Charlie blushed deeply. He felt Juno's cultivation lower than his by eight stages, and couldn't understand why he had failed to react. He was ashamed of his poor performance against a weaker opponent. Charlie had to do something to save his face. – «Dirty liar! You have hidden your cultivation! Well, it's only expected of the nasty Stones.»

«In fact, concealing cultivation is not forbidden by the rules. Your attempt to set me up to take the fall is pathetic, especially since you're considered to be the strongest in your generation. Just think about it, a pompous peac.o.c.k let a girl punch him on the nose, the girl whose cultivation is eight staged lower! Just die of shame already, please.»

The Stones burst into laughter. The other families also started to grin. Half of the audience could hardly hold back a smile.

Charlie blew a clot of blood out of his nose, his eyes flas.h.i.+ng with bitter hatred. – «Watch yourself, pipsqueak. I've missed your punch only because I promised to restrain myself. I took into account your cultivation, and you deceived me! But I don't take back my words! You still have two strikes, and, believe me, I am not going to budge this time.» – He said, steel in his voice.

Juno smiled faintly. – «Alright then, get ready for my next attack.» – Charlie snorted. Of course, she was a miserable pract.i.tioner at the beginning stage of the superior phase... What else could he expect? He felt even more ashamed of his broken nose.

Charlie casually grabbed the little feet but, to his amazement, he couldn't stop it. The quality of the pure energy inside corresponded to the beginning stage of the superior phase, but its density was impressive!

He stopped Juno's foot right near his forehead.

Charlie breathed a sigh of relief. Then he noticed her sly grin and got scared.

~ZAP~

A crus.h.i.+ng bolt of lightning went from her foot right into his hands and then through over his body. The power of the ether attack was striking for a third phaser. Charlie's hair stood on end, a thin smoke rose above it.

Normally, no one would dare mess up with the strongest in the young generation of the great Romanovs, but now, no one could help laughing, looking at the toasted hedgehog who was twitching stupidly and ridiculously clapping his eyes. Even Queen Vlada, Princess Kara, and the sects envoys perked up.

But there were those who felt no better than Charlie. His fans cast their eyes down. So did his family members, in particular, the patriarch, who was burning with anger to such an extent that his face was covered with red spots.

In the midst of the general mirth, the Stones felt inspired for the first time. Finally, they had stopped being a laughing stock. Their opponents were being laughed at! However, their situation was still very deplorable. Juno couldn't win against Charlie.

Lee and Stephanie, who suffered the most from the arrogant b.a.s.t.a.r.d, admired Juno more than anyone.

Bai and Diana didn't know what to think.

Charlie looked around bashfully, trying to sweep his hair back, all to no avail. Finally, he glared fiercely at the b.i.t.c.h, the sole reason for his becoming the object of ridicule.

«I wanted you to look even better. I am afraid I am not a very good stylist, though. Anyway, you do look more handsome. What do you think?» – Juno kept mocking him.

«Tease me all you want, I will stick to my word. You have hit me once again, and then I am going to give you a memorable lesson of good manners! Come on! Attack me!» – Charlie waved his hand as if inviting her.

«How can I refuse?..» – Juno squared her shoulders and stretched out her hands. An energy ball formed in the center of her palms. It was tiny and dim, containing the wind element and pure energy. Gradually, it grew larger and brighter with a barely noticeable vibration. The energy ball was buzzing rather loudly with a powerful whirlwind swirling around it.

As time pa.s.sed, the ball grew bigger and bigger. Soon it reached the maximum size and brightness. The wind around Juno roared like a hurricane. The aura from the ball astounded with its grace and power hidden inside.

«This is the essence of destruction! I've been trying to master this technique for many months! How did she manage to learn it? Only geniuses can do it!» – Lee cried out, filled with a mix of envy and disbelief.

This technique was special because it could be mixed with any element, increasing its efficiency. At the moment, Juno was using the essence of destruction together with pure energy and the wind element, one of the best variations ever!

Patriarch Bai and Diana were beaming with pride. The Stones in the stands admired the mighty technique that only a couple of dozen people had ever mastered in the entire history of their family... It would blow their mind to find out that Juno had learned it in a couple of weeks.

When the technique had maximum power, Juno rushed forward.

Charlie turned pale. He made a quick movement as if leaning against an invisible wall and screamed:

«Sand G.o.d's wall!»

A cloud of fine yellow sand came out of his hands and immediately condensed a thousand times, forming a wall. This convertible protective technique could take any shape and withstand the impact of a three-ton rhino.

Juno stopped just in time before the wall. She tried to go around it, but there grew another one... She had an idea. Juno touched the wall with a bright sphere. No explosion followed. She had enough talent and understanding of the technique to control its shape and delay the explosion as long as necessary. At the moment, the essence of destruction served her as a saw, gnawing the path to her victim!

~vrinnn-vrinnn~

Inch by inch, the heavy-duty wall was getting destroyed.

When there appeared a little hole, the sphere instantly exploded, releasing all the acc.u.mulated energy and catching Charlie by surprise.

~bа-а-а-а-а-а-m~

A tremendously effective and powerful thundered in the arena. The audience couldn't believe their eyes. It was like an explosion of a star! No pract.i.tioner with equal cultivation would have stayed alive!

«А-W-WW-WW-WW-WW!» – With a terrible inhuman howl, Charlie flew a dozen steps away.

The spectators started whispering excitedly when they saw Charlie's face. His eyes bulged like ping-pong b.a.l.l.s; a huge tuft of once beautiful silky hair had been pulled out by the roots; wide patches of hair had been cut; his luxurious clothes had turned into rags; his skin was all in bruises and deep cuts.

Patriarch Romanov just wanted the ground to open up and swallow him.

Stephanie and Lee screamed joyfully and gave each other a high five. They almost fell in love with Juno and were even willing to kiss her! The stunning patriarch's granddaughter had made their dream come true!

Kara squealed like a happy puppy, unable to hold back her joy.

Juno gracefully brushed herself off and sarcastically inquired of the battered opponent:

«Look at you! It's so much better! Shall I get you a mirror so that you could admire yourself?»

Charlie examined himself with a stupefied, vacant stare, and touched his remaining hair. The l.u.s.ter had gone from her eyes.

Many people in the audience started to worry about Juno, especially the Stones. She had turned the once handsome and popular guy into a humiliated monster. He was unlikely to be grateful for this.

«Juno, give up! JUNO, HE IS ABOUT TO ATTACK!» – Bai yelled and once again hit the barrier in a fit of panic...

Seva and Nargise prepared to intervene in the battle if Juno was in mortal danger.

«Mother, stop the battle. This b.a.s.t.a.r.d will kill her!» – Kara cried out, concerned.

Vlada shook her head. – «He won't… She has everything in hand. Take a better look.»

Charlie stared at Juno with his wild, bloodshot eyes. Then he threw back his head and burst out in a hysterical fit of laughter. – «Ha ha ha! Nice! Ha ha ha! Great! Ha ha ha!»

The audience looked at each other in confusion.

Somewhere in the back of his angry consciousness, he realized that his decision would lead him to the grave. Elsa? Bai? Or Juno's friend in the person of Princess Kara? One of them would definitely kill him to avenge Juno... If he hadn't lost control of his emotions, he would restrain himself from doing something stupid that would put his life in danger.

The audience had launched a heated discussion. Did Charlie let Juno mutilate him? What if it happened because he was restraining himself, not because Juno was too powerful? If that were the case, he was a man of great integrity. They admired him! He had sacrificed his good looks but kept his word! Charlie was, in fact, a respectable gentleman from the great Romanov family!

Charlie was about to lose it, but he gained control of his emotions. After all, he was his family's pride, the patriarch's favorite, the leader of the young generation! Everyone looked up to him! If he killed Juno (with a single blow), he would revel in a moment's bliss and turn into a despicable b.a.s.t.a.r.d in everyone's eyes. People would think that he had taken his revenge on a weak girl who had humiliated him! Charlie knew better than that. He would hold back his anger, making everyone believe that he was too n.o.ble and a bit naive, and then he would finish her off with an awkward blow! He might say he had overestimated her or even kneel before the Stones, begging forgiveness. Thus he would retain his honor, take his revenge, and he would rise again, regaining his former glory. The plan seemed perfect!

«Whatever… Attack me already, scarecrow.» – Juno beckoned him with a finger.

Charlie gritted his teeth and charged toward her. They started to fight. Within seconds, he took a kick in the leg and rolled across the arena, raising dust. However, he got up and laughed. – «What the h.e.l.l! I see I'll have to take you more seriously, lady Stone! You're really tough! My compliments!» – Charlie said slyly and rushed at Juno.