novelraw Chapter 31: The Suicide Charge
Chapter 31: The Suicide Charge
"Oh no you don’t!" Verso roared his voice full of defiance.
As the Umbra Panther lunged, he didn’t try to retreat. Instead he twisted his torso, pivoting on his heel to meet the beast’s momentum as he swung the dark marble cleaver in a brutal horizontal arc.
SHREK.
The panther’s obsidian claws tore through Verso’s shirt, carving three grim looking lines across his chest.
A searing, burning sensation flooded his nervous system, but he knew that he couldn’t afford to react to it.
Lucky for him, his cleaver connected. the heavy blade slicing through the air and catching the panther across the face.
A spray of dark fluid erupted when the edge of the marble blade cut deep into the predator’s left eye.
Both of them skidded back, creating a five meter gap between them.
Verso breathed heavily, his hand pressed against his chest where blood began to soak through the fabric.
He ignored the sting, his eyes fully locked onto the panther which was now crouching low and hissing at him with only one remaining eye.
From the corner of his vision, Verso could also see the front line collapsing as two of his remaining Primitive golems were being dismantled by Xavier’s lightning fast strikes.
’I can’t let this drag on.’
He sent out a mental command, dividing his focus.
’Giants! Beams on Xavier! Third giant rush at him full speed!’
Right away, two of the nine foot stone titans leveled their palms. Their golden runes started screaming with power as they began a rapid fire bombardment.
The third giant launched itself forward, its massive feet shaking the entire marble stage as it charged toward the blond student.
Verso himself pulled the cleaver into a tight defensive stance, his muscles ready to respond to the panther’s next move.
As all of this was happening, the crowd was descending into madness.
The students standing on the ground were screaming out loud until their throats were raw.
This fight no longer looked like a school duel as both Verso and Xavier were clearly fighting each other with the intent to kill even sacrificing their summons if it meant they got to win.
Professor Ailene stood at the edge of the stage, her hand twitching as she held back the urge to do something.
’I feel like I should step in, but they haven’t broken a single rule.’
Warnings were appearing in the back of her mind.
Usually, duels were about points and posture but these two were using this as an opportunity to erase each other from the record.
Yet, she hesitated to step in, because in the world of high tier summoners, these deathmatches were often encouraged to harden the students for the brutal reality of the world they were going to enter.
’This guy’s ability do not make any sense though.’ She thought, her gaze lingering on Verso.
It was not odd for Xavier to have the strength and summons that he did because of his background, but Verso’s capabilities did not make any sense to her.
Just a week ago, he was the school’s greatest disappointment and now, he was commanding an army of golems like a complete veteran.
How many hundreds of hours had he spent hunting in the dungeons to even gather this man beast souls? It hadn’t even been a complete week since he awakened.
On the stage, the two giants fired their beams.
BOOM!
The first golden blast hit the marble behind Xavier, the force of which sent him tumbling forward.
He rolled through the rubble as his elite reflexes kicked in. Just then he saw the second beam coming. So in a move of cold blooded efficiency, Xavier looked at the nearest golem and kicked it directly into the path of the beam.
BOOM!
The golem was vaporized instantly, turning into a cloud of dust as stone flew everywhere.
[Summon ’Minor Stone Golem’ Dead.]
Verso flinched as the sharp flare of pain hit his chest, but he shoved it down.
He had his eyes peeled at the Umbra Panther which was walking in slow, rhythmic circles around him almost as if It was waiting for a moment of distraction.
’Anytime now.’ Verso thought, his eyes tracking the third giant.
The giant was now inches away from the blond boy.
Xavier having just destroyed the smaller golem using the mean, was now pulling his lightning spear back aiming for the head of the last Minor Golem that stood in front of him.
’I didn’t want to do this,’ Verso mumbled, his voice a low growl.
’But you asked for this.’
He sent the final command.
Self Destruct!
Xavier drove his spear into the face of the smaller golem killing it instantly, an evil smile appearing on his face.
"Just wait, you peasant! I’m coming for you!"
He looked toward Verso, but his smile froze.
Instead of the miserable loser he was hoping to see, he saw a nine foot giant of stone charging toward him.
The golden runes on the giant’s chest weren’t just glowing anymore, they were burning with a blinding unstable light.
Just then, the air around the golem began to ripple with heat.
Looking at this panic finally broke through Xavier’s arrogance as he froze on the spot, his spear dropping from his hand just as he realized what was happening.
Everyone in the school knew the Stone Golem’s final skill.
Looking the runes on the golems body shine unstable the crowd had shifted from cheering to screaming.
Hundreds of students began scrambling for a way to exit as they realized that the entire practice ground was about to become a ground zero for a magical explosion.
Ailene, however didn’t move. An impressed smile appeared on her lips as she slow raised her hand toward the sky.
"Protect them all."
A six winged angel, draped in brilliant white silk manifested right above her. It spread its wings, and a thin, white sheen which looked like a protective barrier appeared over the body of every single student in the ground.
Verso saw the light from his giant golem reaching its peak. It was so bright he had to squint.
He didn’t wait to see the impact, instantly recalling the dark marble cleaver and the two remaining giants into his soul space.
’Let’s see how you dodge this.’
FLASH.
A blinding, absolute white light consumed the entire practice ground.
The blast followed just a heartbeat later, letting out a roar of pure energy that forced everyone to shield their eyes and brace against the shockwave.
BOOM