s just a surge of inner mana and blood."
"He fainted from anger."
He waved his hand slightly.
"Take him back."
"Let him rest for a few days."
"Headmaster... is he really alright?"
The students asked anxiously.
Their voices were filled with panic.
They looked completely lost.
Like children without direction.
Mike stroked his beard.
"He’ll recover."
"There’s no serious injury."
Hearing this—
They finally relaxed.
Relief washed over them.
But at the sa ti—
Embarrassnt burned deep.
They didn’t dare stay any longer.
Not even for a second.
Without another word, they carried Shera away.
Quickly.
Quietly.
As if fleeing the scene.
Mike watched them leave.
Then sighed softly.
His gaze shifted toward Leon.
There was a complicated look in his eyes.
"Sigh..."
"I hope Junior Brother Shera learns his lesson this ti..."
"And stops provoking you."
Leon said nothing.
But Mike understood.
That "casual" scolding earlier—
Was more terrifying than open humiliation.
Because on the surface—
Leon looked like he was helping.
Protecting Shera’s dignity.
But in truth—
He had crushed it completely.
Then—
Mike’s gaze shifted toward Selena.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Her strength...
Earlier reports said she was only around two stars of the Astral Realm.
But now?
That performance...
That control...
That overwhelming suppression...
That’s not just two stars.
He felt it clearly.
This girl—
Was hiding her true strength.
Just like her Teacher.
A faint smile appeared on Mike’s lips.
Interesting...
This pair...
They’re exactly the sa.
Quiet.
Unassuming.
And when they move—
They shake everything.
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