104 Chapter 103: The Dragon and the Phoenix (2/2)
With a howl, he incinerated the final bombardment with a raging inferno that vaporized the ice into steam and scorched the ground of the once-frozen arena. Waving his sword about, he directed the torrent of flames toward me.
But I had already anticipated that.
Azure Dragon Blast.
Swinging my swords, I unelashed a stream of qi that took the shape of an azure dragon that roared soundlessly as it charged forward and met the torrent of flames. The fire froze almost instantly, the azure dragon seeming to consume it as it ate its way toward a stunned Feng Tian Yong. The red-haired guy snapped out of it and tried to dive out of the way, but he was too late. The dragon struck him and carried him into the air, the destructive qi searing his body. Feng Tian Yong screamed before an azure explosion engulfed him.
Boom!
I watched as his smoldering body crashed back to the ground, landing heavily and sending debris flying into the air from the impact.
”Phew…”
No sooner than I sighed a breath of relief when Feng Tian Yong climbed back to his feet, incensed. Trembling, he glared at me.
”You…you…!”
”And you called me tenacious,” I muttered with a shake of my head.
”NOOOO!!!!!”
”Tian Yong!”
”You can't lose!”
”You can win!”
”Don't lose to a loser like that bastard!”
”Don't give up!”
While I watched Feng Tian Yong stand, mired in disbelief, I could just barely make out the screams and cheers from his female fanclub. The girls were hammering on the reinforced window, which hadn't broken – I guess the repairs must have done their job, after all – shouting and shrieking their encouragement and support.
”Heh.” Feng Tian Yong smiled. ”How can I lose? I won't let you girls down.”
A vein twitched in my temple. Was this guy trying to show off or something? Sure, go ahead and tell us single guys how popular you are with girls. I'm sure that would go down well with the majority of guys.
As I expected, the guys' boisterous yells began to drown out the girls. I could hear the guys howling and bellowing at me from behind the glass.
”Don't lose to that fucker, Fei Wu!”
”Get revenge for us!”
”I won't accept a playboy winning this match!”
”Show him the power of us single virgins!”
”I won't forgive you if you lost to a bastard like Feng Tian Yong!”
I couldn't help but smile wryly. Well, at least it meant that I had a lot of support, which was more than I could say for other protagonists. Shaking my head wearily, I dropped one sword momentarily to show them a thumb's up before snatching up that sword before it could hit the ground.
Don't worry, comrades. I won't let you guys down. We'll show them the power of us single virgins! Wait, what?
Well, there was no shame in admitting that I was a single virgin. I was only in my first year of high school, after all. I wasn't even eighteen. Why would I need to be in a hurry with regards to my virgin status?
Feng Tian Yong was grinning at me, half in amusement and half in sympathy. That bastard! Was he looking down on me for being single and a virgin? I would have him know, this was a moral decision! At least I wasn't irresponsible to the extent where I would sleep around and lead dozens of girls on!
Channeling my rage into my qi, I infused both my swords with draconic meteor energy. Lowering my stance, I then used Jin and advanced toward the leering Feng Tian Yong, who was almost caught by surprise while he was still recovering.
”!”
Clang!
Our swords collided forcefully and I made use of my somewhat greater physical strength to push him back and knock him off balance. While Feng Tian Yong flailed from the abrupt impact, I dropped down under his desperate riposte and kicked him in the chest.
”Guh!”
”NOOO! Tian Yong!”
”Ha ha ha ha! Get him, Fei Wu!”
Even through the soundproof window, I could still hear the mixed responses of my schoolmates cheering and jeering. While I appreciated the guys supporting me, I wasn't sure how I felt about all the girls cheering for Feng Tian Yong. Well, at least Tang Qi Hong and Lian Rou should be on my side. I hope.
”GAAAAAH!”
With a roar, Feng Tian Yong's body exploded into flames. Two gigantic wings of fire unfolded from his back and swept across the arena, blowing superheated air across the space. I choked on the combusted air and staggered back, and was almost unable to parry a strike from my opponent as he swung a massive blade of fire.
Bam!
I was almost knocked off my feet, but I gritted my teeth and dug in, skidding across the coliseum through sheer grit and determination. Feng Tian Yong ignored me and jumped up, soaring high into the air with his newly summoned wings.
”The Phoenix Spreads its Wings!”
With a shout, Feng Tian Yong blasted me with an overwhelming torrent of golden flames that engulfed the whole room in an unforgiving inferno. I screamed as the conflagration incinerated me, overwhelming my inner qi defenses and burning me alive. Dropping to my knees, I leaned on both my swords, my breathing growing ragged.
”Descent of the Phoenix!”
Feng Tian Yong unleashed his ultimate skill again, conjuring the gigantic phoenix of fire and bringing it down on me.
Knowing that I wouldn't be able to survive this next attack if I let it hit me directly, I forced myself unsteadily to my feet and drew qi from my reserves. Channeling whatever qi I had left into both my swords, I swung them and unleashed another Azure Dragon Blast.
The two legendary monsters collided in midair before culminating in an explosion that sent tremors reverberating throughout the coliseum. Cheers turned to shrieks as the girls found themselves knocked off their feet from the merciless shockwaves while the guys swore and cursed when they were buffeted by the aftershocks.
”Bloody hell!”
”They're going too far!”
”Well, not exactly…haven't you seen the other matches?”
”...”
Yup, they had. This exchange was nothing compared to the other matches. At least the window hadn't shattered yet, so that was a plus!
”Uwaaaah!”
Yelling in determination, Feng Tian Yong dove at me, his fiery wings spread. Hurtling forward at a terrifying velocity, he slashed at me with his blazing sword. I stood my ground firmly and met his attack with both of my swords.
KABOOM!
Refusing to yield even a centimeter, I ferociously traded blows with him, dragons coiling around my sword and delivering blasts with meteoric impact. Feng Tian Yong would normally have been blown away, but those fiery phoenix wings of his provided him much-needed power and mobility, allowing him to match me blow with blow.
”Ugh…!”
Even so, Feng Tian Yong was flinching every time he was forced to parry a strike. A phoenix that had materialized around his sword would burst, obliterated by a meteoric dragon that was curled around one of my swords.
”My arms are getting numb…I can't hold out for much longer…!”
Muttering under his breath and totally unaware that I could hear him just fine, Feng Tian Yong tried to retreat. I wasn't stupid enough to discard my advantage and relentlessly pressed on, swinging my swords with meteoric force.
”Don't get too ahead of yourself!”
Snapping, Feng Tian Yong flapped one of his fiery wings forward to bat me away, but I met it with cold steel and meteoric, draconic force. Feng Tian Yong stumbled back when my counterattack actually ripped a hole through his fiery wing, but the flaming feathers rapidly regenerated. Even so, he had been thrown off balance and I capitalized on it.
Draconic Meteor Strike!
”Ugh…?!”
Feng Tian Yong tried his best to block, but even with both wings aiding him, he was blown away by my attack. Having unleashed it at pointblank range, I wasn't able to exert its full strength, but it was more than enough.
For now.
”The Phoenix Spread its Wings!”
Hollering as he fell back, Feng Tian Yong threw one last desperate attack at me. I held my ground and dug in, raising both my swords to deflect the torrent of golden flames that rained down on me. A dragon rose from behind in a silent snarl and charged straight at the ferocious stream of fire, freezing it into ice.
”Impossible!”
Feng Tian Yong's eyes widened at the unbelievable sight. Swearing under his breath, he threw his sword at the dragon, cleaving it apart. I stepped to the side, allowing the weapon to spin past me before it embedded itself in the wall behind.
”Taste this! My ultimate attack!”
While I evaded his sword, Feng Tian Yong had retrieved his phoenix bow again. He was drawing what remained of his qi into a single fiery projectile.
”The Ultimate Phoenix Arrow!”
Notching the beautifully crafted arrow into his elegant phoenix bow, Feng Tian Yong stretched it back and aimed it at me.
Aware that this wasn't something I could simply evade, and also knowing that if I overcame his ultimate attack, it would be my victory, I dropped one of my swords and held the other with both hands. While the fiery form of a gigantic phoenix behind Feng Tian Yong spread its wings and emitted a soundless cry toward the heavens, the gargantuan shape of an icy dragon uncoiled and rose ferociously behind me, freezing my side of the coliseum.
I might not know any fancy tricks, but I was going to answer Feng Tian Yong's Ultimate Phoenix Arrow with my most powerful Draconic Meteor Strike.
”Take this!”
Feng Tian Yong let go of the arrow. The gigantic golden phoenix seemed to follow the arrow as it streaked toward me at near light speed, blasting the coliseum apart and leaving a trail of fiery destruction in its wake.
It was hurtling forward too quickly. There was no way I could evade it, even if I used my footwork techniques.
No. Even if I could evade it, I wouldn't. There was no meaning to evading an ultimate attack that my opponent poured all his soul and energy into. This was the very embodiment of my opponent's will. Therefore I was going to crush it head-on!
”AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
With a determined yell, I swung my sword down with both hands, unleashing my moost powerful Draconic Meteor Strike. The enormous dragon behind me flowed into the azure arc of qi that blasted off from my blade and plunged toward the screeching phoenix.
The two divine monsters collided in the center of the coliseum and exploded. For a brief second I stood still, mesmerized by the expanding conflagration of qi, the tremendous explosion consuming everything in its wake.
Then my world vanished in a golden blast of light and deafening noise.