Chapter 26

It was the fifth round of the tournament between disciples, and only the top 875 disciples had been chosen. In reality, it wasn't that exact number, but that's what it was rounded to for clarity's sake. It was a significant number because getting that far as an outer disciple meant near certainty that you'd become an inner disciple after the tournament was over and the judging was finished.

The fifth round would be the shortest so far, with only two rounds of fighting. First, five hundred disciples would fight on the 250 arenas, and then the remaining four hundred or so. For the first fights, neither Aurora nor Koren were called to fight. They watched the many fights for ten or fifteen minutes until almost everyone was finished.

Then the second bout of disciples started pouring into the arena. That's when two buzzing sounds were heard. At the exact same time, Aurora and Koren looked at their phones. Then each other. On one phone, the name Aurora Boralis was displayed. The other showed Koren Sarlow.

"Guys, why are you looking at each other like that?" Sila asked, her eyes darting between Aurora and Koren.

"We're fighting each other," Koren said. The other three instantly became silent.

"Well, let's go then. I've wanted to give you a beating for a while now. You're only one level above me now, so I can probably do it," Aurora said, grabbing Koren's hand to lead him away.

"I've been one level above you almost the entire time since we came here, and you've yet to beat me in a spar."

Koren followed behind Aurora, but Aurora squeezed his hand noticeably tighter at his comment.

"Not important! And those were only spars. Who knows what the result will be in a real fight."

Aurora and Koren soon stood on the arena together, only a few meters between their faces. They stared each other down in the classic tournament fashion. A bell rang, and both drew their swords.

Aurora's feet transformed into a gust of wind as she kicked off the ground, her body enhancement technique of the Ten Limbed Warrior propelling her towards her opponent. Her eyes widened with fury as she poised her sword above her head and struck with violent force, the air around them screaming in agony as the weapon cleaved through it! Koren leaped out of the way as he saw Aurora's leg swing towards him, and he thrust his sword up in a hurried attempt to block the attack. The blade clanged and sparked against the powerful energy that was channeled through Aurora's foot, sending it careening away from his body. In a last-ditch effort to counter-attack, Koren took one step back and jabbed his sword forward in a violent spear-like thrust, aiming it straight for her chest!

As the sword came flying forward, Aurora twisted in mid-air, thanks to a clever use of her technique. She used the invisible blades to kick at the ground, kicking her body up into the air and letting the sword pass underneath. The momentum from Aurora's kick toward the ground sent her flipping around in the air in a wide spiral as she rotated her shin outward at a ninety-degree angle from her body.

The kick came down like an avalanche. But Koren met the blow with an unmatched speed, slamming his blade into Aurora's energy blade and sending it shooting away with a deafening clang. His sword then arced up, catching Aurora's descending shin in a powerful hook that threw her off balance.

Aurora hit the ground hard, her muscles rippling as she quickly hopped back to her feet. Her right foot was slightly forward, her left palm faced forward, and her right hand held her sword like a bolt of lightning, ready to be released.

Aurora wasn't sure how he'd accomplished it, but Koren had managed to throw her away with his sword! Aurora tensed her muscles, ready to react to anything while planning a strategy in her mind.

In this battle, there was no reason to hold anything back. Aurora had sparred with Koren dozens of times, and he already knew her tricks. She had always used him to test her moves and to practice them to perfection.

Which was why she knew this battle was terrifying. She might say that she had a chance to win, that she might be able to beat him up now, but in the end, Aurora knew that what she was facing was not a man, but a monster.

Koren, the perverted man who had molested Aurora before they joined this sect. His cultivation speed was nothing to brag about, but when it came to fighting, the man was a genius. His comprehension abilities were incredible, and his sword-fighting skills were far above anything Aurora could see through. No matter how hard Aurora fought against him, she never even came close to winning. But that did not mean she would even consider giving up before he'd beat her senseless.

Back in the Northmount sect, he'd been an inner disciple, but if it wasn't for the fact that he constantly got in trouble there, often by molesting girls, getting him banned from the tournaments almost every year, he'd long since have become a core disciple there. The man had trouble keeping it in his pants, which was understandable considering his nature. At least he never tried to rape anyone.

Aurora wasn't sure if he had what it took to become a core disciple in the Blossoming Rose sect, but at least in Northmount, he was top-tier.

Aurora knew this would be a hard fight, but it was not impossible. It was never impossible! No matter how slight the chance of her winning was, she'd do her damn best to come out the victor!

With another kick into the ground, Aurora ran at Koren, swinging her blade so fast it generated wind! The swing was fast and furious, but Koren stepped right through it, dodging it entirely, and punched Aurora with his sword hand! The girl was going at her fastest speed, and the heavy punch sent her flying back!

The world spun as she lay on the ground, but she was absolutely unwilling to give up to that man! She'd fight until she lost consciousness if she had to! Aurora rolled on the ground, getting away from her spot before Koren could do anything, and jumped up, ready to draw blood!

The punch had left Aurora bleeding from her nose bridge, but she didn't give a crap! Koren came at her with his blade, and Aurora was ready! Her blade came blocking! When the sword clashed, Aurora turned on her foot and twisted, one leg raised. The moment Koren's blade hit hers, she brought her foot down in a circular motion and spun with all her body behind it. When she felt the resistance of the air against her leg, Aurora shot the knee forward, bending her leg at the knee like a bowstring being pulled back. The invisible blade grew out of her leg. It shot forward as fast as a viper, ready to pierce into the flesh in Koren's side. However, Koren had battled Aurora too many times and knew exactly how long that knee spear was. Koren deflected Aurora's knee blade with a simple swirl of his sword. While Aurora was standing on one leg, Koren stepped forward, and his blade flashed like a shadow in the sun! The flat of his blade hit Aurora in the thigh, drawing a loud scream out of her as the sting hit her!

It was nothing more than a blunt blow, but it left a red line on her skin. Aurora bore the pain and hit back with her own sword! It came down on Koren, but he was nimble. Before the flat had even bounced back from Aurora's thigh, he moved it to intercept. It crashed into Aurora's sword, and with a single twist, it came piercing toward Aurora and hit her dead in the chest.

Aurora felt a piercing pain and her skin even tore a bit! She'd have been stabbed through the heart if that was a sharp sword! She'd be dead! It was the first blow she'd suffered that would have instantly killed her. Thankfully this was only a tournament.

The stab sent Aurora stumbling back, but the next attack came immediately. It was like getting hit by a train! The sword came crashing on her shoulder, pummeling her into the ground! As she rolled on the ground, she caught a glimpse of Koren preparing for yet another attack. Before she knew it, everything was black.

When she woke again, the blue sky was above her, covered only by Koren's figure. Her head hurt, and her body ached all over.

"Is it over?" Aurora asked.

"Yeah. The counter just finished before you opened your eyes," Koren replied as he extended his hand. Aurora took the hand, pulled herself closer to Koren, and then… she kissed him! It was a deep kiss, lasting several seconds, and Koren got more than a little handsy with Aurora's body. After a short while, Aurora pulled away.

"That was a great fight. You're way stronger than I ever gave you credit for. Thanks for not going easy on me," Aurora said.

"Of course. I knew you'd get mad if you discovered I went easy on you in the next fight, so better not risk it."

"I appreciate that. And I believe you deserve a reward for getting into the top five hundred or so. I'm sure the girls and I are willing to do whatever you want tonight."

"Sounds like a good time. Let's go."

Koren and Aurora returned to their group, and once more, it was a situation of not knowing what to say. Koren had obliterated Aurora! He had played with her for a while, but then he'd finished her in just three moves.

In the end, Aurora was comforted by her friends, and Koren got some curt congratulations. They didn't get much time to discuss anything, as the next round began soon after Aurora and Koren were done. And since there were only about five hundred disciples left now, everyone would fight at the same time.