Breaking Free: Love & Rebellion at Blackthorn Academy.-Chapter 69: MATChapter

All twenty-five members of the gym club were gathered inside the training hall, the air thick with excitement and a hint of nervous energy. The remaining five members had already quit earlier, not wanting to participate in the upcoming Inter-Region Competition.Hua Rong, clipboard still in hand, scanned the group with a troubled look.

"So... which ones do we choose?" she muttered under her breath, but loud enough for the others to hear.

Xu Wenhan, standing next to her with arms casually crossed, threw out a suggestion,"Let's make them compete against each other. Winner stays."

"Good idea!" Hua Rong brightened, quickly nodding."One-on-one matches. Half of them will be eliminated this way."

The boys started murmuring among themselves, some stretching nervously, some punching the air dramatically as if already imagining themselves victorious.But one student — Yu Feilong — raised his hand, his face a mixture of panic and confusion."Wait!" he blurted. "There are twenty-five of us! How are you going to split that evenly?"

Xu Lingwei rubbed the back of his neck, pretending to think deeply."Ah, that's a problem, isn't it?" he said, barely hiding his amusement.

Hua Rong snapped her fingers like she'd solved a grand mystery."Fine! The extra one will just fight Xu Lingwei. Problem solved!"

The room fell completely silent for a second — then exploded."NOOO!"All twenty-four students shouted in unison, looking at Xu Lingwei as if she had just asked them to jump off a cliff.Hua Rong blinked in confusion and turned to Xu Lingwei, who was watching the scene unfold with a smug little smirk, hands tucked leisurely into his pockets.

"Fine, then! Xu Wenhan will fight instead!" she announced.

Once again —"NOOO!"The same thunderous objection echoed through the hall.

Hua Rong threw up her hands. "Why still no?" she demanded, genuinely puzzled. "Is there something wrong with Xu Wenhan too?!"

From the side, Bai Xinchen stepped forward confidently, a slight grin playing on his lips."I'll do it," he said coolly. "I'll fight."He crossed his arms proudly."Because honestly, I don't think anyone here can beat me — except maybe Xu Lingwei."

The gym broke into a mix of snickers, gasps, and raised eyebrows. Hua Rong gave Bai Xinchen a hearty slap on the shoulder."Good spirit!" she said approvingly.

But before the moment could settle, another voice cut through the room."Really?"Everyone turned to see Qiao Renjie, a cocky second-year, cracking his knuckles as he walked forward."Let's see about that, Bai Xinchen."

The boys whistled and muttered excitedly, sensing a battle about to begin.

Then Xu Wenhan, still leaning lazily against the wall, called out with a grin,"You're all taking me way too lightly, huh, Bai Xinchen? Maybe I should show you guys who's really boss here."

The boys erupted into cheers and laughter, the energy in the room rising like a charged storm cloud.Hua Rong shook her head, smiling despite herself."Alright, alright, enough talking. Line up — let's start!"

And so the matches began, the gym club suddenly looking more like a battlefield of friendly rivals — and chaos

The gym quickly transformed into a makeshift arena.

Two mats were laid out in the center, and Hua Rong stood in the middle with her clipboard, flanked by Xu Lingwei and Xu Wenhan on either side.The air was thick with anticipation as the matchups were written on the whiteboard behind her.

"Each match will be one round," she announced, "no headshots, and if anyone fakes a knockout just to get out of the competition, you're automatically disqualified."

A wave of laughter rolled through the group, but it quickly died down when the first two names were called.

The matches started off simple — quick footwork, a few wild punches, and the occasional surprise roundhouse kick.Some students backed off after their first loss, realizing they weren't cut out for the competition. Others gave it their all, trying to impress not only the selectors but their peers.

A group of students cheered from the sidelines, yelling things like:

"Come on, Qi Hang, don't embarrass yourself again!"

"THAT'S NOT BOXING, THAT'S FLAILING!"

By the tenth match, the noise in the gym was electric. Out of the original 25, only 18 remained — bruised, sweaty, but determined.

Then came the match everyone had been whispering about:Bai Xinchen vs Xu Wenhan.

Even Hua Rong raised an eyebrow. "You sure about this match?"

Xu Wenhan shrugged, rolling up his sleeves. "He's the one with a big mouth."

Bai Xinchen smirked. "And he's the one who'll regret hearing it."

The crowd quickly formed a ring around the mat, buzzing with excitement.

Xu Lingwei leaned against the wall, arms crossed, smirking. "They're both gonna show off."

"Shut up," Hua Rong muttered, hiding a small grin.

The bell rang — Xu Wenhan charged first, fast and calculated. He jabbed with precision, testing Bai's defenses.But Bai wasn't just good — he was unpredictable. He ducked low and spun around Xu's right jab, striking clean against his ribs.

"OOF!" The crowd gasped.

Xu Wenhan backed off, grinning through the sting. "You've improved."

"Training to beat you. Special motivation," Bai quipped.

They clashed again — punches flying, feet shuffling, the rhythm of the fight oddly graceful despite the aggression.For a moment, it felt less like a school match and more like a professional bout.

Then, Xu Wenhan tried a fake left and went for a sweeping low punch — but Bai anticipated it.He sidestepped and countered with a solid uppercut that hit just under Xu's jaw — not hard enough to injure, but enough to stumble him.

Xu Wenhan's foot slipped slightly on the mat, and with a clean follow-through, Bai tackled him down and held him in a submission that was impossible to ignore.

The whistle blew.

"Winner — Bai Xinchen!" Hua Rong announced.

The crowd erupted — some cheering, some laughing in disbelief.

Xu Wenhan sat up, wiping his face and chuckling. "Fine. Guess I was taking you too lightly."

Bai extended a hand to help him up. "Glad you realized before I knocked you unconscious."

Xu Wenhan took the hand with a grin. "Keep talking, hotshot."

The fight earned Bai Xinchen undeniable respect from the others.As the matches resumed, more students were eliminated through points or simple exhaustion.

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After an hour, only thirteen students remained.

Among them:

Bai Xinchen – still smug, but now backed with a clear win.

Qiao Renjie – confident, bruised but unbeaten.

Han Ping – quiet but sturdy, a surprising underdog.

Luo Yimin – quick on his feet with sharp punches.

And nine others who'd proved their strength, stamina, or sheer luck.

The gym fell quieter as the remaining students stood, catching their breath and exchanging glances — the competition had only just begun, but already, the air was charged with rivalry.

Hua Rong ticked off the last name and looked up.

"Alright," she said, voice calm but firm. "From here, the real team begins to form."