Wendy Marshall had taught her a lot.

But she wouldn’t underestimate her opponent.

Remembering how Nina Jacobs had patiently demonstrated the moves for her over and over, Elara Dolan’s gaze sharpened in the next instant.

"Little lady, why don’t you just forfeit?"

The Water Element Superpower User across from her was named Victor Stone.

The Water Element countered the Fire Element, so this match was very advantageous for him.

However, as the signal to start the match sounded, the only response he received was a Fireball that could track him!

Elara Dolan said nothing, her eyes fixed on Victor Stone’s every move.

Victor Stone realized this Elara Dolan wasn’t as timid and cowardly as that person had said, so he started to take things seriously too.

SPLASH!

A volley of Water Needles shot toward Elara Dolan. After she dodged a few, the ones that had hit the ground rose up and reformed, attacking her from behind!

"Be careful!"

Chelsea Walsh couldn’t help but cry out.

But Wendy Marshall, standing beside her, wasn’t worried at all. "Relax. An attack of this level is nothing."

She had sparred with Elara Dolan before; this wouldn’t be enough to make her lose her composure.

Sure enough, Elara Dolan spun around, easily neutralizing the Water Needles behind her with her Fire Fist.

The arena was instantly filled with a thick mist. Victor Stone reacted quickly, enveloping himself in the water vapor.

He seemed to merge with the mist itself.

Just as the crowd was sweating bullets for Elara Dolan, sparks suddenly erupted from the ground.

Victor Stone let out a startled cry and was seen scrambling out of the mist in a sorry state.

"How did you know I was there?"

He had planned to use the mist to obscure Elara Dolan’s vision and defeat her with a surprise attack.

But he never expected a Spark Array to suddenly appear at his feet.

The Spark Array might not be lethal to zombies, but the small explosions caused pain all over his body.

"I’m a Fire Element Superpower User. Even though you were hiding, I can still sense heat sources."

Elara Dolan gave him no chance to react. A slender Fire Whip materialized from her hands, and she lashed it forcefully at Victor Stone!

"Then let’s see whose Superpower is superior!"

Victor Stone certainly wasn’t going to admit defeat.

He conjured a half-man-high Water Tornado that blocked the Fire Whip’s attack.

"This Victor Stone isn’t so simple, either,"

Daniel Hale remarked.

"Mm."

Nina Jacobs then turned to look at Alaric Fletcher on the other side.

As a Gold Element Superpower User, Alaric Fletcher’s opponent was, as expected, a Thunder Element Superpower User.

"It feels like the other side knows the Superpowers of everyone on your team,"

Chelsea Walsh said.

How else could it be such a coincidence that everyone was matched against a counter to their Superpower?

"Yes, I wonder who could have leaked it."

Nina Jacobs was sitting in the front, and her voice carried to the people in the two rows behind her, including Althea Coleman.

Althea Coleman’s heart pounded with anxiety.

’It can’t be.’

’When I met with those people, I checked my surroundings. It’s impossible that anyone saw me.’

"Good thing we trained. As long as either Elara Dolan or Alaric Fletcher wins their match, we’ll have enough,"

Leo Hale said.

"Your standards seem a little low,"

Nina Jacobs said with a smile.

’Low?’ Leo Hale glanced at the competition grounds and understood instantly.

A little over ten minutes later, both matches were over.

"Congratulations to Stella on another two-for-two victory!"

The announcer’s voice sounded somewhat excited.

The back-to-back reversals in these two matches, where they had seemed completely suppressed, had gotten many people’s blood pumping.

It turned out that having your Superpower countered didn’t necessarily mean anything.

The real deciding factors were experience and strength.

It turned out that Female Superpower Users were no weaker than any Male Superpower User.

"Looks like I won’t get a chance to go up,"

Chase Gallagher said, watching Alaric Fletcher and Elara Dolan walk off the stage.

Out of a total of five matches, they had already won four.

The opposing team had already forfeited the last match, so he’d gotten off easy.

Elara Dolan’s legs felt a bit weak, and Alaric Fletcher quickly steadied her.

"Thanks. I was scared to death."

When the referee announced the end and cheers and applause erupted from the audience, she realized just how many people had been watching her.

"Captain, I did it."

Watching Nina Jacobs and the others walk toward them, Elara Dolan was moved to tears of joy.

She was so grateful that Nina Jacobs had been willing to give her this chance.

"Mm, you both performed very well,"

Nina Jacobs said.

A few of them had various scrapes and bruises, so Pascal Paige, the team’s dedicated Healer, hurried over.

"Getting the first match was actually pretty good. Now we can just focus on watching the rest of the competition,"

Pascal Paige said.

"Right? What’s the difference between this and a day off?"

Leo Hale said smugly.

"Captain, is there something wrong with this competition?"

Even Wayne Abbott had realized something was off.

"Obviously. I want you to investigate it,"

Nina Jacobs said.

As for why she was sending Wayne Abbott to investigate, she had her reasons.

Stella’s absolute victory made the subsequent teams abandon any clever schemes they might have had.

The number of people snooping around the arena for information noticeably decreased.

Many even came over to offer their congratulations.

"Miss Jacobs, so that was your team. It was truly an eye-opener."

Icarus Golding had arrived in the stands early on. Seeing that the well-wishers had left, he finally approached her.

"I originally thought you were part of the base’s rescue team, Miss Jacobs."

"I wouldn’t call it an eye-opener. We just made some preparations in advance. Mr. Golding, you’re from Aeridor, so you must know a lot about the situation there, right?"

The second match had already begun.

Nina Jacobs asked casually as she watched.

Aeridor and Drakonia were separated by a sea, with several smaller island nations in between.

Before the apocalypse, several countries competed with Drakonia in terms of national power.

Aeridor was one of them.

In her past life, after the apocalypse began, the Aeridorians who had been doing business and studying in Drakonia quickly banded together.

They seized supplies and Crystal Cores, and gradually, their Superpower levels came to surpass those of the Drakonians by a significant margin.

Furthermore, there were also Aeridorians within The Aegis Conclave.

Nina Jacobs had always believed that you had to be wary of those who weren’t your own countrymen.

Icarus Golding sighed.

"I’d love to go back to my homeland for a visit, but unfortunately, I can’t return now. Thankfully, the people of Drakonia are friendly, which has allowed me to survive."

"But Miss Jacobs, are you really that interested in our Aeridor?"

Hearing Icarus Golding’s question, Nina Jacobs shook her head, then feigned a worried expression.

"Before the apocalypse, I had a good friend who was also in Aeridor. I don’t know how he’s doing now."

’Just as the rumors in my past life said,’ Nina thought. ’Aeridorians are unwilling to discuss matters concerning their own country too much.’

’It’s almost as if it’s a state secret.’

"Oh, so that’s why. Doesn’t your Drakonia have a saying, ’Fortune favors the fortunate’? Perhaps your friend is still alive and well, Miss Jacobs,"

Icarus Golding replied.

"I hope so."

Nina Jacobs turned her gaze back to the arena and asked no more questions.

"I’ll be in City D Base for the next few days. May I come find you for a chat anytime, Miss Jacobs? I enjoy talking with you."

Icarus Golding said this right before he left, when someone came looking for him.

Nina Jacobs gave a slight nod.

’This Icarus Golding keeps coming to find me. What exactly is his motive?’

Aside from the first set of matches, Chelsea Walsh noticed that the subsequent bouts were taking longer and longer.

Some Superpower Users even got locked in wars of attrition, fighting until one side’s Superpower was completely depleted.

None of them were as exhilaratingly decisive as Stella’s matches.

"Looks like this Superpower User tournament is going to last for several days,"

Chelsea Walsh said with a yawn.

Nina Jacobs was just about to reply when she saw Wayne Abbott approaching with a young boy in tow.

"It’s her!"

the boy shouted, pointing at Althea Coleman.