The First Peak of the Force

by Yuri Ajin

  Although he was only sixteen, Lei Ming had already reached the Opening of the Acupuncture Points level. By the next year, he was expected to reach the Meridian Formation level. So far he had shown great talent. His Tournament results spoke of a promising future.

  Many were sure, however, that his fight with Kai would be his last. Others, on the other hand, insisted that people were too quick to sing praise about Kai, having in mind that his last opponent had been possessed, which prevented him from going full out during the fight. And although Kai was no longer considered a wimp, he was still far from being compared to a genius.

  That was why the betting pool was divided fifty-fifty.

  As soon as the battle began, Kai activated the Water Surface ability, surrounding himself with droplets of water, as well as the Cold Void. With those techniques combined, along with his ki reserve, energy manipulation, and experience in close combat, Kai won almost immediately.

  It took Lei Ming only a couple of minutes to realize that he stood no chance. No matter how fast he hit or how strong his attacks were, Kai always had a counter ready. The young Serpent simply didn’t have time to figure out what to do, although he knew more Gold-rank techniques than the most. However, years of training in a safe environment couldn’t compare to years of survival.

  And so, Kai quickly became one of the quarter-finalists. No one remembered when was the last time when more than two Serpents were in the quarterfinals at the same time. This time there were four, including Kai as their former student: Lei Shen (which was expected), Ivsim, and Lei Wang.

  Seeing Lei Wang’s name on the list surprised Kai. He couldn’t believe it that someone so eccentric and unpredictable could get so far. He, too, must’ve been training hard the past two years.

  Other quarterfinals were Shin Sei, Shacks, Jiang Yong, and Fang Bao.

  The first two names were famous enough. Both were the main favorites of their clans and the main contenders for the first place. As for Jiang Yong... Like Lei Ming, he was a sixteen-year-old cultivator at the Meridian Formation level, ninth on the list of the best students of the Blades. Those stronger than him were far too old to compete so it was on Jiang Yong to make his clan proud.

  Nobody knew much about Fang Bao. Kai recognized him immediately by the huge two-handed sword and bald head. Five years ago, he had had absolutely no talent for sword fighting, which was why the main branch of the Blades, the Jiangs, disowned him. Not wishing to give up, he was adopted into a vassal clan — the Fangs. Unlike other clans, the Blades had a slightly different government system, which was based not on kinship, but on strength and talent. Members of other clans could be adopted into the Fang family, but only the best of the best could bear the surname Jiang.

  Fang Bao left the Plateau and was considered missing for a long time until he suddenly appeared several months ago. By that time, he had turned nineteen and reached the Source Creation level without anyone’s help. Having learned about the upcoming Tournament, he couldn’t help but sign up. He wanted to show the Jiangs what they had lost by disowning him and wash the dirt off his name.

  Until tomorrow, when the Tournament would continue, the spectators would have to satisfy their curiosity by discussing the previous battles and their participants. Everyone wondered who Kai, Ivsim, and Fang Bao really were and who would ultimately make it to the semi-finals.

  Ivsim would face off against Lei Shen and Shacks against Fang Bao. The winners would then face each other. The day after that, Kai would fight against Jiang Yong and Shin Sei against Lei Wang.

  Everyone was dying to find out who the winners would be and who would eventually make it to the finals.

  Chapter 32

  FOUR DUELS

  The first day of the quarterfinals had arrived and there were more people gathered in the arena than ever before. The stands were packed, accommodating as many as two hundred thousand people. Even the heads of the clans and the high elders were there. The day promised to be one fit for the history books.

  As for the betting rates, the majority still bet on the clans. However, there were also those who risked gambling away their hard-earned coin by betting it on the underdogs. After all, no one knew what they could expect from them.

  A couple of hours later, the judge announced the start of the first fight. The stands exploded with applause when Ivsim and Lei Shen entered the arena. When, after a couple of minutes, the audience calmed down, the judge repeated the rules and the fight began.

  Lei Shen, wasting no second, attacked immediately. Activating the fourth stage of the Six Storm Flashes Technique, he gave himself an extra boost in speed. Most viewers saw him turn into a bluish blur and teleport right next to Ivsim.

  A shower of sparks rained onto the arena’s floor, followed by a piercing clang. One blade collided with two. Smiling a little, Ivsim stood completely still while Lei Shen stared at him in surprise. He didn’t expect his opponent to be able to deflect his attack so easily. But he was even more amazed at how quickly Ivsim had reacted.

  “I admit, I’ve underestimated you,” Lei Shen said, backing away. Unlike his siblings, he didn’t have the same air of arrogance around him. Rather, he looked calm and collected. To him, winning was more important than showing off. “I suppose there’s no point in holding back any longer.”

  In his previous battles, Ivsim didn’t have to go full out, which was why many believed that he, just like Kai, had more luck than brains. Lei Shen wasn’t one of such people. From this one short encounter alone, he could see that his opponent was at least at the same level as him.

  “By all means, it’d make things more interesting.” Ivsim grinned slightly. He was excited to meet such a powerful opponent. “Show me what you’ve got, Lei Shen,” he said and assumed a defensive stance, raising his blades in front of him and crossing them near the tips.

  Like him, Lei Shen wielded a peak-quality, Gold-rank sword. However, his true weapon wasn’t this blade, but Lightning.

  From his fingertips emerged a couple of sparks that soon enveloped him, forming a defensive shield. Passing through the sword’s hilt, they covered the blade itself, imbuing it with the power of the element. Taking a deep breath, Lei Shen took a step forward and... Disappeared. At least, that was how it seemed to more undeveloped members of the audience. Lei Shen moved at such an incredible speed that it was practically impossible to keep track of him.

  But not for Ivsim.

  Blades crossed and feet parted for better balance, he stopped Lei Shen’s attack at the last moment. Lei Shen bit his lip in annoyance, staring at the slightly mocking smirk on his opponent’s face. Ivsim could’ve blocked the attack much earlier.

  “Come on, you can do better than that!” Ivsim said, pushing Lei Shen away.

  The young Serpent instantly retaliated by pushing back with his blade. Having pushed just a little bit harder, he spun sharply, aiming to kick his opponent in the head.

  Ivsim, returning the swords into his Ring, raised his arm to block the kick with his palm. Surprised by the decision, Lei Shen hastily put down his leg and jumped back. Feeling pain in his shin, he looked down to find that his armor was gone. His eyes widened, and his eyebrows shot so high up that they got lost in his hair. What kind of a technique had Ivsim used to achieve this?

  Looking over at his opponent in search of an answer, he noticed a strange, translucent haze circling around Ivsim’s hand, causing the light passing through it to refract and distort. The distortion seemed to be a side effect generated by the unusual power trapped inside Ivsim’s palm.

  While Lei Shen was restoring the destroyed section of the Sky Guard Armor, Ivsim summoned his swords again. The haze moved from his hands into the blades, covering them to their tips.

  “Shall we continue?”

  Lei Shen chuckled. The real battle was just about to begin, and he still didn’t know what he could expect from his opponent.

  “Heaven’s Punishment,” he whispered, pointing the tip of his sword at Ivsim. A beam of thunder and ligh
tning flew forth toward the silver-haired young man, crossing the distance between them in the blink of an eye and dispersed the moment it came into contact with Ivsim’s blades.

  Pouring more energy into his sword, he pushed harder, making Ivsim frown in strain. He responded by pouring even more power into his blades and pushing back. A blast of air aimed dispelled the beam, pushing Lei Shen back.

  The young Serpent frowned. He had finally begun to understand the nature of his opponent’s power.

  It’s a pity. I wanted to save this for the finals, but I don’t want to risk losing, he thought and lowered the blade. My attacking techniques won’t help me much here…

  A powerful wave of lightning and thunder burst out of his body and surrounded him.

  “It can’t be!” the people gasped. “Is this the fifth stage of the Six Storm Flashes Technique?”

  “I thought only Exorcists can master it!”

  “That’s right, only they have enough energy to use it. The sixth layer is only used by the Elementalists!” said one of the Serpents.

  “Then how can he use the fifth layer?!”

  “There’s only one explanation...”

  “What is it?”

  “He must’ve used one of those techniques that allow you to store energy inside your body for later use.”

  Lei Shen had truly learned one such technique just to be able to use this attack. He had spent a large amount of coin and resources to buy and absorb enough enhancing pills to make this possible. If the body wasn’t strong enough, the release of such an amount of ki could cause severe internal injuries.

  “Ah, there it is. I knew that you were hiding something.” Ivsim grinned. Lei Shen was glowing with power. “Now it’s my turn. Destructive Step.”

  Ivsim’s body shuddered. Ki flowed through his feet into the ground, which immediately crumbled and gave in. The tiles cracked and the ground trembled with such might that the viewers in the first rows felt it.

  “I admit,” he said, figure turning blurry, “Lightning is one of the fastest elements. However, in battle, everything depends on one’s skill and their understanding of the elements. So let’s see which one’s faster, your Lightning or my Sound.”

  The two dashed toward one another. They were so fast that only a few could keep track of their movements. The rest could see only occasional light blue flashes and the damage they left in their wake.

  Among the elite members of the Blades, there was an ongoing discussion.

  “How unusual... Isn’t this a technique of the Order of the Wanderers?” asked one of the high elders.

  “There’s no doubt about it. But I thought that the Order had died out about nine centuries ago. Were the records wrong?”

  “Order of the Wanderers?” Jiang Yui asked, puzzled. “Who are they?”

  “Ah, little Yui, you should visit the library more often. One should know their history!” The oldest member of the Council reprimanded her. “The Order appeared on the Plateau long ago. However, during the clan wars, their members fled to the Lowlands. They had a different name then, but, because of their long travels, they called themselves the Wanderers. Their Path was that of the Sound.”

  “I see…” Jiang Yui drawled thoughtfully.

  “After the last of their Elementalist suddenly died, their situation worsened. In the end, all of the Lowlands and the Unexplored Lands, which they conquered to extract resources, united and destroyed them,” another Elder added.

  “Seems that someone had managed to survive and pass on their knowledge on young Ivsim.”

  “Seems that they’ve found the perfect heir, too.”

  “What do you mean?” Jiang Yui asked.

  “Sound is a very powerful Force. Even with the smallest vibrations, you can destroy the structure of someone else’s technique. However, it’s a double-edged sword. These vibrations destroy the cultivator’s body over time, which is why the members of this Order die much earlier. Because of this, their strongest technique, Destructive Step, is used only as the last resort. However, this young man had used it without hesitation, which means that he has what the members of the Order have yearned to possess ― a special body.”

  “A special body?”

  “Yes. It seems that through his veins flows the blood of some kind of an underground beast, making his body rather strong. The vibrations don’t seem to scare him.”

  “It’d appear so. Lei Shen’s very unlucky to have him as an opponent. Ivsim doesn’t seem to be inferior to him in speed, which is the main attribute of the Serpents. Lightning can hardly beat Sound. If Lei Shen knew some Earth or Metal techniques, then he might’ve had an upper hand. Or if his Lightning was one level higher...”

  The elder’s words were confirmed when Lei Shen finally lost. He did his best to fight back, but in the end, Ivsim caught him off guard. He didn’t give him so much a second to defend himself.

  ***

  The next fight was held three hours later.

  Shacks entered the arena with a smile. Raising his hands, he waved to the audience that welcomed him with screams and applause.

  “Thank you, thank you! I love you all too!” he shouted back, still grinning.

  Fang Bao seemed indifferent to the cheers and shouts of support.

  “Oh, would you like an autograph too?” Shacks asked. Pretending to remember something, he gasped and rubbed the back of his head. “Oh, shit, right! You’re my opponent! Sorry, I didn’t realize it right away.”

  Fang Bao said nothing, just glanced at the judge who announced the beginning of the fight.

  “You’re no fun!” Shacks exclaimed and pouted like a child being denied a toy.

  Without a word or a glance in his direction, Fang Bao began to make his way to him, drawing his sword as he inched closer.

  “So scary!” Shacks laughed. “Come here, I have something for you!”

  There was a whizz and a glimmer of steel. A dagger flew past Fang Bao, hitting the ground behind him.

  “Oops, I missed it. How clumsy of me! What am I to do now?” With a heavy sigh, Shacks looked at the second dagger in his hand. “I’m just kidding!” He smiled. Another dagger appeared in his empty hand. Using a special Gold-rank technique, he could create temporary weapons of the same rank. There was only one drawback — such weapons were very fragile. Their sturdiness depended on how much ki one was willing to invest into them.

  “Is this too much for you? I can take it slower if you want!” Shacks shouted and threw both daggers at Fang Bao. The latter deflected them with his sword and frowned.

  “You talk too much,” he grunted, annoyed. “Are you really the most talented member of your clan?”

  Without waiting for a reply, he swung his sword and cut Shacks in half. The blade hit the ground, causing a powerful shockwave.

  There was a shocked scream from the stands and then the arena went completely silent.

  “Some heavy weapon you’ve got there!” Shack laughed from behind him, making Fang Bao turn around.

  He was sitting on the ground and playing with a dagger. Fang Bao nodded in understanding. His opponent had used the first dagger to teleport himself away.

  “Interesting...” He smiled. “Your previous fights were clumsy and awkward. You’ve decided to get serious, it seems. You’ve deceived me with your childish behavior, I’ll admit. But that won’t work anymore.”

  “I wonder what you’re on about...” Putting his finger to his chin, Shacks looked up at the sky.