1005 Combat 1 (2/2)

”I hope that you'll still be able to smile in a little while,” responded Garen casually.

Bainster and Hillco followed him to the side of the arena and sat in the waiting area.

Werder got up from his seats, accompanied by his Followers beside him, and walked down before sitting in the waiting area as well.

March stood up at the seats for the distinguished guests with a smile on his face.

”Today, I have the privilege of standing here as a referee representative to determine the victory and defeat of the first twenty ranked Two Hearted Peak Masters. It is my honor…”

Just as the words had left his mouth, a commotion occurred below suddenly.

Garen's pupils shrunk and his face became contorted at once.

”He's the referee?!” Bainster stood up with a disbelieving look on his face. ”Is this a joke? He was the one who called for this decisive battle and now he's judging it too?!”

”Hush,” said Garen calmly while interrupting him.

”But!!” Bainster gritted his teeth and spat angrily.

”No 'buts'. There are too many complicated circumstances in the world, nothing will always go smoothly in favor of us. There are good and bad situations, and if we don't learn how to counterattack when the odds were against us, we will never experience great successes during our entire lifetime,” said Garen while calming down gradually.

Time passed slowly before the index numbers of the various fights on the Decisive Battle Platform were examined completely. It was only after that had the Decisive Battle truly begun.

Werder sneered before a black python appeared behind him and coiled itself around his body. A red light flashed within the python's eyes slowly.

”Go!”

His silhouette flashed before his entire body leaped upward at the side of the arena, bringing up numerous phantom images that fell on the platform and stood steadily there.

A black Giant Wolf appeared behind Garen. He stroked the fine hair at the neck of the Giant Wolf gently before the man and the creature walked up the Decisive Battle Platform slowly.

”Begin,” March's voice echoed over while he smiled.

The moment he finished speaking, Garen took one step forward before his right leg stomped on the ground of the Battle Platform firmly.

Boom!

His entire body shot towards Werder like an arrow, while the Giant Wolf followed him closely from behind. In the blink of an eye, the man and the wolf turned into black and white lines respectively.

”You dare make the first move?” Werder moved his right hand before a conjuring a black chainsaw that resembled a whip. He raised his hand up violently and drew it precisely at Garen.

Crack!

The whip that was surrounded by cold snowflakes moving towards Garen's head.

As an experienced and powerful individual, he was naturally able to counter various attacks smoothly.

The whip rolled towards Garen suddenly while bringing the strength of the Grade Ten Scarlet Snow Technique. He had decided to take advantage of the distance between them to suppress Garen. Simultaneously, a slightly black protective barrier illuminated beside Werder's body.

”Grade Four of the Black Python Shield!” He saw that the corners of March's mouth were slightly upturned while he stood on the platform. ”This is sufficient to counter one-time explosions like his.”

Garen turned his body and dodged the cracking whip numerous times. He moved his right hand before a gust of cold air gushed out and stopped the whip in place. Next, the whip cracked suddenly before Garen took the opportunity to get up and move over while moving his right palm forward.

”Multiple Speed Fist!!”

An outburst of speed occurred instantly. In the blink of an eye, his right palm could move thrice as fast, catching Werder off guard before being hit in the chest with a palm violently.

Bang!!

The black-colored shield shook but did not shatter.

”Your speed is fast enough but your strength is too weak,” Werder sneered. A python hissed behind him and leaped towards Garen's face.

The python was immediately knocked down by a black wolf that pounced from the side. Both of the Biochemical Beasts fought each other violently.

Garen stepped back quickly and his face remained unchanged. He was merely testing out his current attack potential.

It was true that his current speed was slightly faster than Werder's but his strength was too weak. Without attacks or abilities with sufficient destructive power, it was difficult to damage his opponent's shield. This was where he was lacking.

If he wanted to be victorious over the opponent, he needed to destroy his enhanced shield layer first. The protective layer that was slightly black was not merely a defensive Energy Field that was released by Level Five Energy Machinists. Instead, it was more like a special training Energy Field. Its strength greatly surpassed the defensive Energy Fields of the average Level Five Energy Machinists.

He had only one way to break through that defensive layer.

”What's wrong? You can't do anything, can you? Why did you tell me to meet you on the Decisive Battle Platform, then?! You had such an imposing manner when you spoke, so why are you so dispirited now?” A hateful smile had appeared on Werder's face. Although he could not catch up to Garen's speed, he was currently cracking his whip four times in quick succession to create sharp whip-like shadows while approaching Garen one step at a time.

Garen remained silent while his body moved on the platform and evaded the shadows of the whip continuously. As much as Werder attempted to taunt him with words. He did not allow himself to be provoked at all.

A howling noise could be heard when the Giant Wolf at the side seemed as though it could not hold on any longer. The black python had coiled around it in circles and it was good enough that the wolf was able to withstand it until now. As a Level Three cannon fodder creature, it had already exhibited the potential of surpassing its standards.

”Again!”

Garen's face remained unchanged while he rushed toward Werder rapidly. There was indeed a difference between both of their speeds as Werder was completely unable to catch up to his movements. When Garen's palm struck his rib again, Werder's body shook faintly.