Bloodline Evolution: I Can Choose Opposing Paths-Chapter 60: Orientation Exchange (5)

The referee’s voice echoed across the dome.

"Lightning Department. Please send your next representative to the platform."

All eyes turned toward the Lightning tier.

Yuna was still on her knees, her breathing had steadied slightly, but her pupils remained unnaturally wide. The faint black haze that Aren had seen earlier had thinned, but it hadn’t vanished.

Aren didn’t hesitate.

"She’s unfit," he said sharply toward the nearby administrative staff stationed along the tier.

One of the academy attendants stiffened. "The match has already been assigned. The department must provide a representative."

Aren’s jaw tightened. "She cannot fight."

Before the attendant could respond, a ripple passed through the tier as someone stepped forward from the central viewing corridor.

Principal Ardent.

He simply appeared at the edge of the Lightning platform, hands folded calmly behind his back while his eyes scanned the situation.

Without thinking, Aren slid his hand casually into his jacket, adjusting the cloth just enough to obscure the dampener at his wrist. At the same time, he pulled his ether inward, making sure the Principal couldn’t sense anything off.

The Principal’s gaze passed over him briefly, then settled on Yuna for a second before asking mildly.

"What seems to be the issue?"

Aren stepped forward.

"She is currently unfit for combat," he said evenly.

The Principal studied Yuna for a long moment. His gaze lingered on her pupils, her breathing, the faint tremor in her hands.

"Is this an injury?"

"No, sir," Aren replied.

He hesitated for a second. Aren couldn’t just accuse the Curse Department with no proof. Even if the Principal could see her ether, which he probably already did, it could come from all sorts of places.

"She is not in a stable condition to continue," Aren said instead. "What is the ruling in such a scenario?"

The Principal remained silent for several seconds before speaking.

"If a designated participant is unable to fight," His gaze flicked toward the administrative panel. "...then the round will be counted as a loss and the next in rotation will continue next round."

A murmur swept through the crowd. The referee heard what he’d said, immediately pronouncing the win.

"Curse Department — Victory."

The Principal took a step back, hands folding once more behind him.

"Ensure she is evaluated by medical staff," he said calmly. "The match will stand as recorded."

Aren gave a short nod.

"Yes, sir."

Principal Ardent turned slightly, facing away as the matter concluded. But then...he paused for a fraction before turning his head around to look at Aren.

"You," he said mildly. "What’s your Bloodline again?"

For a split second, his heart stuttered.

Shit, what should I say...Would he catch on? He’s a Master-Grade Mystic! Of course, he would know!

But in the case that he doesn’t...

All sorts of possibilities ran through his head, but Aren decided to stay consistent with everything he had said and done.

"Storm-Dwelling Winged Serpent, sir."

A soft breeze passed by for a moment before the Principal inclined his head.

"I see," he said calmly. "Well, good luck. Professor Sterling has a lot of expectations for you."

The Principal turned and walked away, robes swaying lightly behind him as the pressure around softened. Aren exhaled a breath he didn’t even know he was holding.

That old man is strong...Even at my peak last life, could I have defeated him?

Two academy medics stepped forward with hesitation. One knelt beside Yuna while another administered a calming solution.

"She’ll need observation," one of them said quietly.

Yuna didn’t resist as they helped her to her feet and escorted her out of the stadium.

Aren sighed softly. The exchange match would continue regardless of individual collapse.

Aren returned to the railing slowly, gaze settling back onto the platform below.

Ice Department versus Fire.

He barely managed to catch the end of the match, but it was enough. Luna stood at the center, the entire platform had transformed into a glacial landscape.

The Fire student roared, flames surging around her in a desperate inferno. But as soon as she did, Luna trapped her inside an ice coffin, sealing the student shut.

With fire inside burning all the oxygen, the Fire student quickly collapsed and the fight was announced finished.

"Ice Department — Victory."

"She’s really 2 for 2 on these matches," Aren muttered.

Luna had just beaten Fire at an elemental disadvantage. The Ice Department was already being talked about and Luna became one of the standouts of the exchange.

Which meant attention shifted toward the remaining participants that haven’t stepped up yet with the same hope.

Aren’s fingers tightened slightly against the railing.

The more impressive the earlier matches were, the more the audience expected escalation. And that was exactly what he didn’t want to do.

If he fought too weakly, he would look suspicious. If he fought too strongly, he would become interesting.

Neither option was comfortable.

Ugh...why are things always so hard?

Below, attendants finished clearing the last remnants of Luna’s ice from the platform. Above, the scoreboard ticked once more.

Three departments had already fallen completely, going on a three-loss streak. Now nine teams remained:

Ice.

Earth.

Wind.

Curse.

Steel.

Fire.

Water.

Plant.

Lightning.

Aren sighed as the event was still far from over. He just wished it would go by faster so he could focus on cultivating more.

But that was when a hush rippled outward as the projected screens dissolved mid-air.

Principal Arden descended once more to the center. Just his presence alone was enough to quiet the stadium.

"This year," he said calmly, his voice carrying without effort, "we will proceed under a revised format."

A stir of anticipation ran through the remaining teams.

"The academy does not seek isolated strength alone. Combat ability without coordination is incomplete."

With just a flick of his fingers, the arena changed.

The segmented platforms began sliding inward, locking together piece by piece. The barriers dissolved before fusing together into one large dome that encompassed the whole stage.

The ground trembled as some audience members gasped in excitement.

From the polished metal, without soil at all...life erupted.

Vines burst outward from nothingness, thick roots tearing through the arena. Seconds later, massive trees grew upward, creating a massive forest terrain.

The transformation didn’t stop at trees as stone hills rose in between. Streams were carved through the terrain, mysteriously filled with water despite the absence of any visible source.

Aren stared.

This wasn’t simply an illusion. This was someone’s large-scale Manifestation.

That was when he remembered the Principal’s Bloodline, one so powerful that most people didn’t even bother using its formal name anymore, instead defaulting to a nickname that everyone remembered:

The Archdruid.

Even among Master-Grade Mystics, the title carried weight.

Aren exhaled slowly.

If this was what the Principal could create with a casual flick, then Imperial Mystic College was far more influential than he had assumed.

The Principal lowered his hand.

"The next phase," he continued evenly, "will test strategy, adaptability, and territorial control."

The forest canopy rustled as wind swept through its newly grown leaves.

"In a little event inspired by military traditions called—"

"Flag Wars."