Chapter 84: Chapter 74 Tournament Finals bracket B (3) Climactic Clash!!!
Ais was panting heavily as she tried her best to hold off August's onslaught, for some reason unknown to her, the boy was leaving her behind in terms of speed and strength, he was getting stronger the longer the fight occurred.
'It must be the skill Bete mentioned when they fought.' Ais mused as she blocked another vertical slash which pushed her back a few steps. 'It's similar to the captain's chain attack skill. Maybe even slightly stronger since it doesn't reset every time I put a halt into his attack.'
Ais was in a pinch, she could still keep up, but she has a feeling that if the fight continues into this trajectory, she would inevitably be out classed by August.
She needs to make a move and she needs to do it now.
Gritting her teeth she decided to take a risk as she opened herself up for an attack. Exposing her left side for August to take.
August saw this and smirked, 'Did she really think that I'll fall for that?' he was a bit insulted at Ais attempt, it was so obvious that she might as well scream that it was a trap.
Ais's inexperience in fighting other people was showing, her every move was telegraphed and straightforward. And the longer the fight goes, the more August could see the habits and tell of Ais.
August ignored the opening and instead went in for Ais's right, greatly surprising the sword princess as she hastily moved her sword to block.
But at the last moment August spun to the left, a perfectly executed faint which Ais fell for hook line and sinker. And the trap that she sat up earlier was exploited, August faint left her open for an attack.
The spearhead connected at Ais side, blood splattered out as its blade dug out flesh leaving a wide gash at Ais's side.
"ARGHHH!" Ais grunted in pain as he swung wildly towards August, which he blocked with relative ease. He then kicked Ais on her left knee making her unbalanced whilst slamming the butt of his spear straight to her nose.
The blow sent her reeling back in pain, her vision darkened for a bit, she then felt a sharp pain in her abdomen as August spartan kicked her straight to her solar plexus.
She flew back as she spat out blood, hitting the arena wall hard, knocking the wind forcefully out of her lungs.
August this time didn't give chase. There was something that was bugging him, he didn't know why, but he felt uneasy. 'What is this feeling?' he asked himself as he took a defensive stance.
With his skill mana manipulation, combined with Toga's mana dome technique on which he learned, he could more or less gauge the mana capacity within an individual.
What made him uneasy was that he was going all out, unleashing everything he has, and by the looks of what Ais is giving him, she as well was going all out. 'Or at least she thought she was.'
He could feel that Ais wasn't digging deep into her reserve, that she still has a dormant mana that she isn't using.
On their multiple exchanges in this match, August more or less knew that Ais isn't relatively skilled in anti-personnel combat. She was fighting him as if he was a humanoid monster, making multiple avoidable mistakes such as the trap she set up earlier. She was also straightforward with her attack.
At first he was struggling with Ais's pattern but the more the fight progressed August started to adapt to her fighting style.
Even with all of that advantage, August still felt uneasy on continuing his assault. And it was due to Ais's reserved mana that she hasn't even touched yet.
From his perspective, Ais already has the stats to level up to 6. She has more mana capacity than August, she was also faster and stronger than him. The only reason he was able to close the gap was because of his magic and skill, and the only reason he was able to proc his skill is because he is a much better fighter than her.
But what if Ais used that hidden reserve? Would he still be able to keep up with her? This made him uneasy.
The crowd was shocked at August's defensive turn, he had all the advantage and control, yet he didn't pursue Ais when she was clearly out of sync.
Then it happened, as the smoke cleared from Ais's crash, August felt a violent explosion of mana. He was right to follow his instinct to not continue his assault.
Violent winds blew everywhere, it felt like a tornado was forming inside the stage.
August unconsciously took a step back as the wind grew stronger and stronger. It was violent and full of malicious intent.
August eyes widened as he gripped his spear tightly, his knuckles turning white from how strong he was gripping his weapon.
The crowd went silent as they saw the sword princess, the wind that was a bright emerald green slowly turned to black, the tempest armor that adorned her, growing larger and more robust.
On her face, a vicious smile as blood mixed in her white teeth. An excited expression on her face as the wind seems to follow her every move.
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The barrier cracked and finally burst like glass shards, her aura enveloping everyone in the amphitheater.
The crowd felt chills as their body felt rigid, they couldn't move, they couldn't breath. They felt like the air was sucked out of them.
Riveria fell on her knees as blood trickled down her nose, the backlash of Ais's sent ripples into her core. Everything hurts for the elven mage as she quickly gulps a whole bottle of mana potion and erects a new barrier on the stage. "Finn! Send for Lefiya and the other elves! I don't think I'll be able to stop these two!"
Finn nodded and quickly issued the order, he then went to Riveria's side to support her as he could see her knees shaking uncontrollably. "How long can you keep the barrier up?"
"Not long enough." Riveria answered with a strained voice as she started to sweat. "1, 3 minutes tops. How many mana potions do we have left?"
"Three..." Finn answered dryly as he stared at the stage, back at the match. "Her black winds... I thought she could only use it against monsters."
"I'm as surprised as you are." Riveria answered.
"This is bad." Finn mutters as his eyes locked on to Ais.
"You think?" Riveria rolled her eyes as she concentrated on her task at hand.
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August hastily moved his spear in front as Ais suddenly appeared swinging her blade at him. It was instantaneous, as if she teleported right into August's space.
The spear blocked her sword yet countless wounds appeared on August's body, the wind, slicing his flesh as it touched him.
The blow pushed him back, and Ais was hot on his trail. Sending a slash after slash on which August can do nothing but defend.
'She's so much faster than before!' August grits his teeth as his feet dig deep into the ground.
He then felt a sharp stinging pain on his left shoulder as Ais sword bent and curved dodging his spear and digging deep into his body.
"ARGHH!!!" He felt hundreds of pricking pain as multiple crimson lines spat out blood from his shoulder. The wind shreds his skin into a messy mesh of flesh.
He jumps back, trying to gain distance away from Ais, but the sword princess wouldn't allow for that to happen. She kicked down, targeting August's ankle.
August was hit which made him fall off balance. Ais then stomped at his stomach which knocked the air out of him. He spat a mixture of blood and saliva.
August didn't get a chance to process the pain as Ais stabbed her blade towards his chest.
August loaded mana into Beowulf, and attacked the floor, slamming his spear into the ground, taking a page out of Heracles's book.
The ground cracked, and then burst as it blew into a massive crater, enough to make Ais lose her balance and miss her stab.
August took advantage of this and pulled Ais down by the collar of her shirt whilst also pushing his spear forward hitting Ais at the face with its shaft.
The blunt blow sent Ais reeling back and August quickly got up to his feet. Ais recovered quickly and moved from side to side towards August, after images following her movement making it appear as if there were multiple Ais's charging towards him.
August intercepted and slashed his spear forwards, hitting nothing but air, he only slashed one of the after images of Ais.
"GWAH!" He winced in pain as Ais slashed behind his knees, he then felt a hand clasped the back of his head as a knee appeared on his vision.
The knee connected to his nose, breaking it so bad that it looked like it dug deep into his face. Blood gushes everywhere on his face as his head snaps back from the blow.
Ais's eyes suddenly went wide when she felt a sharp pain, August stabbed his spear at the bridge of Ais right feet, going through it and embedding deep into the ground. Beowulf greedily drank the blood giving August a much needed buff into his stats.
Ais crouched down due to the pain and August took advantage of it, head butting Ais broken nose and all.
The crowd grimaced as their fight turned into what looked like an ugly brawl. August pulled the spear out of Ais's feet as a violent crunch echoed into the silent stage.
He then stabbed towards Ais's chest, on which she dodged and locked the spear in place between her elbow and body.
She then proceeded to hit August with the pummel of her rapier in his face, slamming it multiple times before August caught it with his free hand.
He lifted his right leg up and kicked Ais at the stomach, sending her back while also pulling the spear out forcefully, making Ais grunt in pain as the spear tore her flesh on the way out.
August and Ais stared at one another, their body was battered, blood was rushing out all over them as gnarly wounds riddled their flesh, making them look like a bloody mess.
August spat blood to the ground, there was even a tooth mixed with all of the blood, he wiped his mouth with his hand and smiled towards Ais while breathing heavily.
Ais was holding her side, applying pressure to the wound, breathing as roughly as August, she also smiled, her eyes sparkling in excitement.
"S-still having fun princess?" August spoke with great difficulty. He was hurting all over his body.
"Ais... C-call me Ais." She said with a strained voice. "A-and yes... This is fun."
"Ha-" August chuckled which turned into a howling laugh. "Haha-HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Yeah you're right... This is fun. Ais huh? You can call me August then." he then winced as he held his abdomen. "Fuck... You sure pack a wallop, even laughing hurts."
"Hmm?" Ais tilted her head confused.
"It means you're strong." August answered as he got into his stance, his hands in knees shaking from the pain.
Ais seemingly understanding nods her head. "Um... Thanks." She answered as she also got into her stance. She was also unstable as she felt her muscle screaming in pain. "You're strong too."
*BOOM!!!*
At the same time their mana erupted, channeling everything they have inside them. The whole city started to shake at their power, they both knew that this would be their last attack. One that would determine the winner.
Black winds all coiled up towards Ais, enveloping her body in a dense tempest armor. The very space around her seems to submit to her will as her aura shook the air.
Ais looked like Slyph, the very spirit who controls the air, she looked as mythological as those spirits, standing tall with her rapier in hand.
She crouched, moving her body closer to the ground, placing her blade at the side of her head, pointing towards August, a battle crazed smile plastered on her face.
August dug deep within him, his mana flowing onto every crevice of his body, taking a deep breath he pushed everything out as Beowulf devoured it hungrily.
Sparks of red coiled around his body, the ground on his feet cracking at his very presence, his muscles bulged as veins started to pop out all over his body. His mana felt violent and malicious, right now, he was the spear of mortal death.
Moving his left hand forward, he took the spear to the side of his head, positioning for a throw. The same crazed battle smile on his face.
The air around the stage came to an halt as it seems to stop, Ais's sword glowed black as she dug her feet deeper into the ground.
"Consume everything in your path." August chanted, his spear glowing brightly in a dark red color, like that of blood. "And bring death to thy enemies..."
The two of them lock eyes, and as if on signal, the two of them made their move at the same time.
Ais launched herself towards August, a trail of black wind following her body, destroying everything in her path, the ground cleave as she ran past it. He sword pointing straight towards August.
August jumped up, leaving the ground cratered from where he stood, his eyes glued towards the storm that was coming right at him, he aimed his spear straight towards Ais.
"LIL RAFAGA!!!" "GÁE BULG BEOWULF!!!"
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Chapter 74 is done now, how do you guys like the story so far?
Please leave a comment, a review and feedback so I can improve on writing this fanfic. every little thing helps as it allows me to see your preference on things and would help me write a better fanfic for you all to enjoy.
thanks for picking up this fanfic. hope you guys like it.
good day, love y'all.
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