Absolute Cheater - Chapter 492

Chapter 492: Averin Academy XVI

The arena fell silent the moment the last sigil finished shifting. A wide, circular pattern of bright violet lines spread across the floor, marking the final battlefield. Every spectator leaned forward. Even the guardians—usually calm, detached observers—stopped talking altogether. The air felt tight, like everyone was holding the same breath.

Team Magnus walked out first, stepping evenly across the violet-lit platform. Maxwell rolled his shoulders and swung his sword once to loosen his grip. Sylens settled into a grounded stance, his feet spaced evenly, calm and balanced. Amanda let her whip uncoil from her arm with a soft metallic flick. Lia drew an arrow and placed it lightly against the bowstring, her expression steady. Sophia planted her shield at her side, fingers curling around the handle.

On the opposite end, Team Selnar entered the field without the slightest sound. Nyss stood in front with her crystal bow, her aura glowing soft blue. Her three teammates took positions behind and beside her, forming a tight triangle. Their armour had a faint astral shimmer, and their weapons hummed with barely contained energy. They looked completely synchronized, not through force, but through long-practiced discipline.

Both teams measured each other quietly.

Nyss lowered her bow a little. “You’ve fought well,” she said. Her voice carried easily across the silent arena. “Let’s see if you can fight against true precision.”

Maxwell smiled, not arrogant—simply confident. “We’ll see if you stay calm once we start pushing back.”

The referee sigil flared white, bright enough to cast shadows across the stands.

“Begin.”

A sharp crack followed, and both teams moved instantly.

Nyss was the first to attack. She drew and released in one motion, her arrow flying straight at Maxwell like a line of compressed light. It wasn’t the fastest arrow anyone had ever seen, but its path was flawless. Two of her teammates dashed forward at the same moment, their blades slicing toward Sophia in a crossing X-arc meant to hit from both sides. The last member jumped high, twisting mid-air to rain down starlight bolts toward Amanda and Lia.

Team Magnus reacted just as quickly.

Sylens stepped in front of Maxwell without hesitation, catching the arrow on the flat of his blade. The impact made a sharp ringing sound before the projectile shattered. Sophia slammed her shield into the ground and angled it, taking both incoming slashes. The force made her slide back half a step, but she held firm. Amanda snapped her whip upward, the crack splitting two of the falling starlight bolts apart. Lia fired three arrows in a tight pattern, each one angled to force the aerial opponent out of his dive.

The crowd roared at the clean exchange, already louder than the earlier rounds.

Nyss moved again before the dust even settled. She shifted her stance slightly and drew another arrow. This one pulsed with bright energy, swelling like a condensed star. Even Sylens narrowed his eyes—this shot was twice as strong as the first.

“Max, left flank!” Sylens called.

Maxwell moved immediately. The arrow shot toward him, but Sylens intercepted again, his blade cutting the air with a sharp whistle. When the arrow struck it, the impact burst outward in a spray of bright fragments.

Maxwell didn’t slow down. He stepped through the fading light and closed the distance on one of the Selnar fighters. He caught the fighter mid-step. A heavy strike to the shoulder, followed by a sharp kick to the chest, cracked the fighter’s protective aura. The impact made him slide across the floor. His aura collapsed in a ripple, marking him as defeated.

Nyss didn’t panic at losing a teammate. Her expression remained steady. She adjusted her team instantly. The remaining two fighters tightened their formation around her. They spread outward just enough to pressure Lia and Sophia from two angles at once.

Sophia raised her shield again, grounding herself so the incoming strikes didn’t push her back. Lia positioned behind her and fired rapid arrows through the narrow openings between Sophia’s arm and shield rim. Amanda circled to the left, her whip cutting the air in long arcs that disrupted the Selnar timing.

Nyss remained unmoving for a long moment, breathing evenly as she gathered more power. Her aura expanded, growing brighter until the air around her vibrated like heat above a flame. When she finally drew her next arrow, it didn’t simply glow; it looked ready to tear itself apart from the energy inside it.

She fired.

The arrow split in mid-air, breaking into seven separate bolts that shot out in a wide spread.

“Back!” Lia yelled.

Sylens retreated precisely two steps. Maxwell rolled to the side. Amanda ducked under two arrows that cut the air inches above her head. Lia twisted her torso to avoid one while Sophia braced behind her shield, taking three arrows head-on. Each one struck with enough force to shake her entire arm.

Even with perfect reactions, Team Magnus felt the pressure. For a moment, the Selnar formation pushed forward, gaining momentum.

Nyss used that moment to command her team. “Collapse formation. Push the center!”

The two remaining Selnar fighters obeyed instantly. They rushed straight at Sylens and Maxwell, their blades moving in quick, controlled patterns. There was no wasted motion. Every strike was intended to break the center of Magnus’ formation.

Sylens stepped forward to meet them. His blade moved with minimal flourish, every swing tightly controlled. Maxwell matched him perfectly, each strike following the other. Their swords clashed with the Selnar blades in a rapid rhythm.

Metal struck metal. Sparks snapped off the edges. Footwork shifted constantly—half-steps, pivots, short slides to adjust positioning. The fighters stayed almost chest-to-chest at times, pressing and countering without pause.

Maxwell noticed one of the Selnar fighters start to tilt too far forward. He shifted his weight subtly, leaning almost imperceptibly.

Sylens caught the signal without needing words.

They struck together—Sylens’ blade came down in a vertical arc while Maxwell slashed horizontally. The combination forced both Selnar fighters backward. Their auras flickered badly.

Nyss saw it. Her eyes sharpened.