Chapter 263 - Ethan Vs Janine Vs Rocky (1)
Ethan wasn't having any trouble avoiding Carridad's arrows. Her attack speed wasn't fast, and she was stuck in one spot when she fires her shots.
He expected much from her since she was already on the upgraded tire of the Ranger class, but the disappointment poured in slowly.
"I still can't keep my guard down," Ethan said to himself and rolled around the field while avoiding the arrows. Carridad was also firing her regular arrows one by one which was starting to get on Ethan's nerves. "What is she planning?"
He decided to finish the fight before another opponent would come and join the fray. It would be difficult if he fought two enemies at once. Ethan rushed in front of Carridad and swung his spear.
The woman took a step back and shot one arrow on the ground. When the head of the arrow reached the ground, the shaft of the arrow formed a large vine that Ethan easily avoided by backing away.
What he did not see was the other vines that grew behind him. The previous arrows Carridad shot were now growing as vines. He spun and slashed his sword through the green plants, trying to not get caught while they sprout from the ground one by one and in an incredible speed.
"So, that's what those are," Ethan smirked. "Very smart. You're a hybrid then?"
"Our guild requires the members to have the flora affinity, hence the name," Carridad said. "But all of us in this contest has another affinity in our sleeves. So, you all better watch out."
"You should definitely not spill secrets like that," Ethan seethed. "That should've been your secret weapon, yet you spoiled it."
"Don't care," Carridad said. "We'll all defeat you anyway."
With her confidence, Carridad pulled the string of her bow and conjured a lightning arrow, "Lightning Rain!"
She pointed her bow at the sky and shot her arrow there. The arrow burst into a dark cloud a few meters above Ethan. The boy tsked and groaned, knowing what will happen next.
With all his speed and agility, Ethan avoided the rain of lightning bolts his opponent fired upon him. The lightning bolts would shock the ground at random places with a duration of two seconds per bolt.
The only good thing Ethan was thankful for was that his affinity was earth. He could easily avoid the bolts since his body is naturally sensitive to lightning. He used his senses to detect where the lightning would land, rolling around and gliding over the ground as he dodged and dodged.
Out of point blank range, a lightning arrow was shot right beside Ethan's shoulder. His eyes widened when the arrow barely managed to scratch his shoulder pad. He held his shoulder, feeling the sting through the metal. "What in the hell?"
"Lightning Rain!"
The bolts from the skies ended and Carridad was now planning on shooting in front of her. This puts a smirk on Ethan's lips. Bort is a diamond, and diamonds are poor conductors of electricity. He could hide on one of the rock eminences until the attack would end.
Ethan did just as he planned and hid behind one of the rocks. The lightning bolts started to burst behind him, the sound of ground being blasted by the attacks were audible from afar.
"Get closer to her," Monique suddenly whispered from above Ethan. The boy gasped and watched the girl while she hung her waist from the tip of the cone shaped rock while her body was held upside down. "You can't do anything about this if you just run away like a coward."
"I'm doing my best here," Ethan grunted.
Monique sighed and rolled herself up, "You're not going enough."
"Am I really not though?" The boy scoffed. "You do it then."
"You sure?" Monique smirked. "I will do it if you're sure."
"Yes, I am," Ethan said. "Just get rid of her."
"You got it boss," Monique winked and loosened herself from her string. She leaped from the rock and into Carridad, throwing her arms out to the nearby rocks to swing herself.
"You're too obvious, little one," Carridad chuckled and pointed a lightning arrow at her. "Such an easy target."
When she released the arrow from her fingers, Monique suddenly vanished from her vision. Carridad was a huntress, therefore her vision was sharper than most Adventurers.
"Meow!" Monique purred. She jumped right in front of Carridad, leveling her hands on the other woman's face, before she slashed her claws. Monique then flipped and got behind her before she coiled her string on Carridad. Monique pulled the strings down along with the woman and started to smirk.
"Let us, spin!" She spun and extended her arms forward. Carridad, that was wrapped in the strings was being dragged on the soil for a few turns before the girl stopped, slamming the woman on a rock to knock her out. "That should be enough."
"And we have our third fallen Champion!" Irv announced. "I could say that my guess of Azure Scorch and the League is real because Monique was right behind Ethan not long before she attacked and defeated Carridad."
"I think you are right with that, Irv," Zia said. "And now we have– our a tie! Our fourth and fifth Champions were neck on neck just a few seconds ago, and now they have finally knocked each other out."
"That was some fight they got there," Irv chuckled. "You know, I see another Champion that's going to fall– and oh, there we go, Rocky has hunted yet another Champion."
The ground shook the the rocks started to move towards the center. Ethan had to leap on one of the rocks and pierce his spear on the side to maintain his balance. The battleground was getting smaller. Everything was getting more and more dangerous. He looked around but Monique was lost in his vision again.
Not far from him was another Champion. He was standing on a rectangular rock, balancing himself from the moving bort rock. When the rocks stopped moving, Ethan could hear the sigh from the man's lips. The sigh was instantly taken away from him when a rock was slammed in his stomach.
"The sixth Champion has fallen," Zia announced. "Only four of them left. We're nearing the final stage. I am so excited."
"Twin Blade of Futile Grudge."
Ethan heard a female voice say near him. He was ready to take his spear out and defend himself when a thud sounded from the ground instead. He took a peek, only for his eyes to widen.
Monique was on the ground, wrapped in her own strings.
"And we have our seventh fallen Champion!" Irv yelled, his voice filled with excitement. "We now approach the final phase!"
The rocks moved yet once again.. Ethan could only gulp as he watch every black eminence approach the center, Rocky and Janine stood on different rocks not far from him.