novelraw Chapter 128: A Single Kick to End It
Chapter 128: A Single Kick to End It
A Single Kick to End It
"Damn it!"
The Secret Sword Summit student erupted in rage, humiliation burning through his chest like wildfire. Without hesitation, he drew his sword with a sharp metallic hiss that echoed across the arena.
Since his flames were inferior to hers, there was only one option left.
Overpower her.
If he crushed her with sheer strength, he could still salvage his dignity.
The sword flashed.
His body shot forward like a streak of fire, the blade slashing down with ferocious speed. The air itself shrieked under the force of the strike. The distance between them vanished in an instant.
The outcome of the battle seemed as if it would be decided in a single breath.
Many spectators instinctively tensed.
Even though Rias had shocked everyone with the Inferno Lotus Art, people still couldn’t help worrying.
After all—
She had only entered Celestis Academy a month ago.
How much could her cultivation have improved in such a short time?
"Be careful!"
Someone in the crowd shouted instinctively.
But the warning fell on deaf ears.
Because the girl on the stage didn’t move.
Rias stood quietly where she was, like a crimson flower blooming in the wind.
Her long red hair fluttered gently behind her, shimmering beneath the sunlight. The red silk robes wrapped around her slender waist swayed softly, the golden sash catching flashes of light.
Her posture remained relaxed.
Her expression calm.
As the sword came crashing down—
She simply lifted her right hand.
Gracefully.
Almost lazily.
Then—
A powerful Astral aura surged from her body.
Mana erupted like a rising tide.
In the blink of an eye, two slender fingers moved forward.
Clink.
Those delicate fingers clamped precisely onto the descending sword blade.
The arena froze.
"This..."
Someone’s voice trembled.
"Astral..."
Another voice followed in disbelief.
"How is that possible?!"
Shock spread across the arena like a storm.
The violent sword strike had been stopped—
By two fingers.
Effortlessly.
-----
Shera suddenly shot to his feet.
The legs of his seat dragged across the floor with a sharp sound.
Something caught his eye on the stage - his gaze snapped wide. After a pause, he shifted to look at Leon, still sitting there without moving.
"She actually reached the Astral Realm after a single month?"
What came out of his mouth felt tight, like words were hard to push through.
"What kind of talent is this?!"
Even Cultivator Tobias could not hide his astonishment.
His brows rose sharply as he stared at Rias with new interest.
A month.
Breaking into the Astral Realm in one month.
That level of talent was terrifying.
Meanwhile, Mike remained comparatively calm.
His fingers stroked his beard thoughtfully.
He had already suspected something similar.
After all—
The impression Selena had left on him previously was still vivid in his memory.
Compared to that shocking breakthrough, Rias’s performance was less surprising.
On the arena stage, the battle had already lost its suspense.
The moment Rias revealed her Astral Realm cultivation, the outcome was sealed.
The Secret Sword Summit student realized it too.
His face went pale.
He tried to pull his sword back—
But the blade wouldn’t move.
Rias’s two fingers held it firmly, as if the weapon had been caught in an iron clamp.
Her bright red eyes looked at him calmly.
There was no mockery.
No anger.
Just quiet composure.
The kind that made his heart sink.
"You’re too tense," she said softly.
Then—
She moved.
Her fingers released the sword.
Her body shifted forward lightly.
Before the Secret Sword Summit student could react—
Her right leg swept upward in a clean, elegant motion.
Thud.
The kick landed squarely on his chest.
It wasn’t brutal.
It wasn’t flashy.
Just perfectly timed.
But the power behind it was overwhelming.
The young man’s body lifted straight off the ground.
"W–What—?!"
His words never finished.
His entire body flew backward like a broken kite.
BOOM!
He crashed outside the arena boundary, rolling across the ground before finally stopping.
Silence swallowed the arena.
The fight...
Was over.
------
For the past month, Rias had sparred countless times with Selena under Leon’s guidance.
Those battles had sharpened her instincts.
Her combat experience had grown rapidly.
Compared to ordinary students—
Her reactions were far more refined.
She stood quietly in the center of the stage.
The wind fluttered her red robes.
Her long hair swayed behind her like flowing flames.
Then she turned her gaze toward the Referee.
A gentle smile appeared on her face.
The Referee cleared his throat, still slightly stunned.
Then he announced loudly,
"First match of the Martial Meeting."
"Amethyst Summit Division’s Rias versus Secret Sword Summit student."
"Rias wins."
----
"It’s over?"
A stunned murmur spread across the crowd.
Many people hadn’t even finished processing the fight.
Before they realized what had happened—
The match had already ended.
"Unbelievable..."
"How did she reach the Astral Realm in just one month?"
Someone whispered in disbelief.
Another voice added,
"Could it be that Amethyst Summit Division has countless heavenly treasures?"
"Maybe they gave her some rare medicine..."
Curious gazes gradually turned toward Leon.
But he simply sat there calmly.
He offered no explanation.
After the result was announced, Rias stepped down from the arena.
Her steps were light.
Graceful.
Her red robes swayed with each movement as she returned to Leon’s side.
She bowed slightly.
"Teacher."
"I’ve accomplished my mission."
Leon felt extremely satisfied.
He had heard every whisper in the arena.
The amazement.
The disbelief.
The envy.
How satisfying.
But outwardly—
His face remained completely calm.
As if the victory meant nothing.
He looked at Rias with a stern expression and said,
"Student."
"Didn’t I tell you to show mercy?"
"And not embarrass your Guardian Elder Shera?"
The moment those words left his mouth—
The entire arena fell silent.
Everyone froze.
Then slowly...
They turned toward Shera.
His face had turned pitch black.
The lethality of that sentence was terrifying.
More lethal than a full-powered strike from a Sage Realm expert.
Rias immediately understood Leon’s intention.
Her expression changed into one of guilt.
She lowered her head slightly and turned toward Shera.
"Guardian Elder... I’m sorry."
"I didn’t think it through."
"I was wrong."
CRACK!
Shera’s chair shattered beneath his palm.
He shot to his feet, fury blazing in his eyes.
His chest rose and fell violently as he glared at the Teacher and student before him.
These two...
They were doing this on purpose!
"Senior Brother."
Leon spoke again with a calm voice.
"She’s still young and doesn’t understand etiquette."
"Please forgive her this once."
Shera’s face twitched.
His fists clenched tightly.
For a moment, it seemed as if he might explode.
Then—
"Hmph!"
He flung his sleeves violently and sat back down without another word.
The humiliation burned inside him.
Originally, he had thought victory was certain.
He had been ready to humiliate Leon.
Instead—
He had become the one being humiliated.
Right now, murderous thoughts were already forming in his heart.
--------
Among the surrounding students, suppressed laughter spread like wildfire.
Many people struggled to hold it in.
"Martial Uncle Leon is ruthless..."
One student whispered.
"That sentence was deadly."
Another student grinned.
"I’ve decided. From today onward, I’m Martial Uncle Leon’s most loyal fan."
"I swear I’ll support him forever."
Someone else snorted.
"I bet Guardian Elder Shera wants to kill someone right now."
"But for some reason..."
He couldn’t stop smiling.
"...I feel really satisfied."
After all—
Shera had served as disciplinary elder for many years.
He had offended countless people.
Seeing him suffer like this brought quiet joy to many hearts.
Meanwhile, the Secret Sword Summit students lowered their heads in shame.
The arrogance they once carried had vanished completely.
They stood silently.
Too embarrassed to meet anyone’s eyes.