As Ophelia’s voice fell, the arena lapsed into a deathly silence.
Camilla was completely stunned. Her mouth hung open and her eyes were wide, as if she were listening to some far-fetched fairy tale.
‘Me? Go up there? Participate? Sister, are you serious!’
She looked at the golden-haired back on the stage, then at the gazes that had instantly focused on her from all directions. Her scalp prickled, and a cold sweat broke out across her back.
‘Me…?’
Camilla pointed at herself with a look of utter disbelief.
Ophelia remained with her back to her, only nodding slightly. Her ice-blue eyes looked calmly toward the referee’s stand, waiting for a response.
The several professors on the referee’s stand looked at one another, clearly not having expected this development.
One middle-aged Magus Knight professor looked at Ophelia and then at Camilla’s shocked expression. After a moment of hesitation, he spoke through the Amplification Array.
“Student Ophelia, this… does not comply with the rules of the Quarterly Exchange Match. Student Camilla is not a student of the Magus Swordsman Department or the Warrior Department, and this is a single-person duel—”
“Simply change it to a temporary Special Demonstration Match,” Ophelia’s calm voice interrupted with a natural certainty. “The rules can be temporarily drafted by the Referee Professor. My sister, Camilla, though she majors in Summoning Arts, also has some insight into close-quarters combat. This is a perfect opportunity for her to exchange pointers with two excellent classmates and promote mutual growth. I believe Student Salina and Student Ludmila would not object to competing against a different type of opponent, either.”
Her gaze swept over Salina and Ludmila.
Salina’s crimson eyes blinked. She looked at Ophelia and then at Camilla, who was nearly petrified below the stage. A playful, almost mischievous smile gradually spread across her face.
“Heh… interesting. I certainly have no objection. My hands were just starting to itch anyway.”
Ludmila’s pure black eyes turned toward Camilla. She was silent for 2 seconds before nodding to Ophelia.
“I will listen to Teacher.”
The Referee Professor wiped sweat from his brow that wasn’t there. He looked at Ophelia’s undeniable expression and then at Salina and Ludmila, who seemed to have consented. Finally, he sighed.
“Very… very well. In that case, the match is temporarily changed to a Special Demonstration Match. The format will be… er, a one-on-two exhibition match? Student Camilla, please come up to the stage.”
Once again, the spotlight of the entire crowd’s attention fell on Camilla.
Camilla wanted to cry but had no tears. She felt like she was being roasted over a fire.
She stood up reluctantly and moved toward the steps at the edge of the stage, one step at a time, as if she were walking toward an execution ground.
After finally climbing onto the stage and walking to Ophelia’s side, Camilla lowered her voice, her tone bordering on a sob.
“Sister! What are you doing? I can’t win! I really can’t! Did you see how they were fighting just now? If I go up there, won’t I just be easy prey?”
Ophelia turned around. Her ice-blue eyes met Camilla’s, and she reached out to gently steady her shoulder.
“You can do it.”
Her voice was very soft, audible only to the two of them, but her tone was incredibly firm.
“There have been too many people harassing you lately. While Ludmila can drive some of them away, it isn’t enough. You need an opportunity to show yourself, to let everyone know you aren’t someone who can be easily manipulated. Strength is the most direct language.”
“But…”
“No buts.” Ophelia interrupted her, her gaze softening with encouragement. “Trust yourself, and trust my judgment. You are far stronger than you think. And…”
She looked up at Salina, whose fighting spirit had reignited, and Ludmila, who stood quietly waiting.
“They will take this battle seriously. For you, this is an excellent opportunity to test yourself. Go!”
With that, she gently patted Camilla’s back. The force wasn’t great, but it carried an undeniable intent.
Camilla knew there was no room for negotiation.
With a miserable face, she turned to look at her two “opponents.”
Salina shouldered her battle axe, her blood-colored eyes flashing with excitement and eagerness.
“Yo, you finally came up? Don’t worry, Camilla, I’ll give you some good ‘guidance’—”
Ludmila watched her quietly. Her pure black eyes showed little emotion, but her grip on her greatsword tightened.
Camilla took a deep breath, forcing down the panic and the urge to complain. She patted Rimuru on her shoulder. The little fellow let out a *puji* sound, transmitting a thought: [Master, fight?]
“Yes, a fight… though we might be the ones getting beaten,” Camilla muttered under her breath.
At that moment, Salina spoke again, addressing Ophelia.
“Hey, Ophelia, since this is an exhibition match, shouldn’t there be some restrictions? That strange armor of Camilla’s isn’t allowed. Otherwise, it would be cheating.”
She clearly had a vivid memory of that Heavenly Radiance Armor which had withstood her attacks before.
Ophelia paused for a moment, but she immediately understood what the other girl was referring to and nodded.
“Fine. Camilla will not use that armor.”
Ludmila also spoke, her voice flat but serious. “Teacher, Camilla is very powerful. My chances of winning one-on-one are very low. If… I win, can I have a reward?”
Her gaze seemed to flicker toward the direction of Camilla’s satchel.
The corner of Ophelia’s mouth twitched into a nearly imperceptible smile. “Very well. If you defeat her, I will allow you to make one reasonable request.”
“Thank you, Teacher.” Ludmila lowered her head slightly.
‘You two already decided how to distribute the spoils of my defeat? Did anyone ask for my opinion?’
Camilla was on the verge of tears.
Having finished the arrangements, Ophelia said no more. She nodded slightly toward the referee’s stand and then tapped her toes, leaping lightly back to the front row of the stands where Camilla had been sitting. She found an empty seat and sat down, looking ready to watch the match seriously.
On the stage, only Camilla remained, with the predatory Salina and Ludmila flanking her on the left and right.
This was the first time Camilla had to face two enemies at once.
“Special Demonstration Match, begin! This is for mutual improvement, so keep your composure!” the Referee Professor’s voice rang out.
Before he could even finish the word “begin,” Salina charged impatiently. Her figure was like a cannonball, her Crimson Battle Axe slicing through the air with a sharp whistle as she swung it mercilessly toward Camilla in a horizontal cleave.
“Take this! Camilla!”
“Whoa!”
Camilla was scared out of her wits. Almost instinctively, she performed an extreme backbend, her body folding nearly into a right angle.
The sharp blade of the axe passed over the tip of her nose with a chilling coldness, severing a few stray strands of hair.
However, before she could celebrate her narrow escape, a heavy rushing sound approached from her side.
Ludmila had somehow closed the distance silently. Her greatsword swept horizontally, aimed directly at the waist and abdomen Camilla had exposed during her backbend! If this strike landed, even if the blade wasn’t sharpened, it would be enough to keep her in bed for 10 days or even half a month.
In the moment of crisis, Camilla crossed her arms over her chest and snapped her core muscles. In a nearly impossible feat, she used the momentum of her backbend to perform two clumsy backward rolls, barely avoiding the blade.
But Ludmila’s sword speed was incredibly fast. She shifted from a sweep to a slap, the flat of the blade slamming heavily against the arms Camilla had hurriedly raised to block.
*Bang!*
Camilla felt a sharp pain and numbness in her arms. She was sent sliding back several meters, nearly landing on her rear.
“Cough, cough… You two… do you have to be so well-coordinated!”
Clutching her numb arms, Camilla felt like crying.
Two people who had been fighting tooth and nail minutes ago were now cooperating perfectly to attack her—one using a frontal assault to draw her attention while the other circled for a lethal blow from the side.
“How can battle be a joke? Once you’re on the stage, it’s destined that only the winner can walk off standing. Stop running! Face me!”
Salina licked her lips, the fighting spirit in her blood-colored eyes growing even stronger as she raised her battle axe again.
It was clear she still held a massive grudge over Camilla’s previous act of slapping her behind.
Ludmila didn’t speak. she simply adjusted her grip on her sword, her pure black eyes locking onto Camilla. Her footsteps shifted, sealing off Camilla’s retreat in the other direction.
Under their pincer attack, Camilla dodged desperately, struggling to keep up.
She didn’t dare take a direct hit. Whether it was Salina’s mountain-shattering monstrous strength or Ludmila’s tricky and precise sword techniques, neither was something her current body could confront head-on.
She could only rely on her sharp perception and somewhat flexible movement, complemented by Rimuru’s occasional distracting transformations, to barely hold her ground.
But at this rate, defeat was only a matter of time.
Below the stage, Ophelia watched quietly. Her ice-blue eyes followed every one of Camilla’s frantic dodges with focus. Her face remained expressionless—there was no worry, no disappointment. She was so calm that it was impossible to tell what she was thinking.
After once again narrowly avoiding Salina’s axe and Ludmila’s sword tip, Camilla caught a glimpse of her sister’s “unperturbed observer” posture out of the corner of her eye. A nameless fire suddenly surged in her heart.
‘Dammit… Sister, you jerk! Just watching me die without helping!’
Taking advantage of a gap while dodging, she suddenly whipped her head around toward Ophelia and forcefully gave her the universally recognized “friendly” gesture—she flipped her the middle finger.
This action caused the entire audience to freeze. Even Salina and Ludmila’s offensive stuttered for a moment because of this sudden turn of events.
Ophelia seemed to raise an eyebrow, but she still gave no reaction.
Before Camilla could even lower her hand, Salina’s giggling voice drifted over.
“Still have the leisure to make strange gestures? It seems I haven’t been working hard enough!”
the battle axe whistled through the air again, faster and more ruthless than before!
Camilla hurriedly pulled her hand back and performed a “lazy donkey roll” to dodge again. Her posture was extremely ungraceful, drawing a burst of laughter from the stands.
Pathetic. Truly pathetic.
Panting, Camilla knelt on the ground. As she watched the two of them closing in, the grievance and anger in her heart were gradually replaced by a strange emotion.
It was killing intent.
The Silver Crest on her lower abdomen began to glow. Although Camilla had been careful to take her Purity Potion, how could a mark left by an Abyss Lord be so easily broken?
Negative emotions flooded her heart, and cruel thoughts emerged one after another in her mind.
‘If the tiger doesn’t show its strength, do you take me for a sick cat?’
Camilla took a deep breath and slowly stood up. She patted the dust off her clothes, and the panic and bitterness on her face gradually faded, replaced by a rare calm and seriousness.
She picked up Rimuru from her shoulder and placed the slime at her feet.
“Rimuru, prepare for battle.”
*Puji!*
The blue slime could sense the change in its master. Its body undulated, and its color deepened slightly as it entered a state of readiness.
Camilla drew the seemingly ordinary Academy Standard Longsword that had been hanging at her waist. She lightly brushed her hand over the blade, her gaze becoming focused.
Ever since that battle at the age of 12 that “shattered her heart,” she had indeed become lazy. She had indulged in a sedentary lifestyle, relying on her foresight and pre-prepared external items.
But her foundation was still there. Her gaming experience from her past life, the swordsmanship foundation she had built since childhood in this life, the physical training she had never truly abandoned for self-preservation, and the combat instincts forced out of her by one crisis after another…
Perhaps it was time to re-evaluate just what she could achieve in her normal state.
She lifted her head and looked at Salina, who was attacking again, and Ludmila, who was flanking her from the other side.
She crouched low and gripped her sword.
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