It was time for the third match.
"Lomaro vs. Luna," announced Vale, his voice echoing from above as he hovered mid-air.
Both contestants leapt onto the stage almost simultaneously, facing each other. Lomaro stood before Luna with a haughty look etched across his face. He was one of those arrogant brats of the high tier families.
His behaviour was the complete opposite of Kevin's. Though both belonged to high tier families and were facing commoner opponents, Kevin had shown humility, while Lomaro radiated arrogance.
Lomaro had been captivated by Luna's beauty and thought to use his status and power to bend her to his will.
Although he had seen Luna's ruthlessness during the battle royale, he dismissed it as mere luck and a fortunate fluke.
Like many in the audience, he believed that as a commoner, she could not possibly have access to advanced cultivation methods or powerful battle techniques.
And in this round, where the top ten were supposedly on equal footing, the quality of the cultivation and the battle techniques could very well be the deciding factor.
With an arrogant smirk, Lomaro said, "Girl, you are strong, no doubt. And beautiful. But this is where your journey ends."
He continued with a chuckle, "I have a better option for you, though. Why don't you forfeit the match and follow me?"
Hearing his haughty words, Luna frowned.
'Why do they all assume I'm looking for someone to follow?' she thought. 'First that idiot Tim, now this clown.'
Meanwhile, Tim, watching from below the stage, grew visibly angry and displeased with Lomaro.
In his mind, Luna already belonged to him—whether as a maid, assistant, or plaything. It did not matter.
'I'll deal with this bastard later,' he thought in his mind.
Luna did not respond to Lomaro's words. Instead, after a brief pause, she gave a small, chilling smile.
The next moment, she raised her hand and pressed her palm forward, aiming it at Lomaro.
Before the stunned eyes of the audience, an enormous pillar of lightning materialized behind her. It hovered horizontally, pointing directly at Lomaro. The pillar was massive, at least fifteen feet long, and crackled with violent energy.
Her peak E-Rank aura exploded outward, flooding the arena.
The sheer force of her spiritual pressure made even the audience members closest to the stage shift uncomfortably. Several of the other participants below began to feel the pressure as well, except for one or two.
Her aura was so dense and overwhelming that even some B-Rank cultivators began to feel the weight of it.
In a secluded room, Amden watched the scene unfold.
He shook his head with a small smile.
'This girl is going to roast the poor guy,' he mused.
His parents, seated beside him, were stunned into silence. They had always known that Lucas and Luna were talented, but they had not imagined this level of strength after just a few days of training.
Little did they know, Luna was still holding back.
Tim, meanwhile, down below the stage, gulped hard. He shuddered as he recalled how arrogant he had acted toward her.
The confidence he had once held in his strength had now dissolved and it had been replaced by anxiety.
He took a few deep breaths to calm himself and muttered slowly, "She is still a commoner, and I am a Clove. I must make her serve under me… somehow."
The thought of making her his plaything was completely gone. His only goal now was to bring her under his command.
On stage, Lomaro was terrified. He had no idea what to do. If that pillar struck him, he knew he would not survive.
Luna, on the other hand, was merciless. Unlike Lucas, who was calm and composed, she had a brutal edge. She had no intention of killing Lomaro—but she did intend to make a point.
Her smile widened sending a chill down Lomaro's spine.
Then, with a push of her palms, the lightning pillar blasted forward toward Lomaro at terrifying speed.
The crowd held its breath.
They knew Lomaro had no chance. That attack would reduce him to ashes.
Just as despair took over Lomaro's face, a wave of spiritual energy surged through the arena, and the lightning pillar shattered into sparks.
A figure landed on the stage in front of Luna.
It was Vale. He faced her and his expression was stoic.
"You are quite cruel," he said coldly. "Using such a heavy hand at your age."
In the VIP room, Rexon and Lily frowned as they heard the way Vale was speaking.
They were not surprised that Vale had stepped in to save Lomaro- after all, the instructors were expected to prevent severe injuries in the top 10 battles. That was well within protocol.
But what truly angered them was the way Vale spoke to Luna. The disdain on his face for the girl in front of him was obvious. Even Luna was momentarily speechless at Vale's tone.