Immediately, everyone burst into joy. For many, it was their first time watching a battle of the King of Verbal Sparring. The importance of weapons to the entire warrior system was obvious: give a ranged warrior an axe and he might as well commit suicide; give a psychic output warrior a giant tower shield and it could serve as his coffin lid.

John Carter's opponent had already appeared.

Amelia, Tianjing Soul Academy, zero matches, cannon fodder rank. But the problem was, this was clearly her real name, and there was even an asterisk after it. This could only mean one thing: she was an elite, and supremely confident!

All elites or well-known experts from the Soul Academies would appear with their real name plus their academy, as required by the school. It was also a chance to showcase themselves and promote their academy. People with such extraordinary talent had a different path ahead compared to ordinary warriors. Likewise, OP battle records would become part of the military’s evaluation after graduation, so everyone took it extremely seriously.

She only looked like a newbie. Any warrior who could be specially recruited was not to be underestimated. Amelia's information was quickly revealed: from Saint Monger City, 14 years old, already showing astonishing combat talent in middle school. Don’t be fooled by her short stature—she was a warrior skilled in close combat, and—God—she even possessed fire abilities.

Some of the old fans of the King of Verbal Sparring were already clasping their hands in prayer, almost able to imagine his tragic fate—today, he was going to get a taste of barbecue.

Amelia chose two rune swords. Watching this battle was Master Moore, the head of the Rune Division at Tianjing Soul Academy, a master of rune weapon forging. His presence had built the academy’s reputation, and he was also a member of the Free Federation Rune Association Council. He would use the details of Amelia's battle to custom-make a set of weapons for her.

Amelia was a bit excited—not just because she was a special recruit, but also because of family ties. Master Moore owed her grandfather a favor. Such opportunities were rare. No matter who the opponent was, Amelia was determined to show her full strength.

John Carter's weapon was randomly assigned as a dagger. Not bad luck—if he’d gotten a bow, he’d have a headache. When he noticed his opponent, John Carter was slightly stunned—it was actually Amelia.

The little girl who used to love eating ice cream had now become a valiant warrior. At this moment, Amelia had none of her usual playfulness. Her expression was calm, her gaze sharp, and the two rune swords crossed behind her back—she really did look imposing.

The battle began!

Thump, thump, thump, thump...

Amelia charged at John Carter with swift steps. Though petite, once her soul power was fully unleashed, she became like a cheetah. Indeed, once in combat mode, Amelia was extremely aggressive. Whoosh... Amelia, moving in a straight line, suddenly slid, spun in an arc, and drew a rune sword, slashing toward John Carter's neck.

At once, everyone watching held their breath. When seeing a cute little girl, people always had other thoughts, but witnessing this terrifying movement and ruthless strike, everyone felt a chill on their necks and silently mourned for the King of Verbal Sparring. With such a ferocious loli, it was best to keep your distance.

However, what seemed like a sure-hit strike from Amelia merely grazed past John Carter's neck. Amelia's eyes narrowed slightly—she missed!

Whoosh—Amelia sprang up again, her astonishing jumping ability bringing her behind John Carter. Another sword slashed diagonally, her movement as agile as a spirit cat. John Carter stepped forward to dodge, and at the same time, Amelia's rune sword launched a flurry of thrusts, relentlessly pursuing him. Her attacks and movements were perfectly coordinated, maximizing speed and sense of distance. Yet her opponent’s dodges were also spot-on, each time missing by a hair’s breadth.

Boom...

John Carter countered with a backhand slash. With a clang, Amelia nimbly bounced away, her rune sword held calmly in front of her. Staring at her slowly turning opponent, she thought, King of Verbal Sparring... never heard of him, but this guy is tough!

Though she hadn’t used her full strength, her opponent could so easily see through her attacks. It had been a long time since she felt this kind of excitement. With such an opponent, Master Moore should be able to craft the perfect weapon for her.

A petite person would usually avoid direct confrontation, but Amelia was the opposite—she loved head-on clashes. The dance of blades made her young body thrill with excitement.

Chapter 12: The Little Loser's Counterattack

Whoosh... tap tap tap tap...

Amelia attacked, quickly circling around John Carter. For an ordinary warrior, this would seem foolish, but Amelia's movement created an illusion—no one could tell when she would stop or predict her direction. John Carter’s lips curled into a slight smile: frequency control, center of gravity maintained, ready to change at any moment. Any mindless pursuit would fall into her trap. This little girl’s growth was truly astonishing.

Yet in that split second of distraction, Amelia struck. She had just leapt into the air, but this time her lunge was even faster and fiercer. To outsiders, it seemed to defy inertia—she was upon him in the blink of an eye.