A glint of astonishment flickered in the assassin's eyes, but the distance between them was too close for him to dodge the Death Ripple.

Struck by the Death Ripple, the assassin's stealthed body was instantly revealed.

Fang Zhou's Skeleton Flying Spear, like a meteor, struck the assassin again.

A terrifying wound appeared on the assassin cadet's head, and his figure instantly disintegrated.

However, a sense of foreboding immediately washed over Fang Zhou.

The moment Fang Zhou struck, the main light screen immediately switched over to show the scene. The lightning-fast exchange between Fang Zhou and the assassin instantly captured everyone's attention. A duel between masters always draws the most attention, no matter the time.

At this moment, on the field, Fang Zhou made a new move.

"Skeleton Shield!"

Just as Fang Zhou had expected, the moment he activated his Skeleton Shield, the clang of a weapon resounded. The assassin's stealth attack had been blocked.

Fang Zhou flapped his wings twice to put distance between himself and the assassin, once again launching a Skeleton Flying Spear.

BOOM...

The assassin's figure disintegrated again.

Without hesitation, Fang Zhou used his Skeleton Wings to leap backward, instantly retreating dozens of yards. He flashed behind a large tree for cover.

An assassin's figure appeared again, the dagger in its hand striking nothing but air.

This time, the assassin cadet didn't enter stealth. Instead, he gripped his dagger and eyed Fang Zhou grimly, advancing with slow, deliberate steps.

"Phantom Assassin," Fang Zhou slowly uttered.

So what I just killed were merely two Phantom Puppets.

This was one of the most elusive Rare Professions among all assassin-type classes. The existence of Phantom Puppets makes them incredibly deceptive. Their attack power isn't high, but their survivability is definitely top-tier, making them extremely difficult to kill.

Fang Zhou hadn't noticed at first, and both of his attacks had instantly destroyed the opponent's Phantom Puppets.

The two eyed each other cautiously, especially the Phantom Assassin cadet.

Since his Awakening, he had always been invincible when sparring with cadets of the same rank. This was the first time he had ever felt so powerless. Even though his Phantom Puppets' attributes weren't high, they still possessed the majority of his own. Yet, they were instantly killed by a single spear. The sheer damage made his heart pound with fear. His Rare Profession was tricky, but it didn't provide much of a boost to his attack or defense. If that spear hit him, he would likely suffer the same fate—killed in a single blow.

「In the arena」

The main light screen was replaying the previous scene in slow motion. Thanks to the replay, their faint outlines were visible even while they were stealthed.

"As expected of Fang Zhou... he spotted a stealthed assassin just by noticing a tiny branch snap in the distance. How incredibly cautious can you get?" Liu Diewu exclaimed in amazement.

Many of the spectating cadets didn't understand.

In their eyes, wasn't it obvious that a snapping branch meant an assassin was nearby? They could figure that out, too.

Liu Diewu explained, "You were able to notice that tiny snapping branch because the camera was deliberately focused on it in a close-up. It's as if your attention was locked onto that one spot.

"But don't forget, the jungle is filled with countless other distracting sounds. You've all seen how harsh the environment is; one moment of inattention could get you instantly killed by a Black Iron-rank Demon. You have to constantly be aware of your entire surroundings.

"If it were you in that situation, do you really think you could notice one small branch snapping and deduce the presence of an assassin?"

The crowd came to a sudden realization. It was true; when people focus on one thing, they tend to ignore everything else. It was just like how they had been focused on the close-up, completely ignoring the ambient noise happening just outside the frame.

"Both of them are incredible. What an exciting, truly magnificent fight! That Phantom Assassin must be a top expert from another military academy. That's the only way he could have gotten so close to Fang Zhou," Lu Renjia commented.

Some of the quicker-witted cadets in the audience had already started looking up the identity of this assassin.

「Meanwhile, on the ruin-strewn battlefield.」

"As expected of the only Upper-Rank Apprentice to make it this far. Your strength is truly formidable," the Phantom Assassin cadet said coldly, giving his dagger a flourish.

A smile touched Fang Zhou's lips as he slowly raised the Undead Magic Ball in his hand. "Since you know, why don't you hand over your points?"

What a sight to behold. This is the first opposing cadet who's dared to attack me proactively since the Grand Tournament for New Recruits began. I'll have to make an example out of him!

"Arrogant."

The Phantom Assassin cadet grew annoyed. Ever since he obtained his Rare Profession, there hadn't been a single cadet he couldn't assassinate. Yet against Fang Zhou, he couldn't even force out his opponent's key skills. Those seemingly ordinary skills, in Fang Zhou's hands, seemed to transform into something miraculous.

CRACK...

Seeing Fang Zhou begin to cast, the Phantom Assassin cadet instinctively moved to dodge behind the large tree to his left. But after only two steps, he was ensnared by Skeleton Shackles that materialized out of thin air.

WHOOSH... Fang Zhou's Skeleton Flying Spear shot out.

"Phantom Veil!"

Instantly, the Phantom Assassin's Phantom Veil skill nullified the crowd control and magical effects, allowing him to disengage from combat. The moment he disengaged, he rolled into stealth, dodging Fang Zhou's Skeleton Flying Spear.

"Is that the only trick you have?" the Phantom Assassin cadet's voice suddenly came from behind Fang Zhou.

"Guess." Fang Zhou didn't even think of turning around. He knew such petty tricks of throwing one's voice were an assassin's specialty.

"This time you won't be so lucky." The Phantom Assassin cadet's voice then came from Fang Zhou's left.

"Are you ready? Watch me finish you. I have to admit, you're strong, but the outcome of this battle is already decided," Fang Zhou said.

"You're right, the outcome of this battle is decided," the Phantom Assassin cadet retorted defiantly.

However, a sense of foreboding suddenly crept into his heart. He knew that after his initial surprise attack had failed, he had no way of dealing with Fang Zhou. Therefore, he no longer wanted to get entangled with him. After all, as a Middle-Rank Apprentice and a Phantom Assassin, being able to leave whenever he pleased in front of an Upper-Rank Apprentice like Fang Zhou was enough to establish his prestige among the other participating cadets.

"Consider yourself lucky this time. I'll be watching your every move. Fang Zhou, I'll be back for your points, so try not to die at someone else's hands before then." The Phantom Assassin cadet's voice, tinged with reluctance and threat, faded into the air.

Fang Zhou slowly raised his Undead Magic Ball. Gazing at the obvious speck of soul-light visible within his Soul Realm, he smiled and said, "I'm afraid that's not up to you. You did well, though. Lasting this long against me is something to be proud of."

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