Filed to story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Naturally, Alistair was not pleased. He asked, “Commander Devin, you just said you would personally assess us. Are we supposed to take turns fighting you?”
“That’s right!” Sophie affirmed.
“What weapons are we using?” Alistair asked, wanting to clarify first. He knew Sophie was proficient in wielding a spear.
Sophie replied, “Unarmed. It’ll be about your techniques, footwork, and reactions.”
Alistair was overjoyed. “Really? No backing out now.”
Men were naturally stronger than women, and their reflexes were faster. Without weapons, lasting fifty exchanges with Sophie should be no problem. At most, he could win through sheer strength. After all, there was no way she could handle that many opponents at once.
Just as he was plotting to have the twelve captains wear her down one by one, Sophie called out, ” Michael, you’re up first.”
Michael stepped forward and respectfully said, “I look forward to your guidance, Commander Devin.” Inside, he was thrilled. He had witnessed Violet’s skills on the Southern Frontier battlefield??he was impressive. If she could offer him guidance, his own martial arts skills would surely improve.
He steadied his stance, his fists raised in a defensive position.
“I’ll let you have one strike!” Sophie declared. “Everyone will have the same opportunity.”
Michael took her at her word. He spread his fists like claws and lunged for Sophie’s shoulder. This move was meant to aim for the heart, but since Sophie was a woman, he couldn’t do that. Instead, grabbing her shoulder would be enough to flip her over.
Michael was quick, but Sophie dodged effortlessly as his claws came in for the grab.
He spun around and swung his fist, and the two exchanged blows at a pace so fast that those watching struggled to count the number of moves that had passed.
However, Violet was counting. “Seven, eight, nine…”
Just as they reached the forty??econd exchange, Michael finally caught hold of Sophie’s shoulder.
He was elated!
But to his shock, she shook him off, causing his hands to tingle with numbness. He immediately released her and attempted to leap back, but was just a second too slow. Sophie landed a punch to his chin; as he stumbled backward, she followed up with a series of swift, angled kicks that sent him flying.
It took him a moment to gather himself as he got back on his feet. He rubbed his chest and suppressed the pain, then bowed and said, “I’ve lost.”
He knew Sophie had been merciful. Considering their previous sparring matches on the Southern Frontier, there was no way he could have lasted more than 40 exchanges against her!
Next up was each of the twelve captains, but none managed to last the full 20 exchanges against Sophie, They all fell short at around fifteen or sixteen exchanges.
Max put up a decent fight, making it through 40 exchanges before he was taken down. When he stood back up and bowed, he wore a satisfied smile??e felt proud of his performance.
Finally, it was Alistair’s turn.
Alistair had been intently watching Sophie’s moves. He felt like he had a good grasp on her patterns. He figured he could manage 50 exchanges without much trouble. His leg techniques were his strongest suit, and Sophie’s kicks lacked the necessary power. On the other hand, her punches were incredibly fast. If he could focus on using his lower body, he believed he would hold the advantage.
He bounced on his feet a few times to stretch his muscles. “I’m up.”
Sophie wore an enigmatic smile. “Yes, it’s your turn.”
For some reason, seeing that smile sent a shiver of unease down Alistair’s spine. He couldn’t shake the feeling that she was hiding some devastating technique just for him.
“First move is yours,” Sophie offered, showing no signs of fatigue after the earlier rounds. She still looked as energized as when she had first started.
Seeing her take a slight stance, he knew she was ready. He feinted with a punch, then kicked toward her. As his foot aimed straight at her, he quickly changed direction mid??ick, targeting her chin. He executed the maneuver swiftly.
Most people would only block for their abdomen or chest, but Sophie read his intentions easily. She brought her elbows up, creating a solid guard in front of her. With a powerful thrust, she sent Alistair flying back.
He stumbled backward, scrambling to regain his balance. He executed a backflip mid??ir and landed on his feet. But before he could steady himself, a flurry of kicks came his way. He barely had time to brace himself, dodging and evading as best he could. Sophie lunged forward with a flying kick, twisting in the air to strike again.
With three or four consecutive kicks, Alistair felt his balance slipping. His insides felt like they were rearranging themselves, and he stifled a groan of pain.
This wasn’t going to work??e needed a new strategy. Gritting his teeth against the discomfort, he closed the distance between them, narrowing their fighting range. This way, Sophie wouldn’t be able to use her kicks effectively.
However, in his focus on her legs, he completely forgot about Sophie’s superior punching skills.
In close combat, with no weapons involved, fists became the ultimate weapon.
A punch landed on his chin, another struck his cheek, and a third hammered into his skull. Alistair found himself unable to mount any sort of counterattack??verything was happening too fast. All he could do was shield his head and endure the blows..
Meanwhile, Violet counted off, “45, 46, 47…”
As they reached the forty??ighth exchange, Sophie easily broke through his defense and raised her leg high in a swift motion. Her foot was level with her body, and she drove a kick at his chin, sending him flying backward.
It was the same technique he had tried to use earlier. He had the space to execute it, but Sophie employed it at close range, combining fluidity with overwhelming power. Alistair hadn’t seen it coming and crashed to the ground.
Being unable to get up meant he had lost.
Members of the Royal Guard helped him to his feet. Alistair gazed at Sophie, his eyes filled with a mix of resentment and disbelief.
Both Michael and Max had managed to last over 40 exchanges against her, and while she had the upper hand, there had been a sense of back??nd??orth in their fights. Even if it was hard for them, they were still trading blows.
But for Alistair, he felt like he had simply been a punching bag. He was unable to retaliate at all.
His martial arts skills were superior to Michael’s and Max’s, yet here he was, facing a humiliating defeat. This outcome proved that Sophie had gone easy on both of them, but with him, she had delivered a thorough beating.
At that moment, Alistair couldn’t decide whether to feel vindicated or not. After all, he had endured 48 exchanges??ne more than Michael. If everyone were blind, he could claim a victory over both Michael and Max. In that ridiculous scenario, his argument would hold water.
Sophie flicked her sleeves and stepped beside Violet.
“From now on, Violet will be your martial arts instructor. I hope you all remember to respect your teacher Though you’re not her apprentices, teaching is the same as mentorship, so you can all call her Sage Violet. She is more than capable of that.”
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
“But how skilled is she? Does she have the qualifications to teach us?”
Violet smiled slightly before launching herself at Sophie, who sidestepped to avoid her, then grabbed her arm and pulled her back. In a split second, Violet executed a backflip and soared through the air.
The two exchanged blows for what felt like an eternity, their movements so swift that it was nearly impossible to follow. The sound of their strikes cut through the air like thunder, and on more than one occasion, their flying kicks shattered nearby flagstones into pieces, leaving the onlookers in shock.
Their match made everyone reconsider the earlier assessment??t felt like the true test was taking place right before their eyes. Based on what they were seeing now, Sophie could have easily taken them down in just a few moves.
After over a hundred exchanges, the two finally came to a halt, stepping back to catch their breath. Despite their intense battle, their appearances were only slightly disheveled.