Erik quickly arrived at the Blue Palace and got his usual notification, specifying the healer, the room, and the ranks.
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ERIK ROMANO (RANK 571, FIRST YEAR) VERSUS NATHANIEL MC CONEL (RANK 370, SECOND YEAR)
ROOM 883, EIGHTH FLOOR.
HEALER: MARTIN MIDDLETON
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Erik's concentration was razor-sharp, but he was extremely anxious about this match against Nathaniel. The guy was an absolute monster in the ring--a true beast who'd been on top of their rankings from the first day they joined the Red Palace.
He hadn't lost once yet, not even when matched against some of the best fighters the peasant rank could offer; the hall's quietness worsened things severely. Erik took a deep breath and reminded himself of his strengths, trying to stay focused on the fight ahead. He knew he had trained hard for this moment and was determined to give Nathaniel a run for his money.
Erik needed to win today for his vengeance and pride. He knew there was a difference as big as an abyss between Nathaniel's and his powers, but he hoped that with his improved strength, he would be at least equal to his opponent in terms of speed.
The problem was that Nathaniel's power was difficult to deal with since it increased his attack range. It also had a significant width, allowing him to hit his opponent easily enough if done correctly; the awakener's opponent had shotguns in his hands.
Soon after Erik arrived, Nathaniel did the same. Both students wore the Red Palace's uniform and had their weapons hanging by the waist or the back. Erik took a deep breath and prepared himself for the upcoming battle, knowing he had to be careful and strategic in his moves to stand a chance against Nathaniel's powerful abilities.
His eyes interlocked with Erik's, the challenger's, and then narrowed dangerously. They both took positions in front of each other, ready for battle. Tension was palpable, and Nathaniel's rage could also be felt. The plant hugger's challenge was not unexpected, but Nathaniel was not one to back down from a fight. He had been waiting for this moment since the hunt, as he wanted to prove his strength and dominance over the other students, especially Erik.
However, the young man was also curious. He was sure Erik saw him lure the thaids during the hunt outside the city but was there something else?
"Do you really think you can win against me?" Nathaniel said.
? "I'm sure of it..." Erik replied.
"You are just RHO1; what gives you the gall to challenge me?" he said, staring defiantly at Erik while keeping his arms folded across his chest.
Nathaniel wasn't used to losing. He hated defeat more than anything, so that any loss would leave traces of hatred within him. For him, it all came down to one thing: dominating everyone around him. His competitive nature was evident in how he held himself as if daring anyone to challenge him.
This attitude had made him successful in many areas of his life, but it also made it almost impossible for him to form relationships with others who didn't share his intense drive for dominance. Nathaniel often found himself alone, unable to connect with those around him on a deeper level. However, he was a force to be reckoned with and ensured everyone knew it. No one was allowed to defy him in any way. Ever.
"Did you forget I'm an awakener?" Erik replied.
"So what? You have two trashy powers. There is literally nothing you can do against me..."
Erik smiled slightly, "I wouldn't be so sure of myself if I were you, Nathaniel..."
McConel smiled like a psycho. "I must say that you played well against me during those days," he added.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Erik replied.
"Oh, come on... Don't take me for a fool. I know you were the one who spread those messages, and I know that you saw me that day..." Nathaniel said.
"What day are you talking about? Are you sure you don't need to be seen by some specialists?" Erik replied.
"Feigning ignorance, uh?"
"Whatever..." Erik shrugged. There was no way he would admit it was him who shared those chats and images or that he saw him luring the thaids. His vengeance wasn't going to end after this duel.
Nathaniel looked at Erik with anger and contempt and said, "All right, all right. It doesn't really matter since I'm going to crush you..."
They both stared into each other's eyes intensely. Then a notification rang on both the students' phones to remind them about the match. They had to go to the eighth floor and report to the healer to start the match.
The two then went to the elevators; they took two different ones and quickly reached the eighth floor. Then they headed to the room where they were going to fight.
Once they arrived, they entered the room, which was identical to all the others they went to when having other fights. It was entirely metallic, and there was a retractable door barring the entrance to the room that the healer would later use to observe the match without getting injured.
There were countless cameras and speakers all over the place, and once they stepped inside the room, the barrier covered every angle of the place.
The healer was already inside the room. Martin, the designated healer, was a tall man with brown hair, blue eyes, and a very strong body. He seemed pretty old, though Erik couldn't tell exactly how old he was. He wore the same clothes as the rest of the staff members, but unlike them, he didn't seem to care much about looking presentable. In fact, his hair was disheveled. However, despite his unkempt appearance, Martin had a kind, gentle demeanor that put the students at ease. His healing abilities were highly sought after, and many believed that his unconventional appearance was a testament to his dedication to his craft rather than a lack of professionalism.
He greeted both competitors with a smile. "Hello, guys! How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Are you joking? I won't even sweat against this weakling!" Nathaniel responded immediately.
"Hahahahaha It looks like there is bad blood between you two, am I right?" The healer asked.
"Nah..." Erik answered.
The healer then observed the awakened. "I suppose you, too, aren't nervous..."
"No..." Erik replied.
Martin nodded and turned towards the camera system, "Okay, we will begin shortly." Good luck, gentlemen," he said while looking at the two students. "Ah, before we start. It is my duty to remind you that fatal moves are not allowed."
He then went on to explain what they could and couldn't do. Both men understood what their limits were, but Erik was sure Nathaniel wasn't going to follow the rules. After hearing everything from the healer, the two started preparing themselves. First, Erik checked his flyssa, ensuring it was still sharp and ready for combat. Nathaniel did nothing, as he didn't really like using the trident compared to his brain crystal power.
"Good. Well, let's get started. You may begin whenever you want," Martin said. Both of them nodded, and then Erik turned towards the entrance, taking a position in front of Nathaniel.
Martin went inside the other room and closed the retractable door, locking it from the inside, making sure neither of the fighters could get out until one of the two surrendered or was sent K.O. Then, he sat comfortably near the wall and observed everything happening.
Erik broke up Nathaniel's friendships, made him and his girlfriend look bad in front of the whole Red Palace, and planned to humiliate Nathaniel by publicly defeating him. However, that wasn't the last step; there was much more he wanted to do, and he had multiple roads ahead. He had only to choose what to do.
Nathaniel was still looking at Erik in anger. How did he dare oppose him? How could he think he could win against him? What kind of stupid idiot thought he was good enough to beat him? These questions filled Nathaniel's head, but none of the answers mattered now. All that existed was winning the battle, putting his opponent in place, and showing him his superiority.
"Don't come crying at me once I beat your ass..." Nathaniel said.
"Do you ever stop being an asshole?" Erik replied. Nathaniel looked at him with rage, but there was only silence inside the room. Neither of them moved.
Then Erik readied himself. Waiting for the match to start felt like an eternity, and yet, once it did, it went on fast. One moment, Erik stood in front of Nathaniel, and the next, he was right behind him. Obviously, the awakener's opponent was left shocked; when did the motherfucker become so fast?
However, his reflexes were good enough to block the attack by turning on himself incredibly quickly and raising his weapon in the air.
Erik's sword got caught in Nathaniel's trident and stopped moving. The trident user was confident in his power; he could not only attack but also deploy a defensive energy shield, so he knew he could quickly stop Erik's most devastating attacks. However, that required a lot of energy, which was why he used the trident to block the attack.
Nathaniel channeled mana through his neural links as he saw Erik's Flyssa get stuck in his weapon and prepared himself to punch the awakener.
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