Chapter 119 Rising Star Tournament (9), Almond vs Marcus, Hailstorm Herald
'Gladiator's Rush! Titan Slash!'
Using two skills, Marcus launched swiftly towards Almond while ignoring Crystalist.
Marcus's dash was powerful, creating a fiery flaming-brown aura around him, while his sword also suddenly became bigger and stronger, using Weapon Enfold to make it even more powerful on top of the class skill he used.
His combo skill produced greater power as his dash-by-strike was about to hit Almond with a sonic boom.
It was truly a refined move combining his two skills for a powerful one-shot move.
Almond was impressed.
He almost wanted to clash his swords against his but refrained.
Crystalist was already in the act of using the skills at a perfect time.
Shatterstorm Field (S) + Static Bind (C)
Right in front of Almond, a lightning-crackling square field of a 10-meter radius manifested with visible sparkling cyan wind making a square shape while crackling with lightning.
Marcus was right in its center when the field manifested in his dashing motion toward Almond.
Simultaneously, the Static Bind (C) activated as bright, sparkling yellow crystal-made chains wrapped around Marucs.
Despite being a C-rank skill, it was significantly boosted when used within Shatterstorm Field.
The moment it bound Marcus, he was forcefully stopped in his tracks with magnetic force and an intense shock that rendered his momentum to a complete halt and ceased his entire body's function at once.
Those were the effects of the skill as Marcus was rendered away, before the lightning damage was absorbed by the badge, it beeped loudly.
Crystalist dispersed its skill.
Everything went according to the moment when Almond saw that fighting spirit in Marcus' eyes, even after Crystalist's attack shaved over 30% of his Mana. At that, Almond had given the command for this set of skills half a second before Marcus activated his skills. And when the next second was completed, it was over.
"And it's overrrrrrr??!"
Gelato was shocked and also thrilled. 'Such powerful summons when he's silver level 10?! Damn!'
The audience cheered loudly in uproar, everyone excited at the fancy display of skills, especially the Crystalist's attack that finished the match briefly after it began.
This was also the moment when all silver-rank challengers here felt a rise in pressure for the first rank.
Marcus got up, rattled but most of all thrilled. "You are crazy powerful."
'Just one summon is this powerful, but I clearly know the others are more powerful, especially those two humanoid ones!'
His eyes glowed in yearning and admiration, but most of all, a rise in fighting spirit!
Almond raised his eyebrows, his Riftveil eyes gleaming as he sensed a magical shift up in Marcus.
'That's an innate talent…or a trait?'
"And the winner is Almond the Fantastic Summoner!"
'What?!' Almond looked at Gelato, dumbfounded at his shitty title. 'Are you kidding me?!' he directly relayed to Gelato via Magic Whisper.
'Opsie, I just blurted out what came into my mind first. Sorry, bud. Live it with me for a while, hahaha!'
The audience roared in excitement as they were in a thrilling state due to all the noise and shouts, especially from the young adult generation and 'boys' of all ages.
"…"
"Please move to the winner line, Almond the Fantastic Summoner."
'Almond, let's talk later. I have a proposal or, rather, a request.'
Marcus said as he moved to the losers' line.
Almond was surprised, but he replied carefreely, 'Sure.'
Match 4
Jian the Warring Berserker vs. Maya the Hailstorm Ranger.
One was a silver level 30 Super Rookie, and another was a silver level 10 Dark Horse who defeated one of the Super Rookies favored for rank 1 spot, Eliara Venholm, from the 4th rank Ironclad Guild.
Maya didn't use a provided weapon, but she had her unique weapons manifested from her primary class, much like how Natalia had her instruments from her specialized class.
Glacial Drop Slingshot.
Aquafrost Long Bow.
Rimetide Knife.
Hailspring Revolvers.
As the battle began with the countdown hitting zero, Jian didn't hold back on anything this time and properly used his Mana techniques—Fortification, Body Enfold, and Strength Boost at full throttle along with his class skills.
His body became twice as big with solid muscles, tattoos appearing on his body, and his fist wrapped in orange flames with a red hue.
With two self-enhancing skills boosting him, Jian directly dashed using a movement skill as he wanted to finish the battle instantly.
But Maya appeared unnaturally unfazed, her right arm stretched ahead with a pistol in her hand, standing diagonally.
*Pew*
A semi-silent bullet shot from the pistol along with a hazy strange yet control misty aura extending to incoming Jian. The bullet struck him when he was just two meters away from Maya.
Maya depleted 70% of her maximum Mana with that single bullet. She had wasted no time in using Mana techniques at all and instead used her class skills, two self-buffs, while her mastery of Ice and Water elements enhanced her attack-type class skill—Absolute Zero Rounds (S)
Jian was firmly frozen in his steps, becoming a popsicle down to his leaking aura that also solidified in ice.
"Frozen Coffin," Maya muttered, the name she came up with combining her skills and using her Ice and Water mastery to enchant this one bullet of Absolute Zero Rounds, making it capable of instantly freezing everyone by freezing them in a block of ice. This worked with the bullet water's attribute focusing on increasing moisture and water within the user's body to a high level and then ice's power freezing it with a boosted elemental reaction between ice and water, resulting in an instant popsicle of anyone struck by it.
Almond was actually impressed as he saw that attack.
'Both elemental mastery are probably at B. Is she naturally attuned to water and ice with such a close affinity?'
Maya displayed an impressive fight in defeating the favored super rookie in the previous round, but nobody expected this instant kill attack of hers.
"And the winner is Maya the Hailstorm Herald!" Gelato changed her title, his shout infused with thrill!
Nobody had expected such a result and the audience was all for it as an uproar rang as the dark horse showed a dominating attack!
Jian thawed out as the badge had absorbed the damage and the attack's effect dispersed.
He stood blank, digesting his loss with a slightly ashen expression.
Maya moved to the winner's line as Gelato gestured to her with a congratulation.
The second dark horse made a spot in the top 10 by defeating a favorite for the first rank!
Jian, the most active in the media failed to live up to his hype in both matches.
Soon, the Match 5 began without further ado.