Upon witnessing the intense glare directed at him, Eric instinctively retreated a few paces, feeling a surge of unease. Perplexingly, despite possessing the ability to surpass his adversary in strength, Eric found himself unable to calculate the outcome, as his power should have been twice that of his opponent. Yet, when he launched an attack, Sin appeared completely unscathed, effortlessly deflecting it with an air of indifference.
Eric inquired of Sin, seeking to understand the methodology behind Sin's impressive feat. Sin, wearing a sly and enigmatic grin, chose not to verbalize his response. Instead, he opted to communicate through a series of subtle hand gestures, encouraging Eric to launch an assault upon him with unrestrained intensity.
Puzzled by Sin's evasive behavior, Eric's eyebrows knitted together in a display of confusion, as he pondered the possibility that Sin's previous demonstration could have been nothing more than a mere stroke of luck. Nevertheless, determined to ascertain the truth, Eric grasped his trusty sword tightly, summoning all his strength and courage to launch an attack against Sin.
Yet, to his astonishment, Sin effortlessly parried Eric's assault, further solidifying the notion that this display of mastery was not due to sheer chance alone.
Eric was in such a state of shock that his ability to think clearly was completely compromised, leading him to impulsively launch a series of random attacks against Sin. Despite Eric's desperate attempts, Sin effortlessly and skillfully blocked each and every one of his slashes. Sin's defensive maneuvers were executed with such precision and accuracy that it almost seemed as if he possessed some extraordinary power as if he had the ability to anticipate Eric's next move. However, it was evident that Sin did not activate Sharingan within his eyes.
Eric inquired about the manner in which Sin had accomplished this feat, curious to unravel the secrets behind his strength. Sin, however, noticed that time was rapidly slipping away, prompting him to respond with a crooked comment about how Eric talked too much more than necessary. Upon hearing these words, Eric had a sudden realization that Sin had cleverly turned the tables, administering him a taste of his own medicine.
In a burst of speed, Sin raced towards Eric with malicious intent. Anticipating an immediate frontal assault, Eric instinctively raised his defenses, preparing for the imminent clash. However, much to his surprise, Sin swiftly evaded his line of sight, cunningly maneuvering himself out of Eric's direct vision.
Just as Eric's gaze finally locked onto Sin's presence, a lightning-fast punch from the southpaw side caught him off guard, connecting with his unsuspecting face. The impact of the blow sent Eric hurtling through the air, propelled with a force comparable to the first battle with the fat individual against Sin.
Sin was declared as the winner because Eric was outside of the stage. It was just a couple of seconds before Sin won this match. With a contented nod, Sin confidently walked off the stage, basking in the glory of their triumph.
From that moment onward, Sin found himself sitting on a tool specifically designated for the participants' waiting area. Mindful of the previous incident where he inadvertently caused another fighter to faint during their first bout, Sin purposefully regulated his strength to ensure Eric remained unaffected.
Fortunately, Eric seemed to be in stable condition, but he couldn't escape the lingering discomfort in his head caused by the unexpectedly forceful impact of Sin's punch. The sheer weight behind Sin's power surpassed Eric's initial estimation, leaving him with a throbbing headache.
The referee made it known that if the remaining two participants failed to awaken within 10 minutes, Eric and Sin would automatically advance to the next round. Curiously, Eric positioned himself in front of Sin and inquired about the method Sin employed to achieve such success once more.
Sin believed that the boy in question was merely a young and inexperienced individual. Despite being ignored and bashed by him as a form of revenge he was still on to know how he was able to nullify his skills which doubled his stats based on his opponent's stats.
Afterward, Sin, sporting a grin on his face, emphasized the importance of keeping one's strength a secret, just like Eric was doing. He explained that revealing your true abilities to your adversary could potentially lead to complications. Understanding someone's strengths also means uncovering their vulnerabilities, as opponents would meticulously analyze and strategize to overcome them in future encounters.
Upon hearing Sin's words, Eric immediately grasped the rationale behind his decision to remain silent. The logic embedded within Sin's statements resonated deeply within him, prompting Eric to refrain from further inquiries. It was not solely due to Sin's seniority, but also because he emerged victorious in their previous encounter. In Eric's perspective, those who had suffered defeat held no entitlement to excessively express their thoughts.
Sin then patted the boy on the head with a smile and said, "What power do you really possess that is in full effect against the majority, however, it may also become unfavorable against a minority of opponents like me."
Ever since Sin witnessed the extraordinary strength possessed by this young boy, he couldn't help but be in awe. It seemed that just by making physical contact with someone, regardless of who they were or how formidable they may seem, he instantly gained an overwhelming advantage over them. Astonishingly, this incredible power not only granted him superior strength, but it also endowed him with the ability to utilize it in a myriad of ways, expanding the possibilities of its potential applications.
Sin inquired of Eric if he possessed any knowledge regarding the level at which he currently stood.
Eric gave a nod of agreement before stating that Sin was stuck on the first level.
Sin grinned and responded by suggesting that attempting to double his stats would ultimately result in failure. This is due to the fact that all of Eric's stats, except for force, would actually decrease compared to his original values because Sin's stats are only of the level 1 rookie's stats, it's like if you want to multiply Sin's "ATK" 3 with 2, the value will be only 6, now let's imagine Eric has 60 ATK in the first place, but his stats will drop to 6 ATK because he multiplied his opponent's lower stats not his.
Even in the force department, he would still struggle to achieve success, as he would only be doubling his opponent's "base" strength. What if his opponent possessed the ability to also multiply their force?
Eric's face transformed into one of surprise as he nodded, finally comprehending the situation before him.