Chapter 103 This Person’s State Isn’t Right

Chapter 103: There's Something Off About This Guy's Condition

The training ground was surrounded by tiered seating for spectators. Several additional defensive barriers were set up between the seating area and the central training field to ensure safety.

At this time, the venue was still quite crowded, with resting Sentinels, staff recording data, and Guides who, like Fang Ran and Zhong Wan, had come to observe.

The four of them followed the aisle and arrived at the spectator area.

The first few rows were already completely full, and there weren’t many seats left in the back. As they made their way through the crowd, someone recognized Fu Zhangzhou and Lu Wenchuan.

"Are you all from District 4?"

The speaker was wearing a dark blue center uniform, had slightly dark skin, but bright eyes. He seemed to be a Guide.

Fang Ran nodded. "Yes, we’re here from District 4 for an exchange."

"Sit over here," the man said, pointing to four empty seats beside him. "There happen to be some free spots."

Fang Ran was fine with that and, after thanking him, sat down with the other three. Zhong Wan had originally wanted to sit next to Fang Ran, but Fu Zhangzhou muscled him aside. In the end, Fang Ran gave him a look, and Fu Zhangzhou grudgingly surrendered the spot.

The Guide watching their interaction couldn’t help but laugh.

"These two are Sentinel Fu Zhangzhou and Sentinel Lu Wenchuan, right?"

Fang Ran turned to look at him. "You recognize them?"

"Top-tier Sentinels who rank among the best in the Federation—of course I know them." The man smiled again. "Actually, I just transferred from District 4. I’ve seen you all before at the center."

"Really?" Zhong Wan became interested and leaned in to ask, "Why did you apply to transfer to District 5? What's wrong with District 4?"

"It’s not that it’s not good," the Guide shook his head. "I transferred here with my Sentinel." He raised his right hand, showing a silver metal ring.

Fang Ran immediately knew he was a bonded Guide.

"Is your Sentinel also in today’s training match?"

"Yes," the man nodded, his gaze drifting back to the central field as he spoke.

Fang Ran followed his gaze.

The Fire Sentinel was in a fierce battle with three opponents. To his left was a water-type Sentinel, and to his right were a man and a woman, both likely psychic-types.

The Fire Sentinel let out another roar, flames erupting around him. The blaze shot upward, nearly touching the dome of the venue. The water-type Sentinel, who was closer, couldn’t dodge in time and was sent flying to the ground. The two psychic-type Sentinels, however, coordinated—one erected a Psychic Shield while the other used a spatial teleportation ability, both avoiding the attack.

Fang Ran had a feeling that there was something off about this fire-type S-class Sentinel.

He had seen Fu Zhangzhou in action a few times before. Although that guy also liked to overwhelm opponents with sheer strength and didn’t fight in a flashy way, he was never this... bizarre?

The Sentinel basically stood in place, continuously releasing bursts of energy to pummel his opponents. His energy was indeed stronger than the other three, but when it came to attack techniques, movement, and speed, he was clearly inferior.

It was as if this person had been power-leveled, completely clueless about strategy, and was showing off recklessly.

He frowned. Had the bar for becoming an S-class Sentinel in the Federation become this low?

The fight in the training ground continued.

The fire-type S-class, seeing the water-type Sentinel knocked to the ground, burst into manic laughter and gathered another ball of energy to throw at him.

"Boom!"

Sparks flew everywhere in the training ground. The Psychic Shield the water-type Sentinel had just deployed instantly dissolved.

According to the principle of elemental advantage, water should have an advantage against fire, but the gap in their strength was too vast. Fang Ran guessed the water-type Sentinel was B-class at best. The difference between S-class and A-class was already significant, much less B-class.

The water-type Sentinel had just taken the first wave of attacks and, before he could recover, was hit again. His Psychic Shield shattered by the opponent’s energy, his condition was now really bad. After all, the Psychic Shield was closely connected to the Spiritual Sea, and that last strike was a major hit to his Spiritual Sea.

Fang Ran noticed the breathing of the Guide beside him getting heavier.

He sneaked a glance and saw the man was so tense his eyes were wide, his fingers gripping the armrests so tightly they turned white.

"Is the one using water-type abilities your Sentinel?"

"Yes," the man nodded anxiously. "I told him not to get into this fight."

He glanced at the Fire Sentinel in the field. "Although this person only just advanced, his strength is terrifying."

"Do you know him?" Fang Ran asked.

"Not really," the man sighed. "He seems to have transferred from another district, but he arrived earlier than us. I heard he just broke through to S-class three days ago and has been staying in the training ground ever since. It seems... he hasn’t lost yet."

Fang Ran tried to comfort him. "Don’t be too worried. Although it’s real combat, it’s still just training. He shouldn’t get hurt, right?"

"No..." The Guide shook his head, his voice even more anxious than before. "He was still normal the past couple of days, but since this morning... he’s been fighting more and more wildly. He already injured one Sentinel earlier."

Zhong Wan leaned over and interjected, "Is it because he just advanced and isn’t proficient with controlling his energy yet?"

"Well..." The Guide hesitated before adding, "I feel... this person’s condition doesn’t seem right."

Not right?

Actually, Fang Ran had been thinking the same thing.

This Fire Sentinel, whether in demeanor or the way he unleashed his energy, was giving off weird vibes.

He leaned close to Zhong Wan’s ear and whispered, "Zhong Wan, don’t you think that Fire Sentinel is a bit strange? That demeanor... it kind of reminds me of Zhao Hengming from yesterday?"

"Zhao Hengming?" Zhong Wan raised an eyebrow, as if recalling yesterday’s events.

Perhaps his voice was a little too loud, or perhaps the people nearby had been paying attention to them all along, but the two Sentinels beside them reacted.

"Who is Zhao Hengming?" Lu Wenchuan, sitting next to Zhong Wan, took his hand. "Why haven’t you mentioned him before?"

Zhong Wan glanced at Fu Zhangzhou sitting on the other side of Lu Wenchuan and said, not one to avoid stirring up trouble, "The Sentinel who went crazy in the restaurant yesterday."

He deliberately leaned closer to Lu Wenchuan, actually speaking for someone else to hear: "The one who can’t get over Fang Ran—his ex-boyfriend."

Fu Zhangzhou, stuck furthest away with Zhong Wan and Lu Wenchuan between him and Fang Ran, had already been in a bad mood. Hearing Zhong Wan mention something about an "ex-boyfriend," he suddenly shot up from his seat.

He was tall and imposing, his face completely blank. The people around were startled, and some who recognized him whispered asking if this 3S-class Sentinel was going to enter the field.

Fang Ran glanced at him. Since last night, this guy had been glued to his side, following him everywhere. He was probably getting pissed now.

"Fu Zhangzhou, sit down."

The Sentinel looked at him for a moment before finally taking his seat again.

Zhong Wan chuckled softly and was about to say something to Fang Ran when suddenly the Guide beside them cried out:

"No!"