Chapter 273: Loser’s Bracket Winner - 4 A/N: I have changed the enchantment effect. Now, panther provides dexterity(sharper and more precise movements), and falcon provides agility or speed(fast movements) --- Chapter 273: Loser’s Bracket Winner - 4 With three body enchantments running simultaneously, it was obvious Tavian would collapse soon. His muscles were already trembling beneath the strain, veins bulging faintly along his neck and temples. But at the same time— "W-what?!--Argh!" Dhalia winced as Tavian’s relentless strikes crashed into her guard, each impact heavy enough to rattle her bones and nearly force a surrender out of her throat. With the panther’s dexterity, the rhino’s brute strength, and the falcon’s razor-sharp agility layered over him, Tavian executed the lost era fighting technique with terrifying precision—even while bearing a life talent. Every movement flowed into the next without hesitation, like a perfectly calibrated war machine. Thud! Thud! Thud! Two fists and one shin connected in rapid succession. The air burst from Dhalia’s lungs as she was flung to the side, boots skidding across the arena floor. "I-Ice Armour!" she cried desperately. Ice crystals erupted from her skin, spreading across her body and locking over her vital areas in thick, glistening plates. Frost crawled along her shoulders and ribs, forming a defensive shell just in time. But— Crack—crack—tling! Tavian closed the distance in a blink and shattered the ice with a three, concentrated punches. The brittle armor splintered like glass. Fine veins had already surfaced across his forehead, making it painfully clear he was overexerting his body. "J-just a bit more!" Dhalia shouted hoarsely, forcing mana through her channels as she activated Ice Burst. A violent surge of freezing mist exploded outward from her body, rolling across the arena in thick waves. The Boreal Shellbeast was still trapped within the chains, struggling uselessly as the bindings refused to weaken. As a last resort, it roared and activated Ice Spear, launching jagged projectiles toward Tavian in a desperate attempt to assist its master from afar. Tavian sensed the danger instantly. "Cancel Enchantment—Rhinoceros. Enchantment—Lion!" A luminous form flickered above his head as his pupils contracted, golden light flashing through them. His focus sharpened to a knife’s edge. With agility and dexterity still active—and now a predator’s sharpened awareness—Tavian weaved between the incoming spears effortlessly. Ice shards sliced past his cheeks and shoulders, grazing his clothes but never touching flesh. At the same time, he retreated from the expanding mist, boots scraping against frost-covered stone. When Dhalia’s skill finally stopped overflowing and the mist thinned, Tavian slowed to a halt. His chest rose and fell heavily. Sweat dripped from his jaw. He had reached his physical limit. He deactivated all body enchantments at once. The oppressive aura around him vanished. Then he calmly brought out his staff. The mist settled. Dhalia emerged from within it. The entire arena was coated in frost, crystalline and glittering under the lights—except for the patch around her feet. Though she stood unharmed for now, the frigid surroundings would soon begin to gnaw at her stamina. She turned her head toward Tavian— "3-star Detonation Array!" Tavian said, eyes glowing a fierce orange. The ground beneath Dhalia ignited with an intricate pattern of blazing lines. Symbols interlocked in a radiant circle at her feet. Her eyes widened. Too late. BOOOM! The frost exploded outward, shattered into a storm of ice flakes and dust. A thick cloud of debris and lingering mist rose high above the arena. The next instant, the Shellbeast—still bound in chains—was teleported away, signaling the end. "Tavian Gridfall has secured his victory!" the host shouted, voice echoing through the arena. "Now, we will take a half-hour break before starting the final match of the loser’s bracket to decide the final winner!" The current time read 1:26 PM, meaning the match would resume at 2. Leo sat in the room with his hands pressed against his cheeks, leaning forward, elbows on his knees. "Damn... Boxing, Muay Thai, and Lethwei... Now my Krav Maga feels inferior..." he muttered under his breath. Krav Maga was a technique designed to neutralise a target quickly with an all-out mentality—often referred to as "No groin, no Krav Maga." But he was fully aware he couldn’t—and shouldn’t—attack the groin in a formal competition. He wasn’t trained for tournaments. He was trained for elimination. And with that restriction, dealing with people like Leon—who wielded a seamless hybrid of boxing and Muay Thai—became far more complicated. In his previous world, such combinations would have been physically impossible due to bodily limitations. Here, enhanced physiques erased those boundaries. So he needed to secure the win while holding himself back. Damn, I cannot turn Leon into a eunuch... Miho would hate me for that. he thought with a dry chuckle. Meanwhile, Marco, Lyra, and Dhalia had already returned to their rooms. None of them planned to challenge further, having made peace with their current standings. Marco was declared 10th. Lyra 9th. Dhalia 8th. Their strength could potentially place them higher—especially Dhalia, who could easily defeat Ronan or Aaron—but she chose not to pursue it. Her chances of entering the top 3 were gone, and the rewards for ranks 4 through 10 were identical. More importantly, academy rankings could be adjusted anytime. What truly mattered was the Inter-Academy Competition. Winning there with the group meant prizes pooled from all academies collectively. And the best student would earn the chance to meet the Emperor personally. That was her true goal. Fighting further here would only reveal more than she already had. The clock struck 2. Both students stepped onto the arena floor. "Tavian, I really liked the way you confronted that Leo guy," Uraan said with a light laugh. "Though, for your information, he is indeed the real deal—unlike the rumours." Tavian raised an eyebrow. "I know he’s the real deal," he replied evenly. "I was just confirming he has that thing in him." "Haha, I knew it. That’s to be expected from those born into the 10 secret families. But can you gauge his true strength? For me, he was completely opaque. I couldn’t get even a glimpse of it... same for that Leon guy." Uraan said with slightly lowered tone so only Tavian could hear it. At the mention of the 10 families, Tavian lifted his staff. His expression became unreadable. "That’s not what you should be worried about right now—" "3-star Illusion Array!" A massive array erupted beneath Tavian’s feet, radiant symbols expanding outward and swallowing the entire ring in a shimmering haze. Uraan swept his gaze around—and his eyes widened. "So this is what Dhalia was so mad about..." he muttered, watching countless Tavian figures flicker into existence around him. Each moved slightly differently. Each felt real but none could be identified as the original. "But I wonder... how did that guy manage to completely ignore it?" He raised his hand and summoned both the Falcon and the Raven simultaneously. The falcon shot into the sky without waiting for orders, wings slicing through the air as it gained altitude. The raven perched beside Uraan, feathers rustling softly. Its blood-red eyes narrowed. "Midnight, try to see if Moon Vision can work," Uraan said calmly. The raven’s crimson pupils shimmered, gradually turning silver as a strange sheen overtook them. Its gaze locked onto something within the sea of illusions.