Adrian groaned audibly as he rose from his prone position, his movents sluggish with the weight of pain that engulfed him. The tallic tang of blood flooded his senses, triggering a cough that expelled a crimson tide from his lips.
The intensity of his agony was unprecedented, its origin obscured in the haze of his battered consciousness. Even his watery companion lay defeated, completely overwheld by Amael's strength.
"I underestimated him," Adrian conceded to himself. From the outset, he had dismissed Amael as a re outsider, swayed by the misguided belief in their own superiority, their divine connection to the revered Holy Tree of Eden.
Yet now, as the harsh reality unfolded before him, Adrian could no longer deny the truth. Amael was no ordinary adversary; his strength was a force to be reckoned with.
The remnants of Adrian's pride crumbled under the weight of his realization. He could ill afford to hold back any longer, to cling to the vestiges of misplaced arrogance.
Observing Amael engaged in conversation with Alicia only stoked the flas of Adrian's simring rage. However, a sudden sensation drew his attention away, compelling him to turn towards the spectators' stands where a piercing crimson gaze bore down upon him.
Cyril's cold stare spoke volus, a silent reproach for Adrian's impulsive actions that defied their alliance. The unspoken agreent between them had been clear: no rash maneuvers until the marriage between Alicia and him had concluded.
'Don't disappoint , Adrian.'
Cyril's words after the engagent echoed in Adrian's mind. They were not words from advice but warning.
With a grimace, Adrian redirected his attention to Amael, resolve flashing in his eyes. "No more gas," he muttered through clenched teeth.
From the void, he retrieved a small knife. Without hesitation, he drove the blade into his own flesh, a swift and decisive motion that shocked everyone around.
"Return to ," he commanded, his voice resonating. The ethereal form of the gazelle, once dispersed into shimring particles of water, coalesced once more, drawn inexorably back into Adrian's being.
With his hand stained by the crimson testimony of his devotion, Adrian in solemn tone. "I offer you my blood. Oh, Goddess of the Dark Floods."
"Lend your strength," gazing at Amael and Alicia, he spoke up.
"Anuket."
-BOOOOM!
***
"Lend your strength, Anuket."
-BOOOOM!
As soon as Adrian uttered, a deafening explosion of mana reverberated through the air, its shockwaves rippling outward with formidable force. A colossal, dark green mana circle materialized above him, drawing in an imnse reservoir of mana.
Instinctively, I shielded my eyes and planted my feet firmly upon the ground, bracing against the tumultuous surge of mana that threatened to engulf us both. The torrential flow of power surged dangerously close, threatening to obliterate everything in its path.
"Oy!" I cried out, reaching out to steady Alicia as she struggled against the overwhelming force. Her weakened state left her vulnerable to the onslaught.
The sight of the mana circle sent a shiver down my spine, its ominous aura reminiscent of the summoning of the Banshees of Cleenah.
"This is not good," I muttered grimly.
[] Cleenah's urgent voice echoed my thoughts.
"I know," I responded tersely, my focus sharpening as I prepared to confront the imminent threat head-on.
The ti for hesitation had passed.
Erging from the maelstrom of mana, Adrian's figure lood before us, transford. His eyes glowed with an intense shade of green, imbued with a primal ferocity that sent a chill down my spine. Horns of shimring water adorned his head.
With an otherworldly grace, tendrils of water coiled around his form, weaving a protective mantle that rendered him impervious to harm. It was a sight eerily reminiscent of Alia but this ti it was more refined and controlled.
"Stay back," I warned Alicia.
"Wha…!" Before she could protest, however, the scene erupted into chaos.
-Splash!
I barely had ti to react as a sudden onslaught of water propelled with the force of a speeding bullet, hurtling towards the far end of the arena with a bone-jarring impact. The sheer velocity of the attack left reeling, struggling to regain my bearings as Adrian closed in with lethal intent.
"What the heck?!" I exclaid, scrambling to my feet and summoning a wall of purple fire in a futile attempt to ward off Adrian's relentless assault. Yet, despite my best efforts, his fist shattered through my defenses with unnerving ease, seizing hold of my shirt with an iron grip.
With a sickening thud, he slamd to the ground, eliciting a sharp cry of pain as the taste of blood filled my mouth. It was then that I realized: this was no ordinary water.
"Scorching Blood Fire Ball!" Alicia's voice echoed through the chaos, casting our surroundings in a crimson hue as a colossal sphere of searing crimson blood hurtled towards Adrian.
But Adrian was quick to react, stepping back with calculated precision even as his grip on remained firm. In a startling twist, he propelled towards the oncoming fireball, a ruthless maneuver that left montarily stunned.
"Vysindra's Blazing Fire!" I exclaid, summoning a cloak of blazing flas to shield myself as I plunged headlong into Alicia's fiery onslaught.
The collision was deafening, the air crackling with the intensity of our combined magic as flas and blood intertwined in a chaotic symphony of destruction.
-BOOOOOOM!
The force of the impact sent shockwaves rippling through the arena, leaving sprawled on the ground with singed skin and aching limbs. Despite the pain, I forced myself to push through, rising unsteadily to my feet as Alicia rushed to my side, her concern evident in her frantic movents.
"...!!" She assessed the extent of my injuries with a guilty expression. But before I could respond, Adrian's relentless assault resud, his attention now squarely fixed on Alicia.
With a swift motion, he conjured thick tendrils of water that coalesced into a weapon, hurtling towards Alicia with lethal intent. Though she managed to raise her rapier in defense, the impact still struck her with force, sending her crashing to the ground with a pained cry.
As Adrian turned his attention back towards , a sudden blur of movent caught us all by surprise. Leire, her slender form a blur of agility and determination, launched herself towards Adrian.
With lightning-quick strikes, she assailed him, her blows landing with precision and speed. Yet, despite her skill and determination, Adrian's watery barrier proved a strong defense, deflecting her attacks with unnerving ease.
"Watch out!" Martin's urgent warning pierced through the chaos, prompting him to summon a series of earth barriers to shield us from Adrian's impending onslaught. But Martin's walls were insufficient against Adrian's overwhelming strength, the force of his blow shattering through the protective barriers with alarming ease, leaving Leire gravely injured in its wake.
"Leire!!" Martin quickly rushed toward Leire and took her away.
anwhile Adrian's piercing gaze locked onto , his hand extending as a multitude of watery tentacles surged forth, each one aid with deadly precision.
With narrowed eyes, I braced myself, summoning vortex of flas that coalesced into a burning lance. Half of my arm took on a violet hue, the ergence of scales and vertical slit in my amber eyes.
-BAM!
In an instant, I closed the distance between us, my burning lance carving a blazing arc through the air as it struck Adrian's side with resounding force. The impact sent him hurtling backwards, his watery shield shattering under the ferocity of my assault, only to swiftly begin regenerating once more.
"Septem Treina. Thrust," I muttered, my voice a low growl as I thrust the lance forward, unleashing a torrent of purple fire that surged towards Adrian with relentless fury.
"Barrier of the floods," Adrian countered, his own magic manifesting in a barrier of swirling water that collided with my fiery onslaught in a deafening explosion of raw power.
-BOOOOM!
The force of the impact sent both of us careening through the air. Yet even as we were knocked back each of us propelled towards the other once more.
Adrian conjured a longsword from the depths of his power, swinging it with lethal intent. I t his strike with a deft parry, swiftly shifting the angle of my lance to deliver a punishing blow to his side.
But Adrian was quick to react, his left arm rising in a attempt to shield himself from the brunt of my assault. Yet before he could fully defend himself…
"Septem Treina, sweep him."
-BOOOOOM!
With a surge of renewed strength, I poured everything into the attack, unleashing a wave of Ruah that sent Adrian hurtling backwards once more, his defenses shattered by the sheer ferocity of my onslaught.
But I refused to relent, pressing the advantage as I surged towards him. I raised my burning lance high overhead, preparing to deliver the final blow.
"Vysindra's Giant Fireball."
Yet even as my spell took form, Adrian countered with a desperate thrust of his own, summoning a colossal sphere of water to intercept my fiery assault in a clash of opposing elents.
-BOOOOOM!
The tumultuous clash between the opposing elents raged on, the water and fireball locked in a fierce struggle for dominance. Their energies collided with such intensity that the air seed to tremble under the strain, sending shockwaves rippling outwards in every direction.
"Tch," I clicked my tongue as I propelled myself downwards.
"Anuket Dark Floods!" Adrian's voice reverberated through the chaos, his figure below bathed in a sinister aura as a colossal mana circle materialized before him, drawing in the surrounding energies with ominous intent.
[] I raised my hand and summoned forth my own mana circle, recalling the teachings of Priscilla and channeling the mana of the surroundings.
With a decisive motion, I hurled my lance through the swirling vortex of energy, ignoring more of my dark hair turning white.
As the lance soared towards its target, I clenched my other fist, summoning white sand to the transford weapon.
"Burning Lance of Vysindra!"
-BOOOOOOM!
A blinding flash of light engulfed my vision, accompanied by a deafening roar that reverberated through the air. The force of the explosion gouged deep furrows into the earth, sending a rain of purplish fire cascading down upon as I was propelled away with irresistible force.
Smoke and dust billowed upwards, obscuring my surroundings in a shroud of chaos. Yet even as the debris threatened to overwhelm , another wave of energy surged forth, dispelling the lingering hindrance.
Gasping for breath, I landed on the ground, my gaze on Adrian's diminished form.
Despite his weakened state, Adrian stood, his features contorted in pain. One horn remained upon his head.
"That damn Goddess…" I muttered under my breath.
"A-Ahaha..." With a hardened laugh, Adrian extended his hand once more, summoning forth a longsword. Another giant mana circle materialized.
"This ti it's over, Falkrona!"
-BOOOM!
I gritted my teeth and propelled myself forward with a decisive kick.
From the depths of the mana circle erged the imposing figure of a female horned figure, her dark visage looming ominously as she unleashed a torrent of corrupted water with devastating force.
"AHAHAH! It's over!" Adrian's triumphant laugh rang in my ears.
"Yeah, right," with a swift motion, I drew forth Trinity Nihil and swung the blade without hesitation, slicing through his dark floods.
Jumping over the female horned figure, I rushed toward Adrian.
"....!" Adrian froze, his eyes widening in shock as Trinity Nihil absorbed the divine mana that was embedding his horned figure. With a quick swing, I sliced off his remaining horn and landed on the ground. Adrian froze entirely after I did that and crumpled on his knees.
Reaching out my hand, I tore off his bracelet. Then spinning on my heels, I delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to his back.
-BAM!
"ARGH!" Adrian's pained cry echoed through the air as he crashed to the ground, his once tendrils of water that had surrounded him dissipated into nothingness, leaving him motionless and powerless.
As I put away Trinity Nihil, my gaze swept around. "Have you secured the Bracelets?" I asked, addressing Martin, who stood in utter shock.
"Y-Yes, yes, I have!!" Martin replied with a fervent nod, proudly displaying the trio of bracelets.
"Then it appears our task is complete," I said, shifting my attention to Jas Raven.
"..."
"..."
"...the victory belongs to Group C!" He declared loudly, but the stadium remained strangely silent, devoid of any celebratory response. The weight of nurous eyes bore down on .
Ignoring it, I turned to Alicia, who was staring at in disbelief.
With a groan of pain, I extended my hand towards her.
For a mont, she simply stared at my outstretched hand, contemplating.
Finally, she reached out and grasped it.
With a gentle tug, I helped her to her feet, a smile on my lips.
"The bet is won. You are free now, Junior."
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