Character Quotes
Hao Zhan Si Lie: "Fighting is not about showing how fast your punches are, but rather declaring, 'I will never lose a second time.'"
[Prologue: The Morning After One Week]
At the break of dawn at Long Ya Field, mist rises. All members of the Fighting Department are lined up neatly. Sweat has not yet dried, and their gazes are sharp as blades.Today is not training day, but "achievement inspection day." Hao Zhan Si Lie stands on the high platform, holding a roll call sheet. His voice booms: "Punches are not meant to be shown off; they are meant to smash your opponent's face. So, who will come up first and prove what you learned this week?"
The first to step up is: Harugura Nanami.
[Test One: Harugura Nanami vs. Three-Person Joint Battle]
Nanami's form is agile, and her gaze is calm. She faces not a single opponent but three fellow members working together to simulate an illusory interference battle.
The arena is filled with visual disruptors that simulate the magic department's common tactics, such as "illusion deception," "spatial distortion," and "shadow inducement."At first, she seems a bit strained, but then she closes her eyes. Using her hearing and feedback from the ground, she locks onto the opponents' positions. She employs jiu-jitsu to take one person down, immediately following with elbows and knees to knock all three to the ground. Lie nods slightly: "Not bad. Breaking the illusion based on feeling is a form of instinctual evolution."
[Test Two: Yura Rendo vs. Lie's Personal Test]
The next contender is the reserved vice ministerial fighter, Yura Rendo. Lie steps into the ring personally to test his "punch deconstruction ability." At the start of the clash, their punches are thrown so quickly that they seem to leave afterimages. However, Yura deviates from his traditional fighting style. He uses asymmetric footwork combined with a spiral elbow strike to disrupt Lie's rhythm. In the end, Yura loses to a side liver punch from Lie but successfully forces out his single-arm block-breaking technique. Lie's face rarely reveals a spark of combat intent. "Your punches aren't deadly enough to kill me. But they can disrupt my attack rhythm." Just as the training session concludes, a calm voice is heard outside, asking, "Have you heard that the new boxing theory from the Combat Department can break illusions?" Everyone turns to see a young man in white holding a slender wand approaching. Bai Lan arrives from the Magic Department, followed by two magician-type deputy members. He walks to the front of the training ground and speaks gently. "Our Magic Department has received a formal challenge. Since that's the case, how about a proper match tomorrow at noon at the Longya Arena?" Lie stands on the platform, slightly raising his head to respond. "I've been waiting for this moment for a week." He raises his fist to the sky and looks back at all the Combat Department members. "From today on, punches are not just for fighting. Punches are the key to countering illusions! Magic Department, we are coming for you!" [Matchup list appears]
Near the end of the chapter, a matchup list is posted on the Longya Arena bulletin board. Combat Department vs. Magic Department — Official Friendship Match
Combat Department contestants vs. Magic Department contestants: Hao Zhansi Lie vs. Bai Lan; Chuncang Nanami vs. Hazama Kiyoharu (Illusion Interference Technique); Yura Rendo vs. Shujuan Temple (Magic Array Shooting Technique)
Instructor Fujikura Genbu vs. Unknown New Member? While everyone discusses fervently, Lie simply murmurs, "Bai Lan, you've finally come."