"Begin!"
The fight between Alie, Rank 31 of her class, and Liana, Rank 41 of her class begins at the signal of the referee.
Liana Astrea has a dual profession — Ice Mage and Ice Enhancer — which perfectly complents each other because the skills of the Ice Mage which specializes in Ice Attribute attacks can be further strengthened through the skills of the Ice Enhancer.
Ice Enhancer is a pure support-type profession — the complete opposite of Ice Mage — and its most remarkable skill is the ability to grant Ice Attribute to other people's weapons or skills, a bane for Dungeon Towers that has a fire environnt which can only an fire-type monsters inhabitants.
[Activating Skill: Ice Shield]
As Liana activated the skill, a bluish and whitish barrier resembling ice and snow enveloped her body.
[Activating Skill: Ice Mist]
And with the activation of the Ice Mist skill, a fog of snow seed to appear from nothing as it beca like a cloud started following Liana's body, overlapping the Ice Shield, forming another line of defense after line of defense.
It was the sa skill that Rika, from Rumia's group in the Virtual War, Professor Murak's activity, had used.
[Activating Skill: Ice Enhance]
[Your skills has already in the realm of Ice Attribute]
[Your skills have not been granted Ice Attribute, but instead have been strengthened.]
The Ice Shield beca thicker, and the Ice Mist seed to proliferate that cannot be seen by the naked eye as the fog almost cover the entire arena which causes another myriad of reactions from the spectators.
...
[Activating Skill: Eye of Night]
[You have peeked into the Hidden Nature of the 'Target']
[The target's Hidden Nature: Emotionally Tired, Wanted to be Free.]
'What a poor soul.'
Russell — who just made a small gamble against Riya, one of the recruiters from the Starlight Guild — used his Eye-related skill that peeks into the nature of a person, and in this case, he used it to Alie's opponent in the arena.
Although the visibility of the arena beca less and less with the Ice Mist skill that even everyone basically has an eagle-like vision as eye diseases or deterioration doesn't exist anymore, and so of them couldn't still see through the fog of snow.
Seeing the intense support that Alie's opponent was garnering, Russell vaguely guess about her predicant as such situations often happen in novels with young masters and whatnots.
'She's tired of people expecting sothing from her... And she must be the highest rank in her class.'
Students with Rank 41 to 480 were randomly thrown into different classes which ans that even a Rank 42 wouldn't necessarily be in the A-2 class but rather in A-12.
After pondering a little, Russell wanted to do a favor for Liana as he began to communicate with Alie who is standing in the arena.
...
Alie was first confused by Russell's words that rang in her head. Although she did intend to win and protect her position to stay in the A-1 class in the first place, Russell's words were out of place and seed like an unnecessary reminder.
The curious Alie asked, dodging a long-range Ice Blast at the sa ti that Liana fired.
With Russell's casual words, she vaguely understand Liana's predicant as she asked another question before considering her next course of action.
He answered with certainty as if he tested it countless tis already.
...
[Activating Skill: Shade Transformation]
[Your Nihility trait has completely concealed your surroundings.]
Alie's pink hair and red eyes turned deep black. Her now deep black hair started to flutter while her deep black eyes seed to resemble the deepness of a black hole. A black aura started emanating from her body, but with the help of Ice Mist which greatly reduced the spectators' visibility, as well as the concealnt of the Nihility trait, she basically cannot be detected.
'I'm just following orders... No, I decided it for myself.'
Alie was soone who was used to following orders, but when she began to be Russell's companion, she felt an exaggerated gladness because she could voice her opinions unlike when she was serving a certain person in the Thorn of Rose, Dark Tears drug business.
...
"Hey."
A solemn voice entered Liana's ears causing chills to suddenly ran down her spine. Without looking behind from where the voice ca from, although this was only a Ranking of Exchange, she felt as though there was an illusory scythe hanging below her neck, ready to cull her head at any given mont.
Various questions surfaced in her mind such as: how did she get behind her almost instantly and what's with trendous pressure she was exuding as if she wasn't human... But her opponent's next words within that few seconds that felt like an eternity caused her heart to beat faster, not because of fear, but as if her soul was breaking into pieces like fragnts of broken glass.
"You want to lose, right?"
Alie — who was standing behind Liana, pointing her Black Staff at her neck — asked, but her tone wasn't of pity, but rather slight admiration. Liana didn't answer her opponent's question which was a sign of giving up, cueing Alie to do what was necessary at this mont.
...
A woman who wanted to be free from other people's expectations. The kind of reality that one could guess based on the bearing that the person in question shows in public and if the observer was used to experiential learning.
"What an admirable woman."
Bam-!
Alie said solemnly as she smashed the Black Staff to Liana's shoulder, causing her body to be smacked to the ground with her face on the floor.
"Argh-!"
Liana's groan entered Alie's sense of hearing, she then proceeds to kick her side, and smash her Black Staff repeatedly until the Ice Mist and Ice Shield that surrounds Liana gradually dissipated, revealing the view of what was supposed to be a foggy arena.
"W-what happened?"
"L-Liana's down..."
"Ha... Haha! I thought she was strong."
"Yeah, I thought so, too! I guess it's no use to s*ck up to her. Bah. Hahaha!"
"She's just rich, did her parents buy her Rank here or sothing? Haha!"
Alie glanced for two seconds at the seats designated for A-2 students and saw so of them — both n and won — who cheered her in the beginning now had a looked of contempt towards Liana.
"Liana, right? You're now free from fake people. Be careful who you befriend. Live your life the way you want, F*ck everybody else."
Alie seriously said, looking down at Liana's body slumping on the arena grounds, Alie then saw Liana's lips curled up.
"Sleep well, dear."
Alie deals the final blow, knocking her opponent out.
...
"Alie wins!"
After a few seconds of confirming the situation, the referee announced the winner of the match with various reactions; cheering and contempt, as well as the desire to recruit or befriend Alie blooms in everyone's hearts.
"Thank you for the money."
Russell casually said after he received the 50,000 Obel without looking back at Riya from the Starlight Guild whose expression was certainly painted with confusion about what just happened, her chatty deanor gone as though it was swept by the wind.
"Let's go. She's waiting."
He looked at his younger sister whose lips slightly curled up which also ant 'Treat later, Oppa'.
...
"Hey, Alex. Can you tell what just happened?"
'Here she is again.'
Alex — the Guild Scouter assigned for appraising students' Status Windows for potential recruits — thought about Riya's usual behavior as he pondered for a mont before giving her an answer.
"You lose, that's all. Nothing more."
"Oi! Stop joking around! You said her opponent was a Battle Mage that specializes in close combat, and she is an Ice Mage, and also an Ice Enhancer at that. How the f*ck did she lose huh? You know my eyes didn't even see a thing! Do you know what the hell it implies!?"
'Stop nagging , f*cking...!'
But on second thought, Riya was right that whatever just happened didn't make any sense because Riya has an Eye-related skill called Thermal Eye which allows her to check the body signatures of a person when activated. It was like an infrared vision that could pierce even a foggy environnt that's why she was considered a great asset in the Starlight Guild when it cos to raiding a Dungeon Tower which nature is lowering one's visibility.
"I don't know okay? But what do you an you didn't see a thing? Those participants are at E ranks, and you're an A rank. Are you saying those students have a skill that can block your vision? Check your head, you must be becoming crazy for losing that 50,000 on a kid."
Alex wasn't talkative when it cos to other people, but when it was with a guild co-worker, with whom he had been working for a long ti, he then can voice his opinions.
Riya pondered a little at hearing Alex's words before answering in a dazed, her right thumb and index finger massaging her chin while her eyes darting around, trying to find the student who just won the Ranking of Exchange.
"Nothing... I saw nothing..."
...
"Let's grab lunch, my treat. Anyway, congrats Alie, you know there are rewards when you managed to win, defend your Rank, and remain in the A-1 class."
Russell said casually, not too happy but definitely not feeling down about what happened in Alie's fight just now with concern for Liana's situation.
"Oppa, you know I feel like we're in a dream, before Mom and Dad struggled so hard to make money just to make ends et, but now you just gambled and won a fine sum. Whatever."
Freya sighed, seemingly lost in thoughts after she said what she felt about the whole ridiculous financial situation.
"Russell, was it alright?"
Alie asked sowhat feeling gloomy as she walked beside Freya while looking down on the cafeteria floor where they arrived just now.
"It's fine, she will probably co back with her own two feet."
Russell said seriously as if an old man was speaking, but Alie's next words made him feel embarrassed.
"No, no, not that, I'm talking if the way I beat her up was alright or was still lacking."
Russell's mouth was slightly agape, montarily at a loss for words as he looked at Alie who was scratching her head.
'Don't you feel sympathy!?'
He almost blurted out but restrained himself to do so because based on Alie's performance and the look on her face before she beat up Liana, he knew that she was admiring Liana's resolve to change... just like herself just a few weeks ago who turned over a new leaf.
"The usual please, two servings."
Russell didn't respond to the ludicrous words that ca out of Alie's mouth instead he proceed to order the als he and his younger sister usually eats. This action caused Alie to feel more embarrassed as if she wanted to bury herself six feet under.
After a quick grab of their als, they proceeded to watch the next match of the Ranking of Exchange, but this ti, he was only with Freya because Alie went sowhere else for so reason.
...
Room 02, Gaia Building
A man with blonde hair and deep blue eyes was sitting on a high-back chair with admirable, intricate designs. Standing beside him were two people; on his left was a woman whose hair and eyes were dyed crimson, and on his right was a man with short blonde hair and reddish eyes. In the front of the three, a woman genuflecting, not daring to look at what's in front of her.
After an unknown period of ti, the man sitting on a high-back chair, Arthur Wolfson, the Student Council President spoke arrogantly with a grin on his face as if he caught a big fish.
"Welco to the Weaver Faction, Alie Rose rveil."
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