novelraw Chapter 99: I Will Make Glory Bow Before Us!
Chapter 99: I Will Make Glory Bow Before Us!
"Genevieve."
She was the first person who came to Fly's mind.
Followed by 'Emperor' Valerius and Jett.
The Jade State League wasn't an individual tournament. It was an arena-style competition where top-tier Martial Studies high schools each dispatched their four strongest students to battle it out.
If this were merely a local competition within Star City, Fly wouldn't feel the slightest pressure taking on four opponents single-handedly.
But a state-level league like this meant fighting through the group stages to reach the quarterfinals, the semifinals, and ultimately the grand finals.
The mental and physical toll, not to mention the sheer caliber of the opponents, was entirely on a different level compared to the other Martial Studies high schools in Star City.
If I want to secure the championship title in The Jade State League, fighting a lone-wolf battle isn't going to cut it. I need to bring my teammates' strength up to par as well.
Especially Jett...
Whether it was his academic grades or his Martial Studies prowess, Jett currently couldn't even crack the top five among Star City High's freshmen.
The only reason he was able to represent the school in the Freshman Invitational was because his family had pulled some serious strings.
But now they were facing The Jade State League. Surely Jett wouldn't continue using his family's connections to secure a spot on the roster, right?
Then again, it's hard to say...
Fly raised an eyebrow.
Since the founding of Star City High, their best-ever record in The Jade State League was a mere runner-up finish, and that was only achieved when they had the once-in-a-generation genius, Lysander Thorne. Compared to chasing a pipe-dream championship, the school administration might actually prefer to just go with the flow and trade a roster spot to Daniel Gale in exchange for some lucrative benefits.
"Thinking about The Jade State League?" Seeing Fly's solemn expression, Muse instantly pinpointed the issue.
For Fly, the absolute heaviest burden weighing on his mind right now was undoubtedly how to claim the championship in The Jade State League.
His personal strength was formidable; Muse didn't deny that.
But for a team tournament, individual strength simply wasn't enough. Furthermore, any powerhouse with an ounce of ambition would loathe being dragged down by weaker teammates.
But there was just no telling how Fly, at this very moment, viewed his teammates.
"Yeah. I heard from my teachers that The Jade State League won't start until after the midterms," Fly replied.
"Doing the math, we have less than half a month left."
"My teammates, Genevieve and Valerius, are solid enough, but Jett..."
'Emperor' Valerius was the second young master of the Tarantino family and a Twin-souled Beast Warrior. His family's inherited Cerberus Beast Totem possessed immense potential. Having fought him before, Fly was generally confident in his abilities, provided... he didn't let his glaring character flaws get the better of him.
Genevieve was the girl prodigy of Star City. She carried quite a few secrets, and her bizarre abilities from The Resonant Sect were genuinely eye-opening. Her competence was completely up to standard.
The only outlier was Jett... He was the sole member of the quartet who didn't possess a Mythical Species Beast Totem. Although he cultivated diligently on a daily basis, the gap in sheer power between him and the likes of Genevieve and Valerius was still quite vast.
It would be fine if they were just playing around in Star City, but throwing him into The Jade State League...
There was one more thing. It wasn't purely an issue of combat strength; having the right instructor was absolutely critical.
In terms of raw power, Fly knew his current strength easily matched, if not surpassed, that of Genevieve and Valerius. Yet, after spending just half a day with Muse, he had still learned a tremendous amount, gaining a completely new understanding of Martial Arts, Beast Totems, and the history of warriors.
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While this wouldn't cause his power to skyrocket overnight, it would undoubtedly yield massive benefits for his future cultivation.
Dean Sterling was an excellent teacher in his own right, but compared to Muse, there was still a noticeable gap.
"So, I have an idea," Fly's expression turned entirely serious.
"What kind of idea?" Muse immediately pressed.
Could this kid be planning to ditch his weaker teammates and ask me to find a few "ringers" around his age to fight in their place?
Such things had happened in the past. To secure good results in tournaments, some schools would sideline their own students and spend fortunes hiring young "mercenaries" from the outside to represent them.
This behavior was undeniably against the rules, but as long as the rewards were lucrative enough, there would always be those daring enough to take the risk.
Muse had seen plenty of people like that.
In Muse's eyes, this wasn't just a matter of breaking the rules; it was a fundamental reflection of a person's character.
If Fly genuinely intended to do this, it would mean that at his core, he was completely unscrupulous and would do whatever it took to achieve his goals.
The stronger a person like that became, the more terrifying they were.
They could only be used, never truly befriended.
In the eyes of such people, everyone except themselves was merely an expendable pawn.
Furthermore, as a Grandmaster-level Beast Warrior, Muse held his own strict principles regarding fair competition.
Therefore, when Fly wore that solemn expression and announced he had an idea, even the worldly and experienced Muse couldn't help but feel a twinge of apprehension.
Taking a deep breath, Fly slowly opened his mouth, "Would you be interested in being our coach?"
Muse: "???"
While he certainly didn't want Fly to be an unscrupulous schemer, this was...
Asking him—a Grandmaster-level Beast Warrior, a highly decorated titan of The Martial Sanctum—to coach a bunch of high schoolers?
Only a kid like Fly would have the sheer audacity to even suggest such a thing!
"What's wrong?"
Fly shrugged. "Aren't we master and apprentice now?"
"If I smoothly clench The Jade State League championship, it reflects brilliantly on you too, doesn't it?"
"Besides, Genevieve and 'Emperor' Valerius both possess Mythical Species Beast Totems. With some proper training, our chances of winning should be pretty solid."
"And anyway, aren't you already retired? Logically speaking, you should have plenty of free time on your hands, right?"
"Since you're just idling at home anyway, you might as well come over and conquer The Jade State League with us. Let's join forces and bring Star City an unprecedented championship title!"
Fly declared, his words ringing out with absolute conviction.
If they had Muse working behind the scenes, analyzing their opponents' flaws and weaknesses, and formulating strategies for them, their hopes of claiming the crown would undoubtedly soar.
Fly thought to himself, drawing parallels to the basketball games of his previous life.
While the players were the ones battling it out on the court, every victory was inextricably linked to the unsung heroes off the court—the coaches, the trainers, the video analysts.
"For us, The Jade State League isn't the end; it's merely a starting point."
"In the future, we will inevitably step onto even grander stages, enter far larger tournaments, and clash with much stronger opponents."
"Merely winning a single Jade State League championship is far from enough."
"Our journey leads to the stars and the vast seas!"
"I will make glory bow before us!"
Fly's eyes sparkled with a brilliant, starlike intensity.
"Please, Grandmaster Muse!"
After speaking those words, Fly bent at the waist in a deep, ninety-degree bow toward Muse.
This sudden gesture caught Muse entirely off guard.
Back when they were signing the contract, Fly had carried himself with a measured, unyielding pride.
Yet now, for the sake of his teammates, he wasn't hesitating to swallow his pride and bow in supplication.
Although there was undoubtedly an element of self-interest involved, Muse deeply appreciated the sincerity of Fly's willingness to go out of his way for his friends.
"Are you truly sure about this?"
To say Muse wasn't moved by this would simply be a lie.
"You must understand, you are my apprentice now. You rightfully enjoy exclusive access to every resource I provide."
"Genevieve, Valerius, and Jett—while they are all outstanding prodigies of Star City who attended my art exhibition—you were the only one who made it this far."
"Yet now, instead of keeping these hard-earned resources entirely to yourself, you want me to mentor your teammates as well."
"Does your heart not feel the slightest sting of reluctance?"
"Reluctance?" Fly looked up at Muse, his eyes shining with nothing but unadulterated passion.
"Wasn't it Felix Mundus who originally advocated for the popularization of Beast Totems, spreading Martial Studies to every high school and university, ultimately realizing the grand vision of a world where everyone practices martial arts?"
"If a scholar like Felix Mundus could achieve such a feat, why can't I fight to secure a proper coach for my own teammates?"
"They are absolutely worth it."
Fly met Muse's gaze, speaking with absolute earnestness.
But right at that moment, Fly's phone suddenly rang again.
"Uh, well..."
The emotional atmosphere had been built up perfectly. Fly could feel that Muse was just about to agree, only for a sudden phone call to completely shatter the mood.
Pulling out his phone, he saw the caller ID: Mr. Carter.
"Take the call first," Muse offered understandingly.
"Alright." Fly promptly hit the answer button.
"Fly, when are you coming back to school?"
"I've got some absolutely massive news for you!"
Instantly, Mr. Carter's incredibly ecstatic voice burst from the speaker.
He sounded as if he'd just won the lottery jackpot.
"Huh? What good news?" Fly raised an eyebrow, shooting a glance at Muse.
As for when he was returning to school, he honestly hadn't even thought about it.
"Didn't you sign an Apprenticeship Contract with Grandmaster Muse?"
"A probationary Apprenticeship Contract," Fly corrected.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. The wager condition is winning The Jade State League championship, right? So, I teamed up with Dean Sterling and Mr. Ironside, and together we went to talk things over with the school's administration."