'Isn't this blatant targeting?!'
Kiana was annoyed.
"I think she's just scared I'll get first place and slap her face with it, so she suddenly changed the requirements!"
Otherwise, she and Levi could blast straight through St. Freya.
"Testing combat skills?" Levi was also stunned.
'Isn't this making things hard for me, Levi?'
Everyone knows he's famous for being strong enough to throw bricks.
Without brute force, how was he supposed to deal with the exam? How was he supposed to help Kiana get first place?
'Why don't we go drown Theresa in the sea while there's still time?' Kiana offered her idea.
Back in the Far East, sea-drowning was something you could see anywhere, an essential measure to deal with people you didn't want to see.
Very convenient and effective.
'And Theresa even comes with her own cross. We don't even need to prepare anything, just tie her up and she'll sink.'
Levi sucked in a breath of cold air. His expression was extremely complicated. 'Kiana, be honest.'
'Did you get together with some blondie from the Far East while I wasn't around?!'
The Kiana who used to be kind and cute would never come up with such a vicious method like drowning someone at sea.
Looking at Kiana reflected in the full-length mirror, Levi murmured, 'I always thought the one most likely to get tricked by a Far Eastern blondie was Mei. I didn't expect you to be the first.'
'Tell me honestly. Who is that blondie? I'll go butcher him right now!'
'You!'
Kiana rolled her eyes hard, completely exasperated.
She didn't even know many men to begin with, especially after the entire population of Nagazora City was wiped out. After coming to St. Freya Academy, side from Levi from the chat group, and her stupid dad Siegfried, she basically didn't know any other men.
Not to mention the so-called "Far Eastern blondie" Levi was talking about, back in Nagazora, those blondies always avoided her like the plague.
How could she possibly be involved with one now?
Hearing her answer, Levi froze.
Then he immediately summoned his Blazing Greatsword and placed it against his own neck.
Glowering at his reflection in the mirror, he snarled, 'So you're the one seducing my Kiana, huh?! Die!'
Kiana happily watched his performance… but soon she realized something.
'Wait… isn't that my body…'
'Stop!'
Levi halted his self-slashing motion, face stern. 'Kiana, you don't have to beg for his sake. Trash like that deserves to die!'
'Am I begging for him? I'm begging to keep myself alive!' Kiana thought.
Trying to steady her panic, Kiana said, 'If you want to kill him, can you at least switch back first, wait!'
Levi had just started moving again when she stopped him.
Eventually, under Levi's threats, Kiana gave in and played along with this humiliating PY act.
'I… I…'
'You're stuttering! Do it again!'
Staring at Levi with the huge sword hanging from his neck, Kiana was so angry her teeth practically itched.
'Just wait, when I get to Luofu, I'm giving you a mouthful of payback!'
She took a deep breath and soothed her extremely embarrassed heart.
Right now she was a bit grateful she was in some unknown state where no one could see her expression.
'I… I really do like Blondie Levi! Please let us be together!'
"Good! I approve!"
Hearing Kiana's voice, Levi grinned so wide it nearly reached his ears.
A bit of a shame he couldn't see her current expression.
But that was also a good thing.
If he really did see her expression, she would probably knock him out with a single punch.
And judging by how Kiana had just been grinding her teeth, that punch would probably send him straight to next year's memorial payout.
Although judging by his connections in Luofu, he'd only get, like… two payouts max.
Kind of little.
Might not be enough.
———
Raiden Mei knocked on the door, entered, and informed Levi of the sudden exam change. Levi said he understood.
This change meant even ordinary people like Raiden Mei now had a chance to pass in actual combat and even score high marks.
After all, Raiden Mei had been learning the killing art known as the "Hokushin Itto-ryu" since childhood.
Her combat technique wasn't far behind.
And she herself had never undergone Valkyrie training. Even though she was an Original Stigmata bearer, she couldn't unleash any transcendent power.
A skill-based test was actually good for her.
But for someone like Levi, who already possessed great strength, such a change was undoubtedly a nerf, meant to keep him from getting high marks.
If someone with overwhelming strength could one-shot everyone he faced, then technique naturally wouldn't matter much.
Over time, his combat skill would fall behind others.
'Do you have a solution in mind?' Kiana asked.
Levi had just recovered from Honkai disease, and judging by the photos, he didn't look like someone trained in martial arts.
For a technique-heavy test, she might even be better, after all, she did know gun-kata.
With how familiar she was with gun-kata, getting a passing grade would be easy.
It was just a pity she couldn't smack Theresa in the face.
Levi frowned and began checking his abilities.
A moment later, his furrowed brows slowly relaxed.
"No need for you to step in. I already have a plan!"
Looking at his ability [Archery Mastery (MAX)], he had assumed it was just proficiency with a bow, basically useless.
But after carefully examining it, he discovered it wasn't just proficiency.
It included body movements, footwork, and methods of coordinating Honkai energy with a longbow.
In terms used in fantasy worlds, this ability was an entire complete cultivation method.
'As expected, I can't underestimate anything that's reached MAX level.'
Whether it was Silver Wolf's hacking ability or Elysia's Archery Mastery, every single one was extremely useful.
But Levi still had to say, "Nothing beats the Original Herrscher."
If he had Herrscher power, all these other things would just be side decorations.
Skills are ultimately external. Only power is the true foundation.
The Astral Express carried the Nameless onward again, and the universe trembled once more under the disturbance of the Stellaron Hunters.
The Honkai disease was cured, but now, Luofu was on the verge of disaster.
The Lord Ravager, Phantylia, was invading Luofu.
The Arbor of Luofu was reviving.
Without sufficient strength, how could he possibly protect himself from annihilation, in a Luofu crawling with Abundance aberrations?
All the power Levi currently had was still within the limits of a mortal.
Simply put, Levi had developed Firepower Deficiency Anxiety.
"Only by becoming a Aeon…"
But clearly that was impossible. Levi wouldn't become a Aeon, nor did he want to.
So…
"Kiana, let's have a heart-to-heart."
"Why are you suddenly saying that?" Kiana's cheeks reddened slightly.
She had just been forced by Levi to say something humiliating, and now he wanted to "speak from the heart."
'Is he going to confess to me?!'
Kiana's eyes went wide.
Who could blame her? With Levi's recent behavior, wasn't this just like those boys in manga who prank girls to get their attention?
But the person she liked was Mei.
Kiana felt conflicted.
If she was honest, did she really have zero feelings for Levi?
Impossible.
Even Lumine, that treacherous rebel, she had some fondness for. How could she not appreciate someone who had helped her so much like Levi?
'Ugh… if he really confesses, what am I supposed to say?'
"..."