All eyes focused on the ring.
Hawkeye's relentless side kick landed squarely on Second Blade.
Even from far away, everyone could clearly see Second Blade's muscles contort under the force of Hawkeye's kick.
But what shocked everyone was that, in the instant he was kicked, Second Blade gritted his teeth through the pain and suddenly wrapped his thick arms around Hawkeye, pulling him into a crushing embrace!
Bang!
The next second.
The full force of Hawkeye's kick exploded into Second Blade, but because Second Blade held on tight, the two of them were sent flying off together!
"Are you trying to get yourself killed? Let go!"
Hawkeye's face twisted in shock, but by the time he realized something was wrong, it was too late to break free. Second Blade poured all his strength into his arms, squeezing with a force that could crush him completely!
Pfft!
Second Blade spat out a mouthful of blood, but his face was full of laughter. He completely ignored Hawkeye's words. After both of them were sent flying, everyone saw Second Blade's waist buckle nearly in half, as if a few ribs had been broken by the kick.
Yet he showed not a hint of fear. While airborne, he forced himself to twist, flipping his whole body so that Second Blade ended up on top and Hawkeye was underneath.
The next moment.
Both of them hit the ground.
Second Blade rolled far away, lying on his back, unable to move.
Hawkeye coughed a few times, his face extremely grim as he struggled to his feet.
"It's over!"
The spectators were still in shock from what had just happened.
"Is this round a draw?" Lena Xu muttered to herself, her beautiful eyes filled with astonishment.
She never imagined that Hawkeye, whom she'd admired day and night, would actually be dragged off the ring even when he had a total advantage!
"Since Hawkeye from Flying Eagle Company hit the ground before Second Blade from Knife-Edge Company, Second Blade wins this round!"
Soon after, the official result was announced!
"He actually won!"
Deputy Commander Su's eyes widened, then he burst out laughing.
"Even this can be lost!"
Sean Chen shook his head, still in disbelief.
Ethan Xu's eyes changed, Gavin Yue was also stunned, and Grant Yuan, who'd gotten it wrong twice in a row, glanced at Evan Lin and frowned slightly. "A true fifty-fifty. You called it right."
As Grant Yuan finished speaking, everyone remembered the earlier predictions. Instantly, the way they looked at Evan Lin changed.
Evan Lin said nothing more, his gaze following Second Blade, who was being escorted off the Drill Grounds by a group of female medics, headed for emergency treatment at the hospital. Evan looked on with approval.
In a straight fight, Second Blade would definitely lose, but with a desperate, life-risking move like that, you can sometimes snatch a sliver of survival from the jaws of death.
"Hawkeye just let his guard down. Normally, he'd never lose to Second Blade," Sean Chen said darkly. "All this happened because Hawkeye knew Second Blade had just recovered from his injuries and didn't want to hurt him again, so he held back."
"Yeah, Hawkeye really is a righteous kid. But maybe he didn't expect Second Blade to go all out like that. After this single-soldier match, Second Blade won't be able to compete in the next rounds. Hard to say if that's good or bad," Gavin Yue shook his head.
Lena Xu let out a sigh, looking at Hawkeye with clear disappointment.
She didn't even glance at Evan Lin, thinking that just seeing him would make her mad. Instead, she turned to Grant Yuan, asking curiously, "Brother Yuan, do you think that guy from the Tiger Special Forces will be fighting later?"
"Tiger Fang? He will. Right now he's Flying Eagle's number one fighter. Normally, someone at his level wouldn't be allowed in a tournament like this—it'd be too much of a bully move. But things are different now. He can help Flying Eagle show off and let these soldiers see what real strength looks like. That way, some people won't get cocky just because they've learned a few new tricks."
Hearing Lena Xu mention Tiger Fang, Sean Chen, who'd been sulking over Hawkeye's unexpected loss, suddenly perked up like he'd grabbed onto a lifeline.
As long as Tiger Fang is here, Flying Eagle is guaranteed to take first place in the single-soldier tournament—and that's all going on Sean Chen's record.
Grant Yuan nodded. "That's actually why I'm here too—because of him. He'll definitely show up. In fact, he has to."
As Grant Yuan said this, a serious look flashed in his eyes.
That sudden, severe aura made quite a few people in the room tense up.
"Old Master Xu, what do you mean by that?" Gavin Yue sensed trouble and glanced at Ethan Xu.
Ethan Xu smiled and said, "Back in the Tiger Special Forces, most of the enemy-handling techniques were taught and left behind by Grant Yuan."
"Including the Bone-Shattering Hand, there are eighteen techniques in total. Some are so dangerous they're strictly forbidden for use on comrades in any training or exercise. Anyone who breaks that rule faces punishment," Ethan Xu continued, pausing for emphasis.
Sean Chen's face changed slightly. "Wait, Old Master Xu, didn't Tiger Fang get kicked out of the Tiger Special Forces for breaking the rules? Wasn't that punishment enough? Don't tell me..."
Before he could finish, Grant Yuan nodded. "That was the official punishment. But the rules I set—whether I'm in Tiger or not—if he breaks them, he has to accept my punishment too."
Grant Yuan nodded, his face perfectly calm.
His tone was icy and severe.
Even facing Gavin Yue and Sean Chen, Grant Yuan didn't show a hint of fear—let alone to anyone else.
"This..."
Sean Chen was still hoping to plead Tiger Fang's case.
Right now, Tiger Fang is their strongest asset—who knows what kind of punishment Grant Yuan might dish out.
"No need to say more. Grant knows what he's doing," Ethan Xu shook his head, cutting off any further discussion.
He glanced over at Evan Lin, his eyes growing more thoughtful. Seemingly to himself, he murmured, "All those techniques Grant left behind are Yuan-family secrets, and their true power is nothing to sneeze at."
"So, ordinary people really shouldn't mess with him. Otherwise, even my words might not help sometimes."
Ethan Xu's tone was playful as he smiled.
Everyone's expression changed. Deputy Commander Su looked a little worried and glanced at Evan Lin.
Evan Lin's face stayed calm.
Down below, the ring had already been cleared.
"Next match: Flying Eagle Company's Tiger Fang versus Knife-Edge Company's First Blade!"