Chapter 79: Clash of the Strongest Students.
Aiden and Jeremy faced each other as Jeremy laughed crazily and said, "Let's fight to the death, okay."
The sound of his laughter echoed through the broken battlefield. Trees were cracked, the ground was torn apart, and mana still lingered in the air from earlier clashes.
Jeremy's eyes were wide, shining with madness and excitement. To him, this was not just a fight. It was entertainment. It was proof of his existence.
Aiden didn't reply as a fire blade was conjured in his right hand.
The flame burned calmly, steady and controlled, unlike Jeremy's wild presence. Aiden's face showed no emotion. His breathing was slow. His eyes were cold. To him, this was not a game.
A lightning sword was then conjured in Jeremy's hand.
The sword crackled loudly, lightning snapping around the blade. The ground beneath Jeremy's feet burned black as electricity leaked out. His aura flared, sharp and violent, pressing down on the area.
Suddenly, both of them vanished, and then both arrived in front of each other as the blade and the sword clashed with each other.
The impact sent a loud shockwave through the forest. Wind rushed outward. Leaves were torn from branches. The clash of fire and lightning filled the air with sparks and heat.
Jeremy saw this as he said with a confused look, "How can your speed be equal to mine when I am using lightning mana, which is far faster than fire?"
His voice carried disbelief. Lightning mana was known for its speed and destruction. It was supposed to dominate close combat. Yet Aiden was matching him perfectly.
Aiden didn't reply as he suddenly let go of his blade and clenched his fist backward.
For a brief moment, Jeremy's eyes widened. He did not expect Aiden to drop his weapon so suddenly.
Then, with full force, he punched Jeremy in the stomach.
The punch landed solidly. The sound was dull and heavy.
The punch landed as Jeremy was sent flying far away.
Jeremy's body tore through the air before crashing into the ground. Dirt exploded outward as he rolled several times before stopping.
He landed on the ground as he slowly got back to his feet, blood dripping down his lips, as he laughed maniacally.
Blood dripped from his mouth onto the dirt. His body shook, but his laughter only grew louder.
He then looked at Aiden and said, "You really are the best. No one has ever hurt me this much."
There was joy in his voice. Pain excited him.
Aiden didn't reply as he arrived in front of Jeremy.
The distance between them vanished in an instant.
Then a kick landed straight on Jeremy's face as he was sent flying once more.
The kick smashed into Jeremy's jaw. His Bones began to crack.
He crashed into a tree, as the tree was completely uprooted.
The tree snapped and fell, leaves raining down.
Then he stood up once again, this time with blood coming out of his nose.
His body was damaged, but he refused to fall.
He was still laughing as he said, "Yes! Yes, Julian, this is the best. We will both fight to the death and kill each other."
Aiden didn't say anything once again as he teleported to Jeremy's back and struck a knee.
But this time the foot went through Jeremy's body as if he didn't even exist.
Aiden's attack passed through empty space.
Aiden suddenly realized that Jeremy had cast an illusion on him and his surroundings.
The air felt wrong. The mana flow was distorted.
He then suddenly used lightning mana to enhance his senses.
Lightning surged through his body, sharpening his awareness.
Suddenly, he sensed a sword coming straight for his neck.
He ducked down as he dodged the attack.
The blade passed inches above his head.
Jeremy was clearly surprised by this as he once again blended into his surroundings and said, "How did you know that I was attacking from behind? No one has ever detected me in my illusions before."
His voice echoed from every direction.
Aiden didn't say a word as many Jeremys began to conjure in front of him.
Copies filled the area, each holding a lightning sword in their hands.
But Aiden, with his enhanced sense, knew that they were all illusions.
He felt no real body heat. No breath. No real presence from any of these Illusions except one of them.
Aiden had enhanced his sense, and he had trained them so he could detect the mana, breath, and heat of a person's body.
He himself was an Illusionary mana cultivator, so he knew how to counter illusionary mana.
Suddenly, all of the illusions attacked him at once, but Aiden didn't move from his spot.
Blades passed through his body as he didn't move an inch.
All the attacks passed through him as all the illusions vanished one after another.
Then suddenly, another Jeremy was attacking him with a lightning sword in his hand, but this time, Aiden moved as he grabbed its wrist.
He was the real Jeremy.
Jeremy was clearly dumbfounded by how easily Aiden had found him in all these illusions as he said, "How did you find me in all these illusions?"
Aiden didn't say anything as he pulled his punch backward and then launched it straight towards Jeremy's face.
The punch landed as Jeremy was sent to the ground with full force.
A crater formed on the ground as the illusion began to disperse. The surroundings returned to normal, and then the area was visible.
Angela and Hannah were standing there as they saw Aiden stand beside a crater, and inside the crater was Jeremy, who was desperately trying to get up.
He stood back up as his legs trembled.
Angela saw this, as she was clearly surprised by this. She knew that Jeremy was the second strongest student in the academy after Aiden, but Aiden had defeated him in his own illusion.
He had defeated Jeremy in his own domain.
Aiden stood there coldly as he looked at Jeremy, who was barely standing.
Then, for the first time since his battle started with Jeremy, he said coldly, "You wanted a fight, a fight to death, right? I will fulfill your wish and kill you."
Fear began to form inside Jeremy's heart as his eyes began to tremble violently.
Even though he was crazy, he was still a 14-year-old kid who had been corrupted by his family.
Suddenly, he wanted to say something out of fear, but then a fire blade was conjured in Aiden's hand. Aiden then vanished as he arrived in front of Jeremy, then he swung his blade straight at Jeremy's neck with full force.
Jeremy saw this as he knew that he couldn't dodge this attack.
Fear of death overwhelmed him as tears began to fall down his cheeks.
He didn't want to die. He wanted to live.
The blade reached his neck, and at the last moment, it stopped.
Jeremy, who was crying, looked in front to see Aiden standing there holding the fire blade a few centimeters away from his neck.
Then he heard Aiden's cold words, "Don't act like a maniac and don't risk your life if you fear death so much. Try to live for yourself."
Jeremy heard this as tears began to fall down his face uncontrollably.
Then, suddenly, his always-changing expression stopped changing.
At that moment, his real face was shown for the first time.
He had pale white skin and purple eyes, and hair. His facial features were sharp and delicate at the same time.
He had stopped using illusion because Aiden was the first person in his life who had told him to live for himself.
Even his parents had just treated him as a tool to control the family. No one had ever loved him truly in his whole life.
As Jeremy cried, his legs gave up, and he fell to his knees.
The blade in Aiden's hand vanished as he turned around and left.
Suddenly, Angela arrived beside Jeremy as she said with sympathy in her eyes, "Jeremy, are you alright?"
Jeremy didn't reply as he cried continuously.
Angela then began to heal his injuries while she also comforted him.
The fight between Aiden and Jeremy ended as everyone else stopped fighting.
They saw that Aiden defeated Jeremy.
Joshua saw this as he said with a hint of anger, "That bastard lost."
Then he looked at Christian and said, "Let's go. We are leaving."
They were clearly at a disadvantage because their strongest fighter had been defeated, and Aiden was now free.
So if they continued fighting, they would definitely lose.
Christian nodded as he teleported to the crater where Liam was left unconscious.
He picked him up and then left.
Kyle saw Joshua leave, and he also vanished.
He was clearly at a disadvantage against Olivia and was slowly losing ground because whenever he tried to use his puppets, she would disrupt his thoughts.
Kyle's team also retreated.
Noah also saw this as he said to Janice, "Let's go."
Then both of them retreated.
Now, only Jack and his team were standing on the tree branches. He then began to clap as he said, "Well done. You really are a monster. You fought that monster and still managed to beat Jeremy and Liam."
Aiden then turned towards him and stared at him coldly.
Jack saw this as he said jokingly, "Hey, don't look at me like that. I also don't like these noble families. In fact, I like it when you put them in their place."
Then he stopped for a second and then said, "Okay, I am leaving. I have to hunt some monsters."
Then he and his team vanished.
Now, Aiden and his friends were standing there while Angela healed Jeremy, and the twins stopped fighting. Hannah also helped Angela.
Aiden and his friend had won this battle, and Aiden's team had clearly won this competition.
Author's Note: Aiden and his friends had won the battle, but their showcase of strength had now put all of them in immense danger because every noble family was watching them.