Chapter 19: Clash in the Colosseum
------------------------
Name: Alexander Riverbloom
------------------------
Rank: E-
Mana Synchronisation: E-
Physical Capabilities:
-Agility: E-
-Strength: F+
-Endurance: E-
-Martial Skills: E+
Mind:
-Muscle-Mind Connection: B
-Mental Fortitude: C-
-Sensory Awareness: D
Unique Abilities:
(F-Rank Unlocked) Duelist's Flourish: The great deal of finesse and grace demanded from you in your childhood paved a path for you to master the art of dueling. Make your strikes come together in perfect harmony as each blow flows seamlessly into the next, and victory will be in your grasp.
(E-Rank Unlocked) Chains of the Condemned: Conjure ethereal chains made of pure mana trapped in unyielding steel to ensnare your enemies and bind them. Exchange the iron contained in your blood to strengthen them even further but be careful as iron deficiency can lead to serious health problems that may end up lethal.
(D-Rank Locked) ...
(C-Rank Locked) ...
------------------------
"I am honored to fight someone from A-Class. My name is Alexander but don't worry about remembering my name. Once I reach A-Class and show my capabilities, be sure that my name will spread around this academy." Alexander laughed heartily.
His words though, fell on deaf ears as I couldn't help but permanently look around in case someone tries to stab me in the back.
Luckily for me, this guy seems to hold quite a bit of authority since his classmates obey his commands.
Though I cannot fully trust that everyone will honor this duel and let me have a fair fight, I have no real choice here anyways.
We slowly circled around each other as we waited for our opponents to make the first move. Alexander constantly tried a few miserable attempts at feints to test my reactions.
It wasn't until another chain ripped open the ground and almost wrapped around my foot that the fight finally began.
The sudden appearance of chains worried me since I couldn't figure out how exactly they work.
Almost all abilities have some sort of backlash or cost associated with them but I haven't seen enough of this ability to determine what exactly the cost might be.
The only thing I can say for sure is that his physical capabilities don't seem to suffer from these chains at all because he shot forward like a bullet and abused the time I needed to recover from his surprise assault.
Sickles flashed through the air, coming dangerously close to my head every now and then.
The fight intensified and it was clear that Alexander was a skilled and deadly opponent. His skills were on full display as he weaved in and out of range, delivering swift and precise strikes with his sickles.
Initially, I thought he would bulldoze his way toward victory but that doesn't seem to be the case. Rather than that, his fighting style was elegant and graceful, almost like a one-sided dance.
Every time I tried to counteract, chains sprang forth from nothingness to block me off.
"That's it? That's all you got?" He taunted with a smile on his face.
His confidence seemed to be infectious and his classmates cheered and clapped their hands in excitement, already sure of their victory. These guys are really getting on my nerves.
A sickle came hurtling down toward me once again, but this time, instead of defending I decided on a different approach.
Deriving it from its original path with a short thrust of my dagger, I messed up its alignment completely and nullified the threat.
Taking advantage of its crescent shape, I held the sickle in its place by wrapping around it with my sword. With him not able to immediately retract his sickle, I took the chance to close in.
Chains grazed me along the way as I closed the distance between us. Panic-stricken, Alexander tried to make a gap between us but to no avail.
Even going as far as dropping his sickle didn't help as it was already to late.
A swift cut from my blade and his torso started to bleed profusely. I wanted to follow up with a finishing strike but countless chains hindered me along the way.
To push myself away from them, I kicked him in the gut, using the momentum to escape the entangling steel. Alexander was launched into the crowd and crumpled onto the floor.
Not wasting the time he is down, I snapped his dropped sickle in half. I need every bit of advantage in this battle.
"Y-You... Fu- *cough* Fucker" He groaned whilst coughing blood.
His eyes were filled with hatred as he glared up at me. The spectators booed and jeered while shouting curses at me but that was all they did. No one tried to intervene in the fight.
I could feel foreign power coursing through my body at the sight of the crowd's reaction. Is this the work of Embodied Artistry?
The sensation was exhilarating, like the rush of adrenaline before a battle. Sadly, their emotions are quite flimsy.
Alexander coughed violently as his chest heaved up and down. However, contrary to his condition, his will to continue fighting remained strong.
As if he just used the last of his reserves, his face paled and his breathing became ragged. A common symptom caused by iron deficiency or lack of nutrition.
With his strength sapped, his movements slowed considerably. His actions didn't seem threatening at all but for some reason, I felt a strange sense of impending doom by the bizarre and random hand movements of his.
It was as if he was guiding something, something invisible to me.
All of a sudden, the ground started to violently shake as chains erupted from every direction, sprouting from the ground and the air itself.
They snaked and twisted like living creatures, converging on me with alarming speed.
Alexander wore a twisted smile on his lips as he watched me struggle under attack. "This is the end..." He whispered in a strained voice.
Whilst some chains lashed at me, others seemingly came alive and grabbed Alexander's sickles as well as the weapons from his classmates to wildly throw and swing at me.
The extra strength I received did wonders in helping me dodge the relentless onslaught. My muscles began to burn as exhaustion set in. I had been forced to use more energy than anticipated.
Weapons flew aimlessly around, injuring everyone in the vicinity. The chaos created by Alexander enabled a girl to silently mix under the crowd, hiding her long spear behind her back.
One cut after another started to appear on my body, slashing and slicing me open. The pain started to take form, growing stronger each second.
Although oddly enough, I wasn't exactly against this pain. It felt good to properly feel it again.
The pain receptors in my former body were dulled to the point that they were practically non-existent. It was refreshing to finally have them react again.
In the corner of my eye, I could see that Alexander is becoming increasingly weaker, barely conscious even. But then again, so am I.
With no more energy to spare, I hurled my dagger at Alexander, hoping he wasn't strong enough to defend it.
My move didn't come without a price to pay as a chain penetrated my arm, anchoring itself deep within.
Impaired and weakened by fatigue, I wasn't able to fend off the other chains following that. One after another planted itself deep inside my body and soon enough, I was completely immobilized.
The unyielding steel wrapped itself around my neck and constricted tightly, choking me. My vision blurred and I couldn't breathe anymore.
Darkness encroached upon me.
However, before the chains could drag me out of consciousness, they suddenly released their grip and dropped to the floor.
My head was throbbing painfully as I slowly opened my eyes.
Alexander laid before me, a dagger in his chest. The wound looked fresh and still bleeding. There were also numerous cuts across his torso where I slashed him with my knife.
He was unconscious, defeated. The academy didn't hesitate and immediately carried him off to be treated.
But the chaos did not subside. A lone girl mowed through the crowd with her spear, eliminating one after another.
As my vision became clearer, I could properly discern who she was.
"Isabella Glorydrifter..."
Her red hair swayed about freely, giving an impression of reckless abandon. Her bright ember-like eyes pierced right through me. She stared directly at me.
Her face displayed a complex mix of emotions, as though two conflicting feelings were warring inside her.
She brandished her spear, holding it precariously close to my neck. To think that she would try something against me even though we are currently fighting as one team.
Despite having the strength to fight back, I knew that this fight would only result in defeat. The battle against Alexander took a huge toll on my body.
"Where is my little sister?" She demanded.
Little sister? Why is she bringing up her little sister when the reason for her anger should stem from the blackmailing incident?
"I don't know what you're talking about." I replied truthfully.
Her eyes blazed with fury as she yelled: "Don't play dumb. Where did you hide her? Tell me! You promised me to release her once I become your g...girlfriend."
...
Don't tell me that the former Noah really stooped so low as to kidnap a child to blackmail someone into becoming his girlfriend...
Disgusting.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone