My Demonic Farm: A Progression Fantasy LitRPG

Alex, with an unreadable expression, responded, “I understand all of your concerns. This outcome was unexpected… It was meant to be a fair contest, but the use of that mist bomb compromised that fairness for everyone.”

Lorian countered, his eyes narrowing, "But that was my brother's skill, no different from their long-range spells."

Alex, positioning himself as a paragon of justice, declared, “No, we cannot allow this… To ensure fairness, you’ll have to face off against one of their teams… The victorious team will claim this silver box and earn their place in Phoenixwing Academy this year.”

At this challenge, Lorian showed no irritation but inquired, “Which team will that be? Out of sixty, most are in no condition to fight."

As he spoke, those sprawled on the ground started to get up, brushing off the dust.

Puzzled by Lorian's question, Alex scanned the crowd for a viable team, then decided, “You will face three teams one after another… If you defeat all three, the victory and the silver box are yours.”

Lorian accepted the challenge, albeit noting the unfairness, “Unfair as it may seem, we'll accept.”

Alex thought to himself, ‘He believes they can win just with the two of them? I’ve heard that young man has no mana, and this elven boy alone can’t protect him… I’m curious to see how they’ll manage… Three matches? Doubtful they’ll win even one… This is going to be interesting to watch.’

Turning to the assembled teams, Alex asked, “Who wants to go first?” inviting challengers to step forward.

As Alex’s eyes swept the crowd, aiming to select the mightiest amongst them, the eager teams couldn't hold back, each clamoring for the opportunity to prove themselves against the duo.

“We'll be the ones to put them in their place…”

“No, we should have the first go at it…”

“Ithan, your crew doesn’t even come close to strong enough…”

Amidst the growing contention, Lorian’s voice sliced through the commotion like a sharp blade, "Why quarrel over turns? All of you can try your luck against us at once."

This brazen challenge threw the crowd into an uproar, hurling insults towards Lorian.

“This elf’s arrogance knows no bounds…”

“Does he truly believe he can face us all and emerge victorious?”

“Senior Alex, grant us the honor of humbling him, to teach a lesson in humility…”

“We’ll show them their place…”

Even those who had previously felt sidelined, convinced they’d miss the chance to compete against the trio, now found their spirits ignited with fury. The notion that merely two could contend against not only a team of four but every group present was unfathomable, stirring a collective desire to prove the duo's folly.

Alex, amidst this turmoil, muttered to himself, ‘Has he completely lost his senses, issuing a challenge to everyone? Ah, where did this fool come from? I was led to believe elves bore wisdom superior to that of humans, but now I’m starting to question that...’

With a heavy sigh, bearing the weight of the situation, Alex issued a stern warning, "Are you absolutely certain about this? Keep in mind, I can’t assure you’ll escape unscathed... And this time, there will be no use of gadgets or cheap tricks. This battle will test your mettle in close combat—no spells, no ranged attacks, only the raw clash of power and skill."

The crowd fell into a tense silence, all eyes on the elf and his companion, waiting for their answer.

In response, Lorian turned towards his teammate, the young man with whitish-cyan hair. Until now, he had been an enigma, silent and unyielding.

Stepping forward with a protective stance before Lorian, he pulled out a sharp blade from a dark void. His simple actions gave a silent but clear acceptance of the unfair challenge laid before them.

Alex massaged his temples, annoyed by the recklessness before him. Yet, he couldn't ignore the gravity of the situation. "Remember, do not kill them," he cautioned the gathered students with a serious tone. "Severe punishment will follow for those who do."

While he harbored no fondness for the duo and their apparent arrogance, the last thing he wanted was for their deaths to occur on his watch. Such an event would surely draw unwanted attention from the academy's higher-ups and plunge him into a dire predicament.

As the students positioned themselves at a twenty-meter distance, Alex prepared to initiate a battle that was unparalleled in its unfairness and strangeness, a scenario unprecedented in the history of Phoenixwing Academy.

"3… 2… 1… Begin…" At his signal to commence the battle, Lorian withdrew, aiming to distance himself from the fray.

The students, armed with an assortment of weapons ranging from swords and maces to daggers, advanced like a tsunami towards the lone figure who had drawn his sword.

Yet, amidst the onslaught, the young man remained unfazed. The prospect of facing attacks from sixty-five groups, all of whom were above circle rank 20, did not intimidate him in the slightest. After all, he had single-handedly decimated an entire battalion under Count Cedric during the previous war. Compared to that, this challenge was nothing to him.

As the deadly weapons—swords, maces, and daggers—neared him, he swung his sword, parrying each attack with precision.

*Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!*

With each deflection, his free hand lashed out, not with lethal intent, but with powerful punches aimed to neutralize rather than harm. His movements were simple, showing none of the ferocity one might expect.

He seemed an easy target, yet he was never where an attacker expected him to be, shifting position with minimal effort as if he had predicted each strike beforehand. His approach was restrained; though he wielded his sword to parry incoming blows, he chose to disarm rather than injure with his blade, his punches effectively disengaging his opponents without causing any serious harm.

*Crack!*

The clear sound of bones breaking reverberated through the air as one of the students was sent crashing to the ground by a powerful punch.

Theo’s leg connected with another student’s chest with such force that the student was propelled like a missile, tumbling to the ground in a heap.

In mere seconds, some of the students found themselves incapacitated, knocked to the earth without sustaining fatal injuries. Yet, amidst the chaos of the advancing horde, it went unnoticed that those who had been felled did not rise to continue their assault.

As a minute ticked by, the tide of battle momentarily paused, drawing eyes to the groaning figures strewn across the field. A collective gasp of astonishment escaped the crowd as they realized the extent of the defeat laid before them.

Before long, the battlefield fell quiet; there was no longer any need for him to engage. The ground was littered with contenders, battered and bruised, their groans echoing around the field. Those few who remained standing locked eyes with the emotionless figure at the center, their expressions morphing into fear. Not one dared to advance further.

Theo's piercing gaze was enough to send them retreating beyond the fifty-meter boundary. Driven by fear, they chose to disqualify themselves rather than face the formidable opponent before them.

Turning his attention from the retreating contenders, Theo looked towards Alex. The examiner's expression mirrored that of someone who'd just witnessed the unthinkable, as if he had seen a ghost.

Without awaiting a formal declaration or any acknowledgment from Alex, Theo strode towards him.

Alex, momentarily intimidated by the Devil, instinctively stepped back. Theo, paying him no further mind, simply took the silver box and descended from the stone platform.

Lorian caught up with him, casting one last glance over the crowd. "Hope to see you all next year," he said, his voice carrying a hint of satisfaction. Together, they left behind a crowd still grappling with astonishment.

As the final day of the entrance exams for Phoenixwing Academy concluded, word of the day's surprising events spread rapidly.

The story of how Alex had seemingly been unfair, despite the duo's clear victory in the competition, became the talk of the academy. It was astonishing that a single team managed to stand against a group of over sixty contenders.

The news not only captivated the outer court but also reached the higher-ups of the inner court, alerting them to the unusual and arguably unfair trial that had taken place.

Yet, amidst all the buzz and speculation, the identities of the two victorious new students remained a mystery. No one was quite sure who they were, except for some teachers who had been informed by either Alex or had seen the silver box in their possession.