INTERSTELLAR ERA: MY MIND IS A LIBRARY

Both fighters got up at the same time, their bodies staggering to find a foothold.

Their eyes locked into each other’s, as if telling themselves that they were not done yet.

To back their words, they got into their stances, their movements sluggish.

"That’s enough," the voice came, calm but commanding.

Both of them were held in place by the pressure emanating from the presence.

Max appeared in the middle of the training ground, his hands behind his back with a gentle aura.

He snapped his fingers. Both of them disappeared, leaving everyone stunned.

"The fight has ended, you can all go back now," he said to the audience.

As for Silas’s squad, Max looked at them calmly.

"Your departure will be delayed till tomorrow, or whenever they get healed."

After everyone left, Max looked at the training ground, his eyes constantly twitching.

"I thought this place was made to withstand the full power of a grandmaster rank cultivator," Alfred said, landing calmly beside Max.

Max did not reply. He only scanned the area, then turned to Alfred.

"Unlike me, whose ability allows me to fight across ranks, they did it based on pure power," Max said, finding it hard to believe his own words.

"Call the maintenance team to repair this place. I guess it would be unusable for the next few weeks."

Alfred nodded and walked out of the place, his steps trailing behind Max.

His thoughts were in a mess though. Although he tried to maintain a calm face, it was a facade.

Is she stronger than me already? He wondered.

Although he had won against his little sister many times, every battle seemed much harder to win than the last.

I fear she would be on the same level as me in a few months, he thought.

In the clinic, Silas and Billie appeared in separate wards.

Their bodies were laid on the beds, their eyes closed.

The doctors had started moving before they even appeared.

Amelia walked back to her room, her face filled with determination.

"Why is everyone so special? I feel really useless here," she muttered to herself as she hit her head against the pillow in her hand.

"Silas would be gone for who knows how long, transport to the academy is in a month or so. I can’t remain idle," she muttered to herself.

Then a thought struck her. "I should ask Governor Max if he would allow me," she said to herself before jumping out of the bed again.

In the Veritas Corps main building, Azrael and Bryan sat together.

"That guy is really strong," Azrael could not help but comment with a sigh.

He knew for sure, after witnessing this battle, that Silas could defeat him.

First it was Billie and Miller. Now another person who is below my rank who can defeat me easily, he thought.

Bryan looked at Azrael with furrowed brows.

"Wasn’t he the one who fought that guy till Governor Max came?"

"He was," Azrael nodded as he said those words.

"Wouldn’t you be even more surprised if he was weak?"

Azrael just waved his hand.

"I know, I know."

He brushed the question off.

Everyone, from corps members to officials to even maids, were discussing the fight between Billie and Silas.

The spectacle was more than stunning. To them, it felt divine.

Time flew by, with the rumors only rising instead of dying down.

Two days later, in the clinic.

"Where am I?" The soft voice whispered.

The person raised their hand to block the light entering their blue eyes.

Billie stood up, her feet hitting the cold tiles of the room.

She did not stop. The cold seemed to have no effect on her.

She peeped through the window calmly.

"You are awake," a voice came from behind as the door opened.

Billie nodded as she saw the doctor walk in.

"When can I go?" She asked directly.

"You can leave whenever you want to. You did not suffer any lethal injury that requires continuous check-ups," the doctor replied. "Here, this is a change of clothes Deputy Governor Alfred brought for you," the doctor said, taking a neatly folded bundle from the wardrobe beside him.

Billie walked to the man and collected the clothes.

Then she looked at him.

The doctor understood immediately. He walked out of the room.

In Silas’s ward, a similar thing was happening.

He left his ward, coming into the serene hallway of the clinic.

"We woke up at the same time," he said with a smile on seeing Billie walk out too.

She nodded calmly.

"So, it was a tie," she said, her voice aloof and cold.

"You could say that," Silas said, walking beside her as they headed for the exit.

"So, how do we do it? Should both of us fulfill the bet of winning, or do we forfeit?" Billie asked, stopping to look into Silas’s eyes.

"That isn’t even a question. I can’t miss out on that for anything," he said.

Billie nodded. "At least you are smart despite how young you are," Billie said.

They left the clinic, appearing in the mansion’s compound.

Silas smiled at Billie’s words. I forgot that they are all crazily old, Silas thought.

They walked in sync. As if their minds were connected, they went directly to Max’s office.

The elevator doors chimed.

Max looked up from the book he was reading, his eyes meeting those of Silas and Billie.

"You’re finally awake," he said, dropping the book.

They greeted Max, then sat in the chairs provided in front of him.

"So, can you tell me about the bet between both of you?" Max asked with a smile.

He was curious why had Silas, who had rejected Miller’s offer without a second thought, agreed to fight Billie?

Silas smiled at Max’s words.

But he did not reply. He let Billie talk.

"I would use my skill on him," Billie said nonchalantly.

Max’s eyes widened at Billie’s words. "Are you sure about this?" Max asked to confirm.

"Not like you can do anything now that it is done," Silas cut in with a smile.

His happiness was super obvious.