The opponent realized something is wrong when Sam pointed the Katar at him. The same energy bullet that he has been facing since earlier is being conjured.

It is shot.

He threw the dagger to block it.

*BOOM* The explosion happened, however, he felt a sense of dread that he didn't expect.

*BOOM BOOM*

Two explosions, happened on either side. The left one is near him arm, while the right one is near his leg. He lost his balance and crashed to the ground. He didn't know where the attacks came from.

He didn't sense them.

He didn't see them coming.

He didn't even see Sam conjuring the energy to launch those attacks.

At the same time, Sam is currently holding his throbbing forehead with gritted teeth. That move is not exactly lethal and it is definitely not overly poweful.

But it took a lot out of him. Mostly mentally.

It is something he improvised on his resonance technique. When the explosion happened from the collision of the dagger and the bullet, he used resonance to replicate the explosion at the two spots. Usually, the resonance is created when he is the source of the attack.

He can replicate it, enhance it and amplify it.

But this time in the explosion, his contribution is only half. The dagger played a role in there as well, which makes it hard for him to replicate. This has been in progress for some time. This is the first time he used it in the field.

He felt the pressure in his head. The sharp ache is tad regretful.

The opponent tried to get up after crashing down. But as he tried to circulate his spiritual energy to support his broken limbs, sharp pain hit him.

He couldn't move.

He couldn't even feel the presence of his limbs. His energy circulation network seemed to have been busted by that explosion. And his guess is right. Sam used the weakness displayed in the glasses and destroyed them with the explosions.

That is the only thing that made the head ache worth the price.

Sam went down and stood in front of the target. At the same time, he looked around searching for someone. His gaze is locked on top of the one of the closest buildings. A familiar face in a familiar uniform.

Christos is looking at Sam with a cold gaze.

Anger has never been more apparent in his eyes. Sam clicked his tongue and said to the target who is sprawled on the ground.

"You know, you are not supposed to die here. Because you were supposed to be only in the Team combat, but you are moved to the solo combat and you are dying. I wonder if Christos anticipated it when he changed the position with you.

"

The opponent didn't say anything.

His face is not showing any signs of anger or frustration. It went way past despair. He lost the will to fight.

Even though he had doubts about a clean victory, he did believe that he would give a hell of a fight in this solo combat competition. When Christos withdrew from the Solo combat exactly the day before the competition started and offering him that position, he took it happily.

He believed this is his opportunity to shine.

But to think that he will meet his end like this. Even when fighting Sam, he thought he could make him run around the city and have some epic showdown. But a few minutes and Sam made the whole fight anti-climatic.

There is no excitement or struggle in it.

His chance to finally shine and the opponent that is ending him didn't even bother knowing his name. He was assigned an identity called Target 3. That is all he is worth in the opponent's eyes and the history might even remember him as such.

When this thought hit his mind, he wanted to put on one final struggle.

"I... I am...

"

He was about to say his name to Sam. But...

*STAB*

Sam stabbed the Katar and opened the blades. Tearing him apart. Once he is dead, Sam walked back to the Paradise inn.

He didn't care if anyone will attack him. He welcomed it with open arms. All this while, he didn't take initiative because he wanted to create this impact. When the competition is announced that there are no restrictions on using formations and inscriptions, he knew would win.

Heck, the Hub is a clear representation of what he can do with ample preparation and

resources.

To deal with a bunch of Peak stage second graders? That is childsplay compared to it.

He knew that he will also attract a lot of trouble and even more trouble if he kept his cards hidden. So, he just repelled back the enemies that came after him, showing a glimpse of the threat that he could be.

Creating an opposition of the combined forces who had aligned interest of dealing with Sam. With each passing contest, this happened and they just put everything aside and focused on

Sam.

Now, that it is the last couple of days of the competition, they don't have a choice. Originally, they still had Sam as an excuse to stop and push back the fighting. Now, they don't. Anybody who wants to fight him can come and get some.

The tensions that are growing through the days are now about to erupt.

On top of it all, they are all scared of Sam at the moment. No one from the second grade would want to fight him. They are also scared how Sam would take revenge on them. So, before that happens, they need to ensure that they become finalists.

So, even as Sam walked back to the Paradise inn, people already started fighting with their

allies.

Meanwhile, Christos and the Elder in charge of Zeus academy are in a meeting with the other grade combat participants.

There are only two participants left in the Third grade. Three in the fourth grade. But the three people from the fourth grade are in a very bad shape. Two of them are exhausted with the constant running, as they were trying to escape any possible attacks from Gambler academy

students.

The third one is already in an engaged state.

It is the war they started, but they got their asses handed to them.

The fourth graders of Gambler academy led by Dove, made their lives living hell. If not for the alliances they forged and the timely intervention of others, all five of them would have died. The elder is pulling his hair in frustration as they looked at the pitiful state in which the Zeus academy's team is at the moment.

"Is this why you escaped, Christos? When you gave up being a contestant in the solo combat, I knew there is some hidden intentions. Did you know this would happen? Were you aware how troublesome that guy is?

"

Christos pursed his lips and didn't say anything for a moment. After some time he sighed and

said.

"I was not sure, but I was aware of somethings.

"

As soon as he said that, the elder abruptly looked at him. In fact, he wasn't really expecting an answer from Christos. He was merely ranting.

Christos didn't explain and just walked out. He went to his room and just laid down on the

bed. Christos was indeed supposed to be part of the team. But like the elder mentioned, he backed out. There are two reasons for that.

One of them is that through his information network, he managed to find out what exactly the

solo combat competition is.

It is a free for all hunting season.

That is not even the deciding point though. He got some information about Sam. Ever since he took up the task of dealing with Sam, he has been facing severe set backs.

Soon after he got his ass handed to him with the Telchine incident, he got some information

from the lower realms.

The information related to Dusk organization. For some reason, the Dusk that he ignored before made him think and he noticed how they are going after the Olympian organizations in

the lower realms.

And the methods they used... he managed to relate them to the way Sam and the Hub handled things. Even the Flaming Skulls had a similar approach.

Then he kept on digging and digging. Soon, he understood that Sam is definitely related to Dusk. He doesn't know to what extent, but if it is true, then the feats created by the Dusk members... he knew no one else had a chance in the open season when Sam is here.

With the old and new grudges, he is sure that he will die.

That is why he backed out. As for why, he didn't inform anyone else in the Zeus academy... no

one would be willing to listen to him now.

He is out of student council and he is out of the Noble league. He lost his family support as

well. Except for the network he built in a isolated way from his family is left and that just might have saved his life.