SAINTESS [Chapter 170: Change of Ownership] (Patreon)

“The match is over! Second-year student Aesphyra Galactus is declared the winner!” the referee announced, just as the medical team carried Zane off the field.

It was an outcome no one had anticipated.

Zane, the top student of the fourth year, the publicly acknowledged number one student, had actually lost?!

And it had been a completely one-sided defeat. He had not even truly landed a single hit on his opponent. The entire match could only be described as a crushing victory.

This year's Double Moon Phenomenon had brought about many unexpected events, and even this year's Chosen One Contest was proven just as unpredictable.

The tournament favorite, the one everyone expected to claim the championship, had been eliminated in the quarterfinals by a beautiful second-year junior.

There was no denying that she possessed extraordinary talent, a once-in-a-century genius. But wasn't Zane a genius in his own right? Was Carillian Academy really so abundant in prodigies that even someone like him could be defeated so easily?

Competition was simply cruel. Before the tournament began, no one had imagined that Zane's run would end like this.

Compared to all the sighing in the stands, however, Aesphyra felt that Zane himself had taken the result far better than they had.

The moment Zane collapsed, Aesphyra noticed a deeply satisfied smile spreading across the face of that ferocious lion. It was as if, after giving the battle everything he had, he considered even dying on the field that day a worthwhile price to pay.

Of course, Aesphyra knew how to exercise restraint. Throughout their battle, she had carefully controlled her strength, not enough to kill Zane, yet still fighting with all she had so her opponent would not feel humiliated.

Such precise control over her strength was undoubtedly extremely difficult.

Zane had suffered severe injuries, but with his terrifying physique and regenerative ability, he would probably be able to get out of bed and walk again before long, then gradually make a full recovery.

The audience was either silent or stunned.

“Zane lost?” Even Fred, who was sitting beside Winnie, was astonished.

Although Fred had never known Zane personally, he had heard that Zane was the top student of the fourth year, the undisputed number one student of Carillian Academy.

The strongest fourth-year had lost to a second-year?

Zane’s defeat meant more than just losing the Chosen One Contest. It marked the end of his reign as the strongest student in the academy.

With this battle, the crown had passed to someone new, never to return to its former owner.

And there, standing proudly on the battlefield, the victor etched her name into history.

Her name was Aesphyra Galactus.

Every instructor, including the vice principal, had their gaze fixed upon that graceful silver figure.

Whether it was the audience or the academy itself, everyone understood.

The greatest genius of the era had been born.

Under countless gazes filled with worship and longing, Aesphyra left the field.

With this battle, Aesphyra had become truly famous. Although she had already been well-known throughout the academy, most of that fame had come from her beauty. Her strength had only been recognized within her own year.

Now, Winnie believed there was no longer anyone in the entire academy who would dare question Aesphyra's strength.

She was the undisputed strongest.

“My god, doesn't this mean Aesphyra is the strongest student now?” Fred exclaimed. “She's really made us second-years proud.”

“Isn't that obvious? Lady Aesphyra will always be the strongest!”

“That's enough. Is now really the time to talk about this?”

With that thought in mind, Winnie smiled and got to his feet.

Aesphyra's match was over.

Next, it was his turn.

The instant he stood, he sensed something and looked toward another part of the stands. There, the familiar-looking young man with grayish-white hair had risen at exactly the same moment.

Their movements were almost perfectly synchronized.

The young man gave Winnie a deep look before heading toward the field.

“Good luck, Brother Winnie! You can't lose!” Fred encouraged him when he saw Winnie preparing to leave.

“Good luck, Winnie!” Shikondell said, clenching her tiny fists.

“Hey, if you can't even beat a guy like that, you'll really embarrass a certain someone,” Milian said with her arms folded.

Winnie answered them with a smile and made his way down to the arena.

“The next match will be between second-year Winnie Varelis and Alfonso Rescaine.”

“Will the chosen competitors whose names have been called please proceed to the preparation area. The next quarterfinal match will begin in twenty minutes.”

Hearing the magically amplified announcement, Winnie walked unhurriedly toward the preparation area. On his way there, he saw Aesphyra returning from the field and heading up into the stands.

Their gazes met, and they smiled.

"Not bad."

"You do your best too."

As they passed each other, they exchanged a perfectly coordinated high five.

After showing his student identification and the seal on his qualification certificate, Winnie entered the competitors' preparation area.

This was not his first time here. Once the inspection was completed, he sat down on a bench, crossed his legs, and silently closed his eyes to rest.

“The match is about to begin. Both competitors, please take your positions.”

As the announcement rang out, Winnie stood up and made his way toward the gate. Summoning the [Frost Fang], he waited quietly.

Clack, clack!

The gates on both sides of the arena slowly opened.

The first thing the two competitors saw was neither the audience nor the referee, but each other.

Their gazes met in midair for a moment.

Carrying the [Frost Fang], Winnie walked out of the preparation area and stared at Alfonso, who was approaching him from the opposite side.

“Um, Aesphyra, do you think Brother Winnie can win this one?” Fred asked, looking at Aesphyra beside him.

For some inexplicable reason, this beautiful young woman, currently at the height of her fame and the center of everyone's attention, had come up into the stands and sat right beside them, in the very seat Winnie had just vacated.

It had left everyone at a complete loss.

At this moment, the members of the Card Club were undoubtedly under tremendous pressure.

Why?

Because ever since Aesphyra entered the stands, they certainly weren't the only ones looking at her.

The moment Aesphyra stepped into the spectator area, students from every year turned to watch as though a superstar had just appeared on the runway.

Everyone stole glances at her from time to time. They were unbearably nervous, yet equally curious about where this great beauty would choose to sit.

They hoped she might sit somewhere nearby and wondered how they could naturally strike up a conversation with her.

A beautiful young woman possessing top-tier talent, strength, family background, and looks had to be the aloof and distant type, didn't she?

Surely, she would choose an empty spot and sit alone, presenting herself as an untouchable flower atop a snowy peak, far removed from worldly concerns.

Yet to everyone's surprise, she had sat down among a group of second-year boys holding little flags and placards covered in bizarre drawings of tiny people, boys who looked mentally questionable at first glance.

What was going on?

Was Aesphyra close to them?

That couldn't possibly be the case, no matter how one looked at it.

No, seriously, what right did they have?

Why would Junior Aesphyra have anything to do with that bunch of weirdos?

In an instant, the club members felt the pressure mount. They could practically feel countless murderous gazes stabbing into them.

Only now did they understand the pressure Winnie endured every day.

Even Fred, who proudly considered himself the club’s undisputed king of keeping his cool under pressure, couldn’t help breaking into a cold sweat. He wiped the beads of perspiration from his forehead.

Wait, how had the Card Club suddenly become everyone's common enemy?

What had they even done wrong?

Damn it, was someone deliberately targeting their club?

Shikondell, who sat nearby, could also feel those terrifying gazes, but she was far more curious about Aesphyra's answer.

Even she found it unbelievable how naturally Aesphyra had walked over to Winnie's seat and sat down in one smooth motion.

From leaving the arena to entering the stands and then walking straight to Winnie's seat, every action had seemed utterly ordinary, as though, in Aesphyra's eyes, it was the most natural thing in the world.

Even Shikondell, sitting right beside her, had no idea how to greet her.

“What do you think?” Aesphyra did not answer directly, merely smiling.

"Uh..."

Fred had not expected Aesphyra to actually respond. After all, they were not close to her and had barely ever spoken. For a moment, he had no idea what to say.

“Of course I hope Brother Winnie wins,” Fred answered.

But the entire reason he had asked her was because he had no idea whether Winnie could actually win.

“Then there's no problem,” Aesphyra said with a smile.

"Huh?"

Fred froze.

What did she mean, “Then there's no problem”?

What was that supposed to mean?

She still had not said whether Winnie would win or lose!

Aesphyra offered no further explanation. Resting her cheek on one hand, she watched the arena with a radiant smile.

Holding his spear, Winnie stared at Alfonso and walked up to the white line.

Alfonso reached it at almost exactly the same time. He unfolded his arms and drew the two silver weapons at his waist, one was a long saber with a curved hilt, while the other was a straight cruciform sword.

Their appearances alone made it clear that neither weapon was ordinary.

Dual wielding?

Winnie steadied the spear in his hands.

After a brief silence, Alfonso tilted his head upward and regarded Winnie haughtily. He said nothing, making no effort to conceal the air of superiority in his gaze, as though Winnie was not even worthy of his attention.

Winnie wasn’t bothered by it at all. He simply chuckled to himself, finding the Rescaine family rather bizarre. How could one family produce so many arrogant show-offs?

“That impostor who once struggled to survive on the street corners of Camella's royal capital has actually managed to make a name for himself,” Alfonso said, scrutinizing Winnie.

“A man must know his place. The moment you believe you have not received the status you deserve, you are destined to fall into the abyss because of it one day.”

“His Holiness the Pope has never said this himself, but I believe I should convey a warning on behalf of the Church: be careful, or one day even continuing your life of begging in the royal capital will become an unattainable luxury.”

Alfonso spoke in a low voice that only Winnie could hear.

"Begging?"

Winnie scratched his ear and, for some reason, laughed.

“As expected, people born with silver spoons in their mouths always suffer from such a lack of imagination. You think begging is the lowest a person can fall? I suppose that's the limit of your imagination.”

“I heard you were good with words. Now that I've met you, I see the rumors were true.”

“You'll soon learn what else I'm good at.”

Winnie had no intention of wasting any more words on Alfonso.

Alfonso also fell silent. His meaning was clear.

Whatever the truth was, they will settle it in the match.

Winnie had watched many of Alfonso's battles, but it was obvious the man had never truly revealed his trump cards or full strength.

“Both competitors, take your positions!” the referee called.

"Begin!"

The instant the match began, Alfonso unleashed his power without restraint. He brought his two blades together, producing a clear metallic chime.

[Symphony of Clashing Holy Blades]

So it had begun?

Alfonso always performed this preparatory action whenever he entered battle. It was most likely a spell, but its effect remains unknown.

Then Alfonso began swinging his weapons repeatedly, spinning faster and faster until only the afterimages of his two blades remained visible. Layer upon layer of windstorms rose around him.

[Storm Vortex]

This move again?

Winnie hated it.

He had seen this technique before. Alfonso used it often; it was practically his signature spell.

Winnie had also studied it. He discovered that it was more than simple magic. As Alfonso spun, he continuously swung his blades to unleash whirlwind slashes, endlessly amplifying the spell.

Charlotte's Soul Armament was [Holy Envoy], and she followed the path of a paladin. Alfonso naturally did the same.

Once he started spinning, all Winnie could see were the afterimages of Alfonso's blades. Howling winds swept past his ears.

Those who knew would recognize him as a [Holy Envoy].

Those who didn't might mistake him for a [Magic Warrior]].

Watching Alfonso transform into a hurricane, Winnie extended his palm and fired an ice chain straight towards him.

To Winnie's slight surprise, the moment the ice chain struck the whirlwind, it was instantly shredded.

Admittedly, Winnie had not used his full strength. It had only been a probe.

Even so, Alfonso had destroyed his ice chain with astonishing ease.

It seemed there was indeed a reason Alfonso still believed he could crush Winnie effortlessly, even after seeing his younger sister suffer such an easy defeat at Winnie's hands.

After the ice chain shattered, its energy seemed to be absorbed by the whirlwind. The originally gray vortex now carries traces of frigid air.

That was right.

Up until now, Alfonso had relied on this very move to defeat every one of his opponents.

Once Alfonso transformed into a whirlwind, enemy spells could not penetrate it. Any magic that strikes the vortex would instead have its energy absorbed, only to be turned back against its caster.

Winnie had not expected that even one of his minor spells, cast without full strength, would fail to break Alfonso's magic.

Seeing the storm rapidly closing in, Winnie had no intention of retreating.

He chose to meet it head-on.

He swung the [Frost Fang]. The spear swept forth like a blue comet, carrying a surging wave of bitter cold and blizzard winds.

[Frost Moon Slash]

Wind and ice collided.

The two spells devoured and canceled each other out. The storm engulfed Winnie, while icy cocoons crept over Alfonso's fingers and blades.

Amid a violent series of tearing impacts, the blizzard overwhelmed the whirlwind and extinguished it.

Yet Alfonso charged out through the snowstorm.

Even though his spell had been neutralized, his blades never stopped spinning, no matter how fiercely the bone-piercing cold gnawed at him.

He still wouldn't give up?

He would rather suffer injuries just to cut Winnie down with his blades?