Chapter 81 - 67th

Chapter 81: 67th Now that both fighters had switched to using their ability, the fight became more interesting.

The battle on the third stage was between the 73rd and 89th rankers; Kael Durand and Seleic Vale.

Kael, the bare-handed recruit who stood at number 73 on the ranking list had grown tired of his opponent, Seleric, who had been okaying it safe from the beginning, just dodging attacks and barely making any counterattacks, trying to wear his opponent down.

Unable to bear it anymore, kael used his ability, his body bulging, snake like veins appearing on the surface of his reddened skin.

"Haa"

"You better try something different"

Kael let out a steamy breath and said to Seleric who had a solemn look on his face.

BANG!

Kael stomped on the look of the stage shooting himself at Seleric who was caught off guard by the mini giant’s speed, forced to defend with his ability at the last moment; a small translucent barrier appearing between Kael’s fist and his face.

Unfortunately, his last moment defenses weren’t enough as Kael pushed deeper, breaking through the shield and landing the hit, sending Seleric to the edge of the stage.

Not giving him any time to recover, Kael jumped at him, taking the flow of the battle with him.

This time though, Seleric was prepared as he waited till Kael was a few meters from him before shooting out a kind of Shockwave blast to everything around him.

The explosion hit Kael in waves, pushing him back continuously, but to Seleric’s shock, the mini giant resisted this push and could be seen taking slow but steady steps forward.

Despite his shock, Seleric wasn’t a ranker for no reason. He took the opportunity to rush towards Kael and land a solid palm strike on the recruit who was unable to dodge in time.

He quickly followed this up with a flurry of other palm strikes, his attack continuously increasing in speed until it got to the point that Kieran who had been struggling to keep up with the battle couldn’t make out his attacks anymore even with his enhanced eyesight. All he could see was a large blur.

Seleric’s attacks didn’t last long though, as his hands were suddenly held in place by Kael. His reddened eyes stared into that of the lower recruit before taking a huge spin, literally shooting Seleric into the sky.

’What?!’

Kieran couldn’t ponder on that action for too long though as Seleric’s body was stopped by a blue barrier which appeared after he reached a certain height.

Few seconds later, his body was falling from the tall height and Kael had already taken a stance, prepared to land his last attack on the recruit who had challenged him, the several palm marks on his body had even started to fade.

"Huuuuu!"

Kael let out another deep, steamy breath, rotating his body as he threw a punch towards the falling figure of Seleric who was about to be hit. Kieran could swear that he had seen air currents form around the punch that was about to be landed.

At the last moment, just when the pics was about to connect, another translucent barrier appeared between Seleric and Kael’s fist.

Unlike the last time, it didn’t break under the pressure of Kael’s punch. Instead, Seleric made a surprisingly nimble move as small translucent platforms appeared underneath his feet and he user those to propel himself, making complex aerial movement to appear in Kael’s blind spot.

Before Kael could react to this change, Seleric was already throwing a palm strike at him.

"What’s that?!"

Kieran muttered out loud, sensing something off with the palm strike. The force it carried was beyond what he had previously shown. It felt a little below the attack that Kael jaf just thrown. Even more strange was the blood that seeped out of Seleric’s ears and arms which tore due to friction.

But despite all this, a clear expression could be seen on his face. He was determined to win!

"Kinetic barrier!"

A voice from beside him said and Kieran turned to look at the recruit who had just spoken.

The recruit seemed to have seen the both of them fight more than once as he spoke without any hint of surprise.

"Kael is a physical ability user and Seleric is an energy manipulator. That barrier he’s been using is a skill of his called, kinetic barrier. It absorbed the power behind the enemy’s attack."

"While most times, he simply redirects the enemy’s attack at them, he was trying something different this time around" The recruit pointed something out that Kieran failed to notice.

"He was trying to turn Kael’s attacks into kinetic energy which he could absorb and use against him. His first attempt failed, but he seems to have done it now!"

The recruit pointed out what Kieran had felt was strange and Kieran turned back to loll st the stage. The attack was just about to connect.

The attack hit Kael’s side sending a dusty shock wave.

’He was going to get hit with that?’

Kieran wondered, completely shocked.

According to the explanation of the the recruit beside him, seleric had manged to absorb the energy of Kael’s attack, but Kieran could obviously tell that he couldn’t absorb all of it; only a majority.

Even then, his body was visibly tearing under the strain of what he had absorbed.

And when the dust settled, the sight on the stage wasn’t what Kieran expected.

Seleric and Kael were in the same position, his palm plastered on Kael’s ribs, but that was it.

Straining his eyes a little more, the look of despair was seen on his face. Meanwhile, Kael just stared at him in disappointment, spitting out some blood before moving from his position like he hadn’t been hit by a serious attack from Seleric.

"You disappointed me Seleric"

Kalen said, sending another heavy punch at Seleric who didn’t even try dodging, getting knocked out instantly.

With that the fight had ended in Kael’s favor and he had defended his 73rd position, except he didn’t seem too happy or satisfied about it.

"How come he only used one skill? " Kieran asked out loud.

If he was an energy manipulator, then how come he had only used one skill throughout the fight?

"He used multiple, but they were all useless in front of Kael." The recruit commented, a grim expression on his face.

"Kael is a physical type awakened warrior and he didn’t even use any of his skills in the fight just now. All that was his raw strength."

’Hmmm’

Kiernan was genuinely shocked. He wasn’t sure that Jake, the strongest recruit he had met until now was going to stand a change against Kael when it came to their specialty — their strength.

By now, the other fights were either just coming to a conclusion or were just ending, and once they all stepped off the broken stages, the holographic screen popped up and another set of five matched were displayed, each participant making their way down to to the stage which had gone back to its previous state.

Ignoring the fights that had yet to start, Kieran turned to the recruit next to him. He seemed to have witnessed a lot of these fights.

"What do you know about him?"

Kieran asked and the recruit glanced at him from the edge of his eyes.

"Kael has been on the rankings since he became a second year, but be never bothered to increase his rank more than a few times. Just like he just wanted to see his name on the list"

"Despite being a simple physically enhanced awakened, he’s pretty strong for his ranking"

"How come he hasn’t risen naturally if he is that dangerous?"

There was no way he wouldn’t have risen up the ranking if he was just as dangerous as the recruit had described him.

"Your danger rating can’t increase if there isn’t enough data to justify that increase!"

The recruit pointed out.

’That means..?’

"Yes. He barely does any activities outside the mandatory ones to remain in the camp. He seems like a battle hungry fellow, but you would be surprised at how calm he is as long as he isn’t provoked"

’That’s new’

Kieran’s view on people had just expanded again. Ever since he arrived in the camp

He had met people of personalities far different from that which he was used to — the proud ones of the nobles and the equally shitty ones of those in the slums.

"If you were looking to challenge someone. I suggest it be someone below the 70th rank. And that’s only if your borderline mad or just that confident in yourself. If not, for the 80s"

The recruit advised Kieran, turning his attention back to the matches that were about to start.

’I guess it’s time then’

Kieran prepared to leave but the exclamation of the recruit beside him make him pause and look in the direction he was looking at.

"Hmm, well isn’t this new? Hahaha!"

The recruit laughed in a deranged fashion.

’And here i thought he was one of the normal ones’

Kieran thought. He was starting to wonder if anyone in this camp could even be considered to be normal.

Finally seeing what made the second year recruit act that way, Kieran was also sent into shock.

On one of the stages was Jake, who stood calmly against his opponent with his great sword in his hands.

Glancing at who his opponent was, Kieran understood the words the recruit had just said moments ago.

<< George Smith – 67th rank>>