章 10: Chapter 10 - Sixth Match
The whole arena roared when one boy triumphed over another. It was the fifth match of the third round, and there are about ten matches scheduled, including those of the ones who passed the first round.
First round: Block A – 3 passed, Block B – 2 passed, Block C – 1 passed, and Block D – 4 passed.
Second Round or the wildcard round: Losers vs losers – 10 passed.
The matches are decided via drawing cards. Those who drew the same card will be the ones to battle. However, we cannot know who it was until it was our turn.
In short, the only time we would be able to know who our opponent is, is when it's our time to battle.
That rule was disadvantageous, since the candidates won't be able to appropriately prepare to whoever they're opponent's going to be. And I'm kinda nervous and a bit excited. I'm on the seventh match, and it's already on the sixth match. I am really curious as who might my opponent be. There're only 8 of us remaining, not including Felix and Van who's now going to the arena.
It seems that they are the sixth match.
Woah. This is going to be exciting, and nerve wrecking. Will Felix be able to triumph over Van? He was defeated just yesterday.
Yes, today is also the second day. Since we were not admitted yet, we were forced to rent rooms in an inn in town.
Anyway, if Felix won't be able to advance this round, he won't be admitted. I'm really worried about that matter. Van is strong. Really strong. He's something no normal person could defeat. And even though Felix is not a 'normal person', compared to Van, he still is.
Van is an abnormal person, that I concluded. He is too powerful for a human being. He's spatial manipulation is a threat enough. Even I wouldn't be able to avoid him unscathed if he seriously attacks me.
From what I could gather from Felix' 'poker' face, he seems shocked, then after a second, he sighed and seemed to accept his fate. Poor Felix.
Hime, you just thought I would lose, didn't you?
I heard his voice in my head.
Telepathy.
It's one of his skills.
So, what's the difference between skills and magic in this world?
Simple. If you use aura to perform something, an ability perhaps, it is called magic.
If you don't, then that's a skill.
For example, when I use Omnipotence, I used a portion of my aura to feed it. That's why it's magic. Same with Felix' Vibrations, and Van's Spatial Manipulation.
Telepathy, on the other hand, is a unique skill. Even if it sounds something amazing and feels magical, it's actually not. The 'skills' in this world has the same concept of the different multiple intelligences in my past world.
For example, if you are gifted enough in a certain area that you had succeeded its standard for a normal person, that's a skill. Similarly, if you study and practice enough to achieve something normal people can't do, of course without the use of aura, that's also a skill.
Multiple Intelligences in the old world was accepted worldwide. There should be 7 at the very least, but sometimes it becomes 9 at the maximum. However, in this world, it's quite different. For monsters, as long as they practice enough or they are born a genius, they could do anything – a genius in making traps, someone who could see the future, to understand the language of living things (plants, animals and etc.), shapeshifting, and so on… even the most ridiculous things can be achieved. Literally, anything. An infinite possibility.
Felix' acquired the unique skill telepathy ever since he joined the Shadows. Since they are an assassination group and they are trained as spies, they should be able to use telepathy.
A-he-he.
Is the only thing I could think, which he could also hear.
I don't have the telepathy skill but I could still talk to him in my mind. It's because once he opens a telepathic link, we will be able to converse. But, if he decides to cut the link, I won't be able to use telepathy anymore.
Anyway, he looked at Van, ignoring me. Well, that's fine by me. He should really focus on his own match.
"That's a bad match up." Fenrir, who was on my right side commented.
By the way, she also passed the second round, and she's on the ninth match.
"I know." I replied, not looking at her. I was so focused on those two people at the center. They were walking briskly toward each other. When they reached the center, Cleia laid down the rules.
1. Absolutely no killing
2. The time limit is 15 minutes.
3. Weapons and magic items can be used.
It's the usual.
The moment Cleia started the match, they both disappeared in the arena.
"Woah, where are they?!" I could hear Jelal's voice at the side.
Suddenly, a small thing, a knife, struck the ground, then they both appeared again, only to clash physically. Felix jumped towards where Van is and kicked him on the left side of his face, however the latter blocked it with his left arm.
Felix continued to deliver physical attacks in which Van easily blocked.
Why the hell did they resorted to physical attacks?
I moved at the closest distance just to watch their match carefully and hear what they were saying because they seem to be exchanging words.
"Interesting, for only a brief time you were able to prepare this kind of trap. I'm really amused." Van said. I tilted my head in confusion. What trap?
"Should I take that as a compliment?" Felix replied then with a swift move, he went to punch Van on his face. The moment Van blocked the punch, Felix immediately shifted gears and performed a roundhouse kicked. It hit Van on the right side of his face, his ears, but Felix didn't stop there. After the roundhouse kick, he fetched one of his knives out of nowhere, and directly stab it to Van's chest.
"Oi, oi. That's dangerous, you know." Van, who's now a mess, with a bit of blood coming from his lips and a swollen left cheek, managed to stop Felix' hands just a few millimeters away from his chest. "No killing, remember?"
"I'm planning to kill you though."
"O-ho-ho. That's bad, you know." Van said and smiled evilly, "Because I can't be killed that easily."
Felix jumped away.
"Tsk."
I was amazed. To think that Felix would be able to land a hit on Van, even damaging his face. Van is definitely stronger, I'm sure of it. He even had his spatial manipulation, so why not use it?
Van heaved a deep sigh, and looked serious now.
"Come on, attack me. But I tell you, the moment you attack again, that damn knife stabbing my shadow on the ground will disappear."
The answer that I was looking for was pointed out by Van himself. Indeed, a knife with a familiar carving was pinning down Van's shadow. That knife is Felix'.
<Restriction>, a useful magic that can stop the movements of any person whose shadow is trapped.
Well, the person should not be able to move an inch. Absolutely no movements. But as far as I know, Felix was still mastering this magic. So, it is understandable tat Van could still move even after that. However, he was still unable to move his feet from the ground.
Felix didn't listen to Van's threat, instead he leaped from his position and landed behind Van. But before Felix could move, a sound of bells echoed in the whole arena. The land started to tremble until it quaked and the audience are forced to cover up their heads and squat.
Felix knelt down and his opponent disappeared, freeing himself from the shackles of <Restriction>.
How did I observe it? Well, I didn't move. It might be a strong earthquake, but I've experienced stronger earthquakes when I was still Hellium Dexter.
Anyway, the earthquake subsided and Van appeared a few meters away from the kneeling Felix. He could've finished Felix in that confusion but didn't. I would probably do the same if I was him. After all, Felix is just amazing enough for him to use another ability.
I don't know the formal name of his ability to travel space, I just freely named it spatial manipulation. And now, one of his abilities was revealed. Thanks to my boy.
"Congratulations! You've successfully revealed <Earth Shatter>! Though, that's not the extent of that magic." Van applauded, while Felix just gave him a glare.
"Anyway, now that you've done it." Van's tone changed. "You're finished."
He disappeared and appeared in front of Felix and tried to grab the boy's face, but was evaded. Felix pushed him and jumped away.
"Don't be conceited. Unlike the first round, you can't finish me with one blow like you did to Fenrir and the others. The fact that I know you can travel space makes it impossible. That's why, you're the one who's finished."
Van smiled widely, like maniac.
"Greaaat!" He ran, attacking, then he disappeared. Behind Felix, he appeared. But before he could move, Felix slashed him with a knife. A swift but precise move. Like he knew Van was going to be there.
Shock was eminent to Van's face, however, he quickly changed it. He tried to appear on Felix' blindspot again, but the moment he appeared, knives zoomed in. He was able to avoid it, but one caught his shoulders. Because of that, blood dripped from the small wound it caused.
Felix smirked, "You can't harm me."
Irritation filled Van's face for the first time. He's starting to lose his patience. Felix raised his right hand, and when he grabbed the air towards him, Van moved with the same movement. Like he was being pulled.
Was he?
Felix pulled the air with full strength, and Van was sent flying towards Felix, who was now holding a three-meter chain. Whipping it onto the ground first, and then he lashed it out on Van whose defense stat went drastically down with that surprise pulling incident.
Van wasn't able to avoid that, instead, he jumped onto space again. But, again, right after the moment he appeared, two knives were sent flying to his direction, who immediately stabbed the ground. Van barely dodged it.
I was in awe at what I witnessed. What the heck, Felix. What the real heck is this?!
Right then, pieces of chains started to appear in the ends of every knives thrown moments ago. The arena started to become a spider's nest, except the threads are chains. But what caught my attention was a chain connected to Van's stomach, it wasn't tied around his waist or whatsoever, instead it was directly attached to Van's skin.
On the other end of that chain was Felix left hand.
Kurapika?!
No, no, no. Unlike that Kurapika, the chains aren't connected to him by rings or of some sort, but it was directly connected to his palms.
But then again, are those the chains he just bought yesterday on Skank's shop? Even so, those chains were just about two meters, how the hell did he make it longer? How the hell did he divided it by many more long chains?
Blood? Did he use blood?
But he isn't Kurapika, so it's probably not.
Then, what the hell is happening?!
Felix pulled Van closer using those chains connected to the latter's stomach. He probably planted at that one moment when he pushed Van away.
Anyway, leaving my confusion aside, the chains, and the knives started moving, it moved back to where Felix is. And like a snake, the chains curled around Felix' body, some were hovering itself in the air, fluttering like wings.
Among those chains, looking closely, there were more chains that isn't visible to the eyes unless you pour all of your focus into it.
A moment after, Felix pulled Van again and at the same time, sent all of his chains to stab Van's body. To put it simpler, those chains started to become a kagune-like existence for Felix. The difference? The chains are too many and the knives at their ends served as kunais.
Not only that, he could make the chains invisible at will.
Felix… You're very well aware, aren't you?
However, before the kunai ends struck Van's body, a transparent dark globe enveloped Van's body that petrified all the chains that approached him including the chain attached to his own body. He broke free, and in that very moment he disappeared without a trace, then appeared in front of Felix, who was still confused as to what happened.
That even with those amazing and calculating attacks…
Van kicked Felix' stomach that sent him flying, crashing, and destroying the walls of one side of the arena.
"You can't beat that monster."
I said in finality. My eyes and Van's met. The color of his eyes, I was sure it was grey… No, did I observe it wrong? It was red. Bloody red. Mirroring my own eyes.
After a moment when our eyes met, he shifted his gaze. He looked at the unconscious Felix.
And thus, the end of the sixth match.
I did not care about how the crowd roared in excitement, or how Fenrir called my name. The moment the match ended, I hurriedly ran to the staff who was carrying Felix.
He was already conscious.
"You lost." I said.
"I did."
It was a comfortable silence. The staff laid him down to give us privacy. I still have a few minutes before my match starts, and they're probably announcing whoever my opponent is, but I don't care about it at the moment.
My focus is on Felix. Injured, with broken bones, and mentally exhausted.
"You did great."
"I know." He replied, "However, it's not an excuse for me to lose. Because of it, I won't be able to enroll with you."
"Don't worry. You just have to try again after six months. Besides, I'm not even sure whether I could win my match."
"You will." He said with finality. "If it's hime, it can be done. Besides, don't waste my effort in revealing 2 of Hee Van's abilities. You have to beat him when you formally become a student. You have to. It's a revenge for me."
He smiled. Like the smile he used to give me when we were kids.
"Okay. I'll do that."
He nodded in satisfaction.
"You should go now. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
I nodded, smiling bitterly.
"You should enroll next enrolment, okay? You should follow me here. You're my bodyguard, aren't you? You're not allowed to stop following me and live on your own!"
"Hime, that statement is 12 years late." He said. "No matter what you do, what you want, and who you will be with in the future, I'll follow you. At the ends of the earth, I'll follow you."
Walking away, down but at the same time motivated, I approached the arena where my opponent was waiting.
The opponent was the person I didn't want to be matched with me, but at the same time, the person I really wanted to fight.
It was a boy with grey hair and dark blue eyes.
Belial Black.
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