Chapter 171 Intriguing Figure
Like a rabid dog, Kedward got on all fours and began leaping towards Alten at full speed. He moved extremely past, brushing past Kang as he swiped at him as though he was a weed.
Kang threw up a spurt of blood as his eyes rolled back into his head, thrown into the ground by the incredibly powerful attack. Compared to the others, it was a serious one.
Ked appeared 10 feet from Alten in seconds, each one of his leaps covered over 10 feet of land alone. As he traveled in mid-air, nearing Alten, Rylan couldn't help but close his eyes in fear.
Alten on the other hand stared at the boy coming at him, frozen in fear. It wasn't like he could have moved fast enough if he wasn't frozen either. This seemed to be it. He had gone through countless experiences where he was near failing and was saved by his team, but none of them were nearby right now.
Who knew if they were dealing with their own fights, or what. Time seemed to slow down as Kedward neared mere feet from Alten, his hand already hurled towards Alten's neck.
"I'm screwed..."
At that precise moment, a rapid series of approaching footsteps sounded out of nowhere. Before either Kedward or Alten could move their retinas fast enough, a white blur appeared in their vision.
In Alten's point of view, the white blur traveled through Kedward's body at near teleport speeds.
"Iron Blitz."
Leon said, sheathing his sword.
Instead of the boy's fist, Kedward's decapitated head knocked Alten's forehead and then fell to the floor.
Just then, he was eliminated from the exam. This was a first for Alten. He had never seen a head actually be decapitated before being eliminated, but more so than that, he felt as though a mountain of stress had been lifted off of his chest, as his knees grew limp and collapsed.
Leon also fell to one of his knees, making himself stay up with his sword as he panted slightly.
"That was my full speed... You were only two inches away from being eliminated, you idiot."
The aftermath of the intense encounter left the battlefield shrouded in a tense silence. Alten, still reeling from the shock of his near-death experience, remained on the ground, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. The realization of how close he had come to defeat, even death, hung heavily over him.
Alten's trembling hand reached up to his forehead, where the impact of Kedward's severed head had left a dull ache. He closed his eyes, trying to process the whirlwind of emotions coursing through him—fear, relief, and a lingering sense of disbelief.
Leon, still catching his breath, extended a hand towards Alten.
"You alright?"
Alten took the offered hand and allowed Leon to help him to his feet. His legs felt shaky, and his gaze remained fixed on the spot where Kedward's head lay. It was a chilling reminder of how swiftly circumstances could change on the battlefield.
"I... I didn't even see you coming,"
Alten admitted, his voice shaky.
Leon's expression softened as he patted Alten on the shoulder. "That's the thing about battle. You always have to be ready for the unexpected."
The weight of Leon's words settled over Alten, reminding him of the importance of vigilance and quick thinking.
With a deep breath, Alten turned back to Rylan, seeing Leon glancing over at him.
"He will be alright. He just used too much mana."
In response, Rylan gave a thumbs up along with a cheeky smile. As the three began to calm down a little, they suddenly heard rustling behind them.
Kang slowly got up to his feet. He didn't even look human anymore, more like a thumb that was painted all different colors. Seeing him, Leon sort of understood the situation.
"That's odd..."
He said as Kang walked towards them.
"He tried to protect you... huh."
Alten looked at Leon.
"Yea. He took quite the beating."
Kang arrived a few feet away from Leon. Leon became intrigued by the prospect of Kang's actions. He couldn't help but be curious about the reason behind him.
"Why did you do that. Save Alten and Rylan, that is."
He shouted from afar.
"Strong!"
Kang shouted back, continuing.
"Lyrian is strong! I wanted to... Well, I don't really know. But, what I do know, is that I don't want to make enemies of the strong."
Listening to Kang's halting words, Leon found himself nodding in understanding. The mention of Lyrian's strength resonated with him. He had witnessed Lyrian's skill firsthand, and there was an unspoken recognition of the potential that lay within the boy.
"Strength, huh?" Leon muttered to himself, his gaze shifting from Kang to the ongoing battles around them.
Leon's thoughts began to churn as he considered Kang's perspective. The battlefield was a place of chaos, and allegiances could shift in an instant.
"I suppose we're all here for our own reasons," Leon mused, his gaze distant as he thought about the individuals they had encountered, each with their own strengths and motivations.
The group fell into a contemplative silence, the sounds of battle serving as a constant backdrop to their thoughts. The alliances they had formed, the challenges they had overcome, and the lessons they had learned were all part of a larger tapestry that was being woven in the midst of chaos.
"Alright... enough boring talk. Can someone give me some mana potions or something!?"
Rylan suddenly broke the silence. Neither Leon nor Alten had a response. Simply nodding, as no such potions were in their possession.
"Here!"
Kang shouted, tossing a bottle toward Rylan.
"Actually... take these as well."
Kang suddenly threw multiple bottles of mana toward the group. Over 6 in total, which Alten made sure to catch.
"What? Why are you giving us all of these so suddenly?"
Alten asked, confused.
"Internal bleeding. I'm going to be eliminated shortly."
As soon as he said this, another short moment of silence sounded itself... before suddenly, an excited voice came out of nowhere.
"Hey! I'm going to need those!"
An eager Lyrian suddenly said, his eyes glowing over the mana elixirs in Alten's hands.
This content is taken from free web nov𝒆l.com