Chapter 110: Strength Of Circuit Team Members
(Rodova Military Academy – Circuits Arena)
The Rodova Circuits Arena stood at the very heart of the academy as a colossal battleground encased by towering, fortress-like walls.
Massive black banners adorned with Rodova's emblem draped down its sides, their presence an ever-present reminder of the academy's storied legacy.
For any visiting military academy, stepping into this coliseum was an overwhelming experience—not just because of its imposing architecture but because of the sheer psychological pressure it exerted.
The weight of Rodova's history pressed down like an unshakable force on any visitor stepping foot inside it, as the banners stood as a silent yet deafening reminder of Rodova's past dominance in the Circuits.
*CHEERS!*
As if the atmosphere itself wasn't already suffocating, the overwhelming roar of the home crowd certainly was.
Rodova lived and breathed the Circuits.
Posters of past champions lined the dorm rooms of present students, while the current circuit team members were treated like celebrities, and their matches were followed with religious fervor.
So as the Nature Military Academy stepped onto Rodova's turf, they were immediately drowned in deafening chants of the Rodova team captain, as the crowd unanimously chanted Yu Shen's name.
YU SHEN! YU SHEN! YU SHEN!
Thousands of voices roared in unison, the sheer volume shaking the air as Rodova's students welcomed their team captain onto the field.
—---------
Seated among the crowd was Leo, his expression unreadable as he observed the unfolding spectacle.
Had he won his fight against Khyaal weeks ago, he would be standing in that arena right now preparing for his fight.
But losses had consequences.
And since he lost his fight, he was forced to watch instead of fight, as he missed out on first-hand combat experience at the circuits level.
Still, it was not all bad, as the universe did have its way of offering second chances.
As while Leo couldn't fight himself, it was still a great opportunity to finally witness the Circuits firsthand and to analyze the combatants, study their techniques, and understand exactly what level he needed to reach to compete and thrive at the grand stage.
—--------
On the opposite side of the arena, the Nature Military Academy team stood in formation, their presence a stark contrast to the all-human Rodova roster.
Composed entirely of non-human warriors, their team consisted of elves, nymphs, pixies, dryads, and fairies—all species renowned for their affinity with nature.
And yet, despite their origins, there was nothing gentle about them.
These weren't mere guardians of nature.
They were warriors.
And they carried themselves as such, their sharp gazes and controlled stances exuding the unmistakable aura of seasoned fighters.
"Captains, approach!"
A booming voice silenced the crowd, signaling the start of the pre-match formalities.
A neutral referee, clad in Geneva's blue-and-gold official robes, called for the captains to step forward.
At the center of the arena, Yu Shen, Rodova's captain, strode forward with a confident, steady gait.
Opposing him was a tall, silver-haired Elven warrior, donned in sleek green and gold armor—the Nature Academy's captain.
The two warriors met in the center of the battlefield, standing mere feet apart, their expressions unreadable.
Between them, the referee raised a silver coin into the air.
"This match will be conducted under standard Circuits format—a 5v5 elimination battle."
"The team that eliminates all five opposing members first will be declared the victor, and switching out members after each conclusive fight will be permitted." The referee informed, as he read out the standard circuit rules as per formality.
*TWINGG–*
He tossed the coin in the air, as the crowd held its breath for this defining moment.
Winning the toss gave a team the right to choose their fighters second, gaining a significant advantage in battle, which was why winning the toss was always very important.
*TANG*
(Tails)
The coin landed as tails, as instantly the crowd erupted in Boo's
BOOOO—!
Rodova had lost the toss.
And in the Circuits, losing the toss meant losing the early advantage.
This was the tactical side of the Circuits.
Strength alone wasn't enough.
Matchups mattered.
A poorly placed warrior could mean instant defeat, as some fighters were natural counters to others.
A tank versus an archer?
An assassin versus a mage?
A brute against a speedster?
All of it played into the captain's strategy.
And because Rodova lost the toss, they were now forced to reveal their first fighter first—handing the Nature Academy the ability to counter-pick.
"It's okay. Congratulations on winning the toss—" Yu Shen said, as he shook his opponent's hand, as despite the setback, remained composed.
"Rodova's first fighter will be —Ethan Cross." He declared, as the crowd erupted in cheers for their first fighter.
—---------
Ethan, a hulking figure stepped forward, his heavy boots thudding against the ground.
Ethan was a bruiser—a defensive powerhouse.
Standing at 6'5, his frame was layered with dense muscle, his entire presence radiating raw durability.
As he was a fortress in human form.
He wasn't necessarily a counter to any specific fighting style—but he was resilient enough to not be countered either.
A safe first pick.
On the opposing side, the Elven Captain took a moment before nodding.
After a quick discussion with his team, he made his decision.
"Nature Academy's first fighter—Aelin, the Wind Dancer." He said as a tall, lean elf stepped forward, his movements almost weightless, his steps light as air.
Unlike Ethan, who stood solid and immovable, Aelin barely seemed to touch the ground, his body swaying with an effortless grace.
Leo's eyes narrowed slightly.
'A heavyweight tank versus a speed-based skirmisher…'
This was going to be interesting.
"LET'S GO RODOVA!"
"CRUSH THE TINY ELF ETHAN–"
"GIVE US BLOOD!"
The crowd's excitement reached a fever pitch as both fighters took their positions.
They wanted to see the action start now, and the referee did not disappoint, as a couple seconds later, the referee raised his hand as he said.
"First match—begin!"
And just like that—
The battle was on.
—----------
(The First Match: Ethan Cross vs. Aelin)
BOOM!
Ethan launched forward like a living battering ram, his massive frame barreling toward Aelin with terrifying momentum.
But the elf vanished.
A sudden burst of wind surged through the arena as Aelin's figure flickered—his movements so fast, it looked as if he had turned into a gust of air itself.
Leo's eyes sharpened.
'That's not just speed… He's manipulating wind currents to shift his momentum mid-movement.' Leo analysed, as he felt sweat trickling down his neck when he tried to think of what he would do if he were in Ethan's place now.
The pace that Aelin showed now was far higher than anything his peers in first year were capable of, and this alarmed Leo big time.
Ethan however, skidded to a halt, eyes darting left and right, as he tried to track his opponent—
But while he looked left and right, his opponent was already behind him, as—
SHING!
A thin, curved blade gleamed as it sliced toward Ethan's exposed side.
CLANG!
Ethan twisted at the last second, raising his armored forearm to block the attack, causing sparks to fly as metal met enchanted steel
"OOOO—" The crowd gasped at the close call, as Aelin continued with his relentless assault.
He moved like a storm, his body weaving in and out, his blades striking from all angles, forcing Ethan to stay on the defensive.
From the stands, Su Yang clicked his tongue.
"Tch. This is a bad matchup for Ethan, this match reminds me of my fight against Minerva" he muttered, as he did not harbor many hopes of Ethan winning.
Leo, however, remained silent, observing.
Aelin's Wind Footwork made him almost untouchable.
Meanwhile, Ethan was a defensive warrior, built to endure damage and counter-attack with crushing force.
But countering only worked when you could hit your opponent.
And right now—
He couldn't.
Aelin's speed was overwhelming, his blades a blur, striking at Ethan's armor joints, looking for an opening.
But somehow Ethan looked like he was holding on for now.
*BANG*
Then, it suddenly, it happened.
SWOOSH—SHING!
Aelin's dagger sliced past Ethan's defenses, drawing first blood as a thin line of red appeared on his bicep, as the crowd's violent energy suddenly muted.
Aelin leaped back, landing with featherlight grace, his expression unreadable.
Ethan, however, only grinned.
Then—
BANG!
His foot slammed into the ground, sending cracks sprawling across the arena floor as the very air around him seemed to shift.
Leo's brows rose slightly, as he looked towards the sky, noticing a phenomenon he completely missed before.
'Did he just—'
Before he could finish the thought—
BOOM!
A sudden, shockwave blasted outward from Ethan's body, forcing Aelin to retreat further.
The air around the massive warrior rippled—as if the very space around him had hardened.
"You're fast, Elf. But let's see how fast you are when you can't breathe." Ethan rumbled.
And that's when Leo realized it.
Ethan had activated his special technique a few moments ago, which went completely unnoticed by the crowd and Aelin himself—
[Wind Vaccum]
Ethan was manipulating the mana in the air to create a wind current so strong that it was sucking out all the air above the fighting arena, thinning the oxygen concentration in the air significantly.
For him, who was a bruiser tank, he did not need much oxygen as he did not move around much in the first place, however, for Aelin the lack of oxygen was lethal.
He needed a constant stream of air to sustain his explosive movements, as without getting enough, he started to grow visibly sluggish.
'What the fuck? Just what sort of a mental level are these guys playing at?
What sort of combat is this?' Leo wondered, as he finally realized what the circuit's were all about.
Just like Minerva's fight against Su Yang, this fight too was determined by strategy more than the fighter strength, as it wasn't Aelin that was weak, but just that Ethan had the better strategy to wear him down.
*PAH—*
*PAH—*
Aelin visibly panted and struggled as time went on, as while Ethan was used to fighting under low oxygen conditions, Aelin was not.
And in the end, that made him a sitting duck for Ethan's attacks, who brutalized him using close ranged strikes for the win, much to the delight of the Rodova Home Crowd.
"WINNER— ETHAN, RODOVA MILITARY ACADEMY!"
The referee declared, as deafening cheers erupted throughout the arena.