The simulated battles were still ongoing.
Afterward, Qingyan and Su Luoluo also took their turns in testing—Su Luoluo won her match, while Qingyan was defeated by someone from the neighboring class.
But it wasn’t a big deal. The simulated battles were merely to test everyone’s practical combat experience. Winning earned bonus points for the semester, while losing had no consequences—no points deducted.
A few more rounds passed quickly before it was time for my sister’s test.
“Group 21, begin your match; Group 22, prepare!”
The Teacher announced, signaling the contestants to take the stage. This time, my sister would face someone of her own level.
Speaking of that person, I knew her all too well.
“She’s here…”
Looking at the black-haired girl stepping onto the field, clutching a rifle, I immediately recognized her as the girl who ‘approached’ me yesterday.
It was Dai Lina.
When I glanced at the test schedule yesterday, I saw that my sister would be matched against this girl named Dai Lina. At first glance, I was quite surprised—she was an S-rank!
But then again… yesterday afternoon, Eliza even hoped that I’d make friends with her. I still didn’t quite understand what she meant by that.
“Hey, Eliza. Why do you want me to be friends with her?”
I quietly asked, genuinely puzzled by Eliza’s intention.
Eliza beside me put on a mysterious expression upon hearing this:
“Just trust me. Once you make friends with her, some of the troubles you might face later could be resolved.”
Eliza’s words only confused me more. I wanted to ask more, but she suddenly clammed up, saying she was leaving some things to my imagination.
Resigned, I decided not to press further. Since Eliza wanted me to befriend that girl, I might as well give it a try.
After all, making one more friend couldn’t hurt.
I shifted my attention back to my sister and Dai Lina.
They had already moved onto the field, now just waiting for the Teacher to announce the start of the match.
“Begin!”
“Please take care of me.”
“You too.”
With a sharp whistle from the referee Teacher, the intense and thrilling duel instantly began.
Dai Lina was like a coiled leopard, eyes locked on her opponent Lusina, radiating an undeniable fighting spirit.
She quickly raised her rifle, fingers steady on the trigger. At that moment, the air seemed to freeze!
“Bang!”
A deafening shot shattered the silence in the arena. The training bullet sliced through the air like a released arrow, hurtling toward Lusina.
Though the bullet wasn’t lethal, its impact was enough to cause instant sharp pain, enough to intimidate any opponent.
However, Lusina seemed to have predicted the bullet’s trajectory.
She moved gracefully to the side, as light as a feather drifting on the wind, effortlessly evading the deadly shot.
Her movements were smooth and elegant, as if every cell in her body was pulsating with the battle.
Dai Lina’s eyes flickered with surprise, but she quickly regained her composure and expertly pulled back the lever on her rifle.
“Click”—a fresh bullet was swiftly chambered. Her fingers returned steadily to the trigger, eyes blazing, ready to launch a fiercer second attack.
But at that moment, Lusina suddenly appeared beside her like a ghost.
Her speed was breathtaking, as if she had crossed space in an instant.
Her Tang Sword gleamed coldly under the lights, like a sharp blade unsheathed, aimed straight for Dai Lina’s vital spot.
The tension in the arena skyrocketed. The audience held their breath, afraid to miss a single detail!
The girl, seeing the Tang Sword whistling toward her, reacted swiftly, using the rifle’s body to skillfully parry Lusina’s strike, then nimbly retreated to create distance and regain her shooting advantage.
But Lusina wouldn’t let this opportunity slip away. She pursued relentlessly, shadowing Dai Lina without giving her the slightest chance to aim.
“Damn it…”
Dai Lina’s mind raced anxiously. Facing Lusina’s relentless pursuit, she had to abandon long-range shooting and engage in close-quarters combat.
Her lever-action rifle transformed into a melee weapon, its bayonet glinting sharply in the light, repeatedly deflecting Lusina’s fierce attacks.
Occasionally, Dai Lina tried to fire a bullet in close combat, but Lusina’s extraordinary agility dodged each one.
After a fierce exchange, they finally separated, stepping back to reestablish distance.
Their eyes locked like sharpened blades, both poised to strike again at any moment.
“Not bad skills,” Lusina admitted, her admiration clear after the first round’s smoke cleared.
“You’re really impressive, on par with me,” she said sincerely, acknowledging Dai Lina’s strength.
“Hmph, that should be me saying it,” Dai Lina replied while reloading her rifle with practiced ease.
She had used all her bullets during the first round, now taking advantage of the break to reload.
“Shall we continue?”
Lusina’s eyes gleamed with fighting spirit as she invited another round.
“Bring it on!”
Dai Lina didn’t hesitate. The rifle’s muzzle pointed straight at Lusina, as if ready to launch a deadly strike at any moment.
In fact, she wasted no time. Before anyone noticed, she quietly launched her second attack. The rifle moved like a shadow, closing in on Lusina and driving the battle into another climax!
“So fast!!!”
From the stands came a chorus of amazed whispers. Even the air seemed to freeze at this sudden speed.
Their eyes barely kept up, watching Dai Lina’s figure flicker like a phantom—one moment at the other end of the arena, the next like a ghost beside Lusina.
Such speed was almost impossible even for the sharpest hunters to catch. The audience could only rely on blurry visual traces to keep pace with the fight.
Lusina, facing this sudden onslaught, showed no sign of panic.
Her eyes, sharp as a hawk’s, locked firmly onto her opponent, as if trying to catch every subtle movement.
In a flash, Dai Lina’s bayonet struck like a venomous snake toward Lusina’s throat!
The blade gleamed coldly, as if ready to slice through any obstacle in its path.
Yet Lusina remained calm like a sculptor frozen in time. At this life-or-death moment, she gripped her Tang Sword with both hands and, at an almost impossible angle, held it horizontally to block the bayonet’s advance.
“Clang!”
The two weapons collided in midair, sparks flying bright enough to seem like they tore the very air.
But Dai Lina’s attack didn’t stop there. The moment of contact, she decisively pulled the trigger. A bullet shot out like a shooting star, whistling toward Lusina’s forehead.
The speed was terrifying— even Lusina felt the pressure!
Yet at this critical moment, she displayed her extraordinary alertness and composure.
She tilted her head slightly, as if with a casual flick, the deadly bullet brushed past her cheek, narrowly escaping disaster.
“Quick reaction,” Dai Lina’s eyes flashed with surprise, then a smile of respect. She slightly lifted the corners of her mouth, acknowledging Lusina’s dodging skills.
Lusina smiled lightly, confidence and ease evident in her expression.
“Thank you for the compliment. Your attacks were strong too.”
“Lusina, right?”
Dai Lina nodded, eyes sharp as flames.
“There aren’t many S-rank Psychics who can match me. You really live up to the ‘genius’ title from Class 1. Your speed and reflexes exceeded my expectations.”
Lusina shook her head slightly, a hint of humility in her gaze.
“‘Genius’ is too generous. I’m just the only S-rank in Class 1. Compared to real geniuses, I still have much to learn.”
“Seems the ‘genius’ title isn’t undeserved,” Dai Lina smiled faintly, her tone serious.
“Then let’s decide the winner with this battle! Let’s see whether your speed or my strength will dominate!”
Before the words left her mouth, their auras surged again, battle will igniting between them. The surrounding space seemed crushed by this energy—a true duel was about to unfold.
The girl moved like an agile leopard, circling Lusina. Her eyes shone like the brightest stars in the night sky, tightly tracking every move.
She moved lightly, each step precisely avoiding Lusina’s attack range, seeking any opening.
Suddenly, she dashed like lightning, bayonet gleaming coldly like fangs, aiming for Lusina’s back!
Lusina’s reflexes were incredible. Almost simultaneously with the girl’s charge, her body swayed like a leaf in the wind, bending at an unbelievable angle to avoid the lethal strike.
The girl’s bayonet traced a silver arc but missed Lusina by inches.
Undeterred, she quickly adjusted, swinging her bayonet like a spinning windmill, sweeping at Lusina.
Lusina’s form was light and graceful, like a butterfly dancing in the air, leaping nimbly to avoid the attack again.
Next, the girl executed a sweeping leg strike, her legs coiled like springs, suddenly kicking to trip Lusina.
But Lusina was like a nimble swallow, flipping in midair to evade the blow, then seized the moment to counterattack.
The two fought fiercely, evenly matched. Lusina’s Tang Sword struck like a fierce storm, while the girl’s defense and counterattacks skillfully neutralized every strike.
Their movements were lightning fast, each clash accompanied by sharp metallic clangs and the sound of tearing air.
Amid the intense duel, the girl didn’t forget to leverage her weapon’s advantage. She constantly reloaded her rifle, the crisp clicks echoing around.
This ensured she always had enough ammo for critical moments and distracted Lusina to create attack openings.
She pursued Lusina relentlessly, firing occasionally.
Though she knew these bullets were unlikely to cause real damage against Lusina’s agility, they disrupted her rhythm and bought time.
Sure enough, during one dodge, Lusina’s overly large movement caused a brief loss of balance.
That momentary lapse was keenly spotted by Dai Lina, who immediately seized the opportunity, thrusting her bayonet like a released arrow toward Lusina’s vital spot!
“Opportunity!!!”
Determination flashed in the girl’s eyes.
She targeted the small opening created by Lusina’s dodge, swiftly closing in, bayonet gleaming as it aimed for Lusina’s upper vital.
However, at this critical instant, Lusina performed an unexpected move!
She suddenly bent low!
The bayonet, like a silver lightning bolt, sliced fiercely through the air toward her throat but only left a dazzling trail as it missed its mark.
“What!”
The girl’s heart sank. She never expected Lusina to react so quickly and decisively under pressure. She was momentarily flustered, completely trapped in Lusina’s trap.
Lusina crouched low, like a poised leopard ready to pounce, successfully avoiding the attack and circling behind her opponent.
She reached out a foot, gently tripping the girl, who lost balance and fell forward.
The girl tumbled to the ground, her lever-action rifle slipping from her hands. She struggled to get up, but Lusina was faster!
When the girl turned her head, she saw Lusina holding a sharp blade pressed against her throat.
“Is the outcome decided?”
Lusina smiled confidently, extending her hand, eyes sparkling with certainty.
Dai Lina silently accepted the hand and used it to pull herself up. Though reluctant, she had to acknowledge defeat.
“Test over! Class 1’s Lusina wins!”
The Teacher loudly announced from outside, voice tinged with approval.
Dai Lina nodded, acknowledging the truth she could not deny.
“By the way, I don’t think I caught your name.”
As they left the test area, Lusina suddenly asked Dai Lina.
“Me? Call me Dai Lina.”
She smiled, her respect for Lusina’s strength growing.
“Dai Lina, huh… Let’s find time to spar again sometime,” Lusina said, a hint of anticipation in her eyes, clearly not satisfied with just this battle.
“I’m always ready,” Dai Lina responded cheerfully. The two exchanged smiles, already forming a subtle bond.
“By the way, after this, let’s grab some sweets and get to know each other better.”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
Lusina gladly accepted the invitation, and together they walked out of the test arena side by side.