From behind, Cane shouted as he appeared from the shadows. He swung his sword very quickly to attack Eric, but the best student of the year is far too experienced to be defeated by an attack like that.
FTANNGGG!!!!!!!!!
Eric lifted his own sword to deflect the attack coming, and he jumped back while shooting multiple lightning strikes towards Cane. But before the lightning strikes can harm him, Cane has already dived back into the shadows.
"Hahahahaha~~…" Cane's laugh was heard throughout the whole arena, and Eric only became even more annoyed.
"I… don't get it." I mumbled after watching the battle happen, and Nathan turned his grin to me.
"You're confused? I bet.
The shadow origin… or mostly known as the darkness origin, they are the most unique. They are like liquid, like water. But, they can also harden like rocks or even steel. And at higher levels, they can be a smoke, like a wind.
Zero is the perfect example of a high levelled darkness origin. He is capable of moving a ton of shadow spikes all over the place, turning an entire room dark, and even creating illusions that can confuse his opponents.
However, he is also incredibly prideful. He finds comfort in the combat, so the things he will mostly do are offensive techniques. His favorite creations are the shadow spikes, because those things are more than capable of mutilating his enemies.
Cane isn't like that. He is… the complete opposite. But, he is just as dangerous. He is cowardly as heck, and that became his greatest strength."
I turned my gaze back to the battlefield, and sure enough, Nathan's words were correct.
Ninety percent of the time, Cane is in the shadows, disappearing as he moves around on the dark floor. He only appears whenever he sees an opening, but he will definitely return to the ground right after.
Eric has tried to fool him by purposely making an opening, but Cane counter-fooled him by creating an illusion with his shadow smoke. He created a clone, and Eric attacked that clone. And since Eric attacked the clone, a genuine opening was created behind him, and Cane used this chance to land a strike.
ZREGG!!!!!
"Bastard!!!"
Cane's sword successfully landed on Eric's back. A long fifty centimeters long graze can be found on Eric's academy uniform, and he became extra annoyed.
"Yikes... that must've hurt." Nathan commented, and I turned my gaze to him.
"If Zero was fighting the way Cane fights... do you think we could've won?" I asked while referring to the battle three months ago, and Nathan chuckled.
"That depends. If he was facing me, this cowardly style would only suck for him. But, if he was facing anybody else...
He'd win 99% of the time." Nathan gave his analysis, and I realized just how dangerous and powerful this cowardly method truly was.
Cane was under the shadows almost the entire time. It is simply impossible to land a hit on him. Even Eric, who was hailed as the strongest student of the academy, got hurt first in this battle.
However, that title of his isn't for nothing. Very quickly, Eric turned his brain and found a solution.
"… Screw it. Let's try another way." Eric said as he stabbed his sword to the ground, and everyone can feel the air changing.
"… Frisena."
"I'm watching."
Nathan and Frisena quickly traded words, and I knew exactly what they were talking about. What Eric is about to do, it's something that they've been waiting for a while.
BLAAARRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From above, a powerful lightning blast struck from above. The color of the lightning blast was black, an odd color to have for lightning.
The lightning struck the sword that Eric stabbed to the ground, allowing black lightning to travel everywhere. The lightning managed to affect even the shadow that Cane is in, and it successfully forced him to come out.
"AAAAKKK!!!----" Cane shouted as his whole body gets electrocuted, and Eric quickly saw this chance.
"Surrender… please!" Nathan begged, and I realized that if this goes on, it might be bad.
"Too bad!!!" Eric shouted as he leaped very quickly to strike his opponent. His whole body is enchanted in black lightning, and this attack of his can completely knock out his opponent.
"I… I surrender!!!!" Cane shouted right before Eric's attack hit.
Right on time.
BAAARRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!
Next to us, a powerful explosion occurred. Nyssa's body was flung towards me, and I had to hold her from being thrown away.
With his highest speed, Nathan arrives right between Eric and Cane, at the exact moment Eric's sword was about to hit Cane.
FTAANNNNGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Upon his arrival, Nathan swung his sword to smack Eric's sword away. Eric wasn't expecting that sudden assault, and his sword was thrown to the side.
He jumped back, but his body is no longer covered in lightning. Eric noticed that Nathan already had a portion of his hair turning red, and he was facing him with such a serious expression.
"You could've just told me if you want to fight me." Eric joked, but the expression worn on Nathan's face showed that he is not joking around.
"And you could've killed him."
"Oh, please. He deserved a little something for attacking me on the back." Eric reasoned, and Nathan can accept that.
Nathan turned around to see Cane's condition, and his whole body was cooked. The lightning strike just now, all of it entered his body. His condition is definitely not a healthy one.
The medic team rushed from the entrance near us, and they all ran straight to where Cane is at. They quickly treated him while Eric made his way back to us, and he looked quite satisfied with his victory.
His back… isn't even aching anymore.
"How's your back?" Frisena asked him instead, and Eric only tried touching it.
"Doesn't really hurt. The graze wasn't that bad. I can move." Eric tried answering, but I only turned quite surprised.
Cane's attack was definitely dangerous. He struck just when Eric was too focused on attacking his clone. It shouldn't have been shallow.
"I see. Well, if you ever need a doctor, those guys can help."
"I'll be fine." Eric proceeded to ignore Frisena's words, and he turned to where his chair was at.
"… Where is… my chair?" He asked so confusedly, and sure enough, his chair exploded.
Nathan's rush to save Cane just now was definitely too much. Not only did he push Nyssa to the side, it also destroyed the wooden chair that was owned by the academy.
"Now, then! What an exciting battle that was. However, I cannot promise you that it will be the most exciting battle of today!
Up next! We have… a pair that has known each other for so long. The two who were once roommates have now become rivals. The time finally comes when they meet each other on the battle ground!"
That guy… he is nastily good at delivering storylines.
"Winnyssa Al-Heath Vaico, a talented wind goddess from the wind temple. And against her is her own roommate, the Princess of Valkaria, Lily Valkaria!" Nathan announced loudly, which made me turn to Nyssa.
"That guy know your real family name?" I asked Nyssa so worriedly, and Nyssa shook her head.
"No… I never told anyone."
"I told him." Hearing that voice, both me and Nyssa turned our gaze to Frisena, who kept her grin up towards us.
"Sorry. I just feel the world needs to know who you really are, Nyssa." Frisena reasoned, and Nyssa looked like she wanted to complain. And knowing how Frisena does things, I knew right away that this is unacceptable.
"Sister, that is a little--"
"Too far, I know. In return, I'll help your family out."
The two of us quickly opened our eyes widely, and Frisena only grinned even wider.
T-This damn sister…
"In that case, about our promise--"
"No, our promise still stands. Just ignore her, Nyssa. Let's go."
I very quickly grabbed Nyssa's hand and began heading to the center of the arena. Nyssa was still too overwhelmed by the things she heard today and yesterday, and she just started crying out of nowhere.
"Nyssa…" I stopped my walk because Nyssa seemed to be crying, and I realized that this must be quite emotional for her.
"Thank you. I cannot… imagine what I'd do--"
"Nyssa, the job isn't done." I quickly reminded her about our promise, and Nyssa realized that the situation is more serious than she imagined.
I turned a quick glare to Nathan, and he understood what that gaze meant. Nathan quickly began walking away to a direction that no one expected. He started walking to the entrance opposite of where we came from, the complete opposite side of the waiting area. I'm assuming he's heading to the commentator's room that is above the spectator's area, the room where he and the announcer previously commented from.
"Nyssa… Do you have something to say to me?"
Since this will be the last time we'll be talking to each other, I thought it might be good for her to say her piece. Nyssa wiped the tears from her face, and she smiled at me softly.
"Thank you. My family… they've been suffering from constant debt and pressure from other nobles. My father fell ill… and my mother had to sell me to pay the debt." Nyssa explained her family's situation to me, and it was my first time ever hearing it.
I was widely shocked, of course. No family should ever endure any situation that is like that.
"Nyssa… I'm so sorry." I proceeded to hug her tightly, and she hugged me back as well.
Everyone in the arena noticed that we were both hugging each other so tightly, and they all felt moved by this wholesome interaction. However, the purpose behind this hug was so much deeper.
My mouth spoke right next to Nyssa's ears, and she turned extremely shocked hearing it. However, Nyssa heard it all, and she understood the plan perfectly.
"Now then!! The second semifinal battle of today… shall begin!" From an unknown location, Nathan announced to the whole dome.
I let go of the hug and stared at Nyssa's face with a serious one. Nyssa returned to me with the same nod, and we both began forming a distance.
"Three!!!"
Nathan began counting down, and everyone else turned excited.
"Two!!!"
Nyssa began activating her Limit Break form, and she prepared her strongest wind technique. The swirling wind spear that once stunned the combined headmaster and Zero.
"One!!!"
As the countdown goes… everyone immediately realized.
I am still not activating anything. Just standing still.
"Begin!!!"
VWOOOSSSSSHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nyssa's wind spear flew rapidly, and it arrived on the ground where I stood with no problem. It immediately exploded, and my body was caught dead center.
VWOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A powerful tornado occurred at that very spot. The crowd had to lift their hands to protect themselves from the powerful wind gusts, even though they've been protected by the invisible barrier. However, that alone should tell them just how powerful that gust of wind was.
The place where I stood is now empty, and my body was nowhere to be found.