80 Chapter 80: Team Beam (1/2)
Of course, at this point, it didn't matter if they eliminated me or not. I had already shown my hand, and gotten rid of Lin Zhan Long. It was clear that I wouldn't be summoning any new soul beasts any time soon.
Even so, I was still a threat, as evidenced by my subjugation of their leader. Now that his own opponent had been defeated, it was natural that Cody would move to assassinate me before I could help any of my allies.
But let us take a few steps backward to review what was going on before my seemingly inevitable demise.
A few minutes earlier, Cody had been dueling with Stan, who kept him at bay with his dual pistols. The latter had been keeping up a relentless barrage, but Cody was far more experienced and faster. Dodging his bullets, he streaked past Stan and lashed oout with his daggers.
”Kuh!”
Stan dropped to a knee as blood gushed out from wounds on his arm and leg. However, he refused to relinquish his grip on his pistols and continued to raise them, firing off a second barrage. One of the bullets grazed Cody's cheek, leaving a thin line of blood dripping through his skin.
”…”
Cody spun around, trying his best to avoid yet another storm of bullets. Raising his daggers, he narrowed his eyes when he realized that he couldn't afford to take the first year student lightly.
”I'll have to finish this quickly. I wanted to save this for the seniors, but…”
He could sense the fiery heat as Dong Fang Yue Chu used his flames to roast Lily Liam. The White Valkyrie was still guarding against his flames with her shield, but both of them could sense something different about his flames.
It wasn't just normal fire. It seemed to possess a purifying effect. Cody was aware that if he didn't wrap this up fast enough, then…
…and then the sonic attack hit.
Canis Major chose that moment to unleash his Sirius attack, and the Holy Saints all fell over, clutching their ears. Stan had no intention of letting his chance slip by and took aim, firing into Cody's vitals. Despite being disorientated by the sudden sonic blast, Cody gritted his teeth and deflected the bullets with his daggers.
”Ugh…”
Shaking his head, he swiftly returned to his feet, and charged straight at the shooting Stan. Stan narrowed his eyes and intensified his barrage, but Cody did not wish to plough straight through the volley of mana projectiles.
He didn't have the defensive capability or durability for that kind of punishment. Especially given the high amount of bullets coming his way.
”Hu…”
Taking a deep breath, Cody cast the spell that he had been saving up this entire time.
”Shadow Clones!”
His body suddenly split into five, all five figures dashing toward a stunned Stan. To his credit, Stan didn't panic and instead shifted his aim, shooting the one in the center. The bullets passed through the clone, which disappeared after taking damage.
”Not the real one, huh?” he muttered, clicking his tongue. He then shifted his aim to the one at the far right. Letting loose a volley of shots, he tried to shoot Cody down, but he never knew if he had chosen the right target or not.
Cody was intelligent enough to not waste his clones. All four remaining figures immediately moved and dodged, relying on their high speed to evade the trajectory of Stan's bullets. Stan cursed as he struggled to keep up, but with four targets flying toward him at incredible speed, there was no way he could hit all of them.
He had to retreat.
At the same time, Teacher Fielding's voice echoed throughout the arena.
”First Blood to Ultimate Outcast!”
”?!”
Both Stan and Cody couldn't help but turn at the announcement, only to see Lin Zhan Long's charred body lying spread-eagled on the floor.
”Lin Zhan Long has…!”
”Vice-President did it!”
Stan immediately grew giddy. If I could do it, then he could, too! Resolute determination welling up inside him, he spun around and emptied his guns into the four shadow clones that had stopped. Cody, however, had not made it to the top by being careless, and they immediately sprang into action.
”I'm sorry, but if Zhan Long is down, then I can't afford to waste any more time on you.”
”??”
Before Stan could retort, Cody flashed past him, his dagger slicing through his jugular vein. Normally that would have been a fatal injury, but the boundary field ensured that we would all remain alive no matter what kind of injuries we sustained.
However, it was enough to take out Stan. The poor first year clutched at his throat, trying in vain to stem the spurting blood. Collapsing, he let out a wet gargle and went still.
”Second Blood to Holy Saints!”
Skidding to a stop, Cody dismissed his shadow clones, which dissipated after a few seconds. He instead focused his mana into his daggers and lunged at me. Seeing that my back was toward him, he quickly seized the chance to bury his weapons in my neck.