Chương 93: UNIFIED ACADEMY ENTRANCE EXAM (5)

The combined destructive pressure of the strike was immense. CRACK! Hyun-woo's 'Lightning Barrier' exploded into countless blue sparks, scattering across the battlefield like shattered glass. His eyes widened. The sudden surge of force had caught him completely off guard. The instant the barrier disappeared, every instinct in his body screamed. He desperately tried stepping back. But it was too late. The greatsword had already reached him. In one single, fluid motion, the sword struck Hyun-woo right across his gut.

Though the brief resistance of the 'Lightning Barrier' had diminished the strike's lethal power greatly, the residual impact was still strong. The sheer power pushed Hyun-woo back a few meters across the cracked platform before his boots scraped hard against the ground barely stabilizing his balance, as blood gushed out immediately.

"A direct hit!" the host screamed into his microphone, his voice echoing throughout the stadium.

"The defensive barrier has been shattered! Kang Min-jae's devastating counter-attack has completely broken through, drawing first blood in this spectacular quarter-final!" The crowd exploded. Thousands of voices merged. Some cheered. Others gasped. Up in the stands- Yuna's face instantly lost all color, as she instinctively grabbed the railing. Her fingers trembled. Beside her- Jimin gripped the metal railing hard, as he clenched his jaw. Shit. Hyun-woo isn't built to tank a hit that heavy.

"This is bad," he murmured.

Meanwhile- Min-jae refused to give Hyun-woo even a second to recover. He instantly followed up with a vertical swing of his sword. But luckily, the cooldown of 'Lightning Steps' was over by then. With a desperate crackle of blue sparks, Hyun-woo somehow dodged the attack. He stabilized himself in the brief moment of gap he managed to create. Without a word, he wiped away the blood trickling down from the corner of his mouth.

Then, the intense cat-and-mouse battle resumed again, the platform transforming into a whirlwind of relentless attacks and dodging. While up in the VIP pavilion- The four figures watched the high-stakes exchange with unwavering attention. Jang Su-yeon stroked his beard, a relaxed chuckle escaping him despite the rising tension. A truly remarkable breakthrough from the young Kang. But that lightning boy's sheer grit is something else... Most would lose then and there after taking a direct hit like that.

Moon Soo-bin remained dead silent, as her eyes sharpened. Min-jae's endurance is terrifying, but Hyun-woo's reaction speed and adaptability is what is saving him right now. Incredibly practical under pressure! Kang Mu-rok was also observing with a sharp gaze. Equally good offense and defense paired with an indestructible warrior spirit. The kang boy executes his moves with perfect form and timing. Yet, the other boy refuses to let his injuries break his focus… Both possess the mental fortitude of true combatants.

Tae Won-shik remained completely quiet. Yet, the interest in his eyes deepened.

Back on the battlefield- Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Surrender!" Min-jae shouted while launching another crushing swing.

"Your lightning isn't effective against me!" Hyun-woo immediately raised his 'Lightning Blade', parrying the massive blade, as sparks showered the platform.

"Then eat a fireball," he shouted back, as he instantly countered, throwing a burning ball of fire straight at Min-jae's face. Min-jae was caught completely off guard, but he barely managed to block it with his arm.

"What the-" he muttered, as the impact from the tiny explosion made him falter back. And started rubbing his face instinctively, as he felt a slight burning sensation on his skin. Who knew he had a fire element skill hidden up his sleeve? Then suddenly, a realization came over him. But a measly fireball shouldn't hurt me like this. Without hesitation, Min-jae instantly removed his arm to shift his focus back to the fight, revealing his slightly reddened skin.

But right then, a crackling, thick bolt of lightning hit him directly in his unguarded right leg. It was Hyun-woo's 'Chain Lightning'. Min-jae instantly started shivering as the electricity violently spread across his entire body. His teeth clenched together. What's happening? Why has the exact same attack from before started hurting all of a sudden! He tried stabilizing himself barely, as the lightning dissipated. But then, he noticed that his HP was now well below 50%. It was sitting at 467.

He instantly panicked.

"No. This is bad," he muttered, frantically shifting his focus back to Hyun-woo. But he was shocked. Since, he hadn't expected the sight ahead of him. Hyun-woo was down on one knee, gasping heavily as his face was facing the floor. His gauntlet was still pointing at Min-jae, but the blue lightning that crackled over it was noticeably fainter. I just had to run out of mana... Suddenly, he checked his system status. There wasn't even enough left for a 'Lightning bolt'.

Then, his attention suddenly shifted to his HP, 219.

"Shit," he murmured.

"Unbelievable!" the host shouted into the microphone.

"Lee Hyun-woo had surprisingly pulled a 'Fireball' out of nowhere, creating a sudden opening! But look at him now! Looks like he has finally reached his limits!" The spectators erupted into a chaotic storm of shouting, completely gripped by the sudden double-down. Yuna leaned over the railing, her hands tightly clasped against her chest as her heart hammered in fear. Beside her, Jimin's eyes were fixed on Hyun-woo. Is this really how it ends?

Moon Soo-bin leaned back slightly, a serious yet impressed look settling over her face. So, this is his limit. Then, she let out a quiet sigh. A gem... But still rough around the edges. Beside her, Jang Su-yeon, Kang Mu-rok and Tae Won-shik exchanged brief glances before giving subtle, disappointed nods. Since, it seemed like such an intense match was about to end in a rather ordinary manner.

Down on the platform, Min-jae had already grasped the situation.

"Just surrender," he said. Hyun-woo slowly lifted his head.

"You've come quite far for someone with no background," Min-jae continued.

"But you weren't meant to win this fight." He nodded. Despite how arrogant the words sounded, there wasn't the slightest hint of mockery in his voice. In fact, it was genuinely honest. He resembled someone who completely believed in the very words he spoke.

"I've an artifact underneath it," he added, tapping the armor over his chest.

"It gave me high lightning resistance. So, you were just not meant to win." Hyun-woo remained silent. His blue eyes continued watching Min-jae without a trace of emotion.

"But I'm not ashamed or anything," Min-jae continued honestly.

"After all... A Rifter's gear is half of his powers." A faint smile appeared on Hyun-woo's face, as he slowly said, "I know… Keep talking. Let me gather some more mana in the meantime." But Min-jae showed no change in expression. As he drew his sword, he flatly said, "I don't want to hurt you any further," he said calmly.

"So just surrender and accept defeat with dignity." There was a brief moment of silence between them. Only the distant cheers from the audience filled the stadium. Then- Hyun-woo suddenly chuckled.

"Haven't you noticed it yet?" he said.

"Didn't my last bunch of attacks hurt more?" Min-jae's brows suddenly furrowed. So there really was something off… A passive skill or something else? Hyun-woo had stabilized himself by then. I can't go down like this. I didn't invite him to watch me lose pathetically. I promised to show him something special. He firmed his resolve. Damnit. I planned to save it for the finals. A small grin appeared on his face. But here we go.

"You are just wrong about one thing," Hyun-woo said. Min-jae frowned, as his grip tightened on the hilt of his greatsword.

"Not dignity," Hyun-woo shouted, as lightning began to crackle wildly around his gauntlet.

"If I'm gonna lose… I'm gonna lose with style." Come forth… Raijin. There was a sudden shift in the mana in the air. Soo-bin leaned forward instantly, as she sensed a familiar energy gathering down. And a few moments later, right beside Hyun-woo, a being appeared out of thin air. It resembled a dragon, a small bluish baby dragon with small wings, claws and faint golden dorsal spines crackling with lightning. Soo-bin's eyes widened as a slight grin formed on her face. An elemental spirit!