Chapter 140 (1/2)
“K-Kim Su-hyeun??”
“Gordon Rohan will fight Kim Su-hyeun? In the very first match?”
“This match-up… Isn’t this like watching the real final match?”
The other participants in the audience chambers were getting stirred up.
A handful of people were seen as potential victors of the competition—Gordon Rohan, first, then Su-hyeun, Thomas, and, finally, Adel.
Of them, Thomas was expected to end up in a match against Su-hyeun, but not advance to the finals. As for Adel, many believed his skills to be inferior to either Gordon Rohan or the South Korean awakener.
Therefore, the majority had speculated that, in the end, the Ranking Wars’ would be won by one of two men—Gordan Rohan or Su-hyeun.
But even though Su-hyeun was the second favorite to win, nine out of ten people thought that Gordon would walk away as the winner.
But all those predictions were falling apart right now.
<< If those two fight now and exhaust their stamina… >>
Every participant was thinking the same thing:
<< Maybe I too stand a chance? >>
If Su-hyeun had avoided fighting Gordon Rohan and waited right until the end, the story would be much different.
Even the great Gordon Rohan himself couldn’t emerge unscathed after going through 30 consecutive battles. One couldn’t dismiss the problem of depleted stamina. That one factor could change everything.
Of course, it wasn’t as if Gordon Rohan and Su-hyeun didn’t know that either.
But, that meant…
<< He’s that confident in himself? >>
Everyone present had the same thought. Both men were confidently taking a huge step that could lose them the whole competition. Why?
For Gordon Rohan, in particular, he wished to prove himself to be the very best in the world through the Ranking Wars, so it was no surprise that he wanted to win the overall victory. He had even volunteered to go first. Perhaps, this was just evidence of his overflowing confidence.
Step, step.
Su-hyeun walked down to the arena and looked straight at Gordon Rohan.
He spoke first, “The stage you prepared is truly amazing. It’s the perfect stage, so no one can ever doubt you to be the world’s best…”
Stepping into the finals and overpowering everyone all by himself. If Gordon Rohan emerged victorious from such a stage, then indeed, no one could ever deny that he was the best awakener in the world. He had set the stage magnificently.
“…That is, as long as you win.”
And that all worked in Su-hyeun’s favor as well, which was why he found the stage Gordon Rohan had prepared to be very much to his liking.
It was a stage that was fair to all and would be able to determine the individual that possessed power stronger than anyone else out there. If he one, no one could deny his strength.
“I knew you’d be the first challenger.”
Zing!
A pure-white spear appeared in Gordon Rohan’s hand.
“I would have been so disappointed if it wasn’t you.”
“I did wonder about it for a little while there. Maybe it might have been more interesting to fight last on a stage like this.”
“Why didn’t you step up last then?”
“If I did that, people might accuse me of defeating an exhausted Gordon Rohan instead.”
“You think I’ll exhaust all of my stamina fighting that small fry? No freaking way.”
“You won’t, but all I’m saying is that others might think that. In the end—”
Ca-ching!
Su-hyeun unsheathed his sword and, at the same time, opened his third eye.
“This stage will mean something only by defeating you first.”
“You sure do know how to say the things I like to hear.”
Clang!
Thump! Pow! Clang!
The two men roused their magical energy simultaneously while finishing their preparations to rush right into each other the moment the starting signal was given.
Crack, split!
The arena’s floor cracked and split apart by their rising magical energies.
Right at the moment when their rising energy level hit the peak…
[The competition will commence.]
…Johnny Brad’s signal was sent out.
Buzz, buzz.
Swish! CLANG!
Immediately after the two men’s silhouettes disappeared from view, a loud metallic clang resounded out from the middle of the arena.
Swish!
Gusts of wind reached the grandstands. The colliding magical energy tore into shreds and spread out to all corners of the arena.
Boom, clang, CLANG!
Crack, splatter!
The spear and the sword clashed.
The spear had a slightly longer reach. Gordon Rohan leaped up high, and the ends of the spear split apart into dozens upon dozens.
Pow! Slash! Slash!
The spear light thrust into various parts of Su-hyeun’s body, his throat, shoulders, and waist, and then proceeded to stab him several times in a row.
[Doppelganger.]
Zap!
Su-hyeun disappeared from the spot. What Gordon Rohan had just stabbed was just a doppelganger that looked exactly the same as his target.
Rumble…
It was right then that he felt scorching heat coming from behind. He spread his wings wide and quickly crouched.
Ka-boom!
A massive burst of navy-blue colored flames swept Gordon Rohan up.
Su-hyeun, as he counted in his mind, took a shot forward next. Just before he could swing his sword down toward the searing heat, he sensed something was off and quickly leaped up.
Slash!
A spear swing containing pure-white light sliced the “Divine Flame” apart. Gordon Rohan lifted the wings covering his entire body and looked up at Su-hyeun above, smirking meaningfully.
“That was pretty hot, wasn’t it?”
Swish, swoosh.
The atmosphere around Gordon Rohan changed. His pure-white wings spread wide and the irises disappeared from his eyes, leaving them pure white as well.
Su-hyeun knew very well what that was.
[Trait- Archangel.]
It was a trait that rivaled “dragonification” – no, maybe rated even higher than that.
Gordon Rohan had acquired the traits of an angel, getting his hands on overwhelming power and magical prowess. Most notably, the resistance against magic-related skills his trait had endowed him with was far, far greater than any other traits out there.
<< Meaning, the “Divine Flame” won’t work. >>
The “Divine Flame” was a skill that enjoyed a pronounced effect against monsters possessing a dark attribute. Against a trait of an angelic race that already possessed a high resistance against magic, on top of the same light-type attribute, the “Divine Flame” wouldn’t be very effective at all.
Su-hyeun’s “Divine Flames” was a skill that Gordon Rohan would feel perfectly at home with.
<< In that case…. >>
Sizzle, rumble.
Pitch-black scales began sprouting all over Su-hyeun’s body. The third eye in his forehead opened up completely, causing his senses to sharpen, and his body to gain strength.
His sudden transformation caused Gordon Rohan to pause for a moment. The American narrowed his eyes into slits and began spinning the spear in his hand.
“That’s right. Let’s have a proper go this time.”
Swish!
Swoosh!
The spear spun so fast that it couldn’t be seen by the naked eye. And then Gordon Rohan powerfully swung that spinning spear in Su-hyeun’s direction.
It was the same attack as yesterday, the one that utterly wrecked the arena.
Sizzle. ZAP!
Su-hyeun pointed his sword at the approaching spear energy. And, right when the attack arrived, he swung the weapon firmly held in both of his hands.
Split!
Zoom! ZAP! CLANG!
The immense power behind the incoming spear light shattered and scattered in all directions.
The floor was scoured and torn asunder. But Su-hyeun didn’t pay it any mind and dashed forward toward Gordon Rohan.