Chapter 18: JSMC 2, Round 2 & 3 (editted)

Chapter 18: JSMC 2, Round 2 & 3

Original word count = 1291 on 6/27/2023

New word count = 1536 on 8/14/2023

The 2nd day of the competition arrives and with only 15 contestants left, all contestants are assigned a new number and the 15th gets a free pass forward. Xue Tie takes his card and gains 14 while surprisingly, Yu Xiaogang is still active and receives the 15th card. His luck pulled through and to the next round with no hassle. Xue Tie clicks his tongue at this but then turns his attention to his fight

Meanwhile the rest of the contestants are paired up. Xue Ties opponent is a level 25 agility-control spirit master with a martial spirit of an evanescent Hawk. A colorful bird that Is able to use a myriad of colors to typically blind his opponents. Which was showcased in his first spirit skill. Blinding light and a dashing technique for his 2nd spirit skill. Xue Tie begins theorizing his game plan as he waits for his round. His match was the last amongst today's fights.

Bibi Dong has some more trouble with her fight. She faced another control-assault type system like herself. A scorpion type martial spirit. Scorpions are predators to Spiders, as such, Bibi Dong faces a natural counter.. Acid spit versus flying webs. A digging ability versus poison clouds. It's the longest fight of the day so far and it's just the first round of it too.

Bibi Dong was able to spread her poison fog out by this point and with few places left to dig. Her opponent gets caught in a web and is smacked around by Bibi Dong's legs smacking her opponent around until they pass out. With a digging depth restriction before it's considered out of bounds, along with a limited space led to a limit to how much the opponent could evade before being caught. With this depth restriction, their 2nd ability which was linked to their tunneling ability was limiting the effect of their return charge that was the continuation of their 2nd ring. Regardless Bibi Dong wins and moves up to the quarter finals.

The arena is fixed up by a combination of an earth manipulator and likewise a water manipulator spirit masters to both fix up the arena and smoothen it out again. Xue Tie then heads up. As does his bird based opponent. Xue Tie summons his gloves and takes out a rock. The audience and his opponent are shocked by the 3 rings. This is especially true for all his fellow contestants who now realize that Xue Tie has Twin martial spirits and that they were fooled during the party. This lowers their impression of him due to his shenanigans while the girls are adoring him even more due to the breath of talent he exemplifies.

While his opponent is in shock, Xue Tie activates his first ring and tosses the seemingly normal rock to his opponent. "Catch", he does and just as his bird martial spirit settles in, the rock explodes, knocking him out of the arena. Xue Tie cancels his gloves and shrugs as he walks off while being named the winner of this round.

An hour's rest is given while new polls are done, granting them new numbers again. Yu Xiaogang shows unprecedented luck by getting number 7 and moving on to the next round while a new girl is set for the female side. Many people are surprised by Xiaogang's luck because if it continues then he is set to fight the runner up in the competition and if he wins then he gets a chance at fighting the champion. Same applies to the girls, so they aren't complaining.

Xue Tie gets number 2 now and faces off against someone with a strange symbol on their hand. His name is Zhang Fian. 2 spirit rings glow around them, but the 2nd is purple. Quite a rarity not unlike Xue Tie himself. His opponents previous fights ended quickly. His opponents mostly walked off by themselves. Xue Tie prepares himself to try ending the fight quickly. Summoning both martial spirits. With the revelation of 2 martial spirits, at least to the normal folk who were just confused on his abilities, the elder announcing the fight explains it all.

The crowd cheers over seeing Twin Martial spirits due to their rarity. The announcer proclaims the start of the fight and Zhang Fian activates his first skill. A glow covers the arena and passes through Xue Tie.

Xue Tie finds himself in bed, back in the modern and safe world he was first born in. He looks up and sees that he was back playing Elden Ring and falls asleep. His character is back at the nearest site of grace shortly after dying to Mohg. He has no runes.

'Im…back? No, this has to be an illusion. The pain, the coldness he felt. As well as the 11 years of his new life.' He thinks to himself as he doesnt know if the illusion makes him talk out loud. He fixes himself to sit cross legged and try channeling his energy to try dissipate the illusion. He struggles to feel any sort of energy so he can only do what is natural. He takes up the control and makes his way to Mohg's fight. Once his avatar makes his way past the minor enemies and to the doors. He is shown the small cutscene like usual.

"Dearest Miquella. You must abide alone a while. Welcome, Xue Tie. To the birthplace of our dynasty!"

Xue Tie shakes as he clearly remembers that the character should not know his name but refers to the Tarnished as 'Honored Guest', yet he also cant shake the feeling that the Mohg here is real but with no real certainty that he can communicate. He can only guide his character to fight Mohg. He is quickly afflicted with the 3 brands when Mohg speaks again.

"Listen…to the song…of our blood. Let it's meaning flow through you. Raise your HAND. call out to it, my child."

The words seem to synergize with Xue Tie as he sets the controller down but grabs out like he is clenching his trident still. He grabs it with both hands and at the same time as Mohg, he calls out while veins spread out throughout his body. An energy makes itself known and flows through these veins before a red mist envelopes him up to a range of 40ft

"NIHIL"

The scene fades with blood mist flowing around Xue Tie. He finds himself back in the arena, he is facing the edge of the arena. A step forward and he would be out of bounds. He turns out to see his opponent who just coughed up plenty of blood.

Xue Tie sees that the veins of his trident are covering his body like the plague. Covering every part of his body. Once he seeps his mind to it, he finds the curse that had been helping him with the spirit rings. The corruption. It's very heart, it's soul…was Nihil. And now he controls it. Xue Tie looks at his opponent who is pale and breathing hard. He is unsure if it's a backlash from his own spirit skill or if he actually used Nihil on him.

"I have to thank you. I did not think I would have gained this until my 5th spirit ring. Though it's a bit inefficient. So I may still attempt to get the ability through spirit ring form anyways. Regardless, to show my thanks. I shall let you experience it." Xue Tie thanks his opponent for his help and with a promise of reward. He grips his trident once more but halts from his opponents words.

"I surrender!!!" he says in a panic. And even goes so far as to run away. Xue Tie himself has turned into a statue. His high calms down and drops into a depression as his 'moment' was ruined. He despawns his martial spirits in disparity. With a slump on his back he walks off the stage as well while being crowned the winner of this round.

The last group of girls gets onto the stage shortly after while Xue Tie retires to his room. The veins on his body have long retracted. He slumps on his bed, only his upper body is on it while he is more technically kneeling by his bed.

"I almost did it in real life. I was going to be so cool. Just one extra second." Xue Tie bemoans his problem as his inner Chunnibyou rears its head from the unfulfilled dream.

Original title : Chapter 18: JSMC 2, Round 2 & 3, devilish Icon and Nihil

(Was too long for webnovels liking)

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So web novel cant decide if it wants the author tab or not, it's like it's purposely targeting me so i upload new chapters on my laptop instead of my phone….an inconvenience of a minute or two.

Also we have 5 more chapters to go before I am done remaking most of volume 1. (I had a poll around chapter 50 but it's long done and whoever is reading this can see the results.