32: Online apprenticeship

Chapter 32: Accepting Disciples Online

Duke Stu sat in the VIP viewing area. She looked at Boll, who was sitting in the judges' seats, expressing her concern.

After all, Dick's previous performance was too amazing, completely unlike an unknown young man.

Duke Stu was worried that if Dick performed too well later, the professors would find it difficult to vote for Jack.

With so many spectators present, if the professors were too biased and the voting was too outrageous, it would definitely cause public outrage.

But Boll nodded slightly, indicating that Duke Stu didn't need to worry.

Of course, he knew Dick was powerful, which was why he tampered with the draw, deliberately arranging the Swordsman Department's chief for him.

You should know that even some professors might not be able to defeat Beyonce.

Ding-a-ling—

The war bell rang, and Beyonce didn't waste any words. She immediately transformed into a stream of water, approaching Dick at an extremely fast speed.

The Water Severing Style, a sword technique school, emphasizes close-quarters combat, excelling in speed but weaker in strength.

Dick reacted quickly, casting defensive magic immediately.

Centered around Dick, translucent walls rose around him, forming a cubical barrier that completely enveloped him.

To the audience, Dick was very afraid of being approached by Beyonce, which is a Magic Swordsman's usual combat style.

Although they use swords, Magic Swordsmen's close-combat ability is only slightly stronger than Mages. Ranged sword technique attacks are what they are good at.

However, Beyonce's speed was simply too fast. She rushed to Dick's side before the barrier was formed.

At this moment, the distance between the two was less than three meters!

The situation was a bit awkward because the barrier had just formed, but it enveloped both Beyonce and Dick.

Not only did Dick fail to prevent Beyonce from getting close, but he also drew a line on the ground, trapping himself and Beyonce within the barrier.

This attempt to be clever backfired and was truly humorous. Many spectators under the arena couldn't help but laugh.

Undoubtedly, this was a huge mistake, as the barrier could not be canceled immediately.

This also meant that Dick was forced into close combat with Beyonce. His Magic Swordsman advantage was completely gone, and his disadvantages were infinitely magnified.

The professors on the judges' seats exchanged glances and nodded slightly, believing that the final assessment had been decided.

With Dick's utterly foolish move, they didn't know how to justify it. He had almost committed the most fatal mistake for a Magic Swordsman.

Next, Dick would most likely be instantly defeated by Beyonce.

Ten seconds?

No, it would be a close call if Dick could even last five seconds!

"Heh heh, idiot."

Beyonce sneered and came to Dick's side, executing a Water Severing Style sword technique with extreme fluidity.

Buzzing sounds arose, accompanied by sharp magical power, as Beyonce attacked Dick.

At the critical moment, strange blue flames ignited around Dick. Beyonce's magical power instantly dissipated as if it had met its nemesis.

Not only that, but Dick also swung the white jade sword in his hand, drawing a lotus in the air.

Beyonce couldn't dodge in time. The ends of her light blue long hair were burned off by the lotus fire, and her armor was stained with char marks.

With a clumsy roll, Beyonce distanced herself from Dick, but due to the presence of the barrier, the two were still only a few meters apart at this time.

"Li, Fire Separation Style?!"

Beyonce exclaimed in astonishment. She recognized the sword technique Dick had just used; it was clearly the Fire Separation Style Sword Technique.

Although Beyonce was a prodigy of the Li Huo Rabbit Clan, unfortunately, during the hundreds of thousands of years of migration, the Fire Separation Style Sword Technique had been lost.

And now, their clan could only inherit the lower-grade Water Severing Style.

"I think you've got one thing wrong."

Dick looked at the surrounding barrier and said with an indifferent expression, "It's not that I'm forced to be trapped with you, but that you're forced to be trapped with me!"

With that, Dick raised his sword and attacked Beyonce, carrying scorching blue flames.

With the blessing of the Doomsday inheritance and many talents, Dick's magical power intensity was no lower than Beyonce's.

This was also why, despite Dick's low level, he could unleash such exaggerated and dazzling magic.

Facing Dick's rain-like offensive, Beyonce was covered in sweat, struggling to resist. As time went on, she felt increasingly powerless.

Beyonce realized that she was inferior in all aspects to the nineteen-year-old young man in front of her.

Under the arena, everyone looked at the battle within the barrier in disbelief, each one dumbfounded.

Beyonce, the Swordsman Department's chief, was actually being suppressed in her best close-combat field?

Clang—

The rapier in Beyonce's hand was knocked away. Her armor was shattered, her body covered in wounds, and she knelt on the ground in a sorry state.

Dick held the white jade sword against Beyonce's neck and said calmly, "As expected of the Swordsman Department's chief, you actually lasted five minutes."

"..."

Beyonce's lips trembled. Dick's words made her incredibly embarrassed, and the discussions around the arena made her want to find a hole to crawl into.

A chief losing to a newcomer, she, Beyonce, was probably the only one in history. This kind of humiliation was unbearable for her.

"From now on, I am the chief of the Swordsman Department. As the second seat, it is not shameful for you to lose to the chief."

With that, Dick waved his hand and canceled the barrier.

Seeing this scene, Beyonce felt even worse.

So what Dick said was true. This barrier wasn't for defense.

It was a trap to prevent her from escaping!

Looking at the silent Beyonce, Dick was too lazy to comfort her further and turned to leave.

"Wait!"

Hearing this, Dick frowned and turned back, "Something wrong?"

"The sword technique school you just used, is it... the Fire Separation Style of our Li Huo Rabbit Clan?"

Beyonce asked in a low voice, her pair of long rabbit ears drooping to the sides, looking like a weak and helpless cute rabbit.

"Yes, but it's not from your clan; I've modified it."

Dick's words made Beyonce's pupils contract. You should know that modifying sword techniques was something only grandmasters could do.

"Then, can I... can I..."

Looking at the hesitant Beyonce, Dick simply pouted and said, "Want to learn? I'll teach you."

"..."

After several seconds of silence, Beyonce bit her lip and said in a small voice, "Okay, I... I'll learn."

On the judges' seats, Boll and the professors twitched at the corners of their mouths. The turn of events completely exceeded their expectations.

Not only did Dick defeat Beyonce, but he did so overwhelmingly.

Not only was it an overwhelming victory, but he also convinced her, even accepting her as a disciple on the spot.

Even after receiving Duke Stu's gift, they couldn't possibly vote for Jack, as Dick's performance was truly flawless.

Both his tactical improvisation and hard power were impeccable.

Of course, the most important thing was the result. Dick was the only one who won. If they didn't vote for him, who would they vote for?

In the audience seats under the arena, Jack stared blankly at Dick, his emotions complex.

Jack had been watching Dick's entire battle against Beyonce intently. The more he watched, the more amazed he was, and the more powerless he felt.

If it were him on the stage instead of Dick, he would probably be defeated by Beyonce in less than half a minute.

Looking at Dick, who was being praised by the professors, Jack sighed deeply. He knew he had no chance.

Jealous?

No, Dick's strength was so overwhelming that it was difficult to feel jealous.

It was hard to believe that he had to compete with a monster who could even defeat the Swordsman Department's chief.