Kylen cast a contemptuous glance. "What? Did I say something wrong?"
Raviel sneered. "Hmph, I've seen plenty of arrogant freshmen like you. Most of them go weak at the knees once they enter the abyssal rift and end up dying there. What gives you the right to spout such nonsense here?"
Kylen replied confidently. "The fact that Avelia has never mentioned you to me. It's clear you're just an insignificant nobody in her eyes. Your words just now proved that, too. I bet you wouldn't dare speak to her like this when her realm hadn't fallen, would you?"
As if struck where it hurt, the corner of Raviel's mouth twitched.
The tension between the two grew thicker. Elara whispered, "Mentor Bartholomew, is he one of the members of the Crimson Legion?"
Bartholomew nodded gently. "Yes. The Crimson Legion is a team of geniuses made up entirely of S-rank students. The other members are all geniuses personally trained by the little slime, but none of them ever won her favor."
"Not even getting close to her was easy."
Avelia was extremely indifferent to others' feelings, even towards the Crimson Legion; she had no special affection. The only one who received special treatment was Kylen.
But her dazzling beauty and powerful talent made suitors flock to her like moths to a flame, even though they knew there was no chance.
Originally, no one had a chance, so everyone felt balanced. Then Kylen came out of nowhere!
When Raviel heard in the abyssal rift that Avelia had become Kylen's contracted creature, he rushed back in a fit of rage. Which led to the scene just now.
Elara pulled Bartholomew's arm. "Mentor Bartholomew, this is clearly bullying! Kylen just enrolled. How can he compare to a member of the Crimson Legion who's been training for a year? Please stop them!"
Bartholomew raised his hand to stop Elara, signaling her not to say more.
Young man, let me see the strength of an Origin Sequence Contractor.
Raviel threatened, "Kylen, leave Avelia. If you're a man, stop hiding behind a woman! The captain is someone you don't deserve."
Instead of getting angry, Kylen put his arm around Avelia. "Who do you think you are to tell me what to do?"
Veins bulged on Raviel's forehead, and it was as if he could hear his own heart breaking. That cold, sacred, untouchable captain was now snuggling up to Kylen like a little bird…
Raviel said furiously, "Fine, very well, kid. Let's have a duel. If you win, the Crimson-Horned Pterosaur wings I hunted are yours. If not, you leave willingly; weaklings aren't welcome here."
Before Kylen could speak, Avelia said playfully, "Are you sure? I don't mean to discourage you, but even though you're ahead in realm and have two contracted creatures, you'll definitely lose to this little one."
"You're not even in the same league as him."
Me, not in the same league as him?
Kylen's mockery made him angry, but Avelia's words were like trampling on his dignity!
Raviel gritted his teeth. "Impossible! Captain, I'll prove to you that he's the one who doesn't deserve you!"
"Do you dare accept, Kylen? I won't bully you. I won't use Abyssal Armaments. You have the captain to help you, so that's not unfair."
Kylen nodded gently.
"Good. If I win, one more condition: you never appear in front of Avelia again."
"Deal."
Elara was anxious. How could a freshman like Kylen compete with a sophomore who'd been at the academy for a year?
Realm suppression would greatly weaken the effectiveness of contracted creatures' skills.
She looked to Bartholomew for help, but he only said, "Let them duel. I'm here, don't worry about them damaging the nearby buildings."
With a wave of Bartholomew's hand, a blue glowing barrier spread out, gently covering the surrounding buildings. It seemed fragile, but was actually indestructible.
But the two paid no attention to the others' words.
After they pulled apart, Avelia whispered, "Be careful.
His talent is S-rank・Titan's Might. It lets him and his contracted creatures unleash three times their strength. He's a pure strength-type Contractor."
Raviel summoned his contracted creatures: a one-eyed giant ape covered in a black mane, and an emerald vine that soared into the sky.
A combination of a beast-type and a plant-type?
The moment their eyes met, Raviel waved his hand. The vine wove into a net-like structure in the air. The one-eyed giant ape grabbed the vine, swung into the sky, and pounced straight at Kylen from above!
"Giant Ape · Mountain-Crushing Strike!"
Golden light emanated from the giant ape's arms, and its momentum was like a small meteor falling!
Raviel's battle strategy was extremely skilled: he used the plant-type to boost mobility and relied on his own talent to give the beast-type devastating attack power.
Avelia raised her hand gracefully. Deep crimson energy surged from her body, and the air around them suddenly grew thick and sticky.
Primordial Assimilation!
The deep crimson gelatinous domain spread silently, and the air was filled with a sickly sweet scent of blood.
Within the domain, the one-eyed giant ape's movements suddenly became slow and stiff. An unnatural scarlet glow flashed in its eyes.
This was the power of Primordial Assimilation taking effect!
Raviel said triumphantly, "It's useless, Captain! Your Primordial Assimilation can't fully control beings with a higher realm than you; it can only interfere with them."
This was the source of his confidence. Realm suppression would greatly reduce the effectiveness of even powerful control abilities.
Otherwise, how would he dare to fight Avelia? The old Avelia could easily defeat him with Primordial Assimilation and Blood Coagulation Control!
The gelatinous domain slowed the giant ape's movements, but didn't fully assimilate it.
As the giant ape—though slowed—still came crashing down like a meteor, the gelatin around Avelia condensed into hundreds of gelatinous spears in an instant. They shot upward with a thick, whooshing sound!
Bang bang bang!
The gelatinous spears were shattered by the giant ape's arms, which weighed ten thousand jun. Gelatin splattered everywhere, and it seemed nothing could stop this force.
Realm—the purest advantage.
The plant-type vine also spread around Kylen. Thick green sap intertwined with Avelia's red gelatin on the ground, determined not to let him escape the giant ape's attack range!
Kylen and Avelia exchanged a glance. For the first time, a rare anger appeared in Avelia's deep crimson eyes like an abyss. Several semi-transparent tentacles behind her twisted restlessly, emitting a dangerous glow.
She would never allow anyone to try to hurt Kylen right in front of her.
As the giant ape crashed down, Avelia showed no fear. Her gelatinous body swelled instantly, transforming into a huge gelatinous shield that met the attack head-on!
"Avelia!"
Kylen and Raviel shouted at the same time.
The giant ape's power was enough to shatter anything. Avelia wasn't a strength-type Contractor, why would she…
Bang!
Gelatin splattered everywhere. The ground was smashed into a deep crater. A huge hole was punched through Avelia's gelatinous body, and deep crimson gelatin gushed out like blood.
But in the next moment, shining crimson light spots made her body quickly reorganize and recover as before!
SSS-rank Talent · Eternal Symbiosis!
The Vampiric Slime Queen was immortal; her gelatinous body had the trait of infinite regeneration.
The gelatinous spears shattered by the giant ape were also endowed with the "eternal" trait. The broken gelatin recondensed and stabbed at the one-eyed giant ape from all directions!
Raviel's pupils contracted. "No!"
The vine spread rapidly, trying to rescue the ape.
At that moment, Kylen didn't hesitate. He sliced open his palm and sprinkled his blood towards Avelia.
Avelia's tentacles gently caught the blood, decomposed it, and fused it into the gelatinous spears. The spears stained with blood became even sharper, stabbing straight at the giant ape!
"Roar!" The vine blocked most of the attacks, but more than a dozen gelatinous spears still pierced through. The thick spears spread rapidly at the wound, and the intense pain made the giant ape howl in agony.
Even though the giant ape had powerful arm strength, it couldn't break these gelatinous spears; they were extremely elastic and sticky.
This was power that transcended realm suppression.
SSS-rank is defined as eternal power, only obtainable by Origin Sequences!
Raviel stared at Avelia in disbelief.
What kind of ability was that?
Besides Blood Coagulation Control and Primordial Assimilation, how did Avelia have such a weird regeneration trait?
In his daze, Kylen stood in front of Avelia and smiled faintly. "Unfortunately, the winner and loser have been decided."
Raviel snapped back to his senses and said coldly, "Hmph, a clown hiding behind Avelia, who are you to say the duel is over?"
Kylen chuckled, stepped sideways, and raised his hand. Several of Avelia's tentacles danced gracefully along with his movement. "Because your contracted creatures are going to get a new master!"
"The King's order is unbreakable!"
Kylen snapped his fingers. "Creatures, attack him!"
Raviel, who had been about to mock Kylen, suddenly realized in shock that the spiritual link between him and the one-eyed giant ape and emerald vine had been cut off…