And then— the crowd erupted.
Not just cheers. Not just claps.
Even Uncle Hanji, watching from his feed terminal, smirked into his tea.
"Heh. My niece," he said aloud, knowing full well the mic was still hot.
"Try insulting her again, Bao Maiji—I dare you."
Laughter. Applause. A full stadium of voices rolling over Bao's silence like a crashing tide.
"Tell him again!"
"Let's go, Division Six!"
"Finally, someone said it!"
"Girl's got iron in her lungs,"
muttered an old instructor.
"And brains in her bones. A rare combo."
In the upper platform seats, the reaction was even sharper.
Dozens of students in the Supporters' Wing stood up, clapping like they'd been waiting years to see Bao Maiji put in his place. Even some upper-year Elemental Callers chuckled and exchanged nods.
"That's what I've been SAYING!"
"Sore loser! Can't take the L!"
The noise rose in waves—students, supporters, even some staff nodding, laughing, clapping. The commentary had landed. Bao's glare turned molten, but he couldn't block out the truth bouncing back at him from every direction.
Jin Minhe blinked, then frowned at his empty snack pouch.
"That was so intense I ate all my snacks," he muttered, yawning wide.
"Now I'm hungry again from so much excitement… how exhausting."
He rubbed his eyes, slouched sideways, and sighed like he'd just fought the match himself.
"Yumei needs to stop being so epic before lunch. Seriously."
From two rows up, someone shouted, "Buy her lunch, then!"
Jin didn't even look up.
"She should be the one buying me lunch. It's her fault I ran out of snacks."
He grumbled and leaned back, pulling his jacket over his head like a blanket.
"He called her trash? Man, she recycled him."
Not far off, Kai Shi sat with his arms folded tight across his chest, jaw tense—but not out of spite.
Out of focus.
Min Zhao leaned toward him, one arm cradling Mystic in her miniature cloud form. The little beast pulsed faintly with golden mist, content to be held, while Lufei stood quietly between her and Zhou Qian's seat, antlers glinting as they reflected the glow of the stadium screens.
"You okay?" she asked Kai.
Kai blinked once. "She's better than last matches."
Zhou Qian arched a brow. "You mean more ruthless?"
"No," Kai muttered. "More… controlled. Like she's not hiding anymore."
Min Zhao whistled softly, watching the cloud traces that marked Maxius's retreat. "Is that going to be a problem?"
He watched Fan walk off without a glance back and said nothing this time.
From the private box, Commander Qian leaned forward with a grunt. "She's growing fast."
Principal Renshu didn't move. His sharp eyes remained locked on Fan Yumei's retreating figure.
"She's not just growing—she's evolving," he said.
⸻
🎙️ MATCH SCORE – CONTESTANT FAN YUMEI vs. BAO MAIJI
• Combat Synergy: 9/10
• Command Execution: 5/5
• Tactical Adaptation: 14/15
• Qi Bond Resonance: 10/10
► Total: 38/40
• Combat Synergy: 7/10
• Command Execution: 4/5
• Tactical Adaptation: 11/15
• Qi Bond Resonance: 6/10
► Total: 28/40
🎙️ "Victory by Score Majority: Fan Yumei. Match confirmed and locked."
⸻
The audience didn't erupt. They didn't need to. It was the kind of silence that meant everyone was watching.
That weighty pause between a name being announced—and people realizing they just saw something that mattered.
A moment later, the noise kicked in.
Thunder. Applause. Shock. Cheers that curled at the edges with disbelief and awe. A dozen camera drones zoomed in across the arena as Fan Yumei stepped off the platform like it was just another practice lap.
Maxius flared his wings behind her, his phantom one now shimmering fully, flickering in and out like a glitch in the air itself. The beam of spotlight caught it mid-stutter—and the whole stadium caught their breath.
It was subtle, but anyone with half a brain could tell: this bird still hadn't reached full potential.
⸻
🌀
Fan reached the prep corridor as another official met her at the tunnel junction. The young staffer straightened, tablet in hand, voice clipped with protocol.
"Fan Yumei. You've advanced to Tier Four—Sky Division. Fourth match scheduled in ten minutes."
She nodded once.
"Name?"
"Opponent?" she added.
The staffer hesitated, checking his screen.
"Kelan Shu. Sky-Class certified. Registered Stormscale Monitor Beast. 4-star level rank… though he's an upper-year retake."
Fan Yumei tilted her head faintly. "Hm."
"Also…" The staffer swallowed. "He requested this match personally."
Maxius let out a low whooo—like a distant foghorn.
Fan didn't smile. She just stepped past him and whispered without looking back.
"Raise the weights by fifteen."
The hallway lights buzzed behind her.
She wasn't pacing herself anymore.
Not after that last match.
Not when Kelan Shu was next.
And definitely not when Tian Rou and Dai Lihua were still watching from the shadows of the Sky Division brackets.