Chapter 38: Arena Thirty-Six: Foul Restrictions X
"W-well then, are both parties ready?"
The teacher asked with a shaking tone while looking at me and the members of the Medusa squad.
"Yes, I'm ready."
I answered while looking at Felicia, who readied her weapon, a staff.
"We're ready too."
Catherine snickered at me while pulling out her weapon, which looked like an ornamental slate.
"Then, deploy your Regalia!"
The teacher stepped back to the students and gestured to the arena staff who had arrived at that moment to activate the barrier.
Soon a translucent blue barrier covered the whole central arena, separating us from the students and the audience.
"Helios!"
I called out the name of my partner, and the sword pulsed inside my hand. Almost immediately, countless particles materialized around me and covered my whole body from neck to toe.
The particles disappeared after a few seconds, leaving me in my bodysuit. Behind me and across the field, both Felicia and the Medusa squad members did the same.
Then, the sword vanished from my hand and with a bright flash of lights and particles, my Regalia appeared in front of me, kneeling to me.
I got on the cockpit. The central nervous system of Helios immediately connected with my own nervous system, sending a jolt of pain through my body. But as usual, it didn't last for long.
Soon, Helios stood up... No, I stood up.
Beside me, with a bright flash of light, Felicia's Regalia, Amaterasu appeared. Unlike Helios which had burly armour and heavy weapons, Amaterasu was sleek and sharp.
Its six arms extended around it, forming a circle. Its chest region, which was revealed up until now, immediately became covered with armour. The gold and silver armaments on it shined gracefully.
Felicia was also ready.
"Hoh? You guys are done too?"
I turned towards the owner of the voice. there stood a heavily armoured black Regalia, with barbaric spikes on its shoulders and helmet. It had four large arms, each capable of supporting heavy melee weapons.
It was Ymir, Catherine's Regalia. This monstrosity got Catherine the nickname [The Giant From The Heavens].
Her partner, which had an agility type Regalia, had also suited up. Unlike Catherine though, it wasn't a named Regalia. Even so, it was one of the renowned Regalia among the Elliots due to its high specs.
The black and blue Regalia stood side by side, opposing us.
"Well then, let us begin!"
Catherine immediately dashed forward, the fists of her Regalia spreading open to grapple Helios. It seemed that she wanted to go for a melee.
[Founder's Judgement]
Felicia used one of her skills without skipping a beat. Immediately, a blue light rushed through the field and as the light touched Catherine and her partner, their speed decreased to a considerable degree.
I didn't miss the chance either. I kneeled on the ground and fixed my hands on their before bringing out the railguns on Helios's back.
The condensed projectiles of energy from the railguns shot forward at a high speed, aiming to hit the chest region of Ymir. Out of the two opponents, Ymir was more of a threat than the other girl... And besides, Felicia would not be able to use her skill for ten more minutes, so I might not get another chance.
Thinking that my decision was the right one, I watched the shots hit Ymir in the chest. But just before it was about to hit the giant, Catherine's voice rang out.
[Achilles Armour]!
She shout out, and immediately, the four hands of her Regalia formed a cross in front of her cockpit. A golden barrier appeared in front of the hands. The projectiles hit the barrier directly.
"Brace yourselves!"
I could hear my teacher shout, but I had no time to pay them any mind, nor care for their safety.
I dug my hands deeper into the ground as the shockwave spread through the arena. The barrier flickered and shined as it stopped the debris from harming the audience.
[Crow's Claws]
At the same time, the other Medusa squad member broke free of Felicia's skill and rushed through the field despite the shockwave damaging her. She swung her claws towards us at an extreme speed. Three blades of energy materialized and rushed towards my Regalia, which was incapable of moving.
[Defender's Will]
Felicia used another skill nonchalantly, which boosted the DEF stat of my Regalia significantly. The claws of energy clashed against my armour, but except for the extreme trembling and losing a sizable portion from my DEF stat bar, nothing else happened.
"Tsk."
I heard the girl click her tongue in annoyance over the shared channel.
The shockwaves soon stopped, leaving behind Ymir with slightly damaged arms. The armour on the hands was scorched and broken at some places, but she was still capable of fighting. The shots had brought her DEF down, not her HP.
I stood up and quickly pulled my daggers out of the storage component on my waist. I dashed forward while brandishing the blades towards Ymir, who weakened to a certain extent.
The other girl aimed her claws towards me again, but was immediately hit by a sniper shot from Felicia, who was preparing to shoot again. While I was busy fending off the energy claws, she had brought out her gun and completely loaded it.
Without letting the girl take cover, she shot again, hitting her directly in the face. Bits of armour and metal flew out as half of her face was crushed by the heavy energy shots.
I kept my momentum as I approached Catherine quickly, thrusting the blades forward to pry open her cockpit cover. Ymir's systems still hadn't recovered due to the intense shock of the projectiles, making it a free hit.
The blades clashed against the armour on the cockpit, leaving too deep cracks. Frowning, I decided to hit again, but...
[Warning, system armour heavily damaged]
[DEF has fallen below zero]
[Helios's HP has fallen to 70%]
A sudden tremble shook my entire body along with the whole Regalia. I looked down at the stomach region... Only to find a cannon sticking out of Ymir's stomach region, the barrel still smoking from the fire.
It was a point-blank hit.
"Damn it... !"
I cursed as I quickly retreated. Unlike Helios, Ymir had upgraded itself in the last few months... It was my blunder to think otherwise.
"Are you okay?"
Felicia's concerned voice reached out to me through the voice channel.
"I'm fine... For now."
I frowned as I saw parts of metal and armour falling on the ground. The damage had taken away most of my DEF, making the current state extremely vulnerable.
As I thought, not going all out was simply... Impossible. I didn't want to lose to her... And if winning would cost me another month of suspension, then so be it.
Determined, I activated the forbidden mode of Helios, kept only for actual battles.
[Overdrive]
I muttered as I glared at the giant in front of me. The system screens around me, which were blue up until now, turned deep red.
An intense aura shot out of Helios as my armour repaired itself almost immediately. My DEF and HP rose dramatically as I watched Ymir through the skin.
"Sia! Stop! That's against the rules!"
Felicia cried out through the voice channel, but I ignored her.
I couldn't lose to Catherine. Not again.
[Initiating Overdrive mode.]
[Warning. Activating the Overdrive mode might result in permanent mental damage. Are you sure?]
"Yes."
I muttered despite the warnings. I couldn't lose to that bitch. I couldn't afford to lose to her.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone