Chapter 718: Forced Two-star Ascension?! (1/2)
Moranti was focused on detaining Halmut but failed to directly evade the Sun God's heated, multi-colored breath at point-blank. Halmut showed no care for the people self-destructing for his safety, solely focused on his survival at any cost.
The Sun Dragon forced Skaryn to back off while evading the Skaryn's swiping scythe, thanks to Skaryn's hesitation to delay the kamikaze cosmician. But Halmut was unable to escape Skaryn's death-defying charge, which showed no regard for the next wave of self-destructing cosmicians.
”HE'S MINE, MORANTI!” Skaryn only showed anger at his old friend, who dared step into the lopsided fight. ”TRUST ME!”
Sighing, Moranti teleported away and gave in to Skaryn's demands. Considering how Skaryn was alive and well despite the many people overwhelming him, Moranti didn't bother arguing further. He understood the other reason why Skaryn hated having help.
While Lunara and Moranti watched curiously and Kylon watched in anxiousness, Skaryn dared to charge into an encirclement of exploding cosmicians. But the explosions never came…
All eyes were on Skaryn as multiple copies of the man appeared behind the four cosmicians preparing to blow. Suddenly, two rings of energy encircled each of the cosmicians, cutting off their rampant energy and sealing them into crystal orbs covered in archaic writing. Each copy of Skaryn then lobbed their orbs to the real Skaryn before fading out of existence.
Halmut began to tremble more than ever before. Losing his protection was enough to leave him horrified but the manner in which Skaryn removed those cosmicians left Halmut further shaken. ”Y-you…”
”You gave me five hundred years to do nothing but study the seal containing me, so what else would you expect? Did you forget who I am?” Skaryn scoffed at Halmut, charging back at the Sun Dragon. ”Today I end everything, no matter what it is you throw at me!”
With nothing left to lose, Halmut roared with all his might. He entered his hybrid form and forcefully grew larger and larger. Halmut crushed an abundance of stimulants as he forcefully took in their energy. Now, Halmut's energy levels exploded to new limits as his spare energy was bursting at the seems and practically burning away outside of Halmut's body.
”NOOOOOO!!” Halmut roared. ”I REFUSE!!”
”He's… ascending?!” shouted a cosmician in the crowd, the first of many to shout in a mix of confusion and excitement.
Skaryn finally paused his charge and took a moment to better analyze Halmut's new transformation. Yet Skaryn's determination remained clear in his gaze.
”No…” Kylon trembled slightly, terrified to imagine what was happening. She and the others from Kartonia were the first to confirm their fear. Halmut was no longer at lv. 99, but lv. 100.
However, unlike the crowd or those watching from the waiting room, Skaryn didn't even frown. The Dark God only sighed disappointingly. ”Halmut… you consider that a proper ascension?”
”IT'S MORE THAN ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH YOU!” Halmut's roar echoed through the chamber, stealing the attention of the few people who still hadn't shifted their eyes toward the battle.
As Halmut trembled, growing more and more powerful, Skaryn glanced about the chamber in surprise. Finally, after a few moments of silence from the crowd and nothing but roaring laughter from Halmut, Skaryn shouted out a question, ”I thought no two-stars could take part in the competition?”
”Correct, but challenger Halmut entered as a one-star. Ascension is allowed during the challenge of Glacier Keep but the restriction on two-star items remains.”
It wasn't Oli's voice that responded but the confident answer was enough for all challengers to understand how Halmut's ascension was to be handled.