402 Chapter 402: Predator

\"Amazing! Amazing, Brother Richard! Your school actually reached the top eight!\"

Just when I thought I would get some peace and quiet after the strategy meeting with my friends, Adrian showed up out of nowhere. I smiled politely, trying to mask my exhaustion. Even though I hadn't actually done any physical activity, my mind felt drowsy from all that draining mental activity in the room. I had been watching replay videos over and over again, analyzing Kureha's fighting style repeatedly, and coming up with whatever countermeasures I could.

Not just Kureha, but for the core members of her team, just in case I had to face them. My team and I had discussed at great length the various strategies, tactics and skills that they could use. There was also great debate around the team match, and the near limitless permutations of possible combinations on the side of the Saint Teresa Academy team. Obviously it was impossible to cover all of them, but we did the best we could.

\"Thanks, Adrian. Oh, Melida Angel, you're here too.\"

\"It's Melina Franklin! Get my name right already!\"

The girl with blond pigtails looked upset when I teased her. Well, anyone would be unhappy if I keep getting his or her name wrong, even if it was on purpose.

\"Sorry, Melina. Have you gone to congratulate your cousin already?\"

Melina sulked a little at that. \"I don't want to talk to Sister Kureha.\"

\"Eh? Why not?\" I started at that. Melina's glare grew even graver and she placed her hands on her hips, which were somewhat accentuated by her petite waist.

\"She'll just look down on me and remind me of the vast difference between our sword skills again. I can't stand her condescending tone.\" She leaned in closer, almost shoving her snow-white, pretty face into mine…or would have, but she was a full head shorter than me, coming to just below my chest. \"Please, Sensei, defeat Sister Kureha! I'm counting on you to beat her and knock her down several pegs! I'll be rooting for you!\"

\"Yeah! We'll join the Jing Tian Academy traveling contingent and cheer for you!\" Adrian added brightly. \"Senior Harvey reserved a couple of seats for us!\"

I knew Adrian and Harvey would become great friends…they were similar in a lot of ways and shared several interests. One of which was establishing my fan club (of course I was just joking here, or so I hoped).

\"Uh huh…but I can't promise anything. Sorry.\" I tried not to panic when I saw Melina's face fall somewhat, but Adrian came to the rescue.

\"Yeah, I mean, we still don't know who your team captain will be sending out against Senior Kureha. Hopefully your team can defeat Senior Kureha during the individual matches and eliminate her, but even if you don't, I'm sure you'll get to face her eventually in the team match.\"

\"That's assuming Harrison picks me for the team match.\"

\"Why wouldn't he?\" Adrian asked innocently. I sighed and pushed my glasses up my nose.

\"Because I might get eliminated during the individual matches. Saint Teresa Academy will be a very tough team. That's why I can't promise anything…other than that I will do my utmost best.\" I offered a weary grin. \"Personally, I would love to defeat Kureha with my own two hands…or swords, but you know what they say. Pride comes before a fall.\"

\"If that's the case, then Sister Kureha should be due a fall very soon,\" Melina said venomously. Gosh, but this girl could really hold a grudge.

\"In my case, I guess it's more appropriate to say that I can't afford to be complacent or overconfident. We've worked out several strategies, but in the end, all the theory-crafting in the world will amount to nothing if we don't actually implement it in reality. Everything depends on the actual match itself.\"

\"I believe in you!\" Melina repeated fiercely and determinedly, as if trying to will my victory into reality. Of course, she had no way of knowing whether I would be selected to face Kureha, or if I would be able to survive all the way without being eliminated before I even got to fight the legendary Sword Saint. \"You can defeat Sister Kureha! That's why I chose you to be my Sensei!\"

\"You do realize I still haven't agreed to that, right?\" I asked, trying to stifle the annoyance in my voice. \"Didn't we agree to wait until after the tournament?\"

\"That doesn't change the fact that I have absolute faith in you!\"

Ugh, the pressure. The tremendous pressure…

\"All right, I'll be heading back to my room now. The next match will be in a couple of days, so I'm going to need a lot of rest and preparation.\"

\"Good luck!\" Adrian cheered.

\"Are you going to cultivate in your room?\" Melina asked.

\"Don't use that word!\" I hollered. \"This is the wrong genre! The wrong story! If I want to improve my magic and become stronger, I have to practice my spells and undergo physical training, not sit cross-legged and meditate!\"

\"Don't ever use the word cultivate or cultivation. That's a taboo word for Brother Richard.\" Adrian leaned in close to whisper into the startled Melina's ear. No, it wasn't as if I hated the word, but come on, lady. Nobody cultivated in this reality. This wasn't a xianxia or cultivation story. That said, I couldn't be bothered to clear that misconception. The less that word was used in the wrong circumstances, the better.

Speaking of which, I should do some training before I sleep. I was feeling mentally drained and drowsy from the strategic meeting earlier, but a good workout should wake me up. Not to mention, there were a few techniques I wanted to try out. It was very possible that they might come into play against Kureha.

But for now I decided to take a short nap and wake up earlier tomorrow to make use of the training room. Then I had to watch the match for tomorrow – even though neither Saint Teresa Academy nor my Jing Tian Academy was slated to duel tomorrow (we were assigned the arena the day after tomorrow instead) – either of the two teams would be our or Saint Teresa Academy's future opponents in the semifinals.

Kureha and her team would definitely be present to watch the match, and so would Jing Tian Academy team. Harrison would make sure of it and order us to do so.

Bidding the two kids farewell, I headed to my room, almost swaying on my feet.

I really needed that nap.

*

The next day, I was on my way to the stadium to watch the first of the round of eight matches. The matches, as always, was held in Southampton Stadium, a few blocks away from the Stuart Hotel where the students were accommodated. The Stuart family in particular took interest in actively helping out, reserving an entire building from their hotel chain and leasing it out to the many schools. Adrian and Cecilia's uncle, Stewart Stuart, had been placed in charge of the students, and I had seen him show up to comfort Cecilia and her team after they returned in defeat the other night.

When I asked Adrian about her, he shook his head.

\"Best to leave her alone for now,\" he had told me. \"She and her team are really devastated, and they don't want to talk to anybody at the moment.\"

He was right, and I respected both his advice and the Crowley's Grand Arcane Academy team's need for privacy. Unlike Jing Tian team, there had been a lot of expectations placed upon their shoulders, and to think they crashed out this early in the tournament, falling short of their previous progress from last year.

Poor dudes.

Well, whatever happened to them was none of my business. I could hardly count myself as Cecilia's friend – I barely knew her, and I was sure she wouldn't appreciate me paying an unannounced visit and trying to comfort her. More likely she would politely tell me to leave her alone…and that was the most optimistic scenario. I would be lucky if I didn't get screamed at and kicked out, but then again Cecilia was a lot more dignified and calmer than that.

For now, I had best worry about what was going to happen to my team, and take note of future opponents.

As I made my way toward the enclosed dome of Southampton Stadium on foot, I caught sight of several Silver Wolves mercenaries in uniform. They spotted me too and waved. I returned the friendly greeting, and feeling somewhat safe, ventured into the stadium.

That feeling of security melted away the moment I was inside the enclosed building. It wasn't the drop in illumination and the almost crushing darkness – thanks to the hi-tech enclosed space (which ensured that all events could continue unimpeded within Southampton Stadium, regardless of weather) and artificially controlled internal climate, the space within had always been dark. I had gotten used to it.

Rather, it was something else. The sensation of a dangerous apex predator lurking in the background. It was different from being watched and stalked. The overbearing presence of the predator was not directed at me specifically, but his potent killing intent seemed to hang over the very atmosphere of the stadium.

The feeling was so subtle that not everyone noticed it, though. While I paused for a moment, chilled to the bone, many spectators and students strode past me excitedly. They were chatting enthusiastically about today's matches, making the usual predictions, and some were even arranging bets and calculating odds. Only someone who had spent a lot of time in the wilderness, dealing with monsters and Assassins, would be able to detect the almost surreptitious murderous aura that soaked almost every inch of the stadium interior.

Of course, I wasn't the only one who noticed it. I caught sight of several Silver Wolves mercenaries hurrying about frantically, looking about with worried and almost fearful expressions on their faces.

\"Do you feel that?\"

\"Of course I do!\"

\"Where is it coming from?\"

\"I don't know!\"

\"Have you checked all the entrances yet?\" The person who seemed to be the commander asked. I recognized him. He was Jamie Wolf, one of the more experienced veterans among the Silver Wolves. \"I want every entrance and exit to this place accounted for. Sealed, blocked off if possible. And put extra eyes on the main entrance – if anyone so much as wears something suspicious – like a bulging bag that looks like it may contain weapons, pull him out and detain him. Don't hesitate. I don't want a suicide bomber blowing himself up in the premises.\"

\"Sir! Yes, sir!\"

The mercenaries scattered about to comply with their commander's instructions. Jamie cast a severe glance over them, then turned about to check on a potential breach of security himself, mana gathering in his hand as he cast a detection spell.

\"Brother Richard?\"

\"Senior Richard?\"

I turned at the familiar voices. Of course, it couldn't have been anyone else but Adrian and Harvey. They were accompanied by Melina, a few middle school students, and a few Jing Tian Academy first year students who were most likely Harvey's classmates. I nodded at them and raised a hand in a friendly greeting.

There was no need to give them any reason to panic or grow anxious. Pretend everything was fine, send them into the stadium to take their seats, then go link up with the Silver Wolves and offer my assistance.

\"What's going on?\" As sharp as ever, Harvey had noticed the commotion. \"The mercenaries they hired for security seem pretty…restless.\"

\"That's because…they just want to doublecheck something. Everything will be fine.\" while I assured them, I suddenly had an idea. \"You guys should go take your seats first. Harvey, I need your help with something, if you don't mind following me for a bit.\"

\"Can I help too?\" Adrian asked eagerly, but I held him back with a hand.

\"Nah. You're in charge of cheering.\"

\"Um, but your match isn't today? There's nobody to cheer for today.\" He looked puzzled. Of all the times to be smart…

\"Yeah, so rest for now so that you can give your best tomorrow.\"

\"Oh, okay. Let's go, guys!\" Adrian and Melina led their classmates into the stadium, navigating through the packed crowd to find their seats. Harvey issued a few commands to his classmates, evidently instructing them to keep an eye on the middle school students and look after them, and they obeyed him fairly quickly, without any complaint. I was impressed.

\"What do you need help with?\" Harvey asked, turning back to me. I turned back to study the deep recesses in the interior of the stadium, my glasses allowing me to see past the darkness and observe the rafters, beams, hidden spotlights, pillars and scaffolding. Also concealed doors covered in red and white signs informing outsiders that unauthorized entry was not allowed, and only staff were allowed inside.

I wondered if we would be allowed inside those staff rooms, but shook my head. I wouldn't be helping anyone if I got myself caught and detained while the dangerous presence continued to roam free.

\"Senior?\"

\"Sorry, just thinking. Do you not sense that?\" I gestured vaguely to the air. \"This heavy killing intent?\"

\"What heavy killing intent?\" Harvey frowned in puzzlement as he strained himself, and then he stopped for a second. Beads of sweat began to form on his brow and his skin turned ghostly pale. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down, but he wasn't quite able to completely stop his trembling. \"What the hell is this?!\"

\"That's what I want to find out,\" I replied grimly. \"And that's why I need your help. Harvey, please trace the source of this crazy killing intent.\"

Harvey had exceptional observational and analytical skills. I still remembered him lading the way for us and helping us detect danger and track down monsters back when Jing Tian City was invaded during the Versatile Mage rip-off arc. It was entirely thanks to him that we avoided being ambushed by high-ranking monsters. If there was anyone who could trace the source of this murderous aura, I had complete confidence it would be none other than Harvey Deng.

\"Uh, sure…but what do you intend to do once you find the source?\"

Trembling nervously, Harvey wiped the perspiration from his face and swallowed fearfully. In contrast to his discomfort, I grinned.

\"Destroy it, of course.\"