Chapter 78: They Want to Wipe Us Out

At the center of the Arena, Grem swept an indifferent glance over Leanna and her group, who had just entered.

A mocking smirk curled at the corner of his lips:

“So you’re the Rose Knights? Just a bunch of snot-nosed little girls?”

Ever since Aixi had shed the inferiority of her childhood, she’d become much more confident.

Facing Grem’s provocation, she jumped out without hesitation:

“If you can’t talk properly, I’ll smash your mouth with my hammer!”

“So you’re Aixi, huh? If Kaelan lost to you, that’s her own failure. But if you think I’m as useless as her, you’ll be the one lying on the ground!”

Leanna reached out to stop Aixi, who was about to lose her temper.

Her gaze, sharp as a blade of ice, pierced straight into Grem:

“There’s no point in wasting words with them. In the coming battle, there’s no need to hold back.”

Unlike their usual fervor for friendly competition, the Leanna Squad now radiated a biting murderous aura.

If not for the earlier explosion, Leanna might have been looking forward to this Academy Tournament, might even have enjoyed the match.

But now, all they wanted was for Mills Academy to pay the price.

The entire squad shared the same resolve.

Grem’s teammates couldn’t help but snicker. Laughter echoed from the audience as well.

To these onlookers, a group of challengers daring to declare “no need to show mercy” was simply ignorant arrogance.

In their eyes, it was the Rose Knights who were the real challengers!

Amidst the ridicule of countless spectators, a Secret Realm Transfer Array appeared at the center of the Arena.

Once all the teams had entered the Secret Realm, the Academy Tournament officially began.

The Secret Realm Transfer Array quickly vanished, replaced by six Magic Projections.

Each projection corresponded to a participating team.

These teams had one objective: to return to the Arena ahead of the others and seize the Magic Heart placed at the center.

But being the fastest didn’t guarantee victory.

According to the rules, the two teams that arrived first at the Arena would face off in a duel.

Only the winner of that duel could claim the Magic Heart.

In other words, only the first two teams to return to the Arena had the right to contend for the Magic Heart.

Aside from this, each team’s actions within the Secret Realm were completely unrestricted.

This meant the teams could fight, collaborate, ambush, and so on as they pleased within the Secret Realm.

“Boss, should we go after them and teach them a lesson?”

Inside the Secret Realm, one of Grem’s lackeys rubbed his fists eagerly, suddenly speaking up.

Just thinking about how those girls looked down on them before the match made his hands itch.

Right now, he really wanted to beat them until they were kneeling and sobbing.

Not holding back? What a joke! They were the ones who would be holding back, right?

But his suggestion was met with Grem’s cold snort.

“Teach them a lesson? What, did you get baited by their taunts?”

“Our goal is to reach the Arena center with Team Two as fast as possible and grab the Magic Heart. As for the rest—hmph—someone else will deal with them for us.”

That’s right, there were six teams in the tournament.

Aside from the Rose Knights, the other five all hailed from Mills Academy—and they had already colluded behind the scenes.

Teams One and Two would break away quickly, racing toward the Arena to fight for the Magic Heart.

Teams Three, Four, and Five would “accidentally” appear in front of the Rose Knights, continually blocking their advance.

This tournament was, in truth, a scheme targeting the Rose Knights—they never even had a chance to win.

At first, Grem wasn’t keen on these underhanded tactics, but once he remembered that his real goal was Galwin Magic Academy, he didn’t care anymore.

What were the Rose Knights, after all?

Just some roadside weeds—why should he waste effort on them?

His real opponents were the Magic Stars of Galwin Magic Academy.

These dirty tricks would only speed his victory, not change the outcome.

In the end, it was just saving time. Why not enjoy it?

So, Grem cooperated with the other teams, ready to make sure the Rose Knights never even reached the Arena.

However, things didn’t go as they expected.

Within the overlapping webs of Magic Senses, Grem was shocked to find that Team Five, who were supposed to intercept the Rose Knights, had actually been found by them first.

“Heh, so instead of avoiding us, they’re coming right for us? Interesting.”

The Fifth Team Captain also sensed the Rose Knights approaching. Adjusting his glasses with a sneer, he said, “If that’s how they want it, let’s play along.”

With that, he crouched and pressed one hand to the ground.

“Second-tier Magic, Earth Golem!”

Rumble!

Amidst a quake that shook the very earth, a towering Earth Golem—over a dozen meters high—rose up from the ground.

The captain stood on the giant’s shoulder, surveying half the Secret Realm from above.

Rose Knights?

Hmph, they wouldn’t last a single round against him!

As he thought this, he suddenly realized that both he and the Earth Golem were shrouded in an immense shadow.

Hm?

Puzzled, he looked up—only for his pupils to contract sharply!

A Giant Hammer as vast as a mountain tore through the clouds, plummeting down with the force to shatter the world!

Goddess above—

He only had time to utter a silent prayer before the Giant Hammer crashed down, swallowing his final hope.

The Earth Golem crumbled like a sandcastle, collapsing and merging back into the earth in the blink of an eye.

Inside the Arena, the five magical lamps representing Team Five were instantly extinguished.

Moments later, all five of them were transferred back to the Arena by teleportation magic.

Slumped on the ground, they stared blankly, utterly clueless about what had just happened.

The spectators fell into stunned silence.

But soon, a wave of shocked outcries swept through the audience.

“Team Five… eliminated just like that?!”

“What was that just now? That huge hammer?”

“This… this Rose Knight’s strength is way beyond what I expected!”

“I thought Team Five might be a dark horse, but they’re out already?”

“Damn! Fixed match!”

“I bet on Team Five! My money!”

The stands exploded with incredulous shouts and complaints.

Amid the piercing commotion, the defeated members of Team Five staggered away in a daze.

Block the Rose Knights?

What a joke! They didn’t even know where the Rose Knights were before being instantly wiped out.

The difference in power was just too great.

Could Grem really win?

The Fifth Team Captain began to waver.

In the midst of deafening noise, the Fifth Team Captain gazed at the light screen in despair.

Through the Rose Knights’ perspective, he watched in horror as this deadly squad surged toward Team Four’s coordinates with terrifying speed.

They didn’t just want to win—they wanted total annihilation.