Chapter 119: Final Assessment [2/3] (REVAMPED)
Brandon's calm determination remained unshaken, even as the Lightning Flame continued to showcase its overwhelming power.
His combat instincts took over, and he quickly formulated a plan to counter Jay's ranged attacks. Recognizing that Jay intended to keep him at a distance, Brandon activated his best movement skill,║Lightning Flash║.
With a surge of power, Brandon's speed nearly doubled, his form flickering in and out of sight as streaks of blue lightning marked his path. Whistling sounds echoed with every sharp turn and leap he made, his movements too fast for Jay to track with his stats restricted.
Brandon's new speed allowed him to evade even the unbelievably fast ranged attacks from the Lightning Flame. However, despite his impressive agility, he couldn't close the gap.
Jay, using the explosive aftermath of his attacks to his advantage, forced Brandon to keep his distance. The sheer impact of Jay's strikes left Brandon unable to approach without taking damage.
As the fight dragged on, Brandon's Health began to chip away bit by bit, dropping steadily to around 40%. Meanwhile, Jay's Spirit Energy reserves dwindled rapidly under the high expenditure required to manipulate the Lightning Flame.
Brandon, ever calculating, realized that the battle had turned into a war of attrition. His goal was now clear: survive until Jay's Spirit Energy ran dry. Once that happened, Brandon's nearly doubled stats would allow him to overpower Jay and secure victory.
But Jay wasn't oblivious to Brandon's plan. Recognizing the situation, Jay shifted his strategy. Using the last of his Spirit Energy reserves, he unleashed a devastating AoE attack that covered the entire platform.
A dark cloud formed 50 meters above the battlefield, rumbling ominously. Deafening thunderclaps echoed across the green plains as bolts of purple-red lightning rained down on the 100 x 100-meter platform. Each bolt crackled with the fused power of the Lightning Flame, leaving scorch marks and craters in its wake.
Brandon found himself in an increasingly precarious position. Even with his speed, the sheer number of bolts made dodging nearly impossible.
One struck him directly, and his Health plummeted from 40% to 25% in an instant. The spectators watching from the seats tensed, recognizing that just two more hits would be enough to end Brandon's fight.
Brandon gritted his teeth, understanding that his original plan to wait Jay out was no longer viable. Desperate to turn the tide, he charged toward Jay at full speed, aiming to finish the fight with a decisive strike.
But as he approached, the lightning bolts intensified, one slamming into him with brutal force. The aftermath of additional strikes exploded around him, and his Health dropped to less than 5%.
Realizing he couldn't afford to get any closer, Brandon made a split-second decision. Drawing on his remaining strength, he hurled his spear at Jay with all his might. The weapon flew through the air like a javelin, its speed and accuracy making it a lethal threat.
Jay's eyes narrowed as he perceived the danger. Without hesitation, he morphed Centauri Kavach. A portion of his full-body armor shifted seamlessly, forming a circular golden-black shield in front of him.
The spear collided with the shield, the impact creating a loud clang and leaving a deep dent, but Jay remained unharmed. The spear fell to the ground beside him, its power spent.
To the spectators, the outcome of the battle was now clear. Brandon's Health was critically low, and multiple purple-red lightning bolts were already streaking toward his location. Even if he managed to avoid a direct hit, the resulting shockwaves and explosive impacts would be enough to finish him.
However, the fight took an unexpected turn as Brandon, on the verge of defeat, locked his arm into a punching posture and enveloped his fist in crackling blue lightning.
He stood beneath the oncoming Lightning Flame bolts. The spectators, and even Jay, were baffled by his seemingly reckless decision.
As the deadly bolts streaked down toward him, Brandon murmured a single word to himself: "Displace!"
To everyone's shock, Brandon vanished just before the bolts struck. A moment later, he reappeared next to Jay—right where his Spear had fallen.
Before anyone could react, Brandon's lightning-charged fist slammed into Jay with all the force he could muster. The overwhelming difference in their physical stats made the punch devastating, instantly depleting Jay's Health and defeating him.
But that wasn't the end. Just as Brandon's punch landed, his own Health emptied out completely, and he collapsed as well.
The spectators were left in stunned silence, trying to process the chain of events. A moment ago, it had seemed certain that Jay would win. Then, Brandon turned the tables with a sudden teleportation maneuver. Just as it appeared Brandon had secured victory, his Health dropped to zero, resulting in a draw.
MJ floated down to the platform, waving his palm to reset the simulation. Both Jay and Brandon reappeared, their Health restored to full. The tension eased slightly, but the atmosphere remained thick with awe.
Jay glanced at Brandon's Spear, intrigued. "You said Displace, right?" he asked, his tone calm but curious. "That's quite the interesting skill. It lets you swap your position with your weapon without needing a Space Innate Talent. Is it attached to your Spear?"
Brandon nodded and pointed at the weapon. "Yes. It's an inbuilt skill of this Rare Grade Spirit Weapon. I kept it as a last resort to launch a surprise attack. It worked well, but you had your own hidden ace. I didn't even notice the layers of wind around you until I was right next to you."
Jay smirked faintly. "Oh, that? I secretly cast that skill as a precaution right at the start of the fight. If you had even slightly more than 5% of your Health left, it wouldn't have dealt enough damage to finish you off, and this draw wouldn't have happened."
The spectators listened closely, realizing how much thought and preparation had gone into both sides of the fight. Brandon's ace skill had nearly secured him the victory, while Jay's foresight with the║Wind Clone Barrier║skill had turned the tide at the last moment.
MJ began to announce the result. "As this match ended in a draw, Brandon does not—"
Jay interrupted with a raised hand. "Even though it's a draw, Brandon still managed to defeat me. It's only fair that he passes Stage-3 of the third assessment."
MJ nodded. "As you wish, Master." With a wave of his hand, Brandon's result was updated, granting him Stage-3 clearance.
MJ then turned to Brandon. "Do you wish to proceed to the next stage? Keep in mind, at Stage-4, my Master's overall stats and attack power will increase to 40% instead of the 30% in Stage-3."
Brandon shook his head with a tired smile. "No, I'll stop here. It took everything I had just to draw with 30% of Jay's power. I'd rather not try Stage-4 until I've grown stronger."
MJ gave a slight nod. "Understood."
As Brandon returned to the seats, the other Alpha Chosen watched him with a newfound respect. His ability to hold his own against Jay and even force a draw had left a lasting impression. Most of them couldn't imagine pulling off what Brandon had achieved.
What they didn't know, however, was that if the fight hadn't taken place in the virtual space, the outcome might have been different.
In reality, Jay could have used Olivia's Soul Perception ability to read Brandon's thoughts and anticipate his║Displace║skill. Had that been the case, Jay would have countered Brandon's attack, and the fight wouldn't have ended in a draw.
The third assessment continued, and one by one, the Alpha Chosen faced Jay, only to fall short. Despite their best efforts, none managed to pass Stage-3.
Jay's Lightning Flame element proved too overwhelming, pushing them to their limits and beyond. If not for Jay's new element, some might have had a fighting chance of advancing further.
Even Sergei, who was often considered Brandon's equal, if not slightly stronger, failed to clear Stage-3. Sergei's exceptional combat awareness and strategic thinking made him a formidable opponent, but Jay's Grade-9 Darkness Innate Talent tipped the scales.
With its enhanced perception and resistance against Darkness element attacks, Jay nullified many of Sergei's strengths, leaving him at a disadvantage. Still, Sergei came remarkably close to victory, showcasing his skill and grit.
As the spars progressed, Jay's understanding of the Lightning Flame element deepened. Each battle taught him new ways to wield its power more efficiently in combat, refining his mastery with each passing fight.
The third assessment was nearing its conclusion, with only one participant left: Olivia. Her turn was what the other Alpha Chosen had been eagerly anticipating.
Olivia was regarded as the strongest among them after Jay, but her precise limits were unknown. Her performance in the third assessment would finally give them a clear measure of her strength.
Similarly, Olivia viewed this as an opportunity to gauge her full capabilities. Sparring against Jay, the benchmark of power in their group, would provide her with an accurate understanding of her growth.
To everyone's surprise, Jay allowed Olivia to skip directly to Stage-5. The decision sparked murmurs of speculation among the group. They assumed Jay believed Olivia was strong enough to face him at 50% of his full power.
Jay's reasoning was clear. Olivia had looted stats equal to half of his overall stats through the Major ORIGIN SIGIL.
Combined with her natural stats, her total was approximately 850, placing her at the peak of Tier-3, just shy of Jay's full strength by a difference of 100 stats. Still, Jay limited himself to 50% power for this fight, relying on the sheer advantage of the Lightning Flame element to balance the scales.
Additionally, Jay held an advantage against Olivia. Sharing her Innate Talent rendered him completely immune to her soul-based attacks, a significant limitation for her.
Even if he weren't immune, Olivia wouldn't dare use soul attacks against him—not after the harrowing consequences she had faced the last time she indirectly attempted such a thing.
Despite these restrictions, Olivia had other tools at her disposal. Her immense stats and her formidable telekinetic abilities allowed her to wield weapons with deadly precision, making her a challenging opponent even without her soul-related abiities.
As the group watched in anticipation, MJ hovered over the platform and announced the start of the final match of the third assessment.
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Author Note:
The revamped version of Volume 1 is now live on Kindle. You can find it on Amazon by simply searching the book title. Thank you for your support, and I hope you enjoy the new edition!
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Volume 2 Revamped Chapter Release Schedule
📅 Daily Releases – A revamped chapter will be released every day until Chapter 130. (Jan 1st to 30th)
These revamped chapters won't interfere with the usual chapter updates.
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