Chapter 45: Come at me All at Once
The words shocked the whole stadium, did he really request a holy duel? Baron Caligula's magical trinket used to amplify his sound fell to the ground. With trembling hands, he picked the trinket up. "Did you really request a holy duel, this is no joke. They could kill you in there!" shouted Arthur from the balcony. "I request a holy duel," shouted Jay once again, waking up the whole stadium from their daze. They snapped out of their daze and began to shout. "He requested a holy duel!" "He is going to fight seventy people at once!" "Did something get into his head when he beat the first guy?"
"I could kill them without facing any consequences right?" asked Jay, staring at Baron Caligula. The question was amplified by Caligula's trinket, broadcasting it all over the stadium. "He really thinks that he could kill them?" "That Class Red has something wrong with his brain!" "Kill those bloody sons of the nobles!" Several shouts could be heard all around the arena, some cheering for Jay while others laughed at him for his foolishness. "You will not face any punishment from the kingdom nor the academy, but you'll face the wrath of their families," said Baron Caligula. "All the contestants shall enter the stage," Baron Caligula announced.
The students from Class Blue and Class Gold lined up, each throwing daggers from their eyes. Anjou looked at Jay, and mocked, "Where's your mount? Have you lost it?" "I'll take your head first, then I would go look for him," replied Jay. "Under the gaze of the gods, may they bless your duel. The winner would prove himself by surviving, while the rest shall sacrifice themselves to the gods!" chanted Baron Caligula. Golden runes started to light up, shining as bright as the sun. After a couple seconds of blinding lights, a shining barrier appeared.
Anjou didn't even wait, he instantly began to chant. "Be careful," said Jay, warning Fen. Feeling the malice directed towards Jay, Fen wasn't happy at all. He instantly shapeshifted into his full form, unleashing all his power. Class Gold and Class Blue weren't ordinary students, they instantly organized themselves in a near perfect formation. In the front were the paladins and knights, who protected the mages and archers in the back. The druids and clerics were on the sidelines, preparing to cast barriers or heal spells. The archers already began to take aim at Jay and his Tamed. "This is not good," thought Jay, he severely underestimated the coordination capabilities of the two class. "Earth Fortress," Malum casted, creating a fortress that had mana enhanced walls.
"A tier three spell!" someone exclaimed in the audience. Spells were separated into seven tiers, Earth Wall is a tier one spell that simply raises the earth in front of the caster. Its tier two equivalent is a spell that Jay liked to use, Earth Spike, which grants the caster more range control over the earth. The spell that Malum casted was the tier three version of Earth Wall. Earth Fortress, like its name implies, creates a fortress made out of earth. The range isn't as good as Earth Spike, but the fortress would be enhanced by mana; increasing its durability. "When did you learn a tier three spell?" asked Jay, surprised. "When you were dozing off during fundamental magics class," said Malum, with an undertone of scolding Jay.
The arrows, which were not enhanced by any mana, ricocheted off the sturdy walls of the fortress. "My lord, let me finish those weaklings who dare challenge you," said Wen, preparing to attack. "Before I make sure what the contract with the demon is about, I won't allow you to risk yourself, you included Fen," said Jay, keeping an eye on the little werewolf that was preparing to charge into battle. As they were talking, the fortress began to shake. Looking outside, Jay saw that the opponents were starting to fire fireballs at the fortress. "How long can this fortress last?" asked Jay. "If I don't reinforce it with more mana, I'll be surprised if it could last another ten minutes," said Malum, analyzing the structure's integrity.
"How many can you take on by yourself?" asked Jay, trying to come up with a battle plan. "If you are going to reveal the Cursed blade of Muramasa to the whole academy, I think I could take on ten people," said Malum. "Let me fight," barked Fen, all pumped up with adrenaline. "You sir, would be the last person I would allow to join the fight," said Jay, looking at Fen. Fen puffed his cheeks but didn't say anything. "Can you summon your army here?" asked Jay. Wen conjured some mana, and casted a spell. A white array appeared on the ground as a Reinigen appeared. "How many can you summon?" asked Jay. "Fifty," replied Wen, after thinking for a while. Feeling the aura of the Reinigen, Jay determined it to be around Soldier Rank, which was the highest rank that a normal Reinigen could reach. "Fifty Reinigen could only take on ten students," Jay calculated in his mind.
The fortress rumbled again, this time cracks appeared on the walls. "Prepare to fight," ordered Jay. As another wave of spells struck the fortress, making the whole fortress collapse. "Commander of Rats," Wen said slowly, as a white portal appeared. Reinigens began to march out of the portal, creating a row of ferocious looking beasts. "The true power of a Beast Tamer," someone said. "Reinigen, weak but could cause some negative status effects," said another spectator. "Attack!" ordered Jay, as he unsheathed the Cursed blade of Muramasa. A green eerie aura bursted out from the blade, as a green, ghastly looking monster appeared.
"What is that?" screamed some students from Class Blue. "A Carcolh! How did he manage to get his hand on one? They should be untamable!" exclaimed Ms.Jenta. "Carcolhs aren't translucent and ghastly," said Christopher, staring with curiosity. "Spirit Magic!" Merlin remarked, instantly identifying the skill. "Impossible! How could a beast tamer wield Spirit magic?" several teachers said. "Maybe he has a magic relic, or maybe we lost our chance to gain a incredibly talented individual," sighed Merlin, angry at himself for not seeing the true potential of the "weak" beast tamer. "You're not wrong, principal. Beast Tamers are dangerous, who knows if he is the one who will fulfill the prophecy," a solemn looking teacher said.
The appearance of the Carcolh and the Reinigen army shocked Class Gold and Blue, making their legs tremble a little. "The rats are just Commoner Graded trash, let a dozen students deal with them," said Anjou. The Reinigen rushed towards the students. Reinigen were usually Commoner Graded, but Anjou missed something. Wen, who held the skill Rat King, boosted the Reinigen's Stats, making them Soldier Graded monsters. As the ratmen crashed into the two classes, their formation was slightly disrupted. But being the prodigies of their generation, they still managed to maintain some degree of order. After they slained the first Reinigen, the tides turned. With their boosted morale, they managed to defeat the whole army in just under an hour.
Jay and Malum where busy dealing with the other half of the students. Although Carcolh was almost immune to all forms of physical attacks, magic spells could easily damage its delicate flesh. Jay and Malum focused on defending the incoming spells. Malum, with his increasing knowledge of spells, countered each spell flawlessly, forming water veils where fireballs were aimed at, creating Earth Walls to block lighting strikes, shooting fireballs at the plants that the druids were controlling. Jay rushed towards the mages that were preparing to cast tier two or three spells, while Malum intercepted the tier one spells at the same time. Although it was Malum and Jay working at the same time, to the spectators, they only saw one Class Red dancing through the crowd with a katana in one hand while perfectly countering every spell at the same time. "How powerful is the Class Red, what crazy multitasking capabilities!" exclaimed the teachers. "So this is what you were hiding," said Stephen, staring at Jay's incredible performance.
"Spirit Chains!" casted Jay, as seventy ethereal green chains shot out from Jay's chest, locking on to every single student in the arena. Blood instantly leaked out of Jay's mouth as he felt the mental burden of seventy people. He fell on his knees, trying very hard to focus on his own thoughts. The hate, jealousy, greed, misery, and fear all clearly transmitted into his brain, almost making him go insane. He screamed loudly, trying to grab hold of himself. "What he is doing is not far from committing suicide!" Merlin said. As a wielder of spirit magic, he understood how much of a toll it could have on one's mind when spirit chains latch on to another human being, not to say seventy!
All the students instantly fell something attack their very core, shaking their whole body. The weak willed fell unconscious, while the stronger willed managed to stand. With Jay's assistance, Wen's army easily began to slay the students. After ten seconds, the green chains shattered, freeing both Jay and the other students from the mental burden. Gasping for air as he recovered his sanity, Jay observed the state of the battlefield. They were clearly in the lead, while Class Gold and Blue were busy healing their wounded. Although Anjou was an arrogant brat, he wasn't stupid. He could see that the odds were clearly not in his favor, taking a deep breath, he said took out a dark pill.