Chapter 84: Olivia Azirph vs Pamela Bromley.
The time had come for the top students to fight each other for a spot in the top sixteen. The atmosphere in the arena was electric, charged with anticipation.
Every student, noble, and spectator was waiting, eyes focused on the center of the stadium. Whispers ran through the crowd as they tried to guess who would win and who would lose.
The first match had been drawn, and it was a battle that excited everyone: Olivia Azirph versus Pamela Bromley.
It was a fight between a Parasitic and a Puppeteer mana cultivator, two very different types of fighters. Each had its own strengths, weaknesses, and style.
The match was going to test every bit of skill, strategy, and speed they had learned inside the academy.
The announcer floated above the arena, his robe fluttering in the air as he raised both hands. He then said in a loud voice.
"The first match of the top sixteen will now begin!" His voice echoed loudly across the stadium. The crowd responded with cheers and claps. The tension was so thick that it almost felt like the air was vibrating with it.
He turned slowly toward the tunnel from which the first student would emerge and continued.
"The first student is from the Puppeteer department. She has fought her way through the tournament to reach this stage. She is an unexpected underdog who has risen during this competition. Her name is Pamela Bromley."
The crowd erupted again. Many spectators had seen Pamela's progress in earlier rounds, watching her clever use of puppets and mana manipulation.
They knew she had fought hard to reach the top thirty, and some even hoped she might reach the top sixteen despite the odds against her.
The tunnel doors opened. Pamela emerged slowly but confidently. She had gray hair that shimmered slightly under the arena lights and black eyes that held determination.
Her facial features were soft but carried a sense of sharpness, as if she could see through anyone who was facing her. Her body was slim and agile, her height above average, giving her both reach and speed.
Every step she took was controlled and deliberate as she walked to the center of the arena. Her gaze moved toward the tunnel opposite her. She was waiting for Olivia to arrive in the arena.
Then the announcer turned again to introduce the second student. "The second student is one of the best in the academy. She is the number one student of the Parasitic department and ranked fourth in the hunting competition. Her name is Olivia Azirph."
The crowd's reaction shifted instantly. The cheer was deafening. Many had bet their money on Olivia reaching the top sixteen; they had seen her fight and were confident in her abilities. The nobles, however, tensed; all of them had a frown on their face.
Those who knew the history of the Azirph family understood the danger of a true Parasitic mana cultivator, and Olivia was not an ordinary member of the Azirph family; she was a direct descendant.
Parasitic mana was regarded as the most vile and dangerous type of mana, and when an Azirph used it, it became even more perilous.
The tunnel doors opened, and Olivia stepped inside. Her black hair was tied neatly, swaying gently with each step.
Her bright blue eyes sparkled with confidence. She wore a black fighting suit that fit her perfectly, allowing for agility and protection. Each step she took gave her a sense of superiority.
Olivia walked straight to the center and stopped opposite Pamela. Their eyes met, a silent exchange of confidence and determination passing between them.
Each was fully aware of the other's strength. The crowd held its breath, waiting for the clash of these two powerful students to start.
The referee approached them and raised his voice so the entire arena could hear. "Begin!"
The instant the word left his mouth, Olivia used Burst, her body moving with blinding speed. She appeared right in front of Pamela, a fire blade appearing in her hand. She swung it sideways, the blade slicing through the air with great speed.
Pamela reacted immediately, summoning a water wall that shot up between them. The fire blade struck the water, and steam began to hiss and twist upward when the collision happened.
Pamela was a dual-element mana cultivator, wielding both water and Puppeteer mana. Olivia, on the other hand, had parasitic and fire elemental affinities.
Both of their elements were the exact opposites, meaning every attack would be countered if the other reacted skillfully. The crowd watched in awe as the two powers collided, each displaying mastery over its respective elements.
Pamela's hands moved swiftly, forming a water whip that materialized in her hand. The water wall vanished instantly as she launched the whip toward Olivia. Olivia reacted instantly, using Burst again to teleport a few meters away, avoiding the incoming attack.
Yet Olivia sensed another threat approaching her neck. She ducked just in time. A wooden puppet had appeared, coming for her from behind. Olivia twisted her body in midair and delivered a precise kick, shattering the puppet into splinters.
Pamela was determined not to give up and summoned multiple puppets that surrounded Olivia from all directions.
They moved in perfect unison, closing the space around her. Olivia moved between them, dodging every strike with agility and perfect timing.
Then, suddenly, Pamela launched a water stream at Olivia. Olivia was slightly slow to react this time. The stream hit her arm, making her stumble and fall to the ground.
The puppets advanced relentlessly, completely overwhelming Olivia. She was momentarily buried beneath the pile of puppets, her body partially obscured from view.
Then Smoke began rising from the pile of puppets, curling up in thick spirals. Then flames erupted, engulfing the puppets and turning them to ashes.
Smoke filled the arena, obscuring Pamela's vision. She strained her eyes and focused to see how much damage she had caused, but when the smoke faded, there was no one there. Olivia had vanished.
Pamela's heart began to pound heavily. She looked frantically around, trying to locate her opponent. Panic started creeping in. Her nerves tightened, and the arena seemed larger and more intimidating all of a sudden.
Suddenly, a hand rested on her shoulder as she was pressed downwards. Then a knee slammed straight into her back at the same time. Olivia had appeared behind her, moving faster than Pamela could react.
Then Olivia's body was seen, one of her arms hung at her side, fractured by the earlier water stream, yet she still delivered a precise attack without hesitation.
Pamela groaned in pain and tried to escape Olivia's grasp. She freed her shoulder and jumped forward. Then she called her puppets to protect her. But something strange happened—the puppets ran in all directions, completely ignoring her commands.
Then realization struck Pamela. Olivia had injected parasites into her body the moment her hand touched Pamela's shoulder. Pamela's thoughts scrambled as the puppets ran away, no longer under her control.
She stopped trying to use the puppets. They were useless now. She focused entirely on water mana, forming a water whip in her hand.
She swung it towards Olivia—but her arm froze mid-air. Her thoughts faltered. Pamela's eyes widened in disbelief. She didn't know that Olivia had injected three different types of parasites: the thought parasite, the body parasite, and the emotion parasite.
Olivia then kicked Pamela hard in her gut. Pamela flew across the arena and slammed into the wall. Dust began to rise around her.
When it settled, she was on her feet, gasping for air. Her mind raced with panic; her thoughts were jumbled and chaotic. Olivia had altered her emotions and disrupted her thinking entirely.
Panic began to form inside her as her emotions were out of control. Then she began to tremble uncontrollably. Olivia had used the emotion parasite to evoke fear in her.
Then Pamela's hand rose without her control. She then said in panic, "I give up."
The crowd fell silent; they were completely shocked. No one understood why Pamela had given up so suddenly.
Even Pamela herself was confused. Her thoughts and feelings were in complete disarray, and she did not know why she had spoken those words.
This fight now showcased the terrifying power of a Parasitic mana cultivator. Olivia, who was from the Azirph family, was a genius.
She had learned her skills from Julia, one of the academy's most legendary students. Olivia's control over her parasites was unmatched.
The referee approached Pamela, noticing the fear and panic in her eyes. He then looked at Olivia and said firmly, "That's enough."
Olivia nodded and immediately stopped using her parasites.
Pamela's thoughts and emotions gradually returned to normal. She looked around, stunned and in disbelief at what had just occurred.
Fear crept up her spine as she realized the full extent of Olivia's power. She trembled slightly, still struggling to regain her composure.
Then Olivia's calm voice entered her ears. "I am sorry. I didn't want to use this, but you were far too strong, so I couldn't hold back."
Pamela heard this as she was surprised by how polite Olivia was. Her fear softened a little. She looked at Olivia. At first, she was surprised, then she nodded slowly, accepting her words. Though she had lost, she respected Olivia's skill and power.
The referee then announced, "The winner of this match is Olivia Azirph."
The crowd erupted into applause, cheering both fighters for their incredible performance. Olivia and Pamela were escorted to the healing room to recover from their injuries, while the arena readied for the next match.
The second match of the top thirty was drawn. It was a battle between Christian Draconia and Aaron. Few had expected this match to occur.
Aaron was Aiden's friend, and Christian was Joshua's cousin. This fight was an indirect confrontation between Aiden and Joshua.
In the waiting room, Joshua stood beside Christian. His expression was sharp and demanding as he said. "You have been paired with this commoner. Make sure that you defeat him dominantly. Don't even think of losing to a commoner and tarnishing our family's name and reputation."
Christian did not reply. His face, however, had an unwilling expression. He disliked how his family did wrong to others just because they were strong.
The elders had ordered him to obey everything Joshua said, and Christian had no choice but to follow Joshua's orders.
This was also why he had participated in both tournaments. He was trapped between his family's order and his personal morals. So he was forced to fight a battle he did not wish to engage in.
Author's Note: Olivia secures a decisive Victory over Pamela as she advances to the top 16 beside Aiden, and now it was Aaron's turn to fight, and his Opponent was Christian Draconia. Who will come out on top? Stay tuned for more chapters.