I Ascend Alone-Chapter 73: Strategy Briefing Part III

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As I stepped back into the crowd, my opponent still catching his breath, Alastair Crowe's voice rang out once more.

"Christa Vaughn. Step forward."

Murmurs rippled through the gathered hunters. Even among the elite, her name carried weight.

I watched as Christa moved past the crowd with effortless confidence, her golden hair catching the overhead lights. Despite her casual posture, there was a sharpness in her gaze—controlled, calculating.

She stepped into the combat circle without hesitation, her eyes locking onto her designated opponent.

An A-rank hunter, visibly older and bulkier, with a battle-worn presence. He adjusted the wraps around his fists, rolling his shoulders. "Didn't expect to be fighting the princess of the Hunter Association today."

Christa smirked, tilting her head slightly. "Didn't expect to be fighting an old man today either."

The hunter's brow twitched. "Tch. Cocky."

Alastair's voice cut through the tension. "Begin."

The moment his hand dropped, her opponent lunged forward.

-

[Instant Analysis]

Opponent's Approach: Standard brawler stance—low center of gravity, weight shifted forward for explosive close-range strikes. Fast, but predictable.

Christa's Approach: Relaxed stance—deliberate openings to bait attacks. Minimal movement.

-

I narrowed my eyes. She wasn't rushing.

Her opponent threw a powerful straight punch. Fast. Precise.

She didn't move.

The moment his fist was about to connect, she tilted her head.

Just enough for the punch to graze past her cheek. An inch away from impact.

Then, before he could retract his arm, she struck.

Her fist crashed into his extended forearm, redirecting the force mid-motion. The hunter stumbled forward—his balance shattered.

Christa turned into his blind spot in a single step and drove her elbow into his ribs.

A sharp grunt escaped his lips, but he twisted, trying to counter with a backhand, but it was too slow as she was already gone.

Her footwork was seamless, graceful, but ruthless. Every movement felt intentional.

Another attack came. This time, a feint—his left arm flicking forward to bait a reaction while his right swung in for a hook.

Most fighters would react to the feint, bu Christa didn't even flinch.

She walked into the attack.

What—

The hunter's fist whiffed past her shoulder, and she was already inside his guard.

A sharp palm strike to the sternum—forceful enough to knock the air from his lungs.

He staggered back, gasping. And before he could recover, a spinning kick to the side of his head.

The impact sent him crashing to the ground.

Silence.

Alastair raised a hand. "Winner—Christa Vaughn."

She exhaled lightly, rolling her wrist as she stepped back.

Not a single scratch on her.

The crowd muttered in hushed voices. Even among the A-ranks, that had been a flawless performance.

I couldn't help but smirk slightly.

She was dangerous.

As Christa stepped out of the combat circle, she made a beeline straight toward me.

The crowd was still murmuring about her performance, but she didn't seem to care. Stopping just a step away, she crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly.

"Congrats," she said, a small smirk tugging at her lips.

I met her gaze and gave a nod. "Same to you. That was clean."

She chuckled. "Not really."

Then, without hesitation, she added, "We should spar sometime."

I raised an eyebrow. "Spar?"

"Yeah. After the raid." She tilted her head. "I want to see how I match up against you."

I watched Christa for a moment before shaking my head slightly.

"You sure you're not just looking for an excuse to punch me?" I said, half-joking.

She stopped mid-step "Wouldn't you like to know?"

I huffed a quiet laugh. "I'd rather not find out."

She smirked while arms crossed. "Oh? Are you saying you'd lose?"

I raised an eyebrow. "I'm saying it's unnecessary."

Christa let out a small chuckle. "That's a roundabout way of saying you don't want to fight me."

I gave her a casual shrug. "Not everything has to be a fight."

She tilted her head, studying me for a second. "Maybe. But fights tell you a lot about a person. I prefer to understand people that way."

That made me pause. There was something in her tone—not just competitiveness, but something else. Maybe she really did want to test herself against me, or maybe this was just how she measured people.

"And what do you think you'd learn from fighting me?" I asked.

Her smirk widened. "Guess we'll find out after the raid."

I exhaled, shaking my head again. "You're persistent."

"You'll get used to it." She turned again, this time actually walking away. "See you around, Ryzen."

I watched her go, the echoes of her steps fading as she disappeared into the crowd.

With Christa's fight concluded, the rest of the trials wrapped up one by one. Most of the A-rank challengers had already gone through their matches, and now the final few combatants were finishing up.

Some fights ended quickly, while others dragged on, testing the endurance of those involved. But in the end, the result was the same—the strongest advanced, while those who couldn't meet the standard were dismissed.

Alastair Crowe observed everything in silence, his sharp gaze flickering between each fight. He gave no reaction, no unnecessary words—just quiet judgment.

Eventually, as the last match ended, Darius Vaughn stepped forward, commanding the attention of the entire room.

"The trials are now complete," he announced, his voice firm and steady. "The final list of approved hunters will be posted shortly. Those who have passed will be given further details on deployment and squad formations."

A murmur rippled through the crowd—some of relief, some of frustration. The ones who had failed showed varying reactions—some accepted it quietly, while others looked bitter, clenching their fists as they turned to leave.

As for me, I stood in the same spot, hands in my pockets, watching as the crowd slowly dispersed.

Christa reappeared beside me, nudging my arm lightly. "Looks like we made the cut."

I glanced at her. "You were expecting otherwise?"

She smirked. "Not really. But it's still nice to hear it officially."

Across the room, Leon caught my gaze and gave a nod. No words were needed—I already knew he expected me to be on that list.