Everyone put on a shocked expression at the sudden change in rules. The tension in the room thickened as they processed the implications of the new directive. Whispers of disbelief circulated, each participant exchanging glances that mirrored their surprise and confusion.
"I repeat, all rules have been lifted. You are free to do what you want with no consequences; the pent stone will remain activated until the end of the first half. Thank you for your attention." the council member announced before signing off. Shock and unease washed over the participants.
"Shit, a rule-less test isn't good." Haruo thought, redirecting his attention to the enemy. He narrowed his eyes, assessing the situation with newfound urgency.
Haruo then unbuttoned his coat, revealing a light grey long-sleeve polo shirt beneath, its clean, collarless look contrasting against the black formal vest he wore over it. The vest, buttoned and with a classic V-neckline, added a touch of refinement to his otherwise understated appearance.
He still wore his coat, now left unbuttoned, allowing the double-breasted design to frame and highlight the attire beneath, subtly drawing attention to the polished look of his vest and shirt combination.
"It was getting hard to move with this thing buttoned." Haruo muttered to himself, loosening his coat as if freeing himself from a minor restraint.
One of the enemies lunged at Tatiana, swinging his saber in a sharp arc. Tatiana swiftly raised her arm, blocking the strike with her own blade. The force of the clash sent a jolt through her grip, but her stance held firm. Her opponent grinned, a smile playing on his lips as if savoring the challenge.
He wore a leather jacket over a black turtleneck, the dark ensemble framing the tattoo of a snake on his neck, a symbol that matched the one Tatiana bore. His greenish blue eyes gleamed with an unsettling confidence, contrasting with his unruly black hair.
His attire was completed with black formal pants, and a pair of mismatched earrings, a ruby in his left ear and a blue sapphire in his right, added a striking touch to his well-structured face and 187 cm tall.
"Yo Tia, what a coincidence. What rank did ya get?" His eyes locked to Tatiana's, with a smile to his face.
Tatiana quickly followed up with a swift kick, aiming to force him back, but he nimbly stepped backward, dodging her strike with ease. The moment his feet touched the ground again, an arrow whistled through the air, speeding straight toward him. Without a hint of hesitation, he reached out and caught it perfectly, his grin widening as he effortlessly handled the incoming attack.
His leather jacket flared dramatically as he caught the arrow, the movement sending a massive gust of wind swirling around him. With a calm, almost unsettling grace, he gently turned his head and smiled at Haruo's team before casually tossing the arrow to the ground.
"Oh my god, out of all my opponents, you're the one I get?!" Tatiana said irritably, her frustration evident as she tightened her grip on her blade.
"I have no problem with that." he replied, his grin widening as he locked eyes with Tatiana, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"I didn't even see you nor sense you when I entered the room. You're always so random, y'know that?" she shouted, her face flushed with annoyance as she glared at him.
"Who is he?" Haruo asked, a look of visible confusion crossing his face as he glanced between Tatiana and the enigmatic figure.
"His name is Leo Novikov, my brother's best friend. Ugh, saying his full name makes me wanna kill myself." she said, shooting a frustrated glance at Leo.
He waved his hand at Haruo and his teammates, the creepy smile never leaving his face, as if relishing their discomfort.
"And his ability?" Haruo replied, eyeing Leo warily, his expression a mix of discomfort and caution.
"Lies within the mist: Ability rank: SS / legendary. You don't have to explain, Tia, it would be better if I said it myself." Leo said, bowing slightly to his team with a playful grin.
'SS rank? I swear, how come people like them get good abilities while I'm stuck here with an F rank?!' Haruo thought, watching Leo make a kissy face, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
Suddenly, one of Leo's teammates charged at Tia with fierce determination, weapon raised high. Just as the attack was about to land, Liang Chen swiftly stepped in, positioning himself between them. He raised his fist to block the blow, the impact echoing through the air.
"Remember, we're still fighting!" Liang called out, his voice cutting through the chaos and reminding everyone to stay focused on the battle at hand.
"Well, if you're not going to tell your rank, I might as well say mine. Fourth rank in the ranking, Leo Novikov. Nice to meet y'all." Leo said with a smirk. Just then, his snake tattoo began to slither down his arm, its scales shimmering as it moved toward his hand, adding an eerie yet captivating element to his presence.
"The main thing about his ability is that he can change it at will." Tatiana explained, her expression serious. Liang Chen and Juliette positioned themselves nearby, ready to cover for them as they discussed Leo's abilities.
Meanwhile, Leo watched Haruo and Tatiana converse, remaining completely inactive in the battle, a knowing smile on his lips as he observed the unfolding tension.
"For example, he can use illusions, but that's just one of his four abilities. Each of his powers is represented by a different color in the eyes of his tattoo and his own eyes, indicating which one he's channeling at any moment." She clenched her sword tighter, ready for whatever challenge lay ahead.
He kind of reminds me of the artifact; his eyes change color depending on the rank. Haruo thought, recalling the artifact he had just acquired. The similarities struck him, highlighting the connection between Leo's shifting abilities and the artifact's dynamic nature.
Leo's eyes glowed black as he activated his ability. Haruo took a fighting stance, ready for an attack, while Leo's snake tattoo transformed, slithering out and manifesting into a long blade. Tension filled the air as they prepared for battle.
"Ouroboros..." he said, as his tattoo transformed into a sleek black saber with a handle shaped like a coiled dragon. The air thrummed with energy, the dark blade embodying his mastery of destruction and chaos.
"He's using 'THAT' already?!" Tatiana exclaimed, her eyes widening as she quickly adopted a fighting stance.
In a flash, Leo sprinted toward Haruo and Tatiana, his saber leaving a black trail behind him. He slashed at Haruo, completely ignoring Tatiana, which stung her pride. Fueled by frustration, she attempted to punch him, but Leo deflected her blow effortlessly, sending her flying backward.
"Tatiana, help Liang Chen and Juliette! I'll take care of him!" Haruo exclaimed, his blade clashing with Leo's at top speeds, the sound of metal ringing through the air as they engaged in a fierce battle.
She glanced at Liang Chen and Juliette, struggling against three opponents, and immediately obeyed without hesitation, rushing to their aid.
Haruo deflected Leo's saber upward, the force of the recoil sending Leo's arms flying back and creating an opening. Seizing the moment, Haruo prepared to launch his counterattack.
Leo's shocked expression quickly transformed into a grin, making Haruo wary. He glanced up just in time to see the saber descending toward him at top speeds, the blade aimed directly for him.
Haruo dodged the blade by stepping backward, his coat swaying as he moved. Leo regained his balance, stomping on the ground, causing the saber to float into the air before he kicked it toward Haruo.
Haruo tried his best to dodge the saber, rotating his body mid-air. The blade grazed his face, leaving a shallow cut that tore a tiny part of his skin mask. As he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the blade, he failed to notice Leo waiting below, poised for his next move.
Leo grabbed the hilt of the saber and slashed it at Haruo, but Haruo blocked the attack just in time. The force of the clash sent Haruo flying back against the wall, momentarily disoriented.
Both charged at each other, blades clashing and switching places in a blur of movement. Haruo shifted his weight to his back foot, mirroring Leo's motion, resulting in another fierce clash. The sound of their blades echoed delayed, a testament to their speed as they moved faster than sound itself.
They continued to clash until Leo managed to grab Haruo's hand that held the blade. With a swift kick to Haruo's abdomen, he knocked the sword from his grasp, leaving Haruo momentarily vulnerable.
"I didn't know you wore a skin mask; really convincing, that's for sure." Leo said with that same creepy smile before he hurled the blade back at Haruo, the weapon slicing through the air with deadly precision.
Leo sprinted at Haruo, lunging toward him with a dropkick. Haruo quickly grabbed the blade and blocked the attack, then used the force of Leo's kick against him, redirecting his momentum and sending Leo stumbling back.
"Your smile is way too disturbing; no wonder Tatiana hates you." Haruo said, eyeing Leo with a mix of annoyance and wariness as they prepared for their next move.
As Leo lunged at him again, Haruo dodged flawlessly and swiftly drew the Monarch-13 from his mana storage. The sudden appearance of Gun made Leo lose his guard, momentarily caught off balance.
Haruo pulled the trigger, unleashing a powerful blast that caused significant damage. Leo reacted instantly, drawing his saber to block the attack, the impact resonating through the air as the two forces collided.
Leo struggled to maintain his block against the force of the blast, being pushed back with each shot. Haruo then stepped back and launched more bullets in his direction.
the projectiles forcing Leo to rely on his agility. The bullets whizzed past, causing Leo's hair and jacket to flare as he fought to evade the relentless onslaught.
Leo's glowing black eyes shifted back to vibrant green, and his saber retracted into a tattoo on his skin as he switched his ability. The change in his demeanor was palpable, signaling a new tactic as he readied himself to counter Haruo's attacks.
As Haruo shot at Leo, the bullet hit, but it evaporated into dust, revealing that it was just an illusion. Haruo's eyes widened in shock as he quickly scanned his surroundings, trying to locate Leo and figure out where he had disappeared.
He then looked up to see Leo descending with his original saber, ready to attack, but that one too turned to dust upon impact. Just as he registered this, Haruo sensed Leo behind him and dodged again.
The blade passed through him, cutting him in half, but it too disintegrated into dust, leaving Haruo momentarily confused and on high alert.
Suddenly, multiple Leos appeared, all lunging at Haruo in unison. He carefully dodged each one, his expression tense and cautious as he focused on evading their relentless attacks, determined not to be caught off guard.
Haruo quickly swung his blade in a 360-degree rotation, dispersing the multiple Leos into dust. However, he was soon confronted by a giant Leo in the distance, preparing to attack. Without hesitation, Haruo jumped toward the colossal figure and launched a powerful strike, determined to take down this new threat.
The attack against the giant Leo turned to dust once more, leaving Haruo momentarily disoriented. He sensed Leo's presence behind him and attempted to dodge the incoming blade, but he failed, feeling the sharp edge stab into his shoulder.
Haruo fell to the ground with the blade embedded in his shoulder, but he quickly rolled to minimize the damage. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he tried to regain his footing and assess the situation.
The blade embedded in Haruo's shoulder retracted and flew back to Leo, reappearing in front of him as the illusion persisted. Haruo braced himself, kneeling with one knee on the ground while his injured arm supported him, determination etched on his face as he prepared for Leo's next move.
Haruo began to calm his breathing, each inhale growing more menacing for Leo as he sensed a shift in the atmosphere. Leo's smile faded as he watched Haruo slowly gather his breath, realizing that something dangerous was building within him.
A chilly aura surrounded Haruo, each breath emanating more coldness. Finally, he perfected his breathing and exhaled one last time, making his breath visible in the frosty air. Ice formed on his face, and his eyes took on a greyish-blue hue as he looked up at Leo, a formidable presence now radiating from him.
"If I can't dodge your ability, then I should just freeze it." Haruo said, his eyes glowing as he locked his gaze on Leo, the chilling energy around him intensifying.