A few moments ago, Gwen felt a heavy pressure coursing through her body as if two opposing forces were waging a fierce battle within her. Her illusion magic was slipping, struggling to hold its ground against an overwhelming tide of energy. As she feared, her telekinesis magic surged uncontrollably, threatening to burst forth.
It wasn't fully active yet, but its violent churning felt as though it were on the brink of consuming her consciousness, taking over her body. Beads of cold sweat formed on Gwen's brow as she fought to suppress the telekinetic force. If she failed, the consequences would be dire. Not only would her illusion magic be obliterated, but her uncontrolled telekinesis could hurl her teammates into the air, leaving them vulnerable to their opponents.
I still want to compete! I can't lose here! She thought, her determination clashing with the rising tide of power. Yet, her resolve seemed insufficient against the rapidly intensifying telekinetic force.
Tap!
A large, warm hand patted her shoulder, dispelling the oppressive aura like a miracle. The suffocating presence vanished in an instant, leaving Gwen in stunned relief. She knew who the hand belonged to but couldn't resist turning to confirm.
"You can do it. I'm right here, behind you," said a calm, reassuring voice.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Gwen felt truly safe and protected. Without dwelling on how her seemingly useless captain had managed to suppress her telekinetic powers, she poured her focus into burning her mana, amplifying her illusion magic to its peak.
The illusory monster she conjured began to crack the opposing team's defensive array, though it wasn't enough to shatter it entirely. The array, formed by three level 5 Hunters and four level 4 Hunters, was formidable even against her full power. Yet Gwen's efforts created an opening—a vulnerability in the opponent's blind spot.
Thanks to his stealth skill, Zak―hidden in the shadow―seized the opportunity. With precision and force, he drove his dagger into the weak point. Simultaneously, Heidi, positioned at a distance, unleashed her long-range magic. Her icy spell struck true, freezing the opponent as their defense crumbled.
The match, which had begun less than a minute earlier, was over in a flash. The referee barely had time to process what had happened before announcing the results. Against all odds, the Secondary team, consisting of one level 5 Hunter and three level 3 Hunters while the rest were only level 2 and 3, had triumphed over a far stronger opponent.
The audience erupted into cheers, awed by the seemingly miraculous victory. No one cared to dissect how the Wisdom Academy team had defeated their adversaries; what mattered was their undeniable display of skill and strategy. For the spectators, the team's performance cemented their status as elite Hunters.
Even Gwen, still grappling with the bizarre events within her body, couldn't help but celebrate alongside her teammates. The sheer joy of victory was infectious.
However, one person remained composed amidst the jubilant team. Clayton, walking silently behind them, wore a satisfied smile. His pleasure stemmed not just from his team's victory without his direct intervention but from something more personal. His eyes lingered on Gwen, who was laughing and smiling—a genuine, radiant expression he had never seen before.
Upon returning to the inn, the team gathered in Teacher Harvey's room for a post-match discussion. Harvey, their coach, wasted no time initiating the debrief.
"How do you feel about this match?" he asked, his tone neutral but expectant.
"It was amazing! Even my hands won't stop shaking with excitement," Kai exclaimed, holding up a trembling hand as proof.
"Thanks to this round, I'm feeling much more confident about our chances," Heidi added with a nod.
"Good. Keep up your spirits," Harvey said, visibly relieved. The tension he had carried earlier seemed to lift. "To be honest, I was a bit skeptical when I found out you were the team I'd be guiding. But after seeing your abilities, I had hope. This result, however, has exceeded my expectations."
Harvey's gaze shifted to Zak and Raylee. "I know Cain and Heidi were born with tier 8 innate cores. Do you two also possess tier 8 cores?"
Every Hunter was born with an innate core, which determined their potential. A tier 6 innate core, for instance, caps a Hunter's abilities at level 6 or 7, making it almost impossible to reach level 8. In contrast, those with tier 8 cores were guaranteed to achieve level 8 strength or above.
"Tier 8?" Zak scoffed, puffing out his chest. "I'm one of the rare people born with a tier 9 innate core!" His voice brimmed with pride, shocking the room into silence.
"Tier 9? Then why are you still level 4?" someone blurted, unable to hide their disbelief.
"What level 4? Just watch me—I'll break through the bottleneck and advance to level 5 mid-tournament." Zak's confidence left everyone stunned.
'It's no wonder these three were chosen for the first team,' Harvey mused internally. His curiosity shifted to Raylee. "And you?"
Raylee hesitated, her expression unreadable. "I… lack talent in the innate core department and would rather not say. Is it okay if I don't answer?"
'Ah, as I suspected,' Harvey thought. 'Her core isn't high, but she must know an ultimate skill that sets her apart.'
Aloud, he said, "That's fine. Let's move on. Since we're on the topic of innate cores, how about the rest of you?"
"I have a tier 7 core," Kai said without hesitation. "Not much to brag about."
"Tier 7 is impressive," Harvey reassured him. "With hard work and determination, you can reach level 8. How about you, Gwen?"
Gwen hesitated, her thoughts racing. How could she admit she was born with a fullborn innate core, the rarest and most powerful of all? "I… I'm not sure. I think it's similar to Kai's," she said, dodging the truth.
She elbowed Clayton lightly. "Your turn. What's your innate core?"
Before he could answer, Heidi interjected, "No need to ask. Everyone knows his core is just tier 4."
Clayton scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "Guilty as charged. For the next match, I'll leave it to you guys."
Cain, Heidi, and Zak exchanged exasperated looks. "Why do we have such a useless captain?" they seemed to think. Were it not for the stellar performances of Kai, Gwen, and Raylee, they might have staged a mutiny.
Gwen, however, wasn't convinced. 'Tier 4, but he suppressed my telekinesis? Impossible!'
From that moment, she vowed never to underestimate Clayton again. Instead, she silently hoped he would always be there to keep her telekinetic powers in check.
'Maybe,' she thought, 'this senior isn't as useless as he appears.'