Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 313: The Tri-Academy Exchange Arc (Part-5)

Ophelia felt as if her internal organs had shifted violently, sharp pain erupting throughout her body. Her vision swam, and her breathing became labored.

She tried to straighten herself, but a violent surge rose in her chest. Unable to suppress it, she spat out a mouthful of blood.

*Puchi*

The injuries she had suffered earlier at Zora’s hands had never fully healed. Now, struck again, her condition was even worse than before.

This was precisely why Lunar Academy had tried so hard to avoid another clash with Zora before the academy exchange. An injury at this stage meant entering the competition already at a fatal disadvantage.

Yet Ophelia’s luck had been merciless. The one person she least wanted to face was Zora, and fate had delivered her straight into those hands.

She wanted to keep fighting. Her pride screamed at her to stand.

But her body gave her the answer before her will could.

It was impossible.

"Zora wins!" the referee announced without hesitation.

Ophelia stood frozen, her mind blank.

Before stepping onto the stage, had she ever imagined this outcome?

One move. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Just a single move.

She had been defeated.

She, who had always looked down on the Imperial Academy, was crushed so cleanly by one decisive strike. The irony cut deeper than the pain in her body.

The surrounding crowd was equally stunned.

Both Zora and Ophelia were renowned beauties, and many eyes had been fixed on their match. Given Lunar Academy’s long-standing dominance over the academy, most people had assumed Ophelia would claim victory.

Yet no one had anticipated this result.

Zora had taken the first victory of the academy exchange with an overwhelming, crushing display, leaving behind nothing but shock and disbelief.

She stepped down from the martial stage at an unhurried pace and returned to her team’s position.

Among all the arenas, hers was the first battle to end. On the other stages, waves of spiritual energy were still colliding as the remaining contestants fought fiercely, techniques flashing one after another.

Sebastian and Miel exchanged glances, surprise flickering in their eyes. They had long known that Zora would not lose, yet ending the fight in a single move still exceeded their expectations. Such clean dominance was impossible to ignore.

Around the arena, murmurs gradually spread through the crowd.

"Wasn’t it said that the Spirit Warriors from the academy were weak? Zora defeated Ophelia with just one move. Is that what they call weak?"

Some of the civilians watching could not help but voice their doubts. Under Thunderclap Academy’s influence, they had always believed that the academy was nothing more than an empty name, barely worth mentioning. Some had even thought it should be abolished altogether, that its continued existence was meaningless.

But Zora’s performance shattered that impression.

A single strike to suppress an opponent so decisively could only mean one thing: her strength surpassed Ophelia’s by far more than a small margin.

"That may not mean much," someone else argued. "Maybe Ophelia herself is just too weak. Look at the other platforms. Which fight ended so easily?"

"That’s true. This Ophelia really is too weak."

Those words cut like knives.

Ophelia, already drowning in humiliation, felt her expression darken even further. At Lunar Academy, she had always been hailed as a genius, admired and praised wherever she went. Now, in front of so many eyes, she was being dismissed as weak.

The blow to her pride was devastating.

Luna Academy Tutors, Wystan and Jorvan, had equally ugly expressions. They had never imagined that Ophelia would be defeated so utterly, without even the dignity of a prolonged fight. This was not just her shame; it was the shame of Lunar Academy itself.

Neither of them spared her another glance. Even if she had to lose, she should have lost with some semblance of resistance. This kind of defeat was like a slap across the face.

As for Zora, she paid no attention to Ophelia’s predicament at all. Her gaze calmly shifted to the other platforms.

Alaric Von Seraph’s battle was going smoothly. He was steadily pressing his opponent back, controlling the rhythm with ease. From Zora’s perspective, it was only a matter of time before he secured victory.

Raphael’s situation was also promising. Although his opponent was strong and the two seemed evenly matched for now, the confident smile lingering at the corners of Raphael’s lips revealed his composure. It was clear that he still had cards left to play.

Tiffany and Baldwin, however, were not faring as well.

Tiffany’s opponent was Cecily Blackstar.

Though Cecily Blackstar was known as a spoiled royal princess, her strength was by no means empty talk. Anyone chosen to represent Thunderclap Academy in the academy exchange possessed genuine ability.

Tiffany fought valiantly, her performance already impressive, yet Cecily Blackstar was clearly superior. From the start, she had suppressed Tiffany at every turn, leaving little room to breathe.

"Master, Tiffany is probably going to lose," Black said quietly. "Her opponent hasn’t even shown her full strength."

From beginning to end, Cecily Blackstar had never treated Tiffany as a true opponent. Every strike carried restraint, as if she were merely playing along, and that realization made the situation all the more grim.

Zora gave a faint nod. Black and White’s judgment was accurate. Cecily Blackstar had indeed stepped into the Innate Realm.

Among the royal family of the Lion Dynasty, none of those who rose to prominence were simple characters. With the vast resources and deep foundation of the imperial clan, as long as one possessed decent talent, their cultivation would never be mediocre.

By comparison, Dravenor Blackstar could be considered the weakest among the royal representatives.

His younger sister had already broken through to the Innate Realm, yet he still lingered below that threshold. One could only imagine where his attention usually went. Ever since that incident a few days ago, Zora had learned a fair bit about Dravenor Blackstar.

The Third Prince of the Lion Dynasty was infamous for his indulgence. He frequented pleasure houses, and whenever he encountered a beautiful woman on the streets, he would seize her without hesitation. It was precisely because of this behavior that Dravenor Blackstar’s reputation was abysmal. Only his status as a prince kept others from speaking openly.

The Second Prince, Ragnor Blackstar, was only marginally better, though not by much.

In contrast, Crown Prince Zion Blackstar enjoyed genuine admiration from the people. Not only was his strength terrifying, but his conduct was also upright, never stooping to disgraceful acts.

Boom!

A heavy impact rang out as Cecily Blackstar eventually landed a decisive blow. Tiffany was sent flying off the stage, crashing to the ground and signaling the end of the match.

After securing her victory, Cecily Blackstar did not leave immediately. Instead, she turned her gaze toward Zora below the platform, lifted her chin slightly, and let a provocative smile spread across her beautiful face.

"Master, that Cecily Blackstar seems to have a problem with you," Black muttered, confusion flickering in his eyes. Her attitude was clearly hostile, but when had his master ever offended her?

Zora shrugged lightly, an innocent expression crossing her face. She truly had no idea where such hostility came from.

She soon shifted her attention to another stage.

Reesa and Drusilla were locked in a fierce stalemate. The battle had dragged on for quite some time, yet neither side showed any intention of retreating. Each attack was aimed at vital points, ruthless and precise.

The grudge between the two had long since grown deep. Now that they finally faced each other head-on, neither was willing to back down.

Snap!

Reesa’s long whip lashed out toward Drusilla.