The first match of the semifinals had just begun, but the events in the arena were already extremely hectic. Massive roots that completely shrouded the arena to the explosion that blasted in the air. The spectacle sparked a series of cheers from the crowd of onlookers.
The tactic Emery had thoroughly planned was a success as it brought him to this point.
He managed to land a clean hit on Mahinder, sending the latter crashing straight into the ground. A loud sound resounded in the air as a big crater was created in the arena.
But even with a scene like that, Emery knew it was still not enough. He went ahead and cast [Seed Bomb] in succession, aiming them right at the crater below. Swishing sounds were heard as they flew through the air.
Boomm! Boomm! Boomm!
Emery's actions proved he had no plans for a prolonged fight and was intent to finish off the Monk early in the match. This, of course, earned him a deep frown from a certain female grand magus observing the match from the sideline.
Debris and smoke from the crash and explosion still blanketed the arena below, obscuring his vision.
As much as Emery wanted to jump into the crater and score another attack, he knew his opponent was most likely prepared to receive him as he could feel spirit energy fluctuations from within the smoke.
Therefore, he decided to control what was left of his [Jade Roots], sending them to probe the situation instead.
As expected, the Monk was ready with his retaliation. The moment the roots entered the smoke, a blinding light appeared from inside it and multiple beams of light burst out like sun rays, turning all the roots into ashes in an instant.
The light beams also dispersed the thick black smoke, showing Mahinder's figure standing tall. As if nothing had happened, a calm expression was still visible on his face.
The brown robe he was wearing was mostly burnt due to the explosion, and thanks to that everyone could see, behind the scorched clothes on the burnt chest, there was a tattoo of a sitting figure with its eyes closed.
Even though the figure appeared peaceful, Emery couldn't help but feel goosebumps. There was something, an eerie feeling of some sort that came out of the tattoo the moment he saw it.
Unfortunately, he didn't have a chance to ponder further on the tattoo as his attention was distracted by his opponent.
Mahinder suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, eliciting reactions from the crowd. After wiping his bloodied lips, he lifted his head and gazed at Emery with a smile on his face as he spoke.
"That is quite an impressive spell."
"I know." Emery nodded slightly at the remark. "But I'm afraid it's still not strong enough for you."
The Monk calmly nodded his head in response. "I hope you can do better"
A moment later, the monk started to chant again and the burning wound on the monk chest swiftly healed as it never happened in the first place.
Even though he expected it, Emery still sighed helplessly when he saw that. To think that a direct hit from his most powerful spell could only inflict such superficial wounds. It baffled him how such things were possible.
Apparently, his plan number one to take Mahinder by surprise and overwhelm him was much more difficult than he thought.
Now that most of the jade roots he conjured were destroyed, leaving only a few which wouldn't have any impact whatsoever against Mahinder, Emery was ready to initiate his plan number two – one that would help him analyze further the scope of the latter's strength.
[Jade Warriors]
The ground in front of him began to move and rise; before long, 64 figures similar to Emery appeared in the arena. With a sword in their hand, these figures surrounded Mahinder in a sword formation.
Looking at the figures around him, the monk finally took up a martial arts stance. He distanced his feet from each other a bit as he put forward an open palm, while the other hand turned into a clenched fist.
"Attack!" Emery ordered to his summons.
With a loud shout, the 64 Jade Warriors simultaneously marched forward to attack in the formation which would allow them to unleash a power beyond the strength of their single individual.
The Sky and Mountain Array swiftly activated as the Jade Warriors performed a pincer attack from two directions. Thirty-two of them each in the two arrays, they besieged the Monk without leaving a gap.
Mahinder quickly responded as he started attacking Emery's summons ferociously, alternating between his palm and fist as he created destruction throughout their ranks. Most of the Jade Warriors were taken care of with just one or two strikes: one fist, one palm and one Warrior shattered.
However, this outcome was still within Emery's calculations. Unfazed by the loss he took, he continued his assault after replenishing those who fell, this time employing the second formation.
The Sky and Mountain Array began to change, transitioning into the 8 Minor Formation of the 8 Elements, to which soon enough Emery continued with the third formation that had the combination of the 8 Principal Winds. All in all, the current formations the Jade Warriors encompassed a grand total of 162 variations.
The spectators once again cheer loudly seeing how the monk stood alone, destroying all that came near him.
From afar, Emery's attention was completely focused on the palm and fist technique the other party executed, which was definitely not less than his Sword Dao Techniques.
It took him a while, but he noticed there were three distinctive features of the Monk's fighting technique. [Iron Palm], which focused on powerful, heavy strikes; [Cutting Palm], which was a swing motion capable of cutting through things; and the most dangerous one, [Willow Leaf Palm] that moved unpredictably.
The 64 Jade Warriors had to be destroyed and resummoned three more times until Emery finally could grasp a somewhat estimation of the Monk's fighting prowess. A top-notch close combat ability, powerful defensive barrier spell, and out-of-the-world ability to drain divine power which in turn gave him endless supply of spirit energy.
All these things still hadn't included Divine spells that Mahinder hadn't shown, Emery was willing to bet the Monk still had some cards hidden up his sleeve.
While his opponent didn't seem to know the word fatigue ever since his breakthrough, meanwhile Emery had exhausted half of his Spirit Pool thanks to the spells he had cast in succession earlier and the destroyed Jade Warriors.
With this, he decided to let go of his [Twilight Transformation]. His wolf-like lean figure changed drastically as his body grew bigger, as he transformed into another of his transformations.
[Night Transformation]
Howwllll!!!
Taking out his [Savage Sword] out of the Spatial Space, Emery quickly assumed his stance to fight the Monk in combat skills.
"Good," Mahinder remarked. "This way is more interesting."
He chanted a string of words and the bead necklace on his neck swiftly turned into golden rings that slipped to his wrist. It then tightened itself over his skin, covering most of his forearms like armor.
Silence descended on the wrecked arena before their two figures disappeared and clashed in the middle. Loud piercing clangs rang out in the air as sword and fist confronted each other violently, sparking cheers and shouts from the audience.
While most people thought Emery was being foolish to fight this way against the Monk, in reality, while he was fighting using mostly his physique as a weapon, Emery had secretly cast [Nature's Grasp] on himself.
Slowly but surely, as he continued to clash against Mahinder, his depleted Spirit Pool was being replenished, biding its time for one final attack.
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