Alden stood silently on the new battlefield; in front of him was the body of another student who was vanishing.
He had just won his second match as well.
It was easier than his first match, as this guy was a mage, and Alden, with his quick movent, eliminated that guy quickly.
[Winner: Alden Draven]
[Healing all the existing injuries]
[Student, please prepare for your next battle…]
[The next match will start shortly.]
[Opponent Matched]
[Next Opponent—Lucien Celestrian]
The arena vanished as Alden was transported to a completely new one.
It looked ridiculous.
Who the heck is in charge of designing this?
Alden couldn't help but curse as he looked at the area surrounding him.
It was a destroyed children's playground.
Rusted swings, half-buried in overgrown roots.
Alden sighed.
At least there aren't any corpses lying around. If there were, he might've cursed the designer's entire bloodline.
The playground collapsed and was filled with overgrown trees.
He waited for his opponent.
The protagonist of this novel.
It would be a lie if Alden said he wasn't excited.
He was going to fight the protagonist… the person with a golden finger.
And truth to be told, he didn't believe the current Lucien could defeat him.
A smirk appeared on his face just from the thought of defeating the protagonist.
Soon enough his opponent materialised.
Lucien stood there.
His white hairs shimring like snow and his violet pupils bright and filled not with arrogance but with excitent.
He looked handso….
Well, not as much as , though.
Alden scanned him.
Lucien did the sa as a smirk appeared on his face.
"If it isn't the brother of Seles," he said in a mocking voice. "She told a lot about you."
Alden didn't need to guess what kind of things that bitch had been saying behind his back.
Not that he cared.
"Hopefully only good things," Alden responded calmly.
"Well, what can I say?" Lucien's smirk widened.
He vanished all of a sudden.
Leaving a lightning bolt in his wake, he appeared straight behind Alden.
His spear aid at Alden's spine.
Predictable
Alden had long since predicted that attack.
It was a classic attack on anyone who lacked combat experience, obviously, and that included him as well.
He had long since activated his [Spirit Domain] and [Eye of Supre].
I couldn't afford to take the protagonist lightly after all.
He didn't want to lose due to his carelessness.
He ducked as the spear passed over his head harmlessly.
Lucien was shocked.
"H—how did you react?" He asked
"Oh, was I not supposed to react to such a slow and predictable attack then?" Alden scoffed as he punched from his crouched position.
A straight uppercut aid at Lucien's jaw.
Just as the punch was about to connect, Lucien vanished, activating his [Thunder Steps].
Lucien's eyes turned serious.
He had taken Alden as easy prey, but it seems he was wrong. Just like against Zephyr, his arrogance had nearly cost him.
No more.
He didn't want to repeat that mistake.
This ti he didn't rush towards Alden blindly as he calmly swung his hand in the air.
Many lightning projectiles appeared as they fired towards Alden.
Alden's eyes glowed a little, his movents calm and controlled as he dodged.
He narrowly dodged each bolt. But that was only a distraction.
Lucien had already appeared above him, his spear directed straight above Alden's skull, ready to pierce.
Alden felt it.
But he didn't panic.
He calmly swiped his hands above in the air.
At the last mont—
His shadows responded as chains of darkness erupted, binding Lucien mid-air.
"Shadows?" Before Lucien could react, Alden's fist was already upon him.
Shit…too late.
He braced himself for the impact, and soon enough the first connected with such force that Lucien's mind went blank for a mont.
CRACK
He was sent hurtling backward like a ragdoll, crashing straight through a wooden seesaw that shattered on impact.
FK That hurt.
He was giving his all, but he couldn't even put a scratch on Alden.
Lucien was overwheld.
What have I been doing?
I have a cheat system, so why?
Why am I weaker than him?
Why am I losing?
The answer soon ca to him.
Hard Work.
No matter how talented one is, if they don't put their talent to work…. they won't be able to grow.
Ever since Lucien entered the academy, he hasn't trained much.
He started spending so much ti with Seles that he didn't feel the need to grow stronger.
For the first ti in a while, a wave of clarity washed over him.
He understood Alden was currently stronger than him and by a lot of margin as well.
He might be as strong as Zephyr or even stronger.
But Lucien wasn't going to give up.
He gritted his teeth and activated [Thunder Steps] once more, blinking out of sight.
He reappeared several ters away, his body already crackling with more lightning.
Even if he knew he was going to be defeated… He was going to give his best.
Lucien activated [Lightning Rush].
Electricity ran through his veins like blood, stimulating his muscles beyond their limits.
His strength surged.
Just as he was about to attack Alden, who stood there with an amused expression…waiting to see what Lucien was trying to do.
A new notification popped up in front of him.
[Thunder God Physique is temporarily activated.]
[Hidden Quest—Defeat Alden Draven]
[Quest Reward—Thunder God Physique Permanently Unlocked]
[Ti Limit—1 minute]
[Penalty—None]
Lucien scanned through the details in a matter of seconds.
His system had never given him this kind of quest.
One without penalty.
Every one of his quests had so downsides in case he failed.
He didn't bother to care about that for a mont as his already surging strength increased more.
His body was suddenly covered in pure blue lightning.
He felt free.
As if he could do anything.
He had beco the incarnation of lightning.
Whereas Alden frowned.
What the heck?
How did he unlock that ability?
Alden was shocked; he recognised that ability.
It was one of the signature moves of Lucien. But it was only supposed to be unlocked after he reached Grandmaster Level.
That ability temporarily gave Lucien near absolute authority over lightning.
Although the duration of the ability was short, it was a destructive one.
Alden's amused expression vanished, replaced by a serious one.
He couldn't afford to be careless now.
One mistake and he will be eliminated without even having a chance to respond.
Despite facing the challenge, an excited smirk appeared on his face.
'Let's see how much further I can push my body…'
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