495 The Duel [1]
It was impossible to believe, but it was barely two days since Varian went from level 0 to peak level 4 in the water path.
So, while he had the prerequisite understanding of his path to progress so far, and even 'trained' with Sarah, his fighting experience with the water path was close to nill.
The training with Sarah didn't count since most of it was her showing her power and him comprehending it.
So, when faced with a peak level 4 abyssal, Varian tensed.
The piercing feeling in the back of his neck didn't help.
Hundreds of thousands of eyes in the stadium stared at the five floating stages.
Their gazes were dispersed and at least a few thousand were looking at Varian.
Every audience can directly swipe through the countless holograms and choose to watch the battle they liked.
The same went for the billion viewers who were watching this test match beforehand.
So, not only was Varian was under the direct gaze of thousands of members, but he was also indirectly watched by millions.
If it was the old him, he'd have felt tremendous pressure to perform well.
But after experiencing Cluster Cities' conspiracy and Pluto's heist shortly after, Varian found his current situation more bearable.
After all, those were grand events that might happen only once in a lifetime. He not only actively participated in them but was also a decisive factor.
Compared to that, the current situation suddenly seemed like child's play.
So, despite panicking a bit initially, Varian quickly calmed down.
With a clear head, he assessed his current situation and decided to play it safe.
'I can't reveal my other powers. Even though System sealed every other path if things go south…'
"Arghhh!"
A loud scream from one of the nearby rings interrupted Varian's stream of thought.
Varian took a quick glance at the abyssal.
After they entered the duel ring, a transparent sphere covered them. The abyssal glared at Varian with bloodshot eyes and looked like he wanted to drink his blood.
But he didn't attack.
Only then did Varian understand that the abyssal was under the control of a telepath.
Only when Varian starts his own attack would the abyssal be released and their fight would officially begin.
Of course, he couldn't wait forever.
There was a stopwatch floating on top of the duel ring.
[9:45]
[9:44]
[9:43]
Once the time runs out, it'd be considered a defeat. But what happens to losers? No one knew.
But they did know that all of them signed a form declaring that any injury or death in the match was their own doing and the Xander family holds no responsibility.
"Arghhh!"
Varian's thought process was interrupted by a loud scream. It was the same voice as earlier, but now, it was not only louder but filled with grief. It reminded him of his tragic cry.
Varian turned to the source and his body froze in shock.
In one of the duel rings, an abyssal was ripping apart an arm of a young man.
Zip! Zap!
Weak lightning sizzled around the young man's arms, but it failed to stop the abyssal's enormous physical strength.
"Hmph!"
With a snort, the abyssal pulled the arm off.
Splurt! Splurt!
Due to the sheer force, blood started to splurt out of the young man's wound like a fountain as the screams filled with agony rose.
"Arghhh!"
"Help! Save!"
Varian watched in an unnerving silence and so did the audience. They were happening across all levels and most of the views went to these situations.
But contrary to expectations, the majority wasn't sympathizing with the injured testers.
In fact, they were chanting like a frenzied mob.
"Kill Or Be Killed!"
"You guys got the opportunity to have the potions for free! But you can't even survive an abyssal. Pitui!"
"You signed up for this! You competed against others for this! Stand up and fight!"
Varian let the system stealthily turn on the body path.
"Haa~" Varian felt like the world suddenly went from 144p to 4k. He saw the audience sitting hundreds of meters away and he saw their faces clearly.
Regardless of their age or gender, they were frantically looking at the participants in dangerous situations.
Their eyes were glued to the screen and they chattered their teeth. Tightly gripping the seat, they were barely holding themselves from standing up and yelling.
It was almost as if…they were seeing one of their own in these participants.
A family member that died, a friend that was killed, a colleague that was murdered...
Varian sighed and had the system once again seal his body path.
'Urgh…' Varian was forced to close his eyes and the next moment, the world was once again back to a low resolution along with equally poor senses.
"Greeh!" The abyssal roared at him, its eyes pulsing with green blood.
[8: 30]
Feeling the strong killing intent from his enemy a few feet away, Varian let out a light sigh.
And with a flick, a blue light covered him.
Boom!
The abyssal shot at Varian.
The battle had begun.
The moment the abyssal moved, Varian's eyes couldn't keep up. But he wasn't relying on his vision.
His water sense quickly showed that the abyssal was now directly above him and was about to punch his head.
For a split second, Varian felt a deadly threat.
As a level 4 water awakener, taking a direct hit from a level 4 body awakener—even if he was covered by a light water armor was too risky.
All said and done, his life won't be truly in danger.
The System had a setting that 'lifted off' the levels should his life truly be in danger.
But his mind calmed him instantly
"DIE!"
The abyssal growled as his fist tore through the air and reached Varian's head in the blink of an eye.
Zaah!
Varian created a layer of ice under his feet and with a quick push, skated out.
Boom!
The duel ring shook as the abyssal's punch nearly broke the stage.
Varian almost fell on his face due to the imbalance and his lack of experience.
So, he grew two ice spikes at the bottom of his shoes and with them, pierced into the floor.
Shuaa!
And saved himself from falling.
"DIE!"
The abyssal rushed at him swinging a punch.
Varian used his ice shoes to dodge and waved his hand.
Shuaa!
An ice arrow materialized and shot at the abyssal's eye.
Whoosh!
The air seemed to cool down wherever the arrow went.
Varian's body flashed a soft blue light as he created ten more ice arrows.
'I was always the one who was cornered. I wonder how it feels to corner a body awakener through elemental attacks.'
He wondered and waved his hand.
Shuaa!
The ice arrows blocked off every retreat of the abyssal and forced him to confront them.
Without giving him any more time to think, the arrows tried to pierce through his skull and rip him apart.
But thanks to both his experience in body path and Varian's inexperience in water path, he was able to survive.
[3:23]
[3:20]
[2:30]
After trying for a long time, Varian realized that killing the abyssal this way was impossible.
So, he switched tactics.
