You're not allowed to go in with any weapon, not even a potion. All you need can be found in the battleground, and do not relent in using them; most of the items are deadly and appear to be real. If you successfully use one of these items on your opponent, you automatically become the winner and will proceed to the next stage." The voice of the machine resounded in the arena as Mike and Dan entered the battleground.
Again, as the duel participants entered the battleground, the holographic screen appeared and displayed their details.
Name: Mike Lawrence
Energy Core level: 17
Rank: Beginner-level 1 warrior
Special ability: Genetics Enhancement
Innate abilities: Camouflage
Department: Genetic Guardian
…
Name: Jack Daniel
Energy Core level: 17
Rank: Beginner-level 1 warrior
Special ability: Acid secretion
Innate abilities: Elemental Affinity (Fire)
Department: Alchemy
Seeing Dan's details displayed on the screen, both those outside and in the arena gasped, surprised at how formidable the useless Alchemy freshman was.
He already possessed an energy core level of 17 and the special ability 'Acid secretion.'
"How?!" everyone began asking each other in hushed voices.
"How did that lowlife possess a special ability, when I don't even have one? The prince having a special ability is understandable, but him?" Chidera snorted and clenched her fist as she watched the holographic screen.
Dan cursed the machine upon seeing his details on the holographic screen. Now, everyone knew of his special ability.
Normally Alchemists are formidable with just their first innate ability, which is elemental affinity. As an Alchemist, They had connections with elemental forces such as fire, water, earth, or air, allowing them to manipulate it for various purposes. A beginner-level warrior could only control one elemental force. Dan was able to control fire, allowing him to enhance the potency of his potions.
Dan's energy core level had moved by two, after he successfully mastered the Water Drop Technique that the fatty used for him in the martial hall, putting him on the same level as Mike Lawrence.
Mike gritted his teeth, seeing that he and Dan were on the same energy core level, he felt intimidated. What was even more annoying was that the nigga already had a special ability too, giving him very little opportunity to shine.
After some time, the battleground began to change. Instead of it changing into a wilderness, it changed into a city with tall buildings. Again the simulated beasts howled making the duel participants to be at alert.
"You have 2 minutes to end your opponents, if not the battleground will continue contracting, drawing the beasts closer to you" The machine let out its usual warning as the battle commenced.
Dan and Mike quickly rushed and grabbed some weapons. Dan carried some daggers, swords, and other materials to make powerful potions. While Mike had collected swords and Ninja knives.
In the blink of an eye, Mike was out of sight, perturbed by what Mike's action would be next, Dan started making potions infused with the fire element.
Suddenly, Dan felt an airy presence around him, the hairs on his skin rising, becoming as sharp as a pin. Before Dan could attack with his potion, he was knocked to the ground.
That was Mike using his innate ability, Camouflage. Which made him able to blend with existing elements making it seem as if he was Invisible or not even there at all.
Dan spat out a mouthful of blood as he grunted, clenched his fist, tightened his muscles, and activated his Water Drop Technique. Dan became more sensitive about Mike's presence, avoiding a second strike from him, which will most likely be a deadly one.
After a minute, Mike's camouflage faded off, revealing where he was. His energy core level wasn't capable of sustaining the ability for long. At first, he thought he would have been able to end the match with Dan before his innate ability faded. Surprisingly, Dan was well prepared with heightened senses.
Dan already expected Mike to start the match with his innate ability, but he doubted that Mike could hold it until the beasts began to attack both of them and simply camouflage so the beasts would attack only him. It could have been a wise decision if he had done the latter, but he underestimated Dan's senses and decided to start with it.
As the beasts got closer to them, Dan immediately triggered a fire around him, preventing Mike from launching a close attack.
"Howl~~~" The distant howl of beasts echoed in the battleground, intensifying the tension.
Everyone in the Arena was silent as they heard the echo of the beast howl coming from the battleground. At that moment the drop of a pin in a bowl of water could be heard because of the tension in the air. Malakai and Aiden stared hard at the battleground as the beasts approached the fire-bounded Dan and Mike who was swinging his sword at any incoming beast.
Dan smiled maliciously from within the fire as the beast approached and watched how helplessly Mike fought them.
Thirty seconds to the end of the battle, Dan stopped the fire and revealed a bright shiny gem he made. It was called the summoner gem. The summoner gem is a small crystal that can draw beasts to a particular person whose blood was infused in the gem.
During the battle, Dan was able to collect a drop of Mike's blood which he used to make the summoner gem so now all the beasts will be running straight to Mike, which spells doom for him.
"What's that shiny gem that the kid threw at his opponent? '' One of the instructors said as he squinted to identify the gem. "Oh…" Before he could complete his word, the battleground began to rumble, the tall buildings shattering as all the beasts ran ferociously toward Mike.
Dan quickly found a small opening to hide and triggered his fire again, making the beasts avoid him.
Mike kept on swinging his swords, slitting the throats of any beast that came close to him. The more he killed them, the more they became. He attempted to camouflage himself, but before he could fully conceal himself, a silver-horned beast pierced through his stomach with its horn, sending him out of the battleground.
"ahh… uhh… uu. eeh.." Mike started shouting as the beast pierced him, touching his body to see if he was injured, but he wasn't. He breathed a sigh of relief as he found out he was okay. Then his mind went back to how Dan had beaten him with his trickery, he cursed himself and slammed his fist on the floor. It was at that moment he saw everyone staring at him.
"What are you looking at?" Mike snorted, "Didn't you see he cheated, he couldn't even face me head-on."
He was expecting a reply from any of them, but nobody replied to him. Instead, their gaze had shifted back to the battleground. Dan remained in the battleground even after defeating Mike with the help of the beasts, and now the beasts were approaching him.
An ice-breath dragon led the horde of beasts to the human surrounded by fire. As Dan saw the horde approaching him he panicked, every part of his body began to shake.
[Dan] "You stupid machine, let me out already…"