Author: M_W Cancer 

Proofreader: M_W Miss Fierce 

After a few minutes, Leo and the others were finally done with their discussion about the Naughty Elves organization.

Coincidentally, it was also the same exact time that Brad had finally arrived nearby the team from the top 92.

"You can begin at any time you want, Brad. No rush," Ash, who was in-charged as the Vice-Captain of the team from the Mischievous Lion Guild, said through the communicators.

"Can I back out?" Brad asked in nervousness. A while ago he was so confident to prove to everyone that he is strong. But now that he is just a few meters away from their opponents, he found out that his confidence is now slowly diminishing.

"Good luck!" Both Ahmed and Illiad could not hide their contempt for Brad with their sarcasm.

"Damnit! Where the heck are you two, I need both of your immediate support here!" Brad exclaimed loudly.

"Just focus on fighting, we will definitely not let you die, hahaha!" Ahmed said while chuckling.

"The spotlight is yours, Brad," Illiad encouraged, with the main intention of causing even more nervousness to Brad.

"Shut up, you two," Ash finally urges them to stop causing more trouble to Brad. She added, "If both of you really causes Brad to back out now, then I want you two to clean up the mess in less than 10 seconds, otherwise I'll report to Guild Leader Loki about your behavior,"

Speaking about the devil...

"Is everything fine?" Leo asked curiously after listening to their conversation in his communicator. 

"Brad, we are on your three o'clock and nine o'clock, prepare to engage," Ahmed informed solemnly.

"My Magic circle has already been deployed, just waiting for you to engage with the opponents," Illiad added.

"Oh, great, now you both had become serious! Lucky me, I supposed?" Brad returned the sarcasm. But at the next moment, he pulled himself together and prepared for the fight.

Listening to Ash's words in the communicator, Brad soon found that the team from the top 92 is now just separated by a wall beside him.

Turning to look at his side, Brad then put his hand forward and cast, "Wind Dicing!"

Whoooosh! Whoooosh!

Crghhh!

The instant the two sharp blades of wind shoot out from Brad's hand, a hole immediately appeared in front, which right after revealed the team from the top 92, who were all completely caught off guard.

Bang! Bang!

Two of the three people from the top 92 were immediately hit, causing them both to shoot to the wall by their opposite side. They groaned in pain but quickly pulled themselves together to prepare to fight back.

Unfortunately for Brad, he was also caught surprised by the outcome of his Magic spell as he didn't really expect himself to land any hit, at all. After all, he was only able to see his targets after the two sharp blades of wind shot out from his hand. Not to mention, he has also just moved from being a newbie Mage not so long ago, thus his experience in dealing with these kinds of things was still greatly lacking.

"Illiad, shoot!" Ahmed immediately shouted after seeing the strange reaction of Brad.

"Fireball!" Illiad didn't hesitate to cast.

Whooosh! Whooosh!

Hearing Ahmed's voice through his communicator, Brad was finally able to pull himself together. Albeit, it was too late, since the sword from the man he wasn't able to hit just now already came close to his body. The only thing he could do was to tilt his body slightly to the side so that the attack would only land on his shoulder.

Pluck!

Brad groaned in pain as the sword penetrated his left arm shoulder. It was so painful that he began swearing dozens of swear words inside of his mind. In spite of that, though, as if the pain had caused him to realize something, he quickly unsheathed his sword by his waist and swing it to the arm of his opponent holding the sword.

Seeing Brad's action, the man quickly decided to let go of his arm and retreat in order to avoid the attack.

Bang!

Brad's sword landed on the wall of the hole, causing a few small chunks to flew out.

Whoooosh! Whoooosh!

Just when the man was preparing to launch another attack, two fireballs suddenly rained from their heads.

Bang! Bang!

The man who had just fought against Brad was swiftly able to jump to the side to dodge, along with one of the two who were thrown to the opposite wall just now. Sad to say for the other person, because one of the fireballs timely landed on his head just when he was going to escape.

Just like a watermelon when hit by a hammer, that person's head exploded, spreading pieces of brain and flesh all around everyone.

Fortunately for Brad, he had already closed the hole before the head explosion happened, thus he was still safe and clean from the disgusting scene.

"How brutal of you, Illiad," Ahmed can't help but to joke.

"That was an accident!" Illiad quickly defended himself. It wasn't his fault why that fireball had landed on that person's head. If only that person didn't move his head towards where the fireball was going to land, then it could have been only his backside that got hit. Though it would have still caused him a serious injury nonetheless, or worst, even kill him, but at least it wouldn't be such a disgusting mess like now.

"He can only blame his Fate," Leo, who had also watched the scene through one of the light screens, commented.

"Any help here?!" Brad called out desperately while grasping his bleeding shoulder with his other hand.

"Coming," Ahmed responded as he quickly made his way towards Brad's location.

"Whatever you do, don't follow the light," Illiad said jokingly while also running towards Brad's location.

"If there's anything that I'm going to follow, it would be to your fucking parade when you die!" Brad exclaimed in irritation.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

All of a sudden, multiple muffle sounds could be heard to the other side of the wall, as if something... No, to be more precise, someone was trying to break the wall.

Curious to know what exactly it was, Brad moved his ears closer to the walls in order to confirm his suspicion.

Bang!

While listening to the other side of the wall though, a blade of a sword shockingly appeared in front of Brad, who's now wide eyes as he realized that death's door was only a few inches away from him.

Sweating profusely, Brad slowly retreated to his back.

Bang!

But before he could even move a few inches, a spear's head appeared on his back as well.

Before Brad could even react, a huge hole suddenly opened up in front of him, allowing him to see the two fellows who had almost penetrated his head just now, covered in red and white indefinable substance with savage-looking faces.

"Hi..." Brad smiled wryly.

"Duck!" Ahmed yelled out.

"Let me kindly remind you," Brad heave a heavy sigh before blurting out really loud, "There's no time to joke here!!!"

Whoooosh! Whoooosh!

Brad quickly ducked when he saw in his peripheral vision the two men waving their weapons in the direction of his head.

"Oh, you mean that kind of duck!" Brad finally realized what Ahmed meant.

Whoooosh! Whoooosh!

Turning to his front, Brad immediately saw two fireballs coming in his direction. In panic, he covered his head with both of his hands and closed his eyes, hoping that it would lessen the damage.

But, after a few seconds of anxiously waiting, Brad still didn't feel any pain of getting hit by the two fireballs coming straight towards his direction. Instead, what he heard were groans from the two men who had just tried to kill him.

"Heads up!" Ahmed reminded.

Looking up, Brad soon saw a bottle of potion flying towards his head.

Poing!

"What was that for?!" Brad shouted painfully.

Taking out his sword, Ahmed then jumped through the hole he had just created using the Doorway Keys, while at the same time reminding Brad, "Apply it to your wounded shoulder,"

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

What followed after were numerous sounds of metal hitting against metal from the opposite side of the wall.

"Arghhh!"

Then a painful cry of one of the men...

"Arghhh!"

And another one finally implying the end of the fight.

Ahmed jumped back to the other side of the wall again before finally closing the hole on the wall.

"Are you alright?" Ahmed asked, a bit anxious.

"Just a little painful," Brad replied after he finished applying the content of the bottle on his left arm shoulder.

Illiad finally arrived as he then asked, "You two okay?"

"Were fine, except for Brad's left arm shoulder. It seems like he can't no longer do that thing anymore," Ahmed said with an obvious hidden meaning behind his words.

"That thing?" Brad raised both of his eyebrows together as he didn't quite understand what exactly Ahmed meant.

"Oh, then, my deepest condolence to your little brother, Brad," Illiad nodded his head in understanding.

"Fuck the both of you!" Brad threw pieces of stones beside him towards Ahmed and Illiad after finally realizing what they meant.

Meanwhile, inside the control room, Leo can't help shaking his head in helplessness and also in relief. His decision of trusting Ahmed was now proven correct, because from the beginning of the battle until now, he was the calmest of the three from their team, thus allowing him to save Brad from a near-death situation. 

Likewise, he was also a bit disappointed with Brad because of his behavior. He was arrogant and prideful, despite lacking a lot of experience and fighting ability. 

After the Emerald Elven Battle Competition, he would for sure let Ash train Brad until he begs for mercy!