Chapter 173 - Oh, Graceful Hero (1)
*BOOM!*
Daisy's last attack was very powerful. Although she did not use high-layer spells, the sheer number of lightning bolts she unleashed was enough to drown any sixth-layer enemy.
Immediately after Daisy finished unleashing the spells, she collapsed the ground.
I instantly jumped onto the stage and held her up. Daisy opened her eyes weakly and smiled. "Your highness, I did it."
"Well done." I smiled and hugged her. Daisy closed her eyes with a satisfied smile and fainted.
The next second, I shook my head.
I did not have the heart to tell her the truth, not now.
I looked in direction of the lightning bolts and sighed.
Daisy's last attack was formidable, but unfortunately, it failed.
When the lightning rain stopped, a mana shield had appeared on the arena, protecting Harry's completely.
I looked at the ring on his hand. A defensive magic item able to stop any attack below the ninth layer once.
Harry was slightly pale. "Damn, I almost lost. I was saving this barrier as a trump card. Unfortunately, I can't use it anymore today."
I ignored him and carried Daisy in a princess carry to the healing mages. They checked her briefly and confirmed that it was just mana depletion plus some internal injuries.
I nodded and laid her down on a stretcher before returning to the team.
Dina sighed in pity when she saw me. "Shame, I thought Daisy had managed to knock him down."
I smiled wryly. "She did a good job, but the enemy protective item was unexpected."
Dina nodded. She then looked at our remaining team members and frowned.
"Rose, you are next."
"Understood, president." An excited smile appeared on Rose's face. She looked at the stage with an expression of anticipation.
Dina tapped her shoulder with a serious expression. "Be careful, we are three members down, but Alan's team has only lost two participants. You must win this time."
Rose grinned. "Don't worry, your highness, I'll not let down your expectations."
She then jumped into the arena and introduced herself.
"My name is Rose, freshman, and a sixth-layer magic warrior. Please guide me." She bowed politely.
Harry frowned. "Magic warrior, what does that mean?"
Rose just smiled sweetly and unsheathed her sword. She then leaned slightly forward and waited for the headmistress signal.
"Are you ready?"
Seeing the two of them nod, Evelyn raised her hand and lowered it down.
"Start!"
In the next instant, Rose kicked the ground.
"Ugh!"
Harry grunted. He parried Rose's sword aside, but the strength behind the attack made him lose his balance.
Narrowing her eyes, Rose spun around and unleashed another blow. The sword shone and sliced the air towards Harry's neck.
*Ding!*
Harry's daggers managed to block the blow. But the next attack was already over him. Rose's knee kicked towards Harry's belly, intent on crushing it.
At that moment, however, Harry flashed away and retreated.
"Crazy…" He mumbled softly and stared at Rose. The hero was also looking at him with a smile.
She then kicked the ground again.
*Ding!* *Ding!* *Ding!*
Sword and daggers clashed against each other repeatedly. Harry was forced to lean his head aside, but Rose's sword cut some strands of his hair.
Before Harry could thanks his luck though, Rose bent her elbow and swung it towards his face.
Cold sweat flowed on Harry's back. He hurriedly crouched down and rolled aside to evade the attack.
This was the first only-warriors combat of today's fights, and the intensity was incredible.
Shockwave after shockwave spread on the arena. Both Rose and Harry moved so quickly that most students were unable to follow their movements.
Harry's expression darkened quickly. As a late sixth-layer warrior focused on speed, he was faster than most sixth-layer practitioners; however, he had finally met someone as fast as him.
Furthermore, the opponent was someone that had just broken through the sixth layer.
But speed was not the only thing surprising about Rose. Her strength and swordsmanship were first-rate. Harry was completely pressured, unable to counterattack.
Rose wielded her sword fiercely. Each attack created airwaves that cut Harry's skin, and each movement was aimed to pressure her opponent and bring him close to defeat.
The fight was completely in her control, and despite Harry's desperate attempts to recover the initiative, he was completely suppressed by Rose's overwhelming strikes.
His wrist started to hurt. More than once, he was forced to rely on his movement technique, [Flash Step], to escape.
But it was the most he could do. Every time he tried to counterattack, Rose's sword was coming towards his neck.
"Damn it!" Harry cursed with an ugly expression. He evaded a slash narrowly only to find Rose's leg coming from below. When he jumped back, Rose's sword was again slicing towards him.
"This girl!" Harry held his daggers and pointed down. He then used [Flash Step] again and retreated hurriedly.
Finally getting an opportunity to catch his breath, he activated a technique.
"[Wind-Blessed Daggers]!"
With his shout, the wind surged towards him. Harry's daggers took a green glow and slashed towards Rose.
But Rose answered with a sword thrust. She clashed against Harry's daggers directly.
*Bam!*
Rose's expression changed. In the next second, her body was sent flying.
Harry smirked. [Wind-Blessed Daggers] was a sixth-layer dagger technique. Receiving it head-on was suicide.
Now that he had recovered the initiative, he was not going to give Rose the opportunity to counterattack.
With his daggers shining green, Harry unleashed countless dagger shadows. His body flashed and appeared behind Rose, and his daggers pierced towards her waist.
Rose reacted exceptionally. She used a downward slash to block the daggers, but the powerful dagger technique sent her flying once more.
A thread of blood flowed down from her lips, but Rose's face remained calm. She used the strength of the blow to retreat and restore her posture.
Harry was not going to allow it, though.
Kicking the ground, he appeared above Rose and swung his daggers down.
But contrary to an expression of despair, he saw a smile.
Rose curved her lips up and muttered a word.
"Shield."
And a magic circle appeared between her and Harry.
*Clang!*
The daggers clashed against the shield.
"Magic!?" Harry was astonished. But Rose did not give him time to think. Taking advantage of the brief time earned by the mana shield, she stopped her moment forcibly and slashed upwards.
"Ha!"
Her sword shone brightly. The light on Rose's sword was blinding, and the power behind her blow was devasting.
Seeing the sword slash coming towards his neck, Harry was forced to retreat again. For some reason, he knew he could not take that attack head-on.
But before he could sigh in relief, ten light arrows were descending towards him.