After the first round, only ten were remaining and everyone else was gone. Then, the girl announcer walked towards them with a slight smile on her face. She had a microphone near her mouth, as she spoke "Everyone congratulations for advancing to the second round of the annual competition. Since this competition can only be held for two days, one on one battle shall be started in this arena now."
"Yeah" "Battle" "Battle"
The moment her voice rang, everyone in the crowd started cheering up. They had high expectations from the next battle after all current royal battle was very much exciting to watch.
Thus, the second rounded was started with ten contestants. Everyone got their opponent, which was selected the moment their battle was completed. Unexpectedly, Johnny's opponent was the same guy he met at the last moment. Johnny was a little surprised but that's all, he knew this competition won't have any surprises for him.
But of course, it is very important to increase his sword. Not to mention, his sword energy is getting more refined every time he drives his sword energy. Then, the next moment the girl announcer shouted "Let's begin the first battle"
She didn't announce their name. It wasn't just Johnny's stage having a second battle. There were several other stages where ten peoples were left standing for the next battle.
Johnny's match was, at last, so the other eight had to fight against each other. In his current stage, the first match was between two ninth-grade junior warriors. Both of them were male with mana flowing out of them.
One had dark magic while another one had fire magic. The one with dark magic had a short height around five feet six inches; while another one with fire magic was five feet ten inches. The shorter guy had a chubby face while the longer guy had long face.
The short guy spreads the dark energy throughout his body, and the form a big saber in its hand. As for another guy, he formed a large spear with his fire energy. Both were standing in a fighting position. Then the next moment, both of them rushed towards each other.
"Ding" "Bang"
The moment their weapons collided, it released a powerful impact between them. The dark sword was colliding against the tip of the fire spear. Although both of these weapons were made out of mana, their hardness was no less than Profound Rank Weapons.
They fought for a long time; there weren't any surprising magic arts in their exchange, so the competition came to the end quickly. The short guy with dark magic won, and then the next party came on the stage for a fight.
This game also ended quickly, and it was between two eighth grade junior warriors.
But the next match was exciting; it was Michal's cousin versus another eighth rank male. This match ended quickly with a powerful magic art called 'Fire Bird Fire Magic Art'. He also had seen this art; it was Spirit Rank High-Grade Art with seven styles.
Michal's cousin used the first three moves respectively called 'Fire Claw', 'Fire Breath', and 'Killing Fire Feathers'. The fire move was easy, condensing fire mana into her hands, and slashing it like a claw. It had a destructive as well as tearing force. The next move was a blunt attack, but it still gives some damage to her opponent.
Finally, she used Killing Fire Feathers and defeated her opponent. This move condenses feathers of fire, and shoot like an arrow. This move has high speed, and so it is very hard to evade.
After she won, that elevator girl fought against the eighth-grade cultivator. It only took two strikes to win against her opponent. She condensed a sword of ice to deal some damage against her opponent, and then she used ice breathing skills to freeze her opponent.
Finally, it was Johnny's turn. He wasn't very much excited but his opponent wasn't ordinary either. Slowly both of them walked towards the ring and faced against each other. The whole audience was cheering for them, as well as another participant.
They have seen Johnny's attitude and the power of the guy opposite to him. Johnny had a sword sheathe hanging in his waste, he didn't use the spatial ring to store it. He is slowly understanding the attitude of a swordsman, and slowly he is falling in love with it. Johnny stood in front of him and didn't speak. His opponent maintained the same attitude.
The dark energy spreads all around the body of his opponent. As for Johnny, he gripped the hilt of his sword with his right hand, and sword energy slowly erupts out of his body.
This sword energy was yellow, filled with the sharpness and attitude of a swordsman. He was bent a little, and he pressed his legs hard on the ground then shot like a bullet from the gun. But his sword was still in his sheath. Suddenly, dark energy covered the hands of his opponent, turning his opponent's hands black.
"Dark Magic- Dark Devil Hands"
Seeing this Johnny was a little surprised, but that's all. The moment, his figure appeared in front of his opponent, his sword was out.
"Basic Sword Art- Sword Drawing Style"
"Ding" Then, the devil right hand and a silver sword collided. The offense lost its effect, the power of dark mana completely block the sword energy. But his opponent was pushed back, due to Johnny's superior strength.
"Hmm" Johnny was indeed surprised by his opponent's block, he saw the perfection in his art. Indeed his opponent has taken the power of magic art to perfection which is no less powerful than his current sword art power. Of course, the main reason is still depended on the power of physical strength which why Johnny pushed back his opponent.
Thinking of this, a smile appeared on his face. In his first fight, he met an opponent who could get stronger with the fight, and now he met a genius whose comprehension of magic art is very good. This is another chance to improve himself. Seeing the smile on Johnny's face, the opponent was startled a little.
But he didn't lose his attitude, he erupts even more dark energy from his devil hands and rushed towards Johnny. Seeing this, Johnny didn't wait and so he also rushed towards his opponent.
In the high stage of the arena, some people were sitting on a different chair, chatting with each other. The old man who was sitting on a golden chair, rubbed his white beard and asked "Jack, when did your son choose Sword Path?"
A middle-aged man sitting on a silver chair spoke "Father, even I was kept in dark about it. He seems to have practiced sword just a few days ago and so he is using his opponents to temper his sword."
"Jack, isn't your son even more arrogant than you? Or does your son intend to lose?" A middle-aged man with a bulky body sneered while sitting on a chair nearby.
"Haha, the third brother you don't have to worry. My son isn't going to lose against anyone standing in this stage." Jack didn't care about his third brother, he simply smiled and answered with a carefree expression.
In the arena, Johnny was exchanging blows against his opponent. His movements were neither slow nor fast, countering each attack of his opponent.
His sword moves were getting refined every time he swings his sword. The Basic Sword Art was reaching the higher layer, the next layers from nine to twelve are separate sword moves on their own; Sword Slash, Sword Stab, Sword Cross Slash, Sword Inverse Slash.
'Sword Slash- Swinging the sword tip, up to down. A single slash cuts through the opponent defense.'
'Sword Stab- Pierce the enemy with sword tip, a sword energy stabs the enemy.'
'Sword Cross Slash- Double slash, one after another. A sword swings from diagonally, form sword energy in the shape of a cross.'
'Sword Inverse Slash- Swings the sword tip from down to up, a slash that makes opponent defenseless.'
Johnny was using four styles for Basic Sword Art, one after another. His opponent had mastery in every magic arts he used such as; Darkness Slash, Lightless Sword, Dark Devil Hands.
They fought for a long time. Johnny was relying on his Sword Energy and physical strength to stay on this fight. As for his opponent, his overbearing dark magic was giving him a chance to fight.
But Johnny knew this fight was going to end very soon because he felt a deep change in his body. Feeling this change, his expression changed, and so he puts his sword back to his sheath. Seeing his action, everyone got confused as well as his opponent.
Suddenly Johnny spoke "Thank you for giving me a breakthrough. Next, use your strongest attack. I'm going to finish this match quick."
Although his opponent didn't understand his meaning, he still nodded his head. Suddenly powerful mana broke out of his body. It was five times more aggressive and strong than his opponent's mana.
Seeing this his opponent pupil shrunk, and his mood got heavy. He didn't hesitate to enter his strongest state. All of his mana was gathering at his fist. His dark mana was infused in his fist, as he rushed towards Johnny with a roar.
"Innate Ability- Dark Sun Burst"
'Zzzzzz'
The power of thunder sparkled around his body, the thunder mana was condensed in his fist. Suddenly, his feet slammed against the ground and his body flew like a cannonball. He bent his hands parallel to his head in his fighting position and slammed against the dark sun.
"The first Stance- Rushing Thunder Fist"
His punch slammed against the dark sun formed out of his opponent's first. The dark sunburst into his fist and the thunder fist burst out of his fist, colliding. The collision of dark sun and thunder fist created a powerful impact, making them fall apart. Johnny had a strong body, so he stood without moving an inch but his opponent flies away like a cannonball and slammed into the ground.
"Bang" "Thud" "Bang"