Published at 23rd of September 2024 7:02 pm

Chapter 2257 Top 20

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The last day of the battle was the most anticipated of all.

After the previous four battles, the system established a ranking for each 50 participants and divided them into three tiers: the top 10, the mid-rank, and the lower rank. Losing twice would place an acolyte in the lower rank while winning both battles offered a chance to enter the prestigious top 10 rankings.

The system calculated matchups accordingly; Dillion, who was ranked 48th in the last mid-year exam, would get a chance to fight one of the weaker top 10 contenders. Shiryu, previously ranked 13th, would have a shot at facing one of the top 5 strongest. Unfortunately for Shinta, being a new entry to the gold rank and a first-year, her chances of fighting a top 10 acolyte were slim.

Despite her victory over Karel, who was ranked 26th, the system assigned Shinta yet another similar strength opponent—rank 23, Darryl Beaumont, a second-year noble from the prestigious Arcanum faction. Darryl was an Arcanum knight known for his skill with sword and shield. As he approached Shinta, his appearance was as polished as his reputation, and he greeted her with a charming smile.

"Aah, a beautiful girl. I hate to hurt such a beauty…" "That's great," Shinta replied with a playful smirk. "I don't want to get hurt either. How about you surrender instead?"

Derryl chuckled, "No, no… unfortunately, I can't disappoint all my fans."

Shinta glanced at the stands and noticed a group of female acolytes enthusiastically cheering for Derryl. The sight made her inwardly cringe, but she maintained her composure.

With a confident grin, Derryl proposed, "How about a bet? If I win… we go on a date."

Shinta's eyes narrowed, but she responded with a sweet smile, "Alright, but if I win… you owe me one!"

The battle between Shinta and Derryl was fierce and evenly matched. As a protégé of a high-grade faction, Derryl possessed a physique and divine skills that rivaled Shinta's Kemoyin transformations. His arcane spells countered her hex magic, creating a balance that neither could easily break. Their swords clashed repeatedly, each strike filled with the precision and power of seasoned warriors.

Darryl's sword whistled through the air, barely missing Shinta as she twisted away, her eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and focus. She responded with a swift slash of her own, her blade aiming for a gap in his defense, but Darryl was quick to raise his shield, deflecting the blow with a grunt of effort.

"You've only reached seven pillars, yet you're able to stand toe-to-toe with me on eight pillars… I like you more and more," he taunted, his voice filled with a mix of admiration and playful flirtation.

Shinta rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a small smile. She took a deep breath and asked, "So, where do you plan to take me? Because if it's not interesting, I won't go."

Her tone was light, almost teasing, but beneath it was a strategic mind at work. As she engaged in banter, Shinta subtly channeled her Khaos power, allowing it to surge through her veins. With each exchange of blows, she began to gradually push Derryl back, the force of her strikes intensifying. His arcane magic, once a formidable barrier, started to crack under the relentless pressure.

"Why? No answer? You don't seriously want to date me, do you?!... I am so disappointed" Shinta taunted, her voice carrying a playful edge as she closed in on her trapped opponent.

"I… wait… I…" Darryl stammered, his focus slipping as he tried to reform his rune formations.

But it was too late. With a final burst of power, Shinta shattered the last remnants of his arcane protection, her blade resting just inches from his throat. Darryl froze, realizing he was defeated.

"Now you owe me one…" Shinta said with a smirk, withdrawing her weapon and releasing the vines that had held him captive.

Darryl strangely did not feel disappointed at all; instead, he looked at her with newfound admiration, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I think I'm in love," ####

Dillion found himself in an intense battle, matched against a rank 20 summoner known for his ability to conjure formidable stone golems. The arena was soon filled with the thunderous stomps of these high-grade creatures, each towering over Dillion with their immense size and impenetrable defenses. The summoner, clever and cautious, remained hidden within the largest of these golems, a behemoth with a nearly impenetrable exterior, making it nearly impossible for Dillion to reach him directly.

Dillion's family sword techniques, honed over years of training, were powerful and precise. Each swing of his blade was enhanced by his gravity spells, making his strikes heavier and more devastating. However, even with this advantage, the sheer number of golems was overwhelming. Every time Dillion shattered one, another two would rise to take its place. The battlefield was a chaotic whirl of stone and steel as Dillion fought tirelessly, his movements a blur of lethal efficiency.

The weight of his sword increased with each strike, thanks to the gravity magic he wielded. But the golems were relentless, their stony forms regenerating faster than Dillion could destroy them. His muscles ached, and sweat poured down his face as he realized that conventional tactics wouldn't be enough.

Drawing on the Khaos energy within him, Dillion felt a surge of power that revitalized his waning strength. His strikes became more forceful, his movements more fluid as he weaved through the golems, breaking them apart with renewed vigor. The air crackled with energy as Dillion channeled the chaotic force into his blade, turning it into a weapon that not only cleaved through stone but also disrupted the summoner's control over his creations.

As the golems began to falter under the relentless onslaught, Dillion pressed forward, his eyes locked on the largest golem where the summoner hid. With a mighty swing, he shattered the golem's defenses, sending shards of stone flying in all directions. The summoner, now exposed and desperate, attempted to conjure more golems, but his spirit energy was nearly depleted. Dillion could see the strain in the acolyte's eyes as he struggled to maintain his last line of defense.

In a final, decisive move, Dillion launched himself at the summoner, his sword infused with the last of his Khaos energy. The blade breaks through the remaining barrier, forcing the summoner to his knees in defeat, utterly exhausted and unable to continue.

While Dillion secured his hard-earned victory, the arena was buzzing with the results of the other matches.

Among the half-bloods, Rajh the tiger and Suno the crocodile had faced equally challenging opponents. Despite their best efforts, both were defeated in their first matches, much to the disappointment of their respective halls. The once hopeful crowd watched as their favored acolytes fell one by one, but Hall 9 still had a beacon of hope—Shiryu, the dragon genius.

Shiryu's first match was almost effortless. He faced a lower-ranked acolyte, someone with a respectable rank of 31 but clearly outmatched by the dragon's overwhelming power. But everyone knew that Shiryu's real challenge was yet to come, and the tension in the air was palpable.

The dragon half-blood's next match was against a formidable opponent—Vega, a second-year acolyte who had rapidly risen to prominence the previous year. Vega belonged to the nearly extinct Battle Frenzy super race, a lineage known for their extraordinary combat abilities that far surpassed ordinary acolytes. Shiryu, confident in his abilities, unleashed the full power of his bronze dragon transformation. His skin took on a metallic sheen, his muscles bulging with draconic strength as he launched a series of devastating attacks. The ground trembled under his might, and the air sizzled with the energy of his strikes. It seemed, for a moment, that Shiryu might have the upper hand.

But Vega also activated his race's innate ability. His dark hair turned a brilliant, silvery white as his body surged with newfound power. The transformation was instantaneous and terrifying—Vega's strength multiplied, and his speed and reflexes heightened to Magus levels. The once evenly matched fight now shifted dramatically in Vega's favor.

With a roar that echoed through the arena, Vega went on the offensive. His strikes were blindingly fast, each one hitting with the force of a battering ram. Shiryu, despite his dragon form, struggled to keep up. The bronze scales that once gleamed proudly now showed cracks under the relentless onslaught.

Shiryu fought valiantly, refusing to back down. He countered with all the strength he could muster, but it was clear to all who watched that Vega was in a league of his own. With a final, crushing blow, Vega sent Shiryu crashing to the ground, his bronze form shattering as he lay defeated.

The half-bloods in the stands watched in stunned silence, their hopes shattered as their champion, Shiryu, fell. The dragon genius had been their strongest contender, and now he lay defeated on the cold arena floor. A heavy despair settled over the half-blood supporters; they had placed all their faith in Shiryu, and now it seemed that all their champions had been vanquished.

All but one.

In a twist of fate, Shinta found herself matched against a rank 10 acolyte—a Nephilim's strongest genius.

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