"Do you think that's part of a technique?" Fae had asked with concern when she saw Rui laughing like a mad man.
Kane had gazed at him even as he was being pummeled before replying with a smile. "No, he's just having fun."
Fae was about to reply when suddenly, Rui had caught Surman's Marliak fist cleanly, surprising both of them.
He immediately launched a powerful blow, releasing his grip on Surman, sending him flying back.
Not a single person was unsurprised.
How did Rui go from being utterly dominated one second, to suddenly turning the tables around forcefully the very next?
Such things did not happen!
Up in the VIP viewing balcony, the headmaster of the Verlain branch raise an eyebrow, turning to headmaster Aronian.
"I do not understand Aronian." She said. "He clearly is not employing countermeasures against mental techniques, they affect him yet he breaks them too quickly."
"Hohoho..." Headmaster Aronian chuckled at her confusion. "Impressive little pup, isn't he?"
"Does this have something to do with his mental tolerance of extended usage of mental rejuvenation potions that have been recorded in the database?" She wondered.
"Partially." Headmaster Aronian replied a bit more solemnly. "Frankly his case isn't entirely clear. However, with all the circumstantial evidence at hand. I have come to the conclusion that he's an unfathomable genius of the mind hitherto unheard of in the history of the Academy. This much is quite clear when you consider the nearly unparalleled IQ scores and from his entrance exam, the fact that he is also the only student in history to pass the final stage of the mental evaluation exam and the numerous other feats such as that."
He paused, before continuing. "Also, the depth of his Martial Path has reached the Squire Realm, perhaps even deeper. I cannot say for sure, it's incredible."
All of the headmasters reacted with visible surprise.
"That's impossible." She said. "He hasn't even been a Martial Apprentice for two years!"
"It's unbelievable, but it is the truth." Headmaster Aronian confirmed. "Somehow, he has already long fulfilled the first condition to becoming a Squire candidate. That is also why he's doing well against your Surman Marliak, see?"
She nodded with a confused yet enlightened expression. If his Martial Path was truly that deep, if Rui Quarrier had truly walked such a great length down his Martial Path, then she could understand what was happening, it indeed was the perfect explanation.
"The depth of his Martial Path, along with his monstrous mind has made for an incredible sturdy mind." Headmaster Aronian said. "In fact, I'm actually quite impressed that your Surman Marliak was able to affect and incapacitate him to the degree that he did for as long as he did. Ordinary mental techniques would have just bounced off of Rui. Even the extraordinary Void Step technique was only partially effective against his sensory techniques and his mind. The fact that Surman did as well as he did proves he is extremely talented. He just had the poor fortune of running into Rui."
Each strike devastated Surman. Most of his techniques were mental techniques, his defense was not all that impressive. He had had a dominant undefeated win streak in the preliminary contest of the Verlain branch simply by incapacitating his opponents with his mental manipulation techniques immediately and winning straightforwardly.
It had been a very long time since he had been punished this much!
A powerful swing to the jaw rattled his brain.
He collapsed to the ground.
"Aaand we have a winner ladies and gentlemen! Rui Quarrier successfully advances to the second round after a last-minute comeback against Surman Marliak! What an unexpected victory as the gambling bets revealed! It seems that those who bet on the formidable Flowing Void style have received their money's worth!"
The crowd cheered excitedly!
"Hey." Rui approached Surman who had just finished consuming a healing potion. "Great fight. You're incredibly strong."
Surman gazed at him for a moment, before cracking a resigned smile. "Thank you, you're stronger than I expected and hoped. I've never felt that helpless before."
"Thank you for that wonderful fight, you've shown me an additional dimension of what Martial Art can do. I will be looking into them when we get back after the Martial Contest." He said, smiling.
"I'm always up for a spar, if we can meet that is." Surman chuckled. "Good luck with the Martial Contest, I'm rooting for you."
"Thanks, appreciate that."
They shook hands before heading back to their exits.
The crowd cheered in approval of the sportsmanship that both representatives had shown.
"Congratulations on passing the first round, Rui." Squire Kyrie told him when he returned to them. "You did quite well
"Great job." Squire Dylon threw a thumbs up. "You beat him well. You should have seen the looks on their faces hehe." he subtly gestured to his competitors in the contest viewing balcony. He notices several of them looked at him differently after his fight.
He shrugged, turning back to the arena. He may have won, but he wasn't going to call it a day and head back to his luxurious quarters. He still needed to observe his opponents fighting in order to be able to fight as optimally as he could against them.
He had already watched his next opponent, Servil Bisha, fight in the third match and had begun thinking about that matchup.
"That was an amazing fight without a doubt! However, the next fight is not any less exciting at all! On one hand we have representative Ferlicia Ernand of the Fritzer branch and her Blazing Fury Style. On the other hand, we have Askin Nodt and his Drunken Fever Style of the Fervor Branch!"
Two contestants walked in.
Ferlicia looked like a dignified heir of a Martial Family, as she was. But Askin looked like a drunk man, because he was one. He sauntered nochalantly, with a dreamy lost expression on his face, hiccuping every now and then.
Rui smiled at that sight. He was interested in this fight.