Surviving the Magic Academy With Just Intelligence Stats-Chapter 86: I Just Have To Kill Them All

As Fenris’s team charged forward with predatory grace, Ambrose’s party attempted to form what could generously be called a "formation." Adelaide and Meihua positioned themselves at the rear, while Ambrose calmly lowered himself to the ground, assuming a lotus meditation position as if he were in a peaceful garden rather than a combat arena. Hualing remained stubbornly glued to his side like an overprotective shadow, her eyes constantly scanning for threats. Only Marcus took a proper defensive stance at the front, his sword at the ready.

Ambrose couldn’t help but palm his face at their disorganized appearance. "Why don’t you join Marcus at the front? I’ll be perfectly safe here," he suggested to Hualing, trying to inject some semblance of tactical sense into their positioning.

Hualing’s immediate protest was met with Ambrose’s resigned sigh, just as Marcus engaged Fenris in what promised to be an impressive display of swordsmanship.

From her position behind her teammates, Lyra, the beastman team’s archer, saw what she believed to be a golden opportunity. The Rothschild heir’s party is completely disorganized, and their leader is practically defenseless, arguing with his only guard, she thought with growing excitement. Take out the leader, secure an easy victory. I expected more from the famous Rothschild heir, but this is like taking candy from a baby.

Drawing her bow with practiced precision, she loosed an arrow directly at Ambrose. What she didn’t know was that Ambrose’s [Spatial Awareness] skill had already been activated, Ambrose was aware of every movement taking place on the platform, including her attack before the arrow had even left her bow. Though he could easily avoid it using [Blink], his teleportation ability, he hesitated. Since most people assumed his spatial movements came from a magical item, using it now would violate the tournament’s prohibition on external treasures. Unless he was ready to reveal his Space-time talent, teleportation wasn’t an option.

Instead, Ambrose used [Thought Transmission] to alert Hualing of the incoming projectile. With frightening speed, she snatched the arrow from the air, turning to fix Lyra with a predatory glare that sent instinctive shivers down the archer’s spine.

How was that even possible? Lyra wondered, her confidence shaken. As a beastman, she was intimately familiar with the presence of predators, but something about Hualing’s gaze triggered primal warning signals in her mind. This wasn’t the aura of a normal human.

Without warning, Hualing launched the arrow back toward its sender with devastating force. The projectile moved so quickly that Lyra only registered its presence when it was nearly upon her. Death seemed certain until a massive form materialized before her – Grim Ironhide, their tank, now fully transformed into his imposing werewolf form. He deflected the arrow with his armored paws before fixing Hualing with a threatening growl.

Ambrose observed the exchange with calculating eyes before turning to Hualing with a slight smile. "You know, there’s actually another way to ensure my safety," he mused thoughtfully.

Hualing looked at him, confusion evident in her expression.

"All you have to do is eliminate everyone before they can get close," he explained with deceptive casualness. "Simple, right?"

A menacing smile spread across Hualing’s face, her eyes taking on a dangerous gleam. "Yeah, simple, why didn’t I think of that" she agreed softly before her voice rose to a battle cry. "I just have to kill them all!"

She launched herself toward the beastmen with frightening speed, leaving Ambrose behind with a look of dawning horror as he realized his poor choice of words.

"Huh? Kill?" Ambrose’s eyes widened in alarm. "That’s not what I..." But his protests fell on deaf ears as Hualing charged into battle with murderous intent.

…

Steel met claw as Marcus’s blade was deflected by Fenris’s powerful swipe. The beastman capitalized on the parry, pushing the sword aside while closing the distance between them with frightening speed. His other claw whistled through the air, targeting Marcus’s exposed neck with lethal precision. Marcus responded with fluid grace, bending backwards just enough for the attack to pass harmlessly overhead.

But Fenris wasn’t finished. In a display of combat experience, he smoothly transitioned into a low sweep, his powerful leg cutting through the air at ankle height. "Eh!" Marcus’s surprised exclamation escaped as he found himself suddenly airborne, his balance completely disrupted.

His arms flailed momentarily before muscle memory and training took over. Gripping his sword with both hands, he managed to position it behind him as he fell, using it to break his imminent collision with the ground. Just as relief began to wash over him, Marcus’s eyes widened at the sight of a massive claw hurtling toward his face. With desperate agility, he threw himself sideways, rolling across the platform’s surface before coming to a stop.

Rising to one knee, Marcus found himself staring at his sword – now lying at Fenris’s feet. A nervous smile crossed his face as an all-too-familiar thought occurred to him: Why do I feel like I keep losing my sword? While he knew he could probably win even without his weapon – he was a rank above the beastman, after all – fighting bare-handed against natural weapons would be unnecessarily troublesome.

To his surprise, Fenris reached down and grabbed the sword. Marcus watched intently, wondering about the beastman’s intentions. Did the beastman think that he could use the sword? If he tries to use it without proper training, it might actually work against him, Marcus theorized. But contrary to his expectations, Fenris simply tossed the weapon back to him.

Marcus caught it easily, a genuine smile replacing his earlier nervous one as understanding dawned. Beastmen were renowned for their warrior pride – Fenris clearly considered it dishonorable to fight an unarmed opponent. "Thank you," Marcus offered sincerely.

The beastman’s only response was to launch himself forward with renewed aggression. Recognizing the shift in intensity, Marcus tightened his grip on his sword and committed himself to taking the fight seriously.

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As Fenris closed in, Marcus deflected the incoming claw strike with practiced precision. The beastman immediately spun into another leg sweep, but this time Marcus was ready, easily avoiding it with a perfectly timed jump. However, Fenris’s answering smile revealed Marcus’s tactical error too late – he was now airborne and unable to dodge.

Though caught in a vulnerable position, Marcus managed to adjust his sword’s angle, bringing it up as a makeshift shield and reinforcing it with his off-hand. Fenris’s strike landed squarely against the blade, and while the sword held firm, the sheer force sent Marcus skidding backward.

Landing with perfect balance, Marcus watched the beastman’s rapid approach with growing confidence. As Fenris struck again, Marcus executed his counter – catching the beastman’s claw with his bare hand. His [Bladeless Cut] skill activated, coating his grip with protective energy to prevent the sharp claws from finding purchase.

When Fenris attempted to attack with his free hand, Marcus’s smile widened. In a perfect reversal of their earlier exchange, he swept the beastman’s legs out from under him. With one arm restrained, Fenris couldn’t stabilize himself and crashed to the ground with a resounding thud.

Marcus smoothly brought his sword down, embedding its tip in the platform mere inches from the beastman’s head. Looking down at his defeated opponent, he spoke with genuine appreciation, "Thanks for letting me win."