If the vehicle hadn’t been modified with specially thickened and reinforced plating, it undoubtedly would have been pierced through!
Zephyr rcer, in one fluid motion, used the montum from his rope to latch onto the back of the vehicle, then vaulted onto its roof... By the ti he calmly flipped back down and settled into his seat inside, the previously indignant crowd in the cabin could only stare, dumbfounded.
If he had used a superpower, they wouldn’t have been so shocked. They would have just assud he’d posed such a difficult challenge because he had the right kind of superpower for it. But everyone, from Bloodfall’s mbers to Marcus Monroe’s n, could see that Zephyr rcer had completed the entire feat relying purely on his own physical prowess.
It was a staggering display!
They had all been ordinary people once; they knew the limits of human speed and strength. ’Even with training, it’s impossible to be this incredible, right?!’
They’d heard of and even seen people from the Ancient Martial Clans, but very few had ever fought against one. Now that they had truly witnessed their abilities firsthand, only one thought remained. ’If everyone from the Ancient Martial Clans has this kind of prowess... are they even human?’
Completely unaware that he had just been labeled "possibly not human" by the crowd, Zephyr rcer was inwardly giving himself a massive pat on the back for successfully intimidating the punks who dared to underestimate him. Of course, he didn’t let it show. Slipping on his cool and composed mask, he looked at the crowd. "You failed the first test. As for why, you should already know, right? One, you lack speed. Two, you lack strength. And three, you lack thods. I’m not wrong, am I?"
"I probably could have done it. I have a Wood Elent Superpower," one of the team mbers suddenly spoke up. ’If I used vines to latch onto the vehicle, it would be similar to his rope. Then I could just climb aboard. It should be possible. It’s just that the vehicle is moving at nearly two hundred kiloters per hour. It’s hard to say if my power would hold out the whole way.’
"Probably? Ha!" Zephyr scoffed. "Then we can change your third point to ’a lack of guts’!"
Silence.
After a long silence, soone asked, "What’s the second test?"
Zephyr rcer looked at him and said seriously, "Ask that after you pass the first one."
More silence.
As the silence stretched on, everyone’s gazes began to drift toward the back of the vehicle, obviously contemplating how they could pull it off.
Seeing this, Paige Sumrs silently turned her head toward the window, her hand half-covering her face to hide the smile she couldn’t suppress.
’What a cunning guy!’
Setting aside Marcus Monroe’s n, she knew her own team well. If they were given so ti to think, at least five of them could pass this so-called test. They would have to use their respective superpowers, of course. After all, even she couldn’t match Zephyr rcer’s level of physical prowess. It was just that Zephyr’s challenge had been too sudden and his movents too fast—a swift, decisive blow that had completely stunned them.
But in that mont, she also saw the root of her team’s failure.
Just as Zephyr rcer said, those with the ability lacked the guts, while those with the guts lacked the ability. On top of that, their adaptability and teamwork were still far too poor! Zephyr never said the test had to be completed alone. They could have worked in pairs, or even in teams of three... Sighing to herself, she had to admit it: her team was still too green.
The team wasn’t without its smart mbers, though. They quickly recognized their own shortcomings, and a few of them flushed with embarrassnt. They started to rein in their disrespectful attitudes and began humbly asking Zephyr rcer for advice.
As they began to ask questions and receive answers, the atmosphere inside the vehicle gradually relaxed.
Paige Sumrs felt a sense of relief.
Their skills might be lacking, but at least they were teachable.
’That’s good.’
Everything is a process. As long as they had the will to improve, their potential for growth was limitless. And as they matured, Bloodfall’s overall strength was bound to increase dramatically.
Zephyr rcer had taught them a valuable lesson.
Frankly, even without today’s little spectacle, her team would have eventually matured through future training and combat.
But Zephyr rcer had accelerated that process. In other words, he may have helped them avoid casualties down the line.
By all rights, she ought to be grateful.
If only his gaze didn’t always linger on her, unconsciously broadcasting a signal that scread, "I like you! I like you! I just really like you!"... then she might actually be happy about it...
In this world, most won—as long as they aren’t exceptionally unfortunate in their circumstances—have probably had the experience of being liked by two or more n.
When liked by a man they aren’t interested in, so won feel smug, while others see it as a burden.
And Paige Sumrs, as it happened, was the latter.
This was exactly why the more concern Zephyr rcer showed her, the more annoyed she beca.
"I’m telling you..." Seeing her sitting there, lost in thought, Claire Chapman nudged her arm and handed her a piece of jerky. "You have absolutely no reason to feel sorry about this. All that ’You like , but I don’t like you, so please don’t be so nice to because it makes feel guilty’ nonsense... that way of thinking is completely idiotic!"
The corner of Paige Sumrs’s eye twitched. She lifted the jerky and took a hard bite.
"What? Think I’m wrong?"
Paige Sumrs shook her head. "No, I just think you sound like you have a lot of experience with this."
Claire Chapman froze, then gave a bitter, inward smile.
’Of course I have experience!’
’Too bad I was making eyes at a blind woman.’
’This blind woman sitting across from still hasn’t noticed a thing!’
Then again, if Paige had found out, even though I’ve let it go now, it would probably be hard for us to get along as well as we do.
’This just goes to show, a secret crush is fine. Relentless pestering is what you should never do.’
’Like that rcer kid, for example...’
For so reason, thinking about that guy’s stubborn behavior, she suddenly felt a strange and complicated emotion.
She paused for a mont, then adopted a calm and steady deanor.
"Experience or not, I understand the male psyche better than you do," Claire Chapman said, narrowing her eyes. "Don’t worry too much about him. Since he’s here, just let him be. You don’t need to stop him from doing what he wants, as long as he doesn’t get in our way. I hear he’s preparing to train our crew, and is even drawing up a proposal? Then let him. The rcer Family has its own training thods that others couldn’t get their hands on even if they begged. Since he’s so insistent on offering, it’d be a waste not to take him up on it. Of course, we won’t take it for free. We’ll definitely pay him a fee, and just treat it as hiring an instructor for the team. That way, no matter how you look at it, no one can find fault with us. ...However," she added, "if he does get in the way, you don’t need to lift a finger. I’ll take care of him."
Paige Sumrs had to admit that made sense. She was already a broad-minded person to begin with. After being vexed for a while, she now decided to just let it go.
"Alright, let’s do that then."
’If the training is effective,’ she thought, ’I definitely won’t be stingy with his instructor’s fee!’
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