After the second battle, my popularity with the public increased greatly.
After all, sudden reversals are always well-liked. Seeing someone weaker defeat someone stronger was something many people liked.
That was the reason there were so many stories about young men overing countless obstacles to finally defeat the powerful evil boss at the end.
To be honest, though, I prefer stories about super OP characters sweeping out all the enemies in their path.
It's even better when the OP character is usually underestimated. The reactions of the public when they realize the person they always thought was weak suddenly bees the strongest are some of the scenes I love the most.
I know it's cliché, but hey, there is a reason clichés are repeated so many times.
Chuckling inwardly to my amusing thoughts, I watched the remaining battles of this round as I awaited my turn.
I could confirm something thanks to that.
"So all the others accepted, huh."
None of the favorites showed signs of being poisoned.
Actually, only one of them showed the signs, but he was eliminated during the first battle by an opponent weaker than him due to a 'mistake' he mitted.
In other words, am I the last person they need to take care of?
I could not help but smile wryly when I thought of that.
Mmm… Alan should think I'm tired now. He probably thinks that my fatigue plus the poison's effects mean I will be unable to win the next battle.
I guess I need to put a nice show huh.
At that moment, Louis's battle ended. His enemy was another seventh-layer practitioner, one of the few that survived the last round.
As expected, he won easily after one attack. Well, the difference between their bat strength was too great.
His next enemy is going to be one of the favorites, but I don't think he will have any problem. After all, his enemy was most likely bought over by Alan already, so he will just put a nice show and let Louis win in the end.
As for me, I guess I should worry about my opponent during this round.
When I went up the stage, my opponent was already waiting for me there.
This time, my opponent was a ninth-layer practitioner.
However, when I looked at him, I frowned.
With just a glance, I realized that something was wrong.
His strength, it feels too wild.
As though it was about to go berserk.
Furrowing my brows, I observed the young man curiously.
Immediately, I could not help but chuckle wryly in my mind.
Damn, to think they resorted to this.
[Last Will].
It's a forbidden drug known due to its ability to enhance the abilities of the people that consumes it for a brief period of time.
However, the reason it's forbidden is due to its serious side-effects.
Someone that consumes it will have to spend two or three months in bed after that.
The reason it's known as [Last Will] is that some soldiers used to consume it when they thought they were going to die. They used it to enhance their strength briefly and kill as many enemies as they could before succumbing to the side-effects and waiting for death.
It looks like Alan is truly determined to stop me here, huh. To think he even gave this kind of drug to my enemy.
I wonder how much he paid to him to make him use this drug voluntarily.
However, the effects are pretty good.
With the help of this drug, the young man's cultivation was from the initial stage of the ninth layer to almost the tenth-layer.
It was such a sudden improvement that the young man's mana was a bit out of control. That was the reason I noticed something was wrong when I looked at him.
While I was contemplating the situation, the emperor looked at us.
"Are you ready?"
"I am."
"I am."
The two of us replied at the same time.
One second later, the emperor nodded.
"Start!"
As soon as the voice of the emperor sounded, powerful mana erupted from my opponent.
The wild mana spread through the entire arena, causing many of the spectators to turn pale or cough blood.
However, the young man in front of me ignored that. He just looked at me with an impassive look and raised his rapier.
Then, with a soft step, he stabbed towards me.
His movements were as light as a feather, and his bearing was elegant. But it was bined with the wild aura brought forth by the wild mana, creating a weird aura filled with danger and nobleness that rushed towards me.
In front of that attack, I put on a serious expression. Side-stepping, I avoided the stab as I launched a punch towards my enemy.
The young man narrowed his eyes and shook his wrist. Immediately, it was as though his rapier came alive. Like a snake, it slithered in the air and appeared in front of my eyes.
Moreover, the wild mana around it erupted creating and sharp sword intent that cut towards my body.
"Kuh!" I grunted and crossed my arms, releasing a torrent of mana that blew away the sword intent.
Then, with a soft movement, the back of my right hand swept away the blade of the rapier as my left hand formed a claw that went towards my enemy's neck.
But when my right hand touched the rapier, the berserk mana in it erupted once more, stopping my defensive move and allowing his rapier to continue towards my face.
In one second, his rapier appeared in front of my eyes.
I gritted my teeth and leaned my face aside, barely evading the rapier as my claw turned into a hand sword that was swung towards the young man's chest.
However, the young man just stepped aside to avoid it. Immediately, his soft and slight step created countless shadows that swung their rapiers towards me.
[Thousand Shadows]! A technique that was famous for its lethality in bat!
All these shadows were fake, though. I could feel that the real him had appeared at my right, stabbing his rapier towards my ribs.
"Get lost!" I bellowed, releasing a torrent of mana from my body and blowing the shadows away. At the same time, I twisted my body abruptly and barely avoided the rapier once more.
The young man wrinkled his brows and unleashed another attack, trying to capitalize on this opportunity. But this time, I jumped backward and separated myself from him.
Then, I looked at him with a frown as I panted heavily.
No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like I was too tired to continue.
My enemy, on the other hand, stood calmly in front of me as a wild aura of strength surrounded him.
User Comments
0 comments from readers