Chapter 170: Chapter 170 - Cheater
As the judge’s voice rang out, Rex raised his left hand.
The metal chains on the gauntlet slowly drifted up as a metallic mana surrounded them.
Theo raised an eyebrow.
’Metal affinity, huh,’ he thought, lowering into a proper stance. ’I wonder how he uses those weapons with that.’
Rex’s chains began to swirl around him in a sort of protective circle.
Then—
He kicked off the ground.
Crack!
The arena floor cracked beneath his feet.
Theo smiled slightly as a water sphere began swirling around his umbrella.
As Rex dashed forward, he just waited calmly.
Within seconds, the distance between the two had completely closed.
Rex pulled his right arm back, the claws growing longer with the same metallic glint.
Theo immediately moved and held his umbrella out to block it.
Just as he tried to open the canopy, Rex’s chains shot forward.
’’That’s not going to work on me!’’ he shouted with a manic grin.
In an instant, the chains wrapped themselves around his umbrella.
They weren’t worried about the water in the slightest, seemingly just focused on wrapping around his weapon.
Theo narrowed his eyes slightly.
Without hesitation, he let go of the umbrella and jumped back.
Rip!
Rex’s claws slammed into the umbrella.
Deep gashes appeared across the canopy.
Within a second, the chains let go of the remains of the umbrella and shot it back towards Theo.
’Peculiar combination,’ Theo thought, having landed a few yards back.
Whoosh!
He snatched the umbrella, or rather, the remaining pole, out of the air.
Water immediately began swirling around it, this time in much greater volume.
’Huh.’
Theo couldn’t help but look at the pole.
’The flow feels smoother... that’s interesting.’
But Rex wasn’t just going to give him time to think.
He’d already kicked off the ground again, furiously charging ahead with his gauntlet hand open.
’Again?’
The chains wrapped around Rex’s arm suddenly shot forward.
Whoosh!
Only this time, they weren’t aiming for his weapon.
They were heading straight for his head.
Theo twisted his body as water surged around the pole.
The chains just narrowly missed him.
But, a split second later, they began turning around.
Theo smiled slightly and kicked off the ground.
Rex’s eyes widened.
The chains missed completely as Theo jumped well over them.
As his body spun in the air, the swirling water around his pole grew into a large wave.
Rex immediately crossed his gauntlet in front of him.
Bang!
Theo’s pole collided with the gauntlet.
A split-second later, the wave washed forward.
Boom!
It crashed down on the entirety of Rex’s body.
The water’s pressure instantly pulled him inside.
Then, the wave carried him all the way across the arena.
Finally, his body slammed into the ground and rolled several times before finally coming to a stop.
For a moment, he remained motionless.
A light cough finally escaped his mouth.
Then—
He rolled onto his side and forced himself up, clearly wiping a thin trail of blood from his mouth.
Rex pointed at Theo, breathing heavily.
’’You!’’ he shouted between breaths. ’’What is that fucking pull?!’’
Theo tilted his head slightly.
’’What?’’
He stared at the red-haired young man for a moment.
Then he shook his head, smiling as he forced himself to hold back his laugh.
’’You’re asking me that now?’’
’’You know, you could’ve known all that if you hadn’t rushed into the fight like a hot-head.’’
Rex’s face changed.
As he glanced around the stands, he noticed the mocking gazes, chuckles, and whispers.
His face slowly turned red just like his hair.
’’Fuck you!’’ he shouted, turning back to Theo.
The chains began floating in front of him again.
Except, this time, they began trembling violently.
Under the influence of his mana, the individual links slowly began melting together.
Within seconds, the entire chain dissolved into a trembling, liquid mass of metal.
Theo’s eyebrows rose slightly.
"You can do that?"
’’Of course I can do that!’’ Rex shouted angrily.
The liquid metal floating in front of him trembled violently.
Sweat had already begun appearing on his forehead.
It was immediately obvious that controlling the substance wasn’t easy.
Even so, a savage grin remained plastered across his face.
"You think you’re the only one with tricks?"
The liquid metal shot forward, dividing into countless little scorching streams.
Theo responded instantly.
’No more playing nice,’ he thought, gripping his pole tightly.
Crackle! Crackle!
Lightning flickered alive underneath his feet.
Without hesitation, Theo dashed forward at rapid speeds.
As he reached the liquid streams, Rex waved his trembling hands around, slowly spreading the metal out into hundreds of droplets.
Lightning crackled underneath Theo’s feet instantly.
Whoosh!
He vanished from where he’d just stood.
Rex’s eyes went wide immediately.
Yet, all he saw was a pole growing larger in his vision, blurring out everything else.
Thud!
Theo’s pole slammed into his face.
The liquid metal instantly fell to the ground behind him as Rex’s body was thrown back.
For a moment, the entire arena fell silent.
Everyone stared at Theo in shock.
Yet, his attention was on something completely different.
’Still not enough?’ he thought, raising an eyebrow.
The mana shield hadn’t popped up around Rex yet.
He glanced at the judge.
’’Do I have to keep going?’’ he asked. ’’I think the difference is pretty clear now.’’
The judge glanced between the two of them.
Then he slowly shook his head.
"Not yet."
Theo let out a quiet sigh.
’Really thought this would be enough,’ he thought. ’But what do you know...’
Across the arena, Rex staggered back to his feet.
A completely red line was already swelling on his face.
Yet the anger in his eyes hadn’t faded in the slightest.
’’JUDGE!’’ he shouted, pointing at Theo. ’’THIS GUY USED AN ITEM, HOW IS HE NOT DISQUALIFIED?!’’
The judge glanced at Rex with a frown.
’’What item?’’
Then the murmurs in the stands began spreading loudly.
’’Lightning and water element?’’
’’Even SSS-ranks haven’t broken through yet, right?’’
’’Some could have... but does that mean he’s a Silver Core?’’
The judge finally realized what was going on.
’’Everything he did was within the rules,’’ he said, waving his hand. ’’Continue now, or I’ll take it you surrender.’’
