When the battle started, the Entry B ranker wanted to laugh at the boy for choosing to challenge him one to one, but the boy immediately chanted the shorten secret art incantation to immobilised him, then promptly struck him down. All ‘amusement’ on his face fled, replaced by a deathly grimace when he felt the air vibrate with the words that the boy was chanting.

The shorten incantation traded power for speed, it did not allow Kairos to kill his opponent but nevertheless could still immobilise up a stronger opponent for a whole second, long enough to defeat a superior enemy.

At Alan, Edward, Jim and Tommy’s side they faced the fearsome attacks of B rankers head on. Maybe the attackers completely looked down on their opponents or perhaps for other reasons, but there wasn’t much seriousness behind their blades.

A moment’s fool is a lifetime’s regret.

Kairos spotted the opportunity with a glance and instructed the battle from the side, “Formless Style, receive your opponents’ blades.”

The four boys resolutely received all the attacks, and like Kairos did, most of the impact is reflected or transferred into the ground.

Since they did not have as much time to become well-versed with the Formless Style and their opponents are just too powerful, only half the impact they received were reflected, and a quarter nullified.

The remaining damage have to be absorbed by their own body so had their opponents been serious from the start, the power from a B ranker would have severely wounded E rankers like them.

After withstanding the mighty blows, Edward managed to break away from the three attackers and stepped back. His friends charged courageously against their enemies using the Northern Swords formation, covering his retreat until he is out of range.

Once he is far enough, the archer spun on his heel and deftly drew an arrow in one swift motion. The moment he stops, his arrow has already been let loose with the full effects of his secret art.

Suddenly a group of ten stepped out of their hiding. The battle had gone down south, and their leader had called them for help.

The arrow that was fired aimed true at a vulnerable target but two B rankers immediately jumped out to intercept it. They had not expected each other to reach it at the same time, and therefore, they decisively combined their inner strength to endure the missile. Thinking that it would be an easy thing to deflect.

However, when the arrow landed, their expressions turned grave. It did not deflect off although their hurriedly raised weapons were angled correctly. Instead, they were blown back with a powerful penetrative force.

The two flew to the sides like scattered fruits as blood trickled down their mouths. Even if they are far stronger, their internal organs are still made of flesh and blood. In a single exchange, they were blown back by a child. The arrow continued on with overbearing force until it struck true.

Edward’s target, another B ranker, took out a strange stone covered in scribbled symbols to defend herself. The palm-sized rock somehow shielded the blow, but the fighter was knocked five paces back. Sweat rolled down her face. If not because of the first two reducing the missile’s power initially, she would have been in serious danger.

It wasn’t the power behind the attack, but the type of force that was unique. Regular E rankers would not be able to harm a B ranker, much less three. It’d be like a child beating on an adult’s leg without doing any harm. But, by using the same force, if a child to poke one’s eyes, it would hurt terribly. If a child’s strength were applied directly to one’s lungs or heart, it would be crushed.

This is what makes Edward’s Secret Art so dangerous. The mighty piercing power behind his arrows was enough to give two superior cultivators internal injuries and force another to use an artefact.

Besides, their Origin Energy is something far superior to Ki, perhaps even the immortal energies could not compare.

Unfortunately, the three B rankers will not be hindered long with this degree of injury.

“That’s far enough!” the leader of these fifteen shouted. His team surrounded the boys with weapons in hand. This is the last chance they are giving these kids.

“No matter what you try, you children are coming back with us today to verify your cultivation methods, so give it up already.”

After the boys’ incredible performance in battle, all of them felt that they were foolish to have underestimated them for being lower ranks. The reports on them were not an exaggeration like they thought, if anything, it was far too humble.

They might have thought their opponents were young and were careless for a moment, however, now they are fully aware of what the kids are capable of.

Yet does this matter to them? Even if they may be only twelve years old, but what kind of person is their captain?

Kairos may have been the red team’s leader for only a short period during the mock battlefield exam, but he was nevertheless a strategically-sound and splendid commander that had to fight a difficult losing battle.

At that time, he had to pick up the helm from George who was expelled halfway through, and lead his side to against the devastating Orc armies while trying to win the match against the blue team. All the while preventing Calculus’ assassination attempt on himself.

Yet, in the end, he still managed to outmanoeuvre his opponents, across all the hidden and exposed blades pointed at him.

It’s no surprise that when they are preparing to return home, Kairos have already predicted that they will be attacked and had made arrangements beforehand. The people who ransacked their rooms have disappeared after the dorm matron took action and that only meant that they are unable to break past her security network and was waiting for a better opportunity. One which Kairos most gladly provided to root out these hidden enemies.

Since they are going back home for the holidays, the most likely ambush spot will be here at this creek, where it is difficult for the boys to run away.

The boys had thoroughly prepared for this ambush, even being able to accurately estimate the rank of the attackers. Because Kairos and the boys’ combat ability had been revealed to be able to handle C rankers recently during the aptitude test, they know that most likely only B rankers or above will be sent against them.

When they entered this place, they were already expecting an ambush, and all of them used their Soul Perceptions to the maximum. As expected, they quickly located fifteen people waiting for them, and all of them are B ranked.

After discussing the strategy, they will use, Kairos brought the group forward and talked to them. Their objectives were to find out the purpose of the ambushers and who they work for.

A few questions revealed everything, and afterwards to handle them is easy. Of course, given the opportunity, they first tried their hands at fighting the enemy, but now that the other side had gone all out, they stopped.

The boys steadily walked backwards towards each other as their ambushers formed a tight circle around them.

It is fortunate that their enemies’ intention was to bring them back. Unable to determine where the young boys’ cultivation method come from, Lord Yue has ordered the Devilheart family not to kill a single of them.

In addition, they know that their young master Calculus planned to return all the humiliation he had received back unto the one called Kairos. To do that, he wishes to slay his friends in front of the boy after squeezing out every bit of information from them.

Although these fifteen disagrees with such a thing, they have actually long surrendered their free will to the family. If it was in the past when they are under the previous superior, Old man Biyo, they could still avoid terrible punishment. Unfortunately, with their current superior, they have to make a choice between obeying orders or be cruelly tortured for their disobedience.

Despite being clandestine operatives, they are still people with flesh and blood. Even if they were raised in a family that treated them as tools, they could only survive because they looked out for one another. These were agents that survived the childhood horrors that others in their shoes had not.

When they looked at Kairos and his group, they felt as though they were looking at their own younger selves. In the end, against their hearts, the group chose to grind their teeth and raise hands against young talented kids such as this. However, there were undoubtedly feelings of remorse and unwillingness. Each time they attacked, they unconsciously lightened their blows.

Little did they did not know that it was because of this that their lives reached a turning point today.

This behaviour was transferred to the boys who soon realised their hesitation. The captain, assured of his decision gave the saboteur a signal.

When the ambushers came closer, Jim set off a sonic echo from an object in between his fingers.

The extremely high frequency shattered thin, fragile glasses hidden on the boys, and from it, poisonous smoke leak and covered the entire area.

The mist easily recognisable from sight and smell. Made from cheap herbal materials, when inhaled it could cause the victim to lose all access to their internal Ki for a short period of time.

This sort of poison itself is commonly found throughout the empire, and most people take steps to prevent this by preparing antidotes in case of being ambushed.

For their mission, the fifteen surely have the means to protect themselves against this. They quickly removed the antidote from their pouches and ate it. The danger of the coiling wisps came from the speed which its weakening effects take place. Any moment of hesitation would be too late for them.

However, those who ate the antidote immediately lost all strength and fell over; confusion clouded their faces. They were the fastest and were confident to counteract the poison before it seeps into their skin, yet they were the first to fall victim.

“What is this? Just what kind of smoke is this… Ugh... Damnit! We are fooled by children!”

*Bahahahaa*

Their laughter rang out throughout the creek. Jones’ voice was thunderous and filled with satisfaction, “Man, I deserve an award for my performance. Maybe I should consider a job change?”

“With your kind of face?” Kairos looked at his sharp, sleek and sculpted features, but the pair of fierce blue eyes made Jones look like a battle-manic, “Ten out of ten times you’ll be chosen for the villain role.”