19 Ch. 19 Hide and Seek pt. 2

( Zero Pov )

" That pulley can be installed anywhere within his shinsu control area!! The rope elongated freely within that area! Mr. Khun was already prepared to get dragged over the edge!" Bam explained Khun's plan.

' So that's what it was...'

I quickly turned off my [ Sharingan ] as I managed to learn a lot of things from this fight.

" Wha?..." I looked at the screen to see the ranker back onto the bridge.

' How!? He shouldn't have enough shinsu... that sleeping beauty...' with [ Instant recall ], I remembered the sleeping Beauty.

' But thay man wouldn't teven lift a finger unless it's for his benefit... Khun...' I narrowed my eyes as I looked at Bam.

' So you did all that for him...'

I looked back at the screen.

My prediction was wrong, and Anaack was caught, which meant Team A lost...

Team B exited the room and went into the test building next.

It didn't take long for everyone to start shouting at each other, trying to become the leader until Princess Jahad spoke up.

Apparently, she's going to be "it."

Samurai made contact with the ranker, and Princess Androssi made her move.

' It's a mess.' I thought as I saw Princess Androssi betraying her team

She created a circle, and I don't know what she was saying, but from Bam's face, he looked conflicted.

I looked back to Samurai to see him holding onto the rankers leg as the Spears didn't make their move.

The ranker realized this as he kicked the man into the wall, creating cracks before he started walking up the stairs.

I continued to watch as Hoh was about to kill Rachel until the ranker arrived along with Bam, who managed to save her.

But Hoh died in the process as Androssi arrived.

I couldn't hear what they were saying but androssi fought with the ranker.

I activated [ Sharingan ] to memorize their moves.

During their fight, Bam used Shinsu to cover the ranker who sped up and dodged both of their attacks.

" Team B Passed..." And now it's my turn.

An hour later, I arrived at the test building.

" So this building has a higher concentration of Shinsu..." it felt like I was walking through water.

I sat on the floor with the sword on my lap, and I waited for the ranker.

I sat in complete darkness, waiting for him to arrive. It didn't take long for me to hear his footsteps.

" Huh? Just you?" I heard his voice ahead of me.

" Yeah..." I replied as I stood up and gripped my sword.

" Not gonna run?" He asked.

" There is no point in that. I never run from a battle." I replied, activating my [ Sharingan ].

I managed to see through the dark and got a closer view of the ranker.

The Ranker attacked with his fist as I predicted his attack and dodged.

" Oh?" He exclaimed as I countered with a strike.

Clank! But he flicked it away with his wrist, and I stepped back to dodged a low sweep.

" You're good!" He grinned.

" Enough holding back. Fight me with all you have." I spoke.

The only way to get him to lose his focus on his badge was to make him lose himself in the thrill of battle.

And if I could hold on and...

" You're getting too COCKY!!" He shouted as he kicked my chest, which I barely managed to block with my greatsword.

" Graa!!" I managed to keep my footing as i slipped back.

As I lifted my head, I saw his fist in front of my face, I quickly ducked my head and dodged his attack and tried to sweep his legs with the sword, but he jumped over it.

We began circling each other.

The ranker looked relaxed, but I could see his eyes looking at every weak point I had.

He grew impatient as he started punching, and I had to block or parry them using my sword.

My arms were shaking from the force of those punches.

I tried retaliating with my skills, but it proved to be useless in front of him.

" Come on! Didn't you want me to go all out!!" He shouted as I was getting pushed to the edge.

" Hahahaha! What's wrong!!?" He knocked the sword away before kicking me in the chest.

Crackk!!

I felt something breaking before he grabbed my collar and punched .e in the face before throwing me across the floor.

" Blurg!" I couldn't breathe.

" Glkk!" I turned to my hands and knees as I saw his foot in front of me.

He lifted his foot before kicking my head.

Splat!

Blood flew as I felt my skull breaking, and he pressed my head against the floor.

I managed to grab his ankle.

" Huh? Still struggling?"

I used telekinesis to push him away.

" Wha??!" He flew back as I got up and grabbed my sword.

" Struggling... it's all I.... known... in my... entire life..." I managed to utter as I lifted my sword.

I knew I wouldn't last with my struggle to breathe.

' Lero Ro once said that Shinsu is in the air.'

I had a crazy idea. I heard of Anaak using shinsu to enhance her body.

So I wanted to breathe it.

And it was at this moment I realized something.

' I shouldn't force shinsu under my command. I should try to be one with it...'

I fell to my knees as I coughed blood.

" Pu!" I spit the remaining blood from my throat as I felt my lungs healing from [ Mana Healing]

Defeating this man is impossible, but my mission is to survive and catch catch his badge.

" hmph!" He caught my throat and lifted me in the air as he grabbed my arm that was holding the greatsword.

With my free hand, I grabbed a smoke bomb and threw into his face.

Pshaa!!

The smoke bomb spread as he stepped back from the surprise.

' It's here or now..'

I stretched my hands towards him and locked him in place with telekinesis and charged at him.

He was slowly moving his arm, and the more he struggled, the more it was becoming a burden.

15 seconds passed as I quickly, but I was still able to breathe with shinsu.

With the pummel of the sword, I hit his head before slashing his chest as the telekinesis wore off, and I tried to grab the badge with my other hand.

But he quickly caught it as I was a few centimeters away.

I felt a strong force hitting my heart as I flew back.

" Sigh, what a disappointment!"

I'm losing control over my body.

' I still have shinsu...' I pointed my finger at the ranker as I tried to use Shinsu.

' Its...not helping...' I gritted my teeth and forced the shinsu into my hand.

I managed to form a [ Baang ] at the tip of my finger before shooting it at the ranker.

But it seemed to miss as it hit the wall across the room.

I kept shooting until I ran out of shinsu.

I let my head fall to the floor.

' A...r....' Someone is calling my name.

" Is that you?... Liz...?..." I muttered.

" The hell you muttering about? Regular?" The ranker asked as he towered over me.

" Cold blade." I muttered as I managed to grab my sword.

" Huh?" The ranker exclaimed before jumping back to dodge the sword.

" Ka!!" I coughed up the remains blood as I used every mana in my body to heal my wounds.

With the help of my sword and I got up to my feet.

" Left fist." I muttered as I stepped to the side to dodge his left fist.

" Knee." I spoke as I used the sword to block his knee.

Using the sharingan to predict his attacks and from what I memorized from his former fights.

This time, my goal wasn't to indulge in his thirst battle but to anger him beyond reasoning.

" How...?" He exclaimed as he started speeding up his attacks.

I decided to leave my injuries and use it to enhance my body.

[ Strength 10 -> 11 ]

[ Aility 9 -> 10 ]

" Right leg!" I shouted as I ducked before charging in.

He swung his leg down as I barely managed to dodge swing my sword at him.

[ Brutal cleave ]

The blade cut his sleeve.

And I hit him with another [ Brital cleave ] that cut his shirt.

[ Brutal Combo ]

[ +25% attack damage after every consecutive hit. ]

And that's what I was aiming for as the blade bounced off his skin.

Again and again, as he started to get frusted from his torn close and he decided not to hold back.

I felt his fist connecting to my stomach as I forced myself to grab his arm and use the pummel to hit his chin.

I dropped the sword and grabbed the badge under his jacket.

' I... survived...!!!' I felt a kick hitting the side of my face. And everything went dark.