Chapter 17: A Bitter Taste of Defeat

Sarah couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. Although she was confident that William would put up a good fight, she never expected him to emerge victorious. What most people didn't know was that Anna was actually a 3-star mage.

Even though Anna had recently achieved a breakthrough, it didn't change the fact that she was a peak low-tier mage. Despite the significant disparity between a 3-star mage and someone without a mana core, Anna had still lost to William.

Of course, the fact that Anna didn't use magic did contribute to her defeat, but it didn't negate the fact that she lost to someone who wasn't a mage.

Anna's body lay frozen on the ground as she heard the fight come to an end. Initially, she had thought the fight would be easy, considering she was a 3-star mage while her opponent was not. Even with the handicap of being unable to use magic, she had been confident in her ability to defeat him.

But never in her wildest dreams did she expect to lose today. She first realized she was going to lose when the fight reached the 2-minute mark. Even after barraging her opponent with strike after strike, William seemed to counter her effortlessly.

To an outsider, it may have appeared that William was desperately countering her strikes, but Anna knew better. Each of her strikes was countered with ease by William. The only reason he appeared desperate was to deceive her during the fight.

During the battle, Anna realized she had been tricked. By the time she had realized it, William's strike had already landed, and the fight was over.

Anna wasn't a sore loser. In fact, she was the type to gladly admit defeat if she lost. But now, she was unsure. Her defeat against William left a bitter taste in her mouth.

As much as she wanted to deny it, the fact remained that she had lost, and she had to accept it, whether she liked it or not.

"I still can't believe I just won, especially against a mage opponent," I said in disbelief. Although my master had told me that a warrior would hold an advantage against a low-tier mage, it didn't truly sink in until I defeated one.

While beating a mage was exciting, what excited me even more was the realization that I had the ability to fight against mages. Finally, all my training had borne fruit today.

"Congratulations, William! You won!" Sarah snapped me out of my excitement, offering her congratulations.

"Thanks, but I only won because of the handicap. If she fought with her full abilities, I doubt I could even fight back," I replied, acknowledging the reality.

"It's good that you know how to be tactful," Anna interjected, walking toward Sarah. It seemed she couldn't accept her defeat gracefully. Although she looked begrudgingly at me, she didn't say anything further.

"Anyway, William has proven himself, so I assume everyone agrees with him joining, right?" Sarah voiced her opinion to Anna and Thomas.

"It's fine," Anna replied nonchalantly, while Thomas simply said, "Okay."

"Since everyone agrees, it's decided. Once again, welcome to the team, William," Sarah said, extending her hand for a handshake and smiling at me.

"You're welcome." I smiled back, reaching out to shake her hand. With that, I officially became a member of the team.

Night had fallen, and the moonlight illuminated the sky. In a distant location far from Miston City, a grand mansion stood atop a hill. Its elegant design, following the style of western nobility, added to its already impressive presence.

Within the mansion that night, two men were engaged in a conversation. One man stood with his back turned, listening attentively as the other respectfully conveyed something to him.

"Did you find her?" the man inquired.

"Yes, she now lives in Miston City. I confirmed this information before reporting it to you, sir," the other man replied.

The man with his back turned and fell silent for a moment. The air around him seemed to change suddenly, only to return to its previous state.

"Leave her alone for now. When the time comes, she will come back to me whether she wants it or not." the man commanded.

"Yes, sir!" The man quietly left the room, leaving the man with his back turned behind.

As the man gazed at the sky, his eyes fixed on the beautiful moonlit night. No one knew what thoughts were playing inside his mind. All that could be seen was his imposing figure and his piercing dark eyes.