On either side of the overpass, the students of Thunder Edge Academy, clad in blue trench coats, and the students of Edess Academy, dressed in black uniforms, charged toward each other like two war chariots colliding head-on.
One after another, bursts of light erupted between the two sides as slashes streaked through the air, illuminating the young faces locked in fierce combat. Time seemed to slow as figures leaped into the sky, arms bending backward from the force of raised blades, the howling wind carrying their battle cries.
Then, the blades struck down.
Vicious strikes shattered pale protective shields, breaking through defenses to land direct hits on bodies. Flesh absorbed the impact, bones fractured, and blood was spat out in muffled groans. The shockwaves from the clashes sent several students flying, slamming them into the ground, leaving cracks in the pavement.
In just the first instant of engagement, several students were injured and forced to withdraw, tumbling from the overpass. Fortunately, emergency personnel were stationed below, preventing any real casualties. But even so, these duels remained perilous, never completely free of risk.
Amidst the chaos, Woolay roared, swinging his massive greatsword in a sweeping arc through the night. The radiant blade struck four students of Thunder Edge Academy, sending them flying. Their blue electric spears snapped, scorched, and dimmed from the force of his blow.
“Damn it,” a senior student in a blue trench coat scowled before shouting,
“Follow me! Meteor Strikes!”
With that, he launched himself into the air, transforming into a blue comet soaring upward. Other senior students followed suit.
As they ascended, radiant blue electric wings spread behind them, suspending them momentarily in midair before they suddenly plummeted back down—streaking through the night sky like falling meteors.
They crashed into the ranks of Edess Academy, slicing through their formation like bolts of lightning. A wave of students was sent flying from the sheer force of impact. Landing on the far side of the overpass, the spear-wielding leader of the assault impaled one of the opposing students, then flung them over the railing into the abyss below.
The electricity on his spear sizzled, burning the blood staining its tip, releasing the scent of charred flesh. He turned, only to find four black-uniformed students already closing in on him.
Blades clashed against spears—he parried two swords but failed to block the other two. Both pierced through his shoulders, impaling him.
“Ah—!” A low growl escaped the student wielding the swords. With both hands gripping their hilts, he and his comrade drove forward, dragging their impaled opponent across the overpass before kicking him off the edge into the darkness below.
At the center of the overpass, the battle raged on chaotically—wounded students lay sprawled across the pavement, while others still fought fiercely, their gleaming weapons tracing bright arcs through the night.
“Haaah!”
Woolay stomped the ground, lifting his massive greatsword in an upward slash, launching his opponent into the air. He then leaped forward three steps, delivering another powerful strike mid-air, smashing his opponent back down onto the pavement with such force that they lost consciousness on impact.
With one more enemy defeated, he pressed on—until he finally encountered Thunder Edge Academy’s champion.
The student bore a black tattoo running from the corner of his eye to his jaw, its jagged edges resembling a lightning-shaped dragon. As he activated his transcendent core, the markings glowed faintly blue, giving him a savage, electrifying aura.
“The Thunderous Duel Dragon—Zhang Han.”
Woolay recognized his opponent. They had fought before—two years ago at the Winter Festival Tournament, when they were both just second-years, still rising stars.
“Hah. Woolay.”
Zhang Han crouched slightly, his posture akin to a beast coiled and ready to strike, exuding an ominous chill. His sharp eyes locked onto Woolay, scanning for any weakness.
Woolay frowned, tightening his grip on his greatsword. But in that moment—
Zhang Han vanished.
He reappeared in front of Woolay in an instant. His spear darted through the gap in Woolay’s guard, its tip grazing his shoulder, sparks flying like metal grinding against metal before finally piercing into flesh. Then, with a brutal yank, Zhang Han withdrew his spear, leaving behind a spray of blood.
In a split-second counterattack, Woolay swung his greatsword in a horizontal slash—but Zhang Han was already gone. He reappeared at Woolay’s flank, his spear thrusting toward his back. Though Woolay barely managed to turn in time, the weapon still carved a deep gash down his back.
Blow after blow landed.
The wounds weren’t fatal, but they were wearing him down. His right shoulder throbbed with pain, slowing his attacks. Zhang Han’s relentless lightning-fast strikes left Woolay struggling to block, his body accumulating more and more injuries.
If he fell here, Edess Academy would suffer yet another defeat. Their ranking in the Four-Leaf Crystal Star Region might even drop from fourth to fifth by the end of the year.
This isn't looking good…
From atop a towering skyscraper, a black-haired, blue-eyed girl silently observed the battle below. Though she served as the advisor to the Hat and Dagger club, she couldn’t intervene—not only due to club regulations but also because she was Edess Academy’s hidden trump card. Her identity couldn’t be exposed so easily.
Even so, not all hope was lost.
Her gaze shifted toward a specific part of the overpass—where five black-uniformed students stood back-to-back, holding their ground despite the chaos.
"We can’t stay here any longer! We have to help the president—now!" One student shouted amidst combat. His opponent, feeling insulted by the lack of attention, intensified their assault.
“Su and I will cover! You guys break through!” A short-haired young man joined the fray. His unpredictable swordplay disrupted his opponents’ rhythm, forcing them back.
“Got it!”
A girl with fiery orange hair stepped in beside him. The heat radiating from her sword scorched the air, making enemies wary of approaching.
With their path cleared, the remaining three students exchanged a glance before leaping forward. Wings of white electricity briefly formed behind them before they shot toward Woolay’s location—100 meters away.
Woolay was barely holding on—though his allies tried to assist, Thunder Edge students cut them off at every turn.
Zhang Han’s relentless assault had driven Woolay dangerously close to the bridge’s edge. Just as he prepared to deliver the finishing blow—
Three streaks of white light arrived in a flash.
Their blades clashed against Zhang Han’s spear, forcing him to retreat momentarily.
He frowned at the sudden interference, then snorted coldly. With a wave of his hand, four more Thunder Edge students joined the battle.
The three formed a triangular formation, shielding Woolay behind them. They gripped their longswords tightly, their expressions tense. Wisps of white vapor rose from their swords and bodies, while slight visual distortions appeared along the edges of their blades.
The White Orchid Cross Sword was created by the heroine "White Flower Saintess" Durlan during the early Third Epoch as a weapon against the forces of chaos. Its final form was known as War Sequence 7: White Orchid Sword. However, with the shift in warfare from large-scale army battles to small-scale elite skirmishes, the War Sequence evolved into the Blade Sequence.
Though times had changed and many techniques of the White Orchid Cross Sword school had become outdated, they were not without merit. The three were currently wielding Version 4.2 of the "White Orchid Swordsmanship," an improved version refined by Hestia Thilan. Originally, the technique required Sequence 6 to incorporate minor spatial distortion effects into its strikes, but this aspect had been deliberately advanced—now, even those at Sequence 5 could harness part of its effects.
Zhang Han stared at the three, then swung his hand down. Four figures beside him rushed forward, blue electric light flashing through the night, dazzling and lethal as the tips of their spears lunged toward the enemy.
"Stop them!" the leading figure shouted sternly before charging forward with his sword. His longsword, emitting white smoke, swept through the darkness with a brilliant arc, severing two incoming spears in one stroke. The broken shafts struck his body, sending waves of turbulence through his blood and internal energy, but he managed to endure it. His two companions then arrived, using the same swordsmanship to repel their attackers.
Blades danced through the air. The disarmed opponents, faced with the white-smoke-covered, slightly distorted swords, felt fear creeping into their hearts and instinctively retreated. This brief yet powerful counterattack greatly boosted the morale of Edess Academy's side.
Zhang Han frowned deeper. However, at this moment, there were no suitable allies beside him to provide support—he had to act alone.
His spear spun like a flash of lightning, striking at the three. Though their sword edges were highly lethal, their inexperience and lesser skill meant they struggled to land clean strikes on Zhang Han’s spear tip. Meanwhile, Zhang Han continuously evaded their blades while attacking, gradually forcing them to retreat.
Unfortunately, even as he pushed them back, Zhang Han found the battle increasingly difficult. The three opponents were rapidly adapting and growing stronger through combat. As they grew more accustomed to the fight, Zhang Han found it harder to spot weaknesses. His spear, too, began to show signs of wear—scratches marred its surface, and small chips appeared on the spearhead.
Just as Zhang Han prepared to go all out, deciding against a prolonged battle, a flash of red entered his peripheral vision.
Bang! Crack!
In a rushed attempt to block, Zhang Han's spear was cleaved in two by this fiery red figure.
Immediately after, a strange sword light slashed at him from behind. Even as he spun desperately to evade, a wound still opened on his waist, and blood trickled down his back.
When he steadied himself again, five figures stood before him, gripping their swords with both hands, their gazes razor-sharp. White smoke still curled from their blades and bodies, and the edges of their swords remained subtly distorted.
Although none of them could defeat Zhang Han in a one-on-one duel, the battle was already decided with five of them working together.
Drones hovered silently over the bridge, capturing the battle as the momentum shifted toward Edess Academy. Once Woolay had recovered his strength, he lifted his greatsword once more and led his club members in overwhelming the remaining opponents, either defeating or forcing them off the bridge.
Seeing this, Zhang Han could only accept defeat. Holding his broken spear, he stepped back in silence.
Boom—
Fireworks shot out from beneath the drones, while viewers across the city listened to the commentator’s passionate narration.
"What an unexpected turn of events! Though President Woolay of Edess Academy was once cornered by the relentless Zhang Han of Thunder Edge, three courageous allies arrived at the critical moment. Their formidable skills halted Zhang Han’s assault, and through seamless cooperation, they managed to trap the opposing general, ultimately tipping the scales in their favor!"
"This victory washes away the disgrace of the Hat and Dagger club. It seems they have truly regained their strength—their vow to challenge Saint Ingo remains unbroken! This year’s Winter Festival Tournament will be a grand one to watch—who will claim the crown?"
A hand reached out and pressed a nearby projection button, freezing the screen. The lights in the room turned on, and a dozen or so young women, either sitting or standing, shifted their gazes away from the display. They all wore beige uniforms, with a queen bee emblem on their chests—signifying that they were students of Hive Dominion Academy.
A girl with long, deep-purple hair lounged dominantly on the sofa, one leg crossed over the other. The high-quality fabric of her trousers gleamed under the screen’s fading glow. Her deep red eyes gleamed with a wild intensity in the dim room.
"What do you think?" Her voice was slightly rough, carrying a magnetic quality.
"President, the Hat and Dagger club has made significant progress, especially those five who ambushed Zhang Han, the Thunderous Battle Dragon. Their swordsmanship is unfamiliar—we suspect it to be some kind of obscure secret art," said a scholarly-looking girl with glasses, leaning forward.
"I noticed that too. We don’t know where they learned it, but it’s clear they’ll pose a serious threat this year."
"Did you all notice? None of those five are fourth-years. That means they won’t be graduating this year, whereas our academy’s strongest members are about to leave." The Hive Dominion Academy’s student council president analyzed calmly.
"That… is true." The others lowered their heads. As fourth-years, they would soon graduate and could not afford to repeat a year just for this.
"Inform the school board and have the academy’s external affairs department investigate. Find out where those five learned their swordsmanship. Even if we can’t change anything, we must understand where this threat originates."
"Understood, President."
The room fell silent for a moment. Unless the president spoke, no one dared to speak or leave.
"Amorth of Edess is also a fourth-year. He will be leaving this year. That old fox wouldn’t leave without a backup plan. Have our people investigate who will take over Edess Academy’s student council."
"Got it."
"That’s all for today. Oh, and how’s the progress on Princoco’s birthday banquet?" She tilted her head slightly, looking toward a member behind her.
"We’re 80% done. Currently, 46 major corporations are sponsoring it, and the Chief Executive of Southern 1st District will be attending. The entire Red Bay Module will be reserved for the event, with a banquet held at sea. The invitations have been prepared—I’ll send you the guest list later to see if any changes or additions are needed."
"Good. You always make things easy for me."
She took the records handed to her, picked up the coffee on the table, and began reviewing the list. It was filled with some of the most influential figures in the Southern 1st District and even across the Four-Leaf Crystal Star Region.
Though Princoco was currently only a Starlight-Grade Songstress, who could say she wouldn’t rise to the Full Moon-Grade in the future? Building relationships early was a wise move for these high-status figures. That was why this 18th birthday celebration would be exceptionally grand.