novelStorming Out of the Gates, A Changed Moss
| ← Ch.220 | Ch.222 → |
Translated by: Reiji
The team preparation rooms were quite close to the stands, resulting in a continuous din.
A calm Carter stood in front of the members of the Holy Dawn Academy team, who had varying expressions on their faces.
"Chris will not be participating today. Our lineup against Golden Stag Academy will be as follows, Moss, then Stingham, Belo, Ayrin, and finally Rinloran."
There wasn't a single unnecessary word as Carter went straight to the point.
"Chris won't be fighting?"
"Belo?"
Although they already knew Chris wouldn't be participating, the old Holy Dawn Academy team members still couldn't help but feel shocked upon hearing Carter's words.
"Also, while I have placed Rinloran as fifth on our roster, I would like for you all to try and end the match between the four of you, " Not waiting for more cries of shock to ring out, Carter held everyone in his gaze and calmly explained, "Although Rinloran's speed and agility far surpasses ordinary people and will pose a threat to the members of Golden Stag Academy, he will become injured even more severely if he has to fight against any one of their mainstays."
"What!" Gerrin, who was still acting as Holy Dawn Academy's vice-captain, didn't dare believe his ears as his mouth dropped in disbelief.
Their opponents were Golden Stag Academy!
One of the three monster-level teams!
Yet Carter had requested that they defeat them amongst the four of them!
Gerrin was certain that if any of the other teams participating in the national tournament heard Carter's words, they would think he had gone crazy.
"Perhaps..."
Gerrin couldn't help but turn and look at Ayrin, Belo, and the others. His breathing became laboured as he saw their calm and confident expressions even after hearing Carter's words.
"Whether it is a one versus one fight or a team battle, the winner is determined not by the number of arcane particles and the strength of arcane skills, but by true fearlessness and willingness to sacrifice."
"Only true brave warriors can achieve victory in battle. This is the true meaning of this tournament."
"Show me what you are!"
Carter's voice echoed amidst the preparation room.
"We are brave warriors!" Ayrin shouted. He was the first to respond.
Afterwards, Chris, Moss, and the rest also followed suit as their blood began to boil.
"Fight, brave warrior. Strive for victory and win honour for yourself!"
Carter powerfully pumped his fist in the air as he felt as if he had returned to a time when he was competing as part of the Evil Six.
"It's finally time. As long as I can kill that fellow, these miserable days will be no longer and I will become even stronger."
Rinsyi broke the dead silence within Golden Stag Academy team's preparation room as he slowly raised his head and spoke cold words.
There wasn't an accompanying teacher present.
Ever since he had become captain of Golden Stag Academy's team, he had always been the one with the final say in selecting and arranging members for competition.
"Our goal for this match is not only to defeat them, but to kill them all."
After raising his head, Rinsyi coldly swept his gaze across everyone else as he said, "Is that clear?"
Hill remained silent as he licked his lips, a bloodthirsty smile emerging on his face.
"What a shame." Megan sighed, as she said in a voice dripping with honey, "They were truly interesting people."
"Megan, it seems like the appearance of those fellows from House Eclipse Moon haven't brought you any pressure, " Hellball Master Tyrin, a silly looking boy with short hair, said from beside her whilst looking her in the eye.
"Since they have dared to appear so openly in Eichemalar, you guys will help me kill them after this competition ends, right?" Megan grinned as she continued, "So I have nothing to worry about."
"Can we go out yet?" Plague Disseminator Zouchen, a boy with long gray hair, sneered, "I already can't wait to see the looks on the faces of those audience members from St Lauren after this match is over."
......
"They are coming out!"
"Both teams are emerging!"
It was gradually approaching the starting time when the audience began to holler and shout, causing the stands to suddenly become a chaotic mess.
They watched as Holy Dawn Academy's team and Golden Stag Academy's team emerged and sat down on benches beside the stage.
"Their fighting spirits are all so strong."
In the stands, Morgan couldn't help but shake his head as he observed Ayrin and the others. Not a single trace of fear could be seen within the excitement burning within their eyes like flames.
"Golden Stag Academy's lineup..."
Upon seeing the members beside the stage for Golden Stag Academy, Morgan couldn't help but feel some envy.
Rinsyi's pride and arrogance was not unreasonable by any means.
Golden Stag Academy's team was indeed the most powerful team in the tournament in terms of overall fighting abilities and team depth.
In the prior rounds, Golden Stag Academy had been able to rely on their substitutes to smoothly cruise forward, with only Rinsyi suffering some light injuries. But now, their other four mainstays had finally appeared after not having to move a finger in the previous rounds.
If not for such an unpredictable variable in Holy Dawn Academy, Morgan was certain that Golden Stag Academy would have been one of the final contenders for the position of this year's champion.
"There are actually people who believe that this bunch are our opponents?"
"Never mind our mainstays, any random substitute from our school team already has the strength of a celebrity fighter. This team of injured soldiers wouldn't even be able deal with our substitutes."
In the stands, countless Golden Stag Academy students loudly taunted and ridiculed Holy Dawn Academy.
"It seems like Holy Dawn Academy is indeed missing its general. With just those five... how are they going to fight this battle?"
The supporters of Holy Dawn Academy all suddenly became tongue tied as they realized that they couldn't refute those words.
The difference between the two benches was just too great.
These thoughts emerged within almost everyone's minds as they saw the two teams walk onto the stage.
"Indeed... this increasing tension... I feel even more nervous than when I am personally competing."
As she watched from atop the stands, Charlotte's palms became clammy.
"The strong person Morgan was talking about, he should be in this team?"
His long hair scattered around his waist, a very quiet Jean Camus observed Holy Dawn Academy's team with some surprise.
......
Charlotte's thoughts were the same as the vast majority of the audience. Slowly but surely, the arena quieted down until only the sound of breathing remained.
"Please submit your lineups!"
"The match is about to begin."
As they watched the teams hand in their respective lineups, many of the students from Holy Dawn Academy became even more nervous.
"Golden Stag Academy versus Holy Dawn Academy!"
Finally, the sound of referee Clancy cut through the tense and oppressive atmosphere.
"Hill versus Moss!"
"Warlock Hill! It's Golden Stag Academy's vice captain, Warlock Hill!"
"The vanguard for Golden Stag Academy's team this time is actually Warlock Hill!"
"Spiritual genius Hill is officially making his appearance!"
"The first person from Holy Dawn Academy is actually that red headed boy again? Does Holy Dawn Academy really not have any secret weapons up their sleeve?"
Clancy's announcement caused the entire audience to erupt in pandemonium like a volcano as the silence was completely shattered.
"It's actually this fellow again. Just what is Holy Dawn Academy planning?"
Golden Stag Academy's team members also couldn't help but speculate amongst themselves.
"Haha, for this red haired boy to go up against Hill, is he not just looking for his own death?"
Loud taunts and laughter abruptly resounded from Golden Stag Academy's portion of the stand.
"Hill has actually stepped out. It seems like they are actually using their full strength this time."
Within the stands, Ivan, Charlotte, and the others glanced at each other.
No one knew what kind of strange bloodline Warlock Hill had, but his spiritual strength was abnormally high. Moreover, the arcane skills the used were so strange that people called it black magic.
If it was purely one on one, neither Ivan or Charlotte was confident in being an opponent for Hill.
Almost no one in the audience was optimistic about Moss's chances.
Amidst the loud taunts and laughter, Moss was calm as he turned his head back and forth and looked at the stands.
He finally saw a familiar face within the crowd.
"Mother..."
Moss inwardly whispered to himself before taking a deep breath and stepping foot onto the stage and moving towards the centre.
At this moment, there wasn't much fear in his mind even though he was facing such a powerful opponent in Warlock Hill.
"Moss seems to be a little different today."
Ayrin didn't hoist his fist and encourage Moss today like he usually did. Instead, as he watched Moss's back, he strangely muttered, "His legs actually aren't trembling in fear today."
"Everything has proceeded smoothly so far. Now it all depends on your own performance." Carter took a deep breath, but his hands wouldn't stop shaking with excitement.
......
The entire arena quieted down once more.
Moss and Hill stood facing each other at the centre of the stage.
"It seems like this battle will be ending without any suspense."
Hill made a gesture towards Clancy signalling that he was ready while shaking his head, a look of disdain on his face as he sneered in ridicule, "This is just a waste of time to begin with."
"Ready!"
Moss didn't even raise his head to look at Hill as he shouted at the referee.
"Ready to die, " Hill silently sneered in his mind.
"Start!"
Clancy waved the flag in his hand.
"Hiss......"
The sound of air being compressed rang through the stage like a tsunami.
No one could see any of Hill's motions as an image of a snow white skeleton condensed behind Moss. Afterwards, the white bones turned into countless particles which attached onto Moss's body.
Simultaneously, an invisible shockwave inexplicably spread across the stage and into the stands, causing many audience members to feel dizzy and lightheaded.
"Not good!"
The expressions of Clancy and the other referees simultaneously changed as their bodies began to release fluctuations of arcane energy. They were about to stop Hill's arcane skill.
But right at this moment, they abruptly stopped breathing as Moss's body began to enlarge at a speed which was hard to imagine while a golden ring of light spread out from his body and instantly struck Hill's body.
"Sacrificial Halo!"
In the stands, Morgan and Jean Camus's eyes simultaneously widened as they whispered the same name under their breaths.
| ← Ch. 220 | Ch. 222 → |