[NOTE: To all old readers, please go back and reread all the Chapters. I edited all the old Chapters and edited a lot of things. I believe this makes the story better, sorry for any inconvenience, and thanks for your understanding.]
...
This ti, there were only 14 batches.
As soon as the A.I finished randomizing the draws, as the caras focused on Major Pain, the Major smiled.
Kairo was taken aback. ’I think this is the first ti I’ve ever seen him smile, not even in the comics. So, he does smile after all’.
"Like I inford you all earlier, just like luck plays a factor in life, it will also play a major role in the combat phase of the entrance tournant".
’Oh, that,’ Kairo rembered and he could not help his back filling up with cold sweat.
Major Pain continued. "269 applicants progressed to the second round. And since it is odd number, one of you will be lucky enough to progress to the third round even without fighting. The A.I already decided it".
The holographic projection showed the na of the lucky applicant, including his na and details.
What appeared on the projection was a green-haired youth with two swords strapped to his scabbards.
[Na: ga Takahashi]
[Abilities: Sword Projection, Lethal Edge, Enhanced Vitality]
[Rank: F ]
Staring at those details, the only thing that rang in Kairo’s head was... ’strong’.
This guy probably didn’t even need the A.I’s help, but maybe his luck was just that good alongside his strength.
But like the other applicants, Kairo quickly forgot about him as he focused on himself, psychologically preparing himself for his next duel.
"Let the battles begin!" Major Pain announced, and it started.
The survivors of Round 1 barely had any ti to recover. The arena may have wiped away the blood, but their injuries remained.
As the first batch entered the arena, the atmosphere was tense and fatigued, with many applicants bandaged and limping into the arena.
But still, Major Pain didn’t relent. No rest.
"This is war," he said coldly, reminding them. "You don’t get rest in war".
The only alternative he gave them was concede before the battle starts. But just like Kairo, these boys had dreams and aspirations that pushed them to want to get the scholarship to Nexus Academy by all ans.
And so, they pushed on.
Watching them fight, Kairo felt the burn in his muscles, but he also felt the strange sharpness of his mind. His F intelligence stat was at work.
The battles were even more brutal this ti around as more injuries occurred, but fewer died this ti as those who made it to round two were more equipped to save their lives if push ca to shove.
For every battle, an applicant was eliminated and another progressed.
The nobles and guild scouts on floating platforms whispered among themselves. "This round is really exciting, you can literally feel the emotion driving them on despite their injuries".
"Most will collapse by Round 3, but so... so are adapting".
"That muscle boy too, I can’t wait to see him again. His bare-handed style in the first round really caught my eye".
"It’s still just barbaric muscle power though. Unless you just want him for the entertainnt, I don’t think he’s made for the top".
Whereas Kairo was batch 7, Mira was batch 4. Less than an hour after the second round started, she entered the arena to fight.
Luckily for her, her opponent was more injured than her, but he was theoretically stronger than her on paper. And he proved it in the arena.
The weak-willed would have failed against such a powerful adversary, but sohow, with blood pooling over her face, Mira grit her teeth and outlasted her opponent, claiming an unlikely victory.
Watching her, Kairo was amazed. ’She’s changed’.
Not really, more like she adapted. Compared to the Mira that froze against the first golem construct back in the Trial of Steel, this was a different Mira.
She always had powerful and synergetic abilities that on paper were more useful than Kairo’s own ability, but her ntality held her back. As the tournant progressed though, the carnage was beginning to grow on her.
If this was a baptism, surely, she was one of the already baptized.
’I wonder what her story is’.
Mira ca back to his corner, panting as after hesitating, in the end Kairo helped her clean her blood and bandage her up.
With that, he prepared for his own duel.
About an hour and 20 minutes later, it was finally ti...
[Kairo Vale vs George Best – 7th batch]
George Best stepped into the arena first, stealing the lilight. As soon as he ca out, the spectators erupted in cheers.
Most of the civilians knew him. He had a reputation all the way from the day of Awakening for awakening a Mythic grade ability, and his reputation increased even more in the applicant circuit as a technical genius.
Due to his fa, it was easy for Kairo to research about him.
George’s Mythic grade special ability was called Mana Infused Kicks, an ability that gave him the ability to unleash lightning-fast strikes with augnted impact.
Though it was less popular, he had another special ability called Iron Body, an ability that granted him ridiculous durability.
Kairo also researched his fighting style. George was fast, clinical, and disciplined, a stark contrast to Kairo’s raw brawling.
But that was fine, technical doesn’t always win.
The crowd buzzed in arena 1 as George and Kairo stepped into the arena. George was the favorite as many nobles bet on him to pass into the next round.
And then...
DONG!
As soon as the bell rang, both fighters charged towards each other.
The only reason why Kairo didn’t quickly close Eric down in his last fight was because of caution. He didn’t want to lose because of a silly reason like arrogance, and that was why he took a slower pace to test the waters and understand his opponent’s special abilities.
George though? He already researched his opponent thoroughly.
And so he charged in.
George started the brawl with a direct brutal kick, unleashing a lightning-fast kick towards Kairo’s mid-section.
[Muscle Lock Activated!]
Blocking, Kairo counterattacked.
BAM!
Reviews
All reviews (0)