I contemplate whether to end the match as soon as possible or show off to the crowd for style points.

The sun is on the verge of setting, and bright stadium lights turn on one by one. I sit on the sidelines with Flash Gordon and wait for me to be called up. It feels like a waste of time and energy for a tournament to mark a month's worth of growth. If the institute hosts another one of these events next month, I’ll call in sick.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU HAVE BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING FOR THIS FINAL BATTLE. WHO IS THE STRONGEST FRESHMAN OF BLUEFIELD INSTITUTE!!!”

A screeching and way too loud announcement rings from the PA system.

Cheers erupt from the stands. It’s a little flattering that many people care about these tests and me winning them. Is the announcer using a skill to hype up the crowd? Is that legal?

“THE FIRST STUDENT TO GRACE THE STAGE WITH THEIR PRESENCE IS A STUDENT THAT WON EVERY FIGHT WITHOUT ISSUE. HE SHOWCASED HIS UNIQUE TECHNIQUES AND SKILLS BY DECIMATING THE COMPETITION.

I prepare to get on stage.

“RAI WILSON”

Who?

I get my answer when I spot a student wearing a hooded cloak. Everything he has is black or a darker shade of black. With his cowl up, he looks like a walking shadow. He steps on the stage, not even acknowledging the crowd.

“THIS NEXT STUDENT IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE FIRST, WINNING EVERY FIGHT WITH EITHER A SINGLE MOVE OR HIS POWERFUL TAMED BEASTS. PLEASE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ELLIS VINCERE.”

I walked up this time, and the audience didn’t cheer any harder for me. The bystanders definitely are only here for the fight, not the students.

I decide to use [Scientific Insight+] on this guy. I have never seen him before.

[Edgy Student Lv 50]

Level 50? Was he already at this level when he enrolled, or did he work hard like me?

Maybe I should make a show of this, “I-”

*WHISTLE*

The screeching whistle cuts me off. Before I can repeat what I was going to say, the guy fades into shadow.

He definitely dressed up as an assassin. Did he enter a shadow or become a shadow… I am sick of fighting creatures that can use [Shadow].

Ironically, the bright stadium lights multiply my shadow instead of hiding it. My perception tingles at the last second.

My right-hand intercepts his blade aiming for my jugular. The knife pierces through my palm and stops right before my neck.

-40

[Resistance: Poison 70 > 71]

Is this guy seriously using poison in a school fight? This has to be against the rules.

With his blade still embedded into my hand, I swing Flash Gordon with my other arm. He turns to shadow, negating most of the damage. The knife in my palm dissipates into shadow as well.

-86

Fuck, he only took a quarter of damage from my attack. He has better reflexes than me. I will have to beat him the good ol’ fashion way.

Something I learned in my time inside that dark fracture is that counter-attacking an ambush is never enough. Shadow users are so accustomed to initiating battles they never expect to get sneaked attack. I know where he is. If I didn’t injure him, I wouldn’t be able to hear his stifled grunts of pain. He is not inside of the shadows. He is just imperceptible while using that skill.

I need to get this guy to drop his guard. I pretend not to know where he is and make a show of swinging at nothing as I maneuver myself so my back can face him. I wait until he starts his next attack. I drop Flash Gordon behind me and flick him towards the assassin with the sole of my foot.

*SMACK*

He makes no noise as Flash Gordon smacks him in the stomach. His invisibility drops, revealing him a few steps away. I spin around, trying to backhand him, but he slips away again…

This kind of opponent is annoying to fight. If Rob was with me, he could take advantage of his [Sense Life] to keep harassing him until I can deal with him. Duchess can spam AOE [Radiant] attacks, and Khan could use his massive numbers to lock onto it. Instead, I have the legendary Flash Gordon. I must use what Flash Gordon taught me.

I need to be sturdier than before. I need to be able to weather any storm. I [Bolster Resistance] and stand there, unmoving.

My eyes are closed as I move into a horse stance.

-0

-0

I barely registered the attacks. Without an assassin's extreme damage to weak points, assassins are only squishy fighters who are more agile. Take that away, and it's easy pickings.

-0

-0

…

A flurry of attacks that can't even break my skin is only wasted energy. A minute passes, and I can feel the exhaustion in the swipes. They somehow managed to get weaker. This is probably good enough.

It’s finally time to use the first attacking move from [Broken Body: Insanity].

In a last act of desperation, my opponent uses his most powerful technique. The hairs on my neck stand when the elemental energy inside of his blade goes haywire. I peek behind my closed eyes and see his knife is entirely black, absorbing all light. The knife grows longer as the energy extends the blade.

With two hands, he strikes me down.

Blood sprays from an open wound on my chest. The assassin falls prone, bleeding out of every orifice. The crowd falls silent.

[Cross-Counter

The user mastered the art of taking blow for blow. The user can utilize an opening opened by the attack of the target. This attack ignores armor and sets the user's armor to 0.

Base Damage: 50% of the target's damage back to them. (Before mitigations)

Cooldown: 50 minutes]

This attack is similar to [Donkey Punch], but I need the get the timing right, or this skill won’t activate. The cooldown seems to lessen as I improve my martial arts.

Critical Hit!

–366

-315

The “set armor to zero” seems to not matter since I have resistances, not armor, but his attack still did a ludicrous amount of damage even with them. His critical hits must do way more harm than mine. Too bad he still couldn’t do enough.

“AND THE WINNER IS ELLIS VINCERE!”

The crowd erupts as I slowly walk off stage. The slash wound on my chest is already healing as the medics rush on stage to tend to the assassin’s broken face and pick up the missing teeth. The combination of [Cross-Counter], my ring, and my [Butcher] title work in tandem to deal a surprising amount of damage.

I look at the excited faces in the crowd. This event must have let the worried civilians take their minds off the riots and looting. Seeing the next generation and how strong they are, puts their minds at ease, if only subconsciously. It’s still a little weird.

I ignore Master Wang and his gloating about his marital art winning me the tournament. I give the dean one last look as I go to my family.

~

My room was filled with crates of loose underwear from my foster father’s company, so I had to go home and sleep there. My mother offered to clear out my room or let me sleep on the couch, but It was not a bother to take a night walk in the city.

Distant sirens and gunshots fill the night sky. I hear something shatter, followed by hounds barking while chasing someone down. Huh, almost forgot about the rioters, no wonder my parents stressed to be sure I walk home safe…

Usually, if someone sees a lone person walking down the streets, they might see them as an easy mark. Most bandit-type classes can see whether or not someone is more powerful than them. I guess the one in front of me does not.

“Alright, kid. Give me your bags and wallet, and nobody will get hurt.”

A dirty man is holding me at gunpoint on the street. I look him up and down and deem him not a treat.

[Dirty Mugger Lv 35]

Khan fell asleep, so I am carrying his many bodies in a burlap sack. When Rob saw that, he got into his bag and made me hold that too. I think this man thinks this 9-foot feathered snake wrapped around my body is just a broad fashion statement instead of a deadly beast. Duchess fell asleep too.

Usually, when somebody sees a guy with a giant snake, a swarm of flesh-eating flying fish, and a skeleton with a weapon, they assume that this guy is not easy to deal with. Flash Gordon likes to hide his true strength, so it's understandable when people don't feel immediately threatened by him.

‘I don't have all night! Hurry up, or your brain is painting the pavement a new color.”

I mentally flip a coin to see whether or not I should test my skull against a bullet. I am not the most knowledgeable about firearms, but it seems to be lower caliber than all the other guns I have seen. I activate [Bolster Resistnace] and answer back.

‘You don’t have the balls.”

*CRACK*

The sound of thunder echoed down the empty street as he fired his gun straight at me. His stats must make him a good enough shot to hit a moving target.

-0

AH FUCK. The bullet didn’t hurt, but the force it left behind gave me a massive headache.

-31

Was that secondary damage force or blunt? It doesn’t matter too much.

“Ah jeez, fine, take it.”

I throw the burlap sack with Khan to the guy. The mugger was initially surprised that I was unharmed and even more surprised when I willingly gave up the bag if I could take a gunshot. He greedily grabs the bag and runs down the street into an alleyway.

He must’ve checked what was inside the bag since seconds later heartwrenching scream echoes even louder through the streets. A very pissed-off Khan floats back to me and starts orbiting. Being thrown around is a rude awakening, especially when the first face you see is that guy's ugly mug.

~

Khan stats.

Name / Nickname

Khan the Exile

Species

Ariel Scavengers D (Unique)

Level

50 (MAX)

Evolution Requirements

Not Met

~

Health Points

300/300

Mana Points

275/275

Armor Points

0

Might

80 > 140

Agility

40 > 60

Vigor

40 > 60

Mind

35 > 55

Spirit

35 > 55

Perception

35 > 55