Destroyer of Ice and Fire

Ayrin, Rinloran and Moss tensed as they watched the curtain of light tremble once more.

"Stingham?!" the three exclaimed simultaneously and in shock.

"You three are out already?"

Upon seeing Ayrin, Rinloran and Moss, Stingham immediately said, "I encountered a golden metal puppet with abnormal defensive capabilities in there! But it was still defeated by the most handsome me! Hahahaha!"

"Idiot! Do you think you are the only person who encountered a golden metal puppet?" Rinloran sneered.

"Brave warrior Stingham, every single one of us encountered a golden metal puppet," Ayrin added.

"What?" Stingham asked, dumbfounded.

"You are the fourth to emerge," Ayrin said as he turned and looked at Rinloran. He continued, "Considering how Stingham encountered a golden metal puppet with an extreme defense, it seems like the strange arcane energy fluctuations in the previous chamber were indeed there to determine which puppet we would encounter."

"It must have been one of the Scanning Fields I've read about before."

Rinloran nodded as he explained, "Those arcane energy fluctuations were used to judge the characteristics of our respective bodies and arcane energies so that they could be replicated in our opponents here."

After a short pause, Rinloran added, "In the past, these golden metal puppets were likely sent out against invaders so that the Corps' own arcane masters could identify strengths and weaknesses."

"So we would have had to deal with a specialized team of arcane masters after dealing with these golden metal puppets?!" A look of wonder emerged on Ayrin's face as he said, "The defenses here are so powerful! Yet in the end, this Corps still fell to invaders and was eradicated."

"What? You mean… the golden metal puppets that you guys encountered in there took after your distinct abilities as well? Rinloran, you encountered a golden metal puppet which was extremely agile?" Stingham asked as he finally comprehended everything which had been said.

"But then how was Moss able to emerge earlier than me?"

A look of dismay emerged across Stingham's face, but was quickly replaced with excitement as he cried out, "Rinloran, I figured out a super powerful strike just now, do you want to see?"

"A super powerful strike?" Stingham's words caused Ayrin, Rinloran and Moss to all look curiously at him.

"What super powerful strike? Demonstrate it for me," Ayrin said, a look of anticipation appeared atop his face.

"Alright!" Stingham shouted as he moved to embrace Rinloran.

"Idiot! What are you trying to pull?!" Rinloran shouted as he dodged Stingham's grasp, black lines appearing all over his face.

"I'm trying to demonstrate my attack," Stingham replied, a look of excitement on his face.

"Then why are you trying to hug me?!" Rinloran yelled, his face darkening further.

"Because this attack can only be used when I have a hold of the target," Stingham said. "It's truly very powerful."

"Scram! Go die!" Rinloran yelled again as a threatening look appeared atop his face.

"But it is truly very powerful…" Stingham muttered frustratedly.

"I wonder how Chris and Belo are doing," Ayrin couldn't help but silently wonder to himself at this moment.

Naturally, the longer it took for one to emerge, the more likely it was that they were experiencing a more difficult fight.

……

"Even with such a high level of difficulty, four of them have already passed, and so quickly!"

"Only two are left!"

Atop the bronze wall, the attention of all the referees and medical masters turned towards Belo and Chris.

The golden metal puppet facing Belo still looked like a normal little boy. Its hands and arms had not transformed into any shield or blade like Stingham's or Moss' puppets. However, its body was covered with radiating rings of light consisting of six different colors.

For those with enough combat experience, or for those battlemasters who had received special training, the color of the light and its arcane energy fluctuations were enough to identify each ring's characteristics.

A dim yellow color for weakening!

A pale gray color for fatigue!

A dark red color for anxiety!

A greenish yellow for sluggishness!

A pure white for numbness!

And finally, a light red for intoxication!

The extended arm of the golden metal puppet was covered with several of these rings. In fact, the puppet was basically an entity composed of these harmful energy containing rings!

Belo was currently covered with bruises and traces of blood. Furthermore, his current condition seemed extremely poor, as if he had stayed up for many nights in a row.

It was evident that the harmful energies within the lights had taken a much larger toll on him than anything else.

"Crack!"

The golden metal puppet abruptly appeared beside Belo.

Compared to the golden metal puppet Rinloran had faced, its movements were not so fast. Even Belo would not have considered it to be fast in his normal state. However, all the harmful effect containing arcane energies emanating from it caused Belo to be a step too slow in his attempt to dodge.

The golden metal puppet's fingers viciously caught Belo's waist, causing five streaks of blood to fly into the air.

Belo's body stiffened as if he had lost consciousness. Only the turning of his head made it apparent that he was still conscious.

As he looked at the golden metal puppet, countless red capillaries began to bulge out in the whites of his eyes.

"What is he about to do?!" several referees couldn't help but exclaim.

"It seems like he has used an innate ability of his beastman bloodline to temporarily sever the connection between his brain and the rest of his body to minimize the effects and discomfort created by the harmful energies!" a medical master exclaimed.

"Whoosh!"

Countless streaks of blood erupted from Belo's face and pupils.

These streaks of blood immediately landed upon the golden metal puppet's body.

The golden metal puppet's movements slowed greatly as the arcane energy fluctuations emanating from its body also became disordered.

"The high rank beastman bloodline's power of Chaotic Blood. It's basically a cocktail of harmful effects. But why? What is he trying to do? This will only temporarily slow down its movements and will not result in any substantial damage as the puppet's arcane energy originates from an inaccessible crystal!"

Clancy and Leonardo were completely unable to understand Belo's action.

"Bang!"

They watched as at this moment, Belo abruptly restored the connection between his brain and body, causing his stiffened body to return to life as he used both hands to strike the slowed golden metal puppet.

"What?!"

All the referees and medical masters gasped.

As his fists landed on the golden metal puppet's body, two green flames appeared and began to proliferate.

A thick and viscous green mucus oozed out from Belo's palms and quickly began eating away at the metal exterior of the golden metal puppet.

A depression emerged over the golden metal puppet's chest.

Several moments later, Belo's hands entered the golden metal puppet's interior!

"Clang…"

The sound of parts being torn apart rang out as the golden metal puppet's limbs flailed wildly for several moments before abruptly turning motionless as if it had died.

Belo extracted his hands from the golden metal puppet's chest cavity, green mucus dripping from his palms.

As the mucus landed on the bronze floor, small ruts appeared.

The golden metal puppet collapsed into a heap of metal as Belo walked towards the exit without looking back.

The referees all exchanged looks with each other atop the wall.

After a moment, one of the referees extended their arm and waved it, causing a slender metal chain to shoot out and latch onto the golden metal puppet which Belo had defeated and then drag it back to them.

A medical master put on a special looking pair of metal wire gloves and then smeared some of the mucus on their finger. Afterwards, they brought it up to their nose and smelled it. "Poisonflame Emperor. It has the scent of the Poisonflame Emperor's toxins!"

"It contains the some of the blood energy of the Poisonflame Emperor? But the Poisonflame Emperor's toxins are only poisonous, and do not have such a powerful corrosive ability," Clancy exclaimed as he furrowed his brows in confusion.

"Evolution," Leonardo said as he sucked in a deep breath of air. He was unable to contain his shock as he nodded and explained, "This fellow has already grown to the level where he can compose Chaotic Blood."

"Evolution?" The medical masters gasped as they asked, "Leonardo, you mean that this child has… you mean that he has gained the ability freely create any blood and poison during battle as dictated by his needs?"

"Blood Advancement was originally one of the ultimate abilities of high rank beastmen to begin with… only these arcane masters with such a beastman bloodline who can exhibit this ability are practically unheard of today." Leonardo took another deep breath as he continued his explanation, "Never would I ever have imagined that this impulsive student of Holy Dawn Academy would be able to reach Blood Advancement at such a young age."

"Someone's coming out!"

The curtain of light trembled once more, inciting cries from Ayrin, Rinloran, Moss and Stingham.

Upon seeing the figure emerge, they couldn't help but cry out, "Belo!"

"Only Chris is left!"

"How come Chris hasn't come out yet?"

Before Belo could say anything, Ayrin and Rinloran had already spoken once more.

"Only Chris has not come out yet?"

Just from looking at the expression present on the faces of Ayrin and the others, Belo could tell that they had all encountered similar fights within the chamber. Belo furrowed his brows as he immediately turned and looked at the curtain of light behind him.

Chris was recognized without question by all of them to be the best fighter amongst them. She should have been one of the first to emerge.

Yet currently, she was the only person who had yet to appear.

Just what had she encountered?