MTLNOVEL Chapter 192: Who Is Competing?
"You're late," Tarkos said flatly.
"I had to be careful," Elder Huang responded while handing over two tokens. "These are keyed to your energy signature. They will grant you access through the Pavilion's barrier. But remember, they're tied to your current disguises. Change your aura, and they won't work."
Victor inspected the glittering pentagonal tokens with glowing jade inscriptions.
"Good. It's time to resume the purge," Victor said.
Before leaving, Victor dyed his hair to a dusky yellow hue and wore thick padding beneath his Jade Serpent robes. Tarkos did the same, turning his hair a sickly green and bulking up with layers that altered his gait and body frame.
They couldn't risk being recognisable after their last encounter with Xu Jian within the Emerald Coil Pavilion.
When they arrived at the Pavilion with Elder Huang leading, the barrier allowed them through. None of the guards questioned them.
What followed next was two days of silent, precise killings.
First kill: They lured Senior Disciple Han Wei under the guise of an emergency training evaluation. Elder Huang sent a false summons that made Han Wei report to one of the Pavilion's outer practice yards. When he arrived, he found only Tarkos, seated calmly beneath the moonlight.
Before he could react, Victor appeared from the shadows and sliced his head off. He was dead before he even knew it.
They buried his body beneath the training arena, erasing all trace.
Second kill: The next target, Elder Lin, had a habit of bathing in the Pavilion's spiritual springs at midnight. Victor and Tarkos watched from the steaming rocks until the elder was waist-deep in the pool. Tarkos whispered, "I'll boil him." A single ink-thread burst from his tattoo and merged with the spring, turning it scalding hot.
As Elder Lin screamed and tried to leap out, Victor dropped large rocks from above onto the elder, momentarily trapping him in there.
This had been carefully planned because not even an elder of that strength could survive more than thirty seconds underneath that water temperature which was imbued with spiritual poison.
Third kill: Disciple Wu Nian was known for his arrogance and late-night meditations near the serpent statues in the east wing. Victor approached with his disguise and pretended to be a junior seeking guidance. As Wu opened his mouth to brag, Victor placed a hand on his chest, planting qi locking talismans in him.
Tarkos appeared from behind and ripped his head off his body.
Fourth kill: The most difficult so far. Elder Yun was a suspicious man, rarely alone and always cloaked in barriers. They waited until he took a solitary walk to the artifact chamber—his one weakness. He believed the chamber's spiritual suppression would prevent anyone from approaching.
However, Victor and Tarkos ambushed him just as he exited. A swift tag-team: Victor disabled his movement for a second with frost bloom palm, and Tarkos bisected him with a rising ink blade. The elder was split into two halves.
After cleaning up and feeding false information to a few guards, they returned to the hideout.
Now, only four remained. Two elders. Two senior disciples; Xiao Mei and Yan Rui.
Inside the Pavilion, another meeting was taking place.
Elder Mu sat with clenched fists. "Another four. What in the name of the Serpent Sovereign is going on?"
"This is impossible," barked Elder Zhao. "Are we cursed?"
"Or we've let rats in," Xiao Mei said quietly. "Think. It's not random anymore. Those being killed are the same ones who joined us in placing the bounty on Fang Chen. And now we certainly have traitors in our midst."
The room went cold.
"It's true," muttered one of the elders. "Zhao Feng, Xu Jian, Han Wei, and Wu Nian. They were all part of the plan to place a bounty on Zhao Feng because the pond was too valuable."
"Are you saying Fang Chen is doing this?" Elder Mu asked.
"He was Foundation Establishment when we last saw him," he added. "You expect me to believe he's become strong enough to kill Nascent Soul experts and sneak into this Pavilion?"
"Maybe he has help," Xiao Mei said. "Or maybe he was never what we assumed. Either way, someone is killing those tied to that bounty. We're the last ones left. If we don't act, we're dead."
"Then what do you suggest?"
Xiao Mei turned to stare at them with a look of seriousness; "We have to deal with the ones inside our house first..."
...
...
Outside, in the hideout, Victor stood before Tarkos and Elder Huang, who had been summoned again.
Tarkos looked at Victor. "Four left. Let's end it."
Victor had to log out now because it had already been three days in Ascendant Realms.
Before doing so, he turned to Tarkos.
"Stay hidden for now," Victor said. "The ones left... they won't move alone anymore. Two elders and two senior disciples? They will be more cautious than ever before. Just wait for my return."
Tarkos gave a quiet nod. "I'll be a shadow in their midst. You can go. You look like a walking corpse."
Victor chuckled dryly. "I do need a lot of rest. After we finish this, I promise I'm taking the longest nap in recorded history."
With that, he logged out.
---
Real world: 4:49 A.M.
Victor sat up on his bed with heavy eyes.
The lines between reality and game had blurred long ago, but fatigue was one thing that always reminded him where he truly was. He hadn't gotten proper sleep in over a week. But that didn't stop him from sliding out of bed, getting dressed, and stepping out of the dorm alongside Kairo.
They walked silently under the fake early morning sky as crisp air brushed against their uniforms.
At the junction, they split and headed towards their respective camps.
It was Wednesday, meaning swimming-based morning routines.
Victor had been a poor swimmer once, but today he swam with smooth, powerful strokes. He was already getting the hang of it.
Occasionally, he'd practice underwater swerves and burst-speed dashes. Subtly, he used his qi to sharpen his instincts and propel himself faster without drawing attention.
After morning routine, they changed and prepared for lectures. Victor's mind remained ever active even though his body screamed for rest. He focused, knowing he had to be done with the Jade Serpent affair before he could truly relax. Perhaps tomorrow. Or this weekend.
As lectures wrapped up, a loud chime echoed across the academy grounds.
"Reminder to all first years: the Legacy Weapons Competition begins next week. Prepare accordingly."
Victor's eyes widened. "Damn. I forgot about that."
He had registered for it nearly a month ago, back when he had just learned about the legacy weapons each class could compete for. For the Warrior class, it was the Bladesoul Saber, a legendary sword once wielded by a hero of the first mana wars.
The most powerful Warrior in the history of awakened.
At dinner later that evening, Victor joined Selene, Danny, Aria, Kai, Reed, and Rylan. The table buzzed with chatter about the competition.
"So... who's competing for the assassin class weapons?" Danny asked.
Selene just smirked and popped her lollipop out. "Not me. I brought daggers from home. My style's unique. No need to grab some hand-me-down from a dead guy."
"Legacy weapons aren't just hand-me-downs," Reed stated. "They have remnants of the original wielder's mana. Skills. Resonance. You could be stronger just by wielding one."
"Aren't you competing, Reed?" Aria questioned while raising a perfectly arched brow.
"Yes," he said proudly. "I am."
Everyone immediately burst into various forms of mockery.
"Haha, you?" Kai snorted. "You'll probably get disarmed during the warm-up."
"What if the legacy weapon rejects you on sight?" Rylan added with a laugh.
"Guys!" Reed yelled. "Come on! I've been training."
"And I've been training to grow wings," Aria said dryly.
Victor was mostly quiet and smiling at their banter.
"So who else is competing?" Danny asked.
Victor took a bite of his roasted chicken before replying. "I am."
Silence fell at the table.
Aria was the first to respond. "You're serious?"
"Yup. Registered a month ago. I want the Bladesoul Saber. I still can't forget the feeling it gave when I pulled it out of the altar during our screening."
"You do remember Elyra Vorn is competing too, right?" Rylan asked.
Victor nodded. "I know."
Kai gave him a long look. "That's the S-ranked Warrior, dude."
"I know," Victor repeated.
Danny clapped him on the back. "Then you better give us a damn good show."
Victor smiled faintly. "Oh, I plan to."
The competition was going to be fierce. The legacy weapons weren't given. They were earned. Each weapon responded to its own set of trials and parameters. If you passed, the weapon chose you. If you failed... you were out.
However, combat was still unavoidable so there was no telling if he'd have to face the others competing or not.
Either ways, Victor wasn't backing down.
His determination remained steadfast. He intended to claim that blade and make it his.