Healing System

Michael took the time to check out the remainder of the orange games, and unlike the ones he had already noted down, the others were not as interesting.

And now, it was finally time to play these games.

The teams walked back to the Cloudflower Sect's elder, and soon, she announced the start of the competition.

"I'm sure all of you managed to figure out at least one game—if not more than a single game. Remember, a team can play several games at once, so if you want to diversify, then do so," she added and raised her hand up before bringing it down.

"Begin!"

As her words rang out, Michael took a few steps backward, taking a look at his team who, for some reason, seemed awfully anxious.

"What's wrong? This is not that hard of a tournament, you know?" Michael commented, yet as he did, he watched as some kind of numbers appeared off in the distance.

With them getting closer, he was able to figure out what they meant.

They displayed all of the teams, as well as the number of points each team had.

However, he found one thing a bit strange.

The tournament had just started, and yet, the Cloudflower Sect already had a single point on the board.

Yet as he looked around, he eventually stumbled upon where they were.

It was some green balloon pop game, where all they had to do was throw rocks at balloons stapled to walls.

And soon, they gained another point.

However, from the looks of it, they weren't exactly cheating, as those types of games were simply too easy to even need to cheat in the first place.

But alas, he could never be too certain. Therefore, he once again turned to his team.

"I want you guys to run around and do all the green games. If you are feeling confident, then the orange games as well. Leave the red games to me," Michael ordered, receiving nods in response.

"Yes, Master Mujin! I will go do that bucket toss game," Hu Rong said with a curt bow and immediately ran over to the game before all the other teams could make it.

As for Mimi and Kai, they were still dazedly looking around.

Noticing this, Michael assured them, "Don't worry about failure. If anything, try your best to have fun instead. After all, even if we lose this part of the tournament, we still have one more shot. It doesn't matter."

"Okay..." Their voices rang out in unison, and with that, Michael made his way over to the first game.

More so out of curiosity than anything, he went toward the blindfolded sparring game first.

But once he did, the overseer's face scrunched up as he spoke. "You need two people, and from the looks of it, no one is around."

"I see." Michael shrugged, and just as he was about to head out to the next game, a pair of footsteps resounded behind him.

"I'll play," Shi Feng said with a wide smile.

'So he's shown himself,' he thought with amusement.

The sect leader of the Azure Dragon Sect was going to participate. Therefore, Michael had to give him the proper respect.

"You sure? Shi Feng, right? What makes you think you could beat me while blindfolded after you lost to mere provocations?" Michael asked in a taunting tone.

But Shi Feng did not seem to mind it. "My techniques get refined the more I fight. One setback is not enough to demotivate me. But don't worry, I had not shown my full strength when I was fighting that brat earlier."

'Right, right, of course.' Michael chuckled inwardly.

[He seems to be harboring quite a bit of bloodlust. I'd watch my guard for any potential mana attacks or anything of the sort,] the system warned.

'I already have my shield up. These people can't detect it, so it should be fine. I'm not technically using mana to cheat my games.'

However, whilst he was slightly lost in his thoughts, the overseer spoke. "Are you two ready? If so, pick up the wooden swords and put on the blindfolds."

Both Michael and Shi Feng did as they were told and soon were escorted to an arena just behind the game stand.

The reason Michael knew where he was? He could see through the blindfold.

And if what he was seeing was true, then so could Shi Feng, as they were practically holding eye contact now.

"The goal of this game is to knock your opponent off the arena within five minutes. If neither are able to do so, then the game counts as a loss for both, and you lose -1 point," the overseer explained, making Michael's brow rise.

'You can fail games? I guess that makes sense... he thought before facepalming. I told them to have fun... hmm... I'm fucked.'

As he thought that, Michael glanced toward where the points were being tallied and noticed that while the Cloudflower Sect was three points up, the Golden Dragon Sect was at -2 points.

[Well, well, I guess you should have just encouraged them a bit more. I don't know, maybe give them some kind of reward if they do well? Like a better sword for Kai or a new skill for Mimi?] the system suggested with a chuckle.

'You wish. It's too late now anyway.' Michael resigned himself and stared back at Shi Feng.

A Tier 5 powerhouse, and he was about to fight him—not to the death, of course, but accidents could happen during a blindfolded fight.

That was why, the moment the overseer finished the explanation of the points system and whatnot, Michael waited for the perfect opportunity to dash forward.

And soon, that opportunity arose.

"Begin!" the overseer shouted.

With that, Michael kicked off the ground, appearing right before the uninterested-looking Shi Feng, and before he could even react, Michael slashed the sword downward, hitting Shi Feng's shoulder.

However, all that seemed to do was recoil the sword backward.

'If I hadn't coated it in mana, it would've broken then and there... He's using his own mana—or Qi, I guess—to reinforce his body,' Michael mused and proceeded to try the same strategy again.

But this time, instead of a downward slash at a non-vital spot, he aimed straight for Shi Feng's eyes.

Only then was he able to get a response.

Shi Feng raised his sword upward, redirecting Michael's stab and counterattacking with a horizontal slash, aiming straight for Michael's neck.

Yet before it could get any closer, Michael used a little trick he hadn't initially planned on using.

The sword of Shi Feng neared. However, just before it could reach Michael's neck, Shi Feng suddenly slipped, almost tumbling down to the ground.

Nonetheless, that little moment of vulnerability was enough for Michael to knee him in the face, sending him flying backward and practically to the very edge of the arena.

Alas, Shi Feng managed to catch himself and looked at Michael with a massive frown on his face before saying, "You sure are a rat, aren't you, Mujin?"

"I don't know what you mean." Michael shrugged, pointing toward his blindfold. "I'm blind, after all. What sort of trickery could I even use?"

"Hmm..." Shi Feng hummed in amusement, and before Michael could even react, a sword strike struck his arm, blasting it to bits.

At the same time, Shi Feng's cold voice resounded. "Whoops, I didn't mean to accidentally destroy your arm. Or was it the sword?" He pointed to his own blindfold and quoted Michael. "I can't tell. I am blind, after all."

"You're funny," Michael couldn't help but say with a chuckle as his hand immediately grew back. "However, that is where your fun ends."

[I'm surprised the overseer isn't stopping this. I'm also surprised that the corruption doesn't extend only to the women's sect,] the system mused.

'Where there is money and riches involved, corruption is bound to exist,' Michael replied and focused back on Shi Feng.

"Do you think you can win this? Shi Feng? Your team is pretty weak, no? And if you are merely going to sit around stalling me, then neither of us will win." a wide grin appeared on Michael's face. "You know what that means, don't you?"

"The bet is still on, Mujin. The Azure Dragon Sect doesn't go back on their word," Shi Feng stated before entering a crouching sword stance. "But what do you think will happen if the Golden Dragon Sect just so happens to be completely eliminated before the tournament finishes? I wonder."

"I wonder indeed." Michael returned the animosity with an equally stupid stance, making Shi Feng's brows twitch. "But I do have to let you know—you will not be winning this fight, or the tournament, for that matter."

As Michael said that, his team's points suddenly rose to 2.

"Since even if you somehow manage to eliminate me, my team can finish the next tournament and secure all of your riches."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Shi Feng chuckled. "The next tournament is not going to be as simple as you may expect."

"Right, I don't exactly give a shit," Michael replied and dashed toward Shi Feng. "Now, why don't you become my punching bag?"