Ch. 38 Clayton's Plan

Harvey's original plan had been to send Gwen and Raylee in the first round. With Gwen's illusion magic, enhanced by Raylee, no one would be able to match them—no matter how skilled the opponent, even if they were a level 5 Hunter. In the second half, Harvey intended to send Kai and Zak. While Kai's abilities might not be as strong as those of the others, he and Zak were childhood friends with an unbreakable bond. Their cooperation, the synergy between a knight and an assassin, would be formidable. The strength they brought from understanding each other's thought processes was exceptional.

Harvey had considered this strategy carefully and concluded that Heidi and Clayton didn't need to step up. But then…

"Teacher Harvey, may I speak?"

Clayton, who had been silent throughout the conversation, wasn't eager to share his opinion. He had learned to keep his thoughts to himself, following whatever strategy the guidance teacher or Heidi decided. The more people overlooked him, the better—after all, he was a Realm Knight, and thanks to a mysterious method that accelerated his recovery, he had now become an assistant-level Knight. He had effectively reached the strength of a level 12 Hunter.

Fighting against a young Hunter at level 4 or 5? It was like an adult bullying a child in elementary school. But then...

"I only need Clayton, Teacher. It must be him!" How could he ignore the girl's adorable demand?

"Alright," Harvey replied reluctantly, nodding toward Clayton. "What is it that you have in mind?"

"For the first round, I think it's better to send Kai and Zak," Clayton began. "They've been working together since childhood, and they understand each other's way of thinking. Even though Kai's innate core is weaker, his determination and talent are comparable to someone with a tier 8 innate core. I'm confident they can win, no matter who their opponents are."

Harvey nodded thoughtfully since he also thought the teamwork between those two was indeed remarkable. "That's a solid point. Go on."

"For the second round, Heidi and Cain should go. Cain's ability to protect a mage with Absolute Defense is essential."

"But if you rely on Heidi alone..." Harvey began to object.

"She can win," Clayton interrupted confidently. "Heidi, isn't your ice magic extremely rare? I heard it's Ultimate Ice."

Ultimate Ice? The ability to command all forms of ice, water, and snow—powerful enough to extinguish flames in an instant. Even Zak, who prided himself on his talent, gawked at Heidi in disbelief.

"Ultimate Ice?" Harvey asked, stunned. "Heidi, is that true?"

"Yes, it's true," Heidi answered, though it was clear she was hesitant to reveal it. "But it was supposed to be a secret. How did you know?"

Clayton shrugged his shoulders. "My mother told me."

Harvey felt his hope rise at this revelation. "Then we might just have a chance. But what if we lose…?" He paused, contemplating the potential fallout if this 2v2 match resulted in defeat. Would they then have to rely on Gwen and Clayton? And if they lost, wouldn't that leave Raylee to fight the durability round alone?

"We won't lose," Clayton responded casually. "Why would we join the tournament if we were expecting to lose? Even if we do lose once, it's not the end. We can still compete in the other rounds."

Clayton yawned and sprawled onto his bed, signaling to the others that the discussion was over.

He does whatever he wants! Everyone thought, but his words struck a chord. Why would we join the tournament if we were expecting to lose? The sentiment was powerful, inspiring, and impossible to ignore.

"Alright," Heidi said, finally taking a deep breath. "We will win! Let's rest now and get some cultivation in tomorrow morning."

The others agreed, thanked their teacher, and left for their rooms. Gwen, however, lingered, looking troubled as she stared at Clayton.

"Teacher Harvey, may I speak with you?" she asked softly, her voice betraying a sense of urgency.

Harvey turned, puzzled by her unusual hesitance. "Of course. Is something wrong, Gwen?"

"I want to compete. I want to be in the first round."

Harvey was about to agree, but before he could speak, a new voice interrupted.

"I don't want to go in the first round," Clayton said, his voice lazy and indifferent.

Gwen walked over to his bed, looking more determined. "Then let's switch to the second round."

Clayton, however, merely shrugged. "Don't want to."

Gwen felt her frustration build. Her patience was running thin, and it seemed like the volcano inside her was ready to explode. She grabbed his arm, pulling him into a sitting position. "Didn't you say you'd always be with me?"

"When did I say that?" Clayton asked, raising an eyebrow in mock confusion.

"You said that when I used my illusion magic," Gwen protested.

"No, I said you could do it, and I'd be right behind you," Clayton corrected, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"There's no difference," Gwen insisted.

"Do you know why I have to stand behind you?" Clayton asked, his tone shifting to one of mischief.

"Isn't it to help me?" she asked, slightly confused.

"No," Clayton grinned. "I stand behind you so the opponent doesn't notice me."

Gwen's mouth fell open in disbelief, and even Harvey, who had been quietly observing, was too speechless to respond. Even if Clayton stood in the middle of the arena, no opponent would give him a second glance.

"Are you really unwilling to help me?" Gwen's voice wavered as she tried to hold back her tears.

Clayton rolled his eyes. "Don't try to fool me again with that look. It's not going to work."

With that, he lay back down, his head resting on his hand, looking entirely relaxed despite the situation. "But if you truly, urgently want my help, you'll have to kiss me here," he said, pointing to his cheek with a mischievous grin.

Gwen's face turned bright red. "You pervert! Why should I kiss you?"

"Well, am I not your boyfriend? What's wrong with that?" Clayton shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm only a level 3 Knight, and I don't have a good sword. I'm also afraid of getting hurt. And my mother… she'd make a scene if I got injured."

Harvey, unable to bear witnessing the scene any longer, quietly retreated from the room, leaving the two alone.

"So... you should go back to your room if you..." Clay couldn't continue his sentence when he felt a soft pair of lips land on his cheek. He froze, his eyes wide in surprise.