Chapter 230 - 229 : Human tube light
Victor’s defeat had completely changed the atmosphere of the arena.
Across the vast frozen field...
Only two figures remained standing.
Arthur.
Damian.
A faint smile slowly spread across Arthur’s face as he rested one hand inside his pocket.
"So... what are you waiting for? Don’t tell me you’re scared now after watching your friend get his ass kicked."
The crowd immediately erupted.
Every student instinctively turned toward Damian.
Damian, however, didn’t answer immediately.
His eyes remained fixed on Arthur.
’What the hell...’
’What kind of training did this guy go through while he was away from the academy...?’
He couldn’t understand it.
The Arthur standing before him was completely different from the one he had fought during the entrance examination.
Back then...
Arthur had been talented.
Now...
He was terrifying.
Damian knew better than anyone how strong Victor truly was.
Victor wasn’t some ordinary genius.
He was one of the greatest talents of their generation.
Even without possessing a System, Victor had earned Damian’s acknowledgment through sheer ability.
And yet...
Arthur had defeated him convincingly.
’I underestimated him...’
Damian slowly closed his eyes.
He took a deep breath.
Then another.
The cold air filled his lungs before he slowly released it.
His racing heartbeat gradually steadied.
He tightened his grip around his spear.
’It’s just another wall.’
’And every wall can be broken.’
’I only need to surpass it.’
The next instant...
A tremendous wave of killing intent erupted from Damian’s body.
The frozen ground trembled.
Several nearby students instinctively stepped backward as the pressure swept across the arena.
Thin cracks spread beneath Damian’s boots, frost exploding outward in jagged patterns as mana surged through his body. The chilling pressure washed over the arena like an invisible tidal wave, causing banners hanging around the stadium to flutter violently despite the absence of wind.
Arthur looked at him quietly.
"..."
Then...
An equally overwhelming aura exploded from Arthur.
Boom!
The invisible collision between the two auras sent icy dust spiraling into the air.
For a brief instant, the air between them visibly distorted. Loose chunks of ice were crushed into powder before they even touched the ground, while faint ripples spread across the battlefield as though space itself had shuddered beneath the weight of their presence.
Damian’s pupils shrank.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.
For the first time in a very long while...
His instincts screamed at him.
Danger.
Arthur smiled.
"Come on. I’ll even give you the first move."
Damian laughed softly.
"I guess... I should thank you then."
His expression suddenly became serious.
"If I’m going all out..."
"I won’t hold anything back."
Several notifications immediately appeared before his eyes.
[ Undying Monarch Activated. ]
[ All Attributes Increased by 150% ]
[ Duration: 5 Minutes ]
[ Cooldown: 20 Minutes ]
A powerful golden aura erupted around Damian.
The frozen ground beneath his feet cracked under the sudden pressure.
Another notification appeared.
[ Immortal Flesh Activated. ]
[ All injuries will continuously regenerate for the next 2 minutes. ]
[ Cooldown: 15 Minutes ]
His muscles swelled slightly with power.
The flow of mana throughout his body became several times stronger.
His breathing stabilized.
His eyes sharpened.
The students watching from the stands subconsciously held their breath.
"So... this is Damian going all out."
"His aura is completely different."
The next instant...
Damian disappeared.
To the majority of the audience...
He had simply vanished.
Boom!
The frozen ground exploded beneath both fighters.
Damian appeared directly before Arthur.
His spear shot forward like a bolt of lightning.
The sharp tip tore through the air with frightening precision.
Whoosh!
Arthur calmly tilted his head.
The spear missed his cheek by less than an inch.
Without pausing...
Damian spun the weapon around his body.
The spear became a blur.
One thrust.
Three.
Five.
Ten.
Each strike arrived faster than the previous one.
Golden streaks covered the battlefield as countless thrusts targeted Arthur from every direction.
Eyes.
Shoulders.
Chest.
Waist.
Every attack flowed seamlessly into the next.
Years of relentless training could be seen within every movement.
The rapid barrage carved dozens of razor-thin lines through the frozen surface. Every missed thrust punched holes into the ice, sending glittering shards flying into the air. The sound of metal cutting through the atmosphere echoed like continuous thunder, each strike carrying enough force to skewer solid steel.
Yet...
Arthur remained unbelievably calm.
He barely moved.
A slight turn of his shoulders.
A small shift of his waist.
One step to the side.
Every dodge measured only a few centimeters.
Nothing more.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
The spear continued to pass harmlessly by.
Damian’s expression gradually changed.
’Again...?’
’How...?’
’No...’
’He’s reading every attack...’
His rhythm suddenly changed.
The spear swept low before instantly reversing upward toward Arthur’s chin.
Arthur leaned back just enough.
The spear cut through empty air.
Before Damian could react...
Arthur stepped forward.
Too close.
Far too close.
Damian’s instincts screamed.
Arthur’s elbow shot toward him.
Bang!
Damian barely raised his forearm in time.
Even so...
The impact sent a violent numbness through his entire arm. The shock traveled through his wrist and shoulder before exploding across his chest, forcing him to grit his teeth just to keep hold of his weapon.
Before he could recover...
Arthur’s fist was already moving.
Bang!
The punch struck Damian’s side, forcing him several steps backward.
Damian immediately spun his spear in a wide sweep.
Arthur lightly jumped over it.
Still airborne...
He drove his knee into Damian’s shoulder.
Thud!
Damian stumbled backward.
Arthur landed effortlessly.
Every movement flowed into the next.
No wasted motion.
No unnecessary flourish.
Only perfect efficiency.
Damian gritted his teeth.
"So this is your level..."
Without hesitation...
He charged again.
The effects of Undying Monarch surged through his body.
His speed increased even further.
His spear danced like a golden dragon, weaving together thrusts, feints, and sweeping strikes so smoothly that most students could no longer follow either fighter.
Several first years watched with pale faces.
"I can’t even see them anymore..."
Professor after professor silently observed the duel.
Arthur, meanwhile...
Walked through the storm of attacks as though he had already memorized Damian’s every movement.
Then—
Bang!
A palm strike landed against Damian’s chest.
His balance instantly broke.
Arthur pivoted.
A swift kick forced Damian backward once more.
Before Damian could regain his footing...
Arthur had already closed the distance.
A short, compact punch landed against Damian’s abdomen.
Boom!
The force folded Damian’s body slightly before launching him backward. His boots gouged two deep trenches across the frozen arena as chunks of shattered ice erupted behind him in a sparkling trail.
Damian slid across the frozen field before finally stopping several meters away.
Silence filled the arena.
Arthur didn’t chase him.
He simply stood there.
Waiting.
Damian slowly pushed himself upright.
His breathing had become noticeably heavier.
His shoulder throbbed.
A dull ache spread across his ribs.
For a brief moment, he thought one of them might have cracked.
Then...
A warm sensation spread throughout his body.
[ Immortal Flesh ]
The discomfort gradually faded as the skill continuously repaired the accumulated damage.
Damian flexed his shoulder.
The pain was already disappearing.
Even so...
His grip around the spear had become slightly weaker.
Across from him...
Arthur stood exactly where he had been moments earlier.
Not a scratch.
Not a drop of sweat.
Not even heavy breathing.
Then...
Arthur smiled.
It wasn’t mocking.
Nor was it arrogant.
It was simply the relaxed smile of someone who still hadn’t been pushed to their limit.
Damian’s eyes widened.
’No...’
’Don’t tell me...’
Arthur casually rotated his wrist before beckoning with one finger.
"Come on. Can’t you do better than that?"
Everything suddenly became clear.
Arthur hadn’t been barely dodging.
He hadn’t been forced onto the defensive.
He hadn’t been fighting seriously.
He had been controlling the pace of the entire battle.
Every counter.
Every strike.
Every movement...
Had been measured.
Damian lowered his head for a moment before letting out a bitter laugh.
"So... that’s how it is."
Arthur simply looked at him.
He neither confirmed nor denied it.
That silence alone was enough.
For the first time since the battle had begun...
Damian truly understood how enormous the gap between them had become.
Arthur casually rested his hands by his sides.
"You’ve got decent reach. It’d be useful in close-quarters combat."
Damian blinked.
"...Are you praising me?"
Arthur merely smiled.
He didn’t answer.
As Damian tightened his grip around his spear...
Arthur noticed something.
Damian’s arms were trembling.
Not from fear.
From exhaustion.
Damian clicked his tongue.
"Seriously..."
"Just how high is your Agility stat?"
He slowly exhaled.
"...Fine."
"I didn’t want to use this yet."
"But I guess it’s time for my trump card."
A brilliant golden light suddenly erupted from his body.
Several notifications appeared before his eyes.
[ Blessing of the Goddess of Life and Light Activated. ]
[ For the next 2 minutes, all attributes will be doubled. ]
[ For the next two minutes, the user’s body will become invincible and will not take any damage. ]
Golden radiance engulfed Damian from head to toe.
The light became so intense that many students instinctively covered their eyes.
"What is that?!"
"I can’t even look at him!"
Arthur raised an eyebrow before grinning.
"...Wow. Have you become a human tube light now?"