Chloe: "...At a time like this you can still joke around. Should I praise you for living up to your reputation?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Chloe threw a large knife that pierced deep into the python's scales.
The immense pain made the python's entire body convulse, but perhaps Daniel's word "boar" had truly annoyed it. The python disregarded the pain and resolutely charged at Daniel!
Chloe laughed: "Good python!"
After saying so, she unfurled her wings and took to the air, flying swiftly towards the python.
The large knife let out a metallic ring as it returned to Chloe's palm. Holding a blade larger than her own body, she swung it down with force.
At the same time, bestial claws emerged from Daniel's fingertips. Gripping his iron hammer, he aimed at the python's head and smashed it heavily!
The strike was extremely powerful, dazing the python momentarily. But after a brief shudder, it opened its large mouth, baring its fangs to bite Daniel.
On the other side, Qin Huaibei, who had been standing still all along, drew out his spear and hurled it forward with force.
The spear pierced through the python's lower jaw at high speed, instantly wedging its mouth open and rendering it unable to move.
Seizing the opportunity, Daniel and Chloe simultaneously swung their weapons at the python's teeth.
With a "crack", the pride and weapon of the python were smashed into pieces, falling onto the sandy ground.
The python's body froze for an instant.
The observing military academy teachers and staff were also frozen in place.
Everyone was used to targeting the seven inches of a snake. This was the first time they had witnessed someone knocking out its teeth first.
But Chloe, who had directly broken the python's teeth herself, was exceptionally excited. She had suffered in the rain before, so now she wanted to tear apart someone else's umbrella too.
It had deliberately opened its big mouth to flaunt its perfect teeth at her, hadn't it? She would now turn it from a snake with teeth into an obedient toothless baby snake.
Having lost its teeth, the python instantly flew into a frenzied state. Its massive body thrashed about on the sand, its tail whipping the ground and sending plumes of greyish-yellow sand into the air.
But everyone was wearing masks and unaffected by the sand.
Behind the python, Anderson's expression was cold and stern. Holding a knife identical to Chloe's, he decisively severed the python's tail!
In the next moment, Daniel leapt from the ground while Chloe dove down from the air. Hammer and blade descended as one, aimed at the python's seven inch vital point to attack!
The python was promptly hacked into three pieces, left faintly breathing as it lay limply on the sandy ground.
Though the head still showed faint signs of life, its mouth was pierced through by Qin Huaibei's spear, leaving it unable to close its jaws at all.
Chloe fluttered her wings and landed, peering left and right at the python. She then taunted, "What a pathetic snake."
Having said so, she went forward to pick up the python's shattered venomous fangs that had fallen to the ground.
It was clear at a glance that these teeth had been well nourished. Pristine milky white, with sharp tips, they felt icy cold to the touch despite being broken into fragments. Carelessness could still easily lead to one's fingers being pierced through.
Qin walked over to the python's head and pulled out his spear, looking left and right with a disgusted expression.
"How filthy."
Daniel was also holding the venomous fangs and walked over to take a look, saying, "Very filthy indeed."
He then patted Qin Huaibei on the shoulder, "Thanks for the trouble, buddy."
Qin Huaibei was too lazy to respond to him.
At this moment, Katherine walked up to them and asked, "Anyone injured?"
Hearing this, Chloe, who had been examining the fangs, immediately ran over. "Me, me! I'm injured!"
Saying so, she pitifully extended her palm, revealing the deep laceration across it from the python's scales.
The vivid red wound cut deeply, exposing the bone.
Katherine frowned slightly. "How could you be so careless?"
She then closed her eyes, using the elemental magic unique to elves to heal Chloe's injury.
On the other side, Anderson also walked over with knitted brows, eyeing Chloe's wounded hand.
But Chloe herself was utterly unworried. Using her uninjured hand, she carefully turned the damaged venomous fang this way and that as she admired it.
After everyone had rested for a while, they continued on their way.
Before leaving, Daniel buried the massive python head in the sand, creating a simple grave for it.
No one else paid attention to his actions. After all, Daniel being mentally abnormal was nothing new.
They carried on their journey, encountering more and more monsters along the way. But for Chloe and company, dealing with them did not prove very difficult.
The advantage of being from The No.1 Military Academy was very apparent. They were a combination of the top members from every major racial group, with clear divisions of labor in strength, tactics and healing that greatly reduced the competitive pressure.
However, such divisions of labor had also been a weakness of The No.1 Military Academy in the past.
People from different races were bound to be mutually suspicious and unable to truly entrust their backs to one another. The main roster did not have mutual trust, making them extremely prone to infighting and disintegration.
Many spectators outside the arena were focused on The No.1 Military Academy.
They realized that The No.1's main roster seemed unusually united this year. Despite consisting of different racial groups, there was unexpectedly little barrier between them.
On the contrary, they joked around with a sense of comradeship. This was rather strange.
The staff observing through the video feed looked on with complicated gazes. The mainland citizens watching this edition of the tournament through the broadcast, especially, felt extremely curious about The No.1 Military Academy.
[How unexpected for The No.1 to not be fighting so far!]
[Right, they'd usually start quarreling over the leadership since the first round. Their quietness this year is so rare!]
[So who is their leader? I can't really make it out at all?]
[Is it possible they simply have no leader?]
Indeed, The No.1 had no designated leader. Anyone free would take the map and lead the way. If differing opinions popped up when dealing with emergencies along the road, they would hold a vote and go with the majority decision.
Fairness and justice through minority submitted to majority.
The map was currently in Chloe's hands.
Citing eye pain, Qin Huaibei had snuck to the back ranks and was carefully wiping his prized spear using a handkerchief.
The Desert Planet was massive. Looking at the map and the collapsing road markers around them, Chloe estimated that reaching the finish point this time would require at least three days.
With this thought, she dug out a nearby marker from the sand and re-erected it upright.
As they walked, Chloe kept scanning their surroundings with her senses.
After some time, she abruptly spoke. "To the side..."
"What's to the side? Monsters?" Daniel asked excitedly, eager to fight as he raised his iron hammer.
Chloe gave him a wordless look. "There are people to the side, you battle maniac."
Hearing this, Daniel disappointingly lowered his hammer and asked, "Who is it?"
After carefully probing, Chloe said, "It seems to be Brut Military Academy's team. They're to our right-rear, we've collided into them."
Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions stirred.
Qin Huaibei stroked his chin. "What was it that Kamen said again?"
Katherine reminded him, "That she would press us flat against the ground and grind us beneath her feet in the arena."
The team exchanged looks and came to a unanimous internal decision.
And so, when Kamen lead Brut Military Academy's team towards them, what she saw ahead was five silhouettes emerging from the yellow sand.
Cracking knuckles and raring to go, they stared at her team with fierce eyes. The Daniel at the very front even broke into a twisted grin, resembling the lead villain about to destroy the world from a fantasy story.
Kamen: ???
