Leeward wasn't certain his plan would work, but he was prepared to take the gamble. If it failed, he'd simply revert to his first alternative: to act completely normal.
Calvin's monster lunged at them with astonishing force, leaving a thick cloud of dust in its wake. Its steps were heavy as steel, and the sound of its feet hitting the ground was like a thunderclap.
Nate and Ellen weren't prepared to face a monster like this, but desperation was driving them irresistibly; they were desperate to secure a foothold in an army or security organization within the Dragon Empire. The ascendants' battles at Danic Arena weren't mere displays of combat; specialized committees scrutinized every move and evaluated every talent to recruit the most deserving candidates.
"Damn, he's fast. We have to work together to take him down."
Nate's voice trailed off at the end of his sentence as he saw Leeward sprinting alone toward the monster
His steps were quick and decisive. The ring was spacious, and he was confident in his ability to dodge Calvin's blows
Is he crazy?! Attacking alone?!
Ellen wondered, his expression a mixture of astonishment and anger.
"Look, audience! The number one climber is charging at Calvin's monster all by himself! Does he have what it takes to stop him?!"
The commentator roared with excitement, and the arena's stands shook with the roar of the assembled crowd.
At that moment, Leeward unleashed his entire spirit field, saturating his muscles with energy. He felt the intensity gradually diminish, but it gave his body a surge he had never experienced before.
He was fast.
I'll see if he regenerates... this monster's venom can rebuild his body.
That was what propelled him forward.
He drew his sword swiftly, encased it in his spirit field, and then leaped high into the face of the monster, whose screams filled the air.
Calvin swung three of his six arms simultaneously, followed by a barrage of successive blows
Six blows... intertwined... in quick succession
Leeward concentrated his field behind his back, then unleashed his energy all at once. The blast came like a sharp jet of air that propelled him forward with lightning speed, skipping three hits... but three more to go.
He landed directly in front of Calvin's chest.
He raised his sword.
And fired a vertical, penetrating blow into his chest.
But before the move was complete, one of the monster's arms slammed into his shoulder with devastating force.
It felt as if the bone had shattered under the impact.
He clenched his jaw, and before he could be flung away, he completed his swing, slicing open the monster's chest from the side.
His body was propelled by the impact, and he nearly crashed into the arena wall, but he bent in the air and landed on his feet, leaving a distinct slick trail on the dirt floor.
"My goodness! What an extraordinary attack from the Number One Rising Star! I've never seen anything like it. This is a fight to watch until the very last second!"
The commentator exploded with excitement, and the crowd went wild with him
Fighting him is truly difficult... if only I hadn't wrapped my body in my field
The spiritual shattering of my shoulder from that blow. Even so, the pain is unbearable.
Leeward hissed through gritted teeth, gripping his shield and sword tightly.
Even at this speed, I couldn't completely penetrate his defenses. You have to coordinate those two. But I did manage to open a gap in his chest.
Suddenly,
his eyes widened.
One of the beast's arms shot toward him with absolute speed.
He leaped instantly to his right, dodging the blow, which slammed into the arena wall, leaving a deep wrecking mark.
Damn it... he can stretch too?!
It was a surprise he hadn't accounted for.
He fixed his gaze on the beast's chest.
The wound... hadn't healed.
A clear gash, and green blood trickled slowly from it.
He quickly deduced this: Calvin, due to his young age, was incapable of using his poison for regeneration, or even exceeding his limits
Employ it to extend its limbs.
A crucial point
Although its level is low compared to fourth- or fifth-rank monsters, its poison belongs to the fifth rank.
And that's enough.
This Calvin is still immature. Calvin's monsters usually reach a level between sixth and fifth when they are fully grown, and that's due to the powerful poison coursing through their veins.
Breathe slowly.
I won't use my technique against him, and I won't reveal my Steinmae. I must remain cautious; that person who has been tracking me must be watching this fight now, and I won't show him all my cards.
And he ran off thinking.
The relationship between Steinma and Spiritual Energy is simple in essence.
Steinma is the basis of innovative or inherited techniques, and it is like an engine. It is divided into three categories: ordinary Steinma, inherited Steinma, and supreme Steinma
Spiritual energy is the reservoir that feeds and propels those techniques.
Without stenma, there is no technique specific to the ascendant, and without spiritual energy, the ascendant cannot activate their techniques, as they need fuel to move them.
When ascendants take their first steps on the path to power, the first thing they train for is awakening their spiritual energy and mastering its fundamentals. Some reach a level that allows them to awaken their stenma and create their own technique, while others remain below that.
Those who do not awaken their stenma rely on ethereal pieces, spiritual tools, and spiritual weapons that do not require stenma to activate. This does not prevent those with stenma from employing those tools as well.
Leeward understood all this as well as one understands drinking water. So he decided to resort to an ethereal piece instead of his stenma to preserve what he had not yet revealed.
He began to leap aside, dodging the monster's successive attacks, his mind working nonstop.
But the obstacle appeared quickly
"I possess neither an ethereal object nor a spiritual instrument. This sword I have is merely capable of unleashing energy."
spiritual, and this won't decide the battle. I have no choice; I'll rely on my group."
Meanwhile, Nate and Ellen had witnessed Leeward's attack. The sight ignited a spark of confidence in them that hadn't been there just moments before.
"Ascendant Number One, let's unite; we'll be better able to bring down this monster together!"
Ellen shouted.
"Did his blast hit you?"
Nate asked, trying to find out before they moved as a team.
Leeward ran past them at a steady trot and said without pausing,
"We split into three, each taking up a position, and attack together in a single formation."
Good idea.
Ellen smiled calmly, then snatched a long black throw from behind his back and braced himself.
Agreed, but we must remain vigilant; his arms are capable of extension."
Knight raised his sword and shield, and the three formed a triangle: Knight in the center, Ellen to the left, and Leeward to the right.
And they charged.
The fight has only just begun, and I'm burning with excitement!
The commentator's voice echoed around the ring, snatching some of Leeward's concentration.
Damn... I'll smash that pesky piece one day. Ah, wait... I've got an idea.
He whispered to himself, an incomplete idea flashing through his mind.
In the stands, Canty watched with unerring eyes.
He spotted Leeward's daring attack and noted his speed and mastery in employing his spirit field and energy.
This deepened his suspicions.
A man of this caliber must have mastered the stenma or be carrying a top-class ethereal piece. So why hadn't he used either? If he had, he could have finished off this little Calvin in one fell swoop.
He concluded that Leeward was deliberately holding back, so as not to
His techniques reveal themselves to the watchful eye.
The three continued their rapid advance.
When they were about ten meters away, the monster's arms suddenly extended towards them like whips.
Knight ducked swiftly, dodging one, then surged forward.
He looked up and saw another arm hurtling towards him, so he delivered a
powerful blow, but it had little effect.
"Damn it... Am I really that weak?"
Knight wondered bitterly.
"Not weak; you struck the arm while it was extended, and then its skin doubles in toughness. We must target the limbs when they are in their natural position."
Ellen answered quickly, leaping to avoid the onslaught.
11 And where did you learn that?"
"I studied everything about Calvin's monsters before I even set foot in this arena. Their true weakness is physical, but what gives them their status and high standing is their venom, and that's why they are so dangerous."
And you're telling me this now? What an idiot."
Knight said it snarledly, but Ellen felt something akin to pride inside. He had read about these monsters days before in a book, but the difference between paper and field was far greater than he had imagined.
His rank was first of the third tier—its pinnacle.
A full tier below Leeward, and below Knight as well.
Suddenly—
"Watch out!"
Leeward shouted, having noticed a change in the monster's movement.
The arms paused for a moment, and then...
sharp thorns sprouted all along their length.
Knight hadn't expected this. Even Ellen was surprised, but he was far enough out of range to immediately back away.
But Knight...
was right in the center of the range.
And before his feet could carry him away, one of the arms slammed into his side, its thorns carving a line into his arm
A sharp pain pierced him like a blade.
He recoiled immediately out of range of motion, his chest rising and falling violently.
He turned his gaze toward the wound.
The poison had begun to seep in.
Thin green veins began to branch beneath his skin, creeping slowly... but with unmistakable clarity.