Chapter 131 (1/2)

Several seconds passed. What was most annoying was that in that same time, the crowd appeared to regain some of its confidence, perhaps boosted by the rather strange turn of events on stage. Several spear users edged towards the stage, perhaps preparing to ascend, joining the increasing number of people on stage.

But Dian flicked her hand, and fresh, wet, and red wounds sprouted from two nearby individual’s necks. The nearby spear users once more scrambled backwards, shocked by the strange turn of events, and Dian nodded seriously. “I’ll keep the trash away. May your battle be long and honorable.”

Tartet and Randidly turned to one another, both frowning, but…

As Randidly looked at that lemon skinned idiot, it was hard not to feel his hackles rise. In the same way, Tartet began to sneer as his eyes ran over Randidly’s worn leathers, and his bare feet. Perhaps there was a smarter way to handle the situation, but both looked at the other and saw a person unworthy of respect. They could not both remain on the stage, allowing the other to persist.

They would need to fight to demonstrate their own worth in their mind. And both knew that the other was thinking along almost the same lines, but it did not matter. It was better this way. There was an answer they would only find after crossing spears, and both were determined to find the answer they wanted.

Randidly moved first, his grip on his spear tight, rushing towards his opponent. But although Randidly moved first, Tartet was the one who seemed to arrive to first, bursting into a flurry of motion, both spears ripping forward in vicious stabs. Gritting his teeth, Randidly unleashed a Phantom Onslaught, barely able to keep up with the amount of blows that the opposing spear user unleashed.

Although Tartet’s attacks were stronger, Randidly’s were faster and more unpredictable, slashing upwards at weird angles, deflecting the strangely vicious strikes of his opponent. But Randidly was forced to use Phantom Onslaught again and again, his stamina rapidly draining down. And from the bright fire in Tartet’s eyes, it did not seem like he was depleting his stamina at the speed Randidly was.

The other had an advantage, and it was slowly pushing Randidly backwards. No longer did he have any attention to spare for Dian or the surrounding contestants, there was only this man in front of him, who was infuriatingly competent with his spear.

But this didn’t discourage Randidly. Instead, it only made him want to be able to triumph even more. In his chest, he felt the stirrings of that frost and lava energy, spreading its tendrils through his limbs. Although he could feel weariness building up, it was nothing compared to the helplessness and fear that Randidly had started with those months ago.

Compared to the fear of death, this was nothing. He had trained for several weeks, preparing for just this. His spear strikes were accurate and tireless, intercepting and deflecting, constantly struggling against the other’s overwhelming power.

Although his breathing was heavy, inwardly Randidly was calm, as he unleashed another Phantom Onslaught, focusing all of his will on the image he had of the move. It was unpredictable, endless, eternal, unavoidable. It flooded towards you, unstoppable. Part of the image was based on the very mental attack that Tartet had used on Randidly. But it was an accurate picture of what Randidly wanted. Those endless, howling spears…

It was a small thing, but Randidly felt his spear attacks during the move becoming more ephemeral and numerous, seeming to come from every direction.

To Randidly’s shock, Tartet just growled, and his spears began to hum and vibrate. Then he launched his attacks, the spears blurring and unpredictable, but also extremely powerful, so much so that the entirety of Phantom Onslaught was blown away.

Luckily it seemed that the unpredictability cut both ways; although there was a split second where Randidly was defenseless, Tartet couldn’t manage to change the path of his attacks, and the strange vibrating thrusts ripped across his ribs and shoulders, inflicting small wounds, but failing to fatally wound Randidly.

Hissing out through his teeth, Randidly relied on Spear Phantom’s Footwork to spin around Tartet, creating some distance. His opponent’s reaction was quick; the other spun around and rushed forward, the spears wildly swinging.

His mouth firming into a line, Randidly planted his feet, lowered himself into one of the strange stances taught to him by the old turtle, activated Haste, Empower, and Mana Strengthening, and used Sweep, his spear whipping around to crash against one of the weird, vibrating attack.

The power of those blows was evenly matched, or even a little in Tartet’s favor, but the momentum of his attack had been stopped. Or at least, that spear had been.

While Randidly was stumbling, shaken and almost unable to grip his spear due to the aftershocks of the collision, Tartet’s other spear ripped forward, aiming for his heart. For once, the strange unpredictability seemed to go Tartet’s way. But Randidly simply stepped backwards, creating space. Tartet leaped forward, following.

Again, Randidly hissed and sidestepped with Spear Phantom’s footwork, avoiding the blow, but Tartet just spun, his eyes burning, barely losing any time before leaping after Randidly. There was something about him, Randidly realized. A strangeness, a pervasive feel to the air. A hunger. His spear, well spears, were hungry, and that feeling infused the entirety of his movements.

Randidly’s eyes narrowed. This was…